Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple Approaches to the Investigation of Cell Assembly in Memory Research—Present and Future

In this review article we focus on research methodologies for detecting the actual activity of cell assemblies, which are populations of functionally connected neurons that encode information in the brain. We introduce and discuss traditional and novel experimental methods and those currently in development and briefly discuss their advantages and disadvantages for the detection of cell-assembly activity. First, we introduce the electrophysiological method, i.e., multineuronal recording, and review former and recent examples of studies showing models of dynamic coding by cell assemblies in behaving rodents and monkeys. We also discuss how the firing correlation of two neurons reflects the firing synchrony among the numerous surrounding neurons that constitute cell assemblies. Second, we review the recent outstanding studies that used the novel method of optogenetics to show causal relationships between cell-assembly activity and behavioral change. Third, we review the most recently developed method of live-cell imaging, which facilitates the simultaneous observation of firings of a large number of neurons in behaving rodents. Currently, all these available methods have both advantages and disadvantages, and no single measurement method can directly and precisely detect the actual activity of cell assemblies. The best strategy is to combine the available methods and utilize each of their advantages with the technique of operant conditioning of multiple-task behaviors in animals and, if necessary, with brain–machine interface technology to verify the accuracy of neural information detected as cell-assembly activity.
Comment on "Hexapod Origins: Monophyletic or Paraphyletic?"

Nardi et al. ( [1][1] ) suggested, rather cautiously, that hexapods (insects plus collembolans in their data set) might be a diphyletic rather than a monophyletic group. According to their interpretation, collembolans evolved separately from other insects and emerged before crustaceans. This
A Genetic Variant ( S 4338 N ) in Apolipoprotein B Gene in Hypercholesterolemic Families from Pakistan

Mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD) has increased in recent decades and risk of CHD increases many folds in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder associated with autosomal dominant mutations in any of 3 genes namely LDLR, ApoB, and PCSK9. We aimed to assess genetic variations in exon 29 of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) gene in FH patients from 10 affected families of Punjab origin. A guanine to adenine change (c.G13013A; rs1042034) was detected in 9 families, resulting in serine to asparagine change (p.Ser4338Asn, S4338N). The S4338N polymorphism was further screened in 95 CHD patients and 96 healthy individuals with normal cholesterol level to determine its relation with CHD. The distribution of S4338N polymorphism was found to be significantly different in CHD and control groups (P = 0.0008; RR (95% CI) = 0.685 (0.543, 0.864); Odds Ratio (95% CI) = 0.486 (0.319, 0.739), suggesting that S4338N polymorphism in ApoB gene may have minor contribution in early development of coronary heart disease and therefore can be considered as a genetic marker for disease risk assessment.
The Media and Muslims in the UK

This report provides an analysis of the various constructions and representations of Muslims circulating in the press in the context of the UK. Drawing upon data based on 68 news items on domestic issues concerning Muslims, generated from a three month monitoring period of the British press (October 2011-Decemeber 2011), specifically; The Sun, Daily Mail, The Independent and The Guardian, this report analyses the role of the media in the construction of public issues and the visibilisation of racism as a key social problem, this is explored in relation to the Muslim question. We examine the issue-framing effects of the press to understand how Muslims have been both represented and configured in relation to the national majority community. We engage with a critical discourse analysis approach, thus our concern is primarily to examine the current hegemonic articulations of Muslims in issues surrounding firstly, the war on terror, PREVENT 191 and fundamentalism, this theme examines media constructs of Muslims as representing a domestic terrorist ̳threat‘. Secondly immigration and ̳forced‘ marriage, this issue examines how Muslims have been constructed as ̳foreigners‘ and ̳outsiders‘ by the press, this is illustrated in debates surrounding ̳soft‘ immigration policy, ̳foreign‘ criminals and ̳peculiar‘ practices and customs relating to family and marriage. Thirdly, grooming and madrassas (Muslim schools), this issue looks at the way in which the press associates ̳predatory‘ behaviour including sexual exploitation and abuse with Muslims, and secondly the way in which the press represents madrassas and Muslim schools as ̳problematic‘ and incompatible with British society. Fourthly we look at broader Muslim related issues, here we take the case of a Muslim ̳attack‘ on a white lady during the 2011 riots, alongside this we also examine a case of institutional racism, these items are both compared to examine how the press frames debates surrounding Muslims and racism. These themes were the most dominant from the data set we collated and received the most media coverage and commentary. The report as such will analyse how these particular issues have been mobilised to denunciate the figure of the Muslim in the UK, moreover we will explore how such constructs also reflect and reinforce wider discourses and narratives on debates surrounding racism, tolerance and Muslims.
Approximate operations in Convolutional Neural Networks with RNS data representation

