Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time Errors are Perceptual An Experimental Investigation of Duration

SUMMARY. Methods for the measurement of time-errors (TEs) in the comparison of successive stimulus magnitudes are discussed. Combining a Thurstonian scaling method with the assumption of a fixed subjective width of the "equal" category, independent of stimulus level, a ratio scale for subjective differences within pairs of successive stimuli is derived. In a tone duration comparison experiment, with the TE defined in the terms of these subjective duration differences, data from four experimental groups were compared, the groups using different modes of judging and responding. Only minor effects of this factor were found, and hence it is concluded that the TE is a true perceptual phenomenon rather than an effect of response bias, criterion bias, or mediating verbal responses to the absolute level of stimulation. The quantitative results are interpreted in terms of a general model for the comparison of successive stimuli, employing the concepts of adaptation and differential weighting of sensation magnitudes.
A Novel Model for the Budget Sharing Problem in a Real-Time Environment

This work describes a general model of a real-time planning environment allowing for the combination of timing constraints and quality profiles, two paradigms traditionally considered to be orthogonal. Optimal resource allocation together with constraint solving is achieved by heuristic search algorithms used within a dynamic scheduling scheme. As a real-world example we present an application of the budget-sharing problem class in the area of medical image processing.
Executive dysfunction in elderly bipolar manic patients.

OBJECTIVE This study used neuropsychological measures of executive skills to examine the functioning of frontostriatal networks in elderly bipolar patients. DESIGN The authors hypothesized that elders with bipolar mania would exhibit poor executive functions relative to both elderly comparison subjects and depressed patients. SETTING The study was conducted in the geriatric psychiatry services of a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Nondemented elders: 14 with bipolar disorder I, manic (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition), 14 with unipolar major depression (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition), and 14 nonpsychiatric comparison (NC) subjects. MEASUREMENTS Executive functions were assessed with the initiation/perseveration subscale of the Dementia Rating Scale and the manual Go/No-Go tasks from the extended initiation/perseveration scale. RESULTS Manic elders demonstrated poor performance on tasks of initiation/perseveration and response inhibition, and performed significantly worse than both depressed patients and NC subjects. In this sample, there was no evidence for a relationship between severity of manic symptoms and executive performance. CONCLUSION These findings extend the observation that elderly bipolar manic patients have deficits in executive functioning compared with NC samples and provide evidence that the executive deficits demonstrated by bipolar manic elders can be more severe than those in unipolar depressed elders. As executive functions require frontostriatal integrity, these observations support investigation of specific frontostriatal network abnormalities in late-life bipolar disorder.
Neurotoxicity of Brominated Flame Retardants: (In)direct Effects of Parent and Hydroxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on the (Developing) Nervous System

Background/objective: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their hydroxylated (OH-) or methoxylated forms have been detected in humans. Because this raises concern about adverse effects on the developing brain, we reviewed the scientific literature on these mechanisms. Data synthesis: Many rodent studies reported behavioral changes after developmental, neonatal, or adult exposure to PBDEs, and other studies documented subtle structural and functional alterations in brains of PBDE-exposed animals. Functional effects have been observed on synaptic plasticity and the glutamate–nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway. In the brain, changes have been observed in the expression of genes and proteins involved in synapse and axon formation, neuronal morphology, cell migration, synaptic plasticity, ion channels, and vesicular neurotransmitter release. Cellular and molecular mechanisms include effects on neuronal viability (via apoptosis and oxidative stress), neuronal differentiation and migration, neurotransmitter release/uptake, neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels, calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis, and intracellular signaling pathways. Discussion: Bioactivation of PBDEs by hydroxylation has been observed for several endocrine end points. This has also been observed for mechanisms related to neurodevelopment, including binding to thyroid hormone receptors and transport proteins, disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis, and modulation of GABA and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor function. Conclusions: The increased hazard for developmental neurotoxicity by hydroxylated (OH-)PBDEs compared with their parent congeners via direct neurotoxicity and thyroid disruption clearly warrants further investigation into a) the role of oxidative metabolism in producing active metabolites of PBDEs and their impact on brain development; b) concentrations of parent and OH-PBDEs in the brain; and c) interactions between different environmental contaminants during exposure to mixtures, which may increase neurotoxicity.
Chronometric and pupil-size measurements illuminate the relationship between motor execution and motor imagery in expert pianists

