Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellular and Molecular Analysis of Dendritic Morphogenesis in a Retinal Cell Type That Senses Color Contrast and Ventral Motion

As neuronal dendrites develop, they acquire cell-type-specific features including characteristic size, shape, arborization, location and synaptic patterns. These features, in turn, are major determinants of type-specific neuronal function. Because neuronal diversity complicates the task of relating developmental programs to adult structure and function, we analyzed dendritic morphogenesis in a single retinal ganglion cell (RGC) type in mouse called J-RGC. We documented the emergence of five dendritic features that underlie J-RGC physiology: (1) dendritic field size, which approximate receptive field size; (2) dendritic complexity, which affects how J-RGCs sample space; (3) asymmetry, which contributes to direction-selectivity; (4) restricted lamination within the inner plexiform layer (IPL), which renders J-RGCs responsive to light decrements; and (5) distribution of synaptic inputs, which generate a color-opponent receptive field. We found dendritic growth in J-RGCs is accompanied by a refinement in dendritic self-crossing. Asymmetry arises by a combination of selective pruning and elaboration, whereas laminar restriction results from biased outgrowth toward the outermost IPL. Interestingly, asymmetry develops in a protracted dorsoventral wave, whereas lamination does so in a rapid centrifugal wave. As arbors mature, they acquire excitatory and inhibitory synapses, with the latter forming first and being concentrated in proximal dendrites. Thus, distinct mechanisms operate in different spatiotemporal dimensions of J-RGC dendritic patterning to generate the substrate for specific patterns of synaptogenesis. Finally, we asked whether the defining molecular signature of J-RGCs, the adhesion molecule JAM-B, regulates morphogenesis, and showed that it promotes dendro-dendritic interactions. Our results reveal multiple mechanisms that shape a dendritic arbor. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Visual perception begins in the retina, where distinct types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are tuned to specific visual features such as direction of motion. The features to which each RGC type responds are determined largely by the number and type of synaptic inputs it receives, and these, in turn, are greatly influenced by the size, shape, arborization pattern, and location of its dendrites. We analyzed dendritic morphogenesis in a functionally characterized RGC type, the J-RGC, demonstrating distinct mechanisms that operate in different dimensions to generate the dendritic scaffold and synaptic patterns for feature detection. Our work elucidates cellular and molecular mechanisms that shape dendritic arbors and synaptic distribution, enabling J-RGC connectivity and thus, function.
Giant screen film and science learning in museums

The authors review the giant screen (GS) film literature to determine if the form has unique attributes that contribute to science learning. They find that four attributes are claimed to contribute to higher learning outcomes: the sense of immersion by reducing peripheral views to a minimum; first person perspective contributing to the sense of presence in the film; narrative structure; and sensory stimulation of mirror neurons that promote kinesthetic learning. They demonstrate that most claims are without support in empirical research but uncover some recent results that give reason to believe these claims may be supportable. The authors conclude with a recommendation for a research agenda to support these claims as necessary, in order to defend the high production cost of GS film over conventional film.
Spatial Summation Properties of Goldfish Ganglion Cells*

&NA; At threshold the eye is known to sum quanta as though the total catch were important and not the distribution on the retina. In humans, spatial summation is larger under dark adapted conditions. The extent of this spatial summation is studied in goldfish retinal ganglion cells which are known to receive both rod and cone inputs. The area of summation in single ganglion cells is found to be much larger for rod input compared to cone input. It seems that in single ganglion cells, the spatial summating properties increase markedly in the dark due largely to the neural organization of rod and cone input.
Research Note: The Effect of Visuals on Listening Comprehension: A Study of Japanese Learners' Listening Strategies

Abstract This study aims to identify listening comprehension strategies used by adult Japanese native speakers and monolingual Australian learners of Japanese language. It investigates how two different listening contexts (audiovisual and audio-only) may influence listeners' choice of strategies and how the strategies chosen relate to learners' proficiency. In this study, a listening strategy is conceptualised as a mental operation undertaken by a learner to solve a listening comprehension problem in a non-interactional situation. To collect data on strategies, a concurrent think-aloud procedure is used and the data are analysed quantitatively. The study identified nineteen strategies which were labelled under the three general categories of ‘cognitive’ strategies (11), ‘metacognitive’ strategies (7) and ‘other’ strategies (1).
Contributions to the History of Psychology: LXXVIII. Citation Overlap between Histories of Animal Behavior Studies

