Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors

Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences with participant-attributed increases in well-being. However, little research has examined enduring changes in traits. This study administered psilocybin to participants who undertook a program of meditation/spiritual practices. Healthy participants were randomized to three groups (25 each): (1) very low-dose (1 mg/70 kg on sessions 1 and 2) with moderate-level (“standard”) support for spiritual-practice (LD-SS); (2) high-dose (20 and 30 mg/70 kg on sessions 1 and 2, respectively) with standard support (HD-SS); and (3) high-dose (20 and 30 mg/70kg on sessions 1 and 2, respectively) with high support for spiritual practice (HD-HS). Psilocybin was administered double-blind and instructions to participants/staff minimized expectancy confounds. Psilocybin was administered 1 and 2 months after spiritual-practice initiation. Outcomes at 6 months included rates of spiritual practice and persisting effects of psilocybin. Compared with low-dose, high-dose psilocybin produced greater acute and persisting effects. At 6 months, compared with LD-SS, both high-dose groups showed large significant positive changes on longitudinal measures of interpersonal closeness, gratitude, life meaning/purpose, forgiveness, death transcendence, daily spiritual experiences, religious faith and coping, and community observer ratings. Determinants of enduring effects were psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience and rates of meditation/spiritual practices. Psilocybin can occasion enduring trait-level increases in prosocial attitudes/behaviors and in healthy psychological functioning. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00802282
MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF Pseudoterranova azarasi LARVAE IN COD (Gadus sp.) SOLD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN BRAZIL

Anisakiasis and Pseudoterranovosis are human diseases caused by the ingestion of live Anisakidae larvae in raw, undercooked or lightly marinated fish. Larvae were collected from one salted cod sold for human consumption in a Sao Paulo market in 2013. One section of one brownish larva was used for molecular analyses. The partial COX2 gene sequence from the larva had a nucleotide identity of 99.8 % with Pseudoterranova azarasi, which belongs to the Pseudoterranova decipiens species complex. The risk of allergy when consuming dead larvae in salted fish is not well known and should be considered.
Interactions of the transcription factor AP-1 with the long terminal repeat of different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 strains in Jurkat, glial, and neuronal cells

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the neuronal and astroglial cells of the central nervous system has been proposed to contribute to HIV-1-associated dementia. Recently it was shown that differences in the nucleotide sequence of the long terminal repeat (LTR) of different HIV-1 strains govern the tissue-specific pattern of viral expression. The LTR from central nervous system-derived HIV-1 strains JR-FL and JR-CSF directs expression in the neurons of transgenic mice, in contrast with the lymphotropic LAI strain. By in vitro footprinting, gel retardation, and methylation interference experiments, we have studied the interactions of host cell proteins from human neuronal, glial, HeLa, and Jurkat T cells with the LTRs from the neurotropic JR-FL and JR-CSF strains, compared with the LAI strain. Proteins belonging to the nuclear receptor family bind with different affinities to variant -352 to -324 sites. Gel supershift assays with Jun and Fos antibodies showed that the AP-1 transcription factor present in the various cell types was unable to recognize the -352 to -324 and -306 to -285 AP-1 putative binding sites. Interestingly, Jun and Fos components of AP-1 interact with the variant TGGCTCA sequence located in the -247 to -222 region of both neurotropic strains. These interactions were cell type specific, since they were detected only with extracts from glial and HeLa cells and not from neuronal or Jurkat cells. Cotransfection experiments further revealed that the -247 to -222 sequence is able to mediate AP-1-induced transcriptional activation in glial and not neuronal cells.
A heat‐shock protein 40, DNAJB13, is an axoneme‐associated component in mouse spermatozoa

