Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous and noradrenaline‐induced transient depolarizations in the smooth muscle of guinea‐pig mesenteric vein.

1. Recordings of membrane current were made in the smooth muscle of short segments of mesenteric vein before or during stimulation with noradrenaline (NA). 2. Small veins (diameter less than 150 microns) when cut into short segments (of length less than 250 microns) had the passive electrical characteristics of short cables both before and during activation with NA. 3. Spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs) or the underlying inward currents (STICs) were recorded in these preparations. STDs were of myogenic origin as they were not blocked by tetrodotoxin or antagonists to the alpha‐adrenoreceptor and persisted after either denervation or disruption of the endothelium. 4. STDs had time courses similar to the underlying currents and were generally slow compared to the membrane time constant of the short segments. 5. STDs and the underlying currents showed large variability in frequency and amplitude both within and between short segments. Currents were typically less than 0.3 nA, were characteristic in shape, had half‐durations normally in the range 0.1‐0.7 s and reversed at about ‐25 mV. 6. STDs persisted, but at markedly reduced frequencies, after exposure (3‐10 min) to a solution in which cobalt ions had been used to substitute for Ca2+. STDs were also substantially suppressed by exposure to low‐chloride solution. 7. Caffeine induced excitatory and inhibitory conductances. An initial component of the caffeine‐induced responses showed similar voltage dependence to STDs and was also suppressed by exposure to low‐chloride solution. 8. NA, through activation of alpha‐adrenoreceptors, caused a sustained depolarization or inward current (under voltage clamp) with considerable membrane potential or current noise often in the form of agonist‐induced spontaneous transient depolarizations (ASTDs) or currents (ASTICs). There were marked increases in amplitude and frequency of ASTDs with increase in NA concentrations. 9. ASTDs appeared to be generated within the smooth muscle as they were activated in preparations which had been denervated or in which the endothelium had been disrupted. 10. Except for the pathway of activation, ASTDs were indistinguishable from STDs having half‐durations in the same range (0.1‐2 s with the majority less than 0.7 s). The underlying currents again showed large variation in amplitude (typically less than 0.3 nA; maximum recorded 0.9 nA). They reversed at about ‐25 mV, could still be elicited in cobalt solution (but at reduced intensity for long exposures to this low‐Ca2+ solution) and were reduced by long term exposure to low‐chloride solution. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Modeling the adversary and success in competition

Competition has been studied as something to be averted, yet rarely has it been asked what processes may be involved in successful competition. The authors tested whether more accurate modeling of an adversary can assist competitive success. Pairs played a zero-sum game with no specific skill component over 40 trials. The authors measured the relative accuracy of the players' second-order model (i.e., what I think about my opponent: R2MA) and third-order model (i.e., what I think my opponent thinks of me: R3MA), using responses to adjectives indicating personality traits. Performance correlated with both R3MA and having a better strategy (i.e., a better distribution of responses), but these variables contributed separately to performance variance. However, R2MA did not correlate with performance.
Conceptualizations of anxiety sensitivity

Anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety) is thought to play an important role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. One of the most widely used measures of anxiety sensitivity is the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). The originators of this scale regarded it as a measure of a undidimensional construct (Reiss et al., 1986). Recent investigations have challenged this claim, and several 4-factor solutions have been proposed. If the dimension(s) of this scale are to guide theory and research, then it is necessary to determine the most stable factor structure. ASI responses were obtained from 142 spider-phobic college students and 327 psychiatric patients presenting with anxiety or stress-related (psychophysiological) disorders
Aims: To measure cardiac tissue doses in left-sided breast cancer patients receiving supine tangential field radiotherapy with multileaf collimation (MLC) cardiac shielding of the heart and to assess the impact on target volume coverage