40 histories of animal behavior studies were examined for their consensus concerning the founders of this discipline. In all, 214 different investigators were mentioned in 895 citations. Darwin and Lloyd Morgan were reliably cited (followed by Romanes, Watson, Loeb, and Thorndike), but the over-all citation overlap among different sources was generally low. The results were numerically similar to those found in bibliometric studies of Lotka's law.
White Matter Microstructure in Transsexuals and Controls Investigated by Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Biological causes underpinning the well known gender dimorphisms in human behavior, cognition, and emotion have received increased attention in recent years. The advent of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging has permitted the investigation of the white matter microstructure in unprecedented detail. Here, we aimed to study the potential influences of biological sex, gender identity, sex hormones, and sexual orientation on white matter microstructure by investigating transsexuals and healthy controls using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Twenty-three female-to-male (FtM) and 21 male-to-female (MtF) transsexuals, as well as 23 female (FC) and 22 male (MC) controls underwent DTI at 3 tesla. Fractional anisotropy, axial, radial, and mean diffusivity were calculated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and fiber tractography. Results showed widespread significant differences in mean diffusivity between groups in almost all white matter tracts. FCs had highest mean diffusivities, followed by FtM transsexuals with lower values, MtF transsexuals with further reduced values, and MCs with lowest values. Investigating axial and radial diffusivities showed that a transition in axial diffusivity accounted for mean diffusivity results. No significant differences in fractional anisotropy maps were found between groups. Plasma testosterone levels were strongly correlated with mean, axial, and radial diffusivities. However, controlling for individual estradiol, testosterone, or progesterone plasma levels or for subjects' sexual orientation did not change group differences. Our data harmonize with the hypothesis that fiber tract development is influenced by the hormonal environment during late prenatal and early postnatal brain development.
The rician distribution of noisy mri data

The image intensity in magnetic resonance magnitude images in the presence of noise is shown to be governed by a Rician distribution. Low signal intensities (SNR < 2) are therefore biased due to the noise. it is shown how the underlying noise can be estimated from the images and a simple correction scheme is provided to reduce the bias. the noise characteristics in phase images are also studied and shown to be very different from those of the magnitude images. Common to both, however, is that the noise distributions are nearly Gaussian for SNR larger than two.
The role of traditional birth attendants in the reduction of maternal mortality.

Throughout history traditional birth attendants (TBAs) have been the main human resource for women during childbirth. Their role varies across cultures and at different times but even today they attend the majority of deliveries in rural areas of developing countries. There is little doubt that they have a significant role when it comes to cultural competence consolation empathy and psychosocial support at birth with important benefits for the mother and also for the new-born child. In many countries training TBAs has been an important component of strategies to improve maternal and neo-natal outcomes. However recent analyses have come to the conclusion that the impact of training TBAs on maternal mortality is low. An emphasis on large scale TBA training efforts could also be counterproductive by holding back the training of the necessary numbers of medium level providers particularly midwives. The main benefits from training TBAs appear to be improved referral and links with the formal health care system but only where essential obstetric services are available. Some studies have observed that formal training is not a requirement for this function. Meeting the needs for medium level obstetric care providers is a tremendous challenge that will be difficult over a limited period of time. Training TBAs should be given a lower priority than developing essential obstetric care services and referral systems. Where TBAs are an important source of delivery care policy makers need to make the best use of TBAs while simultaneously planning for replacement with skilled attendants. (authors)
Establishment of mesenchymal cell line derived from human developing odontoma.

OBJECTIVES An odontoma, which shows proliferating odontogenic epithelium and mesenchymal tissue, is one of the most common odontogenic tumors encountered. These are commonly found in tooth-bearing regions, although the etiology remains unknown. There are no previous reports of an established line of immortalized human odontoma cells. METHODS Using odontoma fragments obtained from a girl treated at our department, we established an immortalized human odontoma cell line and investigated cell morphology, dynamic proliferation, the presence of contamination, and karyotype. Moreover, cell characterization was examined using osteogenic and odontogenic markers. RESULTS We successfully established a mesenchymal odontoma cell (mOd cells). The cells were found to be fibroblastic and had a high level of telomerase activity. Cell growth was confirmed after more than 200 population doublings without significant growth retardation. mOd cells expressed mRNA for differentiation markers, including collagen type I (COLI), alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, osteopontin, osteocalcin, cementum-derived protein (CP-23), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), and distal-less homeobox 3 (DLX3), as well as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). In addition, they showed a high level of calcified nodule formation activity in vitro. CONCLUSIONS We successfully established a cell line that may be useful for investigating the mechanisms of normal odontogenesis as well as characteristics of odontoma tumors.
Optimism and calibration in risk assessment: a note in reply to Hartz and Elrod

