Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of acute ethanol on the Ca2+ response to AMPA in cultured rat cortical GABAergic nonpyramidal neurons.

AIMS AND METHODS Immunocytochemical studies revealed that the vast majority of neurons in our primary cultures of rat cortical cells are GABA-positive and represent nonpyramidal interneuron-like cells. The influence of ethanol on (S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA)-induced Ca2+ influx was investigated in multipolar, medium-sized neurons by using single-cell fura-2 microfluorimetry. RESULTS In a first series of experiments, the results showed a small but significant decrease of 17-22% by ethanol (100 mm) of the intracellular Ca2+ signals induced by slowly superfused AMPA (10, 30, 100 microm). This finding is comparable with the inhibitory activity of ethanol on N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-induced Ca2+ signals in these cells. Further studies with a fast pressure-application of AMPA (30 microm) showed a similar degree of inhibition by ethanol (100 mm). Superfusion with tetrodotoxin/bicuculline, to rule out possible effects of spontaneously released GABA and synaptic spike activity, did not significantly influence the AMPA-induced Ca2+ response nor the inhibitory effect of ethanol. CONCLUSIONS The present findings indicate that ethanol at high concentrations inhibits Ca2+ signaling via both AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors in cortical interneuron-like cells. These effects may contribute to the central depressant action of this drug.
Unbounded potential recovery in the plane

We reconstruct compactly supported potentials with only half a derivative in L from the scattering amplitude at a fixed energy. For this we draw a connection between the recently introduced method of Bukhgeim, which uniquely determined the potential from the Dirichletto-Neumann map, and a question of Carleson regarding the convergence to initial data of solutions to time-dependent Schrödinger equations. We also provide examples of compactly supported potentials, with s derivatives in L for any s < 1/2, which cannot be recovered by these means. Thus the recovery method has a different threshold in terms of regularity than the corresponding uniqueness result.
Analysis of spectral properties of speech for detecting suicide risk and impact of gender specific differences

Depression is a common mental disorder which causes human suffering and huge costs for society. Depression can lead to suicidal behavior. It is very important to realize that depression is a treatable disorder and suicide is a preventable act. It is very important to evaluate a patient‟s psychological state and to evaluate a depressed patient‟s risk of committing suicide, since suicide may be prevented by psychiatric help. The aim of this research is estimating the suicidal risk using mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) with high classification rates and the results show that the MFCCs are useful indicators for DP-HR discrimination. Different numbers of MFCCs (4, 8, 12, 16, and 20) are used to discriminate high risk suicidal patients from depressed patients with and without environmental compensation and with different classifiers (the linear and the quadratic). For all, the DP individual performance, the HR individual performance and the DP-HR pairwise group performances of the female interview and the female reading sessions, the uncompensated results which are analyzed with the quadratic classifier yield the best combination to get high classification results. For all, the HR individual performances and the DP-HR pairwise group performances of the male interview and the male reading sessions, the uncompensated quadratic classifier and the uncompensated linear classifier are the best combinations to get high classification results. For all, the DP individual 50 performances of the male interview and the male reading sessions, the uncompensated quadratic classifier is the best combination to get high classification results for all MFCCs except for 4 MFCCs. The compensated quadratic is the best one for 4 MFCCs. A different approach is proposed to maximize the classification rates of discriminating the high risk suicidal patients from the depressed patients using fewer coefficients. According to this approach, an optimal set of MFCCs are found using a cross validation technique. For the DP-HR total classification performance of the male patients, the reading session (78.00%) is slightly better than the interview session (75.20%). For the DP-HR total classification performance of the female patients, the interview session (66.40%) is slightly better than the reading session (63.90%). The DPHR total classification rates were better with the male patients.
Predator odours attract other predators, creating an olfactory web of information

Many studies have reported the aversive reactions of prey towards a predator's odour signals (e.g. urine marks), a behaviour widely thought to reduce the risk of predation by the predator. However, because odour signals persist in the environment, they are vulnerable to exploitation and eavesdropping by predators, prey and conspecifics. As such, scent patches created by one species might attract other species interested in information about their enemies. We studied this phenomenon by examining red fox investigation of odours from conspecifics and competing species in order to understand what prey are responding to when avoiding the odours of a predator. Surprisingly, foxes showed limited interest in conspecific odours but were highly interested in the odours of their competitors (wild dogs and feral cats), suggesting that odours are likely to play an important role in mediating competitive interactions. Importantly, our results identify that simple, dyadic interpretations of prey responses to a predator odour (i.e. cat odour = risk of cat encounter = fear of cats) can no longer be assumed in ecological or psychology research. Instead, interactions mediated by olfactory cues are more complex than previously thought and are likely to form a complicated olfactory web of interactions.
Posture optimization strategy for a statically stable robot traversing rough terrain