Aims: To measure cardiac tissue doses in left-sided breast cancer patients receiving supine tangential field radiotherapy with multileaf collimation (MLC) cardiac shielding of the heart and to assess the impact on target volume coverage Materials and methods: Sixty seven consecutive patients who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy to the left breast (n=48) or chest wall (n=19) in 2009/10 were analysed. Heart, left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), whole breast and partial breast clinical target volumes (WBCTV and PBCTV) were outlined retrospectively (the latter only in patients who had undergone breast conserving surgery (BCS)). Mean heart and LAD *NTDmean and maximum LAD doses (LADmax) were calculated for all patients (*NTDmean is a biologically weighted mean dose normalised to 2Gy fractions using a standard linear quadratic model). Coverage of WBCTV and PBCTV by the 95% isodose was assessed (BCS patients only). Results: Mean heart NTDmean (SD) was 0.8 (0.3) Gy, mean LAD NTDmean 6.7 (4.3) Gy and mean LADmax 40.3 (10.1) Gy. Coverage of the WBCTV by 95% isodose was <90% in 1 in 3 patients and PBCTV coverage <95% (range 78-94%) in 1 in 10 BCS patients. Conclusion: The use of MLC cardiac shielding reduces doses to cardiac tissues at the expense of target tissue coverage. Formal target volume delineation in combination with an assessment of the likelihood of local relapse (LR) is recommended in order to aid decisions regarding field and MLC placement.
Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice Impairs Long-Term Fear Memory Consolidation through Dysfunction of the Cortex and Amygdala

ABSTRACT Chronic infection with Toxoplasma gondii becomes established in tissues of the central nervous system, where parasites may directly or indirectly modulate neuronal function. Epidemiological studies have revealed that chronic infection in humans is a risk factor for developing mental diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying parasite-induced neuronal dysfunction in the brain remain unclear. Here, we examined memory associated with conditioned fear in mice and found that T. gondii infection impairs consolidation of conditioned fear memory. To examine the brain pathology induced by T. gondii infection, we analyzed the parasite load and histopathological changes. T. gondii infects all brain areas, yet the cortex exhibits more severe tissue damage than other regions. We measured neurotransmitter levels in the cortex and amygdala because these regions are involved in fear memory expression. The levels of dopamine metabolites but not those of dopamine were increased in the cortex of infected mice compared with those in the cortex of uninfected mice. In contrast, serotonin levels were decreased in the amygdala and norepinephrine levels were decreased in the cortex and amygdala of infected mice. The levels of cortical dopamine metabolites were associated with the time spent freezing in the fear-conditioning test. These results suggest that T. gondii infection affects fear memory through dysfunction of the cortex and amygdala. Our findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the neurological changes seen during T. gondii infection.
The NICMOS Snapshot Survey of Nearby Galaxies

We present "snapshot" observations with the Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) of 94 nearby galaxies from the Revised Shapley Ames Catalog. Images with 0. ″2 resolution were obtained in two filters, a broadband continuum filter (F160W, roughly equivalent to the H band) and a narrowband filter centered on the Paα line (F187N or F190N, depending on the galaxy redshift) with the 51′′ × 51′′ field of view of the NICMOS camera 3. A first-order continuum subtraction is performed, and the resulting line maps and integrated Paα line fluxes are presented. A statistical analysis indicates that the average Paα surface brightness in the central regions is highest in early-type (Sa-Sb) spirals.
Caching in opportunistic networks with churn

In this paper we examine opportunistic content distribution. We design and evaluate a caching strategy where a node will fetch and share contents on behalf of other nodes, although the contents are not of its own interest. We propose three caching options for improving the use of network resources: relay request on demand, hop-limit, and greedy relay request. The proposed strategies are implemented in the OMNeT++ simulator and evaluated on mobility traces from Legion Studio that have churn. We also compare our strategies with a strategy from the literature. The results are analyzed and they show that the use of opportunistic caching for a community of nodes may enhance the performance marginally while overhead increases significantly.
Causal Models and Learning from Data: Integrating Causal Modeling and Statistical Estimation

