Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Awareness and Universal Context in a Spiking Conscious Neural Network (SCNN): A New Perspective and Future Directions

Awareness plays a major role in human cognition and adaptive behaviour, though mechanisms involved remain unknown. Awareness is not an objectively established fact, therefore, despite extensive research, scientists have not been able to fully interpret its contribution in multisensory integration and precise neural firing, hence, questions remain: (1) How the biological neuron integrates the incoming multisensory signals with respect to different situations? (2) How are the roles of incoming multisensory signals defined (selective amplification/attenuation) that help neuron(s) to originate a precise neural firing complying with the anticipated behavioural-constraint of the environment? (3) How are the external environment and anticipated behaviour integrated? Recently, scientists have exploited deep learning to integrate multimodal cues and capture context-dependent meanings. Yet, these methods suffer from imprecise behavioural representation. In this research, we introduce a new theory on the role of awareness and universal context that can help answering the aforementioned crucial neuroscience questions. Specifically, we propose a class of spiking conscious neuron in which the output depends on three functionally distinctive integrated input variables: receptive field (RF), local contextual field (LCF), and universal contextual field (UCF). The RF defines the incoming ambiguous sensory signal, LCF defines the modulatory signal coming from other parts of the brain, and UCF defines the awareness. It is believed that the conscious neuron inherently contains enough knowledge about the situation in which the problem is to be solved based on past learning and reasoning and it defines the precise role of incoming multisensory signals to originate a precise neural firing (exhibiting switch-like behaviour). It is shown that the conscious neuron helps modelling a more precise human behaviour.
An evaluation of fevipiprant for the treatment of asthma: a promising new therapy?

ABSTRACT Introduction: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation that affects more than 230 million people worldwide. Current guidelines recommend an escalating stepwise decision model for the management of asthma. However, disease control continues to be a challenge, particularly in patients with severe asthma. Biologics have proven to be an effective add-on treatment especially in eosinophilic or type 2 airway disease. Comparatively, pre-biologics may represent a successful novel therapy. Fevipiprant (QAW039) is a selective, reversible, antagonist of the prostaglandin D2 receptor (DP2). Areas covered: The authors review the mechanism of action of fevipiprant as well as its pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, tolerability, efficacy, and safety. Comparative therapies are also described. A comprehensive literature review was performed using: the PubMed central database, U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine database (NIH/NLM) and the NLM clinical trials database. Expert opinion: Fevipipiprant is a promising prebiologic therapy with convenient dosing, oral administration, and an acceptable safety profile. However, the spectrum of asthmatic patients that may benefit from this therapy is somehow limited to (i.e. moderate to severe eosinophilic asthma). Results from phase III clinical trials are needed to assess whether fevipiprant would lead to a reduction in exacerbation rates and perhaps broaden the target population.
Urban Wanderer: Towards Reconnecting with Our Physical Surroundings

This paper describes our effort to reconnect people to their surroundings in an urban setting, making them aware of the immediate environment. We present an initial exploration, as well as a first prototype to support urban wandering. Our first insights are encouraging, as it seems our prototype enhances the experience of wandering and helps users with lower ambiguity tolerance to engage in wandering activity.
Item-Wise Interindividual Brain-Behavior Correlation in Task Neuroimaging Analysis

Brain-behavior correlations are commonly used to explore the associations between the brain and human behavior in cognitive neuroscience studies. There are many critics of the correlation approach, however. Most problems associated with correlation approaches originate in the weak statistical power of traditional correlation procedures (i.e., the mean-wise interindividual brain-behavior correlation). This paper proposes a new correlation procedure, the item-wise interindividual brain-behavior correlation, which enhances statistical power via testing the significance of small correlation coefficients from trials against zero rather than simply pursuing the highest correlation coefficient. The item-wise and mean-wise correlation were compared in simulations and an fMRI experiment on mathematical problem-solving. Simulations show that the item-wise correlation relative to the mean-wise correlation results in higher t-values when signal-to-noise ratio is equal to or larger than 6%. Item-wise correlation displayed more voxels with significant brain-behavior correlation than did mean-wise correlation. Analyses with item-wise (rather than mean-wise) correlation showed significant brain-behavior correlation at the threshold of p < 0.05 corrected. Cross validation showed that odd- and even-ordered trials have greater stability in terms of the item-wise correlation (r = 0.918) than the mean-wise correlation (r = 0.686). The simulations and example analyses altogether demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed correlation procedure for task neuroimaging studies.
Syntax and Typing for Cedille Core

