Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memory Traces of Pain in Human Cortex

Distinct brain regions process sensory discriminative and affective components of pain; however, the role of these areas in pain memory is unknown. This event-related study investigated the short-term memory for sensory features of cutaneous heat pain using a delayed-discrimination paradigm and functional magnetic resonance imaging. During memory trials, subjects discriminated the location and intensity of two painful stimuli presented sequentially to the right hand. Control trials comprised the same sequence of stimuli and motor responses but required no delayed discrimination. Stimulus-evoked activity for memory and control trials was generally indistinguishable within the network of regions normally responsive to experimental pain [i.e., the primary somatosensory cortex/posterior parietal cortex (SI/PPC), secondary somatosensory cortex (SII), and anterior insular cortex (aIC)]; these data confirm the painful nature of the stimuli and the similar levels of attention and stimulus encoding engaged during the two randomly presented trial types. Memory-specific activity, assessed by contrasting the interstimulus interval in memory and control trials, was observed in SI/PPC and aIC but not in SII. We propose that SI/PPC plays a role in the short-term retention of spatial and intensity aspects of noxious stimuli and that aIC activation during memory trials is consistent with the integration of sensory and cognitive (attention, awareness, salience, and memory) components of pain perception. The absence of memory-specific anterior cingulate cortex activation, generally associated with pain unpleasantness, suggests that remembering affective aspects of the stimuli was not required during performance of the sensory delayed-discrimination task.
Assessing subjective sleep reports in the first‐degree relatives of antidepressant‐treated depressed outpatients

This study sought to investigate whether first‐degree relatives of depressed patients report, and react to, sleep perceptions in the same way as the depressed group. Our previous research suggested that depressed individuals may experience greater sleep ‘distress’ than healthy individuals; we wished to explore whether this was also apparent in their nearest relatives. A sample was recruited of 18 antidepressant‐treated patients with a current DSM‐IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder, 18 healthy controls, and a group of 10 first‐degree relatives for each study group. In accordance with previous findings, poorer sleep perceptions corresponded with poorer life‐quality and mood perceptions, and depressed individuals reported poorer sleep perceptions and poorer life‐quality/mood perceptions than controls. Additionally, there was evidence of similar sleep reporting between depressed patients and their relatives, and for a difference between these relatives and other non‐depressed groups. There was a non‐significant trend for depressed patients, and their relatives, to report total sleep time in the same manner as each other, and differently to other non‐depressed groups. Reports of poor sleep may be associated with reports of poor mood in depression, but in non‐depressed individuals the association may be with a feeling of weariness. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of Intergovernmental Organizations in Cross-border Knowledge Transfer and Innovation*

Nonmarket organizations play a supportive role in knowledge transfer and innovation domestically, but national differences between them can create barriers to cross-border knowledge transfer. Internationally oriented nonmarket organizations—ones that develop international ties and partnerships—may generate commonalities among participants and promote a set of similar rules, expectations, and norms across different countries and thus may be effective in supporting cross-border knowledge transfer and innovation. We focus on one such kind of organization, the intergovernmental organization (IGO), as a country’s connectedness to learning-oriented IGOs may have a positive influence on national innovation. Using an illustrative caselet on one IGO, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, and an empirical analysis spanning 83 countries from 1996 to 2006, we find that the extent of connectedness to the learning-oriented IGO network enables national innovation. But countries differ in the extent to which they can leverage external knowledge for innovation because of the variation in relationships among local constituencies.
Severe winter haze days in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 1985–2017 and the roles of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological parameters

