Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex and Stimulus Time Differences in Afterimage Durations

Current theory proposes that afterimages are biochemically produced in the retina. The length of perception of these afterimages has also been said to vary with several factors, some of which are central nervous system modification, sociological characteristics, stimulus dimensions, developmental stages, and sex. The present study was concerned with clarifying existing data concerning stimulus dimensions and sex differences. Thirty Ss were used, half male and half female. Each S was given two practice sessions to watch afterimages; then each was presented a 1-sq. cm. stimulus (a t 0.2 candlepower) in random order for three different durations ( 1 , 3, and 5 sec.). Stimuli were presented in a dark room, which served as a dark after-field. S turned off a timer when each afterimage disappeared completely, and durations were recorded in seconds. S was allowed approximately a 7-min, rest between trials. Males showed a slight positively skewed frequency curve of afrerimage durations centering around 60 sec. Females showed a very definite positively skewed frequency curve centering around 30 sec. duration. A nonparametric median test yielded a significant chi square of 4.44 ( p < .05). Morsch and Harley (1945) concluded that there were no significant sex differences in duration of afterimage among children, but that there were significant differences among age groups. Csank and Lehmann (1958) reported sudden increases in afterimage susceptibility for both sexes between age groups of 15 to 19 and 20 to 24. This increase was significant at . 01 level for males and . 05 level for females. Since present students were approximately 18 to 20 yr. of age, the data are from a group intermediate to those of the above mentioned study. Thus, it seems possible to say that the male increase in susceptibility has occurred, or at least begun, whereas the increase in susceptibility of females has not. This may be one explanation of the sex difference found here, but many questions are still unanswered. The combined group means (42.95k29.21, 49.96k31.08, and 55.70236.63) and medians (33.4, 40.2, and 46.0) for the 1-, 3-, and 5-sec. stimulus durations tended to support the previous finding (Franz, 1899; McDougall, 1904) that longer stimuli give longer afterimages. However, analysis of variance showed no significant differences among stimulus groups. Probably, more differentiating stimuli were needed.
An effective approach for human activity recognition on smartphone

Activity recognition, which takes the sensor reading from mobile sensors as inputs and predicts a human motion activity using data mining and machine learning techniques. In this paper, we analyze the performance of two classification algorithm in an on-line activity recognition system working on Android platforms that supports on-line training and classification using only the accelerometer data. First we use the KNN classification algorithm and next we utilize an improvement of Minimum Distance and K-Nearest Neighbor classification algorithms, called Clustered KNN. For the purpose of on-line activity recognition, clustered KNN eliminates the computational complexity of KNN by creating clusters, i.e., creating smaller training sets for each activity and classification is performed based on these reduced sets. We evaluate the performance of these classifiers on four test subjects for activities of walking, running, sitting and standing in on-line activity recognition system. In this paper, we are also interested in the performance of classifiers with limited training data and the limited memory available on the phones compared to off-line.
Differential expression of sympathoadrenal lineage-determining genes and phenotypic markers in cultured primary neural crest cells

SummaryBone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes the development of primary neural crest cells grown in tissue culture to the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineage. Independent studies have characterized the expression patterns of SA-lineage genes in developing chicken embryo; however, studies using cultured primary neural crest cells have characterized only the expression patterns of the catecholaminergic markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and catecholamines (CAs). To further explore the molecular mechanisms that control SA-cell development using the in vitro model system, it is crucial to define the expression patterns of both the catecholaminergic markers and the genes regulating SA-lineage determination. Accordingly, we defined, in the absence and presence of BMP-2, the temporal expression patterns of TH and CA, the SA lineage-determining genes ASH-1, Phox2a, and Phox2b, the GATA-2 gene, and the pan-neuronal SCG10 gene. Comparison of these data with the reported temporal and spatial patterns of expression in vivo demonstrate that the inductive steps of SA-lineage determination, including the specification of neurotransmitter identity and neuronal fate, are recapitulated in the neural-crest culture system.
Wave-plate polarizing beam splitter based on a form-birefringent multilayer grating.

