Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do cheerfulness, exhilaration, and humor production moderate pain tolerance? A FACS study

Prior studies have shown that watching a funny film leads to an increase in pain tolerance. The present study aimed at separating three factors considered potentially essential (mood, behavior, and cognition related to humor) and examined whether they are responsible for this effect. Furthermore, the study examined whether trait cheerfulness and trait seriousness, as measured by the State-Trait-Cheerfulness-Inventory (STCI; Ruch et al. 1996), moderate changes in pain tolerance. Fifty-sixty female subjects were assigned randomly to three groups, each having a different task to pursue while watching a funny film: (1) get into a cheerful mood without smiling or laughing ("Cheerfulness"); (2) smile and laugh extensively ("Exhilaration"); and (3) produce a humorous commentary to the film ("Humor production"). Pain tolerance was measured using the cold pressor test before, immediately after, and twenty minutes after the film. Results indicated that pain tolerance increased for participants from before to after watching the funny film and remained high for the twenty minutes. This effect was moderated by facial but not verbal indicators of enjoyment of humor. Participants low in trait seriousness had an overall higher pain tolerance. Subjects with a high score in trait cheerfulness showed an increase in pain tolerance after producing humor while watching the film whereas subjects low in trait cheerfulness showed a similar increase after smiling and laughter during the film.
A Space-Harmonic Free Full-Wave Analysis of Corrugated Antenna Feeds

is satisfied. Here, p is the period of the structure, y is the propagation constant and F(z) is a generic component of the electromagnetic field. In addition to the usual boundary conditions, the main difficulty in the investigation of corrugated waveguides comes from the enforcement of the above condition. A popular approach to achieving this consists in rewriting the function F(z) as e-CZG(z) where G(z) is a periodic function with the period of the structure p; it can be expanded in a standard Fourier series. The individual terms in the expansion are known as the space harmonics [1]. The propagation constants of the Floquet modes are then determined from the boundary conditions at the interface between the corrugations and the inner uniform part of the waveguide. The concept of surface impedance is often used to reduce the complexity of the problem. Details of the method can be found in [1]. An drawback of this method of analysis stems from the fact that the propagation constants of the Floquet modes are determined from a determinant non-linear equation. A root finding iterative algorithm is necessary. It is unfortunately true that such iterative processes can be time consuming and even fail to locate closely packed roots. Furthermore, the presence of complex modes in these structures presents an additional numerical challenge. A more efficient approach using the Mode-Matching Technique was proposed by Esteban and Rebollar although the propagation constants are still determined iteratively from a non-linear determinant equation [2]. In this paper we present a formulation in which the Floquet condition is taken into account from the outset. The propagation constants are determined from the classical eigenvalues of a matrix instead of a determinant. A large number of modes can be rapidly and accurately investigated. In this work we focus attention on modes with unit angular dependence since the fundamental mode of a circular waveguide (TE11) has the same angular distribution.
Programmed cell death of the normal human neutrophil: An in vitro model of senescence

The present study provides experimental data which indicate that the neutrophil is ideal for studying programmed cell death or apoptosis in vitro. Neutrophils can be obtained from human peripheral blood in large numbers with minimal experimental manipulation and are easily separated from other leukocytes, providing nearly pure cell suspensions. The neutrophil life span in vitro is sufficiently short to allow observations to be made within eight hours after experimental manipulation. Neutrophils can also be easily maintained in serum‐free, chemically defined media which can be systematically altered, thereby defining specific variables that influence the apoptotic process. Since the neutrophils do not need an exogenous trigger to undergo programmed cell death, it is also an excellent model to study senescence. It was determined from this study that neutrophils undergo apoptosis most efficiently at 37°C, a temperature requirement for physiologic cell death. Neutrophils undergo apoptosis at a slightly faster rate and maintain membrane integrity better when incubated in a tissue culture medium (e.g., RPMI 1640) compared with a balanced salt solution (e.g., HBBB). Cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, was shown to accelerate apoptosis in a dose‐dependent manner. The presence of Zn++ significantly decreased the rate of apoptosis, whereas the presence of Ca++ and Mg++ had no apparent effect. These studies indicate that the process of senescence, culminating in cell death, is subject to modulation by a variety of agents and experimental conditions. In addition, the ultrastructural features of neutrophils undergoing programmed cell death in vitro were compared in detail to those occurring in vivo and were found to be comparable. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Autoimmune Properties of Nucleus Pulposus: An Experimental Study in Pigs

