Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Value-Affirmative and Value-Protective Processing of Alcohol Education Messages That Include Statistical Evidence or Anecdotes

This study of persuasion processes in a value-relevant context tests effects of the presence or absence of statistical evidence and the presence or absence of anecdotal evidence, crossed across three base messages regarding different alcohol use issues. Results suggest that a variant of central processing as described by Petty and Cacioppo (1986) was used: Involvement predicted greater message-relevant responses only when the message was congruent with recipients' own values regarding alcohol use. Among recipients for whom the message was value-congruent, messages with statistical evidence were rated more persuasive, more believable, and better written; anecdotal evidence had no effect. Among recipients for whom the message was value-discrepant, messages with anecdotal evidence were rated more persuasive, more believable, and (marginally) better written, and statistical evidence had no effect. Path analyses also suggest that peripheral-processing strategies are employed when the message is value-discrepant, and central-processing strategies are used when the message is value-congruent.
Evidence-Based Surgical Care and the Evolution of Fast-Track Surgery

Background:Optimization of postoperative outcome requires the application of evidence-based principles of care carefully integrated into a multimodal rehabilitation program. Objective:To assess, synthesize, and discuss implementation of “fast-track” recovery programs. Data Sources:Medline MBASE (January 1966–May 2007) and the Cochrane library (January 1966–May 2007) were searched using the following keywords: fast-track, enhanced recovery, accelerated rehabilitation, and multimodal and perioperative care. In addition, the synthesis on the many specific interventions and organizational and implementation issues were based on data published within the past 5 years from major anesthesiological and surgical journals, using systematic reviews where appropriate instead of multiple references of original work. Data Synthesis:Based on an increasing amount of multinational, multicenter cohort studies, randomized studies, and meta-analyses, the concept of the “fast-track methodology” has uniformly provided a major enhancement in recovery leading to decreased hospital stay and with an apparent reduction in medical morbidity but unaltered “surgery-specific” morbidity in a variety of procedures. However, despite being based on a combination of evidence-based unimodal principles of care, recent surveys have demonstrated slow adaptation and implementation of the fast-track methodology. Conclusion:Multimodal evidence-based care within the fast-track methodology significantly enhances postoperative recovery and reduces morbidity, and should therefore be more widely adopted. Further improvement is expected by future integration of minimal invasive surgery, pharmacological stress-reduction, and effective multimodal, nonopioid analgesia.
A Fully Automatic Breast Ultrasound Image Segmentation Approach Based on Neutro-Connectedness

Breast tumor segmentation is an important step of breast ultrasound (BUS) computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems. However, because of the poor quality of BUS images, it's a challenging task to develop a robust and accurate segmentation algorithm. Much progress has been made on applying fuzzy connectedness to segment objects from low quality images. However, the fuzzy connectedness method still has difficulty in segmenting objects with weak boundaries. The neutrosophic set theory has been widely applied to image processing, and shows more strengths in modeling uncertainty and indeterminacy. In this paper, two new concepts of neutrosophic subset and neutrosophic connectedness (neutro-connectedness) were defined to generalize the fuzzy subset and fuzzy connectedness. The newly proposed neutro-connectedness models the inherent uncertainty and indeterminacy of the spatial topological properties of the image. The proposed method is applied to a breast ultrasound database with 131 cases, and its performance is evaluated by similarity ratio (SIR), false positive ratio (FPR) and average Hausdroff error (AHE). In comparison with the fuzzy connectedness segmentation method, the proposed method is more accurate and robust in segmenting tumors in BUS images.
An Integrated Focusing and Calibration Procedure for Airborne SAR Data

Topography-induced variation of radar brightness still poses a problem in terms of radiometric calibration of SAR data, which is undoubtedly an indispensable step in order to deduce bioor geophysical parameters from amplitude images. We propose an integrated focusing and calibration procedure for airborne SAR data based on the time-domain backprojection technique. With the help of sensor position and attitude data as well as a digital elevation model (DEM) the true acquisition geometry is maintained throughout the combined focusing and calibration step. The effectiveness of the method is evaluated by means of an E-SAR L-band data set acquired over undulating terrain.
Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease and prion disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion disease are characterized neuropathologically by extracellular deposits of Aβ and PrP amyloid fibrils, respectively. In both disorders, these cerebral amyloid deposits are co‐localized with a broad variety of inflammation‐related proteins (complement factors, acute‐phase protein, pro‐inflammatory cytokines) and clusters of activated microglia. The present data suggest that the cerebral Aβ and PrP deposits are closely associated with a locally induced, non‐immune‐mediated chronic inflammatory response. Epidemiological studies indicate that polymorphisms of certain cytokines and acute‐phase proteins, which are associated with Aβ plaques, are genetic risk factors for AD. Transgenic mice studies have established the role of amyloid associated acute‐phase proteins in Alzheimer amyloid formation. In contrast to AD, there is a lack of evidence that cytokines and acute‐phase proteins can influence disease progression in prion disease. Clinicopathological and neuroradiological studies have shown that activation of microglia is a relatively early pathogenetic event that precedes the process of neuropil destruction in AD patients. It has also been found that the onset of microglial activation coincided in mouse models of prion disease with the earliest changes in neuronal morphology, many weeks before neuronal loss and subsequent clinical signs of disease. In the present work, we review the similarities and differences between the involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in AD and prion disease. We also discuss the concept that the demonstration of a chronic inflammatory‐like process relatively early in the pathological cascade of both diseases suggests potential therapeutic strategies to prevent or to retard these chronic neurodegenerative disorders. GLIA 40:232–239, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical Significance of Primary Vesicoureteral Reflux and Urinary Antibiotic Prophylaxis After Acute Pyelonephritis: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study