Abstract. We applied a global 3-D chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to examine the variations in the frequency and intensity in severe winter haze days (SWHDs) in BTH from 1985–2017 and quantified the roles of changes in anthropogenic emissions and/or meteorological parameters. Comparisons between the simulated SWHDs and those obtained from the observed PM2.5 concentrations and atmospheric visibility showed that the model can capture the spatial and temporal variations of SWHDs in China; the correlation coefficient between the simulated and observed SWHDs is 0.98 at 161 grids in China. From 1985–2017, with changes in both anthropogenic emissions and meteorological parameters, the simulated frequency (total severe haze days in winter) and intensity (PM2.5 concentration averaged over severe haze days in winter) of SWHDs in BTH showed increasing trends of 4.5 days decade−1 and 13.7 μg m−3 decade−1, respectively. The simulated frequency exhibited fluctuations from 1985–2017, with a sudden decrease from 1992–2001 (29 days to 10 days) and a rapid growth from 2003–2012 (16 days to 47 days). The sensitivity simulations indicated that variations in meteorological parameters played a dominant role during 1992–2001, while variations in both emissions and meteorological parameters were important for the simulated frequency trend during 2003–2012 (simulated trends were 27.3 days decade−1 and 12.5 days decade−1 owing to changes in emissions alone and changes in meteorology alone, respectively). The simulated intensity showed a steady increase from 1985–2017, which was driven by changes in both emissions and meteorology. The results of this study have important implications for the control of SWHDs in BTH.
Mice Heterozygous for the Oxytocin Receptor Gene (Oxtr+/−) Show Impaired Social Behaviour but not Increased Aggression or Cognitive Inflexibility: Evidence of a Selective Haploinsufficiency Gene Effect

We characterised the behavioural phenotype of mice heterozygous (Oxtr+/−) for the oxytocin receptor gene (Oxtr) and compared it with that of Oxtr null mice (Oxtr−/−), which display autistic‐like behaviours, including impaired sociability and preference for social novelty, impaired cognitive flexibility, and increased aggression. Similar to Oxtr−/− mice, the Oxtr+/− showed impaired sociability and preference for social novelty but, unlike the null genotype, their cognitive flexibility and aggression were normal. By autoradiography, Oxtr+/− mice were found to have approximately 50% fewer oxytocin receptors (OXTRs) in all of the examined brain regions. Thus, because a partial reduction in Oxtr gene expression is sufficient to compromise social behaviour, the Oxtr acts as a haploinsufficient gene. Furthermore, the inactivation of the Oxtr gene affects specific behaviours in a dose‐dependent manner: social behaviour is sensitive to even a partial reduction in Oxtr gene expression, whereas defects in aggression and cognitive flexibility require the complete inactivation of the Oxtr gene to emerge. We then investigated the rescue of the Oxtr+/− social deficits by oxytocin (OT) and Thr4Gly7OT (TGOT) administered i.c. v. at different doses. TGOT was more potent than OT in rescuing sociability and social novelty in both genotypes. Furthermore, the TGOT doses that reverted impaired sociability and preference for social novelty in Oxtr+/− were lower than those required in Oxtr−/−, thus suggesting that the rescue effect is mediated by OXTR in Oxtr+/− and by other receptors (presumably vasopressin V1a receptors) in Oxtr−/−. In line with this, a low dose of the selective oxytocin antagonist desGlyDTyrOVT blocks the rescue effect of TGOT only in the Oxtr+/− genotype, whereas the less selective antagonist SR49059 blocks rescue in both genotypes. In conclusion, the Oxtr+/− mouse is a unique animal model for investigating how partial loss of the Oxtr gene impair social interactions, and for designing pharmacological rescue strategies.
Comparing Spectra of a Series of Point Events Particularly for Heart Rate Variability Data

