Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temporal pattern analyses in pairs of neighboring mitral cells.

1. Neighboring mitral cells in the rat olfactory bulb have been previously shown to give similar response profiles to a series of odorants. We now analyze their temporal patterns of activity before and during stimulation to evaluate to what extent soma proximity may act on their temporal correlation and to what extent olfactory stimulation may force two close cells to fire with similar patterns. 2. In anesthetized adult rats, we recorded simultaneously the extracellular single-unit activities of two mitral cells with the use of twin micropipettes with tips separated by less than 40 microns. These activities were recorded before and during stimulation by a series of five odorants. 3. Activities were classified into nine types according to their temporal pattern along the respiratory cycle. These types comprised nonrhythmic patterns and rhythmic ones, the latter being simple or complex. A phase parameter was also calculated to compare the positions of maximal activity within respiratory cycles of pairs of cells that had rhythmic activities. 4. All analyses were made by comparing data from pairs of close cells with data from pairs of control cells obtained by pairing each first cell of all recorded pairs with the second units of all other pairs. Results reveal a probability of similar activity types significantly higher in pairs of close cells than in control ones before stimulation. Odorant stimulation enhances this difference by reducing the probability of similar associations in control pairs. Close cells present similar patterns as frequently before, as during, stimulation; however, the probability of double nonrhythmic firings decreases whereas the probability of double rhythmic ones increases. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Depth Sensing for 3DTV: A Survey

In the context of 3D video systems, depth information could be used to render a scene from additional viewpoints. Although there have been many recent advances in this area, including the introduction of the Microsoft Kinect sensor, the robust acquisition of such information continues to be a challenge. This article reviews three depth-sensing approaches for 3DTV. The authors discuss several approaches for acquiring depth information and provides a comparative analysis of their characteristics.
Preserving security properties under refinement

Communication is one of the cornerstone of our everyday life. Guaranteeing the security of a communication is a very important challenge. In this paper, we propose a formal top-down approach for assuring that security properties are preserved during the development of a complex and concurrent system, i.e., within passage from specification to implementation of the components of the system. Indeed, we investigate on the set of requirements a refinement function has to satisfy for preserving a class of properties that can be formalized as specific instances of a general scheme, called Generalized Non Deducibility on Composition (GNDC). Hence, we show that it is possible to guarantee that the refinement of a considered system that is verified to be GNDC at a high level of abstraction, is GNDC also at a lower one without checking it again.
Assessment of local dynamics in extreme precipitation frequency using direct sequential cosimulation

Costa, A. C. , Soares, A. , Pereira, M. J., & Durao, R. (2009). Assessment of local dynamics in extreme precipitation frequency using direct sequential cosimulation. In Proceedings of the 2nd WSEAS International Conference on Natural Hazards, NAHA '09, Climate Changes, Global Warming, Biological Problems, CGB '09, Urban Rehabilitation and Sustainability, URES '09 (pp. 31-36)
Shape Analysis with Anisotropic Windowed Fourier Transform

We propose Anisotropic Windowed Fourier Transform (AWFT), a framework for localized space-frequency analysis of deformable 3D shapes. With AWFT, we are able to extract meaningful intrinsic localized orientation-sensitive structures on surfaces, and use them in applications such as shape segmentation, salient point detection, feature point description, and matching. Our method outperforms previous approaches in the considered applications.
Negation, Contrast and Contradiction in Text Processing

This paper describes a framework for recognizing contradictions between multiple text sources by relying on three forms of linguistic information: (a) negation; (b) antonymy; and (c) semantic and pragmatic information associated with the discourse relations. Two views of contradictions are considered, in which a novel method of recognizing contrast and of finding antonymies are described. Contradictions are used for informing fusion operators in question answering. Our experiments show promising results for the detection of contradictions.
Mobile visual object identification: from SIFT-BoF-RANSAC to Sketchprint

