Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do proconvulsants modify or halt epileptogenesis? Pentylenetetrazole is ineffective in two rat models of temporal lobe epilepsy

In patients at risk of developing epilepsy after an initial precipitating injury to the brain, the epileptogenic latent period may offer a window of opportunity for initiating potential antiepileptogenic therapy in an attempt to prevent epilepsy from developing. One potential target for antiepileptogenesis is the development of neuronal hyperexcitability during the latent period. Surprisingly, some recent studies in models of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have suggested that proconvulsant drugs could have favourable effects on epileptogenesis, resulting in the proposal of pursuing proconvulsant prophylaxis for epileptogenesis. In the present study, we evaluated this provocative hypothesis by experiments with the GABAA receptor antagonist pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in two TLE models, the intrahippocampal kainate model and the lithium–pilocarpine model in rats. First, we repeatedly determined the PTZ seizure threshold by i.v. infusion of the convulsant during the latent period following intrahippocampal kainate. In line with recent experiments in the lithium–pilocarpine model, the PTZ seizure threshold was significantly decreased over several days following status epilepticus. We then studied whether prolonged infusion of a proconvulsant dose of PTZ at different times after kainate or pilocarpine affected the development of epilepsy. PTZ did not prevent the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures and did not decrease their frequency or severity, but exerted only a moderate disease‐modifying effect in that spontaneous seizures in the kainate model were significantly shortened. These data indicate that administration of proconvulsant drugs such as PTZ during the latent period following SE is not a promising strategy for preventing epilepsy.
Feature Independence and the Recovery of Feature Conjunctions

Abstract Recent neurophysiological and behavioral evidence suggests that in both perception and memory the differing attributes of multidimensional stimuli are retained independently of one another in the visual system. The phenomenal unity of visual cognition seems to be dependent on the recovery of feature conjunctions. A major objective for research in this area is to identify the mechanism(s) responsible for re-establishing appropriate feature combinations. Recent findings indicate that spatial location may play a mediative role in the feature integration associated with perceptual processing; however, whether location continues to provide the basis for the recovery of feature conjunctions from memory is unknown. This article provides an overview and critique of current research and offers a theoretical model of memorial feature processing.
The GABA Antagonist Picrotoxin Attenuates an Ethanol-Induced Taste Aversion in Taste Aversion-Prone Rats

The aversive properties of alcohol can be examined by using ethanol as a conditioning agent in a taste aversion (TA) paradigm. However, there is often variability in how organisms respond to the aversive properties of alcohol. Using a selectively bred line of TA-prone (TAP) rats, the present study sought to determine if antagonizing the GABA receptor complex with picrotoxin could block the acquisition of an ethanol-based conditioned aversion to a normally preferred fluid. Fifty TAP rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. In the two experimental groups, rats were pretreated with i.p. injections of low or high doses of the GABA Aantagonist picrotoxin prior to undergoing taste aversion conditioning —wherein consumption of a novel saccharin solution (0.1%) was followed by an i.p. injection of ethanol (1.5 mg/kg). In the primary control group, rats were treated identically, except that isotonic saline was substituted for picrotoxin. In the non-conditioning and pseudo-conditioning control groups, rats did not receive an ethanol-saccharin pairing but did receive a picrotoxin injection. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that animals in the picrotoxin groups displayed significantly weaker TAs than the primary control group (p 0.05) as measured by post-conditioning, two-bottle saccharin preference scores. Picrotoxin hinders the acquisition of an ethanol-induced TA, thereby supporting the hypothesis that the GABA system plays a central role in ethanol’s motivational effects. Possible mechanisms include 1) picrotoxin attenuates negative effects of ethanol, 2) picrotoxin interferes with the central associative processes that promote TA conditioning or 3) some combination of 1 and 2.
Contribution of Excitatory Chloride Conductance in the Determination of the Direction of Traveling Waves in an Olfactory Center