This paper presents a posture optimization algorithm for a six-legged walking robot. During walking on rough terrain and planning its motion the robot has to determine the horizontal position, distance to the ground, and inclination of the platform. The proposed posture optimization algorithm is based on the Particle Swarm Optimization method. The algorithm increases the stability margin and maximizes the possible motion range of the robot (by maximizing the kinematic margin of each leg). The computation of the kinematic margin is performed by using an analytical function obtained with the Gaussian approximation. The Gaussian-based approximation significantly decreases the time consumed by the algorithm and allows to implement the posture optimization procedure on the real robot. The posture optimization is used as a part of the RRT-based motion planer to find a full-body path while climbing the obstacles.
Multivariate Heavy-Tailed Models for Value-at-Risk Estimation

For purposes of Value-at-Risk estimation, we consider several multivariate families of heavy-tailed distributions, which can be seen as multidimensional versions of Paretian stable and Student's t distributions allowing different marginals to have different indices of tail thickness. After a discussion of relevant estimation and simulation issues, we conduct a backtesting study on a set of portfolios containing derivative instruments, using historical US stock price data.
Role of print and audiovisual media in cervical cancer prevention in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND Visual inspection of cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is offered at 252 centers in 64 districts of Bangladesh. VIA+ve women are managed at colposcopy clinics of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and 14 Medical College Hospitals (MCHs). This research work has been supported by 'UICC Cancer Prevention Campaign' programme. OBJECTIVES This study explored the role of print materials and electronic media to improve cervical cancer screening in the present socio-cultural context of Bangladesh. METHODS This study was performed from January to August 2011 at two upazilas of Bangladesh (Singair with screening facility and Sonargaon without screening facility). Data were collected by focus group discussion (FGD) with women, husbands and community people before and after intervention. Information on cervical cancer screening and VIA camps was disseminated using advertisement through local cable line of the television, microphone announcement, service providers and leaflet throughout the week prior to a VIA camp. Three-day VIA camps were organized at the upazila health complex (UHC) of both upazilas. Quantitative data was gathered from women at the camps on source of information on VIA and the best method of awareness creation. RESULTS The population was aware of "cancer" and a notable number knew about cervical cancer. Baseline awareness on prevention and VIA was low and it was negligible where screening services were unavailable. Awareness was increased fourfold in both upazilas after interventions and half of the women and the majority of the community people became aware of screening and available facilities. Cable line advertisement (25.5%), microphone announcement (21.4%), and discussion sessions (20.4%) were effective for awareness creation on VIA. Television was mentioned as the best method (37.4%) of awareness creation. CONCLUSION Television should be used for nation-wide awareness creation. For local awareness creation, cable line advertisement, microphone announcements and health education at Uthan Baithaks/ EPI sessions can easily be adopted by the government.
Comparison of chronic morphine and placebo infusion in late gestation fetal lambs: effect upon survival and breathing movements.

A placebo-controlled, randomized study of the effect of a 10-day infusion of morphine (MOR) upon fetal survival and fetal breathing movements was done in late gestation lambs. MOR infusion at a rate of 3 mg.hr-1 did not affect fetal survival or the response of fetal breathing movements to hypercapnia. Chronic exposure to MOR increased the height of the integrated diaphragmatic electromyogram signal (IDIA), respiratory drive and inspiratory effort during periods of eucapnia. Respiratory drive was determined by the product of IDIA height and breathing frequency, and inspiratory effort was the quotient of IDIA height divided by inspiratory time. These effects may be related to accumulation of morphine-3-beta-D-glucuronide. Higher doses of MOR, 10 (n = 3) and 30 (n = 1) mg.hr-1, caused seizures and decreased fetal survival.
The Effect of Short‐Term Isokinetic Training on Force and Rate of Velocity Development

This study determines the effects of short-term isokinetic training on rate of velocity development (RVD) and force. Three groups were pre- and posttested for knee extension RVD and force at 1.04 (slow) and 4.18 rad·s-1 (fast) on a Kin-Com dynamometer. The slow and fast groups completed 2 days of velocity-specific training, whereas the control group did not train. Four-way analysis of variance results demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) decreases in RVD between pre-and posttests for the slow group at the slow velocity (RVD—1.25 ± 0.04° vs. 1.08 ± 0.03°) and for the fast group at the fast velocity (RVD—14.24 ± 0.33° vs. 13.59 ± 0.29°). Force exhibited no significant differences between testing days for any group. These results demonstrate that short-term isokinetic training results in velocity-specific RVD improvements. These acute RVD improvements may serve to offset strength deficits in power environments on the basis of the mutable relationship between force and velocity.
Impact analysis for timing requirements on real-time systems