The practice of epidemiology requires asking causal questions. Formal frameworks for causal inference developed over the past decades have the potential to improve the rigor of this process. However, the appropriate role for formal causal thinking in applied epidemiology remains a matter of debate. We argue that a formal causal framework can help in designing a statistical analysis that comes as close as possible to answering the motivating causal question, while making clear what assumptions are required to endow the resulting estimates with a causal interpretation. A systematic approach for the integration of causal modeling with statistical estimation is presented. We highlight some common points of confusion that occur when causal modeling techniques are applied in practice and provide a broad overview on the types of questions that a causal framework can help to address. Our aims are to argue for the utility of formal causal thinking, to clarify what causal models can and cannot do, and to provide an accessible introduction to the flexible and powerful tools provided by causal models.
ALGORITHMS FOR ALGEBRAIC CURVES

1.1. Languages. Let Σ be an alphabet i.e. a finite set of symbols. The set of finite words on Σ is denoted Σ∗. A language is a subset of Σ∗. For a language L ⊂ Σ∗ the associated decision problem is as follows. On input a word w ∈ Σ∗ we want to decide if w belongs to L or not. Examples : even integers, prime integers, etc. For a function f : Σ∗ → Σ∗, the associated functional problem is as follows. On input a word w ∈ Σ∗ we want to evaluate f(w). Examples : multiplying, factoring, etc.
A high-resolution genetic signature of demographic and spatial expansion in epizootic rabies virus

Emerging pathogens potentially undergo rapid evolution while expanding in population size and geographic range during the course of invasion, yet it is generally difficult to demonstrate how these processes interact. Our analysis of a 30-yr data set covering a large-scale rabies virus outbreak among North American raccoons reveals the long lasting effect of the initial infection wave in determining how viral populations are genetically structured in space. We further find that coalescent-based estimates derived from the genetic data yielded an amazingly accurate reconstruction of the known spatial and demographic dynamics of the virus over time. Our study demonstrates the combined evolutionary and population dynamic processes characterizing the spread of pathogen after its introduction into a fully susceptible host population. Furthermore, the results provide important insights regarding the spatial scale of rabies persistence and validate the use of coalescent approaches for uncovering even relatively complex population histories. Such approaches will be of increasing relevance for understanding the epidemiology of emerging zoonotic diseases in a landscape context.
Implementation and evaluation of a Java based computational grid for bioinformatics applications

In the present study, THUBioGrid, an experimental distributed computing application for bioinformatics (BioGrid) is proposed. THUBioGrid incorporates directory services (data and software), grid computing methods (security, authentication, data transport and remote jobs), and gene sequence/genomic data processing methods. It uses Java CoG Kit plus bioinformatics Java packages to perform various computational tasks. The performance of THUBioGrid has been tested by executing the FASTA and mpiBLAST programs for protein sequence alignment applications. Results demonstrate the speed-up effects with increasing number of processors used in the computations.
Digital background calibration in continuous-time delta-sigma analog to digital converters

This work presents a digital calibration technique in continuous-time (CT) ΔΣ analog to digital (A/D) converters. The converter is clocked at 144MHz with a low oversampling ratio (OSR) of only 8. Dynamic element matching (DEM) is not efficient to linearize the digital to analog converter (DAC) when the OSR is very low. Therefore, non-idealities in the outermost multi-bit feedback DAC are measured and then removed in the background by a digital circuit. A third-order, four-bit feedback, single-loop CT ΔΣ converter with digital background calibration circuit has been designed, simulated and implemented in 65nm CMOS process. The maximum simulated signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) is 67.1dB within 9MHz bandwidth.
Global Gene Expression Analysis of Reactive Stroma in Prostate Cancer