Traveling waves have been found in the CNS of vertebrates and invertebrates. In the olfactory center [procerebrum (PC)] of the terrestrial slug Limax, periodic waves travel from the apex to the base with a frequency of ∼0.7 Hz. The oscillation and propagation of waves have been thought to be mediated by the mutual connections of bursting neurons in the PC. The direction of the wave is Cl− dependent, because lowering the Cl− concentration in the medium reverses the direction. The bursting neurons have a Cl−channel-coupled glutamate receptor (GluClR), and, using a calcium imaging technique, the receptor was found to be excitatory. Activation of the GluClR with its selective agonist ibotenate resulted in an increased frequency of the oscillatory neural activity recorded as a periodic local field potential. Depletion of cytoplasmic Cl− with Cl−-free saline abolished all of the ibotenate-induced effects. Perforated-patch-clamp recording in single PC neurons revealed a spatial difference in the Cl−-dependent periodic depolarizations in the bursting neurons, with a higher amplitude in the apical region. These results suggest the involvement of excitatory GluClRs in the unidirectional propagation of waves in the PC.
Attention-driven object detection and segmentation of cluttered table scenes using 2.5D symmetry

The task of searching and grasping objects in cluttered scenes, typical of robotic applications in domestic environments requires fast object detection and segmentation. Attentional mechanisms provide a means to detect and prioritize processing of objects of interest. In this work, we combine a saliency operator based on symmetry with a segmentation method based on clustering locally planar surface patches, both operating on 2.5D point clouds (RGB-D images) as input data to yield a novel approach to table-top scene segmentation. Evaluation on indoor table-top scenes containing man-made objects clustered in piles and dumped in a box show that our approach to selection of attention points significantly improves performance of state-of-the-art attention-based segmentation methods.
Inférer et compiler la terminaison des programmes logiques avec contraintes

Face a un programme logique (avec contraintes) et un systeme Prolog, il est legitime de se demander si la requete qu'on se propose de soumettre va terminer. Actuellement, il existe des systemes capables de repondre a cette question. Les plus connus travaillent avec des Prolog standards et la regle gauche-droite pour la selection des litteraux. La propriete obtenue est celle de terminaison gauche. Depuis quelques annees, on est meme capable d'inferer-et pas seulement de tester-des clases de requetes qui verifient la propriete de terminaison gauche. Cette these va plus loin en presentant une methode automatique qui infere, non seulement des classes de requetes sures pour la terminaison gauche, mais aussi des classes de requetes qui, a premiere vue, ne le sont pas. Elles peuvent toutefois le devenir si on considere un nouveau programme. Ce dernier est obtenu en reordonnant les atomes dans le corps des clauses du programme initial. Comme l'inference, la transformation (ou compilation) est automatique. D'un point de vue theorique, le systeme repose sur une nouvelle classe de terminaison universelle ainsi que sur une methode generique d'analyse statique.
GA-based optimization of a fourth-order sigma-delta modulator for WLAN

Over-sampling sigma-delta analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs) are one of the key building blocks of state of the art wireless transceivers. In the sigma-delta modulator design the scaling coefficients determine the overall signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, selecting the optimum value of the coefficient is very important. To this end, this paper addresses the design of a fourth-order multi-bit sigma-delta modulator for wireless local area networks (WLAN) receiver with feed-forward path and the optimum coefficients are selected using genetic algorithm (GA)-based search method. In particular, the proposed converter makes use of low-distortion swing suppression SDM architecture which is highly suitable for low oversampling ratios to attain high linearity over a wide bandwidth. The focus of this paper is the identification of the best coefficients suitable for the proposed topology as well as the optimization of a set of system parameters in order to achieve the desired signal-to-noise ratio. GA-based search engine is a stochastic search method which can find the optimum solution within the given constraints.
Latency Monitoring in Software-Defined Networks

Latency in a network is an important parameter that can be utilized by a variety of applications which required QoS policies. Recently, methods for monitoring latency have been introduced. Most of these methods monitor end-to-end path delay (per path) by sending probes requests along the path. These methods led to redundant work and network overhead, which resulting from monitoring multiple paths between each pair of nodes. Moreover, end-to-end probes cannot monitor the delay on path segments (per link) between arbitrary network devices. However, measuring per link delay is challenging. In this paper, we propose a method to measure per link delay in real-time to efficiently apply QoS policies, our method does not require any complementary support from the switching hardware and can avoid redundant work and network overhead. We validate our method using the popular Mininet network emulation environment with Pox controller.
Toward an Empirical Case Definition of CFS

