Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visual cortex neurons in monkeys and cats: Detection, discrimination, and identification

Abstract A descriptive function method was used to measure the detection, discrimination, and identification performance of a large population of single neurons recorded from within the primary visual cortex of the monkey and the cat, along six stimulus dimensions: contrast, spatial position, orientation, spatial frequency, temporal frequency, and direction of motion. First, the responses of single neurons were measured along each stimulus dimension, using analysis intervals comparable to a normal fixation interval (200 ms). Second, the measured responses of each neuron were fitted with simple descriptive functions, containing a few free parameters, for each stimulus dimension. These functions were found to account for approximately 90% of the variance in the measured response means and response standard deviations. (A detailed analysis of the relationship between the mean and the variance showed that the variance is proportional to the mean.) Third, the parameters of the best-fitting descriptive functions were utilized in conjunction with Bayesian (optimal) decision theory to determine the detection, discrimination, and identification performance for each neuron, along each stimulus dimension. For some of the cells in monkey, discrimination performance was comparable to behavioral performance; for most of the cells in cat, discrimination performance was better than behavioral performance. The behavioral contrast and spatial-frequency discrimination functions were similar in shape to the envelope of the most sensitive cells; they were also similar to the discrimination functions obtained by optimal pooling of the entire population of cells. The statistics which summarize the parameters of the descriptive functions were used to estimate the response of the visual cortex as a whole to a complex natural image. The analysis suggests that individual cortical neurons can reliably signal precise information about the location, size, and orientation of local image features.
Is bipolar disorder specifically associated with panic disorder in youths?

OBJECTIVE To replicate previous findings of high rates of bipolar disorder (BPD) in patients with panic disorder (PD) and determine if youths with both PD and BPD have more severe illness. METHOD 2025 youths aged 5 to 19 years seen at a mood and anxiety specialty clinic were assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children-Present Episode, 4th Revision. Diagnoses were made using DSM-III and DSM-III-R criteria and then updated to conform to DSM-IV criteria. Patients were grouped into those with PD (N = 42), those with non-PD anxiety disorders (N = 407), and psychiatric controls with no anxiety diagnosis (N = 1576). RESULTS Youths with PD were more likely to exhibit comorbid BPD (N = 8, 19.0%) than youths with either non-PD anxiety disorders (N = 22, 5.4%) or other nonanxious psychiatric disorders (N = 112, 7.1%). The symptoms of PD and mania were not affected by the comorbidity between PD and BPD. Youths with both PD and BPD had more psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation than patients with PD and other non-bipolar psychiatric disorders and BPD patients with other nonanxious comorbid disorders. CONCLUSION The presence of either PD or BPD in youths made the co-occurrence of the other condition more likely, as has been noted in adults. Patients with both PD and BPD are more likely to have psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation. In treating youths with PD, clinicians must be vigilant for possible comorbid BPD or risk of pharmacologic triggering of a manic or hypomanic episode. Prospective studies are needed to learn if PD predicts the onset of BPD in children and adolescents.
Enzyme Assisted Extraction of GAC Oil ( Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng ) from Dried Aril

The purpose of this study was to improve the oil yield extracted from Gac fruit aril (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) by applying hydrolytic enzyme and to evaluate functional properties of the extracted Gac oil as influenced by different enzyme concentrations, incubation times and drying temperatures. Fresh Gac aril was treated with commercial enzyme (Viscozyme L) (0-0.2%) for a period of time (40 - 120 min), dried at a certain temperature (40 -70°C) and then extracted with hexane for oil recovery. The best conditions for Gac aril extraction were 0.15% enzyme concentration, 100 min incubation time and drying temperature 60°C. Under these conditions, the oil recovery rate was of 96.39% with the total carotenoid content of 196.47 mg/100g. The resulted oil recovery rate (89.74%) and total carotenoid content (132.16 mg/100g) were significantly higher than those from the oil without enzymatic treatment. The peroxide value (8.73 meqO2/kg) and free fatty acid value (3.58 mg KOH/g oil) of the extracted Gac oil was comparable with oil by other methods. The Gac oil was rich in un-saturated fatty acids (oleic acid 48.99%, linoleic acid 21.09% and linolenic acid 0.86%), high in palmitic acid (24.18%) but low in stearic acid (3.52%). Application of Viscozyme L helped to increase significantly the oil recovery yield and total carotenoid content in oil, meanwhile, the oil was of good quality in terms of oxidative stability.
Construction of 3d-4f mixed-metal complexes based on a binuclear oxovanadium unit: synthesis, crystal structure, EPR, and magnetic properties.

The oxovanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) heteronuclear complexes, [[Ce(H2O)7(VO)(TTHA)0.5][(VO)2(TTHA)]]. 8H2O (2), [Pr(H2O)7(VO)3(TTHA)1.5]. 10H2O (3), and [Nd(H2O)7(VO)3(TTHA)(1.5)]. 10H2O (4) (H6TTHA = triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid), were prepared based on a binuclear building block of [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- in [VO(H2O)5][(VO)2TTHA]. 4H2O (1). The X-ray crystallographic studies show that 1 is an ion-pair complex, containing the [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- unit as a useful building block. Adding the light Ln3+ ions to this synthesis system, three new 3d-4f mixed-metal-based complexes were obtained. Although the light lanthanide ions always exhibit similar chemical behavior, the structures of 2-4 are not homologous. 2 is exhibited as a one-dimensional coordination polymer, comprising an unusual Ce2V2 heterometallic lattice in the chain structure, which is the second report of a oxovanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) coordination polymer. 3 and 4 are isomorphic, every two of the Ln3+ cations linked three [(VO)2(TTHA)]2- anions, forming an interesting linear octanuclear structure. This kind of heteronuclear linear complex is rather rare, which expands the realm of 3d-4f complexes. Further investigations such as IR spectra, UV-vis spectra, magnetic properties, and EPR spectra were studied, and a detailed discussion is given for this system.
Reproductive performance improvement in primiparous lactating Holstein cows by different hormonal treatments.

This study was aimed to evaluate different hormonal treatments during early postpartum period on reproductive efficiency on 42 primiparous Holstein cows in the experimental farm of college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad, aged 3-3.2 y. during the period from 2010-2012. These cows were divided randomly into four groups according to hormonal treatment at day 50 postpartum. The 1 st group included 11 cows and was injected with GnRH 0.0126mg/IM, the 2 nd group (10 cows) injected with eCG 1000 IU/IM, the 3 rd group (11 cows) administrated by hCG 1500 IU/IM and the 4 th group (10 cows) without treatment as a control group. The results of this study revealed that the responsive cows (estrus behaviors) were 10 (90.9%), 8 (80%), 9 (81.8%) and 9 (90%) in the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th group respectively and these results were recorded superior significant (P<0.01) for group 2 compared with group 1 and 3 related with duration from initiation of estrus, but no significant differences (P<0.01) between all groups about services per conception and number of conceived animal while the days open and calving interval was recorded significant differences (P<0.01) between the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd groups compared with control group (4 th
Two-field theory of incompressible-fluid turbulence.

The turbulent velocity field in wave-number space is decomposed into two distinct fields. One is a purely chaotic field; while the other is a correction field, and carries all the phase information. Application of this decomposition to a thin shell of wave numbers in the dissipation range allows the elimination of modes in that shell, with the usual mode-coupling problems being circumvented by the use of a conditional average. The (conditional) mean effect of the eliminated modes appears as an increment to the viscosity, with terms of order λ 2 being neglected, where λ is a dimensionless measure of bandwidth thickness, such that 0≤λ≤1
Association of the T54 allele of the FABP2 gene with cardiovascular risk factors in obese Mexican subjects

Genetic predisposition to cardiovascular risk may vary between different ethnic groups. We studied the effect of the FABP2 A54T polymorphism on biochemical and anthropometric cardiovascular risk factors in 114 obese Mexican subjects. The mean age of the patients studied was 36.8±13.3 years. Insulin resistance was present in 47%, hypercholesterolaemia in 49% and hyper-triglyceridaemia in 45%. Frequency of the FABP2 genotype was 39% AA, 54.8% AT and 6.2% TT. The AT/TT group showed an increase in body mass index (34±7.1 vs. 31±4.8 kg/m2), waist circumference (101±15.7 vs. 96.5±15.8 cm), triglycerides (145±60.8 vs. 127±79.4 mg/dL; 1.64±0.67 vs. 1.43±0.89 mmol/L), total cholesterol (176±39.4 vs. 164±38.2 mg/dL; 4.55±1.02 vs. 4.24±0.99 mmol/L), LDL (121±24.2 vs. 111±25.9 mg/dL; 3.13±0.62 vs. 2.88±0.67 mmol/L) and VLDL (28.8±12.1 vs. 25.1±16.1 mg/dL; 0.74±0.31 vs. 0.64±0.41 mmol/L) compared to the AA group (p<0.05). The AT/TT group had greatly increased cardiovascular risk, with an OR of 7.56 (95% CI, 1.82-36.24; p<0.001) compared to the AA group. Our results suggest that A54T polymorphism of the FABP2 gene is associated with cardiovascular disease risk in obese subjects.
Intestinal Permeability and Genetic Determinants in Patients, First-Degree Relatives, and Controls in a High-Incidence Area of Crohn's Disease in Southern Italy

