Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perirhinal cortex involvement in allocentric spatial learning in the rat: Evidence from doubly marked tasks

It has recently been suggested that the different cortices of the medial temporal lobe support a mixture of object and spatial processing functions, challenging the anterior model that emphasized a strict functional differentiation between regions. However, for some structures, the perirhinal cortex (Prh) for example, a number of studies using lesion methods have shown a profound deficit exclusively in tasks involving object learning but not allocentric spatial learning. It may be that the learning paradigms used in previous studies have not been sensitive enough to detect a possible allocentric deficit in Prh‐lesioned animals. To examine whether Prh lesions critically affect allocentric spatial learning, experimental and control rats were trained in two doubly marked navigation tasks. In experiment 1, the use of either one of two different memory systems, allocentric versus egocentric, made it possible to locate the goal arm in a four‐arm radial maze. In experiment 2, rats had to choose between an allocentric versus a S‐R/habit strategy, both of which predicted the location of the goal arm. Results showed that both experimental and control animals learned both navigation tasks well, reaching the same level of performance at the end of training. However, a probe test performed 1 day after the learning ended revealed that Prh‐damaged animals learned both tasks predominantly using a non‐allocentric strategy. Specifically, in lesioned subjects the percentage of egocentric correct responses (experiment 1) and the percentage of habit‐based correct responses (experiment 2) was significantly higher than in the control rats. On the other hand, in both experiments, control rats in the probe test presented a significantly higher number of allocentric correct responses than the lesioned subjects. These results clearly suggest that Prh is normally needed for using allocentric strategies in order to solve a navigation problem. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nonlinear time series analysis from large eddy simulation of an internal combustion engine Year : 2016 Version : Post print

Nonlinear time series analysis was applied for the first time to time series obtained from large eddy simulations (LES) of an internal combustion engine (ICE). The aim of the study was to obtain more information about the cycle-to-cycle variation (CCV) in the studied simplified ICE geometry than what is available from standard methods. Phase space reconstructions were created from the time series and then estimates for the largest Lyapunov exponent were calculated. The time delays used in the phase space reconstructions were determined using average mutual information while the proper embedding dimensions were chosen according to the method of false nearest neighbours. Quantitative information on the behaviour of the flow and the CCV was acquired from three-dimensional phase space reconstructions. Introduced modifications to the flow were clearly visible in the phase space reconstructions of energy and dissipation, indicating that these quantities are appropriate for monitoring and analysing the state of the system. The estimates for the largest Lyapunov exponents were positive for almost all time series, indicating chaotic dynamics. The permutation spectrum test was used to confirm the chaoticity of the CCV. The present results indicate that the used methods offer a promising new framework for characterising the CCV from the viewpoint of nonlinear time series analysis.
Vertical Profiles of Abundance and Potential Activity of Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria in Sediment of Lake Biwa , Japan

Vertical profiles of the abundance, community composition, and potential activity of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) were investigated in the sediment of Lake Biwa. Sediment samples were obtained from two sites at different water depths. The abundance of MOB was assessed as the copy number of the pmoA gene (encoding the alpha subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase), measured with quantitative real-time PCR. Abundance of the pmoA gene peaked in the 5–8 cm layer of the sediment from both sites. MOB community composition was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of pmoA and 16S rRNA genes. The band patterns observed in DGGE did not significantly differ with sediment depths or sampling sites. Sequence analysis of the DGGE bands indicated the dominance of the genus Methylobacter. Potential activity, which was measured in the presence of sufficient amounts of methane and oxygen, decreased linearly from the sediment surface to deeper layers. These results suggest that the pmoA gene copy number cannot be regarded as an indicator of aerobic MOB that retain potential activity in sediments.
The Common Cold—Principles of Judicious Use of Antimicrobial Agents