Different methods for spectral analysis of the heart rate signal¿considered as series of point events¿are used in studies on heart rate variability. This paper compares these methods, focusing on the two principal ones: the interval spectrum, i.e., the spectrum of the interval series, and the spectrum of counts, which is related to the representation of the event series as a series of spikes (delta functions). Both autospectra are estimated for experimental heart rate data and are shown to produce similar results. This similarity is proven analytically, and it is shown that for small variations in interval length, the ratio of these spectra is PI(f)/PC(f) = [sin(¿f¿)/(¿f¿)]2, with PI and PC the interval spectrum and the spectrum of counts, respectively, f the frequency, and ¿the mean interval length. It is concluded that both autospectra are equivalent for the considered heart rate data, but that, when relating the heart rate signal to other signals (e.g., respiration, blood pressure) by means of cross spectra, the technique to be used depends on the characteristics of the second signal.
Income Disparity among Persons with Disabilities, Assessed by Education and Sex: Accentuated Gender Difference Found in Metro Manila, the Philippines

type="main"> How do persons with disabilities (PWDs) earn a living? This paper presents an investigation of the economic activities of PWDs in the Philippines, where, among developing countries, disability-related legislation is relatively progressive. In 2008, a field survey was conducted in cooperation with Disability People's Organizations using a tailor-made questionnaire in Metro Manila. The explanatory variables of income of PWDs were examined using Mincer regression. The conclusions are as follows. (1) There is remarkable income disparity among PWDs, differing with education and sex. (2) After controlling for PWDs' characteristics, it was found that female PWDs are likely to earn less than male PWDs. Such a significant income gap between men and women among PWDs is remarkable in the Philippines, where gender difference in income is generally small. This finding suggests that female PWDs are doubly disadvantaged in earning income.
News sentiment and overshooting of exchange rates

ABSTRACT In a globalized world, the volume of international trade is based on both import and export prices, thereby making a country’s economy highly dependent on exchange rates. In order to study exchange rate movements, one frequently exploits the so-called Dornbusch overshooting model. However, the model is controversial from a theoretical point of view: it explains exchange rate movements by a number of fundamental variables but ignores how novel information in the form of news can enter the market. As a remedy, this article adjusts for information dissemination by performing a multivariate analysis to compare the classical overshooting model with an extended variant that includes news sentiment. Our results show that news sentiment has a substantial explanatory power of 11% of the exchange rate forecasting error variance. In addition, we also find statistical evidence that a shock in news sentiment may lead to overshooting.
Altered expression of heme oxygenase‐1 in the livers of patients with portal hypertensive diseases

This study was designed to determine changes in expression of heme oxygenase (HO)‐1, the stress‐inducible and carbon monoxide–producing enzyme, in normotensive and portal hypertensive human livers. GTS‐1, a monoclonal antibody against rat HO‐1 cross‐reacted with the human HO‐1 and blocked its enzyme activity, allowing us to examine the activity and localization of HO‐1. In controls, approximately 50% of the total HO activity was from HO‐1 as judged by the sensitivity to GTS‐1, while the rest of activity was from other isozymes such as HO‐2. HO‐1 was expressed mainly in a subpopulation of Kupffer cells, and the expression in hepatic stellate cells, sinusoidal endothelial cells, and hepatocytes was little, if any. The HO‐1 expression exhibited quite different pictures in the livers of portal hypertensive diseases. In cirrhotic livers, which undergo portal hypertension through increases in intrasinusoidal resistance and regenerative changes in the parenchyma, HO‐1 occurred in a majority of Kupffer cells and was also observed in hepatocytes. Consequently, the total HO‐1 activities became significantly greater in these tissues than those from normal individuals. By contrast, livers of idiopathic portal hypertension that are characterized by an increase in presinusoidal resistance displayed a significant decrease in the HO‐1 expression in Kupffer cells, and its hepatocellular expression was not detectable. Although factors involved in altered HO‐1 expression in these cells remain unknown, the results suggest that Kupffer cells could alter their expression of HO‐1 in response to local hemodynamic changes associated with chronic portal hypertension in humans.
A Geometric Model to Determine Patient-Specific Cup Anteversion Based on Pelvic Motion in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Introduction Cup position is critical to stability in total hip arthroplasty and is affected by pelvis motion during positions of daily life. The purpose of this study was to explicitly define the relationship between sagittal pelvic motion and resultant cup functional anteversion and create a tool to guide the surgeon to a patient-specific intra-operative anteversion. Materials and Methods 10,560 combinations of inclination, anteversion, and pelvic tilt were generated using a geometric model. Resultant functional anteversion was calculated for each iteration and variables were correlated. An electronic mobile tool was created that compares inputted patient-specific values to population-based averages to determine pelvic positions and dynamics that may lead to instability. Results A third-degree polynomial equation was used to describe the relationship between variables. The freely downloadable mobile tool uses input from pre-operative plain radiographic measurements to provide the surgeon a quantitative correction to intra-operative cup anteversion based on differences in functional anteversion compared to population-based averages. Conclusion This study provides a geometric relationship between planned cup position, pelvic position and motion, and the resultant functional anteversion. This mathematical model was applied to an electronic tool that seeks to determine an individualized intra-operative cup anteversion based on measured patient-specific pelvic dynamics.
Open Interest in Stock Options Around Quarterly Earnings Announcements

