Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatic hydrothorax: clinical review and update on consensus guidelines

ABSTRACT Hepatic Hydrothorax (HH) is defined as a pleural effusion greater than 500 ml in association with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. It is an uncommon complication of cirrhosis, most frequently seen in association with decompensated liver disease. The development of HH remains incompletely understood and involves a complex pathophysiological process with the most acceptable explanation being the passage of the ascetic fluid through small diaphragmatic defects. Given the limited capacity of the pleural space, even the modest pleural effusion can result in significant respiratory symptoms. The diagnosis of HH should be suspected in any patient with established cirrhosis and portal hypertension presenting with unilateral pleural effusion especially on the right side. Diagnostic thoracentesis should be performed in all patients with suspected HH to confirm the diagnosis and rule out infection and alternative diagnoses. Spontaneous bacterial empyema and spontaneous bacterial pleuritis can complicate HH and increase morbidity and mortality. HH can be difficult to treat and in our review below we will list the therapeutic modalities awaiting the evaluation for the only definitive therapy, which is liver transplantation
GABAA receptors are differentially sensitive to zinc: dependence on subunit composition

GABAA receptors with different subunit composition, were expressed in kidney cells and studied by whole cell recording. Expressed GABAA receptors were differentially sensitive to inhibition by zinc; receptors which lacked the γ subunit were inhibited by zinc. Embryonic neurones also exhibited zinc‐sensitive GABA responses, in contrast to adult neurones. This developmentally‐sensitive aspect of GABAA receptor pharmacology may be partly dependent on expression of the γ subunit.
Exzzpression and localization of angiogenin in placenta: Enhanced levels at term over first trimester villi

Human angiogenin, a 14‐kDa non‐glycosylated polypeptide with both angiogenic and ribonucleolytic activities, is implicated in angiogenesis, a complex process of proliferation and formation of new capillary blood vessels from existing blood vessels. Placental growth requires extensive angiogenesis, which develops its vascular structure in both fetal chorionic villi and maternal deciduas. In this study, we investigated the expression profiles of angiogenin in placental villi from early and late gestation at both mRNA and protein levels using explant cultures in vitro followed by RT‐PCR, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analyses. From functionally active placental explants, angiogenin was detected in conditioned media of all the samples from first trimester and term group. The mean levels of angiogenin produced by term villi were found to be 2.6‐, 2.1‐, and 2.2‐fold higher (P < 0.01) than first trimester villi at 24, 48, and 72 hr of culture, respectively. Expression profiles of angiogenin from term and first trimester villi seem to agree with its mRNA levels and immunoblot analysis; the expression in term villi was twice that in first trimester villi. The presence of angiogenin in placental villi and upregulation of its production towards term indicate that angiogenin production by the placenta is specific to the developmental stage. In conclusion, the observed changes in the localization and mRNA expression of angiogenin during placental development raise the possibility that it is involved in morphological and angiogenic changes in this endocrine organ vital to the successful fetal outcome during pregnancy. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 62: 159–166, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
TRPV1 is a novel target for omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Omega‐3 (n‐3) fatty acids are essential for proper neuronal function, and they possess prominent analgesic properties, yet their underlying signalling mechanisms are unclear. Here we show that n‐3 fatty acids interact directly with TRPV1, an ion channel expressed in nociceptive neurones and brain. These fatty acids activate TRPV1 in a phosphorylation‐dependent manner, enhance responses to extracellular protons, and displace binding of the ultrapotent TRPV1 ligand [3H]resiniferatoxin. In contrast to their agonistic properties, n‐3 fatty acids competitively inhibit the responses of vanilloid agonists. These actions occur in mammalian cells in the physiological concentration range of 1–10 μm. Significantly, docosahexaenoic acid exhibits the greatest efficacy as an agonist, whereas eicosapentaenoic acid and linolenic acid are markedly more effective inhibitors. Similarly, eicosapentaenoic acid but not docosahexaenoic acid profoundly reduces capsaicin‐evoked pain‐related behaviour in mice. These effects are independent of alterations in membrane elasticity because the micelle‐forming detergent Triton X‐100 only minimally affects TRPV1 properties. Thus, n‐3 fatty acids differentially regulate TRPV1 and this form of signalling may contribute to their biological effects. Further, these results suggest that dietary supplementation with selective n‐3 fatty acids would be most beneficial for the treatment of pain.
“On the Visually Perceived Direction of Motion” by Hans Wallach: 60 Years Later

