Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of attention and stimulus interaction on visual responses of inferior temporal neurons in macaque.

1. Extracellular discharges were recorded from neurons in the inferior temporal cortex (area TE) of three macaque monkeys while they performed visual fixation and pattern discrimination tasks. For the pattern discrimination task, monkey was trained to release the lever quickly at the onset of one of two pattern stimuli and to release the lever at the dimming of the other pattern. During this task, neutral light stimulus (light bar) to which the monkey was not required to respond was presented once a trial either prior to the onset of the discriminandum or during presentation of the pattern that dimmed later. The neuronal activities evoked by the neutral stimulus under these two conditions were compared. 2. When the discriminanda were located at the center or at 5 degrees in the contralateral visual field, one-half of the neurons showed significantly smaller responses to the neutral stimulus when it was presented during presentation of the dimming pattern than when it was presented prior to the onset of the discriminandum. 3. The suppressive effect depended on the location of the two stimuli. When the neutral stimulus was located in the ipsilateral visual field and the pattern was located in the contralateral visual field, the response to the neutral stimulus was suppressed. However, when the pattern was located in the ipsilateral visual field (5 degrees visual angle), still within the receptive field for many neurons, the suppressive effect of the pattern on the response to the neutral stimulus in the contralateral visual field was almost undetectable. 4. When the pattern was located nearer the fovea than was the neutral stimulus, the suppressive effect was greater than when the pattern was located more peripherally to the neutral stimulus. Different from the receptive field of more primary visual neurons, this suppressive effect did not appear to be related to the neuron's responsiveness to the patterns nor to precise stimulus location in the receptive field. 5. The magnitude of suppression by the attended pattern on the visual response during the pattern discrimination task correlated with the suppression noted in the presence of a fixation spot during the fixation tasks, while the animals did not fixate on the attended pattern. The response of some neurons to the neutral stimulus prior to pattern presentation during the pattern discrimination task was enhanced slightly compared with the response recorded during the simple fixation task. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Comparison of the modified shuttle walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise test in sarcoidosis

Dyspnoea and exercise intolerance are common in sarcoidosis and are often poorly correlated with resting lung function. Measurement of peak exercise capacity is likely to be helpful in assessing and monitoring disease. The aim of this study was to compare the modified shuttle walk test (MSWT) to cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) as a measure of peak exercise capacity in sarcoidosis.
Non-Heart-Beating Organ Donation: A Reply to Campbell and Weber

In the preceding commentary, Campbell and Weber raise two valid and important issues concerning non-heart-beating organ donation (NHBOD). First, because the procedure links withdrawal of life support and the potential for subsequent organ donation, the desire for organs may create a situation in which care of the dying individual has relatively less importance and the dying may receive suboptimal care. Second, even if concerns about care of the dying were dealt with adequately, there will not be enough non-heart-beating donors to significantly decrease the organ shortage that exists, making the procedure not worth the risk. We agree that attention to the important details of caring for the dying are, and must be, the primary concern of all health care workers caring for those individuals. Ensuring the patients' comfort, dignity, and autonomy, and providing for family and social support are the mainstays of this care. All policies for NHBOD should clearly support and mandate these concepts. Regarding the second concern, we agree that NHBOD is currently rare; however, evidence is increasing that this type of donation has great potential. Continued growth of the practice in this country will depend largely on public acceptance, which we believe will be directly influenced by whether the public perceives that care of the dying is not compromised by this procedure.
Eating disorders in adolescent females with and without type 1 diabetes: cross sectional study

Abstract Objective: determine the prevalence of eating disorders in adolescent females with type 1 diabetes mellitus compared with that in their non-diabetic peers. Design: Cross sectional case-control led study. Setting: Diabetes clinics and schools in three Canadian cities. Subjects: 356 females aged 12-19 with type 1 diabetes and 1098 age matched non-diabetic controls. Main outcome measure: Eating disorders meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-IV) criteria. Results: Eating disorders that met DSM-IV criteria were more prevalent in diabetic subjects (36, 10%) than in non-diabetic controls (49, 4%) (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 3.7; P<0.001). Subthreshold eating disorders were also more common in those with diabetes (49, 14%) than in controls (84, 8%) (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 2.8; P<0.001). Mean haemoglobin A1cconcentration was higher in diabetic subjects with an eating disorder (9.4% (1.8)) than in those without (8.6% (1.6)), P=0.04). Conclusions: DSM-IV and subthreshold eating disorders are almost twice as common in adolescent females with type 1 diabetes as in their non-diabetic peers. In diabetic subjects, eating disorders are associated with insulin omission for weight loss and impaired metabolic control.
The Protooncogene c-Maf Is an Essential Transcription Factor for IL-10 Gene Expression in Macrophages1

