Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multifaceted Contributions by Different Regions of the Orbitofrontal and Medial Prefrontal Cortex to Probabilistic Reversal Learning

Different subregions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) contribute to the ability to respond flexibly to changes in reward contingencies, with the medial versus orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) subregions contributing differentially to processes such as set-shifting and reversal learning. To date, the manner in which these regions may facilitate reversal learning in situations involving reward uncertainty remains relatively unexplored. We investigated the involvement of five distinct regions of the rat OFC (lateral and medial) and medial PFC (prelimbic, infralimbic, and anterior cingulate) on probabilistic reversal learning wherein “correct” versus “incorrect” responses were rewarded on 80% and 20% of trials, respectively. Contingencies were reversed repeatedly within a session. In well trained rats, inactivation of the medial or lateral OFC induced dissociable impairments in performance (indexed by fewer reversals completed) when outcomes were probabilistic, but not when they were assured. Medial OFC inactivation impaired probabilistic learning during the first discrimination, increased perseverative responding and reduced sensitivity to positive and negative feedback, suggestive of a deficit in incorporating information about previous action outcomes to guide subsequent behavior. Lateral OFC inactivation preferentially impaired performance during reversal phases. In contrast, prelimbic inactivation caused an apparent improvement in performance by increasing the number of reversals completed. This was associated with enhanced sensitivity to recently rewarded actions and reduced sensitivity to negative feedback. Infralimbic inactivation had no effect, whereas the anterior cingulate appeared to play a permissive role in this form of reversal learning. These results clarify the dissociable contributions of different regions of the frontal lobes to probabilistic learning. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to adjust behavior in response to changes involving uncertain or probabilistic reward contingencies is an essential survival skill that is impaired in a variety of psychiatric disorders. It is well established that different forms of cognitive flexibility are mediated by anatomically distinct regions of the frontal lobes when reinforcement contingencies are assured, however, less is known about the contribution of these regions to probabilistic reinforcement learning. Here we show that different regions of the orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex make distinct contributions to probabilistic reversal learning. These findings provide novel information about the complex interplay between frontal lobe regions in mediating these processes and accordingly provide insight into possible pathophysiology that underlies impairments in cognitive flexibility observed in mental illnesses.
Wedge scattering by the method of iteration

The method of numerical iteration of the surface current integral equation is successfully applied to the perfectly conducting classical Sommerfeld wedge and to a truncated wedge on a plane. Numerical errors are calculated for both the integral equation and the boundary conditions. The backscatter polarization ratio (σHH/σVV) at 85° incidence for the truncated wedge is shown to be 20 dB below values reported by previous workers.
The Effect of Community Type on Knowledge Sharing Incentives in Online Communities: A Meta-analysis

Online communities are computer mediated, self-organizing, open networks where people voluntarily communicate and share knowledge. Knowledge sharing in online communities requires exerting time and effort and hence community members need motivation to contribute in these communities. Prior research identified numerous incentives that can motivate knowledge sharing in online communities such as self-efficacy and trust. However, research did not consider the effects of community types on the effectiveness of these incentives. In this paper we use meta-analysis to examine the effects of community type on knowledge sharing incentives in communities of interest and communities of practice. We examined 24 papers focusing on knowledge sharing incentives and we found that the type of online community moderates the effects of trust, commitment, task enjoyment and reciprocity on knowledge sharing. The outcome of this research demonstrates that future research should consider community types in knowledge sharing models.
Bioequivalence evaluation of two brands of gliclazide 80 mg tablets (Glyzide® & Diamicron®) — in healthy human volunteers

A randomized, two‐way, crossover, bioequivalence study in 24 fasting, healthy, male volunteers was conducted to compare two brands of gliclazide 80 mg tablets, Glyzide®(Julphar, UAE) as test and Diamicron® (Servier Industries, France) as reference product. The study was performed at the International Pharmaceutical Research Centre (IPRC), in joint venture with Speciality Hospital, Amman, Jordan. The drug was administered with 240 ml of 20% glucose solution after a 10 h overnight fasting. After dosing, serial blood samples were collected for a period of 48 h. Plasma harvested from blood was analyzed for gliclazide by validated HPLC method. Various pharmacokinetic parameters including AUC0–t, AUC0–∝, Cmax, Tmax, T1/2, and elimination rate constant were determined from plasma concentrations of both formulations. Statistical modules (ANOVA and 90% confidence intervals) were applied to AUC0–t, AUC0–∝, and Cmax for bioequivalence evaluation of the two brands which revealed no significant difference between them, and 90% CI fell within US FDA accepted bioequivalence range of 80–125%. Based on these statistical inferences, Glyzide® was judged bioequivalent to Diamicron®. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concept of a beam-steerable cavity-fed antenna with magnetic-dipole coupling elements

