bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Furosemide depresses the presynaptic fiber volley and modifies frequency-dependent axonal excitability in rat hippocampus
Authors: Andreasen Mogens , Nedergaard Steen 
Published: January 2017

The loop diuretic furosemide is known to have anticonvulsant effects, believed to be exerted through blockade of glial Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransport causing altered volume regulation in brain tissue. The possibility that direct effects of furosemide on neuronal properties could also be involved is supported by previous observations, but such effects have not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study we show that furosemide has two opposing effects on stimulus-induced postsynaptic excitation in the nonepileptic rat hippocampal slice: 1) an enhancement of e-s coupling, which depended on intact GABAA transmission and was partially mimicked by selective blockade of K+-2Cl− cotransport, and 2) a decrement of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials. The balance between these effects varied, depending on the amount of synaptic drive. In addition, the compound action potential (fiber volley) recorded from the stimulated Schaffer collateral axons in stratum radiatum showed a progressive decrease during perfusion of furosemide. This effect was activity-independent, was mimicked by the stilbene derivative DIDS, and could be reproduced on fiber volleys in the alveus. Furosemide also reduced the initial enhancement of the fiber volley observed during trains of high-frequency stimulation (HFS). Results of hyperosmotic expansion of the extracellular volume, with 30 mM sucrose, indicated that both the induction and antagonism of the HFS-induced enhancement were independent of signaling via the extracellular space. Furosemide caused an increased decay of paired-pulse-induced supranormal axonal excitability, which was antagonized by ZD7288. We conclude that furosemide decreases axonal excitability and prevents HFS-induced hyperexcitability via mechanisms downstream of blockage of anion transport, which could include hyperpolarization of axonal membranes. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that the anion transporter antagonists furosemide and DIDS cause a marked decrease of axonal excitability in rat hippocampal CA1 region and prevent the induction of activity-dependent hyperexcitability in Schaffer collateral axons. The data are consistent with direct effects on axonal membrane properties. We also find that activity-dependent enhancement and depression of axonal excitability can be modified independently, suggesting that these events are governed by different underlying processes.
Frequency tuning of synaptic inhibition underlying duration-tuned neurons in the mammalian inferior colliculus
Authors: Valdizón-Rodríguez Roberto , Faure Paul A. 
Published: January 2017

Inhibition plays an important role in creating the temporal response properties of duration-tuned neurons (DTNs) in the mammalian inferior colliculus (IC). Neurophysiological and computational studies indicate that duration selectivity in the IC is created through the convergence of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs offset in time. We used paired-tone stimulation and extracellular recording to measure the frequency tuning of the inhibition acting on DTNs in the IC of the big brown bat ( Eptesicus fuscus). We stimulated DTNs with pairs of tones differing in duration, onset time, and frequency. The onset time of a short, best-duration (BD), probe tone set to the best excitatory frequency (BEF) was varied relative to the onset of a longer-duration, nonexcitatory (NE) tone whose frequency was varied. When the NE tone frequency was near or within the cell’s excitatory bandwidth (eBW), BD tone-evoked spikes were suppressed by an onset-evoked inhibition. The onset of the spike suppression was independent of stimulus frequency, but both the offset and duration of the suppression decreased as the NE tone frequency departed from the BEF. We measured the inhibitory frequency response area, best inhibitory frequency (BIF), and inhibitory bandwidth (iBW) of each cell. We found that the BIF closely matched the BEF, but the iBW was broader and usually overlapped the eBW measured from the same cell. These data suggest that temporal selectivity of midbrain DTNs is created and preserved by having cells receive an onset-evoked, constant-latency, broadband inhibition that largely overlaps the cell’s excitatory receptive field. We conclude by discussing possible neural sources of the inhibition. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Duration-tuned neurons (DTNs) arise from temporally offset excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. We used single-unit recording and paired-tone stimulation to measure the spectral tuning of the inhibitory inputs to DTNs. The onset of inhibition was independent of stimulus frequency; the offset and duration of inhibition systematically decreased as the stimulus departed from the cell’s best excitatory frequency. Best inhibitory frequencies matched best excitatory frequencies; however, inhibitory bandwidths were more broadly tuned than excitatory bandwidths.
Maps of cone opsin input to mouse V1 and higher visual areas
Authors: Rhim Issac , Coello-Reyes Gabriela , Ko Hee-Kyoung , Nauhaus Ian 
Published: January 2017

