Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flash suppression and fl ash facilitation in binocular rivalry Functional

We show that previewing one half image of a binocular rivalry pair can cause it to gain initial dominance when the other half is added, a novel phenomenon we term flash facilitation. This is the converse of a known effect called flash suppression, where the previewed image becomes suppressed upon rivalrous presentation. The exact effect of previewing an image depends on both the duration and the contrast of the prior stimulus. Brief, low-contrast prior stimuli facilitate, whereas long, high-contrast ones suppress. These effects have both an eye-based component and a pattern-based component. Our results suggest that, instead of reflecting two unrelated mechanisms, both facilitation and suppression are manifestations of a single process that occurs progressively during presentation of the prior stimulus. The distinction between the two phenomena would then lie in the extent to which the process has developed during prior stimulation. This view is consistent with a neural model previously proposed to account for perceptual stabilization of ambiguous stimuli, suggesting a relation between perceptual stabilization and the present phenomena.
Long-term Health and Quality-of-Life Consequences of Mass Screening for Childhood Celiac Disease: A 10-Year Follow-up Study

OBJECTIVE. Mass screening for celiac disease is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine whether detection of childhood celiac disease by mass screening improves long-term health status and health-related quality of life. METHODS. We conducted a prospective 10-year follow-up study of 32 children who were aged 2 to 4 years, had celiac disease identified by mass screening, and had a gluten-free diet (19) or a normal gluten-containing diet (13). The follow-up included assessments of general health status, celiac disease–associated symptoms, celiac disease–associated serum antibodies, and health-related quality of life. RESULTS. Ten years after mass screening, 81% of the children were adhering to a gluten-free diet. The health status improved in 66% of the treated children: in 41% by early treatment and in 25% by prevention of the gluten-dependent symptoms that they developed after diagnosis. For 19% of the children, treatment after screening would not have improved their health status, because they had no symptoms at screening and have remained symptom-free while consuming gluten. The health-related quality of life of the children with symptoms improved significantly after 1 year of gluten-free diet. Ten years after screening, the health-related quality of life of the children with celiac disease was similar to that of the reference population. CONCLUSION. Identification by mass screening led 10 years later to health improvement in 66% of children without deterioration of generic health-related quality of life. There is a good compliance after mass screening. In a research setting, delaying treatment for children without symptoms seems to be an option after a positive screening test. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to assess possible long-term complications in untreated, nonsymptomatic celiac disease.
Proportion of glutamate‐ and aspartate‐immunoreactive neurons in the efferent pathways of the rat visual cortex varies according to the target

Immunohistochemistry, with antisera directed against glutamate (Glu) or aspartate (Asp), was combined with wheat germ agglutinin—horseradish peroxidase (WGA‐HRP) histochemistry to examine the distribution, morphology, and proportions of Glu‐ and Asp‐containing neurons that give rise to corticofugal and callosal projections of the rat visual cortex.
Neutron Scattering of Solution-Grown Polymer Crystals: Molecular Dimensions Are Insensitive to Molecular Weight

Neutron scattering gives information on molecular conformations in solid solutions of polymers of one isotope in another. Results on crystals of polyethylene grown from solution show a molecular dimension (in the form of a radius of gyration) that is almost invariant with the length of the chain. It is proposed that certain lengths of folded chains fold back onto themselves to form stacks of chain-folded ribbons ("superfolding").
The relation between aggressor and victim.

Abstract The purpose of the experiment was to demonstrate whether men are more aggressive when disappointed by a woman whom they like rather than dislike. First, 78 men, 19 to 24 years of age, were recruited by using a newspaper advertisement. They were then placed in one of the two conditions: They were confronted by a female confederate that they either liked or did not like; they then received either positive or negative personal evaluations by the particular confederate in relation to prose-reading tasks. Dependent measures on blood pressure, use of bogus electric shock on a person, and evaluation of the confederate were taken as measures of aggression. The following predictions were made: (a) Negative evaluations by the liked confederate would result in more aggression than by either a disliked confederate or by a liked confederate giving a positive evaluation, and (b) subjects would be more aggressive when the female confederate gave them a negative rather than a positive evaluation or when she was .
Sleep Duration and Quality of Life in Young Rural Chinese Residents

The aim of this study was to determine the mean total sleep time (TST) and the relation between sleep duration (short sleep: < 7 hr per day; medium sleep: 7–8 hr per day; and long sleep: > 8 hr per day) and quality of life (QOL) in young Chinese rural residents. A sample of 1,632 participants was recruited in Mianyang, Sichuan province and interviewed. Expected and actual TSTs were asked using standardized questions. QOL was measured with the Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Schedule-Brief. In the full sample, the mean expected TST was 8.8 ± 1.3 hr, and the mean actual TST was 8.3 ± 1.4 hr. Multivariate analyses revealed that compared to medium sleepers, short sleepers had lower QOL in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains, whereas long sleepers had higher QOL in the environmental domain. Being short or long sleepers was not associated with more major medical conditions. Given the significant associations between short sleep and poor QOL, more attention should be paid to young Chinese rural residents with short sleep.
Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in surveillance of pediatric brain malignancies