Mobile object identification based on its visual features find many applications in the interaction with physical objects and security. Discriminative and robust content representation plays a central role in object and content identification. Complex post-processing methods are used to compress descriptors and their geometrical information, aggregate them into more compact and discriminative representations and finally re-rank the results based on the similarity geometries of descriptors. Unfortunately, most of the existing descriptors are not very robust and discriminative once applied to the various contend such as real images, text or noise-like microstructures next to requiring at least 500-1'000 descriptors per image for reliable identification. At the same time, the geometric re-ranking procedures are still too complex to be applied to the numerous candidates obtained from the feature similarity based search only. This restricts that list of candidates to be less than 1'000 which obviously causes a higher probability of miss. In addition, the security and privacy of content representation has become a hot research topic in multimedia and security communities. In this paper, we introduce a new framework for non- local content representation based on SketchPrint descriptors. It extends the properties of local descriptors to a more informative and discriminative, yet geometrically invariant content representation. In particular it allows images to be compactly represented by 100 SketchPrint descriptors without being fully dependent on re-ranking methods. We consider several use cases, applying SketchPrint descriptors to natural images, text documents, packages and micro-structures and compare them with the traditional local descriptors.
A phase 2, randomized, double‐blind, multicenter study comparing siltuximab plus best supportive care (BSC) with placebo plus BSC in anemic patients with International Prognostic Scoring System low‐ or intermediate‐1–risk myelodysplastic syndrome

Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of anemia of inflammation associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, phase 2 study assessed the efficacy and safety of siltuximab, a chimeric anti–IL‐6 monoclonal antibody, in patients with low‐ and intermediate‐1–risk MDS who require transfusions for MDS anemia. Patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to siltuximab 15 mg kg−1 every 4 weeks + best supportive care (BSC) or placebo + BSC for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was reduction in red blood cell (RBC) transfusions to treat MDS anemia, defined as ≥50% relative decrease and ≥2‐unit absolute decrease in RBC transfusions. Fifty and 26 patients were randomized to the siltuximab and placebo groups, respectively. The study did not meet its prespecified hypothesis, with six (12%) patients in the siltuximab group and one (3.8%) in the placebo group having reductions in RBC transfusions (P = 0.271). At the time of the planned futility analysis, the prespecified cutoff criteria were not met, and the study was terminated early due to lack of efficacy. No unexpected safety findings were observed. In conclusion, compared to placebo, treatment with siltuximab did not reduce RBC transfusions in transfusion‐dependent patients with low‐ and intermediate‐1–risk MDS. Future studies might explore siltuximab in patients with less iron overload and with elevated IL‐6 levels and/or using higher doses for MDS. Am. J. Hematol. 89:E156–E162, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mechanisms underlying cannabinoid inhibition of presynaptic Ca2+ influx at parallel fibre synapses of the rat cerebellum

Activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the cerebellum acutely depresses excitatory synaptic transmission at parallel fibre–Purkinje cell synapses by decreasing the probability of glutamate release. This depression involves the activation of presynaptic 4‐aminopyridine‐sensitive K+ channels by CB1 receptors, which in turn inhibits presynaptic Ca2+ influx controlling glutamate release at these synapses. Using rat cerebellar frontal slices and fluorometric measures of presynaptic Ca2+ influx evoked by stimulation of parallel fibres with the fluorescent dye fluo‐4FF, we tested whether the CB1 receptor‐mediated inhibition of this influx also involves a direct inhibition of presynaptic voltage‐gated calcium channels. Since various physiological effects of CB1 receptors appear to be mediated through the activation of PTX‐sensitive proteins, including inhibition of adenylate cyclases, activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK) and activation of G protein‐gated inwardly rectifying K+ channels, we also studied the potential involvement of these intracellular signal transduction pathways in the cannabinoid‐mediated depression of presynaptic Ca2+ influx. The present study demonstrates that the molecular mechanisms underlying the CB1 inhibitory effect involve the activation of the PTX‐sensitive Gi/Go subclass of G proteins, independently of any direct effect on presynaptic Ca2+ channels (N, P/Q and R (SNX‐482‐sensitive) types) or on adenylate cyclase or MAPK activity, but do require the activation of G protein‐gated inwardly rectifying (Ba2+‐ and tertiapin Q‐sensitive) K+ channels, in addition to 4‐aminopyridine‐sensitive K+ channels.
Correlates of Coparenting During Infancy

This study examined family characteristics associated with the coparenting behavior of 60 parents with an 11- to 15-month-old infant (30 boys, 30 girls) during a structured triadic play session. Mothers reported on family demographics, social support, and child temperament. Both parents reported on their self-esteem and childrearing beliefs. Fathers displayed more supportive coparenting behavior than mothers. Mothers' intrusive coparenting behav- ior differed based on the number of children, parent's employment status, and child gender. Social support, parental self-esteem, and child temperament were significant correlates of individual coparenting behavior. Results are dis- cussed in terms of their implications for family theory and family practice.
Resistance Testing of Salmonella Spp. Bacteria Isolated from Samples Derived from Poultry on Antimicrobial Drugs