This document specifies a core version of the type theory implemented in the Cedille tool. Cedille is a language for dependently typed programming and computer-checked proof. Cedille can elaborate source programs down to Cedille Core, which can be checked in a straightforward way by a small checker (a reference implementation included with Cedille is under 1000 lines of Haskell). Other tools could also target Cedille Core as an expressive backend type theory. The document describes syntax and typing rules for Cedille Core.
Overview of psychosocial problems in individuals with stoma: A review of literature

This literature review was conducted to summarise empirical evidence relating to psychosocial health following ostomy surgery during hospitalisation and after discharge. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were searched from 2000 to 2017 using PubMed, CINAHL, Ebrary, Elsevier, Science Direct, and Scopus. Twenty‐seven articles were included that examined the patient's psychosocial health following colostomy or ileostomy surgery. Among the 27 included studies, 11 adopted qualitative research methods and 16 used quantitative designs. Most of the studies were conducted to determine psychosocial problems and emotions of the individuals, their adaptation to the stoma, and their quality of life. Most of the psychosocial problems identified in these studies were poor body image perception and self‐respect, depression, sexual problems, and lower psychosocial adaptation. This literature review has illustrated the patient's psychosocial health following stoma surgery. Further studies exploring the effect of psychosocial interventions could be planned.
Ubiquitous Emotion Recognition Using Audio and Video Data

In this paper we present a method for recognizing emotions using video and audio data captured from a mobile phone. A mobile application is also presented that captures audio and video data, which were used to predict emotion with a convolutional neural network. We show results of our deep network on images taken from the BP4D+ [11] database, and audio signals taken from the RAVDESS dataset [4], which were also used to train the CNN used in the presented mobile application.
Ryanodine Receptor-Mediated Calcium Release Has a Key Role in Hippocampal LTD Induction

The induction of both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission entails pre- and postsynaptic Ca2+ signals, which represent transient increments in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration. In diverse synapse types, Ca2+ release from intracellular stores contributes to amplify the Ca2+ signals initially generated by activation of neuronal Ca2+ entry pathways. Here, we used hippocampal slices from young male rats to evaluate whether pharmacological activation or inhibition of Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) mediated by ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels modifies LTD induction at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses. Pre-incubation of slices with ryanodine (1 μM, 1 h) or caffeine (1 mM, 30 min) to promote RyR-mediated Ca2+ release facilitated LTD induction by low frequency stimulation (LFS), but did not affect the amplitude of synaptic transmission, the profiles of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) or the paired-pulse (PP) responses. Conversely, treatment with inhibitory ryanodine (20 μM, 1 h) to suppress RyR-mediated Ca2+ release prevented LTD induction, but did not affect baseline synaptic transmission or PP responses. Previous literature reports indicate that LTD induction requires presynaptic CaMKII activity. We found that 1 h after applying the LTD induction protocol, slices displayed a significant increase in CaMKII phosphorylation relative to the levels exhibited by un-stimulated (naïve) slices. In addition, LTD induction (1 h) enhanced the phosphorylation of the presynaptic protein Synapsin I at a CaMKII-dependent phosphorylation site, indicating that LTD induction stimulates presynaptic CaMKII activity. Pre-incubation of slices with 20 μM ryanodine abolished the increased CaMKII and Synapsin I phosphorylation induced by LTD, whereas naïve slices pre-incubated with inhibitory ryanodine displayed similar CaMKII and Synapsin I phosphorylation levels as naïve control slices. We posit that inhibitory ryanodine suppressed LTD-induced presynaptic CaMKII activity, as evidenced by the suppression of Synapsin I phosphorylation induced by LTD. Accordingly, we propose that presynaptic RyR-mediated Ca2+ signals contribute to LTD induction at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses.
Treatment for Frailty Does Not Improve Complication Rates in Corrective Surgery for Adult Spinal Deformity