IL-10 is an important immunoregulatory factor. However, our understanding of IL-10 gene regulation remains very limited. In this study, following up on our previous novel finding that the protooncogene c-Maf of the basic leucine zipper family of transcription factors is expressed in monocytes and macrophages, we investigate the role of c-Maf in the transcriptional regulation of IL-10 and the underlying molecular mechanism in macrophages. c-Maf-null macrophages exhibit strongly impaired IL-10 protein production and mRNA expression upon LPS stimulation. Ectopic expression of c-Maf stimulates not only exogenously transfected IL-10 promoter-driven luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner but also enhances endogenous IL-10 gene expression stimulated by LPS. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments identify a c-Maf response element localized to nucleotides −196/−184 relative to the transcription initiation site in the IL-10 promoter. This site represents an atypical 12-O-tetradecanoate-13-acetate-responsive element for musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma recognition and functions as an enhancer element in a heterologous and orientation-independent manner. Furthermore, c-Maf is expressed constitutively in resting monocytes/macrophages. IL-4 can up-regulate c-Maf expression, its binding to IL-10 promoter, and dose dependently enhance IL-10 production induced by LPS; moreover, IL-4 failed to enhance LPS-induced IL-10 production in c-Maf-null macrophages. Taken together, these data demonstrate that c-Maf is an indispensable yet constitutive transcription factor for IL-10 gene expression in LPS-activated macrophages, and IL-4 modulates IL-10 production in inflammatory macrophages likely via its ability to induce c-Maf expression. Thus, this study uncovers a novel and important function of c-Maf in macrophages and elucidates its transcriptional mechanism in the regulation of IL-10 gene expression.
Four‐year follow‐up after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in 50 unselected patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Fifty unselected consecutive patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) diagnosed by nocturnal recordings of respiration movements by a static charge sensitive bed (SCSB) and oximetry, alone or combined with polysomnography, were studied. Renewed SCSB—oximetry recordings evaluated treatment. Six months after surgery, 30 of 50 were classified as responders. Twenty‐one months after surgery, 19 of 49 were responders. Patients who relapsed showed a significant increase in mean body mass index (BMI). Four years after surgery, 24 of 48 patients were responders. Preoperative BMI was significantly lower in the responder group. Subsequent treatment was required in 15 nonresponders. There was no correlation between patients' subjective improvement and objective results. The study resulted in the following conclusions: 1. The responder rate to UPPP in unselected patients is low. 2. Obesity and high indices of nocturnal respiratory disturbance are negative predictors. 3. The patients' subjective recovery alone must not be used for postoperative evaluation. 4. With regular follow‐up and the use of the treatment alternatives available today, the majority of OSAS patients can receive effective treatment.
Proposition et implémentation d’un protocole de la diffusion atomique dans les systèmes distribués

The atomic broadcast is an important agreement problem and represent an essential component for the conception of fault-tolerant distributed systems. By definition, an atomic broadcast protocol must guarantee that all non-faulty processes call the same ordered sequence of messages. In this work, we studied the atomic broadcast algorithms in a distributed system. They differ from each other according to their principles to order messages or their approaches to detect failures of processes. We proposed a solution to the problem of atomic broadcast, that must be executed on a fully connected network. The solution require the use of a token ring, a quorum of correct processes organised in a ring and a coordinator to order broadcast messages and failure detectors to detect crashed processes. We evaluated the performance of this protocol through simulation using the simulator Neko, and compared this protocol with other existing protocols in the literature.
Organization of the projections from the pericruciate cortex to the pontomedullary reticular formation of the cat: A quantitative retrograde tracing study

Dextran‐amines were used as retrograde tracers to investigate the organization of cortical projections to different cytoarchitectonic regions of the pontomedullary reticular formation of the cat. Injections into the nucleus reticularis pontis oralis resulted in labelling of neurones in the proreus cortex and area 6a|iB of the premotor cortex, with little labelling in the motor cortex (area 4). This labelling was predominantly ipsilateral to the injection site. In contrast, injections into the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (NRPc), nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NRGc), and nucleus reticularis magnocellularis (NRMc) resulted in bilateral labelling—primarily in areas 6aβ, 6aγ, and in the rostromedial region of area 4—with little labelling in the proreus cortex. In general, the cortical projections to the caudal NRGc and the NRMc were larger than those to the NRPc. More than 25% of the total projections to each of the latter three reticular regions arose from the medial part of area 4. Labelling in the hindlimb regions of area 4 was largest following the NRMc injections and smallest after injections in the NRPc. The projections to the NRPc originated from more medial parts of areas 4 and 6 than did the projections to the caudal region of the NRGc. These results suggest that areas 4 and 6 may be able to differentially activate different regions of the pontomedullary reticular formation depending on the movement that is made and perhaps also on the context of that movement. J. Comp. Neurol. 388:228–249, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Density-Aware Part-Based Object Detection with Positive Examples

