Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Processing Speed across the Lifespan: Beyond the Influence of Motor Speed

Traditional neuropsychological measurement of cognitive processing speed with tasks such as the Symbol Search and Coding subsets of the WAIS-IV, consistently show decline with advancing age. This is potentially problematic with populations where deficits in motor performance are expected, i.e., in aging or stroke populations. Thus, the aim of the current study was to explore the contribution of hand motor speed to traditional paper-and-pencil measures of processing speed and to a simple computer-customized non-motor perception decision task, the Inspection Time (IT) task. Participants were 67 young university students aged between 18 and 29 (59 females), and 40 older adults aged between 40 and 81 (31 females) primarily with a similar education profile. As expected, results indicated that age group differences were highly significant on the motor dexterity, Symbol Search and Coding tasks. However, no significant differences or correlations were seen between age groups and the simple visual perception IT task. Furthermore, controlling for motor dexterity did not remove significant age-group differences on the paper-and-pencil measures. This demonstrates that although much of past research into cognitive decline with age is confounded by use of motor reaction times as the operational measure, significant age differences in cognitive processing also exist on more complex tasks. The implications of the results are crucial in the realm of aging research, and caution against the use of traditional WAIS tasks with a clinical population where motor speed may be compromised, as in stroke.
Dronedarone: An Emerging Agent with Rhythm‐ and Rate‐Controlling Effects

Of current antiarrhythmic agents, amiodarone is among the most effective with the additional advantage of having little proarrhythmic potential. However, it can cause potentially serious extracardiac side effects, stimulating the search for safer derivatives. Dronedarone, a new antiarrhythmic drug that is structurally related to amiodarone, lacks an iodine moiety and, thus, amiodarone's iodine‐related organ toxicity, while its methane sulfonyl group decreases lipophilicity so shortening half‐life and decreasing tissue accumulation. Electrophysiological studies show that dronedarone shares amiodarone's multichannel blocking effects, inhibiting transmembrane Na+, K+, Ca2+, and slow L‐type calcium channels, as well as its antiadrenergic effects. Unlike amiodarone, it has little effect at thyroid receptors. Possessing both rate‐ and rhythm‐control properties, dronedarone has proved safe and effective in preventing recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with persistent AF in the Dronedarone Atrial Fibrillation Study After Electrical Cardioversion (DAFNE) trial, the first prospective randomized trial to evaluate its efficacy and safety. Dronedarone has since undergone further extensive evaluation in three pivotal phase III trials. In two sister studies, the European Trial in Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter Patients Receiving Dronedarone for the Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm (EURIDIS) and American–Australian–African Trial with Dronedarone in Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter Patients for the Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm (ADONIS), dronedarone 400 mg b.i. d. showed significant efficacy against placebo in prevention of AF recurrence. Additionally, in patients with permanent AF, dronedarone was highly effective at controlling ventricular rate on top of standard rate‐controlling therapies in the Efficacy and Safety of Dronedarone for the Control of Ventricular Rate during Atrial Fibrillation (ERATO) study.
Methicillin-Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Is Not Affected by the Overexpression in Trans of the mecA Gene Repressor: A Surprising Observation

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is intrinsically cross-resistant to virtually all β-lactam antibiotics. The central determinant for the MRSA phenotype is the mecA gene, whose transcriptional control may be mediated by a repressor (mecI) and a sensor/inducer (mecR1). The mecI-mecR1-mediated induction of mecA takes several hours rendering the strains phenotypically susceptible in spite of the presence of the resistance gene. Therefore, it has been proposed that the full resistance to β-lactams observed in many contemporary clinical MRSA strains requires a non-functional mecI-mecR1 regulatory system. The mecA gene is embedded in a large chromosomal cassette (the SCCmec element) for which several structural types have been described. Some epidemic MRSA clones, typically expressing full β-lactam resistance, carry SCCmec elements that contain an intact mecI-mecR1 locus (e.g. SCCmec types II and III). We have addressed this apparent contradiction by first sequencing the mecI coding region and mecA promoter sequences in a collection of prototype MRSA strains characterized by different SCCmec types. A conserved non-sense mutation within mecI was detected in all SCCmec type III strains tested, presumably responsible for a non-functional truncated MecI protein and, therefore, explaining the full resistance phenotype. In SCCmec type II strains no conserved mutations were found. We next transformed a collection of prototype MRSA epidemic strains with a recombinant plasmid overexpressing a wild-type copy of mecI. Surprisingly, for the great majority of the strains no significant alterations in the phenotypic expression of β-lactam resistance could be detected. These findings were confirmed and further explored, challenging the currently accepted mechanism of mecA transcriptional control. Our observations suggest the existence of yet unidentified additional determinants involved in the transcriptional control of mecA gene and point to a revision of the mecA regulatory mechanism in contemporary MRSA strains.
Incidence and outcomes of contrast-induced nephropathy after computed tomography in patients with CKD: a quality improvement report.