In this work we modify the inference stage of a generic CNN by approximating computations using a data representation based on a Residue Number System at low-precision and introducing rescaling stages for weights and activations. In particular, we exploit an innovative procedure to tune up the system parameters that handles the reduced resolution while minimizing rounding and overﬂow errors. Our method decreases the hardware complexity of dot product operators and enables a parallelized implementation operating on values represented with few bits, with minimal loss in the overall accuracy of the network.
Salamanders breeding in subterranean habitats: local adaptations or behavioural plasticity?

The exploitation of novel habitats requires the expression of specific behaviours. This may occur through both behavioural plasticity and local adaptations, but assessing the relative role of these processes is challenging. Animals colonizing underground environments are exposed to strong selective pressure: epigeous species using caves during one or more phases of their life cycles can help to understand mechanisms allowing cave exploitation. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) may breed both in cave springs and in epigeous streams. We compared predation performance of larvae from cave and stream populations, and assessed whether local adaptations or behavioural plasticity (or both) improve predation in underground environments. We performed a behavioural experiment about prey detection and capture. We collected larvae from both caves and streams, and reared them under contrasting conditions: underground and outdoor. In the darkness, we tested two measures of predation performance of larvae: time of head turning towards the prey and frequency of prey capturing. We used an information-theoretic approach to assess the relative support of potential mechanisms (adaptations vs. plasticity). Both cave and stream larvae were able to detect and capture prey in the darkness. Larvae born in caves captured prey with higher success than those from streams. Acclimatization to underground conditions did not improve predation performance, suggesting that plasticity plays a minor role. This study indicates that the exploitation of underground environments leads to behavioural local adaptations, allowing an improved predation performance in environments where prey are both scarce and difficult to detect.
TSD and marital satisfaction in military service members : xamining the simultaneous roles of childhood sexual abuse nd combat exposure

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is relatively common and is associated with a multitude of negative outcomes in adulthood, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lower marital satisfaction. However, CSA has been understudied in military samples. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative contributions of CSA and combat exposure to PTSD and marital satisfaction. Two hundred eighteen National Guard/Reserve veterans who deployed overseas between 2001 and 2008 completed self-report measures of CSA, marital satisfaction, combat exposure, and PTSD symptom severity. Data were analyzed using linear regression and path analysis to evaluate a comprehensive model including all variables. CSA accounted for unique variance in PTSD symptom severity independent of combat exposure. CSA also had a negative direct association with marital satisfaction, independent of combat exposure and PTSD symptom severity. In contrast, combat exposure had only a negative indirect association with marital satisfaction via PTSD when all variables were examined simultaneously. CSA accounted for unique variance in both PTSD symptom severity and marital satisfaction in this sample of combat veterans. Clinically, results suggest that assessment and treatment of CSA is indicated for military veterans suffering from PTSD. Further, treatment of CSA may improve marital satisfaction, which may positively affect psychological functioning in the veteran. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Video scene segmentation through an early fusion multimodal approach