Study Design. A retrospective multicenter database review of 240 consecutive patients at least 21 years of age (mean 58 ± 17, range 22–79) who underwent surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) and were followed at least 2 years. Objective. To investigate how treatment for frailty affects complications in surgery for ASD. Summary of Background Data. Several recent studies have focused on associations between frailty and surgical complications. However, it is not clear whether treating frailty affects complication rates in surgery for ASD. Methods. Patients were categorized as robust (R group), prefrail, or frail based on the modified frailty index (mFI); prefrail and frail patients were divided by good control of frailty (G group), defined as treatment following the appropriate guidelines for each mFI factor, or poorly controlled frailty (PC group). We compared clinical outcomes and perioperative and 2-year complications between the three groups. Results. Of the 240 patients, 142 (59%) were robust, 81 (34%) were prefrail, and 17 (7%) were frail. Among the frail and prefrail patients, 71 (72%) were classified as G and 27 (28%) as PC. The perioperative complication rate was similar in the G and PC groups (32% vs. 37%) but was significantly lower in the R group (15%, P < 0.01). The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio for 2-year complications was not different in the P group when the G group was referenced (odds ratio 1.3 [0.5–3.2], P = 0.63). In the G and PC groups, which had similar 2-year outcomes, the Scoliosis Research Society-22 function and total scores were significantly lower than in the R group (function: R 3.9 ± 0.7, G 3.5 ± 0.7, P 3.3 ± 0.6; total: R 3.9 ± 0.6, 3.7 ± 0.7, 3.4 ± 0.6; P < 0.01). Conclusion. Regardless of its treatment status, frailty increases the risk of complications and inferior clinical outcomes in ASD surgery. Surgeons should routinely evaluate frailty and inform patients of frailty-related risks when considering surgery for ASD. Level of Evidence: 4
In Vivo Modulation of Rat Liver Microsomal Cytochrome P450 Activity by Antimalarial, Anti-HIV, and Antituberculosis Plant Medicines

Drug interactions are key reasons for adverse drug reactions and attrition from market. Major infectious diseases causing morbidity/mortality in Ghana are malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. In this study, plant medicines commonly used to treat/manage these diseases in Ghana were investigated for their potential to modulate rat cytochrome P450 enzyme activities. Fluorescence and high-performance liquid chromatography–based assays were used to assess effects of antimalarial plant medicines, Fever (FEV), Mal-TF (MAL), and Kantinka terric (KT); anti-TB medicines, Chestico (CHES), CA + ST Pains + HWNT (TF), and Kantinka herbatic (KHB); and anti-HIV/AIDS medicines, Wabco (WAB), AD + T/AD (LIV) and Kantinka BA (KBA) on rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450 enzyme activities. Effects of medicines on rat biochemical and hematological parameters were also assessed. Generally, the medicines altered microsomal CYP1A1/1A2, CYP2B1/2B2, CYP2C9, and CYP2D6 activities. Only KBA elicited an increase (80%) in CYP1A1/1A2 activity. FEV, MAL, CHES, WAB, and LIV strongly inhibited the enzyme activity. All the medicines significantly inhibited CYP2C9 (24%-80%) activity. CYP2D6 activity increased after treatment with MAL, KBA, LIV, and TF. Also, MAL, WAB, LIV, KHB, and CHES increased CYP2B1/2B2 activity, while KT decrease the activity. Generally, the medicines altered liver function in the rats. Cholesterol levels declined after KBA treatment only. White and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were significantly reduced in KT- and KBA-treated rats. Our results suggest that use of the medicines could have implications for drug interactions and safety, particularly if the medicines are administered over prolonged periods. Further investigations are imperative to establish clinical relevance of these results.
Phospholipase Cγ2 Signaling Cascade Contribute to the Antiplatelet Effect of Notoginsenoside Fc

