Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memristor plasticity enables emergence of synchronization in neuromorphic networks

Besides being at the core of novel ultra-high density low-power non-volatile memories and innovative pattern recognition systems based upon oscillatory associative and dynamic memories, the nano-scale memristor also has the potential to reproduce the behavior of a biological synapse more efficiently and accurately than any conventional electronic emulator. As in a living being the weight of a synapse is adapted by the ionic flow through it, so the conductance of a memristor is adjusted by the flux across it. This article is organized according to the regulations of the ISCAS2014 special session on the state-of-the-art in memristor-based nonlinear circuits and architectures. In this work we focus on arrays of oscillatory cells locally coupled through memristors. Our investigations shows how the nonlinear dynamics of the memristor plays a key role in the mechanisms underlying the synchronization properties of the networks. This work provides new insights into the nonlinear behavior of the still largely unexplored memristor element, which promises to revolutionize integrated circuit design in the incoming years.
Disrupted Working Memory Circuitry in Adolescent Psychosis

Individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) consistently show deficits in spatial working memory (WM) and associated atypical patterns of neural activity within key WM regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and parietal cortices. However, little research has focused on adolescent psychosis (AP) and potential age-associated disruptions of WM circuitry that may occur in youth with this severe form of illness. Here we utilized each subject’s individual spatial WM capacity to investigate task-based neural dysfunction in 17 patients with AP (16.58 ± 2.60 years old) as compared to 17 typically developing, demographically comparable adolescents (18.07 ± 3.26 years old). AP patients showed lower behavioral performance at higher WM loads and lower overall WM capacity compared to healthy controls. Whole-brain activation analyses revealed greater bilateral precentral and right postcentral activity in controls relative to AP patients, when controlling for individual WM capacity. Seed-based psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses revealed significantly greater co-activation between the left dlPFC and left frontal pole in controls relative to AP patients. Significant group-by-age interactions were observed in both whole-brain and PPI analyses, with AP patients showing atypically greater neural activity and stronger coupling between WM task activated brain regions as a function of increasing age. Additionally, AP patients demonstrated positive relationships between right dlPFC neural activity and task performance, but unlike healthy controls, failed to show associations between neural activity and out-of-scanner neurocognitive performance. Collectively, these findings are consistent with atypical WM-related functioning and disrupted developmental processes in youth with AP.
The challenge of attracting and keeping quality teachers in Australian schools

There are considerable challenges facing Catholic school administrators and educational authorities in general in attracting and keeping quality teachers. These challenges spread from the individual school to universities and Catholic educational administrations. This paper will discuss some of these challenges and some possible policy responses from all levels of the Catholic education community. Some of the key challenges that will be considered in this paper are: (i) the ageing teacher workforce; (ii) a growing teacher shortage, especially in certain secondary school discipline areas; (iii) the decline in teacher wage relativities; (iv) the challenge to keep beginning teachers; (v) the loss of trainee teachers at university; (vi) the declining quality of teacher entrants at university; and (vii) the falling numbers of graduates from Catholic universities in some fields of study.
INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND RESEARCH PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTHERN PUNJAB-PAKISTAN

The main purpose of this study is to examine the concept of Intellectual capital in higher education institutions/universities, justify its importance and its impact on their research output and performance. This study analyzes the impact of Intellectual Capital on university research performance in Pakistani universities and also compares the intellectual capital of two selected universities. This is an important study of the intellectual research area because the growing interest in intellectual capital has been extended from the firms to higher education institutions during the last decade. The major function of a university is exploring and transmitting knowledge which is acquired through research and education. Therefore assessing university research performance and its intellectual capital is a complex and critical issue. Furthermore intellectual capital has become a major driver for sustainable competitive advantage in all the organizations. A literature review is used to describe the intellectual capital, its components and research performance of the universities; it also highlighted the researchers' contributions in this area of study. The study uses exploratory approach to develop the conceptual model and raised these research questions with respect to it; Is there a significant impact of intellectual capital and its components on research performance of the university? , which university BZU or IU B has the greater intellectual capital. These research questions were investigated through empirical research using a case study approach on two large general public sectors universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan i.e. IUB and BZU. Secondary data was used and collected for the study. Descriptive, Ratio and correlation analysis were used to study the intellectual capital of the universities and its impact on their research performance. Our descriptive and Ratio analysis found that BZU has higher and positive values in the all indicators of human, structural and relational capital, which shows that BZU has greater intellectual capital then the IUB. The results of these techniques also showed that intellectual capital has a significant impact on research performance of the university in general. According to the findings all the components of intellectual capital also has a significant impact on research performance of the university, although human capital was ranked first and most important, followed by structural capital while relational capital ranked last among the components. Additionally the effect of human capital was most influential whereas relational capital did not have a significant impact. The results of this study are useful for the Universities to understand the value of their intellectual capital and exploit them for innovations and efficiency augmentation.
Bringing Research to Life: Using Social Work Students in a Statewide Foster Care Census

