Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of the Optokinetic Response in Macaques

In macaque monkeys, an optokinetic response (OKR) can be elicited monocularly both in temporonasal and, albeit weaker, in nasotemporal direction very early after birth. The further maturation of equal strengths of OKR in both directions depends on stimulus velocity: at low‐stimulus velocities (10‐20°/s) symmetry is reached at 3‐4 weeks of age, at higher‐stimulus velocities (40‐80°/s) it is reached only at 4‐5 months of age. Retinal slip neurons in the NOT‐DTN are direction selective for ipsiversive stimulus movement shortly after birth. Most of these neurons receive input from both eyes; many are dominated by the contralateral eye. Electrophysiological and neuroanatomical evidence suggests that the cortical input to the NOT‐DTN starts to become functional by postnatal day 14, at the latest. Based on these behavioral and physiological data, as well as on comparison with data from kittens and human infants, we hypothesize that the very early monocularly elicited bidirectional optokinetic response is due to the direct retinal input from both eyes to the NOT‐DTN. As the cortical projection matures, it gains more and more influence upon the response properties of retinal slip neurons in the NOT‐DTN, and the retinal influence gradually decreases.
Variances, repeatabilities, and age adjustments of yield and fertility in dairy cattle.

Breeding receipts from artificial insemination were matched with records of milk yield from northeastern United States. Nine measures of yield and 10 measures of fertility were investigated. A completely random model with herd-year-season, sire, and interaction of sire by herd-year-season was applied by parity; interaction of sire by herd-year-season was not important except possibly for fertility of virgin heifers. Sires accounted for 6 to 7% of yield variation and herd-year-seasons accounted for about 45%. Measures of fertility had small sire variances, and herd-year-season variance was much smaller than for yield. Effects of age within parity were significant for yield from ordinary least-squares analysis. Age adjustment factors were obtained for measures of yield. Repeatabilities of first- and second-parity yield ranged from . 40 to . 61 whereas repeatabilities of fertility were . 03 to . 13. Repeatabilities of virgin heifer and first-parity fertility were . 01 to . 03, suggesting heifer and cow fertility may not be related.
Intellectual Assessment of Children with Asymptomatic Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

&NA; The findings of previous studies examining the neurocognitive development of children with clinically inapparent (asymptomatic) cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection have demonstrated mixed results. These studies have generally depended on small sample sizes (i.e., < 50). We examined the intellectual development of children with asymptomatic congenital CMV infection using a sample larger than previous studies. Two hundred and four cases aged 5 to 200 months were compared with 177 uninfected siblings ranging in age from 6 to 203 months. Parents were administered the Developmental Profile, a measure of developmental achievement. Children who were older than 30 months were administered an objective intelligence measure. Results of this study showed that children with asymptomatic congenital CMV infection do not demonstrate intellectual impairment, and that they perform similarly to uninfected siblings. Parents tended to overestimate their child's level of functioning regardless of whether the child had CMV infection.
Plasma Cathepsin L and Its Related Pro/Antiangiogenic Factors Play Useful Roles in Predicting Rich Coronary Collaterals in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Cathepsin L enhances angiogenesis by increasing extracellular matrix degradation and remodelling. This study investigated whether plasma cathepsin L could be used as a biomarker to predict collateral formation in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Patients with CHD (n = 218; aged 67 ± 11 years) underwent coronary angiography and were categorized as having either ‘poor’ or ‘rich’ collaterals. Plasma cathepsin L, the proangiogenic placenta growth factor (PLGF) and the antiangiogenic factors, cystatin C and endostatin, were measured. Elevated cathepsin L and PLGF levels were independently and significantly associated with enhanced collateral formation in patients with CHD; subgroup analyses also showed a significant correlation in patients with diabetes and acute coronary syndrome. Plasma endostatin and cystatin C levels were not significantly correlated with coronary collateral formation. Plasma cathepsin L and PLGF, acting as important modulators of angiogenesis, could be used as biomarkers to predict coronary collateral formation in patients with CHD.
Toxoplasmosis as a significant disease in man and animals with special reference to preventive measures by the farm community.