DNAJB13 is a type II HSP40/DnaJ protein. Using a specific antibody raised against the recombinant DNAJB13 protein, we characterized DNAJB13 in mouse testes and epididymal spermatozoa. The expression of DNAJB13 protein in testis was undetectable until postnatal Week 4 revealed by Western blot analysis, whereas Dnajb13 mRNA was detectable as early as postnatal Week 1 by RT‐PCR. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed that DNAJB13 was localized in the cytoplasm of spermatids from step 2 to 3 onward with the strongest expression in step 9–10, and in the spermatid flagella. In mature spermatozoa, DNAJB13 was present along the entire length of the sperm flagellum, but not in the SDS‐resistant tail structures lacking the flagellar axoneme, strongly suggesting that DNAJB13 is an axoneme‐associated component. In addition, we showed that the expression of Dnajb13 mRNA and DNAJB13 protein was unaltered after heat shock treatment, indicating that DNAJB13 was constitutively expressed in mouse testis. Taken together, the present study suggested that DNAJB13 might be involved in assembly and stability of axoneme during sperm flagellum development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 1379–1386, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Is Change in Ovary Carbon Status a Cause or a Consequence of Maize Ovary Abortion in Water Deficit during Flowering?1[OPEN]

The first molecular events leading to maize ovary abortion involved genes affecting expansive growth rather than sugar metabolism, so the latter might be a consequence rather than causal. Flower or grain abortion causes large yield losses under water deficit. In maize (Zea mays), it is often attributed to a carbon limitation via the disruption of sucrose cleavage by cell wall invertases in developing ovaries. We have tested this hypothesis versus another linked to the expansive growth of ovaries and silks. We have measured, in silks and ovaries of well-watered or moderately droughted plants, the transcript abundances of genes involved in either tissue expansion or sugar metabolism, together with the concentrations and amounts of sugars, and with the activities of major enzymes of carbon metabolism. Photosynthesis and indicators of sugar export, measured during water deprivation, suggested sugar export maintained by the leaf. The first molecular changes occurred in silks rather than in ovaries and involved genes affecting expansive growth rather than sugar metabolism. Changes in the concentrations and amounts of sugars and in the activities of enzymes of sugar metabolism occurred in apical ovaries that eventually aborted, but probably after the switch to abortion of these ovaries. Hence, we propose that, under moderate water deficits corresponding to most European drought scenarios, changes in carbon metabolism during flowering time are a consequence rather than a cause of the beginning of ovary abortion. A carbon-driven ovary abortion may occur later in the cycle in the case of carbon shortage or under very severe water deficits. These findings support the view that, until the end of silking, expansive growth of reproductive organs is the primary event leading to abortion, rather than a disruption of carbon metabolism.
A pulse generator with poisson-exponential distribution for emulation of radioactive decay events

We present an FPGA-synthesizable version of a pseudo-random pulse generator that can be used to emulate radioactive source activity. It is intended for debugging real-time digital pulse processing applications, beyond the capabilities of periodic generators. The proposed module delivers a discrete random sequence that follows the Poisson inter-arrival distribution. Operation is based on a barrel-shifted maximal-length linear feedback shift register, operating as uniform random number generator, followed by an implementation of the Bernoulli trial to emulate exponential inter-arrival times. Due to its simple design, it can operate at high clock frequencies, providing a minimum time between events of two FPGA clock cycles operating at full-speed. A small footprint Verilog module is proposed for embedding in digital processors. Attainable performance and required resources are calculated. Additionally, it is shown how digital output pulses can be width-modulated to generate, with minimum conditioning, the analog signals present in a spectroscopy detection chain.
Risky single-occasion drinking and disadvantaged men: will recruitment through primary care miss hazardous drinkers?

