Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cortical information flow during flexible sensorimotor decisions

Signal flow during sensorimotor choices Little is known about the flow of task signals across the brain. Siegel et al. simultaneously recorded from multiple units in the sensory, parietal, prefrontal, and motor cortex while monkeys were cued to perform one among two possible simple tasks. The proportion of neurons coding for stimuli, cues, tasks, and choices, and their response latency, varied across regions. Parietal and prefrontal brain regions encoded task information and choices with the same latency. Interestingly, all brain areas encoded all types of information. However, they differed functionally according to the proportions of neurons and their response latency. Science, this issue p. 1352 A dynamic network of cortical areas processing similar information but to different degrees is explored. During flexible behavior, multiple brain regions encode sensory inputs, the current task, and choices. It remains unclear how these signals evolve. We simultaneously recorded neuronal activity from six cortical regions [middle temporal area (MT), visual area four (V4), inferior temporal cortex (IT), lateral intraparietal area (LIP), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and frontal eye fields (FEF)] of monkeys reporting the color or motion of stimuli. After a transient bottom-up sweep, there was a top-down flow of sustained task information from frontoparietal to visual cortex. Sensory information flowed from visual to parietal and prefrontal cortex. Choice signals developed simultaneously in frontoparietal regions and travelled to FEF and sensory cortex. This suggests that flexible sensorimotor choices emerge in a frontoparietal network from the integration of opposite flows of sensory and task information.
Experiences of Female and Male Medical Students With Death, Dying, and Palliative Care: One Size Does Not Fit All

Background: Medical students learn about death, dying, and palliative care (DDPC) through formal curricular offerings and informal clinical experiences; however, the lessons learned in the clinic may be at odds with the formal curriculum. Reflective writing is a means for students to “bracket” their DDPC experiences and reconcile conflicts between the formal and informal curriculum. Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the level of reflection demonstrated in medical students’ narratives on DDPC with other experiences and to examine the domains of professionalism that students perceive to be prevalent in their DDPC experiences. Methods: Third-year medical students submitted professionalism narratives during their internal medicine clerkship. We identified a subset of narratives related to DDPC (n = 388) and randomly selected control narratives (n = 153). We assessed the level of reflection demonstrated in the narratives using a validated rubric and analyzed the professionalism domains that students identified as relevant to their experience. Results: There was no difference in reflective level between DDPC and control narratives. Within the DDPC group, female students demonstrated higher reflection (2.24 ± 0.71) than male students (2.01 ± 0.77; P < .001). Caring, compassion and communication, and honor and integrity were prominent among DDPC narratives. More females identified caring, compassion, and communication as relevant to their DDPC experiences, whereas more males identified altruism. Conclusion: Males and females have different perceptions of DDPC experiences, and female students appear to be more deeply impacted. These findings can help clinical faculty engage students more effectively with this challenging topic.
Blind Equalizers

Blind equalizers do not require any known training sequence for the startup period, but can rather perform at any time the equalization directly on the data stream. In this paper, a general approach is presented for designing efficient blind equalizers for one and two independent carrier transmission systems; a special algorithm is given for the CCITT V29 constellation.
High-speed recording of neural spikes in awake mice and flies with a fluorescent voltage sensor

In vivo imaging of neuronal voltage spikes Neuroscientists have long sought tools that allow optical imaging of individual neurons' membrane voltage dynamics in awake behaving animals. Gong et al. genetically engineered a protein voltage indicator that can report action potentials with <1-ms precision and orders of magnitude lower spike detection error rates than were previously possible. They were thus able to record action potentials and membrane voltage dynamics in the brains of awake mice and fruit flies. Science, this issue p. 1361 Technological advances allow direct imaging of neural spikes and dendritic voltage dynamics in live mice and flies. Genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) are a promising technology for fluorescence readout of millisecond-scale neuronal dynamics. Previous GEVIs had insufficient signaling speed and dynamic range to resolve action potentials in live animals. We coupled fast voltage-sensing domains from a rhodopsin protein to bright fluorophores through resonance energy transfer. The resulting GEVIs are sufficiently bright and fast to report neuronal action potentials and membrane voltage dynamics in awake mice and flies, resolving fast spike trains with 0.2-millisecond timing precision at spike detection error rates orders of magnitude better than previous GEVIs. In vivo imaging revealed sensory-evoked responses, including somatic spiking, dendritic dynamics, and intracellular voltage propagation. These results empower in vivo optical studies of neuronal electrophysiology and coding and motivate further advancements in high-speed microscopy.
A parallel algorithm to solve tridiagonal systems on distributed memory multiprocessors