Recent years have witnessed an upsurge of research interest in motor imagery (MI; sometimes known as mental practice) or the mental simulation of actions without any concomitant bodily movement. While numerous experimental studies have demonstrated the efficacy of MI in improving skilled performance in fields such as music, sport and medical surgery, few to date have investigated the extent to which MI and motor execution share similar cognitive mechanisms. Therefore, to address this gap, the present studies explored the relationship between the executed and imagined movements of expert pianists. Study 1 explored the effects of movement complexity and force on the time required for nine pianists to actually perform and imagine performing a musical composition. Results revealed that although the durations of participants’ imagined performances were longer than those of executed ones, stage-duration variations during execution were mirrored in the stage-duration variations during MI. In Study 2, seven pianists’ pupil-size measurements (obtained using Tobii eye-tracking glasses) were used to explore changes in cognitive effort between executed and imagined piano performance. Results showed that pupil-size measurements during executed and imagined piano playing were similar. The significance of the findings is discussed and some potential new directions for research are identified.
Modeling Mother Rotor Anchoring in Branching Atrial Tissue

Background: It has been hypothesized that stable mother rotors may increase the stability of atrial fibrillation. Local shortening of action potential duration due to vagotonic activity may promote the formation of mother rotors. However, prior studies have shown that meandering rotors typically drift out of the region of short action potential duration (APD), making the formation of stable rotors unlikely. Thus, for the formation of mother rotors in vagotonic AF a mechanism must be involved which increases rotor stability. Hypothesis: Local variation of electrotonic load due to branching muscle sleeves in the atrial tissue may avoid rotor drift and ease the formation of stable vagotonic AF. In this chapter the underlying mechanisms are illustrated by means of computer modeling. Model formulation: Anchoring is illustrated in a square patch of tissue and a monolayer model of the atria. Vagotonic activity was modeled by increasing ACh-concentration in the vicinity of the pulmonary veins (PVs). Close to the right lower PV, a muscle sleeve branching into the vein was included in the model. A model of canine atrial membrane kinetics was used providing detailed data on electrical remodeling and vagal activity. AF was analyzed computing dominant frequency (DF) maps and phase singularities (PSs). Model predictions: In the case of a missing anchor site AF was self terminating within 2 s of simulated activity. The rotor drifted out of the short APD region. After including a branching tissue structure, mother rotor formation was observed (anchoring and almost periodic activity over the entire simulated interval of 4.2 s). Pull and push currents were identified as the mechanism stabilizing the rotor trajectory. Push currents in the bundle reduced the DF at the branching by about 10%with respect to the highest DF (15 Hz). The computed DFmapmainly reflected the underlying ACh concentration (correlation 0.9). Summary: Branching tissue structures in regions of high ACh-concentration may constitute the substrate underlying vagotonic AF. Future experimental studies are needed to further confirm motor rotor anchoring in branching tissue.
A SCORM Thin Client Architecture for E-Learning Systems Based on Web Services

In this paper we propose an architecture of e-learning systems characterized by the use of Web Services and a suitable Middleware component. These technical infrastructures allow us to extend the system with new services as well as to integrate and reuse heterogeneous software e-learning components. Moreover, they let us better support the “anytime and anywhere” learning paradigm. �s a matter of fact, the proposal provides an implementation of the Run-Time Environment suggested in the Sharable Content Object Reference Model �SCORM�� to trace learning processes, which is also suitable for mobile learning.
Applying Multivariate Adaptive Splines to Identify Genes With Expressions Varying After Diagnosis in Microarray Experiments

PURPOSE To analyze a microarray experiment to identify the genes with expressions varying after the diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS A total of 44 928 probe sets in an Affymetrix microarray data publicly available on Gene Expression Omnibus from 249 patients with breast cancer were analyzed by the nonparametric multivariate adaptive splines. Then, the identified genes with turning points were grouped by K-means clustering, and their network relationship was subsequently analyzed by the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. RESULTS In total, 1640 probe sets (genes) were reliably identified to have turning points along with the age at diagnosis in their expression profiling, of which 927 expressed lower after turning points and 713 expressed higher after the turning points. K-means clustered them into 3 groups with turning points centering at 54, 62.5, and 72, respectively. The pathway analysis showed that the identified genes were actively involved in various cancer-related functions or networks. CONCLUSIONS In this article, we applied the nonparametric multivariate adaptive splines method to a publicly available gene expression data and successfully identified genes with expressions varying before and after breast cancer diagnosis.
Image watermarking based on cuckoo search with dwt using lévy flight algorithms

With the expansion of digital world, the scope of copyright has started facing a great threat. Thus, there is a need to protect the original work from being copied or distributed illegally. Image watermarking plays a very important role in solving this issue. Image watermarking is the procedure to embed a particular piece of information (watermark) in an image such that it is not distorted. Thus on extracting the watermarking, the owner can claim his copyright. This paper presents image watermarking technique based on cuckoo search using lévy flight algorithms. Considering the parameters of imperceptibility and robustness, the lévy flight algorithms-Mantegna Algorithm and McCulloch Algorithm are compared and the results are discussed.
Circulating leptin mediates lipopolysaccharide‐induced anorexia and fever in rats