BACKGROUND Men who are socially disadvantaged are at a substantially higher risk of developing alcohol-related diseases. People from deprived areas are known to be more difficult to recruit to research studies. As part of a feasibility assessment for an intervention study, 2 recruitment strategies were investigated. This article compares the drinking patterns of the disadvantaged men identified by the 2 strategies. METHODS A cross-sectional survey compared 2 strategies for recruiting disadvantaged men to a study on alcohol consumption: recruitment through general practice (GP) registers and through a community outreach strategy, respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Men aged 25 to 44 years were recruited from deprived areas in the community. The entry criterion was binge drinking (≥8 units in a single session) at least twice in the previous 4 weeks. Demographic characteristics, total consumption of alcohol, frequency of binge drinking (≥8 units in a session), and heavy binge drinking (≥16 units in a session) were measured. RESULTS Men recruited by RDS drank more than twice as much as the men recruited through GP (137 units in the previous 30 days compared with 62 units; p = 0.003). They also had many more binge drinking days: more than half (57%) of men from RDS had 6 or more binge drinking days in the previous 30 days, whereas only 16% of the GP sample had 6 or more binge drinking days (p = 0.001). Many more men recruited by RDS (37% vs. 5%; p = 0.002) had more than 5 very heavy drinking sessions in the previous month (≥16 units in a session). The RDS group also had fewer alcohol-free days. CONCLUSIONS The 2 sampling strategies recruited different types of drinkers. The men recruited through RDS were much more likely to engage in frequent harmful drinking. The results indicate that the 2 methods recruit different samples of disadvantaged men. Intervention studies that are only conducted through primary care may miss many harmful drinkers.
INTEGRATION OF HETEROGENEOUS BIOINFORMATICS DATA THROUGH WEB SERVICES

With the advent of comparative genomics, an increasing amount of genomic data from different organisms is to be compared. This paper presents an approach to integrate bioinformatics data from various source databases using web services and a private registry. The goal is to construct an efficient framework that correctly integrates genomic databases via web services and thus allows genomic browsers to connect and clearly presents data based on user criteria. The experimental result shows that for most queries our system with private registry can return correct answers with dramatically less response time than one without.
Compact FPGA-based true and pseudo random number generators

Two FPGA-based (field programmable gate array) implementations of random number generators intended for embedded cryptographic applications are presented. The first is a true random number generator (TRNG) which employs oscillator phase noise, and the second is a bit serial implementation of a Blum Blum Shub (BBS) pseudorandom number generator (PRNG). Both designs are extremely compact and can be implemented on any FPGA of PLD device. They were designed specifically for use as FPGA-based cryptographic hardware cores. The TRNG and PRNG were tested using the NIST and Diehard random number test suites.
A dataset of multimedia material about classical music: PHENICX-SMM

We present a freely available dataset of multimedia material that can be used to build enriched browsing and retrieval systems for music. It is one result of the EU-FP7 funded project “Performances as Highly Enriched aNd Interactive Concert experiences” (PHENICX) that aims at enhancing the listener experience when enjoying classical music. The presented PHENICX-SMM dataset includes in total more than 50,000 multimedia items (text, image, audio) about composers, performers, pieces, and instruments. In addition to presenting the dataset, we detail one possible use case, that of building a personalized music information system that suggests certain types and quantities of multimedia material, based on personality traits and musical experience of its users. We evaluate the system via a user study and show that people generally prefer the personalized results over non-personalized.
Solubilization of cellulosomal cellulases by fusion with cellulose‐binding domain of noncellulosomal cellulase engd from Clostridium cellulovorans

Clostridium cellulovorans produces a cellulase complex (cellulosome) as well as noncellulosomal cellulases. In this study, we determined a factor that affected the solubility of the cellulosomal cellulase EngB and the noncellulosomal EngD when they were expressed in Escherichia coli. The catalytic domains of EngB and EngD formed inclusion bodies when expressed in E. coli. On the other hand, both catalytic domains containing the C‐terminal cellulose‐binding domain (CBD) of EngD were expressed in soluble form. Fusion with the CBD of EngD also helped increased the solubility of cellulosomal cellulase EngL upon expression in E. coli. These results indicate that the CBD of EngD plays an important role in the soluble expression of the catalytic domains of EngB, EngL, and EngD. The possible mechanisms of solubilization by fusion of the catalytic domain with the CBD from EngD are discussed. Proteins 2003;50:620–628. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ÉCHELLE DE COPING POUR ADOLESCENT: VALIDATION CANADIENNE-FRANÇAISE DE L'ADOLESCENT COPING SCALE DE FRYDENBERG ET LEWIS (1993)

