Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the mechanisms of inhibition of calcium channel currents in cultured sensory neurones of the rat by guanine nucleotide analogues and (−)− baclofen

1 The mechanism of inhibition of calcium channel currents by the guanine nucleotide analogue guanosine 5′‐O‐3 thiotriphosphate (GTP‐γ‐S) and by the GABAB agonist (−)‐baclofen has been studied in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurones of the rat. The inhibition by GTP‐γ‐S is particularly characterized by an abolition of the transient component of calcium channel currents carried either by Ba2+ (IBa) or by Ca2+ (ICa). 2 The effect of agents increasing intracellular cyclic AMP levels has been examined. Neither internal cyclic AMP nor forskolin prevented the inhibition of IBa by baclofen. Neither forskolin nor pretreatment of cells with cholera toxin prevented the inhibition of the transient component of IBa by GTP‐γ‐S. However, both these treatments increased the amplitude of the sustained IBa in the presence of GTP‐γ‐S. The ATP analogue adenosine imido‐diphosphate which inhibits many ATP requiring enzymes did not prevent the effect of GTP‐γ‐S although it reduced the amplitude of IBa. 3 Baclofen (100 μm) produced a 22 ± 2% increase in inositol phosphate production in 30 s, whereas the increase produced by bradykinin (1 μm) was 70 + 14%. However, unlike baclofen, bradykinin did not inhibit IBa or ICa in these cells. 4 The effect of protein kinase C inhibitors was examined. Polymixin B (20 μm in patch pipette) had no effect on the inhibition of IBa by baclofen or GTP‐γ‐S. A higher concentration (100 μm) alone inhibited IBa and no further inhibition by baclofen was observed. Neither H7 (50 μm) nor staurosporine (100 nm), applied extracellularly, prevented the response to GTP‐γ‐S. 5 The protein kinase C activator di‐octanoyl glycerol (20 μm) did not inhibit IBa. Arachidonic acid (100 μm) also produced no inhibition of IBa. 6 In conclusion we have obtained no evidence that a second messenger system mediates the inhibition of calcium channel currents by GTP‐γ‐S or baclofen in dorsal root ganglion neurones. These results support the hypothesis that GABAB receptors are directly coupled to calcium channels by G proteins.
Child-Adolescent Suicidal Potential Index (CASPI): a screen for risk for early onset suicidal behavior.

This study's purpose was to develop a reliable and valid self-report questionnaire, the Child-Adolescent Suicidal Potential Index (CASPI), to screen for risk for suicidal behavior in children and adolescents. Four hundred twenty-five child and adolescent psychiatric patients and nonpatients completed the CASPI and other research instruments to rate suicidal and assaultive behavior and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. The 30-item CASPI involves 3 factors (anxious-impulsive depression, suicidal ideation or acts, family distress) that contributed to a unidimensional 2nd-order factor accounting for 59% of the total variance. Internal consistency (alpha) for the total score was . 90, and test-retest reliability (ICC) for the total score was . 76. Total score distinguished between children and adolescents with different severity of psychopathology and different levels of suicidal and assaultive behavior. Each of the 3 factors had different contributions to discriminating between levels of suicidal status. CASPI total score of 11 distinguished suicidal ideation or acts from nonsuicidal behavior, with sensitivity 70% and specificity 65%. CASPI total score positively correlated with symptom severity of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Research progress in the development of a high-efficiency, medium-caliber helical coil electromagnetic launcher