Study Design. Assessment of activated T and B cells in a subcutaneous chamber filled with autologous nucleus pulposus using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Objectives. To examine if subcutaneously placed autologous nucleus pulposus may attract activated T and B cells in an animal model. Summary of Background Data. Nucleus pulposus has been suggested to trigger an autoimmune response if exposed to the immune system, for example, in association with disc herniation. T-cell activation represents a hallmark in the generation of an autoimmune response, subsequently leading to the differentiation of B cells, but a causal association between the exposure of nucleus pulposus to the systemic circulation and T and B cell activation is still lacking. Methods. Autologous nucleus pulposus was harvested from the intervertebral disc of 9 pigs and placed subcutaneously in perforated titanium chambers. In order to control for the effect of the titanium chamber, an additional empty chamber was placed subcutaneously in each pig. After 7 days, the pigs were killed and the chambers were harvested. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used for analysis of T-helper cells (CD4+), cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), and B cells (Ig&kgr;) in the chamber exudates and T cells (CD45RC) in the remaining blood clot tissue of the chamber. Results. As compared with the empty chambers, the proportion of activated T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) was significantly higher in the exudate of the nucleus pulposus filled chamber. The proportion of activated B cells expressing immunoglobulin kappa (Ig&kgr;) was also significantly elevated in the exudate of the nucleus pulposus chambers. The analysis of the remaining chamber tissue revealed a significantly higher amount of T cells (CD45RC) in the nucleus pulposus chambers than in the empty chambers. Conclusions. The present findings indicate that nucleus pulposus attracts activated T and B cells. However, since the cell population in the nucleus pulposus of young pigs may differ from that of adult humans, the obtained data may not be directly transferred to the human situation of a disc herniation. The observations in the present study may nevertheless explain some of the local tissue reactions occurring in association with disc herniation and nerve root involvement, thereby providing further insight into the pathophysiology of sciatica.
Anxiety positive subjects show altered processing in the anterior insula during anticipation of negative stimuli

Prior neuroimaging studies support the hypothesis that anticipation, an important component of anxiety, may be mediated by activation within the insular and medial prefrontal cortices including the anterior cingulate cortex. However, there is an insufficient understanding of how affective anticipation differs across anxiety groups in emotional brain loci and networks. We examined 14 anxiety positive (AP) and 14 anxiety normative (AN) individuals completing an affective picture anticipation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Brain activation was examined across groups for cued anticipation (to aversive or pleasant stimuli). Both groups showed greater activation in the bilateral anterior insula during cued differential anticipation (i.e., aversive vs. pleasant), and activation on the right was significantly higher in AP compared to AN subjects. Functional connectivity showed that the left anterior insula was involved in a similar network during pleasant anticipation in both groups. The left anterior insula during aversive and the right anterior insula during all anticipation conditions coactivated with a cortical network consisting of frontal and parietal lobes in the AP group to a greater degree. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that anxiety is related to greater anticipatory reactivity in the brain and that there may be functional asymmetries in the brain that interact with psychiatric traits. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PSO based optimal distributed generation placement and capacity by considering harmonic limits

Original scientific paper Distributed Generation (DG) units are also called Dispersed Generation, Decentralized Generation and Embedded Generation. They are normally small generating plants, connected directly to either distribution side or customer side. The installation of inverter-based distributed generation (DG) has increased rapidly in recent years. This higher penetration level may result in the increased level of harmonics, which could exceed the permissible harmonic distortion level. The penetration level of DG is restricted by harmonic distortion, because of the nonlinear current injected by inverter based DG units. In this work, the maximum DG penetration level is determined, by considering the harmonic limits. The harmonics are determined by using the Decoupled Harmonic Power Flow (DHPF) approach. The constraints of this proposed problem include power balance equations, bus voltage limits, total and individual harmonic distortion limits specified by IEEE-519 standard. The problem is solved by using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm based optimization technique. Simulation results are obtained by MATPOWER/MATLAB in IEEE 30 and IEEE 57 bus test systems and the results prove the effectiveness of this proposed approach.
DNA-Binding and Transactivation Activities Are Essential for TAp63 Protein Degradation

ABSTRACT The p53-related p63 gene encodes six isoforms with differing N and C termini. TAp63 isoforms possess a transactivation domain at the N terminus and are able to transactivate a set of genes, including some targets downstream of p53. Accumulating evidence indicates that TAp63 plays an important role in regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, whereas transactivation-inert ΔNp63 functions to inhibit p63 and other p53 family members. Mutations in the p63 gene that abolish p63 DNA-binding and transactivation activities cause human diseases, including ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia and facial clefting (EEC) syndrome. In this study, we show that mutant p63 proteins with a single amino acid substitution found in EEC syndrome are DNA binding deficient, transactivation inert, and highly stable. We demonstrate that TAp63 protein expression is tightly controlled by its specific DNA-binding and transactivation activities and that p63 is degraded in a proteasome-dependent, MDM2-independent pathway. In addition, the N-terminal transactivation domain of p63 is indispensable for its protein degradation. Furthermore, the wild-type TAp63γ can act in trans to promote degradation of mutant TAp63γ defective in DNA binding, and the TA domain deletion mutant of TAp63γ inhibits transactivation activity and stabilizes the wild-type TAp63 protein. Taken together, these data suggest a feedback loop for p63 regulation, analogous to the p53-MDM2 feedback loop.
The effect of silver fluoride and potassium iodide on the bond strength of auto cure glass ionomer cement to dentine.