We have fabricated a novel device that acts as a quarter-wave plate at normal incidence and as a polarizing beam splitter at an angle of incidence of ~40 deg . The device is made from a multilayer (SiO(2) /Si(3)N(4)) surface-relief zeroth-order one-dimensional grating with a period of 0.3 mum . The device is designed for an operating wavelength of 632.8 nm. We designed the device by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis and fabricated it by direct-write electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Measurements confirmed the performance of the device as a wave plate and as a polarizing beam splitter.
LC-MS-Based Metabolomics in Drug Metabolism

Xenobiotic metabolism, a ubiquitous natural response to foreign compounds, elicits initiating signals for many pathophysiological events. Currently, most widely used techniques for identifying xenobiotic metabolites and metabolic pathways are empirical and largely based on in vitro incubation assays and in vivo radiotracing experiments. Recent work in our lab has shown that LC-MS-based metabolomic techniques are useful tools for xenobiotic metabolism research since multivariate data analysis in metabolomics can significantly rationalize the processes of xenobiotic metabolite identification and metabolic pathway analysis. In this review, the technological elements of LC-MS-based metabolomics for constructing high-quality datasets and conducting comprehensive data analysis are examined. Four novel approaches of using LC-MS-based metabolomic techniques in xenobiotic metabolism research are proposed and illustrated by case studies and proof-of-concept experiments, and the perspective on their application is further discussed.
Sequential addition of temperature-sensitive missense mutations into the PB2 gene of influenza A transfectant viruses can effect an increase in temperature sensitivity and attenuation and permits the rational design of a genetically engineered live influenza A virus vaccine

We have previously described a strategy for the recovery of a synthetic influenza A virus wild-type (wt) PB2 gene (derived from influenza A/Ann Arbor/6/60 [AA] virus) into an infectious virus. It was possible to introduce an attenuating temperature-sensitive (ts) mutation at amino acid residue 265 of the AA wt PB2 gene and to rescue this mutant gene into infectious virus. Application of this new technology to influenza A virus vaccine development requires that multiple attenuating mutations be introduced to achieve a satisfactorily attenuated virus that retains the attenuation (att) phenotype following replication in vivo. In this report, we demonstrate that putative ts mutations at amino acids 112, 556, and 658 each indeed specify the ts and att phenotypes. Each of these mutations was introduced into a cDNA copy of the AA mutant mt265 PB2 gene to produce three double-mutant PB2 genes, each of which was rescued into an infectious virus. In general, the double-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses were more ts and attenuated in the lower respiratory tracts of hamsters than the single-mutant transfectant viruses, and the ts phenotype of two of three double-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses was stable even after prolonged replication in the upper respiratory tracts of immunocompromised mice. Two triple-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses with three predicted amino acid substitutions resulting from five nucleotide substitutions in the cDNA were then generated. The triple-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses were more ts and more attenuated than the double-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses. These results indicate that sequential introduction of additional ts mutations into the PB2 gene can yield mutants that exhibit a stepwise increase in temperature sensitivity and attenuation compared with the preceding mutant(s) in the series. Furthermore, the level of temperature sensitivity of the transfectant viruses correlated significantly with the level of attenuation of these viruses in hamsters. Although the triple-mutant PB2 transfectant viruses were attenuated in hamsters, intranasal administration of these viruses elicited a vigorous serum hemagglutination-inhibiting antibody response, and this was associated with resistance of the lower respiratory tract to subsequent wt virus challenge. These observations suggest the feasibility of using PB2 reverse genetics to generate a live influenza A virus vaccine donor strain that contains three attenuating mutations in one gene. It is predicted that reassortant viruses derived from such a donor virus would have the properties of attenuation, genetic stability, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy against challenge with wt virus.
MicroRNA-433 Dampens Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling, Impacting Circadian Rhythm and Osteoblastic Gene Expression*