Cette etude evalue les qualites metrologiques de la validation canadienne-francaise de l'Adolescent Coping Scale (ACS) developpe par Frydenberg et Lewis (1993). Au total, 492 adolescents quebecois ont complete le ACS comprenant 18 strategies et trois styles. Les indices de fidelite de l'etude quebecoise s'apparentent de tres pres a ceux degages par Frydenberg et Lewis. Les donnees de l'echantillon quebecois permettent de reproduire les solutions factorielles originales tout en faisant ressortir des distinctions interessantes. L'ensemble des resultats presente des valeurs psychometriques qui en font un instrument adequat pour la mesure du coping chez les adolescents de langue francaise.
DIET: Dynamic Integration of Extended Tracklets for Tracking Multiple Persons

While online approaches for multi-person tracking are still hard to deal with occlusions, many tracking methods use a global data association approach to find person trajectories on a long segment of consecutive frames. Such offline approaches often cause long output latencies, which are unsuitable for camera-based surveillance systems. Based on an observation that the current position of an object should be estimated from both its past and future positions that are observed in a short period of time, we propose a novel object tracking method based on a dynamic programming framework. This method iteratively associates and integrates track lets obtained by visual tracking which are observed just before and after occlusions. We always produce outputs at a constant short delay time, and requires only the standard HOG detector for high performance. Our tracking method can run at 10-60 fps on a single CPU core, and attains the state-of-the-art performance for the Town Center dataset.
P2PDisCo - Java distributed computing for workstations using Chedar peer-to-peer middleware

This paper introduces peer-to-peer distributed computing (PIPDisCo) software, which provides an interface for distributing the computation of Java programs to multiple workstations. PIPDisCo can be used to distribute any Java program that uses files for storing input and output parameters without significant code modifications to the Java program itself PIPDisCo has been built over Chedar peer-to-peer middleware and is currently being used for speeding up the training of neural networks with evolutionary algorithm.
Generation and Characterization of a Novel Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Line with a Dynamic Reporter of Nanog Expression

Background The pluripotent state in embryonic stem (ES) cells is controlled by a core network of transcription factors that includes Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2. Nanog is required to reach pluripotency during somatic reprogramming and is the only core factor whose overexpression is able to oppose differentiation-promoting signals. Additionally, Nanog expression is known to fluctuate in ES cells, and different levels of Nanog seem to correlate with ES cells’ ability to respond to differentiation promoting signals. Elucidating how dynamic Nanog levels are regulated in pluripotent cells and modulate their potential is therefore critical to develop a better understanding of the pluripotent state. Methodology/Principal Findings We describe the generation and validation of a mouse ES cell line with a novel Nanog reporter (Nd, from Nanog dynamics), containing a BAC transgene where the short-lived fluorescent protein VNP is placed under Nanog regulation. We show that Nanog and VNP have similar half-lives, and that Nd cells provide an accurate and measurable read-out for the dynamic levels of Nanog. Using this reporter, we could show that ES cells with low Nanog levels indeed have higher degree of priming to differentiation, when compared with high-Nanog cells. However, low-Nanog ES cells maintain high levels of Oct4 and Sox2 and can revert to a state of high-Nanog expression, indicating that they are still within the window of pluripotency. We further show that the observed changes in Nanog levels correlate with ES cell morphology and that Nanog dynamic expression is modulated by the cellular environment. Conclusions/Significance The novel reporter ES cell line here described allows an accurate monitoring of Nanog’s dynamic expression in the pluripotent state. This reporter will thus be a valuable tool to obtain quantitative measurements of global gene expression in pluripotent ES cells in different states, allowing a detailed molecular mapping of the pluripotency landscape.
Associations of ERCC 4 rs 1800067 Polymorphism with Cancer Risk : an Updated Meta-analysis