Abstract The current case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) was developed by consensus rather than empirical methods. From a practice point of view, if the case definition is not empirically-based, it is possible that some individuals with this illness might not be diagnosed, and others who do not have the disorder might be diagnosed. In the present study, 114 individuals with CFS were provided a theoretically driven questionnaire that featured neuropsychiatric, vascular, inflammatory, muscle/joint, infectious, and other symptoms. When symptoms using this classification were factor analyzed, a more interpretable factor structure was identified than when using symptoms from traditional case definition criteria. Factor scores from the new classification system were cluster analyzed, and four types of patient groups were identified. The field of CFS studies needs to be grounded in empirical methods for determining a case definition versus more consensus-based efforts. Such efforts will ultimately help social service providers better diagnose and provide services to those with this chronic illness.
RE/PRESENTING A GENDER EQUITY PROJECT : CONTRASTING VISIONS AND VERSIONS

This article provides three different accounts of a gender-equity project in a Grade 10 science class. The three stories, a realist one of victory over oppression, a realist story of inclusion, and a reflexive story of identity, illustrate different rhetorical forms for representing research and different assumptions about gender, pedagogy, equity, and the representation of data. Any version of a project can only be a partial account. As teachers and researchers, our commitments and investments influence our questions, understandings, and representations. The content and form of our stories imply particular relationships with an audience. Those responsible for policy tend to favor realist stories that reduce complexity and increase certainty. Others may be more interested in stories that portray complexity and highlight the need for judgments in particular contexts. No one form is appropriate for all occasions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 859–876, 1998.
Does size matter? A bioeconomic perspective on optimal harvesting when price is size-dependent

Body size is a key parameter influencing demographic characteristics of fish populations as well as market value of landed catch. Yet in bioeconomic modelling, body size is often an overlooked biological and economic parameter. Here we evaluate how size-dependent pricing influences optimal harvest strategies in a model parameterized for two pelagic fisheries, those targeting Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), in Norway. In our model, positively size-dependent pricing clearly shifts optimal harvest strategies towards lower harvest rates and higher mean body size of caught fish. The results are relatively insensitive to biological (e.g., natural mortality) and economic details of the model (e.g., discount rate or demand function). These findings show that size-dependent pricing influences optimal harvest strategies aiming at maximum economic yield and, hence, requires more attention in resource economics and in fisheries management.
[Analysis of deaths caused by obstructive pulmonary diseases in Pomerania province in 2001-2004].

INTRODUCTION Lung diseases, especially COPD, are one of the leading causes of death. The aim of the study was to assess mortality caused by COPD, asthma and cor pulmonale in the years 2001-2004 in the Pomerania province. MATERIAL AND METHODS Death certificates of patients who died of asthma, COPD or cor pulmonale registered in Regional Health Centre were analyzed. RESULTS The mortality rate for COPD was 14.02/100 000, asthma 2.04/100 000 and cor pulmonale 2.4/100 000 inhabitants. Mortality rate from COPD increased from 12.5/100 000 found in 2001 to 15.6/100 000 found in 2004 (p = 0.005). The number of deaths was higher in the winter time. The peak mortality was found in patients 65 years old. 71% of COPD and cor pulmonale patients died in the hospital, whereas 75% of asthma deaths occurred at home (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The mortality rates from chronic respiratory diseases in the analyzed population are comparable to data found in other studies. The alarming result is the increase in the number of COPD deaths and high percentage of asthma patients who die at home.
Post-conflict behaviour of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Budongo forest, Uganda

Since de Waal & van Roosmalen (1979) first documented the occurrence of reconciliation between former opponents in captive chimpanzees, the study of the post-conflict behaviour of primates has provided valuable information about some of the details of primate social organisation. The vast majority of these studies have been carried out on captive subjects and it has been assumed that these findings are representative of wild primates. We set out to investigate whether this was true for the Sonso community of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii ) of the Budongo Forest, Uganda, using controlled procedures comparable with those used in captive studies. We found that these chimpanzees were much less likely to reconcile than their captive counterparts. Only one dimension of relationship quality had an effect on the likelihood of reconciliation. Individuals which were highly compatible, in terms of time spent affiliating, reconciled conflicts more often than those with weak relationships. Captive chimpanzees have also been shown to 'console' one another (de Waal & van Roosmalen, 1979; de Waal & Aureli, 1996), where uninvolved bystanders initiate affiliative contacts with victims of aggression. This study did not confirm that consolatory behaviour was characteristic of wild chimpanzee post-conflict behaviour. Nor did these chimpanzees use explicit gestures during post-conflict interactions as they have been shown to do in two out of three captive studies. We conclude that the post-conflict behaviour of chimpanzees is more variable than has previously been thought and is likely to be dependent on the prevailing social environment.
Developing social responsibility of members of ISD project teams