Serum glucocorticoids play a critical role in synchronizing circadian rhythm in peripheral tissues, and multiple mechanisms regulate tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids. In the skeleton, circadian rhythm helps coordinate bone formation and resorption. Circadian rhythm is regulated through transcriptional and post-transcriptional feedback loops that include microRNAs. How microRNAs regulate circadian rhythm in bone is unexplored. We show that in mouse calvaria, miR-433 displays robust circadian rhythm, peaking just after dark. In C3H/10T1/2 cells synchronized with a pulse of dexamethasone, inhibition of miR-433 using a tough decoy altered the period and amplitude of Per2 gene expression, suggesting that miR-433 regulates rhythm. Although miR-433 does not directly target the Per2 3′-UTR, it does target two rhythmically expressed genes in calvaria, Igf1 and Hif1α. miR-433 can target the glucocorticoid receptor; however, glucocorticoid receptor protein abundance was unaffected in miR-433 decoy cells. Rather, miR-433 inhibition dramatically enhanced glucocorticoid signaling due to increased nuclear receptor translocation, activating glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional targets. Last, in calvaria of transgenic mice expressing a miR-433 decoy in osteoblastic cells (Col3.6 promoter), the amplitude of Per2 and Bmal1 mRNA rhythm was increased, confirming that miR-433 regulates circadian rhythm. miR-433 was previously shown to target Runx2, and mRNA for Runx2 and its downstream target, osteocalcin, were also increased in miR-433 decoy mouse calvaria. We hypothesize that miR-433 helps maintain circadian rhythm in osteoblasts by regulating sensitivity to glucocorticoid receptor signaling.
Involvement of Rho and Rac small G proteins and Rho GDI in Ca2+‐dependent exocytosis from PC12 cells

Background: The Rho small G protein family, which includes the Rho, Rac and Cdc42 subfamilies, is implicated in various cell functions such as cell shape change, cell motility and cytokinesis, through the reorganization of actin filaments. Rho GDI is an inhibitory regulator of the Rho small G protein family and inhibits the Rho family dependent cell functions. Reorganization of actin filaments is also known to regulate Ca2+‐dependent exocytosis.
Thermal modeling and design of 3D integrated circuits

3D interconnect technology has attracted significant interest in the recent past as a means for enabling faster and more efficient integrated circuits (ICs). 3D integration relies on through-silicon vias (TSVs) and bonding of multiple active layers. While this approach provides several electrical benefits, it also offers significant challenges in thermal management. While some work has been done in the past in this field, a comprehensive treatment is still lacking. In the current work, analytical and finite-element models of heat transfer in 3D electronic circuits are developed. The models are used to investigate the limits of thermal feasibility of 3D electronics and to determine the improvements required in traditional packaging in order to accommodate 3D ICs. An analytical model for temperature distribution in a multi-die stack with multiple heat sources is developed. The analytical model is used to extend the traditional concept of thermal resistance in an IC to thermal resistance and thermal sensitivity matrices for a 3D IC. The impact of various geometric parameters and thermophysical properties on thermal performance of a 3D IC is investigated. It is shown that package thermal resistances play a more important role in determining temperature rise compared to thermal resistances intrinsic to the 3D technology, including thermal resistance of bonding layers and TSVs. As a result, an improved bonding layer or TSV thermal resistance does not offer much thermal benefit. An increase in thermal resistance of a 3D IC is predicted as compared to an equivalent System-on-Chip (SoC). This increase is found to be mainly due to the reduced chip footprint. The amount of improvement required in package and heat sink thermal resistances for a logic-on-memory 3D implementation to be thermally feasible is quantified. The results presented in this paper are expected to aid in the development of thermal design guidelines for 3D ICs.
Inhibition of Cell Proliferation by Mitomycin C Incorporated into P(HEMA) Hydrogels