The authors design and implement an efficient algorithm that uses the cyclic odd-even reduction method to solve large tridiagonal systems on a distributed memory multiprocessor. The algorithm works on a bidirectional array of transputers, and the code has been written in Occam2. The algorithm performs a parallel cyclic reduction of the original system, solves the reduced system using Gaussian elimination and obtains the remaining solutions with a cyclic backward substitution phase. They present both a theoretical and an experimental study of its performance on the Parsys SN-1000. Results reflect a real efficiency close to the theoretical maximum. <<ETX>>
A Comparison of Some Error Detecting CRC Code Standards

Many data communication systems make use of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes for error detection purposes. In this paper, an asymptotic result concerning the undetected error probability P(\epsilon) of CRC codes is derived. The P(\epsilon) 's of a number of CRC codes which have been adopted as international standards are also examined.
Anxiety, Depression, and Self-Management

The purpose of this article was to address the clinically relevant question: In the presence of anxiety and/or depression, do patients who have had heart surgery engage in self-management behaviors following hospital discharge? A systematic review of 16 studies that examined the psychological condition of patients who had coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and/or valvular replacement surgery was conducted. Moderate to severe levels of anxiety and depression exist during the first month of home recovery and appear to have an effect on performance of self-management behaviors. As the influence of patients’ psychological condition is continued to be examined, it is imperative for health care providers to manage increased rates of anxiety and/or depression following heart surgery. Music and relaxation therapy are presented as evidenced based recommendations for managing anxiety and depression in patients following heart surgery.
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Health in the Americas, 2007.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Health in the Americas, 2007. Washington, DC: PAHO, 2007, 425 + 744 pp. (two volumes), $95,00. ISBN 978 92 75 11622 9 From the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the journal has obtained for review the latest edition of the Health in the Americas. For a European observer, it is of course of interest to look at how the PAHO has chosen to describe and monitor the public health situation of the Americas, and to compare the overall monitoring systems that the European and American WHO regions have available on the web and in publications. This encyclopaedic publication in two volumes, in total over 1100 pages, gives an impressive overview of the classical health indicators in …
El empoderamiento de las mujeres y la esperanza de vida al nacer en México

OBJETIVOS: Evaluar el efecto del empoderamiento de las mujeres (EM) sobre la esperanza de vida al nacer (EVN) en los estados federativos de Mexico y comparar los resultados de medir el EM con diferentes indicadores compuestos que privilegian en mayor o menor medida un enfoque individual o poblacional. METODOS: Estudio ecologico con datos de los 32 estados federativos mexicanos. Se estimaron las correlaciones entre la EVN total y por sexo y la medida de empoderamiento de genero (MEG), el indice de poder de decision de la mujer en el hogar (IPDH), el indice de autonomia de la mujer (IAM), la desigualdad en el ingreso, algunos factores del ambiente fisico, la proporcion de la poblacion que hablaba lengua indigena y la tasa migratoria neta. Mediante regresiones robustas se exploro el efecto de la MEG y los indices de autonomia y de poder de decision de la mujer en el hogar sobre la EVN, ajustado por las demas variables independientes. RESULTADOS: Se encontro una correlacion inversa muy fuerte (-0,93) entre la EVN total y el factor del ambiente fisico que caracteriza la vulnerabilidad poblacional y la biodiversidad. Tambien se encontraron correlaciones significativas, tanto directas como inversas, entre la EVN por una parte y el IPDH, el IAM, la tasa migratoria neta, el porcentaje de la poblacion que hablaba lengua indigena y el coeficiente de Gini por la otra. Las regresiones robustas multiples mostraron asociaciones inversas entre la MEG y la EVN en mujeres (beta: -1,44; intervalo de confianza de 95% [IC95%]: -2,71 a -0,17). El IAM se asocio de manera directa con la EVN en hombres (beta: 0,88; IC95%: 0,01 a 1,75) y mujeres (beta: 0,66; IC95%: 0,03 a 1,30). CONCLUSION: El uso de la MEG como aproximacion al EM no puso de manifiesto efectos positivos del EM sobre la EVN en Mexico. Se deben revisar los elementos que integran la MEG y la pertinencia de su uso en diversos contextos. El IAM mostro una mayor asociacion con la EVN y su efecto fue de mayor magnitud en los hombres. Este indicador permitio medir la EM en Mexico y se recomienda usarlo mientras no se tenga otro que permita captar mas eficazmente todos los elementos que inciden en el EM.
Reform forest fire management

