Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-Dependent Ocular Dominance Plasticity in Adult Mice

Background Short monocular deprivation (4 days) induces a shift in the ocular dominance of binocular neurons in the juvenile mouse visual cortex but is ineffective in adults. Recently, it has been shown that an ocular dominance shift can still be elicited in young adults (around 90 days of age) by longer periods of deprivation (7 days). Whether the same is true also for fully mature animals is not yet known. Methodology/Principal Findings We therefore studied the effects of different periods of monocular deprivation (4, 7, 14 days) on ocular dominance in C57Bl/6 mice of different ages (25 days, 90–100 days, 109–158 days, 208–230 days) using optical imaging of intrinsic signals. In addition, we used a virtual optomotor system to monitor visual acuity of the open eye in the same animals during deprivation. We observed that ocular dominance plasticity after 7 days of monocular deprivation was pronounced in young adult mice (90–100 days) but significantly weaker already in the next age group (109–158 days). In animals older than 208 days, ocular dominance plasticity was absent even after 14 days of monocular deprivation. Visual acuity of the open eye increased in all age groups, but this interocular plasticity also declined with age, although to a much lesser degree than the optically detected ocular dominance shift. Conclusions/Significance These data indicate that there is an age-dependence of both ocular dominance plasticity and the enhancement of vision after monocular deprivation in mice: ocular dominance plasticity in binocular visual cortex is most pronounced in young animals, reduced but present in adolescence and absent in fully mature animals older than 110 days of age. Mice are thus not basically different in ocular dominance plasticity from cats and monkeys which is an absolutely essential prerequisite for their use as valid model systems of human visual disorders.
Guanylate cyclase-C as a therapeutic target in gastrointestinal disorders

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and IBDs are two of the most prevalent disorders of the GI tract and consume a significant proportion of healthcare resources. Recent studies have shown that membrane-bound guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) receptors lining the GI tract may serve as novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of FGIDs and IBDs. GC-C receptor activation by its endogenous paracrine hormones uroguanylin and guanylin, and the resulting intracellular production of its downstream effector cyclic GMP, occurs in a pH-dependent manner and modulates key physiological functions. These include fluid and electrolyte homeostasis, maintenance of the intestinal barrier, anti-inflammatory activity and regulation of epithelial regeneration. Studies of the GC-C paracrine signalling axis have revealed the therapeutic potential of these receptors in treating GI disorders, including chronic idiopathic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome–constipation. This review focuses on the evolving understanding of GC-C function in health and disease, and strategies for translating these principles into new treatments for FGIDs and IBDs.
Microtubules and protein secretion in rat lacrimal glands: localization of short-term effects of colchicine on the secretory process

The pathway and kinetics of the secretory protein transport in rat lacrimal exorbital gland have been established by an in vitro time- course radioautographic study of pulse-labeled protein secretion. The colchicine-sensitive steps have been localized by using the drug at various times with respect to the pulse labeling of proteins. Colchicine (10 microM) does not block any step of the secretory protein transport, but when introduced before the pulse it decreases the transfer of labeled proteins from the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi area, suppressing their temporary accumulation in the Golgi area before any alteration of this organelle is detectable. Moreover, colchicine inhibits protein release only from the secretory granules formed in its presence because the peroxidase discharge is diminished 1 h after colchicine addition, and the secretion of newly synthesized proteins is strongly inhibited only when colchicine is introduced before secretory granule formation. Morphometric studies show that there is a great increase of secondary lysosomes, related to crinophagy, as early as 40-50 min after colchicine is added. However, changes in lysosomal enzymatic activities remained biochemically undetectable. We conclude that: (a) the labile microtubular system does not seem indispensable for protein transport in the rough endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi area but may facilitate this step, perhaps by maintaining the spatial organization of this area; and (b) in the lacrimal gland, colchicine inhibits protein release not by acting on the steps of secretion following the secretory granule formation, but by acting chiefly on the steps preceding secretory granule formation, perhaps by making the secretory granules formed in its presence incapable of discharging their content.
Heat Kernel Smoothing on Human Cortex Extracted from Magnetic Resonance Images

Gaussian kernel smoothing has been widely used in 3D whole brain imaging analysis as a way to increase signal-to-noise ratio. Gaussian kernel is isotropic in Euclidian space. However, data obtained on the convoluted brain cortex fails to be isotropic in the Euclidean sense. On the curved surface, a straight line between two points is not the shortest distance so one may incorrectly assign less weights to closer observations. In this paper, we will present how to correctly formulate isotropic smoothing for data on the human cortical surface that was extracted from the magnetic resonance images. As an illustration, we show how to detect the regions of abnormal cortical pattern in 16 autistic children that utilizes the new technique.
Epithelial and Mesenchymal Cell Biology Alternatively Activated Macrophages and Collagen Remodeling Characterize the Postpartum Involuting Mammary Gland across Species

