Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IL-10 is an autocrine inhibitor of human placental cytotrophoblast MMP-9 production and invasion.

During human placentation, fetal cytotrophoblast stem cells differentiate and then invade the uterine wall and its associated spiral arteries. This process anchors the placenta to the uterus and supplies maternal blood to the fetus. Cytotrophoblast invasion in vitro requires the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Recently, we showed that cytotrophoblasts produce interleukin-10 (IL-10), a potent immunomodulatory cytokine that could have paracrine effects on the maternal immune system. IL-10 synthesis is dramatically downregulated after the first 12 h of culture, while MMP-9 secretion is rapidly upregulated and the cells acquire an invasive phenotype. These observations prompted us to investigate whether IL-10 is an autocrine regulator of cytotrophoblast MMP-9 production. We found that the cells expressed IL-10 receptor mRNA, suggesting that autocrine effects are possible. Adding recombinant IL-10 to cytotrophoblast cultures significantly decreased the cells' MMP-9 expression at both protein and mRNA levels, but did not affect mRNA levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3. Thus, IL-10 may alter the proteinase/inhibitor balance. IL-10 treatment further caused a net decrease in MMP activity, thereby reducing cytotrophoblast invasiveness. An antibody that neutralized endogenous IL-10 function had the opposite effect in all experiments. Together, these data suggest that IL-10 is an autocrine inhibitor of cytotrophoblast MMP-9 activity and invasiveness.
A Monte Carlo approach to evolution of the far-infrared luminosity function with BLAST

We constrain the evolution of the rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) luminosity function out to high redshift, by combining several pieces of complementary information provided by the deep Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope surveys at 250, 350 and 500 μm, as well as other FIR and millimetre data. Unlike most other phenomenological models, we characterize the uncertainties in our fitted parameters using Monte Carlo Markov Chains. We use a bivariate local luminosity function that depends only on FIR luminosity and 60-to-100 μm colour, along with a single library of galaxy spectral energy distributions indexed by colour, and apply simple luminosity and density evolution. We use the surface density of sources, Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) measurements and redshift distributions of bright sources, for which identifications have been made, to constrain this model. The precise evolution of the FIR luminosity function across this crucial range has eluded studies at longer wavelengths (e.g. using SCUBA and MAMBO) and at shorter wavelengths (e.g. with Spitzer), and should provide a key piece of information required for the study of galaxy evolution. Our adoption of Monte Carlo methods enables us not only to find the best-fitting evolution model, but also to explore correlations between the fitted parameters. Our model-fitting approach allows us to focus on sources of tension coming from the combination of data sets. We specifically find that our choice of parametrization has difficulty fitting the combination of CIB measurements and redshift distribution of sources near 1 mm. Existing and future data sets will be able to dramatically improve the fits, as well as break strong degeneracies among the models. Two particular examples that we find to be crucial are: obtaining robust information on redshift distributions and placing tighter constraints on the range of spectral shapes for low-luminosity (L_(FIR) < 10^(10) L_⊙) sources.
The Biasing of Figure – Ground Assignment by Shading Cues for Objects and Faces in Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia is defined by impaired recognition of the identity of specific faces. Whether the perception of faces at the categorical level (recognizing that a face is a face) is also impaired to a lesser degree is unclear. We examined whether prosopagnosia is associated with impaired detection of facial contours in a bistable display, by testing a series of five prosopagnosic patients on a variation of Rubin's vase illusion, in which shading was introduced to bias perception towards either the face or the vase. We also included a control bistable display in which a disc or an aperture were the two possible percepts. With the control disc/aperture test, prosopagnosic patients did not generate a normal sigmoid function, but a U-shaped function, indicating that they perceived the shading but had difficulty in using the shading to make the appropriate figure – ground assignment. While controls still generated a sigmoid function for the vase/face test, prosopagnosic patients showed a severe impairment in using shading to make consistent perceptual assignments. We conclude that prosopagnosic patients have difficulty in using shading to segment figures from background correctly, particularly with complex stimuli like faces. This suggests that a subtler defect in face categorization accompanies their severe defect in face identification, consistent with predictions of computational models and recent data from functional imaging.
Music education and its effect on intellectual abilities in children: a systematic review