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) has been successfully used in imaging PBTs and, as a functional imaging modality, may be better able to differentiate tumor from scar/necrosis. This retrospective study evaluates the role of SRS in post‐treatment surveillance of PBTs.
Monitoring of leukocyte cytomegalovirus DNA in bone marrow transplant recipients by nested PCR

A nested PCR assay for the detection of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA was evaluated by weekly monitoring of blood samples taken from 101 bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. When peripheral blood leukocytes were used as the source of CMV DNA, even a modified assay with stringent temperature-cycling conditions was as sensitive as the standard assay. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of two consecutively positive leukocytic PCR results with this modified assay in predicting CMV disease of 101 patients submitting 1,441 peripheral blood leukocyte samples were found to be 92.1, 63.5, and 60.3%, respectively. The positive predictive value of patients' seropositivity for CMV was 40%, while that of viremia was 72%. However, viremia followed CMV disease by a median of 1.5 days, while the first leukocytic positive PCR assay preceded disease by a median of 14 days. By use of the criteria of two consecutively positive PCR results instead of recipient CMV seropositivity for starting preemptive ganciclovir treatment, 38 of the 43 recipients with isolated single positive or negative assays (groups I and II) would be spared unnecessary ganciclovir treatment. Moreover, two other findings support the use of antiviral prophylaxis before engraftment in high-risk cases and subsequent preemptive treatment of patients with two consecutively positive PCR assays. First, for 7.9% of 76 patients with positive assays (groups II and III), the first positive PCR assay occurred before engraftment, which implied the presence of viral DNA in the blood (DNAemia) soon after transplantation. Second, isolated single positive assays which were clustered around the second to sixth weeks after transplantation were found for 18 patients (group II) and could represent abortive episodes of CMV infection.
Reliability investigation of T-RAM cells for DRAM applications

In this work, we present a reliability investigation of T-RAM cells, considering their read failure, data retention and endurance. Experimental results on decananometer devices reveal a successful cell operation solving the voltage trade-off for optimal performance on state-0 and state-1, whose origin is explained by clear pictures of the physical processes giving rise to read failure and limiting data retention. Moreover, endurance results appear very promising, with cell functionality preserved up to very high cycling doses.
Clomipramine vs desipramine vs placebo in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy symptoms. A double-blind cross-over study.

1. The effect of clomipramine and desipramine on diabetic neuropathy symptoms was examined in a double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled, cross-over study for 2 + 2 + 2 weeks. Drug doses were adjusted according to the sparteine phenotype, i.e. extensive metabolisers were treated with 75 mg clomipramine day-1 and 200 mg desipramine day-1 whereas poor metabolisers were treated with 50 mg day-1 of both drugs. Nineteen patients completed the study. 2. Plasma concentration of clomipramine plus desmethylclomipramine was 70-510 nM in extensive metabolisers, vs 590 and 750 nM in two poor metabolisers. Desipramine levels were 130-910 nM, vs 860 and 880 nM. 3. Both clomipramine and desipramine significantly reduced the symptoms of neuropathy as measured by observer- and self rating in comparison with placebo. Clomipramine tended to be more efficacious than desipramine. Patients with a weak or absent response on clomipramine had lower plasma concentrations (clomipramine plus desmethyl-clomipramine less than 200 nM) than patients with a better response. For desipramine a relationship between plasma concentration and effect was not established. 4. Side effect ratings did not differ for clomipramine and desipramine and on both drugs three patients withdrew due to side effects. 5. Compared with earlier results obtained with imipramine dosed on the basis of plasma level monitoring, clomipramine and desipramine on fixed doses appeared less efficacious whereas the side effect profiles were the same. At least for clomipramine, appropriate dose adjustment on the basis of plasma level monitoring may increase the efficacy.
Actinic granuloma (O'Brien)