The analysis of real-time properties is crucial in safety critical areas, and is particularly difficult for distributed systems as complex interferences between tasks of different priorities can occur. In previous works we have introduced a state-based analysis approach to validate end-to-end deadlines for distributed systems, where the state spaces of all resources, such as processors and buses, are computed in a compositional fashion. For this, abstraction and composition operations were defined to adequately handle task and resource dependencies. During the design process of a system changes occur typically on both the specification and implementation level, such that already performed analyses of the system have to be repeated. In this work, we define a methodology to adequately handle such changes and to determine the minimal part of the affected architecture. For this, we define an appropriate refinement relation between state spaces of the resources. We use contracts to further reduce the re-validation effort. This check takes place at a higher design level, where only the specification is considered.
Efficacy of the protease inhibitor BI 201335, polymerase inhibitor BI 207127, and ribavirin in patients with chronic HCV infection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Therapeutic regimens are being developed for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that do not include the combination of peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. We investigated the antiviral effect and safety of BI 201335 (an inhibitor of the NS3/4A protease) and BI 207127 (an inhibitor of the NS5B non-nucleoside polymerase) with ribavirin. METHODS Thirty-two treatment-naïve patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection were randomly assigned to groups that were given 400 mg or 600 mg BI 207127 3 times daily plus 120 mg BI 201335 once daily and 1000 to 1200 mg/day ribavirin for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was virologic response (HCV RNA level <25 IU/mL at week 4). Thirty-two patients received treatment; 31 completed all 4 weeks of assigned combination therapy. RESULTS In the group given BI 207127 400 mg 3 times daily, the rates of virologic response were 47%, 67%, and 73% at days 15, 22, and 29; a higher rate of response was observed in patients with genotype-1b compared with genotype-1a infections. In the group given BI 207127 600 mg 3 times daily, the rates of virologic response were 82%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, and did not differ among genotypes. One patient in the group given 400 mg 3 times daily had virologic breakthrough (≥1 log(10) rebound in HCV RNA) at day 22. The most frequent adverse events were mild gastrointestinal disorders, rash, and photosensitivity. There were no severe or serious adverse events; no patients discontinued therapy prematurely. CONCLUSIONS The combination of the protease inhibitor BI 201335, the polymerase inhibitor BI 207127, and ribavirin has rapid and strong activity against HCV genotype-1 and did not cause serious or severe adverse events.
Microresonator-Based Optical Frequency Combs: A Time Domain Perspective

Abstract : Optical frequency combs are promising for a variety of applications. Comb generation based on nonlinear wave mixing in optical microresonators offers promise to replace traditional mode-locked laser combs and to substantially shrink the size of comb sources to the chip-level for applications outside of specialized research laboratories. In this project we studied comb generation in microresonators formed in silicon nitride films on siliconchips. Our most important contribution has been to convincingly demonstrate that in addition to the anomalous dispersion microresonator devices commonly studied, comb generation can and does occur in normal dispersion microresonators and is made possible by interactions between different spatial modes in the few-moded waveguides from which the microresonators are fabricated. Time domain measurements show for the first timethat under normal dispersion, combs can take the form of mode-locked dark pulses. Comb generation from normal dispersion micoresonators offers potential for operation deep into the visible spectrum (where normal dispersion dominates), may be compatible with thinner, lower loss films,and may provide opportunities for higher power (at the cost of reduced optical bandwidth).
Expression of the efflux pump genes cmeB, cmeF and the porin gene porA in multiple-antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter jejuni.

AIMS In Escherichia coli, increased expression of efflux pumps and/or decreased expression of porins can confer multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR), causing resistance to at least three unrelated classes of antibiotics, detergents and dyes. It was hypothesized that in Campylobacter jejuni, the efflux systems CmeABC, CmeDEF and the major outer membrane porin protein, MOMP (encoded by porA) could confer MAR. METHODS The expression of cmeB, cmeF and porA in 32 MAR C. jejuni isolated from humans or poultry was determined by comparative (C)-reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and denaturing DHPLC. A further 13 ethidium bromide-resistant isolates and three control strains were also investigated. Accumulation of ciprofloxacin+/-carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) was also determined for all strains. RESULTS Although resistance to ethidium bromide has been associated with MAR, expression of all three genes was similar in the ethidium bromide-resistant isolates. These data indicate that CmeB, CmeF and MOMP play no role in resistance to this agent in C. jejuni. Six MAR isolates over-expressed cmeB, 3/32 over-expressed cmeB and cmeF. No isolates over-expressed cmeF alone. Expression of porA was similar in all isolates. All nine isolates that over-expressed cmeB contained a mutation in cmeR, substituting glycine 86 with alanine. All cmeB over-expressing isolates also accumulated low concentrations of ciprofloxacin, which were restored to wild-type levels in the presence of CCCP. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that over-expression of cmeB is associated with MAR in isolates of C. jejuni. However, as cmeB was over-expressed by only one-third (9/32) of MAR isolates, these data also indicate other mechanisms of MAR in C. jejuni.
The Structure of the Gene for Murine CTP:Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase, Ctpct