Temporal segmentation of video into scenes is a prerequisite to various tasks on Multimedia Information Retrieval, like video summarization, content based video retrieval and video recommendation. There isn’t, however, a satisfactory method to automatically segment video into scenes. Stateof-the-art scene segmentation methods are multimodal, in order to match the multimodal nature of video. Aside from being multimodal, no true early fusion method was found in literature. Early fusion have shown to be useful in related multimedia tasks where potential correlation between data streams of different sources are discovered before the main processing step, improving results. Motivated by this situation, the proposal of this PhD Project is to investigate the impact of a true early fusion multimodal approach on the temporal video scene segmentation task.
Potential of Rainwater Harvesting in Meeting the Domestic Outdoor Demand: A Study in Dry and Wet Regions of the United States

Feasibility of meeting the outdoor water demand with rainwater harvesting (RWH) was evaluated for the states of Arizona and Florida as representatives of dry and wet regions, respectively, using a system dynamic model. The potential of RWH was found to be highly sensitive to the demand of water, desert landscaping potential, and the percentage of households with RWH systems. The percentage of demand met through RWH and the storage potential of a 50-gallon rainwater barrel was found to be significant even for arid regions. The model can be used to compare among various influencing parameters of RWH systems.
Enterprise social networking in knowledge-intensive work practices : a case study in a professional service firm

Social media technologies are making fast inroads into organisations. In the context of knowledge-intensive work the propositions of improved communication, information sharing and user involvement seem particularly promising. We study the phenomenon of Enterprise Social Networking (ESN) in the context of Professional Service Firms (PSF). Our case study investigates emerging knowledge work practices on the ESN platform Yammer within Deloitte Australia. We perform a genre analysis of communication data and uncover a set of emerging practices. We reflect on our results in the context of the knowledge-intensive nature of professional service work. We find that Yammer in the case company has become 1) an information-sharing channel, 2) a space for crowdsourcing ideas, 3) a place for finding expertise and solving problems and 4) a conversation medium for context and relationship building. We conclude by positioning ESN in the well-known 3-C model for classifying collaborative ICT.
Convergence Rates of Inertial Forward-Backward Algorithms

In a Hilbert space $\mathcal H$, assuming $(\alpha_k)$ a general sequence of nonnegative numbers, we analyze the convergence properties of the inertial forward-backward algorithm $(IFB)\{\begin{array}{l} y_k=x_k+\alpha_k(x_k-x_{k-1}), x_{k+1}={\rm prox}_{s\Psi}(y_k-s\nabla \Phi(y_k)) \end{array},$ where $\Psi: \mathcal H \to \mathbb R \cup \lbrace + \infty \rbrace $ is a proper lower-semicontinuous convex function, and $\Phi: \mathcal H \to \mathbb R$ is a differentiable convex function, whose gradient is Lipschitz continuous. Various options for the sequence $(\alpha_k)$ are considered in the literature. Among them, the Nesterov choice leads to the FISTA algorithm and accelerates convergence from $\mathcal{O}(1/k)$ to $\mathcal{O}(1/k^2)$ for the values. Several variants are used to guarantee the convergence of the iterates or to improve the rate of convergence for the values. For the design of fast optimization methods, the tuning of the sequence $(\alpha_k)$ is a subtle issue, which we deal with in thi.
Computational analysis of transcription factor binding motifs in co-expressed genes in urinary bladder cancer

We have previously identified the common gene expression profiles among patients with non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder, of both low and high grade. In the present work, we used computational tools and performed bioinformatics analysis to further investigate the presence of common Transcription Factor Binding Motifs (TFBMs) among the same TCC samples, as well as to identify the uniquely presented TFBMs in each tumor type. Gene expression data derived from four publicly available datasets were also included in our study. Cancerous samples were divided into five categories, according to their histology and metastatic potential. Our analysis revealed uniquely annotated transcription factors (TFs) with respect to each tumor category. We found that genes located in chromosomes 5, 11, 15, 17, 18 and X could be critically implicated in the progression of the disease. In particular, our data revealed that TCC of the urinary bladder implicates genes with hormone-dependent properties as well as inflammatory genes and cell cycle dependent machinery, which might play a significant role in its ontogenesis or progression. Such computational approaches could be very useful in the prediction of more targets suitable for prognostic or therapeutic purposes of the disease.
American Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) vary in use of cultivated cherry orchards