BACKGROUND Although there has been considerable investigation of the general characteristics of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), it has not been studied adequately in a computed tomography (CT) population. We assessed the incidence and outcomes of CIN after contrast-enhanced CT in patients with chronic kidney disease pretreated with saline and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). DESIGN Quality improvement report. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 520 patients registered in a CIN prevention program. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN We initiated the CIN prevention program in January 2007. In this program, patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing contrast-enhanced CT in an outpatient setting were automatically referred to nephrologists, and patients received saline and NAC before and after CT. The development of CIN was assessed 48-96 hours after CT. OUTCOMES Incidence of CIN and time to renal replacement therapy. MEASUREMENTS Baseline serum creatinine, hemoglobin, and serum albumin levels; type and volume of contrast agents; and post-CT serum creatinine level. RESULTS Overall, CIN occurred in 13 (2.5%) patients. Incidences of CIN were 0.0%, 2.9%, and 12.1% in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 45-59, 30-44, and <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively. The risk of CIN was increased in patients with severely decreased kidney function and diabetes. The development of CIN consequently increased the risk of renal replacement therapy (P < 0.001 by log-rank), and the risk was significantly accentuated in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2). LIMITATIONS A single-center study and comparison with previous studies. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of CIN was relatively low in patients treated with saline and NAC. The development of CIN predisposed to poor kidney survival in the long term.
Statistical analysis of optimal energy and security controls under different sources of uncertainties

The management of uncertainties is a challenging task for reliable and secure operation of power systems. The uncertainties come from multiple sources, including the forecast errors of wind power and load, the forced outage of generating units, loss of transmission equipments, etc. This paper classifies different uncertainties based on their binary and continuous attributes. The main idea is to investigate the effect of each source of uncertainties on the cost of energy and security controls. For this purpose, a specific optimization method is developed which takes into account a forecasted scenario and a stochastic scenario. This optimization problem is solved for a fixed forecasted scenario and a varying stochastic scenario. The stochastic scenarios are constructed using a Monte Carlo Simulation that considers various sources of uncertainties. The main advantage of the proposed optimization is that the number of incorporated stochastic scenarios does not increase the size of the optimization problem. The models of different uncertainties, particularly wind power forecast errors, are discussed in depth. This optimization allows obtaining the statistical moments and constructing the probability distributions. The proposed optimization approach is then applied to the IEEE RTS 24-bus system. The probability distributions and statistical moments of objective functions and control variables are assessed for three cases, namely: (i) with only binary uncertainties, (ii) with only continuous uncertainties and (iii) with both of them.
Effects of liraglutide on postprandial insulin and glucagon responses in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

This study assessed the endocrine pancreatic responses to liraglutide (0.9 mg once a day) during normal living conditions in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. The study included 14 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes. Meal tests were performed after improvement of glycemic control achieved by two weeks of multiple insulin injection therapy and after approximately two weeks of liraglutide treatment. Continuous glucose monitoring was performed to compare daily variation in glycemic control between multiple insulin injection therapy and liraglutide treatment. Liraglutide reduced plasma glucose levels after the test meals (60–180 min; p<0.05), as a result of significant increases in insulin secretion (0–180 min; p<0.05) and decreases in the incremental ratio of plasma glucagon (15–60 min; p<0.05). Continuous glucose monitoring showed that liraglutide treatment was also associated with a decrease in glucose variability. We also demonstrated that optimal glycemic control seen as a reduction in 24-h mean glucose levels and variability was obtained only with liraglutide monotherapy. In conclusion, liraglutide treatment increases insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon secretion in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes under normal living conditions. The main therapeutic advantages of liraglutide are its use as monotherapy and its ability to decrease glucose variability.
Improved alpha-tested magnification for vector textures and special effects

A simple and efficient method is presented which allows improved rendering of glyphs composed of curved and linear elements. A distance field is generated from a high resolution image, and then stored into a channel of a lower-resolution texture. In the simplest case, this texture can then be rendered simply by using the alpha-testing and alpha-thresholding feature of modern GPUs, without a custom shader. This allows the technique to be used on even the lowest-end 3D graphics hardware. With the use of programmable shading, the technique is extended to perform various special effect renderings, including soft edges, outlining, drop shadows, multi-colored images, and sharp corners.
A Single Pulse of Agrin Triggers a Pathway That Acts To Cluster Acetylcholine Receptors