Twelve cases of actinic graculoma (O'Brien) are reported. It is concluded that actinic granuloma is a specific disease characterized by clinical lesions indistinguishable from granuloma annulare, but occurring on solar damaged skin. Histologically, clastic tissue is destroyed by the granulomatous process in actinic granuloma. But not in granuloma annulare. It would appear that actinic granuloma, granuloma multiforme, necrobiosis lipoidica of the face and scalp (Wilson‐Jones) and Miescher's granuloma of the face (Mehregan and Altman) are the same desease.
Personality traits spectrum in panic disorder and major depression.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to identify the personality traits in patients with panics disorder, major depression and with both disorders (comorbidity). METHOD Diagnoses were made with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV before the treatment, and the personality evaluation with the Maudsley Personality Inventory was made during the follow-up. Four groups were analyzed: a control group (n = 30), a major depression without panic disorder group (n = 45); a panic disorder without major depression group (n = 56) and a comorbidity group (n = 21), with major depression and panic disorder, simultaneously. RESULTS All disorder groups had significantly higher neuroticism means when compared to the control group. The highest mean was in the comorbidity group, followed by the major depression group and the panic disorder group. The difference of neuroticism means between the comorbidity group and the panic disorder group also reached statistical significance. The lowest extraversion mean was in the comorbidity group, followed by the major depression group, the panic disorder group, and the control group. Compared to normal controls, extraversion was significantly low in the comorbidity and major depression groups. CONCLUSION In our sample, there was a continuum of personality traits between panic disorder and major depression and, the co-occurrence of these disorders was associated with accentuated personality traits.
A therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome with unusual features in a patient treated for acute promyelocytic leukemia.

MDS in patients treated for APL are rare events; we report a case that shows some traits that are unusual among therapyrelated stem cell disorders. A 51-year old woman presented in May 1997 with fatigue and dyspnea. Her peripheral blood cell count showed pancytopenia with 2% abnormal promyelocytes; coagulation tests showed signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Bone marrow revealed 50% hypergranular promyelocytes; cytogenetic analysis showed the classical translocation t(15;17) while molecular biology studies confirmed the presence of PML/RARα gene rearrangement type bcr3. A diagnosis of hypergranular APL was made. The patient was treated according to the Gimema AIDA protocol; she received induction therapy with ATRA 45 mg/m2/day plus idarubicin 12 mg/m2/day for 4 days, achieving complete remission after one month. Consolidation therapy consisted of three courses as follows: cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) plus idarubicin; mitoxantrone plus etoposide; idarubicin plus Ara-C plus 6-thioguanine. In January 1998 the patient started maintenance therapy consisting of courses of methotrexate plus 6-mercaptopurine alternating with courses of ATRA. Therapy was stopped in July 1999 owing to the appearance of progressive pancytopenia. In September 1999 the bone marrow examination revealed hypocellularity with trilineage dysplasia; 4% of nucleated cells were blasts; Perls’ staining revealed the presence of 11% ring sideroblasts. No abnormal promyelocytes were seen. Karyotype was 46, XX, -5, add (6) (p2325), +8, add (17) (p13) in 10/10 metaphases. The molecular biology study showed that the PML-RARα gene rearrangement was absent. A diagnosis of MDS was made. In December 1999 the MDS evolved into M6 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) refractory to polychemotherapy, and the patient died four months later from infectious complications (Table 1). Seven cases of MDS and seven cases of AML in patients with a previous diagnosis of APL have been reported in the literature (Table 2):1-10 although several mechanisms have been hypothesized – coexistence of MDS/AML and APL with initial superimposition of APL, MDS/AML as a clonal evolution from the original APL – most of the authors agree in considering these cases as therapy-related secondary MDS and AML (t-MDS and t-AML). The case we report shows features that are unusual among therapy-related stem cell disorders. The patient developed a hematologic disease usually associated with previous treatment Table 1. Laboratory findings during disease evolution.
Finite-time attitude tracking control for a rigid spacecraft using time-varying terminal sliding mode techniques

This paper investigates the finite-time attitude tracking control for a rigid spacecraft in the presence of inertia uncertainties and external disturbances. Two novel time-varying terminal sliding mode control algorithms are derived for attitude tracking control system. The proposed two control algorithms not only eliminate the reaching phase of the conventional sliding mode control but also guarantee the tracking errors converge to zero in finite time. Moreover, the singularity problem can be avoided. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design methods.
Extension of the Perron--Frobenius Theorem to Homogeneous Systems

This paper deals with a particular class of positive systems. The state components of a positive system are positive or zero for all positive times. These systems are often encountered in applied areas such as chemical engineering or biology. It is shown that for this particular class the first orthant contains an invariant ray in its interior. An invariant ray generalizes the concept of an eigenvector of linear systems to nonlinear homogeneous systems. Then sufficient conditions for uniqueness of this ray are given. The main result states that the vector field on an invariant ray determines the stability properties of the zero solution with respect to initial conditions in the first orthant. The asymptotic behavior of the solutions is examined. Finally, we compare our results to the Perron--Frobenius theorem, which gives a detailed picture of the dynamical behavior of positive linear systems.
Expression of virus‐associated antigens and immune cell functions during spontaneous regression of the friend viral murine leukemia