In this paper I document the behavior of open interest in listed stock options around quarterly earnings announcements. Using pooled timeseries cross-section regressions, I find a significant decline in open interest prior to announcements. This behavior cannot be explained by the reactions of investors to good and bad news. I also find in several separate regressions that open interest behaves differently for options whose values are most sensitive to changes in stock volatility, suggesting the behavior of open interest is correlated with recently documented temporary increases in the volatility of stock returns around announcement dates. Many studies based on the volume and price behavior of equities have confirmed that investors respond to public announcements thought to contain information. Interpreting those responses is a more difficult task. For example, while Beaver [1968] has argued that consensus among investors is an important factor in investor responses, others have shown that it is not possible to make unambiguous inferences about consensus by examining price and volume alone (see Miller [1977], Verrecchia [1981], and Karpoff [1986]).
A Cysteine-Rich Motif in Poliovirus Protein 2CATPaseIs Involved in RNA Replication and Binds Zinc In Vitro

ABSTRACT Protein 2CATPase of picornaviruses is involved in the rearrangement of host cell organelles, viral RNA replication, and encapsidation. However, the biochemical and molecular mechanisms by which 2CATPase engages in these processes are not known. To characterize functional domains of 2CATPase, we have focused on a cysteine-rich motif near the carboxy terminus of poliovirus 2CATPase. This region, which is well conserved among enteroviruses and rhinoviruses displaying an amino acid arrangement resembling zinc finger motifs, was studied by genetic and biochemical analyses. A mutation that replaced the first cysteine residue of the motif with a serine was lethal. A mutant virus which lacked the second of four potential coordination sites for zinc was temperature sensitive. At the restrictive temperature, RNA replication was inhibited whereas translation and polyprotein processing, assayed in vitro and in vivo, appeared to be normal. An intragenomic second-site revertant which reinserted the missing coordination site for zinc and recovered RNA replication at the restrictive temperature was isolated. The cysteine-rich motif was sufficient to bind zinc in vitro, as assessed in the presence of 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol by a colorimetric assay. Zinc binding, however, was not required for hydrolysis of ATP. 2CATPase as well as its precursors 2BC and P2 were found to exist in a reduced form in poliovirus-infected cells.
Target for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Patients on Hemodialysis: Effects of Anemia and Erythropoietin Injection on Hemoglobin A1c