OBJECTIVE:A defect of gastrointestinal barrier function is considered to represent an important step in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) but the mechanisms leading to an increased intestinal permeability (IP) are poorly understood. Since IP is influenced by pro-inflammatory mediators, it seems likely that a genetically determined abnormal immune response may lead to a loss of barrier function.METHODS:In a geographic area in Southern Italy with high incidence of CD we investigated IP (lactulose/mannitol testing) together with the three main mutations of the NOD2/CARD15 and the D299G polymorphism of the toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 gene in 23 families of CD patients (patients and first-degree relatives). RESULTS:Forty-eight percent of CD patients and 40% of their healthy relatives were found to have an abnormal IP compared to 5% of an appropriate control population (p < 0.0001). IP, however, was not associated with the L1007finsC mutation of the NOD2/CARD15 or the D299G variant of the TLR-4 gene. Allele frequency of the only L1007finsC mutation of CARD15 was significantly increased in patients (8.7%, p < 0.003) and in relatives (8.3%, p < 0.024) compared with controls (2.4%), whereas the D299G variant of the TLR-4 gene was found to be increased only in relatives (8.3%, p < 0.022), but not in patients (4.3%) compared with the control population (1.7%). CONCLUSIONS:There was no association between IP and genetic markers. Our findings showed a very high proportion of healthy first-degree relatives to bare alterations suggested to constitute determinants of CD. Mutations of NOD2/CARD15 or TLR-4, however, do not lead to permeability defects emphasizing the importance of additional environmental and/or genetic factors for pathogenesis.
Neuroendocrine Tumor in Meckel’s Diverticulum: An Unusual Finding Tumor neuroendocrino en divertı́culo de Meckel: un hallazgo inusual

Meckel’s diverticulum is a congenital anomaly due to the incomplete closure of the omphalomesenteric duct during foetal development. Its incidence is estimated at around 2% of the population, and it is asymptomatic in most cases. Occasionally, it may cause symptoms of diverticulitis, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, occlusion or perforation. Symptoms are more frequent during childhood and rare in adults. Meckel’s diverticulitis can have symptoms similar to acute appendicitis; generally, the diagnosis is an incidental intraoperative finding and treatment is diverticulectomy. We present the case of a 26-year-old male patient with no personal or family history of interest who underwent emergency surgery due to suspected acute appendicitis using a laparoscopic approach. During surgery, the vermiform appendix showed no alterations and a Meckel’s diverticulum was found with signs of inflammation that was 40 cm from the ileocecal valve. We performed diverticulectomy and appendectomy, and the patient was discharged 4 days after surgery. The histological study showed evidence of a 0.5 cm neuroendocrine tumor (NET) in the lumen of the diverticulum that was well differentiated with 1% Ki-67 expression, positivity for chromogranin A and synaptophysin, invasion of all the layers of the intestinal walls to the serosa and free margins (Fig. 1). The thoracoabdominal study with computed tomography (CT) and OctreoScan showed no evidence of residual lymph node disease or distant metastasis. Given the degree of wall invasion of the neoplasm, radical oncological elective surgery was scheduled, and ileal-mesentery resection was performed at the site of the previous diverticulectomy. The pathology study showed no evidence of residual disease. The presence of a NET in a Meckel’s diverticulum is a very uncommon finding. In a bibliographic review from the Mayo Clinic of 1476 cases of Meckel’s diverticulectomy, there was a reported incidence of 2.1%. NET of the gastrointestinal tract originate from neuroendocrine enterochromaffin cells located in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. These form part of the Amine Precursor Uptake Decarboxylase (APUD) system, which is a hormone system parallel to the common endocrine system, whose hormone production does not come from glands but instead from epithelial cells. Among gastrointestinal NET, small bowel tumors are the most frequent, followed by the rectum, cecal appendix, colon and stomach. NET can be functioning or non-functioning depending on whether they are accompanied by symptoms secondary to hormone secretion, such as carcinoid syndrome, which is mostly related with hepatic metastatic disease due to the inability to metabolise amines in the blood circulation. The indication for surgical resection of Meckel’s diverticulum as an incidental finding is controversial. c i r e s p . 2 0 1 5 ; 9 3 ( 1 0 ) : e 1 3 5 – e 1 3 6
The Role of Mitochondria in Cytoplasmic Ca2+ Cycling