Research progress in the development of a 40 mm /spl times/ 750 mm, high-efficiency helical-coil electromagnetic launcher (i.e., HCEL) is presented and discussed. Significant technical problems that have been solved in this research include efficient stator commutation methods and the ability to implement high inductance gradient armatures. The HCEL is able to launch a 500 gram projectile to a velocity of 118 m/s. Power for the HCEL is derived from a 60 kJ sequentially-fired pulse forming network of 900 V electrolytic capacitors, typically operating at a voltage of 600 V. The experimentally measured HCEL efficiency of 13.5% is many times greater than a conventional or augmented railgun operating at equivalent mass, bore-size, and velocity. The results of experimental tests to achieve 30% launch efficiency are also discussed. These HCEL's high launch efficiencies are a direct result of its 150 /spl mu/H/m inductance gradient, which is 200 times greater than conventional railguns. HCEL computer models and their use is presented and analyzed. Theoretical and experimentally measured values are compared in the analysis, including peak current, inductance gradient, acceleration time, parasitic ratios, and electrical-to-mechanical efficiency. Scaling relationships for the HCEL are also presented and used to predict launcher operation at higher velocity and with larger projectiles. The results of lifetime tests and material erosion studies are also presented and discussed. The conclusions are the HCEL is a long-lifetime and efficient electric launcher.
Bayesian Estimation and Prediction-Based Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation Algorithm for Sleep/Doze-Mode Passive Optical Networks

In this paper, we propose a new Bayesian estimation and prediction-based Just-In-Time dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm. The algorithm exploits the sleep and doze capabilities of a 10-Gbps vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser optical network unit (ONU) for improved energy-efficiency across all network loads. The main objectives of the proposed algorithm are to: (a) effectively estimate the average interarrival time of packets for sleep and doze control; (b) transition the ONUs from sleep or doze modes into active mode Just-In-Time to receive packets from the optical line terminal (OLT); and (c) minimize the additional queuing delays introduced by the sleep- and doze-mode operations. The algorithm uses Bayesian estimation to effectively estimate the average interarrival time of packets at the ONUs. The OLT determines the sleep or doze time of an ONU based on the estimated average interarrival time information. Multipoint control protocol messages such as GATE and REPORT are used to transition the ONUs from sleep or doze mode into active mode Just-In-Time to receive packets from the OLT. The prediction mechanism of the proposed algorithm, deployed at the OLT, predicts the number of packets accumulated during the sleep or doze time and minimizes the additional queuing delay introduced by the sleep- and doze-mode operations. Simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm results in 63% of energy-savings, compared to an always active ONU without sleep/doze operation. Our results further show that using the prediction mechanism, delay values can be reduced by 13 % at low network loads with only an increase of 0.01% in average power consumption at the ONU.
Non-motor symptoms in an Indian cohort of Parkinson's disease patients and correlation of progression of non-motor symptoms with motor worsening.

AIM To document the frequency and prevalence of non-motor symptoms (NMS) in an Indian cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. OBJECTIVES To validate the non-motor score scale (NMSS) in an Indian cohort of PD patients for recording NMS of the disease, to study the prevalence and frequency of NMS in Indian PD patients using the NMSS, and to compare the progression of NMS with motor worsening. Conclusion and Results: This was a cross-sectional, single-center, open-label, one point in time evaluation study conducted from 2009 to 2011. It validated the NMSS scale in an Indian population. The study has profiled the prevalence and pattern of NMS in an Indian cohort of PD patients. Comparison of NMS scale scores with the Unified PD Rating Scale motor scores demonstrated a correlation between non-motor and motor symptoms in the disease progression, particularly of manifestations related to the cognitive decline, memory disturbances, urinary incontinence and smell.
Study on the Protective Effect of the KIR3DL1 Gene in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects the sacroiliac joints and the spine of the lower back. The disease is strongly associated with HLA–B27. Additional genes, single‐nucleotide polymorphisms, and molecular components have been identified to be associated with AS, but the exact mechanism that drives disease development remains poorly understood. The killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIRs) are regulators of cytotoxicity of natural killer cells and T cell subsets and may be relevant in binding to HLA–B27 and the development of AS. We undertook this study to identify possible associations of KIR genotype with susceptibility to AS and disease characteristics including the presence of the HLA–B27 allele, disease severity, and uveitis.
Coordination and Synchronization of Vigilance in Groups of Prey: The Role of Collective Detection and Predators’ Preference for Stragglers