OBJECTIVES. To evaluate the role of primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in increasing the frequency and severity of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and renal parenchymal damage among patients with acute pyelonephritis and to determine whether urinary antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the frequency and/or severity of UTIs and/or prevents renal parenchymal damage among patients with mild/moderate VUR. METHODS. Patients 3 months to 18 years of age with acute pyelonephritis, with or without VUR, were assigned randomly to receive urinary antibiotic prophylaxis or not. Patients were monitored every 3 months for 1 year. Dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scans were repeated at 6 months or if there was a recurrence of febrile UTI. Urinalysis and urine culture were performed at each clinic visit. Renal ultrasound scans and voiding cystourethrograms were repeated at the end of 1 year of follow-up monitoring. RESULTS. Of the 236 patients enrolled in the study, 218 completed the 1-year follow-up monitoring. Groups were similar with respect to age, gender, and reflux grade distribution for those with VUR. No statistically significant differences were found among the groups with respect to rate of recurrent UTI, type of recurrence, rate of subsequent pyelonephritis, and development of renal parenchymal scars. CONCLUSIONS. After 1 year of follow-up monitoring, mild/moderate VUR does not increase the incidence of UTI, pyelonephritis, or renal scarring after acute pyelonephritis. Moreover, a role for urinary antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing the recurrence of infection and the development of renal scars is not supported by this study.
Motoneuron Apoptosis Is Blocked by CEP-1347 (KT 7515), a Novel Inhibitor of the JNK Signaling Pathway

Neurons undergoing apoptosis can be rescued by trophic factors that simultaneously increase the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and decrease c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. We identified a molecule, CEP-1347 (KT7515), that rescues motoneurons undergoing apoptosis and investigated its effect on ERK1 and JNK1 activity. Cultured rat embryonic motoneurons, in the absence of trophic factor, began to die 24–48 hr after plating. During the first 24 hr ERK1 activity was unchanged, whereas JNK1 activity increased fourfold. CEP-1347 completely rescued motoneurons for at least 72 hr with an EC50 of 20 ± 2 nm. CEP-1347 did not alter ERK1 activity but rapidly inhibited JNK1 activation. The IC50 of CEP-1347 for JNK1 activation was the same as the EC50 for motoneuron survival. Inhibition of JNK1 activation by CEP-1347 was not selective to motoneurons. CEP-1347 also inhibited JNK1 activity in Cos7 cells under conditions of ultraviolet irradiation, osmotic shock, and inhibition of glycosylation. Inhibition by CEP-1347 of the JNK1 signaling pathway appeared to be selective, because CEP-1347 did not inhibit p38-regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MAPKAP2) activity in Cos7 cells subjected to osmotic shock. The direct molecular target of CEP-1347 was not JNK1, because CEP-1347 did not inhibit JNK1 activity in Cos7 cells cotransfected with MEKK1 and JNK1 cDNA constructs. This is the first demonstration of a small organic molecule that promotes motoneuron survival and that simultaneously inhibits the JNK1 signaling cascade.
The potential of inoculation in promoting resistance to the effectiveness of comparative advertising messages

The use of comparative messages in commercial advertising has grown in recent years. This investigation posits a strategy of resistance to the influence of comparative messages, examining the potential of the inoculation message strategy to deflect the persuasiveness of comparatives. The results indicated a modest potential for the inoculation approach. Although the results confirmed that inoculation pretreatments confer resistance to the influence of comparative messages, particularly on behalf of high‐involving products, effect sizes were small. Possible limitations of the inoculation construct in its application to commercial advertising are explored.
Toxic gain of function from mutant FUS protein is crucial to trigger cell autonomous motor neuron loss

