Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Similar white matter aberrations in children with autism and their unaffected siblings: a diffusion tensor imaging study using tract-based spatial statistics.

CONTEXT Autism is a neurobiological condition with a strong genetic component. Recent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have indicated that white matter structure is aberrant in autism. To date, white matter structure has not been assessed in family members of children with autism. OBJECTIVE To determine whether white matter structure is aberrant in children with autism and their unaffected siblings compared with controls, and to test the hypothesis that white matter structure in autism is correlated with autism spectrum symptomatology. DESIGN Cross-sectional, case-control, voxel-based, whole-brain DTI analysis using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. SETTING University research center. Patients A sample of 37 children: 13 subjects with autism, 13 of their unaffected siblings, and 11 controls. Controls were age- and intelligence quotient-matched to the unaffected siblings; all groups were age matched. Main Outcome Measure Fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial and radial diffusivities. In addition, behavioral correlation analyses were conducted using the Autism Diagnostic Interview and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule subscales and FA values, as well as axial diffusivity values in the autism group. RESULTS Compared with the control group, both the autism and sibling groups had widespread, significantly reduced white matter FA values (P ≤ .05, corrected) in the frontal parietal and temporal lobes and included, but were not restricted to, regions known to be important for social cognition. Within regions of reduced FA, significant reductions in axial diffusivity, but not radial diffusivity, were observed. There were no significant differences in white matter structure between the autism and sibling groups. There were no significant correlations between autism symptomatology and white matter FA or axial diffusivity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that white matter structure may represent a marker of genetic risk for autism or vulnerability to development of this disorder.
Chronic Vestibulo-Ocular Reflexes Evoked by a Vestibular Prosthesis

We are developing prosthetics for patients suffering from peripheral vestibular dysfunction. We tested a sensory-replacement prosthesis that stimulates neurons innervating the vestibular system by providing chronic pulsatile stimulation to electrodes placed in monkeys' lateral semicircular canals, which were plugged bilaterally, and used head angular velocity to modulate the current pulse rate. As an encouraging finding, we observed vestibulo-ocular reflexes that continued to be evoked by the motion-modulated stimulation months after the nystagmus evoked by the constant-rate baseline stimulation had dissipated. This suggests that long-term functional replacement of absent vestibular function is feasible
Adolescent weight control: an intervention targeting parent communication and modeling compared with minimal parental involvement.

OBJECTIVE Adolescent weight control interventions demonstrate variable findings, with inconsistent data regarding the appropriate role for parents. The current study examined the efficacy of a standard adolescent behavioral weight control (BWC) intervention that also targeted parent-adolescent communication and parental modeling of healthy behaviors (Standard Behavioral Treatment + Enhanced Parenting; SBT + EP) compared with a standard BWC intervention (SBT). METHODS 49 obese adolescents (M age = 15.10; SD = 1.33; 76% female; 67.3% non-Hispanic White) and a caregiver were randomly assigned to SBT or SBT + EP. Adolescent and caregiver weight and height, parental modeling, and weight-related communication were obtained at baseline and end of the 16-week intervention. RESULTS Significant decreases in adolescent weight and increases in parental self-monitoring were observed across both conditions. Analyses of covariance revealed a trend for greater reduction in weight and negative maternal commentary among SBT condition participants. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to hypotheses, targeting parent-adolescent communication and parental modeling did not lead to better outcomes in adolescent weight control.
Feedlot performance and tissue residues of cattle consuming diets containing aflatoxins.

A comparative slaughter feeding trial was conducted using crossbred Hereford-Angus steers. Cottonseed meal known to be contaminated with aflatoxins was fortified with long-grain rice cultures of Aspergillus flavus to produce complete rations that contained 0, 60, 300 and 600 ppb aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Forty steers, weighing approximately 250 kg were randomly assigned to four equal treatment groups. Animals were housed in individual pens and fed the assigned contaminated ration ad libitum for 155 d. On d 156 all animals were placed on the control ration for 14 d. Animals were weighed and blood samples collected every month for clinical chemistry analysis. Liver, muscle and fat biopsies were collected at 6-wk intervals. These samples were stored in liquid N2 prior to analysis for aflatoxin M1 and B1 content. Separate liver samples were taken for histopathological examination. Aflatoxin was withdrawn from the diet 2 wk prior to slaughter. After 1 wk of withdrawal liver, muscle and fat samples were collected and assayed for AFB1 and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). Liver samples also were taken for histopathological examination. Growth rates and feed intakes in the 60 and 300 ppb aflatoxin treatments were not significantly different from controls. The 600-ppb treatment group had a decrease in feed intake and rate of gain. Rations containing 60 and 300 ppb of aflatoxin had no significant influence on blood components and enzyme patterns. The 600-ppb treatment caused a slight, but consistent, increase in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The case for neuropsychoanalysis

