Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Odor coding in projection neurons of the honeybee brain.

Olfactory stimuli are coded by a spatio-temporal pattern of activity at the primary level of sensory integration, the olfactory bulb in vertebrates and the antennal lobe (AL) in insects (Hildebrand and Shepherd, 1997; Galizia and Menzel, 2000), indicating that multiple glomeruli encode particular chemical compounds as well as odor mixtures. A glomerular activity pattern may be translated into a cross-fiber-activity pattern in relay neurons (projection neurons, PN) enriched by temporal components, e.g. synchrony effects of spike activity (Laurent, 2003). In all studied insects, the inner antennocerebral tract (in honeybees, the median antennocerebral tract, mACT), connects the mushroom body (MB) and the lateral horn (LH) with the AL. Similarly, axons of the outer antenno-cerebral tract (in bees, the lateral ACT, l-ACT) innervates the LH and MB but in a reverse sequence: first the LH and then the lip region of the MB calyces. A third bundle of axons, called the mediolateral ACT, also innervates the LH and larger parts of the LH, but not the calyces. This third bundle of PNs will not be dealt with here. In the bee, the anatomy of the PN tracts is rather simple. The PNs of the m- and l-ACT receive input only from single glomeruli in the AL (uniglomerular PNs; Abel et al., 2001). Thus, the MB receives olfactory information only via uniglomerular PNs. Considering the similar anatomical features of the m- and the l-ACT neurons, we asked: (i) how do they terminate in the lip region of the MB calyx; (ii) how do these neurons differ in their olfactory response properties; and (iii) how is the activity pattern of these neurons translated into activity patterns at their outputs. We reconstructed >130 intracellularly marked PNs, aiming to analyse axon terminal patterns in the lip region of the MB. PN axons innervate large parts of the MB lips and terminate with up to 12 blebs per PN axon within the dendritic area of one Kenyon cell (KC) (Muller et al., 2002). These axon terminals provide overlapping inputs to KC dendritic areas. The blebs are not evenly distributed, accumulating in some regions of the lip and leaving others empty. Such an organization will lead to different combinations of inputs to the same KC dendritic areas. Since the dendritic branches of neighboring KCs overlap considerably, different PNs still terminate at many different KCs. However, clusters of KCs should receive similar combinations. Axon terminals of m- and l-ACT neurons appear to fully overlap in the lip regions of the calyces, making it likely that a given KC receives input from both types of PNs. Since l-ACT neurons may transmit more general and m-ACT neurons more specific information about the quality of the odor (see below), KCs would extract the relevant information most effectively if they were particularly sensitive to the timing of spike arrival within an odor puff. This is exactly what we find.
Histopathologic characteristics of a chronic arteriovenous malformation in a swine model: preliminary study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The experimental induction of histologic transformations in microvessels of similar caliber to those of nidus vessels of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) has not been attempted previously. Our goal was to examine preliminarily the histopathologic characteristics of nidus vessels and the angiographic features of a chronic AVM model in swine. METHODS AVM models were fashioned from bilateral carotid retia mirabilia of seven swine after the surgical formation of large unilateral carotid-jugular fistulas. One AVM model was made for immediate use, whereas in the other six, follow-up angiography was obtained at varying intervals (2 to 180 days) after model creation. Light and electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry (using monoclonal antibodies against smooth muscle actin and PC10 against proliferating cell nuclear antigen), and histometry were performed on the nidus vessels of three swine: one acutely created, one 2 months old, and one 6 months old. RESULTS Vascular dilatation and tortuosity of the main arterial feeder and draining vein were evident angiographically as early as 4 days after AVM creation, and were maximal in the 6-month-old model. Compared with the acutely created nidus vessels, those in the two chronic models revealed disrupted and attenuated elastica and intimal hyperplasia that was focal ("cushions") or generalized, leading to luminal occlusion. Variable numbers of cells in the tunica media of chronic nidus vessels contained smooth muscle actin. PC10/proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunoreactivity was observed in the endothelium and subendothelial layers. Histometry showed increases in intimal hyperplasia and medial thickness in the chronic vessels. CONCLUSION Nidus vessels in this chronic swine AVM model exhibited striking histologic changes similar to those seen in cerebral AVMs. The induced vessel growth seen angiographically and histologically in components of the chronic AVMs was consistent with the presence of persistently raised intravascular hemodynamic loads. This preliminary feasibility study suggests that the realistic histologic characteristics of this chronic AVM model are an attractive feature, and if confirmed in future, more comprehensive, studies would be of benefit in accurate histopathologic interpretation of the effects of superimposed experimental embolotherapy or radiosurgery. This model may provide a useful experimental tool to study the dynamic cellular and tissue events that dictate the development and natural history of AVMs.
SPICE simulation of 1T1R structures based on a logistic hysteresis operator