FUS is an RNA‐binding protein involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cytoplasmic FUS‐containing aggregates are often associated with concomitant loss of nuclear FUS. Whether loss of nuclear FUS function, gain of a cytoplasmic function, or a combination of both lead to neurodegeneration remains elusive. To address this question, we generated knockin mice expressing mislocalized cytoplasmic FUS and complete FUS knockout mice. Both mouse models display similar perinatal lethality with respiratory insufficiency, reduced body weight and length, and largely similar alterations in gene expression and mRNA splicing patterns, indicating that mislocalized FUS results in loss of its normal function. However, FUS knockin mice, but not FUS knockout mice, display reduced motor neuron numbers at birth, associated with enhanced motor neuron apoptosis, which can be rescued by cell‐specific CRE‐mediated expression of wild‐type FUS within motor neurons. Together, our findings indicate that cytoplasmic FUS mislocalization not only leads to nuclear loss of function, but also triggers motor neuron death through a toxic gain of function within motor neurons.
Role of exercise on molecular mechanisms in the regulation of antidepressant effects

Regular exercise reduces depressive-like behavior activation. In this study, we look for exact roles of exercise on molecular and neuronal mechanisms for antidepressant action by studying the hippocampal neuroplasticity and proliferation. Increased hippocampal neurogenesis with exercise has potential significance for depression. Exercise promotes brain health in the molecular levels in the hippocampus and also affects behavior in a similar way to chronic antidepressant treatment. Wingless (Wnt) and frizzled signaling system plays an important role in cell proliferation, growth, and differentiation during development. Our results demonstrate complicated, differential effects of antidepressants on Wnt signaling system, and assume a role for selected signaling molecules in the neurogenic activity of antidepressant care. Our review suggests that exercise may preserve brain function by increasing neurogenesis through activating Wnt signaling pathway in the psychiatric disorders, such as depression.
A Low-Complexity Precoder for Large Multiuser MISO Systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of preceding in large multiuser MISO systems, where by 'large' we mean (i) large number of transmit antennas (Nt) at the base station of the order of tens to hundreds of transmit antennas, and (ii) large number of downlink users (Nu) of the order of tens to hundreds of users where each user has one receive antenna. Such large MISO systems will be of immense interest because of the high capacities (sum-rates) of the order of hundreds of bits/channel use possible in such systems. We propose a vector perturbation based low-complexity precoder, termed as norm descent search (NDS) precoder, which has a complexity of just O(NuNt) per information symbol. This low complexity attribute of the precoder is achieved by searching for the perturbation vector over a reduced search space. Interestingly, in terms of BER performance, the proposed precoder achieves increasingly better BER for increasing Nt, Nu, such that for large Nt, Nu it achieves near-exponential diversity with some SNR loss, thus making it suited for large MISO systems both in terms of complexity as well as performance. The results of uncoded/turbo-coded simulations without and with channel estimation errors are presented.
Somatic and prejunctional nicotinic receptors in cultured rat sympathetic neurones show different agonist profiles

1 The release of [3H]‐noradrenaline ([3H]‐NA) in response to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists was compared with agonist‐induced currents in cultured rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurones. 2 [3H]‐NA release in response to high concentrations of nicotinic agonists was reduced, but not fully inhibited, by the presence of either tetrodotoxin (TTX) or Cd2+ to block voltage‐gated Na+ or Ca2+ channels, respectively. We used the component of transmitter release that remained in the presence of these substances (named TTX‐ or Cd2+‐insensitive release) to pharmacologically characterize nAChRs in proximity to the sites of vesicular exocytosis (prejunctional receptors). Prejunctional nAChRs were activated by nicotinic agonists with a rank order of potency of dimethylphenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP) > nicotine > cytisine > ACh, and with EC50 values ranging from 22 μM (DMPP) to 110 μM (ACh). 3 [3H]‐NA release in response to low concentrations of nAChR agonists was fully inhibited by the presence of either TTX or Cd2+ (named TTX‐ or Cd2+‐sensitive release). TTX‐sensitive release was triggered by nicotinic agonists with a rank order of potency of DMPP > cytisine ≈ nicotine ≈ ACh, which due to its similarity to TTX‐insensitive release indicates that it might also be triggered by prejunctional‐type nAChRs. The EC50 values for TTX (Cd2+)‐sensitive release were less than 10 μM for all four agonists. 4 By contrast to transmitter release, somatic nAChRs as seen by patch clamp recordings were most potently activated by cytisine, with a rank order of potency of cytisine > nicotine ≈ DMPP > ACh. EC50 values for the induction of currents exceeded 20 μM for all four agonists. 5 The nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine potently inhibited all transmitter release in response to nicotine. α‐Bungarotoxin (α‐BuTX) was, on the other hand, without significant effect on nicotine‐induced TTX‐insensitive release. The competitive antagonist dihydro‐β‐erythroidine (DHβE) caused rightward shifts of the dose‐response curves for both TTX‐sensitive and TTX‐insensitive transmitter release as well as for currents in response to nicotine, with pA2 values ranging from 4.03 to 4.58. 6 Due to clear differences in the pharmacology of agonists we propose that nAChRs of distinct subunit composition are differentially targeted to somatic or axonal domains.
Vibrotactile inputs to the feet can modulate vection