Studies in the mouse retina have characterized the spatial distribution of an anisotropic ganglion cell and photoreceptor mosaic, which provides a solid foundation to study how the cortex pools from afferent parallel color channels. In particular, the mouse’s retinal mosaic exhibits a gradient of wavelength sensitivity along its dorsoventral axis. Cones at the ventral extreme mainly express S opsin, which is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. Then, moving toward the retina’s dorsal extreme, there is a transition to M-opsin dominance. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the retina’s opsin gradient is recapitulated in cortical visual areas as a functional map of wavelength sensitivity. We first identified visual areas in each mouse by mapping retinotopy with intrinsic signal imaging (ISI). Next, we measured ISI responses to stimuli along different directions of the S- and M-color plane to quantify the magnitude of S and M input to each location of the retinotopic maps in five visual cortical areas (V1, AL, LM, PM, and RL). The results illustrate a significant change in the S:M-opsin input ratio along the axis of vertical retinotopy that is consistent with the gradient along the dorsoventral axis of the retina. In particular, V1 populations encoding the upper visual field responded to S-opsin contrast with 6.1-fold greater amplitude than to M-opsin contrast. V1 neurons encoding lower fields responded with 4.6-fold greater amplitude to M- than S-opsin contrast. The maps in V1 and higher visual areas (HVAs) underscore the significance of a wavelength sensitivity gradient for guiding the mouse’s behavior. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Two elements of this study are particularly novel. For one, it is the first to quantify cone inputs to mouse visual cortex; we have measured cone input in five visual areas. Next, it is the first study to identify a feature map in the mouse visual cortex that is based on well-characterized anisotropy of cones in the retina; we have identified maps of opsin selectivity in five visual areas.
An Attempt to Improve the Forecasting of Persistent Severe Rainfall Using the Spectral Nudging and Update Cycle Methods
Authors: Zhao Yanfeng , Wang Donghai , Xu Jianjun 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
Using the interior spectral nudging and update cycle (SN+UIC) methods in the regional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, the numerical predictions of four persistent severe rainfall (PSR) events during the preflood season in south China were investigated, based on the fact that the global model has an advantage in predicting the large-scale atmospheric variation and the regional model is better in terms of simulating small-scale changes. The simulation results clearly indicated that the SN+UIC improved the prediction of the PSR events’ daily precipitation for moderate, heavy, and torrential rains (10–100 mm day−1). It also improved the simulative forecasts of the two categories of rain with accumulated precipitation above 50 and 100 mm at lead times of 5–11 days. Moreover, the longer the forecast lead time is, the larger the decrease in the Brier score. Additionally, the SN+UIC method decreased the root-mean-square error for accumulated rainfall (6.2%) and relative humidity (5.67%).
Surgery of Anterior Skull Base Lesions in Children
Authors: Hoffmann Thomas Karl , Scheithauer Marc Oliver , Sommer Fabian , Lindemann Jörg , Haberl Ernst-Johannes , Friebe-Hoffmann Ulrike , Theodoraki Marie-Nicole 
Published: January 2017

Introduction: Lesions affecting the anterior skull base represent a rare group of craniofacial pathologies. A tumor of the facial midline, meningitis, or rhinoliquorrhea may be indicative of malformations like dermoid cysts, gliomas, encephaloceles, or nasal fistulas. Methods: We present a case series of 13 children (4 months to 12 years; 8 males, 5 females) with lesions involving the anterior skull base, which were treated surgically in an interdisciplinary setting. This case series includes cases of nasal fistulae (n = 5), nasal cysts (n = 5), aneurysmal bone cyst, nasal glioma, and meningoencephalocele (n = 1). Results: All lesions were resected with a transnasal, transcutaneous, and/or transcranial approach with reconstruction of the anterior skull base if intracranial/intradural extension was detected. In 5 cases, a dura leakage was visible, which was sealed via Onlay-technique in 3 cases, whereas in 2 cases involving a greater dural defect, the GAP-CAS technique was performed. No complications occurred, and no recurrence was visible in a long-term follow-up. An algorithm for a systematic approach to these various pathologies is provided. Conclusion: Congenital pathologies of the anterior skull base are rare, challenging to diagnose, and present as clinical emergencies. An interdisciplinary surgical approach is needed for best functional and aesthetic results.
Risk Management and Capital Adequacy Norms for Banks
Authors: Kumar Basu Udayan 
Published: January 2017