animals have diarrhea. A recent study detected Salmonella in milk filters on 3% of dairy farms in Southwestern Ontario. Human Salmonella infection, of a serotype matching the milk filter isolate, was detected in 24% of the families with infected milk filters (unpublished observations). Despite public health efforts, a very high proportion of farm families still drink raw milk. Their knowledge ofthe risks may not be as extensive as we have thought. In recent interviews with 43 dairy farmers and their wives, only 37 (86%) had heard about salmonellosis in animals and only 36 (84%) had heard about salmonellosis in humans (unpublished observations). Of these, 24 were aware that people might get the disease from improperly cooked poultry, 21 from raw milk, 19 from animals, 15 from water, 11 from food poisoning, 11 from other people, and 10 from raw eggs. If the population isn't fully informed about Salmonella and its transmission, we can expect even less knowledge about Campylobacter and Yersinia infections.
Periodic FDTD modeling of 3D photonic crystals

In this paper application of FDTD method supplemented with periodic boundary conditions to the analysis of three-dimensional photonic crystals is presented. For that purpose, a model of body-centered cubic dielectric lattice is introduced and investigated. Complex-looped FDTD algorithm is applied for the computation of a photonic bandgap diagram in the first irreducible Brillouin zone revealing dispersive properties of the lattice.
The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire: Commentary on the Marks-Chara Debate

The purpose of this article is to comment on a recent debate between Chara and Marks over the construct validity of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (WIQ). Following a description of their positions, it is argued that, although some of Chara's logical criticisms merit attention, much of his empirical work is methodologically unsound. However, in view of the nature of construct validity itself, it is also suggested that Marks ought to specify more clearly his concept of imagery vividness so critical experimental predictions can be made.
Mammography in men.

PURPOSE To evaluate mammographic findings in men with abnormality of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS The most common indications for mammography, performed in 263 men (mean age, 62 years; range, 19-93 years), were breast tenderness in 88 men (33%) and palpable mass in 79 men (30%). All chief symptoms and all mammographic findings were categorized. Biopsy results were correlated with mammographic findings in 24 patients. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 8 years 4 months (mean, 3 years 4 months). RESULTS The most common mammographic finding was gynecomastia in 213 men (81%). Gynecomastia was unilateral or asymmetric in 168 men (72%). Biopsy results in 14 patients with gynecomastia were negative for cancer; the 199 other patients did not have cancer at follow-up. Six patients had breast cancer: Four had primary breast cancer, and two had metastases to the breast from extramammary malignancies. No cancer had the mammographic appearance of gynecomastia. None of the 43 patients younger than age 50 years had cancer. CONCLUSION A man with breast enlargement or a palpable mass who has the mammographic diagnosis of gynecomastia need not undergo biopsy unless there are other strong clinical indications [corrected]. A man younger than age 50 years with diffuse breast enlargement or a palpable, nonindurated, central, subareolar mass need not undergo mammography unless there are other strong clinical indications.
Fractalkine neutralization improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction

What is the central question of this study? What is the cardioprotective role of fractalkine neutralization in heart failure and what are the mechanisms responsible? What is the main finding and its importance? The concentration of fractalkine is increased in the left ventricle of mice with myocardial infarction, similar to the increases in plasma from heart failure patients. The present study shows a clear beneficial effect of neutralizing fractalkine in a model of myocardial infarction, which results in increased survival. Such an approach may be worthwhile in human patients.
The Seven-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Reduces Tympanostomy Tube Placement in Children

Background: The novel pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PncCRM, has been shown to prevent acute otitis media caused by vaccine serotypes and to reduce otitis surgery. Our aim was to assess long term efficacy of the vaccine on tympanostomy tube placements. Methods: Children with complete follow-up in the Finnish Otitis Media Vaccine Trial up to 24 months of age and still living in the study area (1490 of 1662 randomized at 2 months of age) were invited to a single visit at 4–5 years of age. The children had been vaccinated at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age with PncCRM or hepatitis B vaccine (control). Tympanostomy tube placements reported by parents at the visit were verified from hospital and private medical center records. Additionally, tympanostomy tube placements of all children were verified from the hospital discharge registry. Vaccine efficacy (VE) was estimated by comparing all events of tympanostomy tube placement between vaccine groups. Results: During the vaccine trial (2–24 months of age), VE (95% confidence interval) in preventing tympanostomy tube placement was only 4% (– 19–23%). Altogether 756 children were enrolled for the follow-up study. After 24 months of age, the rate of surgery was 3.5 per 100 person-years in the PncCRM and 5.7 per 100 person-years in the control children, giving VE of 39% (4–61%). In the hospital-based data of all children (N = 1490), VE of 44% was obtained (19–62%). Conclusions: Receipt of PncCRM vaccine at infancy was associated with a reduction in tympanostomy tube placement from 2 to 4–5 years of age.
Temporal and spatial dynamics of large lake hypoxia: Integrating statistical and three‐dimensional dynamic models to enhance lake management criteria