Scope: Bleeding, the main drawback of clinically used chemical anti-thrombotic drug is resulted from the unidirectional suppression of platelet activity. Therefore, dual-directional regulatory effect on platelet is the main preponderance of Panax notoginseng over these drugs. The dual-directional regulatory effect should be ascribed to the resourceful Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS). Clarifying the mechanism of main PNS in both inhibiting and promoting platelet aggregation will give a full outlook for the dual-directional regulatory effect. The present study is aimed at explaining the mechanism of Notoginsenoside Fc (Fc), a main PNS, in inhibiting platelet aggregation. Methods: In the in vitro study, after incubating platelets with Fc and m-3M3FBS, platelet aggregation was triggered by thrombin, collagen or ADP. Platelet aggregation was measured by aggregometer. Phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) and protein kinase C (PKC) activities were studied by western blotting. Diacylglycerol (DAG), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate (IP3) concentrations were measured by corresponding ELISA kits. Calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]) were estimated through the fluorescence intensity emitted from Fluo-4. In the in vivo study, thrombus model was induced by FeCl3. The effect of Fc on thrombosis was evaluated by measurement of protein content and observation of injured blood vessel. Results: thrombin, collagen and ADP induced platelet aggregation were all suppressed by incubating platelets with Fc. Platelet PLCγ2 and subsequent DAG-PKC-TXA2 and IP3 were down-regulated by Fc as well. However, the basal [Ca2+] in platelet was not altered by Fc. Nevertheless, thrombin triggered activation of PLCγ2 and subsequent DAG-PKC-TXA2 and IP3-[Ca2+] were all abolished by Fc. Fc also attenuated platelet aggregation and PLCγ2 signaling activation induced by PLC activator, m-3M3FBS. In the in vivo study, FeCl3 induced thrombosis in rat femoral artery was significantly alleviated by administration of Fc. Conclusion: The results above suggested the antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of Fc are carried out through oppression of PLCγ2 and subsequent DAG-PKC-TXA2 and IP3-[Ca2+]. The present study provided theoretical support for new anti-thrombotic drug exploitation by Panax notoginseng.
Detecting Human Interaction Borders in City: The Shanghai Case

Detecting human interaction borders in urban environment, the geographical perimeter of dense human mobility interaction, is important for mobility-related city resource allocation and urban planning. However, with the advance of transportation technology, dwellers' movements become convenient and flexible, leading to the doubts that whether such interaction borders exist and how they come into being. This poster investigates these problems via a cellular mobility dataset in Shanghai, China. From this large-scale dataset, we first build an urban flow network, where the node is city block and the edge is human mobility interaction frequency. Based on this network, we discover several spatial communities, and extract the borders of them as the interaction borders. We surprisingly find that the interaction borders do exist because city blocks in each spatial community are geographically connected. We further find that the borders are influenced not only by administrative policy but also by other factors in geographical and cultural aspects.
Prolonged sedation in critically ill children: is dexmedetomidine a safe option for younger age? An off-label experience.

BACKGROUND Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, recently approved by Italian-Medicines-Agency for difficult sedation in pediatrics, but few data exist regarding prolonged infusions in critically-ill children, especially in younger ages. Aim of our study was to evaluate DEX use and safety for prolonged sedation in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). METHODS Patients receiving DEX for ≥24 hours were retrospectively evaluated to analyze DEX indications, dosages, use of analgesics or sedatives, adverse events (AEs), withdrawal syndrome or delirium. RESULTS Forty-seven patients (median 0.7years) from nine PICUs were enrolled. Main indications were adjuvant for drugs sparing (59.6%) and for analgosedation weaning (36.2%). Median infusion duration was 82.0 hours (IQR 62.2-126.0), with dosages between 0.4 (IQR 0.2-0.5) and 0.8 mcg/kg/h (IQR 0.6-1.2). Fifty-nine-percent of patients received other sedatives, 83% other analgesics. Twenty-one-percent presented withdrawal syndrome, 4.2% delirium, none of them DEX-related. Forty-six-percent experienced a potentially-DEX-related AE. AEs were all hemodynamic, 14.9% requiring intervention but none DEX interruption. The median minimum and maximum dosages were significantly higher in patients with AEs (0.5 vs. 0.3,P=0.001; 1.0 vs. 0.7,P<0.001), without correlations with the infusion duration. AEs rate was higher in patients receiving benzodiazepines (P=0.020) or more than one analgesic (P=0.003) and in those presenting withdrawal syndrome (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS DEX was confirmed as useful and relatively safe drug for prolonged sedation in critically-ill children, particularly in younger ages. Main AEs were cardiovascular, reversible, related with higher doses, with the concomitant use of benzodiazepines or multiple sedation drugs and with the presence of withdrawal syndrome.
Neuropsychological Criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment in the Framingham Heart Study’s Old-Old