In this paper a SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) implementation of a memristor model able to describe the major and minor current-voltage loops in bipolar resistive switches is reported. In particular, this work addresses the implementation of one transistor-one resistor (1T1R) structures for RRAM applications by means of SPICE simulations. Specifically, the dependence of the low-resistive state on the compliance current is investigated. The model is based on the combination of a diode-like device as the switching element and the logistic hysteron formalism for the memory effect. It is shown how the proposed circuit for the 1T1R structure reproduces the main features of the experimental output curves.
Nephrology Education in the Electronic Era - A Case Based Review

As the field nephrology is rapidly advancing, technological changes are changing the face of learning. Understanding how the current generation of "digital natives" learn and understand topics is vastly important. The current students and residents were born when computers and electronic gadgets were considered a part and parcel of their learning structures. The primary focus of this review is on the change in learning and teaching modalities in this digital age and how we foresee the future of nephrology education in a case based format.
Quantum POMDPs

We present quantum observable Markov decision processes (QOMDPs), the quantum analogues of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs). In a QOMDP, an agent’s state is represented as a quantum state and the agent can choose a superoperator to apply. This is similar to the POMDP belief state, which is a probability distribution over world states and evolves via a stochastic matrix. We show that the existence of a policy of at least a certain value has the same complexity for QOMDPs and POMDPs in the polynomial and infinite horizon cases. However, we also prove that the existence of a policy that can reach a goal state is decidable for goal POMDPs and undecidable for goal QOMDPs.
A study of MAC schemes for wireless sensor networks powered by ambient energy harvesting

Energy consumption is a perennial issue in the design of wireless sensor networks which typically rely on portable sources like batteries for power. Recent advances in ambient energy harvesting technology have made it a potential alternative source of energy for powering wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we study the performance of four different medium access control (MAC) protocols based on CSMA and polling techniques for wireless sensor networks which are powered by ambient energy harvesting. First, we define our model for describing the ambient energy harvesting process. Next, we derive the main performance metrics which are the per-node throughput of each sensor node (R) and the network throughput (S) which is the rate of sensor data received by the sink. We validate the analytical models using simulations, and the results show that neither CSMA-based nor polling protocols always gives the best performance results. These results aim to provide insights to the design of algorithms and protocols for wireless sensor networks that rely on ambient energy harvesting for power which is different from the typical assumption of limited power as in the case of batteries.
When App Stores Listen to the Crowd to Fight Bugs in the Wild

App stores are digital distribution platforms that put available apps that run on mobile devices. Current stores are software repositories that deliver apps upon user requests. However, when an app has a bug, the store continues delivering defective apps until the developer uploads a fixed version, thus impacting on the reputation of both store and app developer. In this paper, we envision a new generation of app stores that: (a) reduce human intervention to maintain mobile apps; and (b) enhance store services with smart and autonomous functionalities to automatically increase the quality of the delivered apps. We sketch a prototype of our envisioned app store and we discuss the functionalities that current stores an enhance by incorporating automatic software repair techniques.
Automatic Delivery Timing Control of Incoming Email based on User Interruptibility

To relieve the cognitive impact of interruptions caused by email delivery notifications, we propose an automatic email delivery mediation system based on the user interruptibility, which is estimated from the PC operation activity. A prototype system has been developed to be compatible with existing email clients and to deliver emails at higher estimated interruptibility times, especially at application switching moments that are considered as breakpoints in PC tasks. Trial use by eight participants in ordinary working environments suggested that email notifications were delivered at moments with lower levels of operation activity and the feelings of hindrance were decreased. Further study is to be conducted to investigate the effect of automatic email delivery mediation on the cognitive cost and work efficiency.
Using a standardized follow-up program to improve coronary heart disease secondary prevention