Hypoxia or low bottom water dissolved oxygen (DO) is a world‐wide problem of management concern requiring an understanding and ability to monitor and predict its spatial and temporal dynamics. However, this is often made difficult in large lakes and coastal oceans because of limited spatial and temporal coverage of field observations. We used a calibrated and validated three‐dimensional ecological model of Lake Erie to extend a statistical relationship between hypoxic extent and bottom water DO concentrations to explore implications of the broader temporal and spatial development and dissipation of hypoxia. We provide the first numerical demonstration that hypoxia initiates in the nearshore, not the deep portion of the basin, and that the threshold used to define hypoxia matters in both spatial and temporal dynamics and in its sensitivity to climate. We show that existing monitoring programs likely underestimate both maximum hypoxic extent and the importance of low oxygen in the nearshore, discuss implications for ecosystem and drinking water protection, and recommend how these results could be used to efficiently and economically extend monitoring programs.
Auditory Processing Deficits in a Teenager with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome

Abstract This study explores the auditory processing skills of a 14-year-old boy (William) with an acquired aphasia, diagnosed as Landau-Kleffner syndrome. A single case study design was implemented, with the use of both chronological age-matched and receptive-language-matched control participants. Tasks were designed to investigate non-linguistic and linguistic auditory processing. The results indicated that William had intact peripheral hearing and gap detection abilities. However, William was significantly impaired at detecting a tone presented before or during some masking noise. William also showed significant impairments in three auditory processing tasks, requiring discrimination of both word and non-word stimuli. Findings suggest that William has an auditory processing deficit affecting the perception and discrimination of linguistic and some non-linguistic stimuli.
Orthostatic Blood Pressure Dysregulation and Polymorphisms of β‐Adrenergic Receptor Genes in Hypertensive Patients

The genetic susceptibility to orthostatic blood pressure dysregulation remains poorly understood. The association between polymorphisms of beta‐adrenergic receptor (β‐AR) genes and orthostatic blood pressure dysregulation in hypertensive patients was investigated. Two polymorphisms of β1‐AR (Arg389/Gly) and β2‐AR (Arg16/Gly) were genotyped in untreated hypertensive patients and normotensive patients. In patients with untreated hypertension, the frequency of β1‐AR Gly389 homozygote was significantly higher in patients with orthostatic hypotension (OH) (P<.0001) and lower in patients with orthostatic hypertension (OHT) (P=.002) as compared with patients with orthostatic normotension (ONT) even after Bonferroni correction. After analysis by sex and adjustment for conventional risk factors, the β1‐AR Gly389 homozygote conferred about a 3‐fold risk of OH and independently predicted a 6.5 mm Hg greater orthostatic SBP decrease (GG −8.9±13 mm Hg vs CC+CG −2.4±12 mm Hg, P<.001) only in female hypertensive patients. The association of β2‐AR Arg16/Gly with OH was not significant after adjustment for conventional risk factors. In normotensive patients, no association was identified between these two polymorphisms and OHT or OH. These results indicated that the β1‐AR Arg389/Gly polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of OH in female hypertensive patients.
Resonant electron-emission from a flat surface AlN/GaN system with carbon nanotube gate electrode

A polarized AlN/GaN five barrier heterostructure was grown and characterized for resonant electron emission in a diode configuration. Diodes of this type have extremely high resonant tunneling voltages of ∼5 V, which is important for an effective electron emission over the surface gate-electrode vacuum barrier. The surface electrode consists of a carbon nanotube (CNT) network, which is highly conductive and has a good surface potential distribution and electron transparency, which is expected to be higher compared to a thin metal layer. The design proposed in this work aims in demonstrating monochromatic electron emission through the use of a resonant-tunneling configuration, semiconducting surface accelerating layer and a CNT surface gate-electrode.
A new, accurate and conventional five-point method for quantitative evaluation of ascites using plain computed tomography in cancer patients.