Recent advances in the cognitive, affective and social neurosciences have enabled these fields to study aspects of the mind that are central to psychoanalysis. These developments raise a number of possibilities for psychoanalysis. Can it engage the neurosciences in a productive and mutually enriching dialogue without compromising its own integrity and unique perspective? While many analysts welcome interdisciplinary exchanges with the neurosciences, termed neuropsychoanalysis, some have voiced concerns about their potentially deleterious effects on psychoanalytic theory and practice. In this paper we outline the development and aims of neuropsychoanalysis, and consider its reception in psychoanalysis and in the neurosciences. We then discuss some of the concerns raised within psychoanalysis, with particular emphasis on the epistemological foundations of neuropsychoanalysis. While this paper does not attempt to fully address the clinical applications of neuropsychoanalysis, we offer and discuss a brief case illustration in order to demonstrate that neuroscientific research findings can be used to enrich our models of the mind in ways that, in turn, may influence how analysts work with their patients. We will conclude that neuropsychoanalysis is grounded in the history of psychoanalysis, that it is part of the psychoanalytic worldview, and that it is necessary, albeit not sufficient, for the future viability of psychoanalysis.
Comparison of utilization in optical CDMA and WDMA broadcast local-area networks with physical noise

The utilization, defined as the throughput normalized to the time-domain processing gain, is used as metric to compare the performance of optical code-division multiple-access (WDMA) local-area networks. The impact of shot and thermal noise, as well as multiple-access interference (MAI) for the O-CDMA system, is taken into account. We find that a low offered loads or low received power levels, the WDMA system outperforms the O-CDMA system by a wide margin; however, at higher offered loads and when sufficient optical power is available at the receiver, the O-CDMA scheme offers a performance advantage. The results suggest that an adaptive system, able to switch between WDMA and O-CDMA, would make the best use of the fiber-optic channel.
A genetic algorithm for single-trial P300 detection with a low-cost EEG headset

Brain machine interface (BMI) devices facilitate communication and control of computers using signals measured from within the brain of the operators. These signals are detected using electroencephalography (EEG) devices. Research in this field aims to enable victims of `locked-in syndrome' as a result of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal injury, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophies, or multiple sclerosis. BMI systems also increase diversity in human computer interaction methods. One of the BMI target signals, known as the P300, is an involuntary reaction to a desired visual stimulus. BMI systems capable of detecting P300 signals allow direct brain-device interaction, without the need for muscle excitation. Because EEG P300 signal suffers low signal to noise ratios, classification of user intent can be difficult. Typically P300 systems use repeated visually evoked potentials (VEPs) to increase classifier accuracy; however this results in lower information transfer rates. To improve single-trial P300 detection we use a genetic algorithm (GA) in combination with both a neural network and linear discriminant analysis classifiers. The GA improved feature selection for training the classifiers. We explore the results of those features found influential on P300 classification and suggest direction for future research in single-trial P300 detection.
Physiological stress reactivity and empathy following social exclusion: A test of the defensive emotional analgesia hypothesis

Experiences of social exclusion elicit social pain responses. The current study examined the ability of social exclusion to activate physiological stress responses and adaptively modulate affect and empathy consistent with “defensive emotional analgesia. ” Measures of affect and empathy, and saliva samples for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) analysis, were collected before and after subjects participated in a computer game (“Cyberball”) designed to manipulate feelings of social exclusion. Contrary to our hypotheses, social exclusion was associated with a reduction in cortisol, and social inclusion with an increase in cortisol. Both Cyberball groups showed increases in sAA and decreases in both positive and negative affect, with the greatest drop in affect occurring after social exclusion. Empathy did not differ between the social exclusion and inclusion groups and was not correlated with cortisol or sAA levels. These results support the presence of a defensive response to social exclusion in which central stress pathways controlling cortisol release are inhibited. Cortisol and sAA were shown to have distinct patterns of responses to psychological stress, with sAA responding more rapidly. Related methodological concerns for the use of these physiological stress markers and of Cyberball in social neuroscience research are discussed.
Structural Design of a CMOS Full Low Dropout Voltage Regulator

The paper describes structural design of a full (complete) low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator. This LDO is using the following basic subcircuits: bandgap reference (BGR), folded-cascode current operational amplifier (COA), and bias circuit. The regulator is divided in three main blocks, namely, a sub-regulator generating power supply voltage for the BGR, a scaling amplifier providing convenient reference voltage for the LDO, and the LDO itself providing the required output voltage. Each block is consisting of a COA, pass transistor and resistor and represents a dedicated feedback loop. The regulator does not require any on-chip compensation capacitors, and ensures stable operation for a very wide range of capacitive loads. The complete LDO regulator is realized in standard digital 0.13-mum CMOS process for the output voltage of 1.22 V from 1.8-3.3 V power supply.
The OsMYB30 Transcription Factor Suppresses Cold Tolerance by Interacting with a JAZ Protein and Suppressing β-Amylase Expression1[OPEN]