ObjectivesThe technique of mitomycin C (MMC) drug delivery and its application in glaucoma surgery are not standardized with resultant inconsistencies in the results. Also, one time application of MMC does not seem to have the same efficacy after glaucoma drainage device surgeries compared with trabeculectomies. This preliminary study examined the efficacy of a slow release form of MMC for its ability to inhibit cell proliferation in vitro. MethodsMMC was incorporated into 1% P(HEMA) hydrogels using a redox polymerization method. For some experiments, unreacted low molecular weight components were removed from the hydrogels before the MMC was incorporated. Sterile disks (8 mm) of each polymer sample were affixed to 60 mm tissue culture dishes, and the dishes were inoculated with COS-1 cells or early passage human conjunctival fibroblasts. After 7 days in culture, the number of cells in each dish was determined. Cell morphology was assessed in replicate cultures after fixation and staining. ResultsHydrogels with unreacted low molecular weight components slowed cell proliferation and induced morphologic changes. Early passage human conjunctival fibroblasts were more sensitive than COS-1 cells both to intrinsic contaminants in the hydrogels and to incorporated MMC. Once contaminants had been removed, MMC-loaded hydrogels inhibited conjunctival fibroblast proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion, with an IC50 of ∼0.15 mg/g polymer. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that a slow release form of MMC can inhibit cell proliferation in vitro. Future experiments will focus upon the efficacy of this polymer-bound form during in vivo wound healing.
Systolic or Diastolic Notch in Uterine Artery Blood Flow Velocity Waveforms in Hypertensive Pregnant Patients: Relationship to Outcome

To identify the relationship between a systolic or diastolic notch in uterine artery flow velocity waveforms and pregnancy outcome, we studied 140 hypertensive pregnant women with transvaginal, image-directed pulsed Doppler ultrasound. The subjects were classified according to the presence or absence of a systolic or diastolic notch. In 14 with a systolic and 25 with a diastolic notch, the resistance indexes in the uterine arteries on both sides of the uterus were significantly higher than in 101 subjects without a notch. Those with notches had significantly higher rates of fetal growth retardation and cesarean delivery because of fetal distress. Significantly more infants born to women with a notch spent longer than 48 hours in the neonatal intensive care unit. Subjects with a systolic notch also had significantly higher rates of abnormal fetal heart rate patterns during labor and low Apgar scores at 5 minutes. Fifty-one women with elevated resistance indexes in both uterine arteries were divided into two groups according to the resistance index in the umbilical artery. Each group was subdivided according to the presence or absence of a systolic or diastolic notch in the uterine artery flow velocity waveforms. In the group with a normal resistance index in the umbilical artery, five women had growth-retarded fetuses when a notch was present (N=8), compared with none in women without a notch (N=11) (P<.005). The respective figures for the group with abnormal umbilical artery resistance indexes were 14 of 19 (73.7%) and two of 13 (15.4%) (P<.002). Among subjects without a notch in the uterine arteries and a normal resistance index in the umbilical artery, there were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between those with a normal resistance index (N=30) and those with an abnormally elevated resistance index (N=11) in the uterine artery. We conclude that the presence of a notch in uterine artery flow velocity waveforms is a better predictor of poor pregnancy outcome than is the resistance index alone. The presence of a systolic notch signals that the uteroplacental circulation is greatly impaired, and carries the worst prognosis for the fetus.
Predicting Hypnotic Susceptibility via a Phenomenological Approach

The hypnotic susceptibility of 300 nursing students was predicted via an instrument called the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory. The students experienced the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility and subsequently completed the self-report inventory with reference to their experience of hypnosis. Regression analyses generated a multiple R of . 67 between subjects' susceptibility, as measured by the Harvard scale, and their predicted susceptibility, based on the (sub)dimensions of the inventory. Additional analyses gave a validity coefficient of . 61 between the Harvard scale scores of the subjects in the present study and their predicted scores, using regression coefficients obtained in an earlier study. The results replicated previous research and suggest that the inventory may be a useful instrument in predicting hypnotic susceptibility in a less obtrusive fashion than the Harvard scale.
Low-Temperature Preparation of Tungsten Oxide Anode Buffer Layer via Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Method for Large-Area Organic Solar Cells

