Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Cortico-subcortical electrophysiological study during the effects of benzodiazepines in patients with panic disorders].

INTRODUCTION Tribute to Robert Heath, M.D. a pioneer in human implanted corticosubcortical microelectrodes. OBJECTIVES We evaluate retrospective electroencephalography (EEG), local evoked potentials (LEP) and extracellular unitary activity (EUA) of patients with diagnosis of panic disorder in association of simple partial seizures. These patients had presences or absence of agoraphobia. They received treatment with clonazepam or diazepam. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ten patients with implanted corticosubcortical were divided in two groups. The five patients of group A were treated with clonazepam and the five patients of group B with diazepam. RESULTS Panic attacks showed EEG thetha activity, increased amplitude of the negative phase of LEP, and an increase in the frequency of EUA in cortico-subcortical organizations. This changes occurred in all organizations with exception of the inhibitory reticular substance. Panic disorder produced abundance of repetitive epileptiform discharges that could precipitate convulsive crisis. Both benzodiazepines were efficacious although results with clonazepam were observed earlier: at 7 to 14 days. Benzodiazepines increased corticosubcortical EEG beta activity, decreased amplitude of negative phase of LEP, and diminution in the frequency of EUA. This changes occurred with exception on the inhibitory reticular system. We postulate: a) That panic disorder hyperexcitability at the cortico-subcortical neuronal level may be the result of gabergic dysfunction, or alteration in neuroinhibitory mechanism through GABAA receptors, and through GABAB neuromodulator receptors, and b) That there is a direct correlation between GABA inhibitory basic mechanism and electroencephalographic beta activity. CONCLUSIONS Panic disorder produces neuronal hyperexcitability by gabergic dysfunction both benzodiazepines were efficacious in treatment.
Altered glycosylation of acetylcholinesterase in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease

As clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is only 80%–90% accurate, there is a need to identify biochemical markers of Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have shown an abnormality in the glycosylation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the CSF collected postmortem from patients with Alzheimer's disease. This abnormality was very specific for Alzheimer's disease, as it was not detected in other illnesses causing dementia. We report here that the glycosylation of AChE is also altered in lumbar CSF collected antemortem. The altered glycosylation was due to increased concentrations of a minor AChE isoform that does not bind to concanavalin A (Con A). Glycosylation of AChE may eventually be of diagnostic value, especially when used in combination with other CSF markers.
UIS-LDA: a user recommendation based on social connections and interests of users in uni-directional social networks

The rapid growth of population has posed a challenge to people for discovering new followees in uni-directional social networks. Intuitively, a user's adoption of others as followees may motivated by her interest as well as social connection. Therefore, it is worth-while to consider both factors at the same time for better recommendations. Previous recommender works on implicit follow or not feedbacks become unqualified, mainly because of the coarse users' preferences inferring, which cannot distinguish whether one follows the other is based on her social connection or individual interest. In this paper, we present a new user recommendation method which is capable of recommending candidate followees who have similar interest and closer social connection relevant to a target user. As its core, a novel topic model namely UIS-LDA is designed to jointly model a user's preferences with respect to the set of latent interest topics and social topics. The experiments using Twitter dataset proves that our proposed method effective in improving the Precision, Conversion Rate F1 score and NDCG.
Retrieval of short ocean wave slope using polarimetric imaging

We present a passive optical remote sensing technique for recovering shape information about a water surface, in the form of a two-dimensional slope map. The method, known as polarimetric slope sensing (PSS), uses the relationship between surface orientation and the change in polarization of reflected light to infer the instantaneous two-dimensional slope across the field-of-view of an imaging polarimeter. For unpolarized skylight, the polarization orientation and degree of linear polarization of the reflected skylight provide sufficient information to determine the local surface slope vectors. A controlled laboratory experiment was carried out in a wave tank with mechanically generated gravity waves. A second study was performed from a pier on the Hudson River, near Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. We demonstrated that the two-dimensional slope field of short gravity waves could be recovered accurately without interfering with the fluid dynamics of the air or water, and water surface features appear remarkably realistic. The combined field and laboratory results demonstrate that the polarimetric camera gives a robust characterization of the fine-scale surface wave features that are intrinsic to wind-driven air–sea interaction processes.
Classification-driven Active Contour for Dress Segmentation

In this work we propose a a dedicated object extractor for dress segmentation in fashion images by combining local information with a prior learning. First, a person detector is applied to localize sites in the image that are likely to contain the object. Then, an intra-image two-stage learning process is developed to roughly separate foreground pixels from the background. Finally, the object is finely segmented by employing an active contour algorithm that takes into account the previous segmentation and injects specific knowledge about local curvature in the energy function. The method is validated on a database of manually segmented images. We show examples of both successful segmentation and difficult cases. We quantitatively analyze each component and compare with the well-known GrabCut foreground extraction method.
Implementation of error-correcting encoded SAW RFID tags