DNA repair system play a pivotal role in maintaining normal functions of cells (Lindahl and Wood, 1999). In recent years, emerging numbers of studies investigated the relation of DNA damage and repair with the occurrence of cancer. Humans cells employ multiple and specific repair pathways such as nucleotide excision repair (NER) and base excision repair (BER) to repair DNA damage. NER is a versatile system that monitors and repairs a variety of DNA damage, including UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, bulky adducts and DNA crosslinks (de Laat et al., 1999). Excessive DNA damage may give rise to cancer, therefore NER exert important effect in the initiation and development of cancer. NER system is composed of multiple steps including damage recognition, damage demarcation and unwinding,
A space-time equalizer based on orthonormal functions

Space-time filters are very useful to recuperate a desired user signal in a MIMO environment with selective frequency channels. One of the main obstacles to implement space-time filters in real time systems is due to the numerical complexity. Indeed, the large number of coefficients to be adapted requires a great computational cost that may be prohibitive for real systems. In this work we propose the use of orthonormal bases in the filter structure in manner to reduce the number of coefficients and consequently the overall numerical complexity. Actually, we show an equalizer structure formed by a set of generalized orthonormal functions. In order to achieve a noticeable numerical complexity reduction , we also discuss a method for the orthonormal function poles parameterizing based on the channel characteristics. The proposed structure performances are compared with conventional FIR space-times filters. Trained algorithms are employed for filter weight adapting. Our simulations show that the proposed structure leads to enhanced performances offering an alternative reduced complexity solution for MIMO communication channel equalization problem.
Analysis of the humoral response to the flagellin protein of Borrelia burgdorferi: cloning of regions capable of differentiating Lyme disease from syphilis

Selected regions of the Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin gene (fla) that exhibit high or low homology with related genes from other bacterial species were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and expressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. Purified fusion proteins were assayed for antibody reactivity in a microtiter plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with sera from Lyme disease patients as well as syphilitic and normal sera. Immunoglobulin G antibody from Lyme disease patient sera reacted predominantly with the central portion of the protein. The region of the flagellin protein encompassing amino acids 64 to 311 detected nearly all of the immunoglobulin G-positive Lyme sera and only reacted with 1 of 26 syphilis patient serum samples. In contrast, 12 of 26 syphilis patient serum samples and 2 of 47 normal serum samples reacted with the amino terminus of the flagellin protein, whereas 4 of 26 syphilis patient serum samples and 7 of 47 normal serum samples reacted with the carboxyl terminus. The central region containing amino acids 64 to 311 may be employed diagnostically to differentiate antibodies to B. burgdorferi from antibodies to Treponema pallidum. In addition, this region also was recognized by immunoglobulin M in the Lyme patient sera, indicating its potential usefulness as a marker for early Lyme disease.
Wearable augmented reality system using invisible visual markers and an IR camera

This paper describes a wearable augmented reality (AR) system using invisible visual markers. Some AR systems use visual markers in order to measure the position and orientation of user's viewpoint. However, conventional visual markers usually impair the scenery. This paper proposes a system using invisible visual markers consisting of translucent retro-reflectors. The system can be realized without undesirable visual effects and power supply for infrastructures.
Factful: Engaging Taxpayers in the Public Discussion of a Government Budget

While a government budget determines how taxpayers' money is allocated to various programs and stakeholders that compete for limited resources, the extensiveness and complexity of the budget and its process hinder taxpayers from understanding the budget information and participating in the public discussion. To engage taxpayers in the public discussion around budgetary issues, we leverage news articles containing budgetary information for design opportunities. We present Factful, a web-based annotative article reading interface that enhances the article with fact-checking support and contextual budgetary information by processing open government data. In our lab study, participants using Factful discussed more critically with more fact-based supporting statements. They built a rich context surrounding the relevant budget facts beyond what was presented in the article. Factful presents a simple yet powerful model for supporting fact-oriented budgetary discussions online by leveraging open government data.