Part-based models have become the mainstream approach for visual object classification and detection. The key tools adopted by the most methods are interest point detectors and descriptors, shared codes for object parts (visual codebook) and discriminative learning using positive and negative class examples. Distinction of our method from the existing part-based methods for object detection is the use of sparse class-specific landmarks with semantic meaning. The landmarks are the additional distinguished information of object location in the proposed framework. Additionally, localising semantic and discriminative landmarks (object parts) is significant in other related applications of computer vision, such as facial expression recognition and pose/orientation estimation of objects. Therefore, we propose a model which deviates from the mainstream by the fact that the object parts' appearance and spatial variation, constellation, are explicitly modelled in a generative probabilistic manner. With using only positive examples our method can achieve object detection accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art discriminative method.
Emotion in dogs: Translational and transformative aspects

Kujala (2017) provides an excellent overview of most aspects of emotion in dogs; however, she does not cover a few fields of research that I think are also relevant to the topic. In this commentary, I discuss the current state of our knowledge regarding cognitive decline and behavioral disorders in dogs as potential models for human neurodegenerative disease and mental illness; how emotion and cognition in dogs interact with sex, gonadectomy, and sexual behavior; as well as the transformative potential of functional MRI imaging of the conscious dog brain in the study of comparative neurophysiology. Silvan Urfer is a veterinarian with an interest in geroscience and comparative medicine. He is a Senior Fellow at University of Washington Medicine Pathology and serves as the veterinary informatics officer for the Dog Aging Project. His research interests include using privately owned pet dogs as models for various age-related and other diseases in humans, including those that affect the brain. www.dogagingproject. com
Characterization of thin film lead zirconate titanate (PZT) multimode piezoelectric cantilevers vibrating in ultrasonic band

We report on characterization of microsale lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film cantilevers, by both optical and electrical measurements, for up to the 7th resonance mode in 2kHz to 2MHz frequency range, with quality (Q) factors between 380 and 600. We also calibrate the PZT thin film's inverse piezoelectric coefficient (e31 ≈ -5C/m2). This work presents a multiphysical characterization of important material and device properties of microscale PZT cantilevers for enabling piezoelectric MEMS sensors and resonant piezoelectric transducers, which hold promises for multiphysics sensing, on-chip energy scavenging, and wireless power transmission.
TRATAMENTO DA HIPERSENSIBILIDADE DENTINÁRIA COM LASER DE BAIXA POTÊNCIA.

A perda de esmalte e do cemento na regiao cervical, e consequente exposicao dos tubulos dentinarios leva a uma condicao dolorosa e de desconforto para o paciente, a hipersensibilidade dentinaria, um problema que atinge atualmente grande parte da populacao. Alem de causar desconforto bucal, gera uma serie de inconvenientes na vida psicossocial do individuo, levando-o a restricoes alimentares. Para o tratamento da hipersensibilidade dentinaria, observa-se que a obliteracao dos tubulos dentinarios e um dos procedimentos empregados para solucionar o problema. Existem varias modalidades de tratamento para tal condicao clinica, entre elas, os lasers de baixa potencia. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma revisao de literatura em base de dados (lilacs, medline, pubmed), de artigos nacionais e internacionais, sobre as possiveis teorias e tratamentos a serem aplicados sobre a hipersensibilidade dentinaria, sabendo que o tratamento com laser de baixa intensidade vem mostrando resultados promissores que combinam os efeitos analgesicos, antiinflamatorios e de bioestimulacao. Alem disso, e uma terapeutica indolor, de facil aplicacao, rapida, eficiente e nao agressiva ao organismo. Conclui-se que, quando bem indicado, o uso de lasers de baixa potencia e um tratamento que permite prognostico favoravel e satisfacao do paciente.
'...and C is for Clioquinol' - the AbetaCs of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating age-related neurodegenerative disorder that has been intensively studied over the last several years. In vitro and in vivo studies have led to an understanding of some of the physico-chemical properties of amyloid, a well-characterized hallmark of AD. Clioquinol is a drug that acts on amyloid by perturbing amyloid's metallo-chemistry, and Clioquinol treatment has been shown to be beneficial in a mouse model of AD. This short review examines the recent studies relating to Clioquinol and AD, and anticipates the imminent results of a Phase II trial of Clioquinol in AD, due in March 2002.
Protein Requirements of Older Individuals