Anorexia and fever are important features of the host's response to inflammation that can be triggered by the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the appetite suppressant leptin. Previous studies have demonstrated that LPS induces leptin synthesis and secretion in the periphery, and that the action of leptin on appetite suppression and fever are dependent on brain interleukin (IL)‐1β. However, the role of leptin as a neuroimmune mediator of LPS‐induced inflammation has not been fully elucidated. To address this issue, we neutralized circulating leptin using a leptin antiserum (LAS) and determined how this neutralization affected LPS‐induced anorexia, fever and hypothalamic IL‐1β. Adult male rats were separated into four treatment groups, namely LPS + normal sheep serum (NSS), LPS + LAS, saline + LAS and saline + NSS. Intraperitoneal injection of LPS (100 μg kg−1) induced a significant reduction in food intake and body weight, which were significantly reversed in the presence of LAS (1 ml kg−1), 8 and 24 h after treatment. In addition, LPS‐induced fever was significantly attenuated by LAS over the duration of the fever response (8 h). Lipopolysaccharide induced an increase of circulating IL‐6, another potential circulating pyrogen, which was not affected by neutralization of leptin at 2 h. Interleukin‐1β mRNA at 1 and 8 h, and IL‐1 receptor antagonist (ra) at 2 h were significantly upregulated in the hypothalamus of LPS‐treated animals. The induction of these cytokines was attenuated in the presence of LAS. These results are the first to demonstrate that leptin is a circulating mediator of LPS‐induced anorexia and fever, probably through a hypothalamic IL‐1β‐dependent mechanism.
Work-family balance.

Social roles play important functions in the lives of all individuals (e.g., Ashforth, Kreiner, & Fugate, 2000; Clark, 2000). They help to define who we are-imposing self-definitional boundaries. They influence what we do-imposing behavioral boundaries. They influence how and with whom we interact-imposing relational boundaries. They influence what we think about-imposing cognitive boundaries. They influence how we feel about things-imposing affective boundaries. They structure our use of timeimposing temporal boundaries. Finally, they structure our physical location-imposing spatial boundaries. The primary social roles that make up the lives of most adults are depicted in Figure 7.1. As shown in this figure, one can make a broad distinction between work and nonwork domains of life (e.g., Rice, McFarlin, Hunt, & Near, 1985). Within the nonwork domain, several subdomains of social roles exist-family, religious, community, leisure, and student. Because social roles provide meaning and structure in people’s lives, researchers from many disciplines are interested in the notion of balance between social roles. This interest partly derives from the understanding that despite the various types of boundaries fostered by social roles, these boundaries differ in permeability and flexibility, and transitions across boundaries occur often (e.g., Ashforth et al., 2000; Clark, 2000). It also derives from the expectation that imbalance between social roles may be an important stressor that can influence outcomes in the affected life domains and can influence the overall health and well-being of individuals exposed to the imbalance. The overall goal of this chapter, therefore, is to provide an overview of the literature on work-family balance. Toward this end, I will (a) define work-family balance, (b) review early and contemporary models of workfamily balance, (c) review the major causes and outcomes of work-family balance, and (d) explore strategies for promoting work-family balance. Because of the extensive work-family literature that has developed, I cannot provide an exhaustive review of each of these issues in a short chapter. Nonetheless, while being selective, I will try to provide a broad overview. The focus of this review is on the relationship between work and family roles for three reasons. First, in contrast to other nonwork roles, conceptual interest in the relationship between work and family has been much stronger, with a research history that dates back to at least the 1930s
Parsing Natural Language Queries for Life Science Knowledge

This paper presents our preliminary work on adaptation of parsing technology toward natural language query processing for biomedical domain. We built a small treebank of natural language queries, and tested a state-of-the-art parser, the results of which revealed that a parser trained on Wall-Street-Journal articles and Medline abstracts did not work well on query sentences. We then experimented an adaptive learning technique, to seek the chance to improve the parsing performance on query sentences. Despite the small scale of the experiments, the results are encouraging, enlightening the direction for effective improvement.
Activity of rat Mx proteins against a rhabdovirus

Upon stimulation with alpha/beta interferon, rat cells synthesize three Mx proteins. Sequence analysis of corresponding cDNAs reveals that these three proteins are derived from three distinct genes. One of the rat cDNAs is termed Mx1 because it is most closely related to the mouse Mx1 cDNA and because it codes for a nuclear protein that, like the mouse Mx1 protein, inhibits influenza virus growth. However, this protein differs from mouse Mx1 protein, in that it also inhibits vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a rhabdovirus. A second rat cDNA is more closely related to the mouse Mx2 cDNA and directs the synthesis of a cytoplasmic protein that inhibits VSV but not influenza virus. The third rat cDNA codes for a cytoplasmic protein that differs from the second one in only eight positions and has no detectable activity against either virus. These results indicate that rat Mx proteins have antiviral specificities not anticipated from the analysis of the murine Mx1 protein.
A Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals New Loci for Resistance to Clubroot Disease in Brassica napus

