Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Life History on Fear Memory and Extinction

Behavioral profiles are strongly shaped by an individual's whole life experience. The accumulation of negative experiences over lifetime is thought to promote anxiety-like behavior in adulthood (“allostatic load hypothesis”). In contrast, the “mismatch hypothesis” of psychiatric disease suggests that high levels of anxiety-like behavior are the result of a discrepancy between early and late environment. The aim of the present study was to investigate how different life histories shape the expression of anxiety-like behavior and modulate fear memory. In addition, we aimed to clarify which of the two hypotheses can better explain the modulation of anxiety and fear. For this purpose, male mice grew up under either adverse or beneficial conditions during early phase of life. In adulthood they were further subdivided in groups that either matched or mismatched the condition experienced before, resulting in four different life histories. The main results were: (i) Early life benefit followed by late life adversity caused decreased levels of anxiety-like behavior. (ii) Accumulation of adversity throughout life history led to impaired fear extinction learning. Late life adversity as compared to late life benefit mainly affected extinction training, while early life adversity as compared to early life benefit interfered with extinction recall. Concerning anxiety-like behavior, the results do neither support the allostatic load nor the mismatch hypothesis, but rather indicate an anxiolytic effect of a mismatched early beneficial and later adverse life history. In contrast, fear memory was strongly affected by the accumulation of adverse experiences over the lifetime, therefore supporting allostatic load hypothesis. In summary, this study highlights that anxiety-like behavior and fear memory are differently affected by specific combinations of adverse or beneficial events experienced throughout life.
[Expression of tumor metastasis suppressor gene KAI1/CD82 in human cancer cell lines with different metastasis potential].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation of a newly-defined tumor metastasis suppressor gene KAI1/CD82 and metastatic potential of human cancer cell lines. METHODS Expressions of KAI1/CD82 in eight human cancer cell lines of prostate, lung and melanoma with different metastasis potential were studied by Northern blot hybridization and the mutation were detected by PCR-SSCP. RESULTS Expressions of KAI1 mRNA decreased in human prostate cancer cell lines PC3 and PC3M, and lung cancer cell line PG which were metastatic cancer cell lines (integral light density values: 0.0319, 0.0266 and 0.0549, respectively). Expression of KAI1 mRNA showed high level in PAa, a human lung cancer cell line with no metastasis (integral light density value: 0.7313). In human melanoma cell lines with different metastasis potential (WM35, WM1341b, WM983a and WM451), expression of KAI1 showed moderate expression (integral light density values are 0.1798, 0.1582, 0.1501, 0.1800 respectively). PCR-SSCP analysis indicated the existence of band shift in exon 7 of KAI1 gene in PC3, PG and PC3M. CONCLUSION Decreased KAI1/CD82 expression may be associated with enhanced metastatic potential in prostate cancer cell lines and lung cancer cell line other than melanoma cell lines. The decreased expression may be partially nelaled with mutation of KAI1 gene.
A guided tour into subcellular colocalization analysis in light microscopy

It is generally accepted that the functional compartmentalization of eukaryotic cells is reflected by the differential occurrence of proteins in their compartments. The location and physiological function of a protein are closely related; local information of a protein is thus crucial to understanding its role in biological processes. The visualization of proteins residing on intracellular structures by fluorescence microscopy has become a routine approach in cell biology and is increasingly used to assess their colocalization with well-characterized markers. However, imageanalysis methods for colocalization studies are a field of contention and enigma. We have therefore undertaken to review the most currently used colocalization analysis methods, introducing the basic optical concepts important for image acquisition and subsequent analysis. We provide a summary of practical tips for image acquisition and treatment that should precede proper colocalization analysis. Furthermore, we discuss the application and feasibility of colocalization tools for various biological colocalization situations and discuss their respective strengths and weaknesses. We have created a novel toolbox for subcellular colocalization analysis under ImageJ, named JACoP, that integrates current global statistic methods and a novel object-based approach.
Fuzzy Rule-based System for Pattern Recognition and Automated Classification

The sorting method contains a fuzzy system that classifies waste into three classes: dangerous (toxic, flammable, harmful to the environment), recyclable and undetermined. To increase the decision weight since some waste is perilous (eg. batteries, spray bottle under pressure, oil drums, etc.), we implement a shapesignature identification algorithm.The extraction of objects contour in order to obtain the signature is done with contour tracking algorithm. The appropriate determination of contour also enables efficient calculation of shape and size features used in fuzzy system. The elaborated system aims to detect dangerous wastes that arrive among the recyclable waste because of people ignorance.
Usability Evaluation Methods The Reliability and Usage of Cognitive Walkthrough and Usability Test