Agency incentives undermine policy effectiveness Globally, wildfire size, severity, and frequency have been increasing, as have related fatalities and taxpayer-funded firefighting costs (1). In most accessible forests, wildfire response prioritizes suppression because fires are easier and cheaper to contain when small (2). In the United States, for example, 98% of wildfires are suppressed before reaching 120 ha in size (3). But the 2% of wildfires that escape containment often burn under extreme weather conditions in fuel-loaded forests and account for 97% of fire-fighting costs and total area burned (3). Changing climate and decades of fuel accumulation make efforts to suppress every fire dangerous, expensive, and ill advised (4). These trends are attracting congressional scrutiny for a new approach to wildfire management (5). The recent release of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (NCWFMS) (6) and the U.S. Forest Service's (USFS's) current effort to revise national forest (NF) plans provide openings to incentivize change. Although we largely focus on the USFS, which incurs 70% of national firefighting costs (7), similar wildfire policies and needed management reforms are relevant throughout the United States and fire-prone areas worldwide.
Sleep and Quality of Life in People With COPD

Sleep disorders are very common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is not clear how sleep disorders and quality of life (QoL) affect each other in the different stages of disease progression. This descriptive-correlational study investigated the relationship between QoL, quality of sleep, and degree of disease progression in 102 outpatients with COPD. The results showed that the QoL in patients with COPD is compromised and worsens with disease progression, and the quality of sleep is significantly associated with QoL and worsened as the disease progressed. The early identification of a risk of alteration of the quality of sleep, especially in nursing care, could facilitate a preventive approach for COPD patients that could positively affect their QoL.
Sestrin2 is a leucine sensor for the mTORC1 pathway

From sensing leucine to metabolic control The mTORC1 protein kinase complex plays central roles in regulating cell growth and metabolism and is implicated in common human diseases such as diabetes and cancer. The level of the amino acid leucine tells an organism a lot about its physiological state, including how much food is available, how much insulin is going to be needed, and whether new muscle mass can be made (see the Perspective by Buel and Blenis). Wolfson et al. identified a biochemical sensor of leucine, Sestrin2, which connects the concentration of leucine to the control of organismal metabolism and growth. When leucine bound to Sestrin2, it was released from a complex with the mTORC1 regulatory factor GATOR2, activating the mTORC1 complex. Saxton et al. describe the crystal structure of Sestrin2 and show how it specifically detects leucine. Aylett et al. determined the structure of human mTORC1 by cryoelectron microscopy and the crystal structure of a regulatory subunit, Raptor. The results reveal the structural basis for the function and intricate regulation of this important enzyme, which is also a strategic drug target. Science, this issue p. 43, p. 48, p. 53; see also p. 25 A protein that senses leucine concentration for metabolic control is identified. [Also see Perspective by Buel and Blenis] Leucine is a proteogenic amino acid that also regulates many aspects of mammalian physiology, in large part by activating the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) protein kinase, a master growth controller. Amino acids signal to mTORC1 through the Rag guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases). Several factors regulate the Rags, including GATOR1, aGTPase-activating protein; GATOR2, a positive regulator of unknown function; and Sestrin2, a GATOR2-interacting protein that inhibits mTORC1 signaling. We find that leucine, but not arginine, disrupts the Sestrin2-GATOR2 interaction by binding to Sestrin2 with a dissociation constant of 20 micromolar, which is the leucine concentration that half-maximally activates mTORC1. The leucine-binding capacity of Sestrin2 is required for leucine to activate mTORC1 in cells. These results indicate that Sestrin2 is a leucine sensor for the mTORC1 pathway.
Discrete functions of nuclear receptor Rev-erbα couple metabolism to the clock

Multitasking around the clock Chronic disruption of our circadian rhythms—for example, through shift work—may increase the risk of metabolic disease. Zhang et al. found that a multitasking transcription factor called Rev-erb-α regulates expression of both clock and metabolic genes through distinct mechanisms. At clock genes, it binds directly to a specific DNA sequence, displacing a competing transcription factor. At metabolic genes, it interacts not with DNA but with other transcription factors that regulate metabolic gene expression in a tissue-specific manner. Science, this issue p. 1488 A transcription factor that controls both circadian rhythms and metabolism does so through different genomic mechanisms. Circadian and metabolic physiology are intricately intertwined, as illustrated by Rev-erbα, a transcription factor (TF) that functions both as a core repressive component of the cell-autonomous clock and as a regulator of metabolic genes. Here, we show that Rev-erbα modulates the clock and metabolism by different genomic mechanisms. Clock control requires Rev-erbα to bind directly to the genome at its cognate sites, where it competes with activating ROR TFs. By contrast, Rev-erbα regulates metabolic genes primarily by recruiting the HDAC3 co-repressor to sites to which it is tethered by cell type–specific transcription factors. Thus, direct competition between Rev-erbα and ROR TFs provides a universal mechanism for self-sustained control of the molecular clock across all tissues, whereas Rev-erbα uses lineage-determining factors to convey a tissue-specific epigenomic rhythm that regulates metabolism tailored to the specific need of that tissue.
The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology: A Compendium for Medical Physicists and Radiation Oncologists