The overall banking scenario has undergone a dramatic change in the wake of liberalization of markets and advent of the concept of universal banking. Commercial banks can now operate as veritable financial supermarkets offering all kinds of services under one roof. The various regulatory requirements and the presence of NPAs in banks' balance sheets introduce certain rigidities in their operating parameters. Besides, the investment options expose them to market and project risks, and brings the issue of financial fragility to the foreground. In view of the new kinds of risk affecting banks and increasing global competition faced by them, their capitalization and the efficacy of the regulatory and supervisory norms assume a greater significance. The current article explores the impact of possible changes in CRR and SLR on a bank's cut-off risk, i.e. the maximum permissible risk without any default, as well as its dependence on interest rate and capital adequacy ratio. Basel II norms for taking market risk into account, the use of Value at Risk as its measure and the recent guideline by Reserve Bank of India to relate the overall market exposure to net worth, have been examined. A method towards selection of an appropriate capital adequacy ratio to cover market risks has also been proposed.
Can We Study Autonomous Driving Comfort in Moving-Base Driving Simulators? A Validation Study
Authors: Bellem Hanna , Klüver Malte , Schrauf Michael , Schöner Hans-Peter , Hecht Heiko , Krems Josef F. 
Published: January 2017

Objective: To lay the basis of studying autonomous driving comfort using driving simulators, we assessed the behavioral validity of two moving-base simulator configurations by contrasting them with a test-track setting. Background: With increasing level of automation, driving comfort becomes increasingly important. Simulators provide a safe environment to study perceived comfort in autonomous driving. To date, however, no studies were conducted in relation to comfort in autonomous driving to determine the extent to which results from simulator studies can be transferred to on-road driving conditions. Method: Participants ( N = 72) experienced six differently parameterized lane-change and deceleration maneuvers and subsequently rated the comfort of each scenario. One group of participants experienced the maneuvers on a test-track setting, whereas two other groups experienced them in one of two moving-base simulator configurations. Results: We could demonstrate relative and absolute validity for one of the two simulator configurations. Subsequent analyses revealed that the validity of the simulator highly depends on the parameterization of the motion system. Conclusion: Moving-base simulation can be a useful research tool to study driving comfort in autonomous vehicles. However, our results point at a preference for subunity scaling factors for both lateral and longitudinal motion cues, which might be explained by an underestimation of speed in virtual environments. Application: In line with previous studies, we recommend lateral- and longitudinal-motion scaling factors of approximately 50% to 60% in order to obtain valid results for both active and passive driving tasks.
Allegations of Abuse: The Need for Responsible Practice
Authors: Pillai Mary 
Published: January 2017

The current UK child protection process has evolved reactively out of scandals. This has led to a culture of support and empathy with those making allegations of abuse while offering no robust means by which false claims can be recognised. Information has been collected from 22 families who became subject to criminal or civil proceedings when a female adolescent or young adult developed a mental health problem. The resultant outcomes were mostly disastrous, for the young person and the family. In every case there was no evidence supporting the allegations of abuse, and substantive evidence they were false, yet this crucial information had not been sought. Each of the 22 families complained that enquiries began from a presumption of guilt. The families documented common and recurring problems, which led them to feel alienated from professionals. Claims of innocence were taken as evidence of guilt, and information was interpreted in a manner that fitted only this presumption while factual evidence to the contrary was ignored. The reasons underlying this professional behaviour are considered. Among the presumed ‘victims’, outcomes were positively correlated with the level of residual contact between the alleged victim and their family, especially the mother. However, this did not hold true in cases where allegations of abuse arose in the context of an acrimonious parental relationship breakdown. There were no good outcomes where parents were completely excluded. It is not clear that families and alleged ‘victims’ will fare any better under recently revised guidance and framework.
Personality of Males Charged with Outrage of Modesty
Authors: Yap A K , Lim L E C , Ong S H , Chan K L , Chan A O M 
Published: January 2017

Outrage of modesty (OOM) is considered a serious crime in Singapore and offenders are often charged with a period of imprisonment with or without a fine and caning. Previous studies have indicated that non-violent sexual offenders tend to have a socially inhibited personality. No published study has yet been conducted to investigate the personality of OOM offenders. The purpose of the current study was to assess the personality of males charged with outrage of modesty and compare them to a group of males charged with theft using the 16 Personality Factors questionnaire (16PF; Cattell, Eber, and Tatsuoka, 1970). Participants were selected over a two-year study period from a cohort of prisoners serving sentence at Changi Prison. A total of 30 OOM and 22 theft offenders completed the 16PF. All OOM subjects had been charged for molesting an adult female. Unexpectedly, planned comparisons revealed that OOM subjects had marginally higher scores on Factor H (boldness) compared to theft subjects. Exploratory analyses revealed no other significant differences between OOM and theft subjects. Implications of findings and limitations of the study are discussed.
The Highest Attainable Standard of Evidence (HASTE) for HIV/AIDS Interventions: Toward a Public Health Approach to Defining Evidence
Authors: Baral Stefan D. , Wirtz Andrea , Sifakis Frangiscos , Johns Benjamin , Walker Damian , Beyrer Chris 
Published: January 2017