In accordance with the Ordinance on establishing measures for the early detection, diagnosis, prevention of spreading, suppression and eradication of poultry infection by certain salmonella serotypes, antimicrobial agents are also applied in controlling salmonellosis of poultry, and the very treatment may lead to development of resistance to different drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance of isolates, isolated from material originating from poultry farms during the one-year period (2014) in the territory of Nis and South Moravian epizootiological area. For the isolation and identification of causers, the standard microbiological methods according to EN ISO 6579: 2008 Annex D were used. Antimicrobial resistance is tested on 72 isolates of Salmonella spp. Examination of antimicrobial resistance was carried out by the disk diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar and interpreted according to the CLSI standard. The paper used thirteen types of antibiotic discs (Bioanalyse): enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, florfenicol, ceftiofur, amoxicillin, colistin, erythromycin, gentamicin, neomycin, kanamycin, flumequine, lincomicin /spectinomicin and sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim. The results indicate the existence of a high percentage of resistance to some antimicrobial drugs. The greatest observed resistance was to erythromycin (68% at strain S. Enteritidis and 67% at S. Infantis), neomycin (61% at strain S. Enteritidis and 33% at S. Infantis), flumequine (32% at strain S. Enteritidis and 53% at S. infantis), strains of S. enteritidis showed a great resistance to kanamycin and sulfapreparations (23%) and colistin (20%), while the strains of S. infantis were resistant in a large percentage to amoxicillin (47%) and colistin (33%). There is slightly less resistance to other antibacterial drugs, and only a few isolates were resistant to quinolones and gentamycin. The emergence of resistant strains of Salmonella can result in the possibility of treating animals and humans and therefore a more rigorous implementation of measures for the suppression of salmonellosis in animals is required.
Teaching Robots to Coordinate their Behaviours

Behaviour co-ordination is one of the major problems in behaviour-based robotics. This paper presents a teaching method for mobile robots to learn the behaviour coordination. In this method, the sensory information is abstracted into a limited number of feature states that correspond to physical events in the interactive process between a robot and its environment. The continuous motor actions are abstracted into a limited number of behaviours. Then, the goal of the behaviour co-ordination is to map the feature states into the behaviours in the light of environment rewards. The teaching process consists of an imitation stage and an autonomous learning stage. Both stages employ Q-learning algor ithms to implement the mapping. The imitation stage serves as a preliminary stage for the teaching method. The learning result will be used to bootstrap the autonomous learning stage. Exper iments are conducted in the domain of soccer playing of Sony legged robots. Exper iment results show that the robot can acquire the behaviour coordination ability. Keywords-Robot learning, Reinforcement learning, Behaviour coordination
[Transapical aortic valve implantation - hope for high risk patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis - a case report from the first procedures performed in Poland].

1 Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Kardiochirurgii i Transplantologii, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 2 III Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Kardiologii, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 3 Oddział Kliniczny Kardioanestezji i Intensywnej Terapii, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 4 I Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Kardiologii, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 5 Samodzielna Pracownia Tomografii Komputerowej, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 6 Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Wrodzonych Wad Serca i Kardiologii Dziecięcej, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca, Zabrze 7 Edwards Lifesciences, Holandia 8 Klinika Kardiochirurgii, Essen, Niemcy
Miscarriage and risk of cardiovascular disease

In a nationally representative sample (the Health 2000 Survey) comprising 3,937 Finnish women aged 30–99 years, we examined the association of miscarriage (assessed by questionnaire) with risk of cardiovascular disease (assessed by physician's examination and linkages to hospital discharge and drug reimbursement registers). We considered age, smoking, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, physical activity, education, number of previous pregnancies, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose and cholesterol as potentially confounding factors in the analysis. In women 50–74 years of age who had experienced pregnancy, history of miscarriage tended to be associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction (age‐adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–4.3), and the risk increased significantly with the number of miscarriages (age‐adjusted OR per miscarriage: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1–1.8). These results suggest that women who experience repeated miscarriages may be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
Ideas of Structure and the Structure of Ideas: Le Corbusier's Pavillon Suisse, 1930-1931

Le Corbusier was obsessed with creating the prototypes of a new era of harmony for the industrial city. His solutions to individual commissions were often laden with urbanistic principles which he sometimes demonstrated at the expense of a more immediate practicality. By digging into the design process of Pavillon Suisse, we may sense how Le Corbusier translated the given program and site into the terminology of his own dream, how he coped with compromises and attacks on his ideal intentions, and how he adjusted and extended an architectural language that was already mature. In particular we are better able to gauge the way standard elements, such as the pilotis, were "re-thought" to embody new levels of meaning.
A Comparison of the Homework Problems of Secondary School Students with Behavior Disorders and Nondisabled Peers