C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION . METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES C O N C E R N I N G T H E M E A S U R E M E N T O F N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E . P R O P A G A T I O N OF ERRORS . EFFECTS O F ENERGY B A L A N C E O N N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E . ASSESSMENT OF A L L L O S S E S . I M P L I C A T I O N S O F S A R C O P E N I A FOR N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E S T U D I E S . EFFECT OF S T U D Y D U R A T I O N O N N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E . Day-to-dajs vuriutions . Adaptation . S U M M A R Y OF EXPECTED BIAS I N THE N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E METHOD I N OLDER SUBJECTS . ISSUES C O N C E R N I N G T H E INTERPRETATION O F NITROGEN B A L A N C E S T U D I E S . I N F L U E N C E OF EXPERIMENTAL D E S I G N ON MEASURED REQUIREMENT V A L U E S . EVIDENCE FOR DIFFERENCES I N THE REQUIREMENT V A L U E S BETWEEN Y O U N G A N D E L D E R L Y . S U M M A R Y O F N I T R O G E N B A L A N C E S T U D I E S WITH OLDER
The Association Between Treatment Adherence to Nicotine Patches and Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: In nonpregnant “quitters,” adherence to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) increases smoking cessation. We investigated relationships between adherence to placebo or NRT patches and cessation in pregnancy, including an assessment of reverse causation and whether any adherence: cessation relationship is moderated when using nicotine or placebo patches. Methods: Using data from 1050 pregnant trial participants, regression models investigated associations between maternal characteristics, adherence and smoking cessation. Results: Adherence during the first month was associated with lower baseline cotinine concentrations (β −0.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.15 to −0.01) and randomization to NRT (β 2.59, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.68). Adherence during both treatment months was associated with being randomized to NRT (β 0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.72) and inversely associated with higher nicotine dependence. Adherence with either NRT or placebo was associated with cessation at 1 month (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.13) and delivery (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.09), but no such association was observed in the subgroup where reverse causation was not possible. Amongst all women, greater adherence to nicotine patches was associated with increased cessation (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.32 to 4.63) but greater adherence to placebo was not (OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.44 to 2.18). Conclusion: Women who were more adherent to NRT were more likely to achieve abstinence; more nicotine dependent women probably showed lower adherence to NRT because they relapsed to smoking more quickly. The interaction between nicotine-containing patches and adherence for cessation suggests that the association between adherence with nicotine patches and cessation may be partly causal. Implications: This study used placebo randomized controlled trial data to investigate both associations between women’s characteristics and adherence to NRT patch treatment, and the relationship between adherence to NRT patch treatment and odds of cessation in pregnant quitters. Greater adherence was seen with NRT patches, and greater adherence with NRT patches increased the odds of smoking cessation. A likely explanation for findings is that NRT patches, if used sufficiently, may be effective for at least some pregnant women who try to stop smoking. Trials testing interventions which encourage women’s adherence to higher dose NRT are indicated.
Chemical Defenses: From Compounds to Communities

Marine natural products play critical roles in the chemical defense of many marine organisms and in some cases can influence the community structure of entire ecosystems. Although many marine natural products have been studied for biomedical activity, yielding important information about their biochemical effects and mechanisms of action, much less is known about ecological functions. The way in which marine consumers perceive chemical defenses can influence their health and survival and determine whether some natural products persist through a food chain. This article focuses on selected marine natural products, including okadaic acid, brevetoxins, lyngbyatoxin A, caulerpenyne, bryostatins, and isocyano terpenes, and examines their biosynthesis (sometimes by symbiotic microorganisms), mechanisms of action, and biological and ecological activity. We selected these compounds because their impacts on marine organisms and communities are some of the best-studied among marine natural products. We discuss the effects of these compounds on consumer behavior and physiology, with an emphasis on neuroecology. In addition to mediating a variety of trophic interactions, these compounds may be responsible for community-scale ecological impacts of chemically defended organisms, such as shifts in benthic and pelagic community composition. Our examples include harmful algal blooms; the invasion of the Mediterranean by Caulerpa taxifolia; overgrowth of coral reefs by chemically rich macroalgae and cyanobacteria; and invertebrate chemical defenses, including the role of microbial symbionts in compound production.
Application of Unscented Kalman Filter to Vehicle State Estimation

The unscented Kalman filter (UKF) has become a new technique used in a number of nonlinear estimation application. Its application process includes calculating and transmitting the mean and covariance; making use of the forecast sample points and weighing calculation to forecast the mean and covariance; forecasting measurement value and covariance; at last, calculating the UKF gain, renewing state vector and variance. Some vehicle state variables are not easy to obtain accurately while the vehicle is in motion. However these state variables are of great significance to chassis control. This paper sets up a nonlinear 3 degree-of-freedom vehicle model including yaw motion, longitudinal motion and side motion, and proposes an unscented Kalman filter which generates better estimation of the vehicle state. The accuracy of the estimation algorithm of UKF for estimating yaw rate, and side slip angle, especially the great performance of the estimation of the yaw rate is verified by experimental data of several ISO tests. The result shows that the UKF estimation of vehicle state matches the measured vehicle state very well.