Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-lasting resistance to extinction of response reinstatement induced by ethanol-related stimuli: role of genetic ethanol preference.

BACKGROUND The conditioning of ethanol's reinforcing effects with specific environmental stimuli is thought to be a critical factor in long-lasting relapse risk associated with alcoholism. To study the significance of such learning factors in the addictive potential of ethanol, this experiment was designed (1) to characterize the effects of stimuli associated with alcohol availability on the reinstatement of responding at a previously ethanol-paired lever in rats with genetically determined ethanol preference versus nonpreference and (2) to examine the persistence of the motivating effects of these stimuli over time. METHODS Male alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rats were trained to operantly self-administer ethanol (10% w/v) or water on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule in a 30-min daily session. Ethanol and water sessions were scheduled in random sequence across training days. Ethanol availability was signaled by an olfactory discriminative stimulus (banana extract, S+), and each lever press was paired with brief presentation of the conditioning chamber's house light (CS+). The discriminative stimulus signaling water availability (i.e., nonreward) consisted of anise odor (S-), and lever-responses during water sessions were paired with a brief white noise generation (CS-). The rats then were placed on extinction conditions during which ethanol and water, as well as the corresponding stimuli, were withheld. The effects of noncontingent exposure to the S+ versus S- paired with response-contingent presentation of the CS+ versus CS- on responding at the previously active lever were then determined in 30-min reinstatement sessions. To study the resistance to extinction of the effects of the ethanol-associated stimuli, additional tests were conducted at 3-day intervals for a total of 50 days. RESULTS The number of ethanol-reinforced responses during self-administration training was significantly greater in P than in NP rats (p < 0.01). After extinction, a significant recovery of responding was observed in both groups of rats under the stimulus conditions associated with ethanol (S+/CS+) but not those associated with water (S-/CS-). However, the response reinstatement was significantly greater in P than NP rats (p < 0.01). In addition, the results revealed a considerable resistance to extinction to the effects of the ethanol-associated stimuli. Throughout the 50-day test period, responding remained significantly above extinction levels in both P and NP rats (p < 0.01), but with an overall greater number of responses in P than NP rats (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results support the hypothesis that conditioning factors contribute importantly to compulsive ethanol seeking and long-lasting vulnerability to relapse. In addition, the results suggest that genetic predisposition toward heightened ethanol intake extends to greater susceptibility to the motivating effects of ethanol-related environmental stimuli.
10-year trends of educational differences in long sickness absence due to mental disorders

Mental disorders are a key cause of sickness absence (SA) and challenge prolonging working careers. Thus, evidence on the development of SA trends is needed. In this study, educational differences in long SAs due to mental disorders were examined in two age groups among employees of the City of Helsinki from 2004 to 2013.
Extending OpenVX for model-based design of embedded vision applications

Developing computer vision applications for low-power heterogeneous systems is increasingly gaining interest in the embedded systems community. Even more interesting is the tuning of such embedded software for the target architecture when this is driven by multiple constraints (e.g., performance, peak power, energy consumption). Indeed, developers frequently run into system-level inefficiencies and bottlenecks that can not be quickly addressed by traditional methods. In this context OpenVX has been proposed as the standard platform to develop portable, optimized and power-efficient applications for vision algorithms targeting embedded systems. Nevertheless, adopting OpenVX for rapid prototyping, early algorithm parametrization and validation of complex embedded applications is a very challenging task. This paper presents a methodology to integrate a model-based design environment to OpenVX. The methodology allows applying Matlab/Simulink for the model-based design, parametrization, and validation of computer vision applications. Then, it allows for the automatic synthesis of the application model into an OpenVX description for the hardware and constraints-aware application tuning. Experimental results have been conducted with an application for digital image stabilization developed through Simulink and, then, automatically synthesized into OpenVX-VisionWorks code for an NVIDIA Jetson TX1 board.
Keberhasilan Kemoterapi Neoajuvan Cisplatin-Vincristine-Bleomycin dan Paclitaxel-Carboplatin Ditinjau dari Penilaian Operabilitas Kanker Serviks IIB