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant eukaryotic phospholipid and serves critical structural and cell-signaling functions. CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the CDP-choline pathway of PC biosynthesis, which is utilized by all tissues and is the sole or major PC biosynthetic pathway in all non-hepatic cells. Herein, we present the complete structure of the murine CT (Ctpct) gene. One P1 genomic clone and six subsequent plasmid subclones were isolated and analyzed for the exon-intron organization of the Ctpctgene. The gene spans approximately 26 kilobases and is composed of 9 exons and 8 introns. The exons match the distinct functional domains of the CT enzyme: exon 1 is untranslated; exon 2 codes for the nuclear localization signal domain; exons 4–7 encompass the catalytic domain; exon 8 codes for the α-helical membrane-binding domain; and exon 9 includes the C-terminal phosphorylation domain. Two transcriptional initiation sites, spaced 35 nucleotides apart, were identified using 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction. The 5′ natural flanking region was found to lack TATA or CAAT boxes and to contain GC-rich regions, which are features typical of promoters of housekeeping genes. Several sites that have the potential to interact with transcription regulatory factors, such as Sp1, AP1, AP2, AP3, Y1, and TFIIIA, were identified in the 5′-region of the gene and found to be distributed in two distinct clusters. These data will provide the basis for future studies on the cis- andtrans-acting factors involved in Ctpct gene transcription and for the creation of induced mutant mouse models of altered CT activity.
Phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial gene flow and introgression in the salamander, Plethodon shermani

Plethodon shermani comprises a series of geographically disjunct populations occupying high‐elevation mountain isolates. These populations hybridize at their borders with salamanders of the Plethodon glutinosus species complex, and past range expansions inferred from Pleistocene climatic cycles may have increased the possible genetic interactions between P. shermani and species of the P. glutinosus complex. Because mitochondrial DNA haplotypes often show introgression across species borders, we survey mtDNA variation for evidence of past and ongoing genetic interactions between P. shermani, its close relative Plethodon cheoah, and species of the P. glutinosus complex. Ongoing hybridization with the P. glutinosus‐complex species Plethodon teyahalee is accompanied by extensive mitochondrial introgression in some Unicoi populations of P. shermani, but it has little genetic impact on P. shermani populations outside hybrid zones at three other isolates (Tusquitee, Wayah Bald, Standing Indian). Some Unicoi populations of P. shermani exhibit mtDNA evidence of past hybridization with diverse lineages from P. aureolus and P. glutinosus. The Tusquitee isolate of P. shermani is also characterized by mtDNA haplotypes most closely related to Plethodon aureolus and P. glutinosus, presumably introduced by past genetic contact with these species or with introgressed populations of Unicoi P. shermani. The mtDNA variation in sampled populations of the Wayah Bald and Standing Indian isolates of P. shermani appears largely unaffected by ongoing hybridization. Principal components analyses of allozymic data indicate that P. shermani isolates collectively form a genetically homogeneous unit clearly demarcated from species with which they have had current or past genetic interactions. Rapid mtDNA introgression associated with transient contacts between P. shermani and other species permits a fine‐level resolution of evolutionary lineages not evident from allozymic data.
Mid-infrared imaging- and spectro-polarimetric subarcsecond observations of NGC 1068

We present subarcsecond 7.5–13 μm imaging- and spectro-polarimetric observations of NGC 1068 using CanariCam on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS. At all wavelengths, we find: (1) A 90 × 60 pc extended polarized feature in the northern ionization cone, with a uniform ∼44∘ polarization angle. Its polarization arises from dust and gas emission in the ionization cone, heated by the active nucleus and jet, and further extinguished by aligned dust grains in the host galaxy. The polarization spectrum of the jet–molecular cloud interaction at ∼24 pc from the core is highly polarized, and does not show a silicate feature, suggesting that the dust grains are different from those in the interstellar medium. (2) A southern polarized feature at ∼9.6 pc from the core. Its polarization arises from a dust emission component extinguished by a large concentration of dust in the galaxy disc. We cannot distinguish between dust emission from magnetically aligned dust grains directly heated by the jet close to the core, and aligned dust grains in the dusty obscuring material surrounding the central engine. Silicate-like grains reproduce the polarized dust emission in this feature, suggesting different dust compositions in both ionization cones. (3) An upper limit of polarization degree of 0.3 per cent in the core. Based on our polarization model, the expected polarization of the obscuring dusty material is ≲0.1 per cent in the 8–13 μm wavelength range. This low polarization may be arising from the passage of radiation through aligned dust grains in the shielded edges of the clumps.