In 1935, Hans Wallach published his doctoral thesis at the University of Berlin as a paper in the Psychologische Forschung titled "On the visually perceived direction of motion". His paper is about the perception of the direction of motion and how it is influenced by perceptual organization. Wallach's pioneering work is not only of historical interest, but also of contemporary scientific interest. It addresses many important issues related to the interaction between motion perception and form perception. A small part of the 1935 paper was translated from German into English by Wallach himself in his book On Perception (1976). However, we felt that it was important for the English-speaking vision community to have access to this remarkable scientific work in its entirety. Therefore we offer here its first complete translation into English. Wallach's 1935 paper begins with an exposition of the inherent ambiguity of the direction of motion of a line (figure 2)—which years later became known as 'the aperture problem'. Mathematically, a line with no identifiable features on it does not possess a well-defined direction of motion. However, perceptually such a line is always seen to move in the direction perpendicular to its orientation. Wallach found that, when the line moves behind an aperture, the perceived direction of motion changes from the perpendicular direction and is affected by the shape of the aperture. Therefore he used the perceived direction of motion of lines in apertures as a tool to study how motion signals from two-dimensional (2-D) features are integrated across space and time to yield a motion percept. After pointing out the inherent ambiguity of the motion of a featureless line and the removal of the ambiguity by 2-D features, Wallach turns (Section II, Part 2) to introduce and develop the notion of 'identity'. He observes that, although the moving line is physically featureless, the points comprising it are perceptually individuated ('identical'), and each of the possible perceived motions of the line is associated with a specific path traversed by such points that have a perceptual identity. Many of Wallach's observations are relevant to contemporary research, and have implications not only for the study of motion perception but also form and color perception. His results provide evidence against a modular scheme of visual processing, where form, color, and motion are computed in isolation. Instead, he found that the perceived direction of motion was linked to the perceptual organization of the scene: when several interpretations of the form exist, and several directions of motion are possible, only certain combinations of form and motion are perceived. Furthermore, Wallach stresses the point that the linkage is not simply causal (such that, for example, perceived form determines direction of motion, or vice versa), but rather
Punish, but not too hard: how costly punishment spreads in the spatial public goods game

We study the evolution of cooperation in spatial public goods games where, besides the classical strategies of cooperation (C) and defection (D), we consider punishing cooperators (PC) or punishing defectors (PD) as an additional strategy. Using a minimalist modeling approach, our goal is to separately clarify and identify the consequences of the two punishing strategies. Since punishment is costly, punishing strategies lose the evolutionary competition in case of well-mixed interactions. When spatial interactions are taken into account, however, the outcome can be strikingly different, and cooperation may spread. The underlying mechanism depends on the character of the punishment strategy. In the case of cooperating punishers, increasing the fine results in a rising cooperation level. In contrast, in the presence of the PD strategy, the phase diagram exhibits a reentrant transition as the fine is increased. Accordingly, the level of cooperation shows a non-monotonous dependence on the fine. Remarkably, punishing strategies can spread in both cases, but based on largely different mechanisms, which depend on the cooperativeness (or not) of punishers.
FES controller design based on threshold control theory for single joint movement

The threshold control theory is applied to build a physiology-based FES controller. The proposed control strategy is tested in simulation study with an integrated musculoskeletal model. The results suggest that the controller based on the threshold control theory alone can realize the task with small feedback delays. However, it is not capable to produce the movement fast enough to match the desired trajectory. Thus two extensions to improve the performance are proposed. Firstly, the feedback on actual movement velocity is replaced by the differences between the actual and desired velocities. Secondly, the feedback of joint angular acceleration is introduced to calculate the dynamic threshold. Simulation results suggest that such extensions can 1) improve the movement speed; 2) reduce the response time; and 3) reduce influence of external perturbation and feedback delays.
A Fast Incremental Hypervolume Algorithm

When hypervolume is used as part of the selection or archiving process in a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm, it is necessary to determine which solutions contribute the least hypervolume to a front. Little focus has been placed on algorithms that quickly determine these solutions and there are no fast algorithms designed specifically for this purpose. We describe an algorithm, IHSO, that quickly determines a solution's contribution. Furthermore, we describe and analyse heuristics that reorder objectives to minimize the work required for IHSO to calculate a solution's contribution. Lastly, we describe and analyze search techniques that reduce the amount of work required for solutions other than the least contributing one. Combined, these techniques allow multiobjective evolutionary algorithms to calculate hypervolume inline in increasingly complex and large fronts in many objectives.
Influence of fixation accuracy on threshold variability in patients with open angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE To evaluate the contribution that fixation errors make to the overall variability of perimetric responses in patients with glaucoma. METHODS Frequency of seeing curves were established, with and without fixation error correction, at two locations in each of 14 patients with glaucoma and good visual acuity. One location corresponded to a relatively normal region of the visual field, whereas the second corresponded to a region in which there was a sensitivity deficit. All patients had an acuity of better than 20/63 (except one whose acuity was 20/100). The locations of the first and fourth Purkinje images of a collimated infrared source were used to give a measure of eye position, during each stimulus presentation (accuracy 10 minutes of arc). RESULTS Considerable variation was found in patient fixation accuracy. In the worst case, fixation was within 30 minutes of the target in only 7% of presentations whereas in the best, it was within this range in more than 60%. No relationship was found between accuracy of fixation and extent of loss. The gradient of the frequency of seeing curve was found to be shallow at regions of reduced sensitivity, a finding that supports the recognized relationship between variability and sensitivity deficit. A recalculation of the frequency of seeing curves, using only those responses in which the patient's fixation was within a specified range ( < 60 minutes of arc), did not show a meaningful reduction in variability at either location. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that fixation errors, though contributing to variability, are not the major cause of the increased variability seen at locations with reduced sensitivity.
Feature Extraction and Classification of Emotions in Wave Files Using Crossbreed Algorithm