Kanker serviks merupakan masalah kesehatan masyarakat terutama di negara-negara berkembang. Terapi utama kanker serviks meliputi operasi dan radiasi. Karena adanya keterbatasan fasilitas radioterapi, maka terapi kanker serviks IIB ditetapkan meliputi pemberian kemoterapi neoajuvan platinum-based dilanjutkan histerektomi radikal. Kemoterapi neoajuvan platinum-based yang digunakan di ruang kandungan RSUD Dr. Soetomo adalah cisplatin-vincristine-bleomycin (PVB) dan paclitaxel-cisplatin. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk membandingkan perbedaan pra-bedah evaluasi operabilitas setelah pemberian kemoterapi cisplatin neoadjuvant vincristine-bleomycin (PVB) dan paclitaxel-carboplatin pada pasien dengan kanker cervival IIB. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian observasional retrospektif analitik dengan jumlah sampel (417 pts) dari tahun tahun 2006 sampai 2009 direkrut berdasarkan kriteria inklusif. Data dikumpulkan dari catatan medis dari klinik rawat jalan oncologic. Keberhasilan evaluasi pengoperasian pra-operasi dianalisis dengan uji chi square. Didapatkan otal berhasil pra-bedah evaluasi operabilitas adalah hitungan untuk 17,3%. Persentase PVB berhasil adalah 14,6% dan kelompok paclitaxel-carboplatin adalah 22,4%. Hasil statistik adalah p > 0,05. Kesimpulan Ditinjau dari penilaian operabilitas kanker serviks IIB, tingkat keberhasilan kemoterapi neoajuvan cisplatin-vincristine-bleomycin setara dengan paclitaxel-carboplatin. (MOG 2012;20 40-50)
Effect of enalapril on the inotropic response to isoproterenol in renal hypertensive rats.

It is not clear whether regression of cardiac hypertrophy normalizes cardiac contractility. We studied the effect of enalapril treatment on the contractile response to beta-adrenergic stimulation with isoproterenol in renal hypertension. Male Wistar rats (n = 28) were divided into a clipped group (n = 14) and control group (n = 14). Three weeks after surgery, half of the animals from each group received for 21 days either enalapril (2.5 mg/kg) twice a day or vehicle by gastric intubation. Arterial pressure and body weight were measured twice a week. At the end of the experimental period, the hearts were excised, the ventricles were weighed, and the left ventricular papillary muscle was mounted in a bath. Myocardial contractility was characterized by the maximal developed tension, the maximal rate of rise of tension (+T), and the maximal velocity of relaxation (-T), which were measured at basal conditions and after cumulative doses of isoproterenol (10(-11) to 10(-4) M). The ratio of ventricular weight to body weight increased in hypertensive rats. Enalapril induced a decrease in arterial pressure and in the cardiac mass in both treated groups (p less than 0.05). The basal values of maximal developed tension, +T, and -T were similar in the four groups. The increment in +T and -T in response to isoproterenol (10(-4) M) was depressed in the hypertensive animals and in both treated groups (p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference in the +T/-T ratio or in the ED50 among the groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Automated Evaluation of Crowdsourced Annotations in the Cultural Heritage Domain