BACKGROUND To assess the exact response of the malignant ascites to the treatment, the objective measurement of the volume of ascites is essential. We have developed a simple method to measure the volume of ascites by using standard abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT). The aim of the study is to validate the accuracy of the measurements by comparing them with the standard volume calculation by using 3D-CT. METHODS Twelve consecutive patients with cancer who had measurable ascites underwent 15 helical CT examinations. On conventional CT images, the thickness of ascites in centimeters was measured in three planes such as the bilateral subphrenic space (A and B), the bilateral paracolic space (C and D) and the pre-bladder space (E), and the average thickness: (A + B + C + D + E)/5 was then multiplied by the area of standard abdominal cavity in the anterior projection, that was assumed to be 1000 cm(2), to yield the volume of ascites: (A + B + C + D + E) x 200 (ml). The volume of ascites was compared with the exact volume, that was obtained from 3D-CT with the volume rendering method. RESULTS The volume of ascites measured by the present method and the volume rendering method ranged from 140 to 4040 ml and from 86 to 4279 ml, respectively. The correlation was statistically significant with a correlation coefficient of 0.956 (P < 0.01) using the Spearman's rank correlation. In 13 examinations with the exact volume > or =300 ml, the average ratio of the absolute difference in the volume was 12.9 +/- 13.9% as compared with 62.8 and 162.0% in two examinations with the exact volume < 300 ml. CONCLUSION The preliminary study indicated that the present five-point method using a conventional CT was accurate in patients with the volume of ascites > or =300 ml. Because this procedure is simple and easy to perform, it should be feasible in many hospitals for the follow-up of ascites after treatment.
Formalisation of Information Systems in sub-Saharan African Small and Medium Enterprises: Case of Botswana

This article provides an exploratory model that assesses the factors that influence formalisation of information systems (IS) for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa drawing on data gathered in Botswana. The paper defines four levels of formalisation of IS for SMEs and identifies the internal and external factors that influence the process of IS formalisation. Key findings demonstrate a strong reliance on informal information practices amongst SMEs, alongside widespread unmet demand for formal information. It is also observed that successful enterprise development requires optimum use of both formal and informal IS. Evidence suggests this is achieved through developing the necessary internal capabilities and skills for information handling, including use of information and communication technology (ICT) and by forging key external market linkages – a duality of factors that constitute two key drivers for formalisation. The paper discusses the implications of the study for information systems in general and for the practice of information systems in SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa in particular.
Optimal Insurance Coverage of a Durable Consumption Good with a Premium Loading in a Continuous Time Economy

This article analyzes the optimal deductible level of insurance on durable consumption goods with a positive premium loading in a continuous-time economy. Assuming financial assets and durable consumption goods can be traded without transaction costs, we provide an explicit solution for the optimal insurance coverage of durable consumption goods together with optimal trading strategies for the amount of the durable consumption goods and financial assets. Using the solution, we show that an increase in premium loading decreases both demand for insured assets and their insurance coverage. We also show that an increase in premium loadings can affect optimal investment strategies through the effects on the optimal amount of durable consumption goods held. Moreover we show that there exist unique parameter values of the loss process such as when no insurance is optimal. Numerical examples help us understand how the risk of financial investment and the risk aversion measure affects an agent’s optimal insurance coverage.
The Role of Developmental Genetics in Understanding Homology and Morphological Evolution in Plants

Homology assessments are critical to comparative biological studies. Although gene expression data have been proposed as instrumental for defining homologous relationships, several lines of evidence suggest that this type of data can be misleading if used in isolation. The correspondence between the homology of genes and that of structures is not simple, and conclusions can be derived only after careful examination of all available data. For instance, the MADS‐box gene family is one of the best‐studied families of transcription factors, and it provides several examples of dissociation between genetic and morphological homology. In this regard, we examine the role of APETALA3 and PISTILLATA homologs in the development of petaloid organs, a feature thought to have originated multiple times. We also consider the role of members of the AGAMOUS subfamily in the development of the pistil, a character that originated only once. Additionally, we discuss how serial homology makes gene co‐option a very common phenomenon in plants. In spite of the multiple cases of this type of dissociation, comparative developmental genetics can yield other types of information that help assess homologies. Furthermore, comparative gene expression studies provide useful data for dissecting the origin of morphological innovations and are, therefore, key to understanding character evolution. Finally, we provide some guidelines for the critical examination of comparative gene expression data in the context of studying morphological innovations.
Local area deprivation and urban-rural differences in anxiety and depression among people older than 75 years in Britain.

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the association of depression and anxiety with "area deprivation" (neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation) and population density among people older than 75 years in Britain. METHODS Postal codes were used to link census area information to individual data on depression and anxiety in 13349 people aged 75 years and older taking part in a trial of health screening. RESULTS Living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas was associated with depression (OR=1.4), but this relation disappeared after adjusting for individual deprivation characteristics. There was no association with anxiety. Living in the highest density and intermediate low-density areas was associated with depression (OR=1.6 and 1.5) and anxiety (OR=1.5 and 1.3) compared with the lowest density areas. CONCLUSIONS An association between area deprivation and depression in older people was explained by individual health, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Higher population density was consistently associated with increased depression and anxiety.