Prey living in groups often partly rely on companions to detect predators. Accordingly, individuals having vigilant neighbors could decrease their own vigilance, engendering a certain level of vigilance coordination in the group. However, when a predator attacks, individuals that spot it react quicker than individuals that follow them and have less chance of being targeted. Individuals with vigilant neighbors may then be particularly exposed, since they risk lagging behind their companions in an attack. Here, we incorporate this effect in a spatially explicit model of vigilance. A first version of the model derives the evolutionarily stable proportion of time allocated to vigilance for each position in the group. A second version considers the real alternation of feeding and vigilance and allows individuals to respond immediately when their neighbors raise their head or resume feeding. The model confirms then that the collective detection effect tends to coordinate vigilance. However, when predators display marked preferences for stragglers, adaptive response by prey generates waves of collective vigilance that may spread and circulate over the group. The overall level of vigilance in the group strongly oscillates, sometimes far away from the evolutionarily stable values, and the stabilizing effect of vigilance coordination is thwarted. These results illustrate real patterns of vigilance, in particular, the fact that group members often synchronize their vigilance.
A One-Nearest-Neighbor Approach to Identify the Original Time of Infection Using Censored Baboon Sepsis Data*

Objectives:Sepsis therapies have proven to be elusive because of the difficulty of translating biologically sound and effective interventions in animal models to humans. A part of this problem originates from the fact that septic patients present at various times after the onset of sepsis, whereas the exact time of infection is controlled in animal models. We sought to determine whether data mining longitudinal physiologic data in a nonhuman primate model of Escherichia coli–induced sepsis could help inform the time of onset of infection. Design:A nearest-neighbor approach was used to back cast the time of onset of infection in animal models of sepsis. Animal data were censored to simulate prospective monitoring at any moment along the septic infection. This was compared against an uncensored database to find the most similar animal in order to estimate the infection onset time. Leave-one-out cross-validation was used for validation. Biomarker selection was performed based on the criteria of estimation accuracy and/or ease of measurement. Setting:Computational experimental on existing experimental data. Subjects:Retrospective data from 33 septic baboons (Papio ursinus) subjected to Escherichia coli infusion. Validation was performed using 14 pigs that were subjected to surgically induced fecal peritonitis and 22 pigs that were subjected to lipopolysaccharide infusion. Measurements and Main Results:Longitudinal physiologic and serum markers, time of death. The presence of uniquely changing biomarkers during septic infection enabled the estimation of infection onset time in the datasets. Various combinations of temporal biomarkers, such as WBC, oxygen content, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate, yielded estimation accuracies of up to 97.8%. The use of temporal vital signs and a single measurement of serum biomarkers yielded highly accurate estimates without the need for invasive measurements. Validation in the pig data revealed similar results despite the heterogeneity of multiple experimental cohorts. This suggests that the method may be effective if sufficiently similar subjects are present in the database. Conclusions:One nearest-neighbor analysis showed promise in accurately identifying the onset of infection given a database of known infection times and of sufficient breadth. We suggest that this approach is ready for evaluation within the clinical setting using human data.
Effect of physical training on ventricular repolarization in type 1 long QT syndrome: a pilot study in asymptomatic carriers of the G589D KCNQ1 mutation.

AIMS High-intensity physical exercise and competitive sports have been traditionally avoided in long QT syndrome. However, endurance training increases vagal activity and thus may improve cardiac electrical stability in healthy subjects. We hypothesized that controlled submaximal endurance training would not adversely affect ventricular repolarization in asymptomatic carriers of a KCNQ1 gene mutation of type 1 long QT syndrome (LQT1). METHODS AND RESULTS Previously, sedentary carriers of a missense mutation of KCNQ1 gene (LQT1, n=7) and healthy controls (n=8) exercised on a bicycle ergometer 3-4 times a week, 30 min a day at 60-75% of maximal heart rate (HR) for a maximum of 3 months. Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) was recorded and QT intervals were determined automatically from 14 channels over the left chest area. Maximal work capacity increased by 4+/-1% in LQT1 and by 14+/-2% in controls (both P<0.05), and left ventricular (LV) mass by 8+/-1% and 9+/-1%, respectively (P<0.05). Resting corrected QT interval shortened by 10+/-1% (P<0.05) and QT interval dispersion by 25+/-9% (P<0.05) in LQT1, but not significantly in controls. QT intervals at specified HRs during workload and recovery phases were not changed in either group. CONCLUSION In this pilot study of asymptomatic carriers of a KNCQ1 gene mutation, submaximal endurance training did not harmfully affect arrhythmia risk markers. Confirmatory studies in a broader spectrum of LQT1 genotypes are needed before any generalization can be made.
A primary care "friendly" cognitive behavioral insomnia therapy.