Most children will suffer between 3 and 8 colds per year, and over half of patients seen for the common cold are given an antimicrobial prescription. Unnecessary antimicrobial therapy can be avoided by recognizing the signs and symptoms that are part of the usual course of these diseases. Controlled trials of antimicrobial treatment of the common cold are reviewed. These trials consistently fail to show that treatment changes the course or outcome. Furthermore, antimicrobial therapy for patients with viral rhinosinusitis is not an effective way to prevent bacterial complications. Mucopurulent rhinitis (thick, opaque, or discolored nasal discharge) frequently accompanies the common cold and is part of the natural course of viral rhinosinusitis. It is not an indication for antimicrobial treatment unless it persists without improvement for >10 to 14 days.
Analysis of a Closed-slot PM machine

A Fault Tolerant Permanent Magnet Surface Mounted machine (FT-PMSM) will be modeled, analyzed and tested. The machine has a closed slot design to improve its fault tolerant capabilities. The machine has a conducting retraining rotor sleeve which will introduce significant losses at high operating speeds. This paper will look in detail at the behavior of such machine in an effort to highlight the impact of the highly non-linear properties on its performance during both healthy and faulty conditions. Modeling is mostly done using FE analysis and experimental results are presented to validate and complement the FE analysis.
Anti-inflammatory effects of β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside from Trachelospermum jasminoides (Apocynaceae) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages

Trachelospermum jasminoides (Apocynaceae) has pharmacological effects that include anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities, which have been observed from various studies. Of these pharmacological effects, the anti-inflammatory capacity of compounds from T. jasminoides is not yet known exactly. In this study, we investigated the compound that can be used for the suppression of lipopolysacchaide (LPS) stimulated inflammatory responses in macrophages among the five isolated compounds. β-sitosterol-β-D-glucoside (1) was found to reduce nitric oxide (NO) production from LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells the most. In addition, compound 1 strongly inhibited the interleukin 6 (IL-6) activities of stimulated macrophages. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with compound 1 reduced secretion of inflammatory elements including tumour necrosis factor – alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β). Thus, compound 1 may be a useful candidate for the development of new drugs to treat endotoxemia and inflammation accompanied by the overproduction of NO.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

Orthostatic intolerance can be defi ned as inability to tolerate upright posture relieved by recumbence. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a form of orthostatic intolerance defi ned as sustained increase in heart rate of ≥30 bpm or increase of heart rate to ≥120 bpm within 10 min of standing or head-up tilt associated with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and absence of orthostatic hypotension. POTS patients are mostly female with 4-5:1 ratio and age range from 15 to 50. Several pathophysiological mechanisms are thought to underlie POTS. Some of the possible mechanisms are distal peripheral neuropathy, abnormalities of central control of sympathetic nervous system, impaired synaptic norepinephrine reuptake, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis disturbance and altered norepinephrine synthetic pathway. Th e most common symptoms related to POTS are light-headedness, presyncope, weakness and palpitations. Exacerbation of symptoms with standing and symptoms relieved with recumbence is a characteristic feature of POTS. Active stand test and passive head-up tilt table test are used in diagnosing POTS, along with detailed history and examination. Nonpharmacological therapy of POTS includes increase in daily salt and water intake, and exercise training. Pharmacological therapy is directed at expanding fl uid volume, increasing peripheral vascular resistance and reducing central sympathetic activity. Th e majority of patients experience substantial improvement aft er correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy.
The ethics of conducting research with older psychiatric patients

The ethical context in which geropsychiatric research is carried out today in the United States has its origins in events of the 1960s and 1970s. Three main trends can be identified. The first is sociopolitical and involves the challenge to tradition and authority manifested in that period with its consequent moral pluralism and focus on new forms of individualism. Ethical thinkers redirected their attention to more normative questions and moral problems in medicine came under close scruitiny. Regulatory changes affecting research followed. The second trend greatly influenced the type of research that would predominate in psychiatry after the mid‐1970s. This trend involved the redirection of psychiatric thinking towards renewed interest in psychopathology, nosology and quantitation which was dormant during the preceding psychodynamically oriented decades. The final trend was the aging of the American population. Whereas before the 1960s there was little interest in aging the age‐related neuropsychiatric conditions, subsequent decades ushered in much interest and support for human aging research. New moral problems have naturally arisen. Most of them have involved vulnerable subpopulations of elderly. Nontheless, while small areas of disagreement remain and regulation is incomplete, research in geriatric psychiatry now proceeds within a well‐structured context of ethical guidelines and government regulations.
Appendicectomies en milieu tropical : Étude prospective à l'hôpital principal de Dakar