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) based radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are truly passive, and the decoding reliability of SAW RFID system is difficult to be guaranteed. A powerful method to enhance the reliability of RFID systems is the data checksum, i.e. a few calculated bits of code added to an ID data block to verify its complete transmission. Apart from the GOST SAW tags using cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs), rare SAW RFID system adopting the error control technique has been reported till now, mainly because the portion of encoding space for data integrity calibration greatly shrinks the code capacity. In addition, CRC is an error control technique whereby either all or none of information can be obtained, but the position of error cannot be determined. The only way to get the original responses of tags is to repeat the interrogation from the reader. SAW RFID system employing Reed-Solomon (RS) codes is presented. The coding methods and error correction algorithms of Reed-Solomon codes for SAW RFID are described. Random errors are generated using Monte Carlo methods to verify all the correction processing. The decoder will not misdecode and recover an incorrect code word without any indication if the number of simulated errors numbers is within the designed number.
In Crystals of Complexes of Streptavidin with Peptide Ligands Containing the HPQ Sequence the pK a of the Peptide Histidine Is Less than 3.0*

The pH dependences of the affinities for streptavidin of linear and cyclic peptide ligands containing the HPQ sequence discovered by phage display were determined by plasmon resonance measurements. At pH values ranging from 3.0 to 9.0, theK d values for Ac-AEFSHPQNTIEGRK-NH2, cyclo-Ac-AE[CHPQGPPC]IEGRK-NH2, and cyclo-Ac-AE[CHPQFC]IEGRK-NH2, were determined by competition, and those for cyclo-[5-S-valeramide-HPQGPPC]K-NH2 were determined directly by equilibrium affinity measurements. TheK d values of the ligands increase by an average factor of 3.0 ± 0.8 per decrease in pH unit between pH ∼4.5 and pH ∼6.3. Below pH ∼4.5 there is a smaller increase inK d values, and above pH ∼6.3 theK d values become relatively pH-independent. We determined the crystal structures of complexes of streptavidin with cyclo-[5-S-valeramide-HPQGPPC]K-NH2 at pH 1.5, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5, with cyclo-Ac-[CHPQFC]-NH2 at pH 2.0, 3.0, 3.6, 4.2, 4.8, and 11.8, with cyclo-Ac-[CHPQGPPC]-NH2 at pH 2.5, 2.9, and 3.7, and with FSHPQNT at pH 4.0 and compared the structures with one another and with those previously determined at other pH values. At pH values from 3.0 to 11.8, the electron density for the peptide His side chain is strong, flat, and well defined. A hydrogen bond between the Nδ1 atom of the His and the peptide Gln amide group indicates the His of the bound peptide in the crystals is uncharged at pH ≥ 3.0. By determining selected structures in two different space groups, I222 with two crystallographically inequivalent ligand sites and I4122 with one site, we show that below pH ∼3.0, the pK a of the bound peptide His in the crystals is influenced by crystal packing interactions. The presence of the Nδ1His-NGln hydrogen bond along with pH dependences of the peptide affinities suggest that deprotonation of the peptide His is required for high affinity binding of HPQ-containing peptides to streptavidin both in the crystals and in solution.
A detailed morphological study of the vomeronasal organ and the accessory olfactory bulb of cats

The organization of the vomeronasal system (VNS) of fetal, newborn, and adult cats was investigated by microdissection and microscopic examination of sections stained conventionally or with lectins (UEA‐1, LEA) or antibodies against proteins Gαi2 (associated with vomeronasal receptor type1) and Gαo (associated with receptor vomeronasal receptor type2). The feline VNS is morphologically similar to that of other mammals. Staining with lectins and anti‐Gαi2 was uniform throughout the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ, and throughout the nervous and glomerular layers of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB); anti‐Gαo stained no VNS tissue. This organization places the cat together with several other domestic or farm animals (dog, horse, sheep, goat, pig) in a group of mammals with just a single path of communication between the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ and AOB, in contrast to the two‐path model found in rodents and other mammals (in which apical and basal sensory epithelium layers project to rostral and caudal AOB areas, respectively). However, the cat differs from the sheep and pig in that the development of its VNS is still incomplete at birth. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cardiac effects of AII. AT1A receptor signaling, desensitization, and internalization.