OsMYB30 confers cold sensitivity through interaction with OsJAZ9 to down-regulate the expression β-amylase genes and the production of maltose in rice. Cold stress is one of the major limiting factors for rice (Oryza sativa) productivity. Several MYB transcriptional factors have been reported as important regulators in the cold stress response, but the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we characterized a cold-responsive R2R3-type MYB gene, OsMYB30, for its regulatory function in cold tolerance in rice. Functional analysis revealed that overexpression of OsMYB30 in rice resulted in increased cold sensitivity, while the osmyb30 knockout mutant showed increased cold tolerance. Microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that a few β-amylase (BMY) genes were down-regulated by OsMYB30. The BMY activity and maltose content, which were decreased and increased in the OsMYB30 overexpression and osmyb30 knockout mutant, respectively, were correlated with the expression patterns of the BMY genes. OsMYB30 was shown to bind to the promoters of the BMY genes. These results suggested that OsMYB30 exhibited a regulatory effect on the breakdown of starch through the regulation of the BMY genes. In addition, application of maltose had a protective effect for cell membranes under cold stress conditions. Furthermore, we identified an OsMYB30-interacting protein, OsJAZ9, that had a significant effect in suppressing the transcriptional activation of OsMYB30 and in the repression of BMY genes mediated by OsMYB30. These results together suggested that OsMYB30 might be a novel regulator of cold tolerance through the negative regulation of the BMY genes by interacting with OsJAZ9 to fine-tune the starch breakdown and the content of maltose, which might contribute to the cold tolerance as a compatible solute.
Leukemia‐associated antigens as target structures for a specific immunotherapy in chronic myeloid leukemia

Specific immunotherapies for CML patients targeting T cell antigens might eliminate residual CML cells after chemotherapy, in combination with imatinib or other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and might enhance a specific graft versus leukemia effect after allogeneic stem cell transplantation without aggravating the graft versus host disease. For an effective specific immunotherapy in CML, the use of leukemia‐associated antigens (LAAs) with an optimal expression pattern is required. In this work, we review known LAAs which are able to induce specific CD8 positive T cell responses and which are appropriate target structures for immunological targeting of CML cells. Moreover, an overview on LAA‐targeted immunotherapeutic approaches for CML patients are given.
Eradication of endodontic infection by instrumentation and irrigation solutions

Debridement of the root canal by instrumentation and irrigation is considered the most important single factor in the prevention and treatment of endodontic diseases. In clinical practice, instrumentation of the root canal(s) within the affected tooth is usually the most time consuming and technically demanding element of the treatment. The technical success of the treatment, as judged by the post-operative radiograph after the root filling, is based on optimized root canal instrumentation. Mounting evidence from epidemiological research is also indicating that the combination of high-quality coronal restoration and technically satisfactory root canal treatment is associated with the greatest long-term prognosis. Therefore, it is not surprising that for several decades of endodontic research, a substantial number of articles on instruments and instrumentation have been published in the scientific literature. Although interest in the effects of instrumentation on intracanal infection is not new, it is obvious that during the last few years a renewed focus of interest has appeared on the relationship between instrumentation and infection control in the root canal. The ongoing discussion in international endodontics about one-appointment therapy in the treatment of apical periodontitis has naturally further motivated the newly emerged research activities. The goal of this review is to gather the relevant and most recent literature and provide an updated analysis of the effect of preparation (instrumentation and irrigation) on the microbial infection in the necrotic root canal.
Self-explanatory Deep Salient Object Detection

Salient object detection has seen remarkable progress driven by deep learning techniques. However, most of deep learning based salient object detection methods are black-box in nature and lacking in interpretability. This paper proposes the first self-explanatory saliency detection network that explicitly exploits low- and high-level features for salient object detection. We demonstrate that such supportive clues not only significantly enhances performance of salient object detection but also gives better justified detection results. More specifically, we develop a multi-stage saliency encoder to extract multi-scale features which contain both low- and high-level saliency context. Dense short- and long-range connections are introduced to reuse these features iteratively. Benefiting from the direct access to low- and high-level features, the proposed saliency encoder can not only model the object context but also preserve the boundary. Furthermore, a self-explanatory generator is proposed to interpret how the proposed saliency encoder or other deep saliency models making decisions. The generator simulates the absence of interesting features by preventing these features from contributing to the saliency classifier and estimates the corresponding saliency prediction without these features. A comparison function, saliency explanation, is defined to measure the prediction changes between deep saliency models and corresponding generator. Through visualizing the differences, we can interpret the capability of different deep neural networks based saliency detection models and demonstrate that our proposed model indeed uses more reasonable structure for salient object detection. Extensive experiments on five popular benchmark datasets and the visualized saliency explanation demonstrate that the proposed method provides new state-of-the-art.
Identification of Mom12 and Mom13, two novel modifier loci of ApcMin-mediated intestinal tumorigenesis

Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The C57BL/6J (B6) ApcMin/+ mouse develops polyps throughout the gastrointestinal tract and has been a valuable model for understanding the genetic basis of intestinal tumorigenesis. ApcMin/+ mice have been used to study known oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes on a controlled genetic background. These studies often utilize congenic knockout alleles, which can carry an unknown amount of residual donor DNA. The ApcMin model has also been used to identify modifer loci, known as Modifier of Min (Mom) loci, which alter ApcMin-mediated intestinal tumorigenesis. B6 mice carrying a knockout allele generated in WW6 embryonic stem cells were crossed to B6 ApcMin/+ mice to determine the effect on polyp multiplicity. The newly generated colony developed significantly more intestinal polyps than ApcMin/+ controls. Polyp multiplicity did not correlate with inheritance of the knockout allele, suggesting the presence of one or more modifier loci segregating in the colony. Genotyping of simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) markers revealed residual 129X1/SvJ genomic DNA within the congenic region of the parental knockout line. An analysis of polyp multiplicity data and SSLP genotyping indicated the presence of two Mom loci in the colony: 1) Mom12, a dominant modifier linked to the congenic region on chromosome 6, and 2) Mom13, which is unlinked to the congenic region and whose effect is masked by Mom12. The identification of Mom12 and Mom13 demonstrates the potential problems resulting from residual heterozygosity present in congenic lines.
INTEGRATING THE UTKIN OBSERVER WITH THE UNSCENTED KALMAN FILTER

This paper describes the integration of an Utkin observer with the unscented Kalman filter, investigates the performance of the combined observer, termed the unscented Utkin observer, and compares it with an unscented Kalman filter. Simulation tests are performed using a model of a single link robot arm with a revolute elastic joint rotating in a vertical plane. The results indicate that the unscented Utkin observer outperforms the unscented Kalman filter.
Use of optoelectronic tweezers in manufacturing—accurate solder bead positioning

In this work, we analyze the use of optoelectronic tweezers (OETs) to manipulate 45 μm diameter Sn62Pb36Ag2 solder beads with light-induced dielectrophoresis force and we demonstrate high positioning accuracy. It was found that the positional deviation of the solder beads increases with the increase of the trap size. To clarify the underlying mechanism, simulations based on the integration of the Maxwell stress tensor were used to study the force profiles of OET traps with different sizes. It was found that the solder beads felt a 0.1 nN static friction or stiction force due to electrical forces pulling them towards the surface and that this force is not dependent on the size of the trap. The stiction limits the positioning accuracy; however, we show that by choosing a trap that is just larger than the solder bead sub-micron positional accuracy can be achieved.
Expression of Tumor-Associated Membrane Antigen, RCAS1, in Human Colorectal Carcinomas and Possible Role in Apoptosis of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes

RCAS1, a novel tumor-associated antigen, is expressed in advanced human neoplasias including uterine and ovarian carcinomas. RCAS1 protein was indicated to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of cultured human lymphoid and myeloid cell lines and normal lymphocytes. In the present study, we investigated the expression and prognostic value of RCAS1 in 58 patients with colorectal carcinomas. RCAS1 protein was detected by immunoperoxidase staining using a mouse monoclonal anti-RCAS1 antibody (22-1-1 antibody). Immunohistochemical examination showed expression of RCAS1 in 75% of colorectal carcinomas with lymph node metastases (n = 24), whereas it was present in only 41% of tumors without metastases (n = 34, P < .05). Patients with RCAS1-positive tumors showed a significantly poorer prognosis than those negative for RCAS1 (P < .05). Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model indicated that RCAS1 positivity was an independent negative predictor for survival (P = .0300; risk ratio, 0.496). In addition, apoptotic cells of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were examined using nonradioactive in situ nick translation in paraffin-embedded sections. The proportion of apoptotic tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was significantly higher in RCAS1-positive colorectal carcinomas (11.2 ± 1.0) than in RCAS1-negative tumors (7.9 ± 1.0, P < .05). Our results suggest that overexpression of RCAS1 may negatively affect the prognosis of human colorectal carcinomas and that RCAS1 may play a role in tumor immune privilege in vivo.