Purpose: Marked reactive stroma formation, designated as grade 3 reactive stroma, is associated with poor outcome in clinically localized prostate cancer. To understand the biological processes and signaling mechanisms underlying the formation of such reactive stroma, we carried out microarray gene expression analysis of laser-captured reactive stroma and matched normal stroma. Experimental Design: Seventeen cases of reactive stroma grade 3 cancer were used to laser-capture tumor and normal stroma. Expression analysis was carried out using Agilent 44K arrays. Up-regulation of selected genes was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Expression data was analyzed to identify significantly up- and down-regulated genes, and gene ontology analysis was used to define pathways altered in reactive stroma. Results: A total of 544 unique genes were significantly higher in the reactive stroma and 606 unique genes were lower. Gene ontology analysis revealed significant alterations in a number of novel processes in prostate cancer reactive stroma, including neurogenesis, axonogenesis, and the DNA damage/repair pathways, as well as evidence of increases in stem cells in prostate cancer reactive stroma. Conclusions: Formation of reactive stroma in prostate cancer is a dynamic process characterized by significant alterations in growth factor and signal transduction pathways and formation of new structures, including nerves and axons.
Resistive switching phenomena in thin films: Materials, devices, and applications

Resistive switching, the reversible modulation of electronic conductivity in thin films under electrical stress, has been observed in a wide range of material systems and is attributed to diverse physical mechanisms. Research activity in this area has been traditionally fueled by the search for a perfect electronic memory candidate but recently received additional attention due to a number of other promising applications, such as reconfigurable and neuromorphic computing. This issue of MRS Bulletin is devoted to current state-of-the-art understanding of the physics behind resistive switching in several major classes of material systems and their intrinsic scaling prospects in the context of electronic circuit applications. In particular, the goal of this introductory article is to review the most promising applications of thin-film devices and outline some of the major requirements for their performance.
Taxonomy and Implementation of Redirection Techniques for Ubiquitous Passive Haptic Feedback

Traveling through immersive virtual environments (IVEs) by means of real walking is an important activity to increase naturalness of VR-based interaction. However, the size of the virtual world often exceeds the size of the tracked space so that a straightforward implementation of omni-directional and unlimited walking is not possible. Redirected walking is one concept to solve this problem of walking in IVEs by inconspicuously guiding the user on a physical path that may differ from the path the user visually perceives. When the user approaches a virtual object she can be redirected to a real proxy object that is registered to the virtual counterpart and provides passive haptic feedback. In such passive haptic environments, any number of virtual objects can be mapped to proxy objects having similar haptic properties, e.g., size, shape and texture. The user can sense a virtual object by touching its real world counterpart. Redirecting a user to a registered proxy object makes it necessary to predict the user's intended position in the IVE. Based on this target position we determine a path through the physical space such that the user is guided to the registered proxy object. We present a taxonomy of possible redirection techniques that enable user guidance such that inconsistencies between visual and proprioceptive stimuli are imperceptible. We describe how a user's target in the virtual world can be predicted reliably and how a corresponding real-world path to the registered proxy object can be derived.
Effects of lysocellin and calcium level on mineral metabolism, performance and ruminal and plasma characteristics of beef steers.