BACKGROUND Diamine silver fluoride (Ag(NH3)2F), referred to as AgF, has been shown to reduce the incidence of caries in primary dentitions. The clinical application of this material has been limited by staining associated with both teeth and restorative materials. The application of potassium iodide (KI) after AgF eliminates stain formation. There is a lack of information as to how the addition of AgF followed by KI may affect the bond strength to dentine. The purpose of this study was to compare the bond strengths of auto cure glass ionomer cement to dentine surfaces that had been treated with AgF and KI and without treatment. METHODS Ten recently extracted human third molars were embedded into methyl methacrylate resin and sliced to form a square block of exposed dentine surfaces. Each of the four surfaces were treated by one of the following procedures: (a) etching with 37 per cent phosphoric acid; (b) applying GC dentine conditioner; (c) etching, followed by application of AgF/KI then washing off the precipitate and air drying; and (d) etching, applying AgF/KI and air drying the reaction products on the surface. Fuji VII auto cure glass ionomer cement was bonded onto each sample and fracture tested. RESULTS The dentine samples treated with AgF/KI followed by washing away the precipitate and air drying had bond strengths (2.83 MPa) not significantly different from samples that had been conditioned (2.40 MPa). Samples where the AgF/KI precipitate had been air dried onto the dentine surface had significantly lower bond strengths (1.49 MPa) than the washed samples. Samples that were etched had significantly lower bond strengths (1.91MPa) than the conditioned samples. CONCLUSIONS This study found that the application of AgF/KI to etched dentine samples followed by washing off the precipitate, created bond strengths that were not significantly different to conditioned samples. Leaving the AgF/KI precipitate on the dentine surface significantly reduced the bond strength of auto cured glass ionomer cement to dentine. Washing away the reaction products and air drying is recommended as the clinical protocol for using AgF and KI on dentine surfaces prior to application of an auto cure glass ionomer cement.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Calbindin-D28k and Calretinin in the Spinal Cord of Lungfishes

A common pattern of distribution of neurons and fibers containing the calcium-binding proteins calbindin-D28k (CB) and calretinin (CR) in the spinal cord of terrestrial vertebrates has been recently demonstrated. Lungfishes are considered the closest living relatives of tetrapods, but practically no experimental data exist on the organization of their spinal cord. By means of immunohistochemical techniques, the localization of CB and CR was investigated in the spinal cord of the African (Protopterus dolloi) and Australian (Neoceratodus forsteri) lungfishes. Abundant cell bodies and fibers immunoreactive for either CB or CR were widely distributed throughout the spinal cord. A large population of immunoreactive cells was found in the dorsal column of the gray matter in both species, and abundant cells were distributed in the lateral and ventral columns. Ventrolateral motoneurons and multipolar cells were only intensely CB and CR immunoreactive in Neoceratodus. For the most part, separate cell populations contained either CB or CR, but a small subset of dorsally located neurons contained both in the two lungfishes. Colocalization was found in motoneurons and in ventrolaterally located cells only in Neoceratodus. Fiber labeling showed a predominance of CR-containing axons in the lateral and ventral funiculi of presumed supraspinal origin. These results show that lung-fishes and tetrapods have many features in common, suggesting that primitive anatomical, and likely functional, organization of the spinal cord of tetrapods is present in lungfishes.
Blood kinin system in renal hypertensive patients administered with SQ 20881.

The i.v. administration of 0.25 mg/kg SQ 20881 to eight renal hypertensive patients caused blood pressure fall and in five of them also reduced heart rate. The latter was attributed to increase in vagal tone. Peripheral and renal blood samples taken at the nadir of the hypotensive response showed considerable inhibition of plasma kininase activity, rise in free kinin level and reduced kininogen content. This reduction was not due to increased consumption as shown by in vitro experiments. PGE2 and PGF2 alpha levels in kidney blood of three patients remained practically unchanged. Plasma renin activity was augmented to a larger extent in blood of kidney with stenotic artery than in the one with patent vessel. It is concluded that the action of SQ 20881 on human blood kinin system, besides inhibition of kininase, involves also reduction of kininogen, the mechanism of which remains to be clarified.
In vivo characterization of renal auto‐antigens involved in human auto‐immune diseases: The case of membranous glomerulonephritis