ABSTRACT Agrin triggers signaling mechanisms of high temporal and spatial specificity to achieve phosphorylation, clustering, and stabilization of postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Agrin transiently activates the kinase MuSK; MuSK activation has largely vanished when AChR clusters appear. Thus, a tyrosine kinase cascade acts downstream from MuSK, as illustrated by the agrin-evoked long-lasting activation of Src family kinases (SFKs) and their requirement for AChR cluster stabilization. We have investigated this cascade and report that pharmacological inhibition of SFKs reduces early but not later agrin-induced phosphorylation of MuSK and AChRs, while inhibition of Abl kinases reduces late phosphorylation. Interestingly, SFK inhibition applied selectively during agrin-induced AChR cluster formation caused rapid cluster dispersal later upon agrin withdrawal. We also report that a single 5-min agrin pulse, followed by extensive washing, triggered long-lasting MuSK and AChR phosphorylation and efficient AChR clustering. Following the pulse, MuSK phosphorylation increased and, beyond a certain level, caused maximal clustering. These data reveal novel temporal aspects of tyrosine kinase action in agrin signaling. First, during AChR cluster formation, SFKs initiate early phosphorylation and an AChR stabilization program that acts much later. Second, a kinase mechanism rapidly activated by agrin acts thereafter autonomously in agrin's absence to further increase MuSK phosphorylation and cluster AChRs.
Neuronal Activity in the Rostral Superior Colliculus Related to the Initiation of Pursuit and Saccadic Eye Movements

The extinction of the central fixated stimulus before the appearance of a new target stimulus reduces the latency of saccades and pursuit, a phenomenon known as the “gap effect. ” The superior colliculus (SC) plays a prominent role in the gap effect for saccades, and recent data indicate that this structure also plays some role in the control of pursuit. We now show that the firing rate of buildup neurons in the rostral SC exhibits a gap effect during the initiation of both pursuit and saccadic eye movements to parafoveal targets. Most neurons exhibited an increase in tonic activity starting ∼100 msec after the offset of the fixation spot, regardless of whether the target later appeared inside or outside of the response field of the neuron. The subsequent appearance of the target in the response field evoked phasic increases in activity that were approximately twice as large as the effects on tonic activity. For both pursuit and saccades, the levels of tonic and phasic activity were inversely correlated with latency on a trial-by-trial basis. These changes in activity provide a neuronal correlate for the shared effects on latency observed previously with the gap paradigm for pursuit and saccades. Finally, the phasic activity at pursuit onset exhibited a gap effect just like the target-evoked response, whereas the burst activity at saccade onset was fixed in amplitude. These results suggest how SC neurons may coordinate the initiation of pursuit and saccades: buildup activity may gate the initiation of pursuit, whereas it indirectly triggers saccades by recruiting a saccade-related burst.
Practice parameter: The role of corticosteroids in the management of acute monosymptomatic optic neuritis

Optic neuritis (ON) is an inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve. Most cases are idiopathic or associated with MS. ON can be associated with a variety of systemic or ocular disorders and is the most common acute optic neuropathy in adults younger than 46 years. Among high-risk populations for MS, the incidence of ON is about 3 per 100,000 population per year, whereas in other areas the incidence is about 1 per 100,000 population per year.1-13 Acute ON often presents as an isolated clinical event without contributory systemic abnormalities (monosymptomatic ON). Clinical features include periocular pain, abnormal visual acuity and fields, reduced color vision, a relative afferent pupillary defect, and abnormal visual evoked potentials. The fundus may appear normal or demonstrate edema of the optic nerve head (papillitis). 12-18 MRI white matter abnormalities identical to those seen in MS are found in 50 to 70% of monosymptomatic ON cases.19-22 The visual deficit of ON may worsen over 1 to 2 weeks and usually begins improving over the next month. Lack of improvement in visual function by 30 days is unusual.23 However, most patients have some residual visual function deficit, even if visual acuity improves to 20/20.1-18 Differential diagnosis includes compressive, ischemic, hereditary, toxic, or other inflammatory optic neuropathies (e.g., sarcoid). These conditions usually do not exhibit the same clinical pattern (table 1) or rate of recovery as monosymptomatic ON.1-13 View this table: Table 1. Features of acute demyelinating monosymptomatic optic neuritis Treatment of monosymptomatic ON has included oral, retrobulbar, and IV steroids, immunoglobulin, and acupuncture.23-77 Monosymptomatic acute ON is not rare and because the usefulness of oral prednisone in this disorder has recently been questioned,23,78-82 this practice parameter was developed to provide …
Major quantitative trait loci affecting honey bee foraging behavior.