Increased concern over the academic proficiency of American students has led to a variety of proposals to reform the U.S. educational system. A part of these calls for reform has been an increased emphasis on homework. As students with behavior disorders are more frequently included in general education classrooms, a better understanding of their homework skills is needed. The present study examines the homework problems of secondary school students with behavior disorders as compared to secondary school students with no disabilities—as rated by their teachers and parents—using the Homework Problem Checklist. Analyses of both parent and teacher responses reflected significant differences between the two student groups on virtually every checklist item. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.
Mental Health in Rural Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

Informal caregiving for dementia is common and often affects caregiver mental health. In addition to typical stressors faced by caregivers of persons with dementia (PWDs), rural caregivers often face additional stressors associated with living in more remote locations; unfortunately, this group is largely understudied. Ninety-three caregiver–PWD dyads completed measures of social support, perceived control, self-efficacy, burden, and cognitive functioning. Measures of PWD activities of daily living and mental functioning were also collected. These variables were hypothesized to predict caregiver self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Contrary to predictions, only caregiving-related self-efficacy and caregiver burden predicted the caregiver’s mental health. Future interventions for improving rural caregiver self-reported mental health should target cognitions associated with caregiving self-efficacy and caregiver burden. Health care providers for rural families should focus on ways to reduce feelings of caregiver burden and provide caregivers with useful skills and tools for caregiving.
`IM me': Instant messaging as relational maintenance and everyday communication

Few studies to date have examined the use of Internet applications in enacting `everyday' routine relational maintenance and even fewer assess how such tools complement more traditional forms of communication to sustain involvements. This exploratory study examines the role of one such tool, instant messaging (IM), in relational maintenance. Participants (N = 402) reported their general use of IM (Stage 1) and subsequently conducted and reported on a specific interaction occurring either through IM or face to face (Stage 2). Among IM users, significant gender and the types of relationships differences emerged in `every communication. ' Findings also indicate how IM is being utilized in conjunction with other communication channels. New research opportunities for examining relational maintenance processes employing IM are advanced.
MTHFR 677C>T Polymorphism Increases the Male Infertility Risk: A Meta-Analysis Involving 26 Studies

Background and Objectives Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism may be a risk factor for male infertility. However, the epidemiologic studies showed inconsistent results regarding MTHFR polymorphism and the risk of male infertility. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of published case-control studies to re-examine the controversy. Methods Electronic searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were conducted to select eligible literatures for this meta-analysis (updated to June 19, 2014). According to our inclusion criteria and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), only high quality studies that observed the association between MTHFR polymorphism and male infertility risk were included. Crude odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of association between the MTHFR polymorphism and male infertility risk. Results Twenty-six studies involving 5,575 cases and 5,447 controls were recruited. Overall, MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism showed significant associations with male infertility risk in both fixed effects (CT+TT vs. CC: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.23–1.46) and random effects models (CT+TT vs. CC: OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.19–1.62). Further, when stratified by ethnicity, sperm concentration and control sources, the similar results were observed in Asians, Caucasians, Azoo or OAT subgroup and both in population-based and hospital-based controls. Nevertheless, no significant association was only observed in oligo subgroup. Conclusions Our results indicated that the MTHFR polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of male infertility. Further well-designed analytical studies are necessary to confirm our conclusions and evaluate gene-environment interactions with male infertility risk.
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances synthesis of Arc in synaptoneurosomes

Protein synthesis in neurons is essential for the consolidation of memory and for the stabilization of activity-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation (LTP). Activity-dependent translation of dendritically localized mRNAs has been proposed to be a critical source of new proteins necessary for synaptic change. mRNA for the activity-regulated cytoskeletal protein, Arc, is transcribed during LTP and learning, and disruption of its translation gives rise to deficits in both. We have found that selective translation of Arc in a synaptoneurosomal preparation is induced by the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a neurotrophin that is released during high-frequency stimulation patterns used to elicit LTP. This effect involves signaling through the TrkB receptor and is blocked by the N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamate receptor antagonist, MK801. The results suggest there is a synergy between neurotrophic and ionotropic mechanisms that may influence the specificity and duration of changes in synaptic efficacy at glutamatergic synapses.