Angiotensin II receptors present in cardiomyocytes, nonmyocytes (predominantly fibroblasts), nerve terminals, and the heart vasculature mediate the multiple actions of angiotensin II (AII) in the heart, including modulation of normal and pathophysiological cardiac growth. Although the cellular processes that couple AII receptors (principally the AT1 subtype) to effector responses are not completely understood, recent studies have identified an array of signal transduction pathways activated by AII in cardiac cells. These include: the stimulation of phospholipase C which results in the activation of protein kinase C and the release of calcium from intracellular stores; an enhancement of phosphaditic acid formation; the coupling to soluble tyrosine kinase phosphorylation events; the initiation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade; and the induction of the STAT (Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription) signaling pathway. It is tempting to speculate that these latter responses, which have been previously associated with growth factor signaling pathways, are involved in AII-induced cardiac growth. Interestingly, some of these novel pathways are apparently not under the same strict control imposed upon the more classical signaling pathways. Thus, while AII-induced calcium transients are rapidly (within minutes) desensitized following exposure to AII, the MAP kinase pathway is not, and activation of the STAT pathway requires hours of agonist exposure for maximal induction. These observations support an emerging picture in which the downstream signal transduction pathways of AII receptors are initiated and terminated with a distinct temporal arrangement. This organization allows appropriate rapid responses (e.g. vascular contraction) to transient AII exposure, some of which are rapidly terminated, perhaps for protective reasons, and others not. In contrast, additional responses (e.g. growth) probably require prolonged exposure to agonist.
Body mass index in older persons is associated with Alzheimer disease pathology

Objective: We examined the extent to which body mass index (BMI) in older persons is associated with common age-related neuropathologies known to contribute to dementia including Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology, cerebral infarction, and Lewy body disease. Methods: We studied brain autopsies from 298 deceased Catholic clergy participating in the Religious Orders Study, a longitudinal clinical-pathologic investigation. BMI was assessed at annual clinical evaluations during an average follow-up of 4.9 years (SD = 2.7 years). Each person's average BMI, derived from all evaluations, was used in analyses. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relation of common postmortem neuropathologic findings to average BMI prior to death. Results: Mean age at death was 85.7 years (SD = 6.8 years), and average BMI during the course of the study was 26.0 (SD = 5.1). A series of linear regression models was performed with average BMI as the outcome and controlling for age, sex, and education. Level of AD pathology was associated with BMI proximate to death (estimate = −1.15; SE = 0.42; p = 0.007). However, Lewy body pathology (estimate = −0.45; SE = 0.73; p = 0.53) and cerebral infarctions (estimate = −0.10; SE = 0.61; p = 0.88) were not associated with average BMI. The association of AD pathology with BMI was unchanged after controlling for dementia, chronic diseases, and physical activity. Conclusion: Body mass in old age is associated with Alzheimer disease pathology in persons with and without dementia.
Using the Web Graph to influence application behaviour

The Web's link structure (termed the Web Graph) is a richly connected set of Web pages. Current applications use this graph for indexing and information retrieval purposes. In contrast the relationship between Web Graph and application is reversed by letting the structure of the Web Graph influence the behaviour of an application. Presents a novel Web crawling agent, AlienBot, the output of which is orthogonally coupled to the enemy generation strategy of a computer game. The Web Graph guides AlienBot, causing it to generate a stochastic process. Shows the effectiveness of such unorthodox coupling to both the playability of the game and the heuristics of the Web crawler. In addition, presents the results of the sample of Web pages collected by the crawling process. In particular, shows: how AlienBot was able to identify the power law inherent in the link structure of the Web; that 61.74 per cent of Web pages use some form of scripting technology; that the size of the Web can be estimated at just over 5.2 billion pages; and that less than 7 per cent of Web pages fully comply with some variant of (X)HTML.
LogGP: Incorporating Long Messages into the LogP Model for Parallel Computation

We present a new model of parallel computation—the LogGP model—and use it to analyze a number of algorithms, most notably, the single node scatter (one-to-all personalized broadcast). The LogGP model is an extension of the LogP model for parallel computation which abstracts the communication of fixed-sized short messages through the use of four parameters: the communication latency (L), overhead (o), bandwidth ( g), and the number of processors ( P). As evidenced by experimental data, the LogP model can accurately predict communication performance when only short messages are sent (as on the CM-5). However, many existing parallel machines have special support for long messages and achieve a much higher bandwidth for long messages than for short messages (e.g., IBM SP-2, Paragon, Meiko CS-2, Ncube/ 2). We extend the basic LogP model with a linear model for long messages. This combination, which we call the LogGP model of parallel computation, has one additional parameter,G, which captures the bandwidth obtained for long messages. Experimental data collected on the Meiko CS-2 shows that this simple extension of the LogP model can quite accurately predict communication performance for both short and long messages. This paper discusses algorithm design and analysis under the new model. We also examine, in more detail, the single node scatter problem under LogGP. We derive solutions for this problem which are qualitatively different from those obtained under the simpler LogP model, reflecting the importance of capturing long messages in a model. © 1997 Academic Press
Factors on polygamy in sub-Saharan Africa: findings based on the Demographic and Health Surveys.