By way of a reply to Hartz and Elrod's discussion of optimism in risk assessment, we describe some findings of a study into the process of predicting the engineering resources associated with complex, technologically advanced systems in the aerospace industry. These suggest that biases in risk prediction stem both from limitations in individuals' cognitive abilities and from incentive effects. These incentive effects in turn arise partly from conditions in the organisation and partly from conditions in the organisation's environment. Our findings also suggest that incentive effects can lead both to under-estimation of future outcomes and over-estimation. We address the extent to which underestimation, or optimism, is functional in the organisations in question.
The use of environmental factors as adjuncts to traditional tuberculosis contact investigation.

SETTING A 25-year-old university student was diagnosed with cavitary pulmonary and laryngeal tuberculosis following symptoms of underlying cough of 6 months' duration. OBJECTIVES To estimate the hourly risk of infection (HRI) and examine the role of environmental factors, including room size and ventilation, in modulating this risk. METHODS Contact investigation. RESULTS Of 1100 contacts identified, 78.3% (n = 896) received a tuberculin skin test (TST), of whom 27.5% had a positive result. Among 634 Canadian-born contacts tested, 22.7% had a positive TST. The independent risk factors for a positive TST among Canadian-born university students were: > 35 h spent with the index case (adjusted OR 6.6, 95% CI 1.0-44.9) and smaller classroom size (aOR 5.0, 95% CI 1.4-10.0). In the first school term, the HRI among Canadian-born student contacts was 0.9%; in the second term, it was 1.6%. CONCLUSION There are inherent limitations in generalising findings from an outbreak investigation, due to the considerable variation in the infectiousness of cases. Nevertheless, in situations where the index case has a high degree of infectiousness, and there are numerous contacts with low expected prevalence of infection, the HRI can, together with ventilation measurements, be useful in guiding the extent of contact investigation needed.
Stages in the nuclear association of the herpes simplex virus transcriptional activator protein ICP4

The nuclear localization of the herpes simplex virus transcriptional activator protein ICP4 was studied by indirect immunofluorescence. At early times after viral infection, ICP4 quickly localized to a diffuse intranuclear distribution. ICP4 later concentrated in globular compartments within the nucleus. The redistribution to the compartments was dependent on viral DNA replication. Double staining for ICP4 and ICP8, the early major DNA-binding protein, revealed that both were found in the same intranuclear globular compartments at late times. These were previously named "replication compartments" (M. P. Quinlan, L. B. Chen, and D. M. Knipe, Cell 36:857-868, 1984). Because ICP4 and ICP8 are known to function in transcriptional activation and DNA replication, respectively, both DNA replication and late transcription may occur in these compartments. The association of ICP4 and ICP8 with the replication compartments appeared to be independent in that the retention of ICP8 in the compartments required ongoing viral DNA synthesis, while the association of ICP4 was independent of viral DNA synthesis once the compartments were formed. Because ICP4 shows a different distribution at early and late times, stimulation of transcription by ICP4 may involve different molecular events or contacts during these two periods of the replicative cycle.
Expression of collagen-binding integrin receptors in the mammalian sclera and their regulation during the development of myopia.

PURPOSE The sclera has a collagen-rich extracellular matrix that undergoes significant biochemical and biomechanical remodeling during myopic eye growth. The integrin family of cell surface receptors play critical roles in extracellular matrix and biomechanical remodeling in connective tissues. This study identified the major collagen-binding integrin receptors in the mammalian sclera and investigated their mRNA expression during the development of and recovery from experimental myopia. METHODS The presence of the alpha1, alpha2, and beta1 integrin subunits was examined by using tree-shrew-specific primers and RT-PCR. Scleral expression of alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1 receptor proteins was further investigated by using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Myopia was induced monocularly by occluding pattern vision and scleral tissue collected after 24 hours and 5 days. In a subset of the 5-day treatment group, vision was restored for 24 hours before tissue was isolated. Total RNA was extracted, and integrin subunit expression levels were assessed with quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS The presence of the major collagen-binding integrin subunits alpha1, alpha2, and beta1 was confirmed by RT-PCR in both scleral tissue and cultured scleral fibroblasts. Both the alpha1 and alpha2 integrin subunit proteins were identified in tree shrew scleral tissues, and integrin receptor expression was localized to scleral fibroblast focal adhesions. After only 24 hours of myopia induction, a time when no structural elongation has occurred, significant decreases were observed in the expression of the alpha1 (-36%) and beta1 (-44%) integrin subunits. After 5 days of myopia induction, alpha1 integrin expression had returned to baseline levels, whereas the alpha2 subunit showed a significant decrease in expression (-52%). The 5-day integrin profiles were maintained during recovery from the induced myopia, with only alpha2 integrin showing a statistically significant relative decrease in expression (-41%). CONCLUSIONS The mammalian sclera expresses the major collagen-binding integrin subunits. The alpha1 and beta1 subunit expression was decreased early during the development of myopia, whereas the regulation of alpha2 integrin occurred at a later time point. The differential regulation of alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1 during the development of myopia may reflect specific roles for these receptors in the scleral extracellular matrix and biomechanical remodeling that accompanies myopic eye growth.
Compositional data analysis for physical activity, sedentary time and sleep research