L'appendicite aigue est un motif tres frequent d'intervention chirurgicale en Afrique, avec une mortalite et une morbidite superieures a celles des pays occidentaux. Nous avons voulu, par une etude prospective menee sur une periode de 9 mois et incluant 100 patients consecutifs, evaluer les caracteres diagnostiques, cliniques, et paracliniques des syndromes appendiculaires operes dans notre structure, ainsi que les modalites et suites operatoires en distinguant particulierement les differentes voies d'abord utilisees. L'analyse des resultats confirme que l'examen clinique est le plus souvent suffisant pour poser l'indication operatoire et que les examens complementaires sont rarement specifiques, donc le plus souvent inutiles, retardant la prise en charge therapeutique. Le delai tardif de cette prise en charge est specifique a la pratique tropicale. La voie d'abord etait une voie de Mac Burney dans 65 % des cas, la voie coelioscopique dans 18 % des cas, une laparotomie mediane dans 17 % des cas. Le benefice de la voie d'abord coelioscopique est statistiquement significatif en terme de reprise alimentaire, duree d'hospitalisation et de complications post-operatoires. La mortalite de cette serie est nulle et la morbidite de 7 %, essentiellement parietale.
Impact of rhinosinusitis in health care delivery: the Quebec experience.

OBJECTIVE Rhinosinusitis is a common disease affecting 135 per 1,000 population. The cost and the impact on quality of life of this disease are considerable. Health care delivery for a particular disease is evaluated through the health impact of the disease, outcomes of treatments, and their costs. This article reviews our experience with rhinosinusitis and its impact on health, as measured using a generic quality of life instrument, the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), in a selected patient population. Outcomes of treatments will be introduced, and the economic impact of chronic rhinosinusitis based on a U.S. study will be discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS One hundred and ten patients (divided into three subgroups: recurrent acute rhinosinusitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis) completed the SF-36 survey on the day of the diagnostic visit in the outpatient sinus clinics of two hospitals. RESULTS The scores of the SF-36, in chronic rhinosinusitis, are compared with the normative values of a healthy U.S. population showing statistically significant differences in seven of eight domains. A comparison of the scores of chronic rhinosinusitis with a U.S. study on chronic rhinosinusitis shows statistically significant differences in five of eight domains. A comparison of the scores in the three diagnostic subgroups shows a statistical significance in two domains: bodily pain and vitality are more affected in recurrent acute and chronic rhinosinusitis. CONCLUSIONS Chronic rhinosinusitis affects the quality of life of patients with rhinosinusitis and represents an important health burden. Some differences are noted with the U.S. chronic rhinosinusitis population. Recurrent acute and chronic rhinosinusitis seem to have more impact on vitality and bodily pain than nasal polyposis.
Adoption of Technology and Its Impact on Nephrectomy Outcomes, a U.S. Population-Based Analysis (2008-2012).