We identified two genomic regions that affect the amount of pollen stored in honey bee colonies and influence whether foragers will collect pollen or nectar. We selected for the amount of pollen stored in combs of honey bee colonies, a colony-level trait, and then used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and interval mapping procedures with data from backcross colonies to identify two quantitative trait loci (pln1 and pln2, LOD 3.1 and 2.3, respectively). Quantitative trait loci effects were confirmed in a separate cross by demonstrating the cosegregation of marker alleles with the foraging behavior of individual workers. Both pln1 and pln2 had an effect on the amount of pollen carried by foragers returning to the colony, as inferred by the association between linked RAPD marker alleles, D8-. 3f and 301-. 55, and the individual pollen load weights of returning foragers. The alleles of the two marker loci were nonrandomly distributed with respect to foraging task. The two loci appeared to have different effects on foraging behavior. Individuals with alternative alleles for the marker linked to pln2 (but not pln1) differed with respect to the nectar sugar concentration of their nectar loads.
Regional Entrainment of Atrial Fibrillation Studied by High‐Resolution Mapping in Open‐Chest Dogs

BackgroundIt recently has been demonstrated that during atrial fibrillation, a short and variable excitable gap exists, allowing regional control of atrial fibrillation by local stimulation. In the present study, we visualized the process of excitation during regional entrainment of atrial fibrillation by rapid pacing. Methods and ResultsIn six open-chest dogs, the excitation of the left atrial free wall was mapped using spoon-shaped mapping electrode (248 points). Episodes of atrial fibrillation were induced by burst pacing (50 Hz, 2 seconds). During atrial fibrillation, the electrograms showed rapid irregular activity with median cycle length of 98 ± 16 ms (mean ± SD, n=6). Rapid pacing in the center of the mapping electrode at intervals slightly shorter or longer than the median atrial fibrillation interval resulted in regional capture of atrial fibrillation. The window of entrainment was 16 ± 5 ms. Mapping of atrial fibrillation showed that the left atrium was activated by fibrillatory wavelets coming from different directions. During entrainment, a relatively large area with a diameter of about 4 cm was activated by uniform wave fronts propagating away from the site of stimulation. The area of entrainment was limited by intra-atrial conduction block and by collision with fibrillation waves. Regional control of atrial fibrillation was lost by pacing either too slowly or too rapidly. In the first case, retrograde invasion of the area of entrainment by fibrillatory waves resulted in depolarization of the pacing site prior to the stimulus. Pacing too rapidly caused acceleration of atrial fibrillation by induction of local intra-atrial reentry circuits with a revolution time shorter than the pacing interval. ConclusionDuring atrial fibrillation, an area with a diameter of about 4 cm can be entrained by local pacing. The resulting reduction in fibrillating tissue mass was not sufficient to terminate atrial fibrillation. Extension of the area of entrainment was limited by intra-atrial conduction block, whereas entrainment at a too high rate resulted in acceleration of atrial fibrillation by induction of local microreentry. Circulation 1993;88:
The Role of Pseudo Measurements in Equality-Constrained State Estimation

The pseudo measurement method is a main approach to equality-constrained state estimation due to its simplicity. It is, however, not popular due to possible numerical problems and increased computational complexity. The work presented here further develops the pseudo measurement method. To avoid numerical problems resulting from singular measurement noise when a matrix inverse is used, the Moore-Penrose (MP) inverse is used instead. Also, to reduce the computational load without performance loss and to simplify the analysis of this type of estimation problem, two sequential forms are obtained. They differ only in the processing order of the physical measurement and the pseudo measurement (i.e., the equality constraint). Although form 1 is the same as some existing results, form 2 is new. This motivates the discussion of processing order for this type of estimation problem, especially in the extension to the nonlinear case. It is found that under certain conditions, the use of the pseudo measurement for filtering is redundant. This differs in effect from update by the physically error-free measurement. However, if there exists model mismatch, update by the pseudo measurement is necessary and helpful. Supporting numerical examples are provided.
Optimal-order nonnested multigrid methods for solving finite element equations. I. On quasi-uniform meshes

We prove that the multigrid method works with optimal computational order even when the multiple meshes are not nested. When a coarse mesh is not a submesh of the finer one, the coarse-level correction usually does not have the a(-, -) projection property and does amplify the iterative error in some components. Nevertheless, the low-frequency components of the error can still be caught by the coarse-level correction. Since the (amplified) highfrequency errors will be damped out by the fine-level smoothing efficiently, the optimal work order of the standard multigrid method can still be maintained. However, unlike the case of nested meshes, a nonnested multigrid method with one smoothing does not converge in general, no matter whether it is a V-cycle or a W-cycle method. It is shown numerically that the convergence rates of nonnested multigrid methods are not necessarily worse than those of nested ones. Since nonnested multigrid methods accept quite arbitrarily related meshes, we may then combine the efficiencies of adaptive refinements and of multigrid algorithms.
Autonomous Resource Management Scheme Based on Grid Market Equilibrium

In this paper, we propose a resource management scheme for grid computers based on the notion of market equilibrium which is commonly used in the field of game theory. In the proposed method, the price of resources is determined by the centralized manager so that: 1) the satisfaction of users is maximized, and 2)given resources are fully utilized. After describing the basic scheme for the price determination, we discuss several issues towards the implementation of the proposed scheme in actual grid environment.