From the Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology,* the Program in Cancer Biology, the Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, the Webb-Waring Center, and the Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora; the University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora; the Department of Biology,** University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs; the Department of Gynecologic and Breast Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, and American Registry of Pathology, Washington DC; and the AMC Cancer Research Center, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado
AFTAB ECONOMIC MECHANISMS FOR COEXISTENCE 1 Economic Mechanisms For Efficient Wireless Coexistence

Unchecked greed can adversely impact the efficiency of wireless systems. Individual devices have no motivation to conserve shared resources, and this inevitably leads to poor utilization of spectrum. Indeed, it has been oft demonstrated that there is a real risk of spiraling performance losses, culminating in a classic Tragedy of the Commons. Recognizing that efficient coexistence requires allocating spectrum resources optimally – a classic economic problem – we explore economic mechanisms for wireless coexistence. In doing so, we develop a novel approach that allows for more efficient coexistence in wireless systems. Each node is assigned an artificial budget, and nodes intelligently use this wealth to dynamically bid for the right to transmit. We explore the workings of such an artificial economy, and end with an overview of decentralized implementations for our system.
Reducing Parsing Complexity by Intra-Sentence Segmentation based on Maximum Entropy Model

Long sentence analysis has been a critical problem because of high complexity. This paper addresses the reduction of parsing complexity by intra-sentence segmentation, and presents maximum entropy model for determining segmentation positions. The model features lexical contexts of segmentation positions, giving a probability to each potential position. Segmentation coverage and accuracy of the proposed method are 96% and 88% respectively. The parsing efficiency is improved by 77% in time and 71% in space.
Evaluation of Respiratory Symptoms in Workers of a Rubber Factory

Aim: In this study, our objective was to investigate whether there is any relationship between working in the rubber industry and having respiratory symptoms. Method: This study was performed on 141 workers of a rubber factory. Anamnesis, physical examination and pulmonary function tests (PFT) were evaluated. Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) follow-up and skin Prick Test were administered to the patients according to the results of respiratory system complaints, physical examination and PFT. Result: One hundred and forty one workers who accepted to participate in the study consisted of 116 (82.3%) males and 25 females (17.7%). In the comparison group with greater exposure results were obtained in the normal range, however the parameters of FEV 1 /FVC and FEF 25-75 (%) were lower in the greater exposure group. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Variability was greater than 20% in 9 (6.3%) workers in the evaluation of PEF-meter follow-up forms. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study has demonstrated that exposure to dust and smoking in rubber industry seem to be associated with the development of occupational respiratory symptoms and diseases. That’s why, control of dust exposure and cessation of smoking is important in prevention of this situations.
Fast comparisons of circuit implementations

Digital designs can be mapped to different implementations using diverse approaches, with varying cost criteria. Post-processing transforms, such as transistor sizing can drastically improve circuit performance, by optimizing critical paths to meet timing specifications. However, most transistor sizing tools have high execution times, and the attainable circuit delay can be determined only after running the tool. In this paper, we present an approach for fast transistor sizing that can enable a designer to choose one among several functionally identical implementations. Our algorithm computes the minimum achievable delay of a circuit with a maximum average error of 5.5% in less than a second for even the largest benchmarks.
A fracture-resistant high-entropy alloy for cryogenic applications

A metal alloy that is stronger when cold Metal alloys normally consist of one dominant element, with others in small amounts to improve specific properties. For example, stainless steel is primarily iron with nickel and chromium but may contain trace amounts of other elements. Gludovatz et al. explored the properties of a high-entropy alloy made from equal amounts of chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, and nickel. Not only does this alloy show excellent strength, ductility, and toughness, but these properties improve at cryogenic temperatures where most alloys change from ductile to brittle. Science, this issue p. 1153 A high-entropy alloy shows exceptional mechanical properties under cryogenic conditions. High-entropy alloys are equiatomic, multi-element systems that can crystallize as a single phase, despite containing multiple elements with different crystal structures. A rationale for this is that the configurational entropy contribution to the total free energy in alloys with five or more major elements may stabilize the solid-solution state relative to multiphase microstructures. We examined a five-element high-entropy alloy, CrMnFeCoNi, which forms a single-phase face-centered cubic solid solution, and found it to have exceptional damage tolerance with tensile strengths above 1 GPa and fracture toughness values exceeding 200 MPa·m1/2. Furthermore, its mechanical properties actually improve at cryogenic temperatures; we attribute this to a transition from planar-slip dislocation activity at room temperature to deformation by mechanical nanotwinning with decreasing temperature, which results in continuous steady strain hardening.
High strength and bonding achieved with new flexible EverStick posts: A case report