ABSTRACT Some fruit-eating bird species commonly consume cultivated fruit. Species-specific variation in diet preferences could result in varying use of orchards and impacts on the fruit-producing industry. However, species-specific studies of avian orchard use are lacking, particularly throughout the fruit-growing season. Our objectives were to quantify the frequency of daily bird visits to orchards and the amount of time birds spent visiting orchards each day over the fruit-ripening season. Birds are well-documented consumers of cultivated sweet cherries (Prunus avium), which are relatively high in sugar and low in proteins and lipids. American Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are common fruit-consumers in sweet cherry orchards. Robins often consume larger proportions of invertebrates and prefer lipid-rich fruits, while waxwings choose sugary fruits. Given these species-specific diet differences, we hypothesized waxwings would spend a greater proportion of days and more time each day in cherry orchards, compared to robins. We used radio telemetry to track the habitat use of 25 American Robins and 17 Cedar Waxwings in sweet cherry orchards of Michigan. Over their respective radio-tracking periods, waxwings visited orchards a greater percentage of days than robins (waxwings: mean = 21%, SD = 22; robins: mean = 6%, SD = 4). In addition, waxwings visited orchards for more time each day. Differences in diet preferences and nutritional physiology may translate into species-specific patterns of habitat use for birds in fruit-rich environments.
Wurtzite BAlN and BGaN alloys for heterointerface polarization engineering

The spontaneous polarization (SP) and piezoelectric (PZ) constants of BxAl1-xN and BxGa1-xN (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) ternary alloys were calculated with the hexagonal structure as reference. The SP constants show moderate nonlinearity due to the volume deformation and the dipole moment difference between the hexagonal and wurtzite structures. The PZ constants exhibit significant bowing because of the large lattice difference between binary alloys. Furthermore, the PZ constants of BxAl1-xN and BxGa1-xN become zero at boron compositions of ∼87% and ∼74%, respectively, indicating non-piezoelectricity. The large range of SP and PZ constants of BxAl1-xN (BAlN) and BxGa1-xN (BGaN) can be beneficial for the compound semiconductor device development. For instance, zero heterointerface polarization Δ P can be formed for BAlN and BGaN based heterojunctions with proper B compositions, potentially eliminating the quantum-confined Stark effect for c-plane optical devices and thus removing the need of non-polar layers and substrate.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescent Mice Alters Skull Bone Properties to Influence a Subsequent Brain Impact at Adulthood: A Pilot Study

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are common during adolescence, and limited clinical evidence suggests that a younger age at first exposure to a mTBI may lead to worse long-term outcomes. In this study, we hypothesized that a mTBI during adolescence would predispose toward poorer neurobehavioral and neuropathological outcomes after a subsequent injury at adulthood. Mice received a mild weight drop injury (mTBI) at adolescence (postnatal day 35; P35) and/or at adulthood (P70). Mice were randomized to 6 groups: ‘sham’ (sham-surgery at P35 only); ‘P35’ (mTBI at P35 only); ‘P35 + sham’ (mTBI at P35 + sham at P70); ‘sham + P70’ (sham at P35 + mTBI at P70); ‘sham + sham’ (sham at both P35 and P70); or ‘P35 + P70’ (mTBI at both P35 and P70). Acute apnea and an extended righting reflex time confirmed a mTBI injury at P35 and/or P70. Cognitive, psychosocial, and sensorimotor function was assessed over 1-week post-injury. Injured groups performed similarly to sham controls across all tasks. Immunofluorescence staining at 1 week detected an increase in glial activation markers in Sham + P70 brains only. Strikingly, 63% of Sham + P70 mice exhibited a skull fracture at impact, compared to 13% of P35 + P70 mice. Micro computed tomography of parietal skull bones found that a mTBI at P35 resulted in increased bone volume and strength, which may account for the difference in fracture incidence. In summary, a single mTBI to the adolescent mouse brain did not exacerbate the cerebral effects of a subsequent mTBI in adulthood. However, the head impact at P35 induced significant changes in skull bone structure and integrity. These novel findings support future investigation into the consequences of mTBI on skull bone.
Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Ervatamia coronaria Stapf. leaves