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of an abbreviated cognitive-behavioral insomnia therapy (ACBT) with primary DESIGN A single-blind, randomized group design was used in which study patients were randomized to either a brief, 2-session ACBT or a similarly brief intervention (SHC) that included only generic sleep hygiene recommendations. SETTING A university-affiliated Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. PARTICIPANTS Twenty (2 women) veteran patients (M(age) = 51.0 yrs. , SD = 13.7 years) who met criteria for chronic primary insomnia. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Participants completed sleep logs for 2 weeks and questionnaires to measures insomnia symptoms, sleep-related self-efficacy, and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep before treatment, during a 2-week posttreatment assessment, and again at a 3-month posttreatment follow-up. Statistical analyses showed that ACBT produced significantly larger improvements across a majority of outcome measures than did SHC. Case-by-case analyses showed that only the ACBT produced consistent positive effects across study patients, and a sizeable proportion of these patients receiving this treatment achieved clinically significant improvements by their study endpoints. Approximately 52% of those receiving the ACBT reported at least a 50% reduction in their wake time after sleep onset, and 55.6% of ACBT-treated patients who entered the study with pathologic scores on an Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire (ISQ), achieved normal ISQ scores by their final outcome assessment. CONCLUSIONS ACBT is effective for reducing subjective sleep disturbance and insomnia symptoms in primary care patients.
The Structurally Related Auxin and Melatonin Tryptophan‐Derivatives and their Roles in Arabidopsis thaliana and in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Indole compounds are involved in a range of functions in many organisms. In the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, melatonin and other tryptophan derivatives are able to modulate its intraerythrocytic cycle, increasing the schizont population as well as parasitemia, likely through ubiquitin‐proteasome system (UPS) gene regulation. In plants, melatonin regulates root development, in a similar way to that described for indoleacetic acid, suggesting that melatonin and indoleacetic acid could co‐participate in some physiological processes due to structural similarities. In the present work, we evaluate whether the chemical structure similarity found in indoleacetic acid and melatonin can lead to similar effects in Arabidopsis thaliana lateral root formation and P. falciparum cell cycle modulation, as well as in the UPS of gene regulation, by qRT‐PCR. Our data show that P. falciparum is not able to respond to indoleacetic acid either in the modulation of the intraerythrocytic cycle or in the gene regulation mediated by the UPS as observed for melatonin. The similarities of these indole compounds are not sufficient to confer synergistic functions in P. falciparum cell cycle modulation, but could interplay in A. thaliana lateral root formation.
FPGA-based architecture for hyperspectral unmixing

This paper proposes an FPGA-based architecture for onboard hyperspectral unmixing. This method based on the Vertex Component Analysis (VCA) has several advantages, namely it is unsupervised, fully automatic, and it works without dimensionality reduction (DR) pre-processing step. The architecture has been designed for a low cost Xilinx Zynq board with a Zynq-7020 SoC FPGA based on the Artix-7 FPGA programmable logic and tested using real hyperspectral datasets. Experimental results indicate that the proposed implementation can achieve real-time processing, while maintaining the methods accuracy, which indicate the potential of the proposed platform to implement high-performance, low cost embedded systems.
Comparison of the in situ degradation parameters of fresh and frozen-thawed 15 N-labelled alfalfa and ryegrass