Tooth structure that remains after endodontic treatment has been undermined and weakened by all of the previous episodes of caries, fracture, tooth preparation, or restoration. A post and core becomes a necessity in most of the cases. The tooth is further weakened when the clinician decides to give a full coverage crown which leads to greater tooth structure loss. In these two case reports, a novel technique has been discussed involving a new material in which lost tooth structure is restored by means of direct composite resin. The teeth following the treatment are structurally strong and possess good esthetics.
Identifying Patients at High Risk for Stroke Despite Anticoagulation: A Comparison of Contemporary Stroke Risk Stratification Schemes in an Anticoagulated Atrial Fibrillation Cohort

Background and Purpose— The risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is not homogeneous, and various clinical risk factors have informed the development of stroke risk stratification schemes (RSS). Among anticoagulated cohorts, the emphasis should be on the identification of patients who remain at high risk for stroke despite anticoagulation. Methods— We investigated predictors of thromboembolism (TE) risk in an anticoagulated AF clinical trial cohort (n=7329 subjects) and tested the predictive value of contemporary RSS in this cohort: CHADS2, Framingham, NICE 2006, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology 2006, the 8th American College of Chest Physicians guidelines and the CHA2DS2-VASc schemes. Results— On multivariate analysis, significant predictors of TE were stroke/TIA (hazard ratio [HR], 2.24; P<0.001), age 75 years or older (HR, 1.77; P=0.0002), coronary artery disease (HR, 1.52; P=0.0047), and smoking (HR, 2.10; P=0.0005), whereas reported alcohol use (HR, 0.70; P=0.02) was protective. Comparison of contemporary RSS demonstrated variable classification of AF patients into risk strata, although c-statistics for TE were broadly similar among the RSS tested and varied between 0.575 (NICE 2006) and 0.647 (CHA2DS2-VASc). CHA2DS2-VASc classified 94.2% as being at high risk, whereas most other RSS categorized two-thirds as being at high risk. Of the 184 TE events, 181 (98.4%) occurred in patients identified as being at high risk by the CHA2DS2-VASc schema. There was a stepwise increase in TE with increasing CHA2DS2-VASc score (Ptrend<0.0001), which had the highest HR (3.75) among the tested schemes. The negative predictive value (ie, the percent categorized as “not high risk” actually being free from TE) for CHA2DS2-VASc was 99.5%. Conclusion— Coronary artery disease and smoking are additional risk factors for TE in anticoagulated AF patients, whereas alcohol use appears protective. Of the contemporary stroke RSS, the CHA2DS2-VASc scheme correctly identified the greatest proportion of AF patients at high risk, despite the similar predictive ability of most RSS evidenced by the c-statistic.
Peripheral glutamate signaling in head and neck areas

The major excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate is also found in the periphery in an increasing number of nonexcitable cells. In line with this it became apparent that glutamate can regulate a broad array of peripheral biological responses, as well. Of particular interest is the discovery that glutamate receptor reactive reagents can influence tumor biology. However, the knowledge of glutamate signaling in peripheral tissues is still incomplete and, in the case of head and neck areas, is almost lacking. The roles of glutamate signaling pathways in these regions are manifold and include orofacial pain, periodontal bone production, skin and airway inflammation, as well as salivation. Furthermore, the interrelations between glutamate and cancers in the oral cavity, thyroid gland, and other regions are discussed. In summary, this review shall strengthen the view that glutamate receptor reagents may also be promising targets for novel therapeutic concepts suitable for a number of diseases in peripheral tissues. The contents of this review cover the following sections: Introduction; The “Glutamate System”; The Taste of Glutamate; Glutamate Signaling in Dental Regions; Glutamate Signaling in Head and Neck Areas; Glutamate Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer; A Brief Overview of Glutamate Signaling in Other Cancers; and Conclusion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010
Effects of ensemble action selection with different usage of player's memory resource on the evolution of cooperative strategies for iterated prisoner's dilemma game

