Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prefrontal dopaminergic receptor abnormalities and executive functions in Parkinson's disease

The main pattern of cognitive impairments seen in early to moderate stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) includes deficits of executive functions. These nonmotor complications have a significant impact on the quality of life and day‐to‐day activities of PD patients and are not effectively managed by current therapies, a problem which is almost certainly due to the fact that the disease extends beyond the nigrostriatal system. To investigate the role of extrastriatal dopamine in executive function in PD, PD patients and a control group were studied with positron‐emission‐tomography using a high‐affinity dopamine D2/D3 receptor tracer, [11C]FLB‐457. All participants were scanned twice while performing an executive task and a control task. Patients were off medication for at least 12 h. The imaging analysis revealed that parkinsonian patients had lower [11C]FLB‐457 binding than control group independently of task conditions across different brain regions. Cognitive assessment measures were positively correlated with [11C]FLB‐457 binding in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex only in control group, but not in PD patients. Within the control group, during the executive task (as compared to control task), there was evidence of reduced [11C]FLB‐457 binding (indicative of increased dopamine release) in the right orbitofrontal cortex. In contrast, PD patients did not show any reduction in binding during the executive task (as compared with control task). These findings suggest that PD patients present significant abnormalities in extrastriatal dopamine associated with executive processing. These observations provide important insights on the pathophysiology of cognitive dysfunction in PD. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Anticipation of meals during restricted feeding increases activity in the hypothalamus in rats

Rats exposed to timed restricted meals develop anticipation of food. They increase their activity levels in the hours preceding food access; this has been described as food‐anticipatory activity (FAA). In the present study, we show the involvement of regions of the hypothalamus [arcuate nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and lateral hypothalamus] in the early development of FAA in rats exposed to the activity‐based anorexia (ABA) model. We thereby used two different paradigms, rats exposed to the ABA model (ABA‐normal) and rats exposed to the same restraint in food access but on a random feeding schedule (ABA‐random). The latter group of rats were not able to anticipate food. We found a strong correlation between the expression of food anticipation measured by running‐wheel activity and Fos expression levels in the DMH of ABA‐normal rats, whereas no correlation was found in ABA‐random rats. In contrast, in the randomly fed ABA rats only, a strong negative correlation was found between the neuronal activity in the hypothalamic area and the percentage body weight loss. Interestingly, these results imply that anticipation of meals during food restriction more strongly affects activation in the hypothalamus than negative energy balance alone. We conclude that during the early stages of development of FAA, the DMH plays a role in anticipation of food during periods of negative energy balance.
EM ENERGY ABSORPTION IN THE HUMAN BODY TISSUES DUE TO UWB ANTENNAS

This paper presents electromagnetic energy absorption in the homogeneous and layered human body models due to body-worn UWB antennas, at frequencies of 3, 6 and 8 GHz. Typical small planar UWB antennas are used in this study: printed UWB disc monopole and UWB slot antenna. Distances of 2, 5 and 10 mm (reactive near-field region) between antennas and human body were chosen, approximating realistic scenarios of operation in Wireless Body Area Networks. To approximate different parts of the human body, or body variations among different users, we compare results obtained for the planar homogeneous (muscle) model with those for three-layer body models (skin, fat and muscle), with different thicknesses of the skin (0.5- 2 mm) and fat (1-9 mm) tissue. For these body models we investigate the electromagnetic energy absorption mechanism by examining the peak 1-g SAR and peak SAR (without mass averaging). Based on our results we present and discuss new finding concerning the general electromagnetic energy absorption mechanism in human tissues under reactive near-fields exposure conditions.
ESR Techniques for the Detection of Seismic Frictional Heat