Metabolism and growth experiments were conducted to determine the effects of lysocellin and calcium level on mineral metabolism and performance of beef steers. Lysocellin at 0 or 22 mg/kg and Ca at . 3 or . 6% of the diet were fed in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Two steers averaging 287 kg BW were fed each diet consisting of 80% corn silage and 20% supplement (DM basis) in each of two metabolism trials. Steers were fed the diets for a 21-d preliminary period, followed by 7 d of total feces and urine collection. A lysocellin x Ca interaction was observed for nitrogen retention (P less than .01). Steers fed lysocellin and . 6% Ca retained the most N (15.6 g/d), whereas steers receiving lysocellin and . 3% Ca retained the least N (8.8 g/d). Lysocellin increased (P less than .05) apparent absorption of Mg. In one of the two metabolism trials, lysocellin increased (P less than .05) apparent absorption and retention of Ca. Apparent absorption and retention of Ca were higher (P less than .05) in steers fed . 6% Ca when expressed as grams per day, but absorption and retention were lower (P less than .01) when expressed as a percentage of intake. In the other metabolism trial, the . 6% Ca level decreased (P less than .05) urinary P excretion and increased (P less than .05) P retention as a percentage of absorbed P. In a growth experiment, 64 steers were fed similar levels of lysocellin and Ca for 119 d. Diets consisted of 90% corn silage and 10% supplement. Although no treatment effects on ADG, DMI or feed:gain were detected, lysocellin did affect concentration of several minerals in ruminal fluid and blood plasma.
Aspirin and recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage in cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Objective: To identify and compare clinical and neuroimaging predictors of primary lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) recurrence, assessing their relative contributions to recurrent ICH. Methods: Subjects were consecutive survivors of primary ICH drawn from a single-center prospective cohort study. Baseline clinical, imaging, and laboratory data were collected. Survivors were followed prospectively for recurrent ICH and intercurrent aspirin and warfarin use, including duration of exposure. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify predictors of recurrence stratified by ICH location, with aspirin and warfarin exposures as time-dependent variables adjusting for potential confounders. Results: A total of 104 primary lobar ICH survivors were enrolled. Recurrence of lobar ICH was associated with previous ICH before index event (hazard ratio [HR] 7.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–15.7), number of lobar microbleeds (HR 2.93 with 2–4 microbleeds present, 95% CI 1.3–4.0; HR = 4.12 when ≥5 microbleeds present, 95% CI 1.6–9.3), and presence of CT-defined white matter hypodensity in the posterior region (HR 4.11, 95% CI 1.01–12.2). Although aspirin after ICH was not associated with lobar ICH recurrence in univariate analyses, in multivariate analyses adjusting for baseline clinical predictors, it independently increased the risk of ICH recurrence (HR 3.95, 95% CI 1.6–8.3, p = 0.021). Conclusions: Recurrence of lobar ICH is associated with previous microbleeds or macrobleeds and posterior CT white matter hypodensity, which may be markers of severity for underlying cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Use of an antiplatelet agent following lobar ICH may also increase recurrence risk.
Culture and visual perception: Does perceptual inference depend on culture?

: Some perceptual cues carry information about the overall pattern of an object (holistic cues), whereas others carry information about the distinct parts of an object (part cues). Drawing on recent work on culture and cognition, the authors predicted that people with European-American cultural backgrounds would be more capable of using part cues in perceptual inference than those with Asian backgrounds. No such cross-cultural difference was expected for the ability to use holistic cues. In two studies, participants were presented with either one of the two types of cues and asked to infer the identity of the original objects. As predicted, in the part-cue condition European-American participants performed better than did Japanese (Study 1) and Asian-American participants (Study 2). Also as predicted, there was no cultural difference in the holistic-cue condition. The results were interpreted with reference to other related studies documenting reliable cross-cultural differences in cognition.
Mitochondrial genome sequence of the potato powdery scab pathogen Spongospora subterranea

Abstract Spongospora subterranea is a soil-borne obligate parasite responsible for potato powdery scab disease. S. subterranea is a member of the order Plasmodiophorida, a protist taxa that is related to Cercozoa and Foraminifera but the fine details of these relationships remain unresolved. Currently there is only one available complete mtDNA sequence of a cercozoan, Bigelowiella natans. In this work, the mitochondrial sequence of a S. subterranea isolate infecting an Andean variety of S. tuberosum ssp. andigena (Diacol-Capiro) is presented. The mtDNA codes for 16 proteins of the respiratory chain, 11 ribosomal proteins, 3 ribosomal RNAs, 24 tRNAs, a RNA processing RNaseP, a RNA-directed polymerase, and two proteins of unknown function. This is the first report of a mtDNA genome sequence from a plasmodiophorid and will be useful in clarifying the phylogenetic relationship of this group to other members in the supergroup Rhizaria once more mtDNA sequences are available.