Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning and Memory and Synaptic Plasticity Are Impaired in a Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome

Loss-of-function mutations or abnormal expression of the X-linked gene encoding methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) cause a spectrum of postnatal neurodevelopmental disorders including Rett syndrome (RTT), nonsyndromic mental retardation, learning disability, and autism. Mice expressing a truncated allele of Mecp2 (Mecp2308) reproduce the motor and social behavior abnormalities of RTT; however, it is not known whether learning deficits are present in these animals. We investigated learning and memory, neuronal morphology, and synaptic function in Mecp2308 mice. Hippocampus-dependent spatial memory, contextual fear memory, and social memory were significantly impaired in Mecp2308 mutant males (Mecp2308/Y). The morphology of dendritic arborizations, the biochemical composition of synaptosomes and postsynaptic densities, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression were not altered in these mice. However, reduced postsynaptic density cross-sectional length was identified in asymmetric synapses of area CA1 of the hippocampus. In the hippocampus of symptomatic Mecp2308/Y mice, Schaffer-collateral synapses exhibited enhanced basal synaptic transmission and decreased paired-pulse facilitation, suggesting that neurotransmitter release was enhanced. Schaffer-collateral long-term potentiation (LTP) was impaired. LTP was also reduced in the motor and sensory regions of the neocortex. Finally, very early symptomatic Mecp2308/Y mice had increased basal synaptic transmission and deficits in the induction of long-term depression. These data demonstrate a requirement for MeCP2 in learning and memory and suggest that functional and ultrastructural synaptic dysfunction is an early event in the pathogenesis of RTT.
Heartbeat and arrhythmia perception in diabetic autonomic neuropathy

SYNOPSIS A comparative study of diabetics with autonomic neuropathy (N = 13) as against non-neuropathic diabetics (N = 16) and healthy control persons (N = 20) was carried out with respect to heart rate both at rest and under stress, frequency of cardiac arrhythmias in a 24-h ECG and accuracy of heartbeat and arrhythmia perception. In the subjects with diabetic autonomic neuropathy, the spontaneous variability and stress-induced reactivity of the heart rate as well as the number of tachycardic episodes were reduced, whereas the frequency of ventricular extrasystoles was somewhat increased. Impaired heartbeat perception and a complete loss of perception of arrhythmias as a consequence of neuropathic deafferentation could be demonstrated. Cardiac perception disorders also play a vital role in other clinical problems, e.g. silent myocardial infarction and lack of awareness of hypoglycaemia in diabetes mellitus.
Autonomous learning of abstractions using Curiosity-Driven Modular Incremental Slow Feature Analysis

To autonomously learn behaviors in complex environments, vision-based agents need to develop useful sensory abstractions from high-dimensional video. We propose a modular, curiosity-driven learning system that autonomously learns multiple abstract representations. The policy to build the library of abstractions is adapted through reinforcement learning, and the corresponding abstractions are learned through incremental slow-feature analysis (IncSFA). IncSFA learns each abstraction based on how the inputs change over time, directly from unprocessed visual data. Modularity is induced via a gating system, which also prevents abstraction duplication. The system is driven by a curiosity signal that is based on the learnability of the inputs by the current adaptive module. After the learning completes, the result is multiple slow-feature modules serving as distinct behavior-specific abstractions. Experiments with a simulated iCub humanoid robot show how the proposed method effectively learns a set of abstractions from raw un-preprocessed video, to our knowledge the first curious learning agent to demonstrate this ability.
Improved Analytical Determination of Eddy Current Losses in Surface Mounted Permanent Magnets of Synchronous Machine

In this paper, we investigate the eddy current losses in permanent magnets of surface mounted magnet synchronous machines. An original analytical method based on the magnetodynamic problem of a conductive ring is introduced and the obtained results are compared with the ones given by 3-D FEM analysis. The analytical model considers the effect of the width on the magnet loss. The axial effect is considered through a correction coefficient. The comparison includes the induced current density, the instantaneous losses, the impact of the circumferential segmentation, and the effect of the frequency on the magnet losses. By focusing on the importance of the skin effect and the magnetic reaction due to the magnet currents, the analytical model provides an accurate determination of the magnet eddy current losses.
Laser‐induced breakdown by impact ionization in SiO2 with pulse widths from 7 ns to 150 fs

Results of laser‐induced breakdown experiments in fused silica (SiO2) employing 150 fs–7 ns, 780 nm laser pulses are reported. The avalanche ionization mechanism is found to dominate over the entire pulse‐width range. Fluence breakdown threshold does not follow the scaling of Fth∼ √τp, when pulses are shorter than 10 ps. The impact ionization coefficient of SiO2 is measured up to ∼3×108 V/cm. The relative role of photoionization in breakdown for ultrashort pulses is discussed.
Effect of oral creatine supplementation on single-effort sprint performance in elite swimmers.

Oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate (Cr.H2O) has been reported to increase muscle creatine phosphate levels. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of such supplementation on performance of a single-effort sprint by elite swimmers. Thirty-two elite swimmers (M = 18, F = 14; age = 17-25 years) from the Australian Institute of Sport were tested on two occasions, 1 week apart. Tests performed were 25-m, 50-m, and 100-m maximal effort sprints (electronically timed with dive start, swimmers performing their best stroke), each with approximately 10 min active recovery. A 10-s maximal leg ergometry test was also undertaken. Swimmers were divided into two groups matched for sex, stroke/event, and sprint time over 50 m, and groups were randomly assigned to 5 days of Cr.H2O supplementation (4 . day-1 x 5 g Cr.H2O + 2 g sucrose, n = 16) or placebo (4 . day-1 x 5 g Polycose + 2 g sucrose, n = 16) prior to the second trial. Results revealed no significant differences between the group means for sprint times or between 10-s maximal leg ergometry power and work. This study does not support the hypothesis that creatine supplementation enhances single-effort sprint ability of elite swimmers.
Content-based image retrieval incorporating models of human perception

We develop a system for retrieving medical images with focus objects incorporating models of human perception. The approach is to guide the search for an optimum similarity function using human perception. First, the images are segmented using an automated segmentation tool. Then, 20 shape features are computed from each image to obtain a feature matrix. Principal component analysis is performed on this matrix to reduce the number of dimensions. Principal components obtained from the analysis are used to select a subset of variables that best represents the data. A human perception of similarity experiment is designed to obtain an aggregated human response matrix. Finally, an optimum weighted Manhattan distance function is designed using a genetic algorithm utilizing the Mantel test as a fitness function. The system is tested for content-based retrieval of skin lesion images. The results show significant agreement between the computer assessment and human perception of similarity. Since the features extracted are not specific to skin lesion images, the system can be used to retrieve other types of images.
Investigating the origins of triploblasty: `mesodermal' gene expression in a diploblastic animal, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (phylum, Cnidaria; class, Anthozoa)

Mesoderm played a crucial role in the radiation of the triploblastic Bilateria, permitting the evolution of larger and more complex body plans than in the diploblastic, non-bilaterian animals. The sea anemone Nematostella is a non-bilaterian animal, a member of the phylum Cnidaria. The phylum Cnidaria (sea anemones, corals, hydras and jellyfish) is the likely sister group of the triploblastic Bilateria. Cnidarians are generally regarded as diploblastic animals, possessing endoderm and ectoderm, but lacking mesoderm. To investigate the origin of triploblasty, we studied the developmental expression of seven genes from Nematostella whose bilaterian homologs are implicated in mesodermal specification and the differentiation of mesodermal cell types (twist, snailA, snailB, forkhead, mef2, a GATA transcription factor and a LIM transcription factor). Except for mef2, the expression of these genes is largely restricted to the endodermal layer, the gastrodermis. mef2 is restricted to the ectoderm. The temporal and spatial expression of these `mesoderm' genes suggests that they may play a role in germ layer specification. Furthermore, the predominantly endodermal expression of these genes reinforces the hypothesis that the mesoderm and endoderm of triploblastic animals could be derived from the endoderm of a diploblastic ancestor. Alternatively, we consider the possibility that the diploblastic condition of cnidarians is a secondary simplification, derived from an ancestral condition of triploblasty.
HIGH-DOSE VITAMIN C INFUSION REDUCES FLUID REQUIREMENTS IN THE RESUSCITATION OF BURN-INJURED SHEEP

Fluid resuscitation to maintain adequate tissue perfusion while reducing edema in the severely burned patient remains a challenge. Recent studies suggest that reactive oxygen species generated by thermal injury are involved in edema formation associated with burn. The present study tested the hypothesis that adding a free radical scavenger to the resuscitation fluid would reduce total fluid requirements in the treatment of severe thermal injury. Anesthetized chronically instrumented sheep received a 40% total body surface area full-thickness flame burn. At 1 h after injury, animals were resuscitated with lactated Ringer's (LR, n = 14) as control, LR containing high doses of vitamin C (VC, n = 6), 1000 mOsM hypertonic saline (HS, n = 7), or 1000 HS containing VC (HS/VC, n = 7) in coded bags so that investigators were blinded to the treatment. Fluids were infused at an initial Parkland rate of 10 mL/kg/h, adjusted hourly to restore and maintain urine output at 1 to 2 mL/kg/h. Sheep in the VC or HS/VC group received 250 mg/kg VC in the first 500 mL of LR or HS, and then 15 mg/kg/h thereafter. Hemodynamic variables and indices of antioxidant status were measured. At 48 h postburn, sheep were euthanized, and heart, liver, lung, skeletal muscle, and ileum were evaluated for antioxidant status. All fluid resuscitation regimens were equally effective in restoring cardiac output to near baseline levels; no treatment effects were apparent on arterial pressure or heart rate. VC infusion significantly reduced fluid requirements and, therefore, net fluid balance (fluid in, urine out) by about 30% at 6 h and about 50% at 48 h in comparison with the LR group (P < 0.05). HS and HS/VC reduced fluid requirements by 30% and 65%, respectively, at 6 h, but the volume-sparing effect of HS was not observed after 36 h and that of HS/VC was lost after 12 h. Plasma total antioxidant potential increased about 25-fold (P < 0.05) at 2 and 3 h in response to VC infusion compared with the LR and HS groups, and remained about 5- to 10-fold higher throughout the rest of the study. VC infusion also prevented the 4-fold increase in plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances seen in the LR group early after burn (P < 0.05). Tissue antioxidant status was similar between groups. In this sheep burn model, continuous high-dose VC infusion reduced net fluid balance, reduced indices of plasma lipid peroxidation, and maintained overall antioxidant status in comparison with standard-of-care LR treatment.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Dynamically Routed Processor Operand Network