— The importance of automatically recognizing emotions in human speech has grown with the increasing role of spoken language interfaces in human-computer interaction applications. In this paper, emotion classification method based on hybrid of SVM and HMM algorithm is presented. Four primary human emotions, including anger, aggressive, happiness and sadness are investigated. For speech emotion recognition, we extracted 15 features to form the feature vector. Extracted features were sent into the improved crossbreed algorithm (hybrid of HMM & SVM) for classification and recognition. Results show that the selected features are robust and effective for the emotion recognition and give better accuracy compared to individual SVM & HMM classifiers.
Component processes in text comprehension and some of their interactions

Une experience menee aupres de 58 etudiants examine le role de 16 caracteristiques liees au traitement et celui de leurs interactions sur les temps de lecture mot a mot de 12 passages variant selon les 16 caracteristiques prises comme mesures des composantes de traitement (la longueur du mot, par exemple, revelant l'encodage du mot, la familiarite du texte l'activation de la connaissance, etc.)
Digital CMOS neuromorphic processor design featuring unsupervised online learning

The compute-intensive and power-efficient brain has been a source of inspiration for a broad range of neural networks to solve recognition and classification tasks. Compared to the supervised deep neural networks (DNNs) that have been very successful on well-defined labeled datasets, bio-plausible spiking neural networks (SNNs) with unsupervised learning rules could be well-suited for training and learning representations from the massive amount of unlabeled data. To design dense and low-power hardware for such unsupervised SNNs, we employ digital CMOS circuits for neuromorphic processors, which can exploit transistor scaling and dynamic voltage scaling to the utmost. As exemplary works, we present two neuromorphic processor designs. First, a 45nm neuromorphic chip is designed for a small-scale network of spiking neurons. Through tight integration of memory (64k SRAM synapses) and computation (256 digital neurons), the chip demonstrates on-chip learning on pattern recognition tasks down to 0.53V supply. Secondly, a 65nm neuromorphic processor that performs unsupervised on-line spike-clustering for brain sensing applications is implemented with 1.2k digital neurons and 4.7k latch-based synapses. The processor exhibits a power consumption of 9. 3μW/ch at 0.3V supply. Synapse hardware precision, efficient synapse memory array access, overfitting, and voltage scaling will be discussed for dense and power-efficient on-chip learning for CMOS spiking neural networks.
The Benefits of Photorespiratory Bypasses: How Can They Work?1[OPEN]

The benefits of a photorespiratory bypass depend on its metabolic and chloroplast membrane diffusion properties. Bypassing the photorespiratory pathway is regarded as a way to increase carbon assimilation and, correspondingly, biomass production in C3 crops. Here, the benefits of three published photorespiratory bypass strategies are systemically explored using a systems-modeling approach. Our analysis shows that full decarboxylation of glycolate during photorespiration would decrease photosynthesis, because a large amount of the released CO2 escapes back to the atmosphere. Furthermore, we show that photosynthesis can be enhanced by lowering the energy demands of photorespiration and by relocating photorespiratory CO2 release into the chloroplasts. The conductance of the chloroplast membranes to CO2 is a key feature determining the benefit of the relocation of photorespiratory CO2 release. Although our results indicate that the benefit of photorespiratory bypasses can be improved by increasing sedoheptulose bisphosphatase activity and/or increasing the flux through the bypass, the effectiveness of such approaches depends on the complex regulation between photorespiration and other metabolic pathways.
A Module Generator for Optimized CMOS Buffers

A module generator for CMOS buffers have been written in C. The generator optimizes buffer design with respect to a user specified objective function both in terms of performance and layout. Speed, area, power consumption, power-delay, AT and AT/sup 2/ are selectively optimized before the layout is produced. Such layout is generated in various configurations depending on load size. Technology file is easily updatable.
The Paradox of Potential: A Suggestion for Guiding Talent Management Discussions in Organizations