Objective: To reveal the current status and effectiveness of a standardized follow-up of the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) at Peking University First Hospital. Methods: The study group comprised 496 patients diagnosed with CHD between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2009 after a standardized follow-up program began. A group of 300 patients with CHD diagnosed between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2004 was evaluated as the control group. The study group participants were followed-up every 3 months for 1 year in the outpatient department and were interviewed by telephone between November 2012 and January 2013. Data on the control of risk-factors, medical therapy, and clinical events were collected. Results: At discharge, 75.4% of the study group patients were non-smokers, 51.4% exercised regularly, 42.4% were overweight, 56.7% had blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg (<130/80 in those with diabetes mellitus), 51% had serum low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol <2.60 mmol/L, and 64.2% had fasting plasma glucose <6.11 mmol/L. Antiplatelet medication was used by 99.4% of the study group patients, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blockers by 64.5%, beta-blockers by 79.1%, and statins by 94.3%. Major adverse cardiac events, the primary clinical outcome, occurred in 22.7% of the study group patients. The proportions of non-smokers (82.2% vs. 73.7%, p=0.014), control of serum lipids (84.4% vs. 45.6%, p<0.001), and use of statins (92.5% vs. 54.3%, p<0.001) at the end of follow-up were significantly greater in the study group than those in the control group. Conclusion: Although some patients with CHD were still not achieving the goals of lifestyle change, control of risk factors, and medication therapy, standardized follow-up helped improve and standardize CHD secondary prevention.
Formemes in English-Czech Deep Syntactic MT

One of the most notable recent improvements of the TectoMT English-to-Czech translation is a systematic and theoretically supported revision of formemes---the annotation of morpho-syntactic features of content words in deep dependency syntactic structures based on the Prague tectogrammatics theory. Our modifications aim at reducing data sparsity, increasing consistency across languages and widening the usage area of this markup. Formemes can be used not only in MT, but in various other NLP tasks.
Impairments of reaching movements in patients without proprioception. I. Spatial errors.

1. This paper introduces a series of studies in which we analyze the impairments in a planar reaching task in human patients with severe proprioceptive deficits resulting from large-fiber sensory neuropathy. We studied three patients, all of whom showed absence of discriminative tactile sensation, position sense, and stretch reflexes in the upper extremities. Muscle strength was normal. We compared the reaching movements of the patients with those of normal control subjects. The purpose of this first paper was no characterize the spatial errors in these patients that result primarily from impairments in the planning and execution of movement rather than in feedback control. This was done by using a task in which visual feedback of errors during movement was prevented. 2. Subjects were instructed to move their hand from given starting positions of different targets on a horizontal digitizing tablet. Hand position and targets were displayed on a computer screen. Subjects could not see their hand, and the screen display of hand position was blanked at the signal to move. Thus visual feedback during movement could not be used to achieve accuracy. Movement paths were displayed as knowledge of results after each trial. 3. Compared with controls, the patients made large spatial errors in both movement direction and extent. Directional errors were evident from movement onset, suggesting that they resulted from improper planning. In addition, patients' hand paths showed large curves and secondary movements after initial stops. 4. The overall control strategy used by patients appeared the same as that used by controls. Hand trajectories were approximately bell shaped, and movement extent was controlled by scaling a trajectory waveform in amplitude and time. However, both control subjects and patients showed systematic errors in movement extent that depended on the direction of hand movement. In control subjects, these systematic dependencies of extent on direction were small, but in patients they produced large and prominent errors. Analysis of the hand trajectories revealed that errors were associated with differences in velocity and acceleration for movements in different directions. In an earlier study, we showed that in subjects with normal sensation that the dependence of acceleration and velocity on direction results from a failure to take the inertial properties of the limb into account in programming the initial trajectory. In control subjects, these differences in initial acceleration are partially compensated by direction-dependent variations in movement time. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Iterative Receiver Design for ISI Channels Using Combined Belief- and Expectation-Propagation

In this letter, a message-passing algorithm that combines belief propagation and expectation propagation is applied to design an iterative receiver for intersymbol interference channels. We detail the derivation of the messages passed along the nodes of a vector-form factor graph representing the underlying probabilistic model. We also present a simple but efficient method to cope with the “negative variance” problem of expectation propagation. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms, in terms of bit-error-rate and convergence rate, a LMMSE turbo-equalizer based on Gaussian message passing with the same order of computational complexity.
Oncogenic nexus of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A): An oncoprotein with many hands

Oncoprotein CIP2A a Cancerous Inhibitor of PP2A forms an “oncogenic nexus” by virtue of its control on PP2A and MYC stabilization in cancer cells. The expression and prognostic function of CIP2A in different solid tumors including colorectal carcinoma, head & neck cancers, gastric cancers, lung carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, esophageal cancers, pancreatic carcinoma, brain cancers, breast carcinoma, bladder cancers, ovarian carcinoma, renal cell carcinomas, tongue cancers, cervical carcinoma, prostate cancers, and oral carcinoma as well as a number of hematological malignancies are just beginning to emerge. Herein, we reviewed the recent progress in our understanding of (1) how an “oncogenic nexus” of CIP2A participates in the tumorigenic transformation of cells and (2) how we can prospect/view the clinical relevance of CIP2A in the context of cancer therapy. The review will try to understand the role of CIP2A (a) as a biomarker in cancers and evaluate the prognostic value of CIP2A in different cancers (b) as a therapeutic target in cancers and (c) in drug response and developing chemo-resistance in cancers.
Serial Neural Network Classifier for Membrane Detection using a Filter Bank