The contribution of seismic frictional heat to the total earthquake energy budget is an important topic to elucidate earthquake rupture process. However, the frictional heat has been hardly estimated from fault rocks except melting-originated pseudotachylytes but calculated from seismological or frictional test data. The frictional heat calculated often gives a large component of the total energy budget although the San Andreas fault heat flow paradox suggests that the contribution of frictional heat may be rather small (Kanamori et al., 1998; Kanamori & Heaton, 2000; Lachenbruch & Sass, 1980, 1992). Thus, we had required any new technique to directly estimate frictional heat from fault rocks. Recent ESR (electron spin resonance) and magnetic studies of fault zones revealed that fault rocks may have been magnetized due to the thermal decomposition of iron-bearing paramagnetic or antiferromagentic minerals included in host rocks into ferrimagnetic ones by frictional heating (Fukuchi, 2003; Fukuchi et al., 2005, 2007; Ferre et al., 2005; Han et al., 2007). Since ferrimagnetic minerals commonly show huge ESR absorption due to their spontaneous magnetization, we can detect them as FMR (ferrimagnetic resonance) signals using the ESR technique. Detailed ESR analyses showed that the growth process of FMR signals during heating may fundamentally follow the zero-order reaction kinetics (Fukuchi, 2003; Fukuchi et al., 2005). Therefore, we can use FMR signals as an effective index of frictional heat. In this chapter, I will explain the basis and application of ESR techniques for the detection of seismic frictional heat using FMR signals. According to one-dimensional equations on frictional heating (McKenzie & Brune, 1972; Cardwell et al., 1978), the frictional heat strongly depends on the width of heat generation, which is equivalent to the thickness of the slip zone but not to the thickness of a pseudotachylyte vein. The thickness of the slip zone is considered to be commonly an order of millimeters or less (Kanamori and Heaton, 2000; Sibson, 2003). To actually estimate the frictional heat from a fault rock, we must sequentially detect FMR signals at a resolution of 1 mm or less. From this point of view, I develop the scanning ESR microscopic technique for sequential high-resolution measurements of FMR signals. I will introduce the case of the Nojima fault rocks in Japan.
Clinical characteristics and predictive factors of subclinical diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND To investigate the clinical characteristics and predictive factors of subclinical diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS A total of 298 type 2 diabetes patients were divided into 3 groups based on 24-h urinary microalbumin and estimated glomerular filtration rate: patients with normal albuminuria and glomerular filtration rate (NC), patients with normoalbuminuria and glomerular hyperfiltration (SDN) and patients with microalbuminuria (EDN). The renal size, tubular injury markers and ambulatory blood pressure were analyzed. RESULTS Renal size increased in the SDN and EDN groups compared to the NC group (P<0.05), while renal length in the SDN group was greater than the EDN group (P<0.05). Patients in the SDN and EDN groups had higher level of urine retinol binding protein and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase and most of them developed proximal tubular dysfunction. The SDN group had higher 24-h mean and nocturnal diastolic blood pressure than the NC group (P<0.05), while the EDN group had higher systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure than the SDN group (P<0.01). More patients developed abnormal blood pressure rhythm in the SDN and EDN groups. The likelihood of a decrease in nocturnal systolic blood pressure was lower as the microalbuminuria increased. Increased renal size, more abnormal tubular injury markers and higher 24-h mean and nocturnal blood pressure were all risk factors of subclinical diabetic nephropathy. CONCLUSION Patients with subclinical diabetic nephropathy had increased renal size, abnormal tubular injury markers, high blood pressure and abnormal circadian rhythm.
Freud's Aesthetics: Matriarchy, Sublimation and the Surreal