The thesis includes this 98-pages summary and appendices containing a paper submitted for journal publication Contents Our 1 contribution to the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) has been centered on evaluating aspects of two usability evaluation methods (UEMs), namely the cognitive walkthrough and the usability test. Chapter 1 in this summary is devoted to an introduction to HCI with particular focus on UEMs, while chapter 2 contains a description of the two methods investigated (cognitive walk-through and usability test). The most extensive study was the investigation of the learning process and the first time usage of cognitive walkthrough; this work is described in chapter 3. While working on this case we began studying the effect of different evaluators analyzing the same interface with the same UEM, the so-called evaluator effect. We have studied the evaluator effect both in cognitive walkthrough and usability test. In chapter 4 we describe the evaluator effect in cognitive walkthrough. In chapter 5 we describe the evaluator effect in usability test. The last chapter, chapter 6, discusses and draws perspectives on the work described in chapters 3, 4, and 5. Four of the five appendices are included in this thesis submission in order to document earlier reports on the evaluator effect studies. The study about the evaluator effect in cognitive walkthrough has previously been reported in Hertzum & Jacobsen (1998) and Hertzum & Jacobsen (1999), and is included in appendices 2 and 3 respectively. The study about the evaluator effect in usability test has previously been reported in Jacobsen, Hertzum & John (1998a) and Jacobsen, Hertzum & John (1998b), and are included in appendices 4 and 5 respectively. As the early reports on the evaluator effect were constrained with regard to number of pages, I have extended the descriptions in chapters 4 (the evaluator effect in cognitive walkthrough) and 5 (the evaluator effect in usability test) in this summary. Hence, reading these two chapters would be sufficient to understand the main contents of the previous four reports. In addition, chapters 4 and 5 offer some new analyses that have not been revealed in the earlier reports. Opposed to the somewhat repeated reports in appendices 2, 3, 4, and 5, appendix 1 (Jacobsen & John, 1999) contains an extensive description of a case study, which is not repeated in the summary. Hence, chapter 3 introduces learning and usage of cognitive walk-through, but only as a prelude to …
Increased workload enhances force output during pedaling exercise in persons with poststroke hemiplegia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A principle of poststroke rehabilitation is that effort should be avoided since it leads to increased spasticity and produces widespread associated abnormal reactions. Although weakness also contributes to movement dysfunction after a stroke, it has been feared that heightened activity levels during strength training will further exacerbate the abnormal tone imbalance present in spastic hemiplegia. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis by quantifying the effects of increased workload on motor performance during different speeds of pedaling exercise in persons with poststroke hemiplegia. METHODS Twelve healthy elderly subjects and 15 subjects with poststroke hemiplegia of greater than 6 months since onset were tested. The experimental protocol consisted of having subjects pedal at 12 randomly ordered workload and cadence combinations (45-J, 90-J, 135-J, and 180-J workloads at 25, 40, and 55 rpm). Pedal reaction forces were measured and used to calculate work done by each leg, including net positive and negative components. An electromyogram was recorded from seven leg muscles. RESULTS The main finding was that net mechanical work done by the plegic leg increased as workload increased in 75 of 81 instances without increasing the percentage of inappropriate muscle activity. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that persons with hemiplegia increase force output by their plegic limb when pedaling against higher workloads without exacerbation of impaired motor control. Therefore, exertional pedaling exercise is a beneficial intervention for achieving gains in muscular force output without worsening motor control impairments.
On the Convergence of Simulation-Based Iterative Methods for Singular Linear Systems

We consider the simulation-based solution of linear systems of equations, Ax = b, of various types frequently arising in large-scale applications, where A is singular. We show that the convergence properties of iterative solution methods are frequently lost when they are implemented with simulation (e.g., using sample average approximation), as is often done in important classes of large-scale problems. We focus on special cases of algorithms for singular systems, including some arising in least squares problems and approximate dynamic programming, where convergence of the residual sequence {Axk − b} may be obtained, while the sequence of iterates {xk} may diverge. For some of these special cases, under additional assumptions, we show that the iterate sequence is guaranteed to converge. For situations where the iterates diverge but the residuals converge to zero, we propose schemes for extracting from the divergent sequence another sequence that converges to a solution of Ax = b. Report LIDS-P-2879, April 2012 (Revised in December 2012) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems
Predicting cardiometabolic risk: waist-to-height ratio or BMI. A meta-analysis