Cultural heritage institutions are employing crowdsourcing techniques to enrich their collection. However, assessing the quality of crowdsourced annotations is a challenge for these institutions and manually evaluating all annotations is not feasible. We employ Support Vector Machines and feature set selectors to understand which annotator and annotation properties are relevant to the annotation quality. In addition we propose a trust model to build an annotator reputation using subjective logic and assess the relevance of both annotator and annotation properties on the reputation. We applied our models to the Steve.museum dataset and found that a subset of annotation properties can identify useful annotations with a precision of 90%. However, our studied annotator properties were less predictive.
Chamber‐specific differentiation of Nkx2.5‐positive cardiac precursor cells from murine embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are a useful system to study cardiac differentiation in vitro. It has been difficult, however, to track the fates of chamber‐specific cardiac lineages, since differentiation is induced within the embryoid body. We have established an in vitro culture system to track Nkx2.5(+) cell lineages during mouse ES cell differentiation by using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. Nkx2.5/GFP(+) cardiomyocytes purified from embryoid bodies express sarcomeric tropomyosin and myosin heavy chain and heterogeneously express cardiac troponin I (cTnI), myosin light chain 2v (MLC2v) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). After 4‐week culture, GFP(+) cells exhibited electrophysiological characteristics specific to sinoatrial (SA) node, atrial, or ventricular type. Furthermore, we found that administration of 10−7 M retinoic acid (RA) to embryoid bodies increased the percentage of MLC2v(−)ANP(+) cells; this also increased the expression of atrial‐specific genes in the Nkx2.5/GFP(+) fraction, in a time‐ and dose‐dependent fashion. These results suggest that Nkx2.5(+) lineage cells possess the potential to differentiate into various cardiomyocyte cell types and that RA can modify the differentiation potential of Nkx2.5(+) cardiomyocytes at an early stage.
Spontaneous dissection of the carotid and vertebral arteries.

When a tear occurs in one of the major arteries in the neck and allows blood to enter the wall of the artery and split its layers, the result is either stenosis or aneurysmal dilatation of the vessel. This process was long thought to be a rare cause of stroke, particularly in the absence of trauma, and the diagnosis was usually not made until the postmortem examination.1–3 It was not until the late 1970s, when Fisher et al.1 and Mokri et al.2 described dissections of carotid and vertebral arteries as detected by modern diagnostic approaches, that dissections began to .
Personalized therapy in endometrial cancer: Challenges and opportunities

Early stage endometrial cancer is generally curable. However, progress in the treatment of advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer has been limited. This has led to a shift from the use of traditional chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy regimens to the promising area of targeted therapy, given the large number of druggable molecular alterations found in endometrial cancer. To maximize the effects of directed targeted therapy, careful molecular characterization of the endometrial tumor is necessary. This represents an important difference in the use of targeted therapy vs. traditional chemotherapy or radiation treatment. This review will discuss relevant pathways to target in endometrial cancer as well as the challenges that arise during development of a personalized oncology approach.
Reinforcement learning based group navigation approach for multiple autonomous robotic system

In several complex applications, the use of multiple autonomous robotic systems (ARS) becomes necessary to achieve different tasks such as foraging and transport of heavy and large objects with less cost and more efficiency. They have to achieve a high level of flexibility, adaptability and efficiency in real environments. In this paper, a reinforcement learning (RL) based group navigation approach for multiple ARS is suggested. Indeed, the robots must have the ability to form geometric figures and navigate without collisions while maintaining the formation. Thus, each robot must learn how to take its place in the formation and avoid obstacles and other ARS from its interaction with the environment. This approach must provide ARS with capability to acquire the group navigation approach among several ARS from elementary behaviors by learning with trial and error search. Then, simulation results display the ability of the suggested approach to provide ARS with capability to navigate in a group formation in dynamic environments.
TWO-CLASS ROUTING WITH ADMISSION CONTROL AND STRICT PRIORITIES

We consider the problem of routing and admission control in a loss system featuring two classes of arriving jobs (high-priority and low-priority jobs) and two types of servers, in which decision-making for high-priority jobs is forced, and rewards influence the desirability of each of the four possible routing decisions. We seek a policy that maximizes expected long-run reward, under both the discounted reward and long-run average reward criteria, and formulate the problem as a Markov decision process. When the reward structure favors high-priority jobs, we demonstrate that there exists an optimal monotone switching curve policy with slope of at least −1. When the reward structure favors low-priority jobs, we demonstrate that the value function, in general, lacks structure, which complicates the search for structure in optimal policies. However, we identify conditions under which optimal policies can be characterized in greater detail. We also examine the performance of heuristic policies in a brief numerical study.
Temporal evolution and functional outcome of no reflow: sustained and spontaneously reversible patterns following successful coronary recanalisation