In our previous study, we proposed an ensemble action selection model where each player has multiple strategies with different memory length for the iterated prisoner's dilemma (IPD) game. An action was suggested by each strategy based on its memory about opponent's single, two or three actions. Majority vote was used for action selection. Under these settings, the evolution of cooperation was examined for various ensembles (i.e., various combinations of strategies). In this paper, we extend our ensemble model to a more general case where strategies have different memory usage. Each strategy of a player has a memory of opponent's and/or player's previous actions. For example, a memory of a strategy can be opponent's single and player's two actions. Another strategy's memory can be player's three actions. Various combinations of strategies for ensemble action selection are examined in this paper. It is shown through computational experiments that the use of ensemble action selection enhances the evolution of cooperation. It is also shown that no cooperation is evolved among strategies with no memory about opponent's actions. An interesting observation is that cooperation is evolved by players with the combination of the following three strategies: two strategies with no memory about opponent's actions, and a single strategy with a memory of both player's and opponent's actions.
Dual connectivity in LTE HetNets with split control- and user-plane

Recently, a new network architecture with split control-plane and user-plane has been proposed and gained a lot of momentum in the standardisation of Long Term Evolution (LTE) Release 12. In this new network architecture, the control-plane, which transmits system information and handles user connectivity, and the user-plane, which manages user data, are split and no longer transmitted necessarily by the same network node. This dual connectivity confers a large flexibility to the system, and allows for a more energy efficient operation and enhanced mobility management. In this paper, we present a detailed description of our dual connectivity framework based on the latest LTE-Advanced enhancements, in which macrocell-assisted (MA) small cells use different channel state information-reference signals (CSI-RS) to differentiate among each other and allow User Equipment (UE) to take adequate measurements for cell (re)selection. Taking into account the limited number of available CSI-RSs, we study the assignment problem of CSI-RSs to MA small cells, analyse CSI-RS collision and confusion issues and present simulation results to demonstrate the flexibility of the proposed network architecture.
Chemistry and Biotechnology of Carotenoids

Carotenoids are one of the most widespread groups of pigments in nature and more than 600 of these have been identified. Beside provitamin A activity, carotenoids are important as antioxidants and protective agents against various diseases. They are isoprenoids with a long polyene chain containing 3 to 15 conjugated double bonds, which determines their absorption spectrum. Cyclization at one or both ends occurs in hydrocarbon carotene, while xanthophylls are formed by the introduction of oxygen. In addition, modifications involving chain elongation, isomerization, or degradation are also found. The composition of carotenoids in food may vary depending upon production practices, post-harvest handling, processing, and storage. In higher plants they are synthesized in the plastid. Both mevalonate dependent and independent pathway for the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate are known. Isopentenyl diphosphate undergoes a series of addition and condensation reactions to form phytoene, which gets converted to lycopene. Cyclization of lycopene either leads to the formation of β-carotene and its derivative xanthophylls, β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and violaxanthin or α-carotene and lutein. Even though most of the carotenoid biosynthetic genes have been cloned and identified, some aspects of carotenoid formation and manipulation in higher plants especially remain poorly understood. In order to enhance the carotenoid content of crop plants to a level that will be required for the prevention of diseases, there is a need for research in both the basic and the applied aspects.
A Medical Informatics Perspective on Clinical Decision Support Systems

Summary Objective: To summarize excellent research and to select best papers published in 2012 in the field of computer-based decision support in healthcare. Methods: A bibliographic search focused on clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) and computer provider order entry was performed, followed by a double-blind literature review. Results: The review process yielded six papers, illustrating various aspects of clinical decision support. The first paper is a systematic review of CDSS intervention trials in real settings, and considers different types of possible outcomes. It emphasizes the heterogeneity of studies and confirms that CDSSs can improve process measures but that evidence lacks for other types of outcomes, especially clinical or economic. Four other papers tackle the safety of drug prescribing and show that CDSSs can be efficient in reducing prescription errors. The sixth paper exemplifies the growing role of ontological resources which can be used for several applications including decision support. Conclusions: CDSS research has to be continuously developed and assessed. The wide variety of systems and of interventions limits the understanding of factors of success of CDSS implementations. A standardization in the characterization of CDSSs and of intervention trial reporting will help to overcome this obstacle.
Reducing statistical dependencies in natural signals using radial Gaussianization

We consider the problem of transforming a signal to a representation in which the components are statistically independent. When the signal is generated as a linear transformation of independent Gaussian or non-Gaussian sources, the solution may be computed using a linear transformation (PCA or ICA, respectively). Here, we consider a complementary case, in which the source is non-Gaussian but elliptically symmetric. Such a source cannot be decomposed into independent components using a linear transform, but we show that a simple nonlinear transformation, which we call radial Gaussianization (RG), is able to remove all dependencies. We apply this methodology to natural signals, demonstrating that the joint distributions of nearby bandpass filter responses, for both sounds and images, are closer to being elliptically symmetric than linearly transformed factorial sources. Consistent with this, we demonstrate that the reduction in dependency achieved by applying RG to either pairs or blocks of bandpass filter responses is significantly greater than that achieved by PCA or ICA.