Background and objectives The identification of increased cardiometabolic risk among asymptomatic individuals remains a huge challenge. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the association of body mass index (BMI), which is an index of general obesity, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), an index of abdominal obesity, with cardiometabolic risk in cross-sectional and prospective studies. Methods PubMed and Embase databases were searched for cross-sectional or prospective studies that evaluated the association of both BMI and WHtR with several cardiometabolic outcomes. The strength of relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using the optimal cutoffs of BMI and WHtR in cross-sectional studies, while any available cutoff was used in prospective studies. The pooled estimate of the ratio of RRs (rRR [=RRBMI/RRWHtR]) with 95% CIs was used to compare the association of WHtR and BMI with cardiometabolic risk. Meta-regression was used to identify possible sources of heterogeneity between the studies. Results Twenty-four cross-sectional studies and ten prospective studies with a total number of 512,809 participants were identified as suitable for the purpose of this meta-analysis. WHtR was found to have a stronger association than BMI with diabetes mellitus (rRR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.59–0.84) and metabolic syndrome (rRR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.96) in cross-sectional studies. Also in prospective studies, WHtR appears to be superior to BMI in detecting several outcomes, including incident cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease mortality, and all-cause mortality. The usefulness of WHtR appears to be better in Asian than in non-Asian populations. BMI was not superior to WHtR in any of the outcomes that were evaluated. However, the results of the utilized approach should be interpreted cautiously because of a substantial heterogeneity between the results of the studies. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explain this heterogeneity, but none of the evaluated factors, ie, sex, origin (Asians, non-Asians), and optimal BMI or WHtR cutoffs were significantly related with rRR. Conclusion The results of this meta-analysis support the use of WHtR in identifying adults at increased cardiometabolic risk. However, further evidence is warranted because of a substantial heterogeneity between the studies.
Prevalence and extent of atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults: implications for prevention from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study.

CONTEXT Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease, has been shown to be present even in young adults. OBJECTIVE To document the extent and severity of atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults in the United States. DESIGN AND SETTING The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study, a multi-institutional autopsy study conducted in US medical centers. Subjects A total of 2876 study subjects, between 15 and 34 years old, black and white, men and women, who died of external causes and underwent autopsy between June 1, 1987, and August 31, 1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Extent, prevalence, and topography of atherosclerotic lesions. RESULTS Intimal lesions appeared in all the aortas and more than half of the right coronary arteries of the youngest age group (15-19 years) and increased in prevalence and extent with age through the oldest age group (30-34 years). Fatty streaks were more extensive in black subjects than in white subjects, but raised lesions did not differ between blacks and whites. Raised lesions in the aortas of women and men were similar, but raised lesions in the right coronary arteries of women were less than those of men. The prevalence of total lesions was lower in the right coronary artery than in the aorta, but the proportion of raised lesions among total lesions was higher in the right coronary artery than in the aorta. CONCLUSIONS Atherosclerosis begins in youth. Fatty streaks and clinically significant raised lesions increase rapidly in prevalence and extent during the 15- to 34-year age span. Primary prevention of atherosclerosis, as contrasted with primary prevention of clinically manifest atherosclerotic disease, must begin in childhood or adolescence.
Computation of Universal Objects for Distributions Over Co-Trees

For an ordered set, consider the model of distributions P for which an element that precedes another element is considered the more significant one in the sense that the implication a ≤ b⇒ P(a) ≥ P(b) holds. It will be shown that if the ordered set is a finite co-tree, then the universal predictor for the model or, equivalently, the corresponding universal code, can be determined exactly via an algorithm of low complexity. Natural relations to problems on the computation of capacity and on the determination of information projections are established. More surprisingly, a direct connection to a problem of isotone regression also appears possible.
Systemic administration of the benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonist FG‐7142 disrupts corticolimbic network interactions

