Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maps, routes, and the hippocampus: A neural network approach

This study describes hippocampal participation in maze navigation in terms of a real‐time, biologically plausible neural network. The system is composed of (1) a goal‐seeking mechanism, (2) a cognitive map system, and (3) a route system. The goal‐seeking mechanism displays exploratory behavior until either the goal is found or a sufficiently strong prediction of the goal is generated. The cognitive map is a topological map that stores associations between places and views of accessible places, and between places and reward. The route system establishes associations between cues and reward. Both systems compete with each other to establish associations with the reward, with the cognitive system generally overshadowing the route system. In agreement with previous models, it is assumed that the hippocampus modulates the storage of cognitive maps in cortical areas and mediates the competition between cognitive maps and route systems. In agreement with previous models, it is assumed that the hippocampus modulates the storage of cognitive maps in cortical areas and mediates the competition between cognitive maps and route systems. After hippocampal lesions, animals navigate through mazes making use of the route system. Computer simulations show that the network effectively describes latent learning, detour behavior, and place learning in normal and hippocampal‐and cortical‐lesioned animals.
STUDIES ON CLINICAL SIGNS AND SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE INTOXICATION WITH THE TRIAZOLE FUNGICIDE TRITICONAZOLE IN SWINE

Experiments for evaluation of the toxic effects of the triazole fungicide triticonazole in one control and three experimental groups of pigs, treated orally via a gastic tube at increasing doses of 200 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg (0.1LD50, 0.5LD50 and LD50 respectively) were performed. The clinical status of animals (body temperature, heart and respiratory rates, colour of mucosae, appetite, thirst, general condition, locomotion, sensitivity, urination, defecation) and haematological parameters (haemoglobin content, red blood cell counts, haematocrit and mean corpuscular volume) were determined at hours –48, –24 and 0 prior to the treatment and hours 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48 and 72 after the treatment. It was observed that the tested triazole fungicide had a toxic effect manifested by hypothermia, tachycardia, polypnea, oligochromaemia, erythropenia, lacrimation, salivation, tremor, seizures, clonic spasms, paresis and paralysis of limbs. The observed changes were most obvious between post treatment hours 2 and 12 and afterwards the analysed parameters restored their initial values.
Influence of the Settleability Parameters for Palm Oil Mill Effluent （POME） Pretreatment by Using Moringa Oleifera Seeds as an Environmental Friendly Coagulant

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment is an important issue for the minimization of pollution. POME is a highly polluting effluent containing various forms of organics and inorganic suspended solids. The coagulation-flocculation process using Moringa oleifera seeds after oil extraction (MOAE) as a natural coagulant presents a viable alternative for the treatment of POME. A series of jar tests were conducted to determine the parameters involved during coagulation-flocculation process. The influence of the different operating parameters over the sediment volumetric percentage, settling velocity, sludge volume index (SVI) and residual conductivity of the POME treated supernatant to achieve good settleability parameters in the physicochemical treatment of POME wastewater was studied. The operating parameters were the effect of stirring speed, mixing time, pH, MOAE dosage and temperature. The pretreatment using MOAE with NALCO 7751 flocculant resulted in 99.2% suspended solids removal and 52.5% chemical oxygen demands (COD) reduction.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia - A Short Review of the Literature, with a Focus on Elderly Patients

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is the most common extracorpuscular hemolytic anemia. AIHAs are related to the presence of autoantibodies directed against components of the erythrocyte membrane. To date, data related to AIHA are rare, primarily from retrospective studies of small effective. To our knowledge, data related to AIHA in elderly subjects are almost non-existent. Thus, we report our experience of 10 consecutive patients older than 75 years with a documented AIHA.
Estrogen replacement therapy and worsening of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: the Framingham Study.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) prevents worsening of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly women. METHODS A total of 551 women ages 63-91 years (mean age 71) in the Framingham Study were followed up from biennial examination 18 (1983-1985) to examination 22 (1992-1993). Data on postmenopausal ERT were obtained every 2 years. Subjects were classified into 3 groups according to their estrogen use at biennial examination 18: never users (n = 349), past users (n = 162), and current users (n = 40). Women received anteroposterior weight-bearing knee radiographs at examinations 18 and 22. Using the Kellgren and Lawrence criteria, global radiographic knee OA was assessed, (grade range 0-4) and individual radiographic features, such as osteophytes and joint space narrowing, were scored from 0 to 3. Worsening was defined as either development of radiographic OA that was not present at baseline (incident OA) or progression of baseline radiographic OA by > or =1 Kellgren and Lawrence grade (progressive OA). Potential confounding factors included age, body mass index, weight change, smoking, knee injury, physical activity level, and bone mineral density at the femoral neck. RESULTS During 8 years of followup, 17.4% of knee radiographic scores worsened by 1 grade and 5.8% by 2 or 3 grades among never users of ERT. Among current estrogen users, only 11.7% of knee radiographic scores worsened by 1 grade and none worsened by more than 1 grade. After adjusting for age and other potential confounding factors, the relative risk of incident radiographic knee OA in comparison with never users of estrogen was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.5-1.4) in past users and 0.4 (95% CI 0.1-3.0) in current users. Current use of estrogen also showed a trend toward decreased risk of progressive knee OA compared with never use (odds ratio [OR] 0.5, 95% CI 0.1-2.9). When both incident and progressive radiographic knee OA cases were combined, current ERT use had a 60% decreased risk compared with never use (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.1-1.5). CONCLUSION This is the first prospective cohort study to examine the effects of ERT on radiographic knee OA. The results indicate that current use of ERT had a moderate, but not statistically significant, protective effect against worsening of radiographic knee OA among elderly white women. These findings corroborate those of cross-sectional studies and point further to a potential benefit of female hormones in OA.
Ethyl-EPA in Huntington disease