Abstract Far transfer between music education and other cognitive skills, such as academic achievement, has been widely examined. However, the results of studies within similar cognitive domains are found to be inconclusive or contradictory. These differences can be traced back to the analytical methods used, differences in the forms of music education studied and differences in neural activation during the processing of these tasks. In order to gain a better picture of the relationships involved, a literature survey was performed in leading databases, such as PubMed/MedLine, psychINFO, ScienceDirect, Embase, ERIC, ASSIA and Jstor from January 2001 to January 2013. All studies included, concerned the far transfer from music education to other cognitive skills in children aged 4–13 years as compared with controls. These studies were independently selected and their quality was assessed by two authors. This systematic review shows the need to address methodological and analytical questions in greater detail. There is a general need to unify methods used in music education research. Furthermore, the hypothesis that intellectual skills, such as mathematics, reading, writing and intelligence can be divided into sub-functions, needs to be examined as one approach to the problems considered here. When this has been done, detailed analysis of cognitive transfer from music education to other disciplines should become possible.
Recovery of visual functions in amblyopic animals following brief exposure to total darkness

Occlusion of one eye of kittens (monocular deprivation) results in a severe and permanent loss of visual acuity in that eye, which parallels closely the vision loss characteristic of human amblyopia. We extended earlier work to demonstrate that amblyopic vision loss can be either blocked or erased very fast by a 10 day period of total darkness following a period of monocular deprivation that begins near birth and extends to at least 8 weeks of age. The parameters of darkness were strict because no visual recovery was observed after 5 days of darkness. In addition, short periods of light introduced each day during an otherwise 10 day period of darkness obliterated the benefits. Despite recovery of normal visual acuity, only one‐quarter of the animals showed evidence of having attained normal stereoscopic vision. A period of total darkness may catalyse and improve treatment outcomes in amblyopic children.
Determination of flavonoids in pulp and peel of mandarin fruits.

Summary Th e aim of this study was to determine total fl avonoids and individually fl avanon glycosides as well as antioxidant capacity in pulp and peel of two mandarin groups, namely Satsuma (Citrus unshiu Marcovitch) cv. Saigon and Clementine (Citrus reticulate var. clementine) cv. Corsica SRA 63. Total fl avonoids content was measured using colorimetric method, whereas HPLC-PDA detection was used for the analysis of individual fl avanone glycosides (narirutin, naringin and hesperidin). In addition FRAP method was used to determine the antioxidant capacity. Th e results of colorimetric method showed that there was high concentration of fl avonoids in all investigated samples, especially in peels (1156 mg/100 g in Satsuma peel and 804 mg/100 g in Clementine peel). Among the fl avonone glycosides, hesperidin, was determined in the highest concentration in both investigated pulps. In peels fl avanon glycosides were present in decreasing sequence as follow: narirutin>hesperidin>naringin. According to FRAP method, all samples possess an evident antioxidant capacity especially peels. Correlation between total fl avonoids, hesperidin, naringin, narirutin and antioxidant capacity was very high with correlation coeffi ciants between 0.81 and 0.98.
ENHANCED DENSE GAS FRACTION IN ULTRALUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES

We present a detailed analysis of the relation between infrared luminosity and molecular line luminosity, for a variety of molecular transitions, using a sample of 34 nearby galaxies spanning a broad range of infrared luminosities (1010 L☉ < LIR < 1012.5 L☉). We show that the power-law index of the relation is sensitive to the critical density of the molecular gas tracer used, and that the dominant driver in observed molecular line ratios in galaxies is the gas density. As most nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) exhibit strong signatures of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in their center, we revisit previous claims questioning the reliability of HCN as a probe of the dense gas responsible for star formation in the presence of AGNs. We find that the enhanced HCN(1–0)/CO(1–0) luminosity ratio observed in ULIRGs can be successfully reproduced using numerical models with fixed chemical abundances and without AGN-induced chemistry effects. We extend this analysis to a total of 10 molecular line ratios by combining the following transitions: CO(1–0), HCO+(1–0), HCO+(3–2), HCN(1–0), and HCN(3–2). Our results suggest that AGNs reside in systems with higher dense gas fraction, and that chemistry or other effects associated with their hard radiation field may not dominate (NGC 1068 is one exception). Galaxy merger could be the underlying cause of increased dense gas fraction, and the evolutionary stage of such mergers may be another determinant of the HCN/CO luminosity ratio.
Foamy virus infection in primates

Foamy viruses (FV), the oldest known genus of Retroviridae, are unique among the retroviruses in having no disease association. It is not known why FV are non‐pathogenic while infection by their closest relatives can be deadly. This may be related to the estimated 60 million years of coevolution of FV and their primate hosts. We review the current state of knowledge of FV infection, including information about the sites of viral replication and host immune responses, and discuss the role these may play in establishing persistent yet non‐pathogenic infections. Whether FV has pathologic consequences in immunosuppressed hosts has not been thoroughly investigated. As most primates in HIV/SIV research are coinfected with FV, investigation into possible interactions between these viruses is of interest. The use of FV as a vector for gene therapy is also discussed.
Development of nicotinic receptor clusters and innervation accompanying the change in muscle phenotype in the mouse esophagus

During development, the external muscle of the mouse esophagus undergoes a transdifferentiation from smooth to striated muscle (Patapoutian et al. [1995] Science 270:1818–1821). We now report on the development of the innervation accompanying the change in phenotype of the external muscle of the mouse esophagus. The phenotype of the muscle was monitored by using light and electron microscopy. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were localised by using a fluorescence conjugate of α‐bungarotoxin, and neural elements were localised by using antisera to synaptophysin (a synaptic vesicle protein that was used to label all nerve terminals), the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). CGRP and VAChT were co‐localised in the terminals of vagal motoneurons that innervate the external muscle, and NOS and VIP were co‐localised in intrinsic (enteric) neurons, which provide some terminals that are associated with motor endplates. Cells exhibiting striations were first observed in the outer layers of the most rostral regions of the esophagus of embryonic day 15 (E15) mice. Clusters of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were also first observed at the rostral end of the esophagus of E15 mice, and developed in a rostrocaudal progression that coincided with the appearance of striations within the muscle cells. Synaptophysin‐, VAChT‐ and NOS‐immunoreactive nerve terminals were present within the external muscle prior to the formation of receptor clusters, and their appearance did not follow any apparent rostrocaudal sequence. Surprisingly, not all of the receptor clusters at E15 had synaptophysin‐ and VAChT‐immunoreactive nerve terminals closely associated with them. However, from E18 on, almost all of the clusters had synaptophysin‐immunoreactive nerve terminals in close association. At late embryonic and early postnatal stages, there was a rostrocaudal gradient in the proportion of receptor clusters having VAChT‐immunoreactive nerve terminals associated with them. Nerve terminals associated with nicotinic receptor clusters did not show detectable CGRP‐immunoreactivity until one to two weeks after the appearance of synaptophysin‐ and VAChT‐immunoreactivity. The NOS‐immunoreactive neurons did not show detectable VIP‐immunoreactivity until three days after NOS could be detected. These results show that the appearance of clusters of nicotinic receptors in the external muscle of the esophagus coincides with the expression of a striated muscle phenotype, but not with the presence of ingrowing nerve terminals. However, many of the receptor clusters that were observed first were apparently uninnervated. J. Comp. Neurol. 386:119–136, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fast test generation for sequential circuits