In hemodialysis (HD) patients the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level may underestimate glycemic control. The aim of this study is to estimate accurate glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients on HD. Type 2 diabetes patients (N = 87) who had been receiving maintenance HD for at least one year were enrolled. HbA1c and the percentage of glycated albumin relative to total the serum albumin (%GA) were measured in blood samples and the factors that affected the %GA/HbA1c ratio were examined. There were significant and positive correlations between the plasma glucose and either the HbA1c levels (r = 0.539, P < 0.01) or the %GA level (r = 0.520, P < 0.01). No relationship between the serum albumin levels and %GA levels was observed. A weekly dose of erythropoietin (EPO) was positively correlated with the ratio of %GA/HbA1c and hematocrit (Ht) correlated negatively. There was no significant correlation between the %GA/HbA1c level and the EPO dose in patients with Ht ≥ 30%, although a significant correlation was found between those parameters in the Ht < 30% group. The mean of the %GA/HbA1c ratios in patients with Ht ≥ 30%, with Ht < 30% and treated with EPO < 100 IU/kg/week, and with Ht < 30% and treated with EPO ≥ 100 IU/kg/week were 3.41, 3.56 and 4.13, respectively. In HD patients, accurate glycemic control may be estimated as: HbA1c × 1.14 if Ht ≥ 30%; HbA1c × 1.19 if Ht < 30% and treated with low dosages of EPO; and HbA1c × 1.38 if Ht < 30% and treated with high dosages of EPO.
Laboratory studies of the effect of Pall extracorporeal leucocyte filters LG6 and AV6 on patients undergoing coronary bypass grafts

A total of 14 patients with ischaemic heart disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafts were studied for the effect of AV6 control filter and LG6 neutrophil filter, used in the extracorporeal circulation, on different laboratory parameters. There was no statistical difference between the effects of AV6 and LG6 filters on total white cells, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, platelets or haemoglobin. The expression of neutrophil activation antigens identified with a panel of monoclonal antibodies demonstrated that for the LG6 filter the leucocyte tyrosine phosphate CD45Ro fell during the procedure, whilst there were no significant changes in any of the other neutrophil antigens. The AV6 filter did not significantly diminish the expression of any of the neutrophil antigens. An indirect measure of superoxide production using Dihydrorhodamine 123 identified that the more activated cells appeared to be depleted across the LG6 filter which was not evident with the AV6 filter. These studies indicate that the LG6 is not capable of significantly depleting the neutrophil load generated during extracorporeal circulation but may be capable of selectively removing the more activated forms.
Hematopoietic stem cells for cancer immunotherapy

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provide an attractive target for immunotherapy of cancer and leukemia by the introduction of genes encoding T‐cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) directed against tumor‐associated antigens. HSCs engraft for long‐term blood cell production and could provide a continuous source of targeted anti‐cancer effector cells to sustain remissions. T cells produced de novo from HSCs may continuously replenish anti‐tumor T cells that have become anergic or exhausted from ex vivo expansion or exposure to the intratumoral microenvironment. In addition, transgenic T cells produced in vivo undergo allelic exclusion, preventing co‐expression of an endogenous TCR that could mis‐pair with the introduced TCR chains and blunt activity or even cause off‐target reactivity. CAR‐engineered HSCs may produce myeloid and natural killer cells in addition to T cells expressing the CAR, providing broader anti‐tumor activity that arises quickly after transplant and does not solely require de novo thymopoiesis. Use of TCR‐ or CAR‐engineered HSCs would likely require cytoreductive conditioning to achieve long‐term engraftment, and this approach may be used in clinical settings where autologous HSC transplant is being performed to add a graft‐versus‐tumor effect. Results of experimental and preclinical studies performed to date are reviewed.
Range and demographics of odontogenic cysts diagnosed in a UK population over a 30-year period.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the range of all histologically diagnosed odontogenic cysts along with age range, sex distribution and site of presentation over a 30-year period. METHODS All entries for odontogenic cysts occurring during 1975-2004 inclusive were retrieved and analysed for demographic data. RESULTS A total of 55,446 specimens were received, of these 7121 (12.8%) specimens were diagnosed as odontogenic cysts. Radicular cyst was the most common diagnosis (52.3%), followed by dentigerous cyst (18.1) and odontogenic keratocysts (11.6%). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides demographic data on a large series of odontogenic cysts in a European population. This is one of the largest series reported to date. Cysts such as the paradental cyst have a predilection for certain ages, sexes and sites. Odontogenic keratocysts and glandular odontogenic cysts have a marked propensity to recur as well as behave aggressively. It is essential that such lesions are detected as early as possible to minimize any necessary surgery.