A review of historical developments in child welfare and social work research reveals continuing challenges for social work education. This article describes a collaborative effort to conduct a statewide survey of children in foster care. Social work students from eight universities helped to complete a state-wide census of foster care families in collaboration with child welfare agencies and the Public Child Welfare Consortium. The article discusses the impetus and scope of the project, as well as the benefits to students, child welfare agencies, and social work education.
Role of differentiation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in progression and regression of hepatic fibrosis in rats.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Capillarization, characterized by loss of differentiation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), precedes the onset of hepatic fibrosis. We investigated whether restoration of LSEC differentiation would normalize crosstalk with activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and thereby promote quiescence of HSC and regression of fibrosis. METHODS Rat LSECs were cultured with inhibitors and/or agonists and examined by scanning electron microscopy for fenestrae in sieve plates. Cirrhosis was induced in rats using thioacetamide, followed by administration of BAY 60-2770, an activator of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Fibrosis was assessed by Sirius red staining; expression of α-smooth muscle actin was measured by immunoblot analysis. RESULTS Maintenance of LSEC differentiation requires vascular endothelial growth factor-A stimulation of nitric oxide-dependent signaling (via sGC and cyclic guanosine monophosphate) and nitric oxide-independent signaling. In rats with thioacetamide-induced cirrhosis, BAY 60-2770 accelerated the complete reversal of capillarization (restored differentiation of LSECs) without directly affecting activation of HSCs or fibrosis. Restoration of differentiation to LSECs led to quiescence of HSCs and regression of fibrosis in the absence of further exposure to BAY 60-2770. Activation of sGC with BAY 60-2770 prevented progression of cirrhosis, despite continued administration of thioacetamide. CONCLUSIONS The state of LSEC differentiation plays a pivotal role in HSC activation and the fibrotic process.
Cost‐effectiveness of early intervention with once‐daily budesonide in children with mild persistent asthma: results from the START study

The inhaled Steroid Treatment As Regular Therapy in early asthma (START) study has shown that early intervention with inhaled budesonide in mild persistent asthma improves clinical outcomes in both adults and children. The aim of this study was to estimate the incremental cost‐effectiveness of early treatment with budesonide Turbuhaler in children aged 5–10 yr who participated in START. Direct and indirect costs associated with asthma were determined for 1974 children participating in the double‐blind, 3‐year part of the study. Randomization was to placebo or to budesonide 200 μg once daily in each case in addition to usual asthma care. Cost‐effectiveness ratios were calculated from the healthcare payer's and societal perspectives (using US prices). The addition of once‐daily budesonide therapy to usual asthma care was associated with 16 additional symptom‐free days (SFDs) per child over the 3‐yr period (p < 0.001), with a substantial reduction (50%) in the mean number of days spent in hospital, and with reduced frequency of emergency room visits and missed school and caregiver work days. From the healthcare payer's perspective (direct costs), the increase in mean direct cost over 3 yr with budesonide was $169, which translated into an incremental cost of early intervention with budesonide in children of $10.50 (95% CI $1.20–33.30) per SFD gained. From the societal perspective, there was a cost reduction over 3 yr of $192 with budesonide relative to placebo. From a societal perspective, budesonide was therefore dominant. In conclusion, early intervention with once‐daily budesonide added to usual asthma care in children with mild persistent asthma is cost‐saving from a societal perspective and is acceptably cost‐effective when viewed from a healthcare payer perspective.
Effect of physical training in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease

Abstract In order to test the effect of systematic supervised physical training, we divided a total of 129 children and adolescents with congenital heart disease into a group undergoing intervention and a control group. All patients underwent exercise tests, measurements of physical activity, and a survey of psychosocial factors. An improvement in uptake of peak level of oxygen was observed after intervention. There was also an improvement in physical activity in both groups measured by a monitor, although this was significant only in those with intervention. The psychosocial scales measured by the Child Behavior Checklist showed a decrease in internalizing scores for those subjected to intervention. This was decreased due to decreased withdrawal and somatic complaints. In conclusion, we recommend systematic supervised training, including testing of routine follow-ups, in patients with congenital heart disease.
The role of BK‐type Ca2+‐dependent K+ channels in spike broadening during repetitive firing in rat hippocampal pyramidal cells