PURPOSE Robot-assisted surgery has been touted as offering superior outcomes in various oncologic surgeries. We sought to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of robotic radical nephrectomy (RRN) compared with laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) in regard to hospital charges, complications, and survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program-Medicare linked database, we identified patients over the age of 65 who underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) for nonmetastatic renal-cell carcinoma from 2008 to 2012. Patients who underwent RRN were compared with those who underwent LRN. We used propensity scoring matching to compare perioperative and survival outcomes, including overall survival, cancer-specific survival, major adverse events, and healthcare charges. RESULTS Two hundred forty-one patients underwent RRN, and 574 patients underwent LRN. After propensity score matching, the adverse events rate and length of stay were similar between two groups (Major Events: 5.7% vs 6.1%, p = 0.84; prolonged LOS: 17.8% vs 16.1%, p = 0.62). The inpatient charges following RRN were significantly higher than those of LRN ($53,681 vs $44,161, p < 0.01). The mean follow-up of the cohort was 3.2 years. Estimated overall survival (88.0% vs 87.9%, p = 0.90) and cancer-specific survival (98.1% vs 96.4%, p = 0.25) were similar between the two matched cohorts at 3 years. CONCLUSION The robotic platform showed no benefit over standard laparoscopy for RN, as we found no difference in oncologic efficacy or adverse event rates.
Understanding customer perceptions of internet banking: the case of the UK

Purpose – Existing work on internet banking has provided substantial knowledge of the benefits and economic impacts of internet banking from the bank’s perspective. However, internet banking provides advantages for customers as well as the banking industry. The purpose of this paper is to investigate customer perceptions of internet banking in the UK with the goal of providing a comprehensive understanding of British internet banking. Design/methodology/approach – In order to provide the detailed understanding of customers’ perceptions of internet banking, a qualitative study was conducted. The primary method of data collection were 25 interviews. To provide triangulation and increase reliability, various documents and secondary data analyses about internet banking in the UK were also used to supplement the analysis. Findings – The results indicate that money transfers and bill payment are the most popular facilities with UK internet banking adopters. More importantly, security is the most important facto.
AZD9272 and AZD2066: Selective and Highly Central Nervous System Penetrant mGluR5 Antagonists Characterized by Their Discriminative Effects

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonists fenobam, MPEP (2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine), and MTEP (3-[(2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)ethynyl]pyridine) were previously shown to not cause N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist–like psychoactive effects in phencyclidine (PCP) drug discrimination studies, but to cause MTEP-like discrimination in rats, suggesting that the psychoactive and psychotomimetic effects reported with fenobam in humans were likely mediated by mGluR5 antagonist mechanisms. The present study was designed to characterize AZD9272 (3-ﬂuoro-5-(3-(5-ﬂuoropyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol5-yl)benzonitrile) and AZD2066 [4-(5-{(1R)-1-[5-(3-chlorophenyl)isoxazol-3-yl]ethoxy}-4-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)pyridine], two mGluR5 antagonists taken to clinical development for analgesia. AZD9272 was evaluated in several groups of rats trained to discriminate cocaine, PCP, chlordiazepoxide, (−)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol [(−)-Δ9-THC], or MTEP from no drug. AZD9272 shared discriminative properties with MTEP only. The discriminative half-life was 3.23 hours for MTEP and 21.93 hours for AZD9272 in rats trained to discriminate MTEP from no drug. Other rats were successfully trained to discriminate AZD9272 from no drug. Due to the long duration of action of AZD9272, discrimination training was conducted every other day. AZD9272 caused a dose-dependent increase in AZD9272-appropriate responding. PCP did not cause AZD9272-appropriate responding, whereas MTEP, fenobam, and the mGluR5 antagonist AZD2066 did. The discriminative half-life of AZD9272 was 24.3 hours in rats trained to discriminate AZD9272 from no drug. It is concluded that the discriminative effects of AZD9272 and AZD2066 are similar to those of previously investigated mGluR5 antagonists and dissimilar to those of cocaine, PCP, chlordiazepoxide, and (−)-Δ9-THC. The discriminative half-life of AZD9272 is approximately 7-fold longer than for MTEP. These data support and extend previous findings suggesting that mGluR5 antagonism causes psychoactive effects selectively mediated by mGluR5 mechanisms.
Effect of exposure to evening light on sleep initiation in the elderly: A longitudinal analysis for repeated measurements in home settings