It has been known for a long time that isolated mitochondria are able to accumulate large amounts of calcium ions. Before the discovery that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was the main Ca2+‐storing cellular organelle, mitochondria were thought to play a major role in cytoplasmic Ca2+ homeostasis (Carafoli, 2002). After IP3 was discovered and it was shown that IP3 receptors were localized in ER membrane and that Ca2+‐binding proteins such as calsequestrin could store large amounts of Ca2+ in the ER, the role of mitochondria in the regulation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ was questioned. However, in recent years, mostly due to the development of new methods, there has been increasing evidence that mitochondria could be an important cytoplasmic Ca2+ sink, especially under conditions of a high cellular Ca2+ load.
Regionalization of Drought across South Korea Using Multivariate Methods

Topographic and hydro-climatic features of South Korea are highly heterogeneous and able to influence the drought phenomena in the region. The complex topographical and hydro-climatic features of South Korea need a statistically accurate method to find homogeneous regions. Regionalization of drought in a bivariate framework has scarcely been applied in South Korea before. Hierarchical Classification on Principal Components (HCPC) algorithm together with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method and cluster validation indices were investigated and used for the regionalization of drought across the South Korean region. Statistical homogeneity and discordancy of the region was tested on univariate and bivariate frameworks. HCPC indicate that South Korea should be divided into four regions which are closer to being homogeneous. Univariate and bivariate homogeneity and discordancy tests showed the significant difference in their results due to the inability of univariate homogeneity and discordancy measures to consider the joint behavior of duration and severity. Regionalization of drought for SPI time scale of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months showed significant variation in discordancy and homogeneity of the region with the change in SPI time scale. The results of this study can be used as basic data required to establish a drought mitigation plan on regional scales.
On the redundancy of binary Huffman codes (Corresp.)

Some properties of Huffman codes are presented. It is shown that knowing the probability P_{1} of the most likely source letter, there exist new lower and upper bounds on the redundancy of the Huffman code which are tighter for P_{1} \geq 0.4 than those given by Shannon's first theorem or by the more recent results of Gallager. It is also shown that the new bounds are the tightest possible for P_{1} \geq 0.4 when it is supposed that PI is the only known probability.
The Rise and Fall of a Six‐Year Coral‐Fungal Epizootic

Drivers of disease cycles are poorly understood in marine ecosystems in spite of increasing outbreaks. We monitored a newly emerged fungal epizootic (aspergillosis) affecting sea fan corals (Gorgonia ventalina L.) in the Florida Keys to evaluate causes of its rise and fall over 6 years. Since August 1997, aspergillosis has nearly eradicated large sea fans at some sites. However, sea fan densities have remained relatively constant due to episodic recruitment replacing large fans with small. Recruitment itself was affected by infection and occurred only when prevalence of disease was low. This impact on recruitment occurred because the largest, potentially most fecund colonies had the highest prevalence of disease, and the pathogen significantly suppressed reproduction of infected fans. Moreover, high mortality among adults resulted in a demographic shift to smaller colonies. The most dramatic impact of aspergillosis was the Keys‐wide loss of >50% of sea fan tissue from complete and partial mortality. Aspergillosis prevalence has declined steadily over the last 6 years, and we consider the following hypotheses for decline of the epizootic: change in environment, change in pathogen input, and increase in host resistance. We conclude that increasing host resistance is the most likely driver of the decline. However, a change in any of a number of factors, for example, recruitment of naïve hosts, rate of pathogen input, or environmental conditions (water quality and temperature), is likely to promote reemergence of the epizootic.
Transcriptional activation of inflammasome components by Libby amphibole and the role of iron