A concept of a beam-steerable radiator based on a reconfigurable cavity antenna and coupling elements is proposed in this paper. The coupling elements are designed as magnetic dipoles which are realized using half-mode substrate-integrated cavities. Thus, the antenna exhibits vertical polarization in a planar structure. The main beam can be switched among different directions towards end-fire. Furthermore, by using an array of PIN diodes to reconfigure the aperture size of the launching element, the antenna has potential to change its operating frequency. Simulation results are provided as a preliminary demonstration of the concept.
Transition state analog inhibitors and enzyme catalysis.

Enzymes, like midwives, ease the difficult passage of substances from one metastable situation to another. Catalysis appears to depend on the development of strong forces of attraction between the enzyme and activated forms of the substrate, which subside as the product is formed and the enzyme returns to its free state. It can be shown, on the basis of any rate theory that assumes the existence of an equilibrium of activation, that the substrate in its passage to product acquires a fleeting, but greatly elevated, affinity for the enzyme. So great is this affinity that a stable substance that "looks" to the enzyme like a substrate in the midst of its conversion to product is expected to be an unusually effective inhibitor ( 1-3). General reviews of some experimental and theoretical aspects of transition state affinity, and of early efforts to design potential "transition state analogs," have appeared (4-7). As of early 1975, almost 60 possible examples had been described. In addition to their possible use as anti metabolites, inhibitors of this kind can provide a useful indication of the particular mechanism by which a substrate is transformed by the enzyme that it inhibits. The structure of an effective inhibitor should reflect and confirm the mechanism on which its design was based. In certain cases it may be difficult to isolate reaction intermediates, and inhibitors can sometimes provide mechanistic information that is not easily accessible by other methods. In the case of adenosine deaminase, for example, inhibitors provided the initial indication that the substrate adenosine is attacked directly by the second substrate, water. A double displacement mechanism, so common among hydrolytic enzymes, seemed improbable in the case of this particular enzyme, and subsequent work appears to support this conclusion. Structural features of strong inhibitors may also provide an indication of binding determinants at the active site, which are important for catalysis. The binding of analogs of activated intermediates in substrate transformation, in conjunction with cxact structural studies, may help to provide a dynamic picture of the succession of events that occur during the catalytic process, and may be useful for examining
Reliability-Based Deep Foundation Design

Modern geotechnical design codes are migrating towards Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) methodologies. The Danish geotechnical code has been based on LRFD for several decades, but more recently the Eurocode and the Australian Standards have turned in this direction. Where the geotechnical system supports a structure, the load factors are generally determined by the structural codes. The geotechnical resistance factors, typically determined by calibration with traditional working stress (or allowable stress) design, have yet to be clearly dened in geotechnical design codes. Research into the reliability of geotechnical systems is needed in order for resistance factors to be determined. This paper presents the results of a preliminary study into the effect of a soil’s spatial variability on the settlement and ultimate load statistics of a pile. The results are used to provide recommendations on approaches to reliability›based deep foundation design at the serviceability and ultimate limit states.
Determinants of learning to perform spinal anaesthesia: a pilot study

Background and objective: This study examined attitudes and views held by stakeholders regarding their experience of training in spinal anaesthesia. The aim was to identify key factors related to learning and teaching processes which were perceived to influence the acquisition of competence in spinal anaesthesia. Methods: The study was carried out at a busy acute tertiary referral teaching hospital over a period of 1 yr. It applied a qualitative research approach in three phases, namely (i) completion of preliminary questionnaires, (ii) completion of focused questionnaires and (iii) focus group discussions. Results: Five factors were perceived to be critical ‘determinants of learning': (i) the existence of a formal, structured training programme; (ii) time constraints/theatre efficiency; (iii) trainer‐trainee interaction; (iv) patient safety/trainee/trainer stressors; and (v) visualization of the anatomy and procedure. Conclusion: The study highlighted the need for a formal and structured training programme in spinal anaesthesia, through which many of the undesirable and discouraging factors (such as stress, adverse trainer‐trainee interaction and time constraints) identified in the study could be minimized. Further studies are needed to validate the results in other hospital settings, as well as to define the relative importance of each of the proposed determinants and their interrelationships.
Life Satisfaction and Perception of Happiness among University Students