Background: Preliminary evidence suggests beneficial effects of pure ethyl-eicosapentaenoate (ethyl-EPA) in Huntington disease (HD). Methods: A total of 135 patients with HD were randomized to enter a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on the efficacy of 2 g/d ethyl-EPA vs placebo. The Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) was used for assessment. The primary end point was outcome at 12 months on the Total Motor Score 4 subscale (TMS-4). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and a χ2 test on response, defined as absence of increase in the TMS-4, were performed. Results: A total of 121 patients completed 12 months, and 83 did so without protocol violations (PP cohort). Intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis revealed no significant difference between ethyl-EPA and placebo for TMS-4. In the PP cohort, ethyl-EPA proved better than placebo on the χ2 test on TMS-4 (p < 0.05), but missed significance on ANCOVA (p = 0.06). Secondary end points (ITT cohort) showed no benefit of ethyl-EPA but a significantly worse outcome in the behavioral severity and frequency compared with placebo. Exploring moderators of the efficacy of ethyl-EPA on TMS-4 showed a significant interaction between treatment and a factor defining patients with high vs low CAG repeats. Reported adverse events were distributed equally between treatment arms. Conclusions: Ethyl-eicosapentaenoate (ethyl-EPA) (purity >95%) had no benefit in the intent-to-treat cohort of patients with Huntington disease, but exploratory analysis revealed that a significantly higher number of patients in the per protocol cohort, treated with ethyl-EPA, showed stable or improved motor function. Further studies of the potential efficacy of ethyl-EPA are warranted.
Determination of theophylline in plasma: comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography and an enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique.

Plasma theophylline concentrations have been determined by both high-performance liquid chromatography and the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT). Comparison of the results showed a good correlation between the techniques. The faster processing time and smaller sample size makes EMIT the preferred technique when routine batch assays for theophylline are required.
Environmental magnetic record of Antarctic palaeoclimate from Eocene/Oligocene glaciomarine sediments, Victoria Land Basin

SUMMARY The onset of continent-wide glaciation in Antarctica is still poorly understood, despite being one of the most important palaeoclimatic events in the Cenozoic. The Eocene/ Oligocene boundary interval has recently been recognized as a critical time for Antarctic climatic evolution, and it may mark the preglacial‐glacial transition. Magnetic susceptibility, intensity of natural and artificial remanences, hysteresis parameters and magnetic anisotropy of the lower half (late Eocene/early Oligocene) of the CIROS-1 core (from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica) reveal alternating intervals of high and low magnetic mineral concentrations that do not correspond to lithostratigraphic units in the core. Pseudo-single-domain magnetite is the main magnetic mineral throughout the sequence, and sharp changes in magnetite concentration match changes in clay mineralogy beneath and at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. The detrital magnetite originated from weathering of the Ferrar Group (which comprises basic extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks). Weathering processes and input of magnetite to the Victoria Land Basin were intense during periods when the Antarctic climate was warmer than today, but during intervals when the climate was relatively cool, chemical weathering of the Ferrar Group was suppressed and input of detrital magnetite to the Victoria Land Basin decreased. Our results also indicate that a cold and dry climate was not established in Antarctica until the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, with major ice sheet growth occurring at the early/late Oligocene boundary. Some earlier cold intervals are identified, which indicate that climate had begun to deteriorate by the middle/late Eocene boundary.
Preoperative risk factors for mediastinitis after cardiac surgery : assessment of 2768 patients