Sigmund Freud is only occasionally referenced as a theorist of art. Given his general theory however, its applicability can easily extend to art, and this was a significant part of his own writing. Aesthetics for Freud is a form of wish fulfilment. It is a way to deal with the struggle of the transition from the pleasure to the Reality Principle. This conversion lies at the root of much personal and social pathology. Art, in one respect, is a defence mechanism. Ludwig Marcuse (1958) makes the argument that the essence of Freud's aesthetics is the creation of an alternative world. Put simply, the stress of reality is such that it demands a means of release; a way to relax the tension. In many ways, the most socially constructive means of this is through the creation of a new, different world. Marcuse remarks that “The artist's place is, however, a realm between what Freud called 'wish-denying reality' and the 'wish-fulfilling world of fantasy' in other words, between the bitterness of daily existence and the even more bitter realm of delusion (Marcuse, 1958, 5-6). Like most other social phenomena in Freud, art is another product of the sublimation of libidinal desires. The issue is the transition between the pleasure Principle and its unfortunate requirement that it becomes real, that is, to become congruent with social life, warts and all. This sublimation can serve to expose neuroses so as to make their treatment easier. It can serve to provide the needed energy for the daily life of society, or the Reality Principle. It can serve to provide a “cushion” to the harsh aspects of Reality and provide a more or less harmless relief of these anxieties. This paper will explicate Freud's aesthetic theory through three specific works: the first, well known to Freud, the ancient Egyptian status, the Head of Osiris. The work of Leonardo DaVinci was so significant to Freud that he dedicated an entire book to his work, with the Mona Lisa used to understand how the “killing of the father” ritual takes the form of later neurosis. Finally, the postmodern Surrealist movement will also be connected to an aspect of Freudian dream theory. In this regard, the often ignored painting by Salvatore Dali, The Elephants (1945) will be used to explicate the idea of wish fulfilment and social dreaming as another mode of smoothing out neuroses. In all of these, it will become clear that art serves as a social “cushion. ” it is what makes the Id's bowing to the Superego tolerable. At the same time, it also permits a means by which the anxiety and pain of social injustice can be projected, manifest and worked out. Ultimately, this paper seeks to make a brief contribution to how art, in Freud's mind, can serve as a healthy means to smooth over the inevitable absurdity of the Reality Principle.
Heart rate variability: technique and investigational applications in cardiovascular medicine.

OBJECTIVE To describe heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, especially time- and frequency-domain analyses, and some of its investigational applications in clinical cardiovascular medicine. DESIGN We provide a brief introduction to the magnitude of sudden cardiac death and the factors that influence life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias as a backdrop to the potential importance of the autonomic nervous system and how this system might be assessed by the analysis of HRV. MATERIAL AND METHODS We reviewed the literature from 1973 to 1994 that described beat-to-beat changes in heart rate, heart rate signal recording and processing, and investigational applications of HRV analysis to cardiovascular medicine. RESULTS Beat-to-beat changes in heart rate are partly influenced by the autonomic nervous system. Briefly, changes in sympathetic input to the sinoatrial node affect low-frequency HRV, whereas changes in parasympathetic input affect high-frequency HRV. Multiple physiologic and nonphysiologic determinants of HRV exist, and therefore analysis of HRV as a direct "window" to autonomic tone is problematic. CONCLUSION In selected patient populations, analysis of HRV yields important information about sinoatrial responsiveness to autonomic input and mortality risk stratification. Routine application of HRV analysis to clinical cardiovascular medicine awaits further investigation, however.
Attention and probability effects in the human occipital cortex: an optical imaging study

A new imaging technique (event-related optical signal, EROS) reveals the time course of neural activity in selected cortical areas of normal human subjects. This technique was used to study the event-related activity in striate and extrastriate occipital areas in an experiment in which spatial selective attention and stimulus probability were manipulated. The results show that attention effects are evident in the initial response in extrastriate cortex (latency <100 ms), but not in striate cortex, confirming previous modeling efforts. They also show that the initial response in striate cortex is modulated by stimulus probability, suggesting the occurrence of pre-attentive memory phenomena in primary visual cortex.
Artificial Neural Network Model as a Data Analysis Tool in Precision Farming