Background/Aims: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) lacks a “gold standard” operational definition. The Jak/Bondi actuarial neuropsychological criteria for MCI are associated with improved diagnostic stability and prediction of progression to dementia compared to conventional MCI diagnostic approaches, although its utility in diagnosing MCI in old-old individuals (age 75+) is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of neuropsychological MCI criteria among old-old from the Framingham Heart Study. Methods: A total of 347 adults (ages 79–102) were classified as cognitively normal or MCI via Jak/Bondi and conventional Petersen/Winblad criteria, which differ on cutoffs for cognitive impairment and number of impaired scores required for a diagnosis. Cox models examined MCI status in predicting risk of progression to dementia. Results: MCI diagnosed by both the Jak/Bondi and Petersen/Winblad criteria was associated with incident dementia; however, when both criteria were included in the regression model together, only the Jak/Bondi criteria remained statistically significant. At follow-up, the Jak/Bondi criteria had a lower MCI-to-normal reversion rate than the Petersen/Winblad criteria. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with previous research on the Jak/Bondi criteria and support the use of a comprehensive neuropsychological diagnostic approach for MCI among old-old individuals.
Risk of skin cancers in thiopurines‐treated and thiopurines‐untreated patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The thiopurines are effective in the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the association between thiopurines use and the risk of skin cancer (including nonmelanoma skin cancer [NMSC] and melanoma skin cancer) has already been sufficiently reported. However, the results of these studies are inconsistent, and thus, the objective of our analysis was to explore whether thiopurines can lead to an excess risk of skin cancer in IBD patients.
Self-efficacy and diabetes prevention in overweight South Asians with pre-diabetes

Objective We evaluated the effects of a diabetes prevention itervention on self-efficacy (SE) and the associations between SE and diabetes-related outcomes among overweight Asian Indian adults with pre-diabetes in a randomized controlled translational trial (the Diabetes Community Lifestyle Improvement Program, D-CLIP). Research design and methods Data were obtained from 550 adults who were randomized to a diabetes prevention program or standard of care. Dietary and exercise-related SEs were measured at baseline, core intervention completion (4 months), and annually until the end of follow-up (3 years or diabetes diagnosis). Mixed-effects regressions described changes in SE over time by treatment group. Among treatment participants, multivariable-adjusted models described associations of SE at baseline and intervention completion with diabetes incidence and other secondary outcomes (weight, waist circumference (WC), exercise, and energy intake). Results From baseline to 4 months, dietary (β=10.3, p=0.04) and exercise (β=0.49, p=0.04) SE increased significantly in the treatment arm only; however, this increase from baseline was no longer significant at later time points. Among treatment participants, there was no association of dietary or exercise SE with diabetes incidence, but baseline exercise SE was independently associated with improved weight, WC, and exercise at 4 months (p<0.05). Change in exercise SE from baseline to intervention completion also predicted increased exercise at 4, 12, and 24 months (p<0.05). Conclusions Exposure to D-CLIP resulted in improved SE at treatment completion, but this effect was not sustained over longer follow-up. Several short-term and long-term secondary outcomes, but not diabetes risk, were significantly associated with exercise SE, suggesting this psychosocial trait may facilitate success in achieving certain health goals. Trial registration number NCT01283308.