Spontaneous regression and/or remission of Friend virus (FV)‐induced splenic erythroblastic leukemia was observed in CD‐1 mice infected with several isolates of FV. Regression of splenic tumor was accompanied by the loss of both specific FV‐induced cell membrane antigen (FVMA) and virus group‐specific antigens (gsa) from the spleen cells. The frequency (percentage) of immunoglobulin‐positive cells (B) and thetapositive cells (T) in the spleen was markedly decreased during leukemia progression, but there was a subsequent increase during regression. The appearance of gsa‐positive (gsa+) cells in peripheral blood correlated well with the early progressive and regressive phase of leukemia (up to 7 weeks after infection). Later, the presence of these cells became unpredictable in regard to status of disease. Gsa+ blood cells reappeared in most mice with regressed splenic tumors, suggesting persistence of the virus complex in the animals. Antibody responsiveness as determined by the numbers of hemolytic plaqueforming cells, PFC, after a single immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), was suppressed in leukemia progression and recovered, spontaneously, during regression of leukemia. However, hemolytic PFC elicited by antigen in both progressors and regressors expressed the specific virus‐induced membrane antigen, FVMA, detectable by the PFC‐inhibition test with specific antiserum and complement. Recovery of immunological responsiveness also included the spontaneous appearance of virus‐neutralizing antibody to FV. However, this was not paralleled by the appearance of antibody to FVMA. Traces of anti‐FVMA antibody activity were occasionally detectable in serum of both progressors and regressors and did not correlate with virus neutralization, in individual mice. This may explain the susceptibility of regressors to secondary relapse and to reinfection.
The ascorbic acid content of certain citrous fruits and some manufactured citrous products.

THE identification of vitamin C with ascorbic acid has evoked a number of papers in which titration methods for determination of the acid have been used to estimate the amount of vitamin C in natural products. Of particular interest in this respect are the papers concerned with the juice of citrous fruits [Bennett and Tarbert, 1933; Nelson and Mottern, 1933; Harris and Ray, 1933, 2; and Bessey and King, 1933], because of the general use and the consequent nutritive importance of these juices, because of the extent to which they enter into certain manufactured products, and also because the international standard preparation of vitamin C has been defined as the fresh juice of the lemon, Citrus limonum. Our own attention was drawn to this problem somewhat indirectly; our results show general confirmation of the work of the investigators cited and certain other points that seem to us of special interest.
Breathing patterns and heart rate during simulated occupational upper limb tasks in normal subjects.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Despite the arms being used extensively in the performance of many occupational tasks, little is known about the pattern of breathing and physiological cost of such work. The purpose of this study was to establish whether a simple change in arm support could alter the workload, pattern of breathing and respiratory muscle recruitment during a low intensity arm task. METHODS Ten normal subjects performed a simulated work task when sitting, once with the arms supported and once unsupported. Subjects were required, over a five-minute period, to repeatedly pick up a 2 kg object, inspect and hold it for 15 seconds and then pack it in a box. Breathing pattern responses, measured by pneumotachograph and respiratory inductive plethysmography, were minute ventilation (VE), respiratory frequency (Rf), tidal volume (VT) and change in functional residual capacity (FRC). RESULTS The main findings were that unsupported arm work was more physiologically demanding than supported arm work. During work VE increased as a result of a change in respiratory frequency but not VT which was much more limited when the arms were unsupported. At the completion of activity, when the arms were unloaded, VT initially increased as VE decreased. FRC and VT were reduced during arm work and increased during recovery, mainly as a result of a change in ribcage excursion. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the theory that during arms activity, intercostal and accessory respiratory muscles act to stabilize the arms and torso, impeding chest wall movement and shifting the respiratory load from these muscles to the diaphragm. This may adversely effect performance of workers who have ventilatory limits to arm work tasks.
Regeneration in echinoderm larvae

The ability of echinoderms to regenerate missing body parts has been a subject of interest to scientists for many years. Asexual reproduction (by fission or budding) is a phenomenon that involves regeneration of missing structures. Although asexual reproduction and regeneration have been the focus of many studies in adult echinoderms, there have been comparatively fewer studies examining these phenomena in echinoderm larvae, and most of these have been conducted in the last few years. In this article we review regeneration in larval echinoderms. We also discuss larval asexual reproduction. Microsc. Res. Tech. 55:464–473, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Children with Language Disorders

Children with developmental language disorders pose specific and unique problems for educators. This article addresses the continuing academic vulnerability of these children during the school years. We advance the position that their academic vulnerability results from the lifelong need to acquire language, to learn with language, and to apply language knowledge for academic learning and social development. Issues are addressed that relate to persistence of language deficits and learning in school.