Degradation of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) in fresh or frozen-thawed alfalfa and ryegrass was studied by using in situ technique. The forages were labeled with 15 N during growth in a glasshouse, harvested at similar growth phase, and fresh (F) or frozen-thawed (FT) samples were incubated in the rumen of 3 sheep. There was no difference (P>0.05) between forage type (S) for the immediately soluble fraction (a) and the insoluble but slowly degradable fraction (b) estimates for DM and N disappearance over time. However, 15N values for a and b were significantly (P<0.05) higher and lower, respectively, for ryegrass. There was a significant effect of forage type on the degradation rate of b (c) and potential degradability of DM, N and 15 N; degradation rate of b for DM, N and 15 N were higher for alfalfa. There was no effect due to sample preparation (M) in degradation rate (c) for DM and 15 N but FT had a significantly (P<0.05) higher estimate than F for N degradation rate. Potential degradability was higher for FT than F for DM and N but not for 15 N. Mean estimates of effective rumen degradable protein due to forage species were significantly (P<0.05) different, while there was no difference due to the preparation method. The undegraded protein estimates for alfalfa and ryegrass were 66.8 and 52.5 g/kg DM, respectively. The corresponding values for F and FT were 66.2 and 53.1 g/kg DM, respectively. There were significant (P<0.05) interactions between S and M for DM degradation rate and potential of degradability, where FT increased the rate of degradation and potential degradability in alfalfa but decreased these in ryegrass. A significant (P<0.05) interaction was also found between S and M for quickly degradable protein where the esti- mate for fresh alfalfa was ranked lowest while the FT alfalfa was ranked highest. because of differ- ences in the prediction of degradation parameters for DM and N between preparation methods it is recommended that for in situ degradation determination the same preparation method be used throughout.
Quantitative analysis of cervical musculature in rats: Histochemical composition and motor pool organization. I. Muscles of the spinal accessory complex

In this paper we characterize the architecture and segmental innervation, histochemical composition, muscle spindle populations, and motor pool organization of rat spinal accessory (SA) muscles: sternomastoid (SM), cleidomastoid (CM), cleidotrapezius (CT), and acromiotrapezius (AT). We also consider (1) whether individual rat neck muscles are supplied by more than one population of motor neurons as they are in turtles and cats and (2) whether in SA muscles motor neuron size scales with target muscle fiber type.
Patent citation analysis as a tool for analysing industry convergence

The main goal of this paper is to provide conceptual lens for analysing and anticipating the stages of convergence. Patent data include citations to previous patents and to the non-patent literature. These citations open up the possibility of tracing technological trajectories of the industries. The paper uses patent citation data of the paper and electronics companies as a test environment to evaluate the importance of technological interfaces as a source of new radical innovations and industry transformation. Patent data was collected from the 84 main players operating in the radio-frequency identification value chain. The test environment of selected patent data base is only used to use, develop and illustrate the patent analysis tools for researching convergence of industries. Overall results from the study are that the citation analysis method shed light of the technology competitive arena. The presented patent citation methodology provides new insights to the analysis of industry evolution, technological innovations and business development related to converging industries and technologies. Further research is needed to understand more deeply the relations and interaction between different stages in the convergence or fusion process.
Management and prevalence of long‐term conditions in primary health care for adults with intellectual disabilities compared with the general population: A population‐based cohort study

BACKGROUND In the UK, general practitioners/family physicians receive pay for performance on management of long-term conditions, according to best-practice indicators. METHOD Management of long-term conditions was compared between 721 adults with intellectual disabilities and the general population (n = 764,672). Prevalence of long-term conditions was determined, and associated factors were investigated via logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Adults with intellectual disabilities received significantly poorer management of all long-term conditions on 38/57 (66.7%) indicators. Achievement was high (75.1%-100%) for only 19.6% of adults with intellectual disabilities, compared with 76.8% of the general population. Adults with intellectual disabilities had higher rates of epilepsy, psychosis, hypothyroidism, asthma, diabetes and heart failure. There were no clear associations with neighbourhood deprivation. CONCLUSIONS Adults with intellectual disabilities receive poorer care, despite conditions being more prevalent. The imperative now is to find practical, implementable means of supporting the challenges that general practices face in delivering equitable care.