This is a very comprehensive book with more than 1000 pages, 25 chapters and 53 contributors from various disciplines associated with radiotherapy but predominantly medical physics. It is not a textbook of medical physics or radiation oncology although an extensive reference list at the end of each chapter provides a means of pursuing each topic at greater depth. Advanced physics and mathematics have been kept to a minimum and hence the book is easy to read and accessible to a wide range of readers. The standard technologies ranging from superficial, kilovoltage x-ray through to medical accelerators, brachytherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and total body irradiation are addressed together with topics such as medical imaging, simulation, computer planning, treatment verification, beam shaping and beam intensity modulation. Each topic is presented in detail but in a simple, clear manner liberally supported with graphs, diagrams, tables and photographs. Special emphasis has been given to equipment currently available, the basic physical principles of their operation, their design and design specifications. Tendering, commissioning, acceptance testing and quality assurance are also reviewed in detail. Most chapters commence with a historical overview and finish with a summary and description of likely future developments. Approximately one quarter of the chapters describe past, current or evolving technologies not normally available in radiotherapy facilities. These include such topics as particle therapy, tomotherapy, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy, boron neutron capture and others. These are particularly useful reviews of the state of the art and potential applications. Although the title suggests that this is a book for medical physicists and radiation oncologists, it is more than that. It is relevant to a much wider readership including radiation therapists, dosimetrists, radiation oncology nurses and administrators. It would be an excellent reference book for students of all disciplines associated with radiation oncology and it would therefore be a valuable addition to any radiation oncology or general medical library.
Assessment of Quality of Life in Pharmacological Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia resulting in hospital admission. The mainstay of treatment for AF is pharmacological control with the aim of reducing symptoms, preventing complications and improving quality of life (QoL). However, the quality of QoL research in AF is suboptimal, and the impact of pharmacologic treatment on QoL is far from established. In the present review, basic definitions and instruments used in QoL research are introduced and the methodological problems in some of the more recent studies on QoL in AF are emphasized. Among these are heterogeneity of study groups, small sample size, lack of a control group and the use of nonvalidated QoL instruments. Finally, a set of eight criteria to be fulfilled when planning future studies on QoL in AF is proposed, criteria that hopefully may act as an inspiration for investigators planning future studies on QoL in pharmacologic treatment of AF.
Predicting poverty and wealth from mobile phone metadata

Predicting unmeasurable wealth In developing countries, collecting data on basic economic quantities, such as wealth and income, is costly, time-consuming, and unreliable. Taking advantage of the ubiquity of mobile phones in Rwanda, Blumenstock et al. mapped mobile phone metadata inputs to individual phone subscriber wealth. They applied the model to predict wealth throughout Rwanda and show that the predictions matched well with those from detailed boots-on-the-ground surveys of the population. Science, this issue p. 1073 Metadata from individuals’ phones can be used to predict aggregate-level characteristics such as access to electricity. Accurate and timely estimates of population characteristics are a critical input to social and economic research and policy. In industrialized economies, novel sources of data are enabling new approaches to demographic profiling, but in developing countries, fewer sources of big data exist. We show that an individual’s past history of mobile phone use can be used to infer his or her socioeconomic status. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the predicted attributes of millions of individuals can, in turn, accurately reconstruct the distribution of wealth of an entire nation or to infer the asset distribution of microregions composed of just a few households. In resource-constrained environments where censuses and household surveys are rare, this approach creates an option for gathering localized and timely information at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
Trellis excitation speech coding at low bit rates

Trellis coded vector quantization (TCVQ) and code-excited linear prediction (CELP) coding are combined to form an efficient low-bit rate speech coding system. The resulting system uses a trellis search to select the synthesis filter excitation sequence, and is referred to as trellis excitation coding (TEC). Simulations are performed for encoding rates of 6.4 and 8 kbps. Informal listening tests indicate that the 8 kbps TEC system has quality roughly between that of 6-bit and 7-bit /spl mu/-law PCM with /spl mu/=255. The 6.4 kbps TEC system provides speech quality between 5-bit and 6-bit /spl mu/-law PCM. A subjective comparison with vector sum excited linear prediction (VSELP) indicates that the 8 kbps TEC and the VSELP reconstructed speech is about equally preferable. >
Small delay multipath diversity in spread spectrum communication systems

A new double-filter receiver for spread spectrum wireless systems is presented. The receiver exploits the inherent diversity due to the small delay difference between the multipaths which may not be exploited by the conventional RAKE receiver. The bit error rate performances of both the coherent and the noncoherent detectors are analyzed and compared with the ideal RAKE receiver and the matched filter bound. We also examine the best and the worst cases of a three-path fading channel for the proposed receiver. Optimum pulse shapes under various channel conditions are designed. Implementation issues in code-division multiple access systems are discussed. The numerical results show that the proposed receiver achieves significant gains for a given spreading factor under a complexity constraint.