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most important oil crops in the world. However, the yield and quality of rapeseed were largely decreased by clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin). Therefore, it is of great importance for screening more resistant germplasms or genes and improving the resistance to P. brassicae in rapeseed breeding. In this study, a massive resistant identification for a natural global population was conducted in two environments with race/pathotype 4 of P. brassicae which was the most predominant in China, and a wide range of phenotypic variation was found in the population. In addition, a genome-wide association study of 472 accessions for clubroot resistance (CR) was performed with 60K Brassica Infinium SNP arrays for the first time. In total, nine QTLs were detected, seven of which were novel through integrative analysis. Furthermore, additive effects in genetic control of CR in rapeseed among the above loci were found. By bioinformatic analyses, the candidate genes of these loci were predicted, which indicated that TIR-NBS gene family might play an important role in CR. It is believable that the results presented in our study could provide valuable information for understanding the genetic mechanism and molecular regulation of CR.
A Novel Multi-Purpose Matching Representation of Local 3D Surfaces: A Rotationally Invariant, Efficient, and Highly Discriminative Approach With an Adjustable Sensitivity

In this paper, a novel approach to local 3D surface matching representation suitable for a range of 3D vision applications is introduced. Local 3D surface patches around key points on the 3D surface are represented by 2D images such that the representing 2D images enjoy certain characteristics which positively impact the matching accuracy, robustness, and speed. First, the proposed representation is complete, in the sense, there is no information loss during their computation. Second, the 3DoF 2D representations are strictly invariant to all the 3DoF rotations. To optimally avail surface information, the sensitivity of the representations to surface information is adjustable. This also provides the proposed matching representation with the means to optimally adjust to a particular class of problems/applications or an acquisition technology. Each 2D matching representation is a sequence of adjustable integral kernels, where each kernel is efficiently computed from a triple of precise 3D curves (profiles) formed by intersecting three concentric spheres with the 3D surface. Robust techniques for sampling the profiles and establishing correspondences among them were devised. Based on the proposed matching representation, two techniques for the detection of key points were presented. The first is suitable for static images, while the second is suitable for 3D videos. The approach was tested on the face recognition grand challenge v2.0, the 3D twins expression challenge, and the Bosphorus data sets, and a superior face recognition performance was achieved. In addition, the proposed approach was used in object class recognition and tested on a Kinect data set.
Effects of two different high doses of irradiation on antioxidant system in the liver of guinea pigs.

AIM To examine the state of the oxidant-antioxidant system in the liver of guinea pig caused by high doses of ionizing radiation in the early period. METHODS The research was carried out on guinea pigs irradiated with the doses of 8 Gy (group 2) or 15 Gy (group 3) (single dose/whole body) in comparison with control group (group 1). The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the levels of selenium in the liver were measured. RESULTS TBARS levels in the irradiated animals were markedly higher than those in controls. In group 3, GSH levels and GSH-Px activity were significantly increased while activity of SOD and CAT were significantly decreased compared to groups 1 and 2. Liver selenium levels were not influenced by irradiation. CONCLUSION The data have shown that gamma-irradiation at the doses of 8 Gy or 15 Gy results in significant increase in free radical formation while antioxidant enzymes were affected only at a dose of 15 Gy.
Increased epithelial permeability in pulmonary fibrosis in relation to disease progression

Epithelial injury contributes to pathogenesis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) but its role in the interstitial lung disease (ILD) of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is uncertain. We quantified the prognostic significance of inhaled technetium-99m (99mTc)-labelled diethylene triamine pentacetate (DTPA) pulmonary clearance, a marker of the extent of epithelial injury, in both diseases. Baseline 99mTc-DTPA pulmonary clearance was evaluated retrospectively in patients with SSc-ILD (n = 168) and IPF (n = 97) against mortality and disease progression. In SSc-ILD, the rapidity of total clearance (hazard ratio (HR) 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03; p = 0.001) and the presence of abnormally rapid clearance (HR 2.10; 95% CI 1.25–3.53; p = 0.005) predicted a shorter time to forced vital capcity (FVC) decline, independent of disease severity. These associations were robust in both mild and severe disease. By contrast, in IPF, delayed clearance of the slow component, an expected consequence of honeycomb change, was an independent predictor of a shorter time to FVC decline (HR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02; p<0.01). Epithelial injury should be incorporated in pathogenetic models in SSc-ILD. By contrast, outcome is not linked to the overall extent of epithelial injury in IPF, apart from abnormalities ascribable to honeycombing, suggesting that core pathogenetic events may be more spatially focal in that disease.