Epidemiologic data have demonstrated associations of sleep-onset insomnia with a variety of diseases, including depression, dementia, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Sleep initiation is controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus and endogenous melatonin, both of which are influenced by environmental light. Exposure to evening light is hypothesized to cause circadian phase delay and melatonin suppression before bedtime, resulting in circadian misalignment and sleep-onset insomnia; however, whether exposure to evening light disturbs sleep initiation in home settings remains unclear. In this longitudinal analysis of 192 elderly individuals (mean age: 69.9 years), we measured evening light exposure and sleep-onset latency for 4 days using a wrist actigraph incorporating a light meter and an accelerometer. Mixed-effect linear regression analysis for repeated measurements was used to evaluate the effect of evening light exposure on subsequent sleep-onset latency. The median intensity of evening light exposure and the median sleep-onset latency were 27.3 lux (interquartile range, 17.9–43.4) and 17 min (interquartile range, 7–33), respectively. Univariate models showed significant associations between sleep-onset latency and age, gender, daytime physical activity, in-bed time, day length and average intensity of evening and nighttime light exposures. In a multivariate model, log-transformed average intensity of evening light exposure was significantly associated with log-transformed sleep-onset latency independent of the former potential confounding factors (regression coefficient, 0.133; 95% CI, 0.020–0.247; p = 0.021). Day length and nighttime light exposure were also significantly associated with log-transformed sleep-onset latency (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, exposure to evening light in home setting prolongs subsequent sleep-onset latency in the elderly.
Trace reconstruction with varying deletion probabilities

In the trace reconstruction problem an unknown string ${\bf x}=(x_0,\dots,x_{n-1})\in\{0,1,. ,m-1\}^n$ is observed through the deletion channel, which deletes each $x_k$ with a certain probability, yielding a contracted string $\widetilde{\bf X}$. Earlier works have proved that if each $x_k$ is deleted with the same probability $q\in[0,1)$, then $\exp(O(n^{1/3}))$ independent copies of the contracted string $\widetilde{\bf X}$ suffice to reconstruct $\bf x$ with high probability. We extend this upper bound to the setting where the deletion probabilities vary, assuming certain regularity conditions. First we consider the case where $x_k$ is deleted with some known probability $q_k$. Then we consider the case where each letter $\zeta\in \{0,1,. ,m-1\}$ is associated with some possibly unknown deletion probability $q_\zeta$.
Effectiveness of a multi‐layer foam dressing in preventing sacral pressure ulcers for the early acute care of patients with a traumatic spinal cord injury: comparison with the use of a gel mattress

Individuals with spinal cord injury are at risk of sacral pressure ulcers due to, among other reasons, prolonged immobilisation. The effectiveness of a multi‐layer foam dressing installed pre‐operatively in reducing sacral pressure ulcer occurrence in spinal cord injured patients was compared to that of using a gel mattress, and stratified analyses were performed on patients with complete tetraplegia and paraplegia. Socio‐demographic and clinical data were collected from 315 patients admitted in a level‐I trauma centre following a spinal cord injury between April 2010 and March 2016. Upon arrival to the emergency room and until surgery, patients were transferred on a foam stretcher pad with a viscoelastic polymer gel mattress (before 1 October 2014) or received a multi‐layer foam dressing applied to their sacral‐coccygeal area (after 1 October 2014). The occurrence of sacral pressure ulcer during acute hospitalisation was similar irrespective of whether patients received the dressing or the gel mattress. It was found that 82% of patients with complete tetraplegia receiving the preventive dressing developed sacral ulcers as compared to only 36% of patients using the gel mattress. Although multi‐layer dressings were suggested to improve skin protection and decrease pressure ulcer occurrence in critically ill patients, such preventive dressings are not superior to gel mattresses in spinal cord injured patients and should be used with precaution, especially in complete tetraplegia.
A Comprehensive Approach to the Interpretation of Difference Scores

A comprehensive approach to the interpretation of difference scores is presented. Formulas for the test of statistical significance between two test scores, computed by a confidence interval, and for the calculation of the probabilities for the power of the statistical test, underinterpretation, overinterpretation, and misinterpretation are provided. Definitions and examples of their use in score interpretation are provided.