1 The role of large‐conductance Ca2+‐dependent K+ channels (BK‐channels; also known as maxi‐K‐ or slo‐channels) in spike broadening during repetitive firing was studied in CA1 pyramidal cells, using sharp electrode intracellular recordings in rat hippocampal slices, and computer modelling. 2 Trains of action potentials elicited by depolarizing current pulses showed a progressive, frequency‐dependent spike broadening, reflecting a reduced rate of repolarization. During a 50 ms long 5 spike train, the spike duration increased by 63·6 ± 3·4% from the 1st to the 3rd spike. The amplitude of the fast after‐hyperpolarization (fAHP) also rapidly declined during each train. 3 Suppression of BK‐channel activity with (a) the selective BK‐channel blocker iberiotoxin (IbTX, 60 nM), (b) the non‐peptidergic BK‐channel blocker paxilline (2–10 μM), or (c) calcium‐free medium, broadened the 1st spike to a similar degree (≈60%). BK‐channel suppression also caused a similar change in spike waveform as observed during repetitive firing, and eliminated (occluded) most of the spike broadening during repetitive firing. 4 Computer simulations using a reduced compartmental model with transient BK‐channel current and 10 other active ionic currents, produced an activity‐dependent spike broadening that was strongly reduced when the BK‐channel inactivation mechanism was removed. 5 These results, which are supported by recent voltage‐clamp data, strongly suggest that in CA1 pyramidal cells, fast inactivation of a transient BK‐channel current (ICT), substantially contributes to frequency‐dependent spike broadening during repetitive firing.
Hemodynamic Effect of Intracoronary Administration of Levosimendan in the Anesthetized Pig

In this study the hemodynamic effects of intracoronary injection of levosimendan in anesthetized pigs and the mechanisms involved were examined. In 12 anesthetized pigs instrumented for measurement of heart rate (HR), aortic blood pressure (ABP), central venous pressure (CVP), left ventricular end-diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular contractility and relaxation, and mean coronary blood flow (CBF), levosimendan has been injected into the left anterior descending coronary artery at doses corresponding to the ones commonly used in clinics as bolus administration but adapted to the measured CBF. In a further 9 pigs levosimendan has been administered after the blockade of α and β adrenoceptors, muscarinic receptors, and coronary nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to investigate the action mechanism of the drug. The intracoronary bolus administration of doses of levosimendan corresponding to 12 and 24 μg/kg in 10 minutes exerted, respectively, CBF increases of 26.3% and 41.3% of the control values in the absence of changes in the other hemodynamic variables. The blockade of the autonomic nervous system did not prevent the coronary vasodilation, which was, however, abolished by the NOS inhibition. The intracoronary administration of levosimendan exerts positive effects on myocardial blood supply without changes in ABP, HR, CVP, or in myocardial kinetics. The coronary effects of levosimendan are related to NO production.
The use of Chloral Hydrate and Sodium Amytal during Clozapine Initiation

Sedative hypnotics are frequently a necessary adjunctive to neuroleptic treatment. The recently released antipsychotic agent clozapine poses a challenge in this regard since the manufacturer advises caution when using clozapine with patients receiving benzodiazepines. The effectiveness of alternate agents sodium amytal and chloral hydrate when initiating clozapine was evaluated in a group of 15 patients suffering from schizophrenia. These medications were observed to be both safe and effective.
Evidence for a functional RNA element in the hepatitis C virus core gene

In the core protein-coding region of hepatitis C virus (HCV), evidence exists for both phylogenetically conserved RNA structures and a +1 alternative reading frame (ARF). To investigate its role in HCV infection, we introduced four stop codons into the ARF of a genotype 1a H77 molecular clone. The changes did not alter the core protein sequence, but were predicted to disrupt RNA secondary structures. An attenuated infection was established after inoculation of the mutant HCV RNA into an HCV naïve chimpanzee. The acute infection was atypical with low peak viremia, minimal alanine aminotransferase elevation, and early virus control by a diverse adaptive immune response. Sequencing circulating virus revealed progressive reversions at the third and then fourth stop codon. In cell culture, RNA replication of a genome with four stop codons was severely impaired. In contrast, the revertant genome exhibited only a 5-fold reduction in replication. Genomes harboring only the first two stop codons replicated to WT levels. Similarly, reversions at stop codons 3 and 4, which improved replication, were selected with recombinant, infectious HCV in cell culture. We conclude that ARF-encoded proteins initiating at the polyprotein AUG are not essential for HCV replication in cell culture or in vivo. Rather, our results provide evidence for a functionally important RNA element in the ARF region.
X- and Y-mediated synaptic potentials in neurons of areas 17 and 18 of cat visual cortex