An efficient sequential circuit test generation algorithm is presented. The algorithm is based on PODEM and uses a nine-valued logic model. Among the novel features of the algorithm are use of an initial time-frame algorithm and correct implementation of a solution to the previous state information problem. The initial time-frame algorithm determines the number of time-frames required to excite the fault under test and the number of time-frames required to observe the excited fault. This step saves the test generator from doing unnecessary search in the input space. Test generation is done strictly in forward time. The algorithm saves good machine circuit state after test generation to aid in future test generation. Faulty machine state is set to unknown whenever test generation for a fault is begun. This solves the previous state information problem, which has often been ignored by existing test generators. <<ETX>>
Effect of acute tryptophan depletion on CO2-induced anxiety in patients with panic disorder and normal volunteers.

BACKGROUND Uncertainties remain about the role of serotonin in the aetiology and treatment of panic disorder. AIMS To investigate the effect of reducing brain serotonin function on anxiety at rest, and following 5% CO2 provocation in normal controls and patients with panic disorder. METHOD Twenty drug-free patients with DSM-III-R panic disorder and 19 controls received a tryptophan-free amino acid drink on one occasion and a control drink on the other in a double-blind, balanced protocol. 5% CO2 was given as a panic challenge after 270 minutes. RESULTS Plasma tryptophan fell by more than 80% both patients and controls after the tryptophan-free drink. Tryptophan depletion did not alter resting anxiety. In patients alone, tryptophan depletion caused a greater anxiogenic response and an increased rate of panic attacks (9 v. 2, P < 0.05) after 5% CO2 challenge. No normal volunteers panicked. CONCLUSIONS Serotonin may directly modulate panic anxiety in patients with panic disorder. This may underlie the efficacy of serotonergic antidepressants in treating panic disorder.
Internal structure in pineal cysts on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging: not a sign of malignancy.

OBJECT In this paper, the authors' goal was to determine whether benign pineal cysts have smooth walls or internal structure on high-resolution MR imaging and to evaluate their imaging characteristics on FLAIR images. METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed the MR imaging findings in 60 consecutive patients who were reported to have pineal cysts over a 19-month period. Patients were identified retrospectively using a word search of radiology reports. Of these 60 patients, 24 with stable follow-up imaging or pathological proof of a pineal cyst were included in this study. In all cases, axial or sagittal FLAIR images were available, and in 10 of 24 patients the authors obtained sagittal images using fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (FIESTA). For those cases in which FIESTA studies were obtained, the authors classified the cysts into 1 of 4 categories based on their appearance. Eighteen of 24 cases were performed with intravenous contrast. RESULTS Of the 24 cases, 21 had signal intensity on FLAIR images that differed from that of CSF. Of the 10 cases with FIESTA, 6 had evidence of internal structure within the pineal cyst. The authors found it of interest that 20 of the 24 patients were female. CONCLUSIONS Although the presence of a thin wall supports the diagnosis of a benign pineal cyst, fine internal septations or small internal cysts are common on high-resolution MR imaging and this finding should not be considered evidence of an underlying tumor. It is typical for pineal cysts to have relaxation times that differ from CSF as determined by FLAIR imaging.
Cutaneous Lesions in Cetaceans: An Indicator of Ecosystem status?

For countless generations, civilization had a relative insignificant impact on the marine environment, particularly on marine mammal species. However, with the dawning of the industrial revolution, a dramatic increase in the utilization of marine species (including whales) as a food source and other industrial purposes resulted in a radical reduction in the numbers of some species during the subsequent years, leading to a notable decrease in marine biodiversity during the 20th century. Fortunately, this exploitation was accompanied by increased awareness and campaigns by environmental and ethical lobby groups, resulting in more controlled and managed whaling activities, which in turn lead to markedly improved whale numbers [1]. However, the tide shifted once again with the dawning of the new millennium, characterized by ever growing industrial development and rapid human population growth. As a result, natural resources came under increased pressure and in particular, development and growth led to the creation of massive amounts of waste and pollutants. Consequently, high levels of marine pollution, especially near urban regions, became a serious threat to the health and well-being of marine mammals, including cetaceans.
Knowledge-guided visual perception of 3-D human gait from a single image sequence