Vection refers to the illusion of self-motion when a significant portion of the visual field is stimulated by visual flow, while body is still. Vection is known to be strong for peripheral vision stimulation and relatively weak for central vision. In this paper, the results of an experimental study of central linear vection with and without vibrotactile feet stimulation are presented. Three types of vibratory stimuli were used: a sinusoidal signal, pink noise, and a chirp signal. Six subjects faced a screen looking at a looming visual flow that suggested virtual forward motion. The results showed that the sensation of self-motion happened faster and its intensity was the strongest for sinusoidal vibrations at constant frequency. For some subjects, a vibrotactile stimulus with an increasing frequency (a chirp) elicited as well a stronger vection. The strength of sensation of self-motion was the lowest in the cases when pink noise vibrations and no vibrotactile stimulation accompanied the visual flow stimulation. Possible application areas are mentioned.
Exploration des mécanismes cognitifs, métacognitifs et autobiographiques dans le déficit d’insight dans la schizophrénie

Dans la schizophrenie, le deficit d’insight est d’une importance clinique majeure de fait de son lien etroit avec l’observance medicamenteuse et l’alliance therapeutique. Ce travail propose au moyen de trois etudes l’exploration du concept d’insight, precisant les mecanismes cognitifs sous-tendus et evaluant les effets de 3 nouvelles prises en charge sur son niveau d’evolution. Nous nous sommes bases pour cela sur trois modeles theoriques, celui de Conway (2005) qui etablit des liens etroits entre le self et la memoire autobiographique, celui de Laroi et al., (2004) suggerant a l’origine du deficit d’insight un trouble de la conscience autonoetique en lien avec la memoire autobiographique, et enfin, celui de Agnew et Morris (1989) incriminant une palette de troubles cognitifs et metacognitifs dans le deficit d’insight. Nos resultats soulignent le role primordial de la memoire autobiographique dans le deficit d’insight et notamment la qualite des souvenirs sur la periode superieur a >20 ans. De plus les resultats indiquent que, les modeles autobiographique et metacognitif predisent mieux le deficit d’insight compares au modele cognitif de base. Parmi les trois programmes therapeutiques, le programme RECOS (Vianin, 2007), ameliore de maniere significative le fonctionnement cognitif. Le programme REMAu (Piolino, 2006), visant la reconstruction des souvenirs autobiographique en lien avec le self, ameliore de facon significative la conscience du trouble mental et la qualite du rappel episodique. Le programme MBCT (Segal, Williams et Teasdale, 2002), visant la prise de conscience du moment present, ameliore de facon significative la capacite a attribuer la symptomatologie a la maladie mentale, l’estime de soi et la theorie de l’esprit. Ces resultats nous amenent a proposer un modele explicatif et multidimensionnel du deficit d’insight dans la schizophrenie, integrant les trois modeles etudies ; cognitif, metacognitif et autobiographique.
Can speech pitch perception be measured language-independently?

Recently, a test battery was developed with the goal of assessing perception of F0 in linguistic, but language-independent, contexts by listeners from different language backgrounds. Test validation using Dutch, Italian and Romanian listeners generally showed comparable performance. In this study we present cross-language results on how F0 contributes to prominence perception in Dutch (a Germanic language) and Italian and Romanian (Romance languages), as well as on how F0 trades off with duration, a second important cue to prominence. We discuss implications of these results for the language-independent set-up of the test battery.
Dynamic elastic behavior of alpha-satellite DNA domains visualized in situ in living human cells

We have constructed a fluorescent alpha-satellite DNA-binding protein to explore the motile and mechanical properties of human centromeres. A fusion protein consisting of human CENP-B coupled to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) of A. victoria specifically targets to centromeres when expressed in human cells. Morphometric analysis revealed that the alpha-satellite DNA domain bound by CENPB-GFP becomes elongated in mitosis in a microtubule-dependent fashion. Time lapse confocal microscopy in live mitotic cells revealed apparent elastic deformations of the central domain of the centromere that occurred during metaphase chromosome oscillations. These observations demonstrate that the interior region of the centromere behaves as an elastic element that could play a role in the mechanoregulatory mechanisms recently identified at centromeres. Fluorescent labeling of centromeres revealed that they disperse throughout the nucleus in a nearly isometric expansion during chromosome decondensation in telophase and early G1. During interphase, centromeres were primarily stationary, although motility of individual or small groups of centromeres was occasionally observed at very slow rates of 7-10 microns/h.