Information systems development (ISD) affects individual workers, organizations (e.g., computerization of work places and quality of work) and the surrounding society (e.g., reliability and safety of software). It is relevant to consider social responsibility of those who design and implement information systems (IS) because of these effects of ISD. We combine results of studies on bases of orientations of ISD team members and the literature on responsibility to provide ISD team members with guidelines. These guidelines aim to develop team members’ sense of responsibility by focusing on the ISD process, the product itself and this product in the practice context. The guidelines are finally linked to IS education and practice of ISD, and recommendations for future research are presented.
Grounding Abstractness: Abstract Concepts and the Activation of the Mouth

One key issue for theories of cognition is how abstract concepts, such as freedom, are represented. According to the WAT (Words As social Tools) proposal, abstract concepts activate both sensorimotor and linguistic/social information, and their acquisition modality involves the linguistic experience more than the acquisition of concrete concepts. We report an experiment in which participants were presented with abstract and concrete definitions followed by concrete and abstract target-words. When the definition and the word matched, participants were required to press a key, either with the hand or with the mouth. Response times and accuracy were recorded. As predicted, we found that abstract definitions and abstract words yielded slower responses and more errors compared to concrete definitions and concrete words. More crucially, there was an interaction between the target-words and the effector used to respond (hand, mouth). While responses with the mouth were overall slower, the advantage of the hand over the mouth responses was more marked with concrete than with abstract concepts. The results are in keeping with grounded and embodied theories of cognition and support the WAT proposal, according to which abstract concepts evoke linguistic-social information, hence activate the mouth. The mechanisms underlying the mouth activation with abstract concepts (re-enactment of acquisition experience, or re-explanation of the word meaning, possibly through inner talk) are discussed. To our knowledge this is the first behavioral study demonstrating with real words that the advantage of the hand over the mouth is more marked with concrete than with abstract concepts, likely because of the activation of linguistic information with abstract concepts.
Towards a Universal Psychology of Cognitive Competence

Abstract A position of cultural relativism is outlined and employed in an examination of variations in folk conceptions and psychologists' conceptions of cognitive competence in a variety of cultures. At the same time it is proposed that pan-cultural characteristics of cognitive competence must also be sought. A framework for exploring both the local and the universal features of cognitive functioning is presented as a guide for future research, and as a test of current formulations.
Instructional Outcomes of School-Based Participative Decision Making

schools. While teacher participation has existed in some school districts for decades (Clune & White, 1988), its practice has accelerated rapidly over the past 10 years. Murphy and Beck (1995) estimated that by 1989 at least 14 states had developed school-based participative projects. By the early 1990s, thousands of districts across the country were experimenting with some form of participative decision making (Hill & Bonan, 1991). These forms range from school-based and district-level decision making bodies to teacher advisory groups to new decision making roles for individual teachers associated with career-ladder, lead-teacher, and master-teacher
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as supportive therapy in cancer care: systematic review.

AIM This paper reports a systematic review and critical appraisal of the evidence on the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for cancer supportive care. BACKGROUND The experience of cancer can have a negative impact on both psychological and physical health and on quality of life. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a therapy package that has been used with patients with a variety of conditions. In order to draw conclusions on its effectiveness for cancer patients, the evidence requires systematic assessment. METHODS A comprehensive search of major biomedical and specialist complementary medicine databases was conducted. Additionally, efforts were made to identify unpublished and ongoing research. Relevant research was categorized by study type and appraised according to study design. Clinical commentaries were obtained for each study and included in the review. RESULTS Three randomized controlled clinical trials and seven uncontrolled clinical trials were found. A lack of relevant qualitative research studies was identified. Studies report positive results, including improvements in mood, sleep quality and reductions in stress. A dose-response effect has been observed between practice of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and improved outcome. A number of methodological limitations were identified. Modifications to the traditional Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme make comparison between studies difficult and a lack of controlled studies precludes any firm conclusion on efficacy. CONCLUSION Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction has potential as a clinically valuable self-administered intervention for cancer patients. Further research into its efficacy, feasibility and safety for cancer patients in the nursing context is recommended.