Tungsten oxide (WO3) is prepared by a low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method in air atmosphere, and it is used as an anode buffer layer (ABL) for organic solar cells (OSCs). The properties of the WO3 transition metal oxide material as well as the mechanism of ultrasonic spray pyrolysis processes are investigated. The results show that the ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO3 ABL exhibits low roughness, matched energy level, and high conductivity, which results in high charge transport efficiency and suppressive recombination in OSCs. As a result, compared to the OSCs based on vacuum thermal evaporated WO3, a higher power conversion efficiency of 3.63% is reached with low-temperature ultrasonic spray pyrolysized WO3 ABL. Furthermore, the mostly spray-coated OSCs with large area was fabricated, which has a power conversion efficiency of ~1%. This work significantly enhances our understanding of the preparation and application of low temperature-processed WO3, and highlights the potential of large area, all spray coated OSCs for sustainable commercial fabrication.
Molecular chaperone function of mammalian Hsp70 and Hsp40-a review

Virtually all organisms respond to up-shifts in temperature (heat shock) by synthesizing a set of proteins called heat shock proteins (HSPs). The HSPs are induced not only by heat shock but also by various other environmental stresses. Induction of HSPs is regulated by the trans -acting heat shock factors (HSFs) and cis -acting heat shock element (HSE) present at the promoter region of each heat shock gene. Usually, HSPs are also expressed constitutively at normal growth temperatures and have basic and indispensable functions in the life cycle of proteins as molecular chaperones, as well as playing a role in protecting cells from the deleterious stresses. Molecular chaperones are able to inhibit the aggregation of partially denatured proteins and refold them using the energy of ATP. Recently, there are expectations for the use of molecular chaperones for the protection against and therapeutic treatment of inherited diseases caused by protein misfolding. In this review, the focus will be on the mammalian Hsp40, a homologue of bacterial DnaJ heat shock protein, and the beneficial functions of molecular chaperones.
Highly Functional Bioplastics (PLA compounds) Used for Electronic Products

We have developed highly functional bioplastics (biomass-based plastics), polylactic acid composites, which improve the environmental friendliness of electronic products. A kenaf-fiber-reinforced polylactic acid has high heat resistance, high impact strength, and good moldability, and its use in PC parts and mobile phone housing has started from September 2004 and May 2006 respectively. A thermoreversibly cross-linked polylactic acid has excellent shape memory and recyclability (i.e., rewritable shape memory), and was used to create freestyle (wearable) mobile products, shape of which users can easily adjust to their own preferences.
Temporal Variation Can Facilitate Niche Evolution in Harsh Sink Environments

We examine the impact of temporal variation on adaptive evolution in “sink” environments, where a species encounters conditions outside its niche. Sink populations persist because of recurrent immigration from sources. Prior studies have highlighted the importance of demographic constraints on adaptive evolution in sinks and revealed that adaptation is less likely in harsher sinks. We examine two complementary models of population and evolutionary dynamics in sinks: a continuous‐state quantitative‐genetics model and an individual‐based model. In the former, genetic variance is fixed; in the latter, genetic variance varies because of mutation, drift, and sampling. In both models, a population in a constant harsh sink environment can exist in alternative states: local maladaptation (phenotype comparable to immigrants from the source) or adaptation (phenotype near the local optimum). Temporal variation permits transitions between these states. We show that moderate amounts of temporal variation can facilitate adaptive evolution in sinks, permitting niche evolution, particularly for slow or autocorrelated variation. Such patterns of temporal variation may particularly pertain to sinks caused by biotic interactions (e.g., predation). Our results are relevant to the evolutionary dynamics of species’ ranges, the fate of exotic invasive species, and the evolutionary emergence of infectious diseases into novel hosts.