The aim of this essay has been the evaluation of three orientations towards happiness: pleasure, meaning and engagement, as well as their relation to life satisfaction and the perception of happiness in a sample of 320 university students. The results show that the most used kind of orientation towards happiness is pleasure, followed by meaning, and finally engagement. It has also been found that pleasure is the orientation most closely associated to happiness while engagement seems to be more related to life satisfaction. These findings aim to the distinction between the concepts of happiness and life satisfaction and lead the attention to the actions which can improve the levels of happiness. El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido la evaluación de tres orientaciones hacia la felicidad: placer, implicación y significado, y su relación con la satisfacción vital y la percepción de felicidad en una muestra de 320 estudiantes universitarios. Los resultados muestran que el tipo de orientación hacia la felicidad más utilizado es el placer, seguido del significado y en tercer lugar la implicación. También se ha encontrado que el placer es la orientación que más se asocia a la felicidad y la implicación se relaciona más con la satisfacción vital. Estos hallazgos apuntan hacia la distinción entre los conceptos de felicidad y satisfacción vital y dirigen la atención hacia las actuaciones que pueden mejorar los niveles de felicidad.
Internet Surveillance: Content Analysis and Monitoring of Product-specific Internet Prescription Opioid Abuse-related Postings

ObjectivesThis study describes the development of a systematic approach to the analysis of Internet chatter as a means of monitoring potentially abusable opioid analgesics. MethodsMessage boards dedicated to drug abuse were selected using specific inclusion criteria. Threaded discussions containing 48,293 posts were captured. A coding system was created to compare content of posts related to 3 opioid analgesics: Kadian, Vicodin, and OxyContin. ResultsThe number of posts containing mentions of the target drugs were significantly different [OxyContin (1813)>Vicodin (940)>Kadian (27), P<0.001]. Analyses revealed that these differences were not simply a reflection of the availability of each product (ie, number of prescriptions written). Reliability tests indicated that the content coding system achieved good interrater reliability coefficients (average κ across all categories=0.76, range=0.52 to 1.0). Content analysis of a sample of 234 randomly selected posts indicated that the proportion of Internet posts endorsing abuse of Kadian was statistically significantly less than OxyContin (45.5% vs. 68.4%, P=0.036, not adjusted for multiple comparisons). DiscussionThese results suggest that a systematic approach to postmarketing surveillance of Internet chatter related to pharmaceutical products is feasible and yields reliable information about the quantity of discussion of specific products and qualitative information regarding the nature of the discussions. Kadian was associated with fewer Internet mentions than either OxyContin or Vicodin. This investigation stands as a first attempt to establish systematic methods for conducting Internet surveillance.
Facilitated Cross-Species Transmission of Prions in Extraneural Tissue

Prion Problem Prion disease, like “mad cow disease,” has shown a frightening ability to cross the species transmission barrier, but, mercifully, with low efficiency. However, the role of different tissues in prion cross-species transmission is unclear. Béringue et al. (p. 472; see the cover; see the Perspective by Collinge) compared the ability of brain and lymphoid tissues from “ovinized” (sheeplike) and “humanized” transgenic mouse models to replicate prion transmission across a robust transmission barrier. Lymphoid tissue of these mice was consistently more permissive than brain tissue to prions such as those causing chronic wasting disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Because previous measures of the transmission barrier have focused on the brain, this heightened susceptibility of lymphoid tissues could strongly impact estimates of the number of silent carriers of prion disease. Lymphoid tissue is more permissive than the brain to foreign prions. Prions are infectious pathogens essentially composed of PrPSc, an abnormally folded form of the host-encoded prion protein PrPC. Constrained steric interactions between PrPSc and PrPC are thought to provide prions with species specificity and to control cross-species transmission into other host populations, including humans. We compared the ability of brain and lymphoid tissues from ovine and human PrP transgenic mice to replicate foreign, inefficiently transmitted prions. Lymphoid tissue was consistently more permissive than the brain to prions such as those causing chronic wasting disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Furthermore, when the transmission barrier was overcome through strain shifting in the brain, a distinct agent propagated in the spleen, which retained the ability to infect the original host. Thus, prion cross-species transmission efficacy can exhibit a marked tissue dependence.
Code Compression after Demodulation in Ultrasound Flow Imaging Systems

In this paper, an ultrasound flow imaging system with single-transmit coded excitation is studied. With the oversampled code sequence modulated by base code, code compression before or after demodulation is demonstrated to be equivalent. A coded excitation flow imaging system with relatively low analog-to-digital (AD) sampling rate is proposed. The performance of the system is evaluated by simulation results
A 0.18μm CMOS 802.15.4a UWB Transceiver for Communication and Localization