This study presents a brief review of the historical and cultural context of polygamy in sub-Saharan Africa and examines the sociodemographic factors that influence polygamous union formation. Data were obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys in Ghana (1988), Senegal (1986), Kenya (1989), and Zimbabwe (1988-89). The sample was restricted to currently married or cohabitating women. The proportion of women in a polygamous union was 48% in Senegal, 31% in Ghana, 23% in Kenya, and 16% in Zimbabwe. The authors state that rates may have been higher in Senegal and Ghana due to the higher involvement of women in the cultivation of root crops and trading at local markets. Rate differences indicated a greater proportion of men and women with no education and Muslim affiliation in the high polygamy countries of Senegal and Ghana in West Africa compared to Kenya and Zimbabwe. Single factor analysis was performed for the effects of women's formal education, men's formal education, religion, urbanization, current age, age at first marriage, and ethnicity. Multivariate analysis by country indicated the importance of rising husbands' education and the lack of significance of women's education. As husband's education rose to the secondary level, polygamy declined. Other significant factors were religion, ethnicity, and current age, which was the most important factor. In Ghana, the effect of husbands' education overwhelmed the effect of women's education. Current age was the most important explanatory factor, followed by religion. In Kenya, both women's and men's education, ethnicity, urbanization, and age were significant factors. Ethnicity was the most important factor. In Zimbabwe, every factor was significant. Women's education was the most important factor. Findings reveal different prevalence of polygamy and different effects of sociodemographic factors.
In situ splitting of cadaveric livers. The ultimate expansion of a limited donor pool.

OBJECTIVE The authors evaluate the safety, applicability, and effectiveness of a new technique for split-liver transplantation. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Split-liver transplantation offers an attractive way to increase the donor pool for cadaveric liver transplantation. The application of this concept has been hampered by inferior patient and graft survivals and higher complication rates. Without supportive data, the concern about increasing biliary leakage and poor initial graft function persisted. The authors focused on the causes of these complications by presenting a new technique to eliminate these problems. METHODS Liver splitting was performed in the heart-beating cadaveric organ donor, using the technique described for procurement of the left lateral lobe of a live donor. A detailed description of the technique is presented. A retrospective review of the first 14 transplantations resulting from 7 in situ splitting procedures was collected. The results were compared with 19 conventional split-liver transplants performed during the same period. RESULTS Six-month patient and graft survivals after in situ split-liver transplantation were 92.8% and 85.7%, respectively. Biliary complications were absent. Postoperative courses were mostly uneventful and characterized by lower peak transaminase levels compared with standard techniques. Early graft function of extrahepatic organs procured simultaneously was excellent. CONCLUSIONS In situ split-liver transplantation provides superior results, related mainly to reduction of cold ischemic damage of the grafts and avoidance of biliary complications. In situ split-liver transplantation renders graft reduction alone obsolete and opens a donor pool for adults to receive right lobes safely. It allows for long-distance sharing between pediatric and adult liver transplant units because the procedure abolishes ex situ benching and prolonged ischemia time and provides two anatomically perfect grafts with hemostasis accomplished.
Salivary production in Parkinson's disease

Hypersialorrhea is a common phenomenon in Parkinson disease (PD). The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with PD had an abnormally increased production of saliva and whether the production of saliva could be associated to factors related to either the disease characteristics or to its treatment. A total of 83 patients with PD and 55 control subjects participated in this study. Because of the age difference between the two groups, comparisons were made on a ±2‐year age‐matched sample of 44 PD patients and 44 control subjects. PD patients produced significantly less saliva than control subjects. Correlations were obtained with the 83 PD patients between unstimulated salivary flow and patients characteristics. When controlling for age, sex, and Hoehn and Yahr scale, decreased production of saliva correlated significantly with the dose of levodopa and the symptoms of xerostomia. When controlling for medications, there was no relationship between the production of saliva and the evolution of the disease. This study shows that patients with PD produce less saliva than normal. Factors influencing the production of saliva include the use of levodopa and female gender. Our results may have implications for the treatment of drooling in PD. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
A metamaterial-based broadband circularly polarized aperture-fed grid-slotted patch antenna

A Z-shaped slot is proposed to excite broadband circularly-polarized (CP) radiation from a slotted patch antenna. Operating mechanism of the feeding is illustrated and validated by an antenna prototype operating at 5-GHz Wi-Fi bands. The measured results show that the proposed CP antenna achieves the impedance bandwidth of 47% for |S11| ≤ -10 dB and axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 28% for 3 dB with a single feed and low profile.