Background: Longitudinal median sternotomy is the most common surgical approach for access to heart disease treatment. The deep wound infections in postoperative period of cardiovascular surgery are a serious complication requiring high costs during treatment. Different studies have indicated some risk factors for the development of mediastinitis and preoperative variables are currently under investigation. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the preoperative risk factors for postoperative development of mediastinitis in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and valve replacement. Methods: This observational study represents a cohort of 2768 consecutive operated patients. The period considered for analysis was from May 2007 to May 2009 and there were no exclusion criteria. Analysis was performed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression model of 38 preoperative variables. Results: Thirty-five (1.3%) patients developed mediastinitis and 19 (0.7%) associated with osteomyelitis. The patient age average was 59.9 ± 13.5 years and the EuroSCORE of 4.5 ± 3.6. Hospital mortality was 42.8%. The multivariate analysis identified three variables as independent predictors of postoperative mediastinitis: intraaortic balloon pump (OR 5.41, 95% CI [1.83 -16.01], P = 0.002), hemodialysis (OR 4.87, 95% CI [1.41 to 16.86], P = 0.012) and extracardiac vascular intervention (OR 4.39, 95% CI [1.64 to 11.76], P = 0.003). Conclusion: This study showed that necessity of preoperative hemodynamic support with intra-aortic balloon, hemodialysis, and extracardiac vascular intervention were risk factors for development of mediastinitis after cardiac surgery. Descriptors: Mediastinitis. Postoperative complications. Surgical wound infection. Preoperative care. RBCCV 44205-1372 DOI: 10.5935/1678-9741.20120035 at InCor/HC-FMUSP, São Paulo, SP , Brazil. 8. Titular Professor of the Discipline of Cardiovascular Surgery at FMUSP; Director of the Cardiovascular Surgery Division at InCor/ HC-FMUSP, São Paulo, SP , Brasil. This study was carried out at Clinics Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (InCor-HC/FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil. Correspondence address: Marcos Gradim Tiveron. Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44 – Cerqueira César – São Paulo, SP Brazil – Zip Code: 05403-900. E-mail: mgtiveron@yahoo.com. br Article received on September 21 , 2011 Article accepted on January 26 , 2012
Family members' experiences of autopsy.

BACKGROUND The experiences of family members will teach us how to handle an autopsy, the ultimate quality assessment tool. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine surviving family members' experience of autopsy. METHOD Seven GPs were asked to approach surviving family members of autopsied patients to ask for their co-operation with an interview about their experiences. The interview took place at the residences of the individual families, 6 months to a year after the autopsy. A partially structured set of interview questions was used by the interviewer (not a GP) who had experience with the grieving process and with grief counselling. RESULTS Twelve family members of autopsied patients were interviewed: six partners, three mothers, one offspring and two sisters. In the case of one 35-year-old man, the autopsy was performed as a judicially required post-mortem. The GP initiated the autopsy request in eight cases. It appears that there is definite room for improvement in how the GP handles the topic of autopsy. The best way to explain it is to compare an autopsy with an operation. Several family members had specific concerns about the appearance of their relative after the autopsy. Several of the family members indicated that they were reassured by the autopsy results. Clarity about the cause of death was important, and reassurance that they had not overlooked important symptomatology helped the family members in their grieving process. CONCLUSION A request for autopsy is one of the most difficult questions which has to be asked at a very difficult time. Three main considerations were important for the relatives: they wanted an answer to the questions "Is there something I overlooked", "How could this have happened" and "Are there hereditary factors which could have consequences for the rest of the family? " The GP is the optimal professional to discuss the autopsy report with the surviving family members. The best approach for the GP includes an open attitude, paying attention to informing the family and supporting their grieving process.
Wavelet analysis for audio signals with music classification applications

Audio data like speech and music can be analyzed and processed with Fourier methods, having as one constraint the constant product of time and frequency resolutions. This problem can be avoided applying the Wavelet transform, ensuring good resolutions on both time and frequency supports. We propose in this paper to determine features of music in a combined framework using multi-resolution (wavelet) analysis and spectral analysis in order to realize the classification of musical pieces in genre classes. The proposed approach also uses a number of features commonly employed for speech recognition, such as Mel-cepstral coefficients, zero crossing rate or the signal energy. Moreover, the rhythm audio content is considered, the corresponding feature parameters being extracted from beat-histograms.
Immunological Reversal of Autoimmune Diabetes Without Hematopoietic Replacement of ß Cells

Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from the autoimmune destruction of the β cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans and is recapitulated in the nonobese diabetic strain of mice. In an attempt to rescue islet loss, diabetic mice were made normoglycemic by islet transplantation and immunization with Freund's complete adjuvant along with multiple injections of allogeneic male splenocytes. This treatment allowed for survival of transplanted islets and recovery of endogenous β cell function in a proportion of mice, but with no evidence for allogeneic splenocyte–derived differentiation of new islet β cells. Control of the autoimmune disease at a crucial time in diabetogenesis can result in recovery of β cell function.
Marine Population Connectivity: Reconciling Large-Scale Dispersal and High Self-Retention