One of the most relevant yet misunderstood questions within talent management is how to successfully identify high-potential employees—people who will, when called upon, step up and actually deliver in larger roles with more responsibility. Almost every organization is faced with this dilemma, and often, the only source of information to predict future success is past job performance. But this information is not enough to go on; in fact, it is terribly incomplete. We know that to succeed at the next level, particularly if this is not a simple expansion of one’s existing role, it may take something quite different. And, of course, the cost of getting it wrong can be devastating in today’s environment of fast change and economic recession. Silzer and Church (2009) have thoroughly summarized the current state of the literature and practice on potential. There are, however, still quite a few unanswered questions. We hope to address one key point that was briefly addressed in the focal article: confusing performance with potential and, in turn, how to effectively guide a discussion of talent that considers both.
Scaffold Sheet Design Strategy for Soft Tissue Engineering

Creating heterogeneous tissue constructs with an even cell distribution and robust mechanical strength remain important challenges to the success of in vivo tissue engineering. To address these issues, we are developing a scaffold sheet tissue engineering strategy consisting of thin (~200 μm), strong, elastic, and porous crosslinked urethane-doped polyester (CUPE) scaffold sheets that are bonded together chemically or through cell culture. Suture retention of the tissue constructs (four sheets) fabricated by the scaffold sheet tissue engineering strategy is close to the surgical requirement (1.8 N) rendering their potential for immediate implantation without a need for long cell culture times. Cell culture results using 3T3 fibroblasts show that the scaffold sheets are bonded into a tissue construct via the extracellular matrix produced by the cells after 2 weeks of in vitro cell culture.
Dynamic change within workflow systems

Dynamic change is a large and pervasive unsolved problem which surfaces within office systems as well as within software engineering, manufacturing, and numerous other domains. Procedural changes, performed in an ad hoc manner, can cause inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and catastrophic breakdowns within offices. This paper is concerned with dynamic change to procedures in the context of workflow systems. How can we make workflow systems more flexible and open? We believe that part of the answer lies in the study and solution of the dynamic change problem. In this paper, we use a Petri net formalism to analyze structural change within office procedures. As an example, we define a class of change called “synthetic cut-over change”, and apply our formalism to prove that this class maintains correctness when downsizing occurs.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of painted human interphase chromosomes: active and inactive X chromosome territories have similar volumes but differ in shape and surface structure

This study provides a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of differences between the 3D morphology of active and inactive human X interphase chromosomes (Xa and Xi territories). Chromosome territories were painted in formaldehyde-fixed, three-dimensionally intact human diploid female amniotic fluid cell nuclei (46, XX) with X-specific whole chromosome compositive probes. The colocalization of a 4,6-diamidino-2- phenylindole dihydrochloride-stained Barr body with one of the two painted X territories allowed the unequivocal discrimination of the inactive X from its active counterpart. Light optical serial sections were obtained with a confocal laser scanning microscope. 3D- reconstructed Xa territories revealed a flatter shape and exhibited a larger and more irregular surface when compared to the apparently smoother surface and rounder shape of Xi territories. The relationship between territory surface and volume was quantified by the determination of a dimensionless roundness factor (RF). RF and surface area measurements showed a highly significant difference between Xa and Xi territories (P < 0.001) in contrast to volume differences (P > 0.1). For comparison with an autosome of similar DNA content, chromosome 7 territories were additionally painted. The 3D morphology of the chromosome 7 territories was similar to the Xa territory but differed strongly from the Xi territory with respect to RF and surface area (P < 0.001).
Crossings as a side effect of dependency lengths

The syntactic structure of sentences exhibits a striking regularity: dependencies tend to not cross when drawn above the sentence. We investigate two competing explanations. The traditional hypothesis is that this trend arises from an independent principle of syntax that reduces crossings practically to zero. An alternative to this view is the hypothesis that crossings are a side effect of dependency lengths, i.e. sentences with shorter dependency lengths should tend to have fewer crossings. We are able to reject the traditional view in the majority of languages considered. The alternative hypothesis can lead to a more parsimonious theory of language.
The Placebo Effect: Illness and Interpersonal Healing

The placebo effect has been a source of fascination, irritation, and confusion within biomedicine over the past 60 years. Although scientific investigation has accelerated in the past decade, with particular attention to neurobiological mechanisms, there has been a dearth of attention to developing a general theory of the placebo effect. In this article, we attempt to address this gap. To set the stage, we review evidence relating to the reality and clinical significance of the placebo effect. Next we investigate the scope and limits of the placebo effect by examining the hypothesis that the placebo effect operates predominantly by modifying the experience and perceptions of illness symptoms, such as pain, anxiety, and fatigue, rather than by modifying the pathophysiology of disease. Based on this background, we characterize the placebo effect as a form of interpersonal healing, as distinct from spontaneous natural healing and from technological healing dependent on physiologically active pharmaceuticals or procedures. Finally, we argue that research on the placebo effect has the potential to revitalize the art of medicine.