The health effects of daily activity behaviours (physical activity, sedentary time and sleep) are widely studied. While previous research has largely examined activity behaviours in isolation, recent studies have adjusted for multiple behaviours. However, the inclusion of all activity behaviours in traditional multivariate analyses has not been possible due to the perfect multicollinearity of 24-h time budget data. The ensuing lack of adjustment for known effects on the outcome undermines the validity of study findings. We describe a statistical approach that enables the inclusion of all daily activity behaviours, based on the principles of compositional data analysis. Using data from the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment, we demonstrate the application of compositional multiple linear regression to estimate adiposity from children’s daily activity behaviours expressed as isometric log-ratio coordinates. We present a novel method for predicting change in a continuous outcome based on relative changes within a composition, and for calculating associated confidence intervals to allow for statistical inference. The compositional data analysis presented overcomes the lack of adjustment that has plagued traditional statistical methods in the field, and provides robust and reliable insights into the health effects of daily activity behaviours.
A PWM Controller IC for LED Driver Used to Multiple DC-DC Topologies

A pulse width modulation (PWM) controller chip for LED driver was presented in this paper. The controller features two major operation modes, current feedback mode and constant current mode, so as to applicable to almost all DC-DC converter topologies such like buck, boost, buck-boost, flyback and SEPIC. A special error amplifier, which is composed of two sub-modules and a mode selector, was introduced to this chip to different applications. The peak current mode control with slope compensation was proposed to its control strategy. The controller integrated circuit (IC) was designed, simulated and fabricated in 1.5 mum BCD process. And both the simulation and test results were consistent with expectations well.
Students perceive healthcare as a valuable learning environment when accepted as a part of the workplace community

Background: The healthcare system is complex and the education of medical and nursing students is not always a priority within it. However, education offered at the point of care provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge, and to develop the necessary skills and attitudes needed to practice their future profession. The major objective of this study was to identify students′ views of generic aspects of the healthcare environment that influences their progress towards professional competence. Methods: We collected free text answers of 75 medical students and 23 nursing students who had completed an extensive questionnaire concerning their learning in clinical wards. In order to obtain richer data and a deeper understanding, we also interviewed a purposive sample of students. Qualitative content analysis was conducted. Results: We identified three themes: (1) How management, planning and organising for learning enabled content and learning activities to relate to the syllabus and workplace, and how this management influenced space and resources for supervision and learning; (2) Workplace culture elucidated how hierarchies and communication affected student learning and influenced their professional development and (3) Learning a profession illustrated the importance of supervisors′ approaches to students, their enthusiasm and ability to build relationships, and their feedback to students on performance. Discussion: From a student perspective, a valuable learning environment is characterised as one where management, planning and organising are aligned and support learning. Students experience a professional growth when the community of practice accepts them, and competent and enthusiastic supervisors give them opportunities to interact with patients and to develop their own responsibilities.
Developmental Spelling as a Predictor of First-Grade Reading Achievement

Observant first-grade teachers have long realized, at least on an intuitive level, that there is an important relationship between children's early reading and spelling ability. Such teachers notice, for example, that, as beginning readers progress in learning to read words, there is a corresponding growth in their ability to write or spell words, even in the absence of direct instruction in spelling. Over the past 10 years, researchers (Bissex 1980; Chomsky 1979; Clay 1979a, 1979b; Henderson 1981; Henderson & Beers 1980; Read 1971, 1975) have begun to explore in some depth the developmental relationship existing between early reading and spelling ability. Though this is a relatively new area of research, it can safely be said that the findings reported thus far have been of provocative interest to theory builders and classroom