Objective: To identify in humans the temporal patterns of no reflow and their functional implications. Methods: 24 patients with first acute myocardial infarction and successful coronary recanalisation by recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (n = 15) or primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (n = 9) were studied by myocardial contrast echocardiography within 24 hours of recanalisation and at one month’s follow up. Myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed by intermittent harmonic power Doppler and intravenous Levovist. The regional contrast score index (CSI) was calculated within dysfunctioning myocardium. Videointensity was measured (dB) within risk and control areas and their ratio was calculated. Results: In 8 patients reflow was observed at 24 hours and persisted at one month. Conversely in 16 patients areas of no reflow were detectable at 24 hours. At one month, no reflow was spontaneously reversible in 9 patients (mean (SD) CSI and videointensity ratio improved from 2.5 (0.5) to 1.4 (0.6) and from 0.6 (0.1) to 0.7 (0.1), respectively; p < 0.05) and was sustained in the remaining 7 patients (CSI and videointensity ratio remained unchanged from 2.6 (0.6) to 2.6 (0.5) and from 0.5 (0.2) to 0.5 (0.2), respectively; NS). Left ventricular function improved significantly in patients with reflow and reversible no reflow. Volumes were enlarged only in patients with sustained no reflow. Conclusions: No reflow detected at 24 hours may be sustained or spontaneously reversible at one month. Such reversibility of the phenomenon is associated with preserved left ventricular volumes and function. Clarification of the mechanisms of delayed reversibility may lead to tailored treatment of no reflow even in the subacute phase of myocardial infarction.
Acute Blood Pressure Responses in Healthy Adults During Controlled Air Pollution Exposures

Exposure to air pollution has been shown to cause arterial vasoconstriction and alter autonomic balance. Because these biologic responses may influence systemic hemodynamics, we investigated the effect of air pollution on blood pressure (BP). Responses during 2-hr exposures to concentrated ambient fine particles (particulate matter < 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter; PM2.5) plus ozone (CAP+O3) were compared with those of particle-free air (PFA) in 23 normotensive, non-smoking healthy adults. Mean concentrations of PM2.5 were 147 ± 27 versus 2 ± 2 μg/m3, respectively, and those of O3 were 121 ± 3 versus 8 ± 5 ppb, respectively (p < 0.0001 for both). A significant increase in diastolic BP (DBP) was observed at 2 hr of CAP+O3 [median change, 6 mm Hg (9.3%); binomial 95% confidence interval (CI), 0 to 11; p = 0.013, Wilcoxon signed rank test] above the 0-hr value. This increase was significantly different (p = 0.017, unadjusted for basal BP) from the small 2-hr change during PFA (median change, 1 mm Hg; 95% CI, −2 to 4; p = 0.24). This prompted further investigation of the CAP+O3 response, which showed a strong association between the 2-hr change in DBP (and mean arterial pressure) and the concentration of the organic carbon fraction of PM2.5 (r = 0.53, p < 0.01; r = 0.56, p < 0.01, respectively) but not with total PM2.5 mass (r ≤ 0.25, p ≥ 0.27). These findings suggest that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of PM2.5 and O3 rapidly increases DBP. The magnitude of BP change is associated with the PM2.5 carbon content. Exposure to vehicular traffic may provide a common link between our observations and previous studies in which traffic exposure was identified as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Stage-Specific Changes in Plasmodium Metabolism Required for Differentiation and Adaptation to Different Host and Vector Environments

Malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) encounter markedly different (nutritional) environments during their complex life cycles in the mosquito and human hosts. Adaptation to these different host niches is associated with a dramatic rewiring of metabolism, from a highly glycolytic metabolism in the asexual blood stages to increased dependence on tricarboxylic acid (TCA) metabolism in mosquito stages. Here we have used stable isotope labelling, targeted metabolomics and reverse genetics to map stage-specific changes in Plasmodium berghei carbon metabolism and determine the functional significance of these changes on parasite survival in the blood and mosquito stages. We show that glutamine serves as the predominant input into TCA metabolism in both asexual and sexual blood stages and is important for complete male gametogenesis. Glutamine catabolism, as well as key reactions in intermediary metabolism and CoA synthesis are also essential for ookinete to oocyst transition in the mosquito. These data extend our knowledge of Plasmodium metabolism and point towards possible targets for transmission-blocking intervention strategies. Furthermore, they highlight significant metabolic differences between Plasmodium species which are not easily anticipated based on genomics or transcriptomics studies and underline the importance of integration of metabolomics data with other platforms in order to better inform drug discovery and design.
WORKPLACE LEARNING : SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE RHETORIC & THE REALITY Dr .