Study of nervous systems via the connectome, i.e. the map of the connectivities of all neurons in that system, is a challenging problem in neuroscience. Towards this goal, neurobiologists are acquiring large electron microscopy datasets. Automated image analysis methods are required for reconstruct- ing the connectome from these very large image collections. Segmentation of neurons in these images, an essential step of the reconstruction pipeline, is challenging because of noise, irregular shapes and brightness, and the presence of confounding structures. The method described in this paper uses a carefully designed set of filters and a series of artificial neural netwo rks (ANNs) in an auto-context architecture to detect neuron mem- branes. Employing auto-context means that several ANNs are applied in series while allowing each ANN to use the classific ation context provided by the previous network to improve detection accuracy. We use the responses to a set of filters as input to the series of ANNs and show that the learned context does improve detection over traditional ANNs. We also demonstrate advantages over previous membrane detection methods. The results are a significant step towards an automated system fo r the reconstruction of the connectome.
The effects of osmotic stress on the structure and function of the cell nucleus

Osmotic stress is a potent regulator of the normal function of cells that are exposed to osmotically active environments under physiologic or pathologic conditions. The ability of cells to alter gene expression and metabolic activity in response to changes in the osmotic environment provides an additional regulatory mechanism for a diverse array of tissues and organs in the human body. In addition to the activation of various osmotically‐ or volume‐activated ion channels, osmotic stress may also act on the genome via a direct biophysical pathway. Changes in extracellular osmolality alter cell volume, and therefore, the concentration of intracellular macromolecules. In turn, intracellular macromolecule concentration is a key physical parameter affecting the spatial organization and pressurization of the nucleus. Hyper‐osmotic stress shrinks the nucleus and causes it to assume a convoluted shape, whereas hypo‐osmotic stress swells the nucleus to a size that is limited by stretch of the nuclear lamina and induces a smooth, round shape of the nucleus. These behaviors are consistent with a model of the nucleus as a charged core/shell structure pressurized by uneven partition of macromolecules between the nucleoplasm and the cytoplasm. These osmotically‐induced alterations in the internal structure and arrangement of chromatin, as well as potential changes in the nuclear membrane and pores are hypothesized to influence gene transcription and/or nucleocytoplasmic transport. A further understanding of the biophysical and biochemical mechanisms involved in these processes would have important ramifications for a range of fields including differentiation, migration, mechanotransduction, DNA repair, and tumorigenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 460–467, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantifying decision impact in MOBA games

In this project we quantify the importance and effectiveness of item-purchase decisions in League of Legends, focusing on the early game. We find that stepwise sequences of classifiers are unable to take advantage of the information provided by early-game item choices in general, suggesting that items as a whole are fairly well balanced. However, a more refined propensity score matching is able to detect a mild but significant effects for specific items.
UTF1 is a chromatin-associated protein involved in ES cell differentiation

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are able to grow indefinitely (self-renewal) and have the potential to differentiate into all adult cell types (pluripotency). The regulatory network that controls pluripotency is well characterized, whereas the molecular basis for the transition from self-renewal to the differentiation of ES cells is much less understood, although dynamic epigenetic gene silencing and chromatin compaction are clearly implicated. In this study, we report that UTF1 (undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1) is involved in ES cell differentiation. Knockdown of UTF1 in ES and carcinoma cells resulted in a substantial delay or block in differentiation. Further analysis using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays, subnuclear fractionations, and reporter assays revealed that UTF1 is a stably chromatin-associated transcriptional repressor protein with a dynamic behavior similar to core histones. An N-terminal Myb/SANT domain and a C-terminal domain containing a putative leucine zipper are required for these properties of UTF1. These data demonstrate that UTF1 is a strongly chromatin-associated protein involved in the initiation of ES cell differentiation.
RNA Virus Sequencing Using the Genome Sequencer FLX System

The global spread of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus among bird populations and its transmission to humans in endemic areas has emphasized the importance of fast and accurate detection methods for influenza virus strain and variant identification. Standardized assays, typically based on immunological methods, are available for strain classification and are routinely used in epidemiological studies. Other more recently devel