Recently, IEEE 802.15. 4a has specified a UWB PHY for low-rate commutation with ranging capability for wireless personnel area and sensor network applications. Related work is reported on low-rate energy-efficient UWB radios. A combination of the burst position modulation (BPM) and binary phase shift keying (BPSK) is adopted. With different coding rate, bursts per symbol, and chips per burst, the mean pulse repetition rate (PRF) could vary from 3.9 to 62.4MHz for data throughput of 120kHz to 31.2MHz. This work presents an UWB RF transceiver which supports 12 channels, variable date rate, and ranging capability as specified in IEEE802.15. 4a. Transceiver IC is implemented in 0. 18μm CMOS technology.
Schumann's Piano Cycles and the Novels of Jean Paul

Reiman, Erika. Schumann's Piano Cycles and the Novels of Jean Paul. Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 2004. 229pp. $75.00 hardcover. Robert Schumann's (1810-1856) admiration for Jean Paul Friedrich Richter (1763-1825) has been well documented in the composer's numerous letters, diary entries and early critical writings, leading scholars in both literary studies and musicology to examine the link between the two. Until recently, however, most have tended to merely cite Schumann's own enunciations of indebtedness to the writer as basis for forging their connection, such as the composer's assertion that "From [Jean Paul] I have learned more counterpoint than from my music teacher" (1839 letter to Simonin de Sire). Erika Reiman's recent book is driven by this enigmatic yet suggestive proclamation. In her comparative study of Jean Paul's five major novels-Die unsichtbare Loge (1793), Hesperus (1795), Sicbenkas (1796-1797), Flegeljahre (1804-1805), and Titan (1800-1803)-and Schumann's piano cycles from the 1830s, Reiman is careful not to argue for a theory of influence or to claim that the composer has consciously modeled his works on specific texts by the author. Her project is more subtle: she locates aesthetic affinities between the two men by finding and analyzing the deep structural process shared in their creative works. The study begins with a review of Jean Paul's prose, focusing on the frequent occurrence of digressions, fragments, intertextuality and self-reflexivity in his novels. A musicologist by training, Reiman deftly captures in the first chapter the dense and quirkily humorous style of Jean Paul and points to his unique place in literary history, emphasizing how his work both reflects and subverts the thematic and formal characteristics associated with Classicism and Romanticism. The material covered here is not new to German literary scholars, but Reiman's discussion on the concept of Witz (similarities and differences between Jean Paul's and Schlegel's), the relation of Jean Paul's novels to Bildungsroman, and the role of Trivialliteratur in his oeuvre, is admirably concise and nuanced. Moreover, readers are reminded in the process that Schumann's aesthetic sensibilities are shaped by many different sources of influence, and that one should not fall into the trap of insisting on an exclusive Jean Paul-Schumann link. In the rest of the book, Reiman considers Schumann's own style in the early piano cycles (1831-39)-the compositions in which idiomatic and structural tendencies analogous to those of Jean Paul first appear. These include many that have remained staples of the piano repertoire, such as Papillons, Carneval, Fantasiestucke, as well as the lesser-known pieces Davidsbundlertanze, Noveletten, and Faschingsschwank aus Wien. Here one is immediately thrust into musicological territory, as the last four chapters (2-5) primarily consist of music analysis. Readers who have little background in music theory may have difficulty following the thorough analyses Reiman offers. …
Fault-injection experiments for distributed objects

Discusses experiments to study the behavior of distributed objects in the presence of failures. The work is motivated by a practical need in designing object-based distributed systems. System developers need to understand how objects fail and how to handle these failures in their design. We consider two distributed object platforms-DCOM and IONA's Orbix, an implementation of CORBA. We investigate nine potential failure scenarios. These correspond to three different failure types (hanging, abnormal termination and crashes) of three system components (threads, processes and machines). We design experiments to inject failures into server object executions. The results are presented as perceived by clients when these failures occur in the server objects. We apply the results of these experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of a set of simple monitoring and recovery mechanisms and also to suggest improvements in the current DCOM and Orbix implementations.
The Mind's Nose

We examined odor imagery by looking for its effects on detection of weak odors. Seventy-two healthy subjects performed a forced-choice odor detection task in one of three conditions: after being told to imagine an odor (odor imagery), after being told to imagine an object (visual imagery), or without having received imagery instructions (no-imagery control). For the two imagery conditions, the presented and imagined stimuli were either the same (matched) or different (mismatched). There was a significant difference between detection in the matched and mismatched conditions for odor imagery, but not for visual imagery. We conclude that our paradigm does measure odor imagery and that the effect of imagery on detection is both content- and modality-specific. Further, the difference between conditions was due to lower detection with mismatched odor imagery than without imagery, indicating that interference underlies the effect.