Predicting connectivity patterns in systems with fluid transport requires descriptions of the spatial distribution of propagules. In contrast to research on terrestrial seed dispersal, where much attention has focused on localized physical factors affecting dispersal, studies of oceanic propagule dispersal have often emphasized the role of large-scale factors. We link these two perspectives by exploring how propagule dispersal in the ocean is influenced by the “coastal boundary layer” (CBL), a region of reduced velocities near the shoreline that might substantially modify local-scale dispersal. We used a simple simulation model to demonstrate that accounting for the CBL markedly alters transport distances, the widths of dispersal distributions, and the fraction of larvae retained near their sites of origin (self-retention). Median dispersal distances were up to 59% shorter in simulations with a CBL than in those without. Self-retention of larvae increased by up to 3 orders of magnitude in the presence of CBLs, but only minor changes arose in the long-distance tails of the distributions, resulting in asymmetric, non-Gaussian kernels analogous to those quantified for terrestrial seed dispersal. Because successfully settling larvae are commonly those that remain close to shore and interact with the CBL, ignoring this pervasive oceanographic feature will substantially alter predictions of population self-persistence, estimates of connectivity, and outcomes of metapopulation analyses.
Complementary Assets as Pipes and Prisms: Innovation Incentives and Trajectory Choices

The issue of the failure of incumbent firms in the face of radical technical change has been a central question in the technology strategy domain for some time. We add to prior contributions by highlighting the role a firm's existing set of complementary assets have in influencing its investment in alternative technological trajectories. We develop an analytical model that considers firm heterogeneity with respect to both technological trajectories and complementary assets. Complementary assets play a dual role in incumbents' investment behavior toward radical technological change: they are not only resources (pipes) that can buffer firms from technology change, but also prisms through which firms view those changes, influencing both the magnitude of resources that should be invested and the trajectory to which these resources should be directed.
Predictors of long-term health-related quality of life in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE To determine the predictive value of physical and psychological factors assessed three months after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) one year after the SAH. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS Patients with SAH (n=113) who visited our SAH-outpatient clinic three months after SAH and who were living independently in the community one year after SAH. METHODS HRQoL was evaluated using the Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale (SS-QoL). We used Spearman correlations, Somers'd, and linear regression analyses. Independent variables were demographic and SAH characteristics, cognitive and emotional complaints, depressive symptoms, anxiety, cognitive functioning, and passive coping style. RESULTS In the regression analysis, female gender (beta value -0.17), cognitive complaints (-0.31 ), cognitive functioning (0.40) and passive coping style (-0.23) were independent predictors, and together explained 45.9% of the variance of the SS-QoL total score. CONCLUSION Female gender, cognitive complaints, cognitive functioning and passive coping style assessed at 3 months after SAH are important predictors of HRQoL 1 year after SAH. Early interventions to improve cognitive and emotional functioning should be evaluated for their ability to improve long-term HRQoL after SAH.
Sex-related differences in acetazolamide-induced cerebral vasomotor reactivity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cerebral vasomotor reactivity can easily be assessed reliably by measuring vasodilatory response to acetazolamide by transcranial Doppler sonography. The aim of this study was to confirm the hypothesis that female sex is associated with an increased cerebrovascular flow reserve. METHODS Blood flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery was measured by transcranial Doppler sonography in 36 healthy sex- and age-matched subjects. After the initial blood flow velocities were recorded, the subjects received 14.3 mg/kg body wt acetazolamide, ie, 1 g/70 kg, intravenously. The measurements were repeatedly performed at 5-minute intervals starting 10 minutes after injection and lasting for 30 minutes. The highest measured flow velocities were used for further analysis. RESULTS In both groups mean blood flow velocity increased significantly after acetazolamide (women, from 60.2 +/- 12.5 to 89.9 +/- 14.4 cm/s, P < .006; men, from 54.5 +/- 18.8 to 75.7 +/- 24.5 cm/s, P < .02). The difference in mean blood flow velocity after acetazolamide between groups of women and men was statistically significant (P < .02). CONCLUSIONS Female subjects show an increased vasodilatory response to the acetazolamide test compared with men.
Co-creating vision with employees: The driving force of corporate transformation

Service industries are playing an increasingly important role in economic growth. Many manufacturers are transforming themselves from product-centric into service-centric companies in order to gain an advantage in competitive markets. Leaders of such companies have to face the most pervasive challenge-achieving successful transformation without exposing their company to uncontrollable risk. The paper conceptualizes the key factors of transformation and identifies the importance of vision co-creation rather than top-down one-way transport of vision dominated by leaders. The main purpose of this research is to provide leaders with different lens through which to consider their manner, behavior and influence, and build a leadership process framework for achieving successful corporate transformation.