Microarchitecturally integrated on-chip networks, or micronets, are candidates to replace busses for processor component interconnect in future processor designs. For micronets, tight coupling between processor microarchitecture and network architecture is one of the keys to improving processor performance. This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of the TRIPS operand network (OPN). The TRIPS OPN is a 5times5, dynamically routed, 2D mesh micronet that is integrated into the TRIPS microprocessor core. The TRIPS OPN is used for operand passing, register file I/O, and primary memory system I/O. We discuss in detail the OPN design, including the unique features that arise from its integration with the processor core, such as its connection to the execution unit's wakeup pipeline and its in flight mis-speculated traffic removal. We then evaluate the performance of the network under synthetic and realistic loads. Finally, we assess the processor performance implications of OPN design decisions with respect to the end-to-end latency of OPN packets and the OPN's bandwidth
Third–Generation Pleated Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for Robotic Applications: Development and Comparison with McKibben Muscle

Abstract This paper introduces the third generation of Pleated Pneumatic Artificial Muscles (PPAM), which has been developed to simplify the production over the first and second prototype. This type of artificial muscle was developed to overcome dry friction and material deformation, which is present in the widely used McKibben muscle. The essence of the PPAM is its pleated membrane structure which enables the muscle to work at low pressures and at large contractions. In order to validate the new PPAM generation, it has been compared with the mathematical model and the previous generation. The new production process and the use of new materials introduce improvements such as 55% reduction in the actuator’s weight, a higher reliability, a 75% reduction in the production time and PPAMs can now be produced in all sizes from 4 to 50 cm. This opens the possibility to commercialize this type of muscles so others can implement it. Furthermore, a comparison with experiments between PPAM and Festo McKibben muscles is discussed. Small PPAMs present similar force ranges and larger contractions than commercially available McKibben-like muscles. The use of series arrangements of PPAMs allows for large strokes and relatively small diameters at the same time and, since PPAM 3.0 is much more lightweight than the commong McKibben models made by Festo, it presents better force-to-mass and energy to mass ratios than Festo models.
Authentication in Peer-to-Peer Network: Survey and Research Directions

Authentication and access control are the two main aspects of the security of P2P. Due to the semi-trusted nature of P2P network, authentication plays an important role in identification of the network user, authenticity and integrity of information-sharing. In this paper, we analyze the current P2P network authentication technologies and their shortages from two aspects: the identity and the text contents. We make conclusions that the "decentralized, semi-credible and dynamic nature" of P2P makes the problems of certificate management and key escrow to be especially outstanding, so that the traditional public-key cryptosystems including PKI and ID-PKC are very difficult to be applied in the P2P networks. For this reason, this paper proposes a P2P authentication technology based on CL-PKC (certificateless public key cryptograph) and further points out the key issues need to be studied.
Viroporin Activity of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Non-Structural 2B Protein

Viroporins are a family of low-molecular-weight hydrophobic transmembrane proteins that are encoded by various animal viruses. Viroporins form transmembrane pores in host cells via oligomerization, thereby destroying cellular homeostasis and inducing cytopathy for virus replication and virion release. Among the Picornaviridae family of viruses, the 2B protein encoded by enteroviruses is well understood, whereas the viroporin activity of the 2B protein encoded by the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has not yet been described. An analysis of the FMDV 2B protein domains by computer-aided programs conducted in this study revealed that this protein may contain two transmembrane regions. Further biochemical, biophysical and functional studies revealed that the protein possesses a number of features typical of a viroporin when it is overexpressed in bacterial and mammalian cells as well as in FMDV-infected cells. The protein was found to be mainly localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), with both the N- and C-terminal domains stretched into the cytosol. It exhibited cytotoxicity in Escherichia coli, which attenuated 2B protein expression. The release of virions from cells infected with FMDV was inhibited by amantadine, a viroporin inhibitor. The 2B protein monomers interacted with each other to form both intracellular and extracellular oligomers. The Ca2+ concentration in the cells increased, and the integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane was disrupted in cells that expressed the 2B protein. Moreover, the 2B protein induced intense autophagy in host cells. All of the results of this study demonstrate that the FMDV 2B protein has properties that are also found in other viroporins and may be involved in the infection mechanism of FMDV.
Cryopreserved Human Bone Marrow Stroma is Fully Functional In vitro