Renal auto‐immune diseases represent a major source of morbidity in humans. For many years the knowledge on mechanisms of auto‐immunity involving the kidney has been uniquely based on animal models. However, these findings often could not be readily translated to humans owing to notably difference in antigen expression by human podocytes. One example is Heymann nephritis (HN), the experimental model of human membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), which is obtained in rats by injecting antibodies against megalin, a protein that is not present in human glomeruli. Human studies could not be done in the past since sequencing required too much material exceeding what obtainable from tissue biopsies in vivo. Research is now on the way to identify auto‐antigens and isolate specific auto‐antibodies in humans. New technology developments based on tissue microdissection and proteomical analysis have facilitated the recent discoveries, allowing direct analysis of human tissue in vivo. Major advances on the pathogenesis of MGN, the prototype for the formation and glomerular deposition of auto‐antibodies, are now in progress. Two independent groups have, in fact, demonstrated the existence of specific IgG4 against phospholipase A2 receptor, aldose reductase and Mn‐superoxide dismutase in glomerular eluates and in plasma of a prominent part of patients with MGN, suggesting a major role of these proteins as auto‐antigens in human MGN. This review will focalize these aspects outlining the contribution of proteomics in most recent developments.
Response of Catatonia to Risperidone: Two Case Reports

The present study describes two patients, both of Yemenite origin, with catatonic schizophrenia who responded to treatment with risperidone. One had a long history of psychiatric disorder, whereas the other was a first-episode, drug-naive patient. Our observation agrees with previous reports on the use of risperidone and other novel neuroleptic agents in the treatment of catatonia of different etiologies.
The Course and Character of Sleepwalking in Adulthood: A Clinical and Polysomnographic Study

To describe characteristics of adult sleepwalking (potential triggers and correlates with polysomnography), 52 patients were interviewed regarding their sleepwalking episodes and underwent video-polysomnography on two consecutive nights. Sleepwalking history averaged 12 years and frequent episodes (more than once per week) occurred in 62%. Higher frequency was associated with earlier onset of sleepwalking (p < 0.005) and 53.8% reported dangerous sleepwalking behavior. The most common self-reported triggers were sleep deprivation and stressful events, while no specific trigger was reported in 37% of patients. More awakening from slow-wave sleep was associated with a higher frequency of sleepwalking episodes (p < 0.001). A longer history of sleepwalking was associated with more sleepwalking episodes, even without the presence of sleep comorbidities or other known precipitating factors.
Image amplitude estimation with the minimum variance beamformer

We have applied the minimum variance (MV) and Delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformers (BF) to Field II simulated ultrasound data. A 2.5MHz 64-element linear array transducer is used. For the MV beamformer, subarray length of L = 28, temporal averaging over four wavelengths and a diagonal loading factor corresponding to 10% of the signal energy have been used. The chosen temporal averaging gives MV images with speckle statistics comparable to DAS images. Speckle images containing areas with 9 different intensities with a relative intensity difference ranging from −24 dB to +24 dB were simulated. The images also included bright point targets on speckle background. All images were normalized to have the same speckle intensity in the background. The MV beamformer gives point responses with the same amplitude level, but approximately 34% of the −3dB beamwidth compared to the DAS beamformer. The edges between the different intensity areas and the shape of the areas were also more well defined in the MV case. None of the beamformers estimate amplitudes in speckle areas correctly, but the DAS beamformer is closer to the true value than the MV beamformer by 0.2–0.8 dB.
Imitation and the learning of incidental cues by preschool children.

The process by which one person learns to perform an act by observing the behavior of another is usually referred to as imitation. Much of learning after infancy, especially that which occurs in a social context, is dependent upon some such process of imitation. This general phenomenon of learning by imitation has two components: one, the learning of a new response by the matching or copying of a model's response; and two, the performance of the response in an appropriate situation in the absence of the model. The first of these components has received comprehensive analysis by Miller and Dollard (2). The second component, which has received relatively little attention in the past, is the primary focus of this study. Miller and Dollard (2) refer to the second component of learning by imitation as "independent learning" and formulate the problem as one of generalizing from the situation in which the model is present to the situation in which the model is absent. They demonstrate that such learning can take place in first grade school children when the relevant common elements are very vivid and obvious, but they do not analyze this process of generalization any further. More recently Church (I) has defined the problem of learning by imitating in terms of "learning of incidental cues" and demonstrates that such learning does occur in rats. Rats which have learned to follow leader rats will learn, while following leader rats which are responding to a light cue, to make the "correct" response to the light cue. Church further notes that this learning by imitation is as efficient for rats as learning by trial and error.