A computer vision method is presented to determine the 3-D spatial locations of joints or feature points of human body from a film recording the human motion during walking. The proposed method first applies the geometric projection theory to obtain a set of feasible postures from a single image, then it makes use of the given dimensions of the human stick figure, physiological and motion-specific knowledge to constrain the feasible postures in both the single-frame analysis and the multi-frame analysis. Finally a unique gait interpretation is selected by an optimization algorithm. Computer simulations are used to illustrate the ideas presented. >
Peripheral Neuropathy: Assessment of Proximal Nerve Integrity By Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Introduction: We investigated the utility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for detecting neuropathic changes in proximal nerve segments in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Methods: Twenty‐one individuals with (n = 11) and without (n = 10) peripheral neuropathy underwent DTI of a defined sciatic nerve segment. Patients and controls were evaluated by clinical examination and nerve conduction studies at baseline and 6 months after the initial DTI scan. Results: The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) value was significantly lower in sciatic nerves from patients with peripheral neuropathy as compared with controls. Sciatic nerve FA values correlated with clinical disability scores and electrophysiological parameters of axonal damage at baseline and 6 months after MRI scan. Conclusions: DTI‐derived FA values are a sensitive measure to discriminate healthy from functionally impaired human sciatic nerve segments. DTI of proximal nerve segments may be useful for estimating the proximal axonal degeneration burden in patients with peripheral neuropathies. Muscle Nerve 48: 889–896, 2013
Exhaled nitric oxide and lung function after moderate normobaric hyperoxic exposure.

INTRODUCTION Pulmonary oxygen toxicity is associated with inflammatory responses in the airways and alveoli. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the changes in exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) after exposure to normobaric hyperoxia (NBO), 100% oxygen (O2) at 1 atmosphere absolute (atm abs) for 90 minutes, are associated with changes in lung function. METHODS Eighteen healthy non-smoking subjects were exposed to NBO breathing 100% oxygen and to breathing ambient air, both for 90 minutes on separate days and in random order. Dynamic and static lung volumes, maximal expiratory flow rates, distribution of ventilation including closing volume and slope of phase III of the nitrogen washout curve (delta N2), diffusion capacity (D(L)CO) and FE(NO) were measured before and after the exposures. RESULTS The mean reduction in FE(NO) was 20% (SD = 20) after the NBO exposure (p < 0.001). Static and dynamic lung volumes, maximal expiratory flow rates, DLCO and distribution of ventilation were unchanged. No association was found between the changes in the lung function variables and the change in FE(NO). DISCUSSION Unchanged indices of distribution of ventilation and maximal expiratory flow rates indicate no small airways' dysfunction, and unchanged DLCO suggests preserved gas transfer in the lung despite a significant reduction in FE(NO). FE(NO) might be an index of oxygen exposure, but further studies over a wide range of oxygen exposures are necessary to establish the role of FE(NO) as a marker of pulmonary oxygen toxicity.
Performance improvement of PID controller for AVR system using Particle Swarm Optimization

A novel time-domain fitness function for determining the parameters of an optimum proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) system using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) Algorithm approach is presented. An algorithm of employing proposed approach to minimize the maximum percentage overshoot, the rise time, the settling time, and the steady-state error of the terminal voltage of the synchronous generator is presented. From the MATLAB simulation results, it can be settled that the proposed approach has superior features, including fast tuning of PID parameters, stable convergence characteristic, and good computational efficiency. The results obtained from proposed PSO-PID controller are compared with that of estimated by genetic algorithm (GA) and PSO with different fitness functions and is found to have better performance. The outcome of this paper would be a boost to design robust AVR system with improved step-response.