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) coordinate various stress responses. Although the effects of stressors on mPFC and BLA activity have been previously examined, it remains unclear to what extent stressors affect functional interactions between these regions. In vivo electrophysiology in the anesthetized rat was used to examine mPFC and BLA activity simultaneously in response to FG‐7142, a benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonist that mimics various stress responses, in an attempt to model the effects of stressors on corticolimbic functional connectivity. Extracellular unit and local field potential (LFP) recordings, using multielectrode arrays positioned in mPFC and BLA, were conducted under basal conditions and in response to systemic FG‐7142 administration. This drug increased mPFC and BLA unit firing at the lowest dose tested, whereas higher doses of FG‐7142 decreased various burst firing parameters in both regions. Moreover, LFP power was attenuated at lower (<1 Hz) and potentiated at higher frequencies in mPFC (1–12 Hz) and BLA (4–8 Hz). Interestingly, FG‐7142 diminished synchronized unit firing, both within and between mPFC and BLA. Finally, FG‐7142 decreased LFP synchronization between these regions. In a separate group of animals, pretreatment with the selective benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil blocked the changes in burst firing, LFP power and synchronized activity induced by FG‐7142, confirming direct benzodiazepine receptor‐mediated effects. These results indicate that FG‐7142 disrupts corticolimbic network interactions via benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonism. Perturbation of mPFC‐BLA functional connectivity induced by FG‐7142 may provide a useful model of corticolimbic dysfunction induced by stressors. Synapse 61:646–663, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ReConfigME: a detailed implementation of an operating system for reconfigurable computing

Reconfigurable computing applications have traditionally had the exclusive use of the field programmable gate array, primarily because the logic densities of the available devices have been relatively similar in size compared to the application. But with the modern FPGA expanding beyond 10 million system gates, and through the use of dynamic reconfiguration, it has become feasible for several applications to share a single high density device. However, developing applications that share a device is difficult as the current design flow assumes the exclusive use of the FPGA resources. As a consequence, the designer must ensure that resources have been allocated for all possible combinations of loaded applications at design time. If the sequence of application loading and unloading is not known in advance, all resource allocation cannot be performed at design time because the availability of resources changes dynamically. In this paper, we present an implementation of an operating system that has the ability to share its FPGA resources dynamically among multiple executing applications.
When psychology undermines beliefs

This paper attempts to specify the conditions under which a psychological explanation can undermine or debunk a set of beliefs. The focus will be on moral and religious beliefs, where a growing debate has emerged about the epistemic implications of cognitive science. Recent proposals by Joshua Greene and Paul Bloom will be taken as paradigmatic attempts to undermine beliefs with psychology. I will argue that a belief p may be undermined whenever: (i) p is evidentially based on an intuition which (ii) can be explained by a psychological mechanism that is (iii) unreliable for the task of believing p; and (iv) any other evidence for belief p is based on rationalization. I will also consider and defend two equally valid arguments for establishing unreliability: the redundancy argument and the argument from irrelevant factors. With this more specific understanding of debunking arguments, it is possible to develop new replies to some objections to psychological debunking arguments from both ethics and philosophy of religion.
VISUALIZATION OF COVARIANCE AND CROSS-COVARIANCE FIELDS

We present a numerical technique to visualize covariance and cross-covariance fields of a stochastic simulation. The method is local in the sense that it demonstrates the covariance structure of the solution at a point with its neighboring locations. When coupled with an efficient stochastic simulation solver, our framework allows one to effectively concurrently visualize both the mean and (cross-)covariance information for two-dimensional (spatial) simulation results. Most importantly, the visualization provides the scientist a means to identify the interesting correlation structure of the solution field. The mathematical setup is discussed, along with several examples to demonstrate the efficacy of this approach.
Incidence and Determinants of Complications in Rotational Atherectomy: Insights From the National Clinical Data (J-PCI Registry)

Background—The usage of rotational atherectomy (RA) is growing in the current percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) because of the expansion of PCI indication to more complex lesions. However, the complications after RA have been linked to procedure-related morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and determinants of complications in RA using a large nationwide registration system in Japan (J-PCI). Methods and Results—The primary composite outcome of this study was defined as the occurrence of in-hospital death, cardiac tamponade, and emergent surgery after RA. A total of 13 335 RA cases (3.2% of registered PCI cases) were analyzed. The composite outcome was observed in 175 cases (1.31%) and included 80 in-hospital deaths (0.60%), 86 tamponades (0.64%), and 24 emergent surgeries (0.18%). The clinical variables associated with occurrence of the composite outcome were age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03 per unit increment, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.05), impaired kidney function (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.15–2.19), previous myocardial infarction (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.21–2.35), emergent PCI (OR 4.02, 95% CI 1.66–8.27), and triple-vessel disease (versus single-vessel disease: OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.43–3.28). Notably, institutional volume of RA cases was inversely associated with the composite outcomes (high- versus low-volume institution: OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.36–0.89). Conclusions—The reported incidence of important procedure-related complication rate was 1.3%, with each component ranging between 0.2% and 0.6% in J-PCI. Its determinants were both patient related (age, impaired kidney function, and previous myocardial infarction) and procedure related (emergent procedures, number of diseased vessels, and institutional volume of RA).