The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract of Ervatamia coronaria leaves (Apocynaceae) in various systems. DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extract. The antioxidant activity of methanolic extract increased in a dose dependent manner. About 50, 100, 250 and 500 µg of methanol extract of Ervatamia coronaria (MEEC) showed 61.33, 66.21, 72.04 and 76.83% inhibition respectively on peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion. Like antioxidant activity, the effect of MEEC on reducing power increases in a dose dependent manner. In DPPH radical scavenging assay the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 167.09 µg/ml. MEEC was found to inhibit the nitric oxide radicals generated from sodium nitroprusside. The IC50 value was found to be 83.375 µg/ml, whereas the IC50 value of curcumin was 20.4 µg/ml. Moreover, the MEEC was found to scavenge the superoxide generated by PMS/NADH-NBTsyst em. MEEC was also found to inhibit the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton's reaction, where the IC50 value of MEEC was found to be more than 1000 µg/ml and for catechin the IC50 value was found to be 5 µg/ml, which indicates the prooxidant activity of MEEC. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were also determined in this study. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the MEEC can be a potential source of natural antioxidant.
Flower visiting Neuroptera: Mouthparts and feeding behaviour of Nemoptera sinuata (Nemopteridae)

The mouthparts of the spoon-winged lacewing Nemoptera sinuata are adapted for the uptake of pollen and nectar. Form and function of the mouthparts are described, and the technique of food uptake is discussed in context with flower-visiting behaviour and floral architecture of the preferred flowers. The maxillae are the main organs for food uptake. The brush-shaped laciniae, galeae and maxillary palpi form a functional unit which can be extended by the action of the cardo-stipes joint. Video analyses of the mouthpart movements distinguished different patterns of maxillary motions which occur in nectar feeding or pollen collecting. The flower-visiting behaviour and the specialised mouthparts of the Nemopteridae are derived traits which probably evolved from preda- tory and biting/chewing mouthparts within the Neuroptera.
Autologous fat grafting in keloids and hypertrophic scars: a review

Keloid and hypertrophic scars are unique human dermal fibroproliferative disorders of the injured skin and are associated with pain, itch and can cause functional limitations. A number of genetic, systemic and local factors have been identified in the formation of keloids and hypertrophic scars. Studies have shown that adipose-derived stem cells have angiogenic and antiapoptotic properties which has effects on wound healing, soft-tissue restoration and scar remodelling, and thus may have a role in managing keloid scaring. However, this role is not well described in the literature. A systemic review of available literature was thus undertaken, regarding the use of fat grafting in treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scarring. In total, 858 articles were identified, with ten studies ultimately fulfilling inclusion criteria. There were no studies specifically isolating the keloids and hypertrophic group of patients, and thus quantitative data were completely lacking from the literature. There were, however, individual cases described, and qualitatively encouraging clinical results were reported for the use of fat grafting on keloids and hypertrophic scars. Combined with the current theoretical and immunohistochemical understanding through other laboratory and animal studies, fat grafting may play a role in the treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scaring; however, specific evidence is currently lacking. The role for further research is clear. Lay Summary: Keloid and hypertrophic scars are difficult to treat conditions. Some studies have suggested that fat cells may have a role in managing these scars although this role is not well described in the literature. We perform a systematic review of available literature, examining the evidence for this.