Spatial variation in landscape and soil properties combined with temporal variations in weather can result in yield patterns that change annually within a field. The complexity of interactions between a number of yield-limiting factors makes it difficult to accurately attribute yield losses to conditions that occur within a field. In this research, a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model was developed to predict the spatial distribution of soybean yields and to understand the causes of yield variability. First, we developed a BPNN model by relating soybean yield to topography, soil, weather, and site factors and evaluated model predictions for the same field for independent years. We also explored the potential use of BPNN for predicting yields in independent fields. Finally, we evaluated the ability of the BPNN to attribute yield losses due to soybean cyst nematodes (SCN), soil pH, and weeds. A total of 14 input datasets with combinations of four controlling factors (topographic, soil fertility, weather, and site) were used. For each objective, data from fields in Iowa were used for training the BPNN, while a portion of the data was withheld to verify the accuracy of yield predictions. All BPNN models had fully connected feed-forward architecture with a back-propagation weight adjustment algorithm. When tested for a particular field, the BPNN captured the major patterns of yield variability in independent years; the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 14.2% of actual yield. When the BPNN was trained with inputs from five fields, the RMSEP at test sites was 11.2% of actual yield. When the BPNN was used to attribute yield losses to soil pH, SCN, and weed populations, standard errors were 92, 262, and 171 kg ha-1, respectively. The technique showed that the BPNN could predict spatial yield variability with an RMSEP of about 14%.
G protein‐coupled receptor‐induced Akt activity in cellular proliferation and apoptosis

Akt (also known as protein kinase B) plays an integral role in many intracellular signaling pathways activated by a diverse array of extracellular signals that target several different classes of membrane‐bound receptors. Akt plays a particularly prominent part in signaling networks that result in the modulation of cellular proliferation, apoptosis and survival. Thus, the overexpression of Akt subtypes has been measured in a number of cancer types, and dominant‐negative forms of Akt can trigger apoptosis and reduce the survival of cancer cells. G protein‐coupled receptors act as cell‐surface detectors for a diverse spectrum of biological signals and are able to activate or inhibit Akt via several direct and indirect means. In this review, we shall document how G protein‐coupled receptors are able to control Akt activity and examine the resulting biochemical and physiological changes, with particular emphasis on cellular proliferation, apoptosis and survival.
Growth Performance, Cytokine Expression, and Immune Responses of Broiler Chickens Fed a Dietary Palm Oil and Sunflower Oil Blend Supplemented With L-Arginine and Varying Concentrations of Vitamin E

This study set out to examine the combined effects of the supplementation of a dietary palm oil (PO) and sunflower oil (SO) blend, 0. 25% L-Arginine (L-Arg), and different levels of vitamin E (Vit E) on growth performance, fat deposition, cytokine expression, and immune response in broilers. A total of 216 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb500) were randomly distributed into six dietary groups as follows: Diet 1: 6% palm oil (negative control); Diet 2: PO and SO blend (4% palm oil and 2% sunflower oil) + 0.25% L-Arg (positive control); Diet 3: (PO and SO blend + 0.25% L-Arg) + 20 mg/kg Vit E; Diet 4: (PO and SO blend + 0.25% L-Arg) + 50 mg/kg Vit E; Diet 5: (PO and SO blend + 0.25% L-Arg) + 100 mg/kg Vit E; and Diet 6: (PO and SO blend + 0.25% L-Arg) + 150 mg/kg Vit E. Weight gain and serum IgG and IgM increased while feed conversion ratio, fat deposition, and plasma cholesterol decreased in broilers fed Vit E with the oil blend and L-Arg, compared to those fed the negative control (Diet 1). Expression of IFN and TNF-α were reduced, whereas TGF-ß1 was up-regulated as the level of Vit E increased in the broiler diets. In summary, the combination of oil blend, L-Arg, and Vit E at a level of 50 mg/kg increased the performance and altered the expression of cytokines that may positively influence immune function in broiler chickens.
Factors Impacting On Student Learning: A Preliminary Look at the National Test of Trinidad and Tobago