Abstract When a cuff-shaped electrode is placed on the optic nerve of the cat, X and Y axons, by virtue of their different diameters, exhibit different thresholds to electrical stimulation. Large-diameter Y axons have low thresholds, while smaller-diameter X axons have high thresholds. There is very little overlap between the two populations. Given this segregation, the strength of stimulation of the optic nerve required to evoke synaptic potentials in cortical neurons becomes a reliable indicator of the type of visual input a cortical neuron receives. Potentials with thresholds below the thresholds of X axons must be mediated by Y cells of the retina and LGN. Potentials with thresholds above the Y axons of the optic nerve must be mediated by X cells. From previous experiments, one would expect ot find &le input via both types of axon to are 17 of the visual cortex. This was not the case. Of 58 neurons distributed throughout the layers of area 17 from which intracellular records were taken, in only four could substantial Y excitation be detected. Three of these four were located near the border with area 18. All four received large X inputs as well. The 24 neurons studied in area 18 all received large Y inputs but no detectable X input.
Women Who Lead: Successes and Challenges of Five Health Leaders

Abstract Women make up approximately 75% of the health workforce and yet their representation at higher levels of health leadership is limited. Untapped potential of women in health undermines the contribution they could make to effective leadership for health systems strengthening. Lived experiences of women leaders can help understand how to unlock this potential by identifying the challenges, highlighting enablers, and sharing successful strategies used to become effective health leaders. This article uses phenomenological inquiry to understand the subjective experiences of five influential women in their paths to health leadership. Interviews were conducted with these women and key messages were identified. A grounding theme—defined as the essential element for the subjective experience of leading as a woman in the health system—was revealed to be the women's “drive for equity. ” This drive motivated them to pursue a career in health and to break through perceived gender-related barriers. Three figural themes around how to practice effective health leadership to promote equity were identified: (1) challenging status quos and norms; (2) leading by listening and leveraging others' expertise to build a common vision for health; and (3) having social support early on to develop confidence and credibility. Stories from the individual women's experiences are presented. Finally, three recommendations are made for system-level mechanisms that could contribute to expanding the number of women leaders in health.
A zero-voltage switching, physically flexible multilevel GaN DC-DC converter

Improving the power density of a power converter has many benefits for systems integration. Aspects such as thermal management, weight, conformation to mounting locations, and the footprint of the converter all become critical factors as systems continue to scale down in size. The flying-capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter topology is of interest because it has characteristics which contribute to high power density. This work presents a quasi-square-wave (QSW) zero-voltage switching (ZVS) multilevel DC-DC converter. ZVS greatly reduces switching losses and enables high frequency operation of the converter. A hardware prototype is implemented, built on a flexible polyimide substrate circuit board. Experimental results show a peak efficiency above 98.5%, an effective switching frequency of up to 3 MHz, and a power output of 250 W.
Alcohol modulation of cardiac matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs favors collagen accumulation.

BACKGROUND Chronic alcohol consumption has been shown in human and animal studies to result in collagen accumulation, myocardial fibrosis, and heart failure. Cardiac fibroblasts produce collagen and regulate extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis through the synthesis and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs), with the balance of MMPs/TIMPs determining the rate of collagen turnover. Dynamic changes of MMP and TIMP expression were reported in alcohol-induced hepatic fibrosis; however, the effect of alcohol on MMP/TIMP balance in the heart and cardiac fibroblasts is unknown. We hypothesized that alcohol exposure alters cardiac fibroblast MMP and TIMP expression to promote collagen accumulation in the heart. METHODS Cardiac fibroblasts isolated from adult rats were cultured in the presence of alcohol (12.5 to 200 mM) for 48 hours. MMP, TIMP, and collagen type I and III expression were assayed by Western blot analysis. Hydroxyproline (HPro) was used as a marker of collagen production. The in vivo cardiac effects of ethanol (EtOH) were determined using rats exposed to EtOH vapor for 2 weeks, resulting in blood alcohol levels of 150 to 200 mg/dl. Cardiac collagen volume fraction (CVF), as well as MMP, TIMP, and collagen expression, was assessed. RESULTS EtOH-exposed rats exhibited up-regulation of TIMP-1, TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 in the heart, with no significant increases in MMPs. Cardiac fibroblasts exhibited transformation to a profibrotic phenotype following exposure to alcohol. These changes were reflected by increased α-smooth muscle actin and collagen I and III expression, as well as increased collagen secretion. In vivo EtOH exposure also produced fibrosis, indicated by increased CVF and expression of collagens. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol exposure modulates cardiac fibroblast MMP/TIMP expression favoring a profile associated with collagen accumulation. Our data suggest that this disrupted MMP/TIMP profile may contribute to the development of myocardial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction resulting from chronic alcohol abuse.