Human marrow long‐term culture (LTC) enables maintenance of both stromal and haemopoietic elements of normal bone marrow (NBM) in vitro for 4–6 months. Stroma‐based cultures are critical for quantitation of long‐term culture initiating cells (LTC‐IC), the most primitive human haemopoietic cells measurable in vitro. Supply of NBM can be sporadic, and up to 3–4 weeks in culture is required for stromal maturity. Stroma availability for experimental purposes can therefore be limited. Efforts to produce transformed human and transfected murine stromal cell lines comparable to NBM stroma have had some success. As an alternative, we investigated cryopreserved NBM and cryopreserved preformed stroma. Function of cryopreserved and control fresh NBM stroma was similar when evaluated for up to 12 weeks in LTC. We have also demonstrated that stroma derived from cryopreserved NBM or preformed cryopreserved NBM stroma can sustain third‐party haemopoiesis as efficiently as fresh NBM stroma in LTC. Batched cryopreserved stroma is a convenient, rapidly available, source of functional stroma which avoids the logistic difficulties and lack of standardization associated with stroma from fresh NBM. This important advance will enhance the use of stroma‐based LTC in studies of human haemopoiesis.
The H3R Explanation Corpus human-human and base human-robot interaction dataset

Natural interaction between humanoid robots and humans is one of the major goals of the HRI field. Two major requirements for advancing this direction of research are the availability of human-human and base human-robot interaction datasets for training and evaluation purposes and the availability of general agreed upon objective metrics for judging the performance of proposed robots and algorithms. In this paper we report details of the H3R explanation corpus dataset of human-human and base human-robot interactions in assembly/disassembly explanation scenarios that combines five kinds of data: video, audio, motion tracking, subjective, and physiological data. 44 subjects and 66 sessions were conducted during this experiment. The corpus contains 22 natural human-human interactions, 22 un-natural human-human interactions, and 22 baseline human-robot interactions. To our best knowledge this is the first database that combines these five data types and three types of interactions. The paper also reports the first usage of this explanation corpus to compare subjective and physiological evaluations of various dimensions of listenerpsilas behavior.
Well-posedness and symmetries of strongly coupled network equations

We consider a class of evolution equations taking place on the edges of a finite network and allow for feedback effects between different, possibly non-adjacent edges. This generalizes the setting that is common in the literature, where the only considered interactions take place at the boundary, i.e., in the nodes of the network. We discuss well-posedness of the associated initial value problem as well as contractivity and positivity properties of its solutions. Finally, we discuss qualitative properties that can be formulated in terms of invariance of linear subspaces of the state space, i.e., of symmetries of the associated physical system. Applications to a neurobiological model as well as to a system of linear Schrödinger equations on a quantum graph are discussed.
Lack of a role of membrane-protein interactions in flow-dependent activation of ENaC.

Rates of Na(+) absorption in the distal nephron increase proportionally with the rates of tubular flow. We tested the hypothesis that the deformation or tension generated in the plasma membrane in response to flow activates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). We modified the physical properties of the membrane by changing the temperature and the content of cholesterol. Rates of net Na(+) absorption measured in cortical collecting ducts (CCDs) perfused at room temperature at slow (approximately 1) and fast (approximately 5 nl.min(-1). mm(-1)) flow rates were less than those measured at 37 degrees C at the same flow rates, although increases in tubular fluid flow rates led to comparable relative increases in net Na(+) absorption at both temperatures. Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing ENaC responded to an increase in shear stress at 22-25 degrees C with a discrete delay followed by a monoexponential increase in whole-cell Na(+) currents. We observed that temperature affected 1) basal currents, 2) delay times, 3) kinetics of activation, and 4) fold-increase in macroscopic currents in response to flow. The magnitude of the response to flow displayed biphasic behavior as a function of temperature, with a minimal value at 25 degrees C. Steady-state fluorescence anisotropic measurements of purified plasma membranes did not show any obvious phase transition behavior over a temperature range from 8.3 degrees C to 36.5 degrees C. Modification of the content of membrane cholesterol did not affect the response to flow. Our results suggest that the flow-dependent activation of ENaC is not influenced by modifications in the intrinsic properties of the plasma membrane.