National assessments of student achievement in the basic skills or curricular domains of reading, writing, mathematics and science are conducted in many countries with the aim of improving the quality of education. This paper presents an overview of the findings from a study conducted by a consortium of research staff from the Ministry of Education in Trinidad and Tobago, and university researchers from The University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago and The University of Victoria in Canada on data from such a national assessment programme in Trinidad and Tobago. Preliminary statistical analyses were conducted on data generated by the 2006 administration of the National Test, which included not only the administration of achievement tests in Lanugage Arts and Mathematics, but also the administration of questionnaires to students, parents, teachers, and principals. The findings from this preliminary study suggest that student and parent traits and perceptions are substantially related to student achievement in the foundational skills of language arts and mathematics as measured by the National Test.
Identification of a Novel Human Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR) Agonist and Its Use in the Identification of CAR Target Genes*

The orphan nuclear constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is proposed to play a central role in the response to xenochemical stress. Identification of CAR target genes in humans has been limited by the lack of a selective CAR agonist. We report the identification of 6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehydeO-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime (CITCO) as a novel human CAR agonist with the following characteristics: (a) potent activity in an in vitro fluorescence-based CAR activation assay; (b) selectivity for CAR over other nuclear receptors, including the xenobiotic pregnane X receptor (PXR); (c) the ability to induce human CAR nuclear translocation; and (d) the ability to induce the prototypical CAR target gene CYP2B6 in primary human hepatocytes. Using primary cultures of human hepatocytes, the effects of CITCO on gene expression were compared with those of the PXR ligand rifampicin. The relative expression of a number of genes encoding proteins involved in various aspects of steroid and xenobiotic metabolism was analyzed. Notably, CAR and PXR activators differentially regulated the expression of several genes, demonstrating that these two nuclear receptors subserve overlapping but distinct biological functions in human hepatocytes.
Mixture or mosaic? Genetic patterns in UK grey squirrels support a human‐mediated ‘long‐jump’ invasion mechanism

Clarifying whether multiple introductions of a species remain relatively isolated or merge and interbreed is essential for understanding the dynamics of invasion processes. Multiple introductions from different sources can result in a mixture of genetically distinct populations, increasing the total genetic diversity. This mixing can resolve the ‘genetic paradox’, whereby in spite of the relatively small numbers of introduced individuals, the augmented diversity due to this mixing increases adaptability and the ability of the species to spread in new environments. Here, we aim to assess whether the expansion of a successful invader, the Eastern grey squirrel, was partly driven by the merger of multiple introductions and the effects of such a merger on diversity.
Female bladder cancer: incidence, treatment, and outcome

Purpose of review Women are generally less likely to develop bladder cancer compared with men; however, once they acquire this disease, they have a less favorable prognosis. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the relationship between sex and bladder cancer incidence and outcomes and discuss the most recent developments in this area of research. Recent findings Despite some evidence suggesting involvement of hormonal factors in bladder cancer carcinogenesis, the exact mechanisms responsible for increased bladder cancer incidence in men are still incompletely understood. The causes of increased mortality in women are also unclear. It has been hypothesized that women present with more advanced stages (and thus have inferior survival) than men because early signs of bladder cancer in women are often attributed to more common benign conditions. However, recent studies have shown that excess mortality in women persists after adjustment for stage and other tumor characteristics. Women also do not appear to be significantly undertreated for bladder cancer. Summary Despite considerable research efforts, both increased incidence in men and decreased survival in women remain somewhat of a mystery. The causes of these phenomena may include poorly understood biological factors or environmental influences, which may become a subject of future research.
Hormonal fluctuations intensify temporomandibular disorder pain without impairing masticatory function.

PURPOSE The influence of hormonal fluctuations on pain and mastication was evaluated in patients with painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty women were assigned to menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive groups (n = 25). Their TMD was diagnosed by Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Pain levels, maximum oclusal force (MOF), and masticatory performance (MP) were measured in all menstrual cycle phases. RESULTS A lower pain level was observed in the ovulatory phase when compared to menstrual and luteal phases (P = .02). No differences were found regarding MOF (P = .20) or MP (P = .94). CONCLUSIONS Hormonal fluctuations intensify pain in women with symptomatic TMD without impairing mastication.