The use of competency frameworks as a basis for workplace learning initiatives is now relatively commonplace in organisations. This is reflected in the emphasis given to competencies in the HRD literature. However, the terrain of the competency discussion is somewhat ill defined. This article attempts to define the context within which the value of competencies as a basis for workplace learning can be considered and discusses the philosophical and epistemological perspectives found in much of the literature. Competency definition and competency measurement issues are explored as are a range of other issues concerning the value of competencies in a workplace learning context. The article concludes that in the interests of clarity, consistency and reliability of measurement, consensus needs to be reached on the basic parameters and definition of competency.
Unsafe Sexual Behavior and Correlates of Risk in a Probability Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Objective: To assess the levels and correlates of potential exposure to and transmission of HIV in a contemporary, community-based probability sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: In 2003, 311 sexually active MSM participated in a random-digit dial telephone survey in Seattle neighborhoods with a high prevalence of MSM. The primary outcomes were potential exposure to and transmission of HIV, defined as unprotected anal intercourse with a man of opposite or unknown HIV status in the preceding 12 months. Results: Fourteen percent of respondents reported being HIV-positive, 77% reported being HIV-negative, and 8% had not been tested. Of 241 HIV-negative MSM, 25 (10%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7–15%) were potentially exposed to HIV; among 45 HIV-positive MSM, 14 (31%; 95% CI, 20–46%) were potential HIV-transmitters. Among HIV-negative men, the strongest bivariate correlates of potential exposure to HIV were recent bacterial sexually transmitted disease (odds ratio [OR], 5.8), number of recent male sexual partners (OR, 1.01 per partner), recent sex at a bathhouse (OR, 9.1), and recent use of sildenafil (OR, 4.4), amyl nitrite (OR, 6.2), and methamphetamine (OR, 8.0). Among HIV-infected men, the strongest correlates of potential HIV transmission were recent use of amyl nitrite (OR, 3.1), number of recent male sex partners (OR, 1.07 per partner), and having a male spouse or domestic partner (OR, 0.3). Conclusions: Most MSM knew their HIV status and adopted safer sexual behaviors to reduce their risk of HIV acquisition or transmission. However, 10% of HIV-negative MSM and 31% of HIV-positive MSM recently engaged in behaviors that placed them at high risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV.
The Dialectical Nature of Impression Management in Knowledge Work

The stage on which impressions are managed is no longer purely a physical one but is increasingly mediated by various communication technologies that offer different affordances. This study examines the interplay of media affordances, impression management, and dialectical tensions in relationships between managers and their subordinates. Based on 91 semi-structured interviews and observations from six project teams operating in the consumer health, insurance, and engineering industries located in Sweden and the United States, we identify and explore three sets of impression management tactics. Our analysis reveals that the actions of managers and subordinates were often in dialectical tension, playing out through multiple media in a tactic–countertactic dynamic that played an important role in shaping manager–subordinate relationships. We discuss how these tactics complement and extend theory on impression management, dialectical tensions, and media use in organizations.
Why leaders fail: exploring the darkside

Purpose – With half of those in leadership positions maybe falling short, the purpose of this paper is to review literature on why leaders fail.Design/methodology/approach – A number of recent journal articles, book chapters and books were examined.Findings – The paper identified common causes of failure and possible remedial actions. Leaders that fail behave in ways reflective of their personality that limit or derail their careers. These flaws include arrogance, aloofness, perfectionism, insensitivity, selfishness and betraying the trust of others.Research limitations/implications – Very little research on this important topic has been conducted.Practical implications – Solutions highlight the role of early feedback in reducing leadership failures.Originality/value – This paper raises a topic important in leadership development but ignored by both researchers and managers.