The induction of the NALP3 inflammasome complex is shown to be necessary for the development of fibrosis after asbestos exposure. Libby amphibole (LA) induces lung inflammation and fibrosis, while complexation of iron (Fe) on fibers inhibits inflammation. In this study we examined the ability of LA to induce the inflammasome cascade and the role of Fe in modulating inflammasome activity. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were exposed intratracheally to either saline (300 μl), deferoxamine (Def) (1 mg), FeCl3 (21 μg), LA (0.5 mg), Fe-loaded LA (Fe + LA), or LA + Def. Activities of oxidative stress-sensitive enzymes, expression of inflammasome-specific genes, and cytokine proteins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were analyzed. Lung enzymes at 4 h and 24 h post-exposure were unchanged. LA increased lung expression of genes including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), cathepsin-B, ASC, NALP3, interleukin (IL)-6 and NFκB. LA+Fe significantly reduced IL-1β and NFκB with a trend of reduction in ASC, NALP3, cathepsin-B and IL-6 expression. Def treatment did not reverse the inhibitory effect of Fe on IL-1β and ASC but reversed IL-6 expression. CCL-7, CCL-12, CXCL-3 and COX-2 were induced by LA while LA+Fe tended to reduce these responses. Phosphorylation of ERK but not MEK was increased at 4 h after LA but not LA+Fe exposure. In conclusion, components of the NALP3 inflammasome are transcriptionally activated acutely during LA-induced inflammation. The key inflammatory regulators IL-1β and NFκB were inhibited in the presence of surface-complexed Fe possibly through decreased ERK signaling upstream of the NALP3 inflammasome. The inflammasome activation by LA may contribute to fibrosis, and Fe may reduce this response and alter compensatory mechanisms in individuals exposed to LA.
Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes from male native miners working in the Peruvian Andes

We analyzed the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes from underground miners from the Casapalca (n = 8, mean age = 45 y, range = 36 y to 55 y) and Bellavista (n = 8, mean age = 28 y, range 23 y to 34 y) high-altitude mining camps in the Peruvian Andes. This population was occupationally exposed to heavy metals such as lead and zinc as well as diesel emission particles, organic solvents and mine dust. The control groups consisted of individuals from a high altitude farming community in the Peruvian village of Tinco (n = 8, mean age = 37 y, range = 25 y to 52 y) and the sea level city of Lima (n = 14, mean age = 26 y, range = 20 y to 35 y). All individuals were male native Peruvians. A significantly higher incidence (1.88%, p < 0.05) of chromosomal aberrations (chromatid deletions and breaks, chromosome breaks and acentric fragments) were detected in lymphocytes from miners at the Casapalca camp as compared to miners from the Bellavista camp (0.5%, chromatid deletions and acentric fragments only) and the Lima sea level (0.07%, chromatid deletions only) and Tinco high altitude (no aberrations) controls. These results suggest that male native Peruvians occupationally exposed to underground mining activity have an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations, which could be related to both age and exposure time. The increased chromosomal damage observed in the mining populations studied may be attributable to the complex mixture of genotoxic agents to which the miners may have been exposed.
EPISOME-MEDIATED TRANSFER OF DRUG RESISTANCE IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE IV

Watanabe, T. (Keio University, Tokyo, Japan) and T. Fukasawa. Episome-mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. IV. Interactions between resistance transfer factor and F-factor in Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bacteriol. 83:727–735. 1962. — Resistance transfer factor (RTF) present in F+ and F′+ strains was found to suppress completely the transfer of F-factor, F′, and host chromosomes. On the other hand, the presence of RTF in Hfr strains was found to reduce the frequencies of recombination to about 10−2 of those in Hfr strains, regardless of the types of Hfr. RTF present in an F+ strain with colicinogenic factor E1 inhibited the transfer of the colicinogenic factor, whereas the transfer of colicinogenic factor I was not suppressed by RTF. A hypothesis that the genetic determinant of RTF controlling its “transfer system” is epistatic to that of F-factor is presented. It was also shown that F-factor present in recipients slightly suppresses the acceptance of RTF and that RTF present in recipients slightly reduces the acceptance of F-factor, F′, and host chromosomes. On the other hand, the acceptance of RTF by recipients in which RTF is present was found to be about 1% of that in recipients without RTF.