Objectives. Evidence-driven decisions have become a standard for health interventions, policy, and programs. While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are encouraged for public health interventions, there are limitations with RCTs as the gold standard of evidence for HIV interventions. We developed a novel system of evaluating evidence for assessing HIV preventive interventions termed the Highest Attainable Standard of Evidence (HASTE). Methods. The HASTE system focuses on triangulation of three distinct categories of evidence: efficacy data, implementation data, and plausibility. We conducted systematic reviews, including experimental and observational data, to assess all available interventions for men who have sex with men (MSM). We collected implementation and programmatic data using a global electronic consultation, Internet searches, and in-person consultations. We assessed plausibility with expert analyses of both biological and public health evidence. Results. HASTE includes four grades of evidence: Strong (Grade 1), Conditional (Grade 2), Insufficient (Grade 3), and Inappropriate (Grade 4). We used the HASTE system to evaluate the evidence for HIV interventions for MSM in low- and middle-income countries. Several differences emerged in the strength of recommendation with the use of the HASTE system, including strong recommendations for voluntary counseling and testing and for structural interventions. Conclusions. The HASTE system addresses a need for an evidence evaluation tool that is specific for HIV interventions and facilitates an evaluation of biomedical, behavioral, and structural approaches using the highest standard of attainable evidence. HASTE represents a tool that balances scientific integrity and practicality in assessing the quality of evidence of preventive interventions targeting the most-at-risk populations for HIV.
LPG Consumption in the Long Term: Supply, Pricing Demand with Particular Reference to the Petrochemical Sector
Authors: Shammas Pierre 
Published: January 2017

Supply of LPG is forecast to grow over the next decade from the present level of 180 million t/y to about 185–190 million t/y, depending on demand in Asia which is rising rapidly and on new LPG export projects. Most of the increase in supply will come from new gas and crude oil production, from new LNG ventures, and from refineries reducing the n-butane content of motor gasoline. Pricing will remain volatile as a result of crude oil price volatility, variations in the winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere, and as a result of competition between ethane, PPG, naphtha and condensate as ethylene cracker feedstocks. Saudi Aramco is the world's biggest exporter of LPG/NGL, with a capacity rising from 17.5 million to more than 20 million t/y over the next decade. It plays a key role in the pricing of LPG, and since Oct. 1, 1994, has introduced a new “contract price” (CP) formula which in winter months has raised its revenue by up to $30/tonne. Its move has upset most of its clients and some of them have cancelled their contracts. Demand for LPG in OECD countries will continue to show steady growth. The increase in demand will be more rapid in the relatively less developed OECD countries, as the trend in Spain has shown in recent years. Provided that the LPG price is competitive, demand in China, South-East Asia and the Indian sub-continent could grow beyond current projections. Consumption in these countries will depend on the installation of distribution facilities and the rate at which LPG can substitute for traditional fuels and kerosine as well as compete for limited disposable incomes.
The Incremental Information Content of SEC 10-K Reports Filed under the EDGAR System
Authors: Qi Daqing , Wu Woody , Haw In-Mu 
Published: January 2017

This paper examines the incremental information content of disclosures in the 10-K reports filed with the SEC through the EDGAR system with a research design that explicitly controls for cross-sectional differences in the informativeness of current and prior disclosures. More specifically, we investigate (1) whether stock returns exhibit abnormal behavior when the 10-K reports are filed with the SEC through the EDGAR system and (2) whether there exist preemptive and delayed market responses to disclosures in these reports. We also run tests for the pre-EDGAR 10-K reports submitted through the paper filing system to compare our results with those of prior studies. Our empirical results indicate that the 10-K report filed through the EDGAR system contains incremental information while the 10-K report filed through the prior paper filing system does not. This provides empirical evidence in support of the advantage of the EDGAR system over the previous paper filing system in disseminating information to investors in a timely fashion.
Going-Concern Opinions, Auditor Switching, and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Effect Examined in the Regulatory Context of Belgium
Authors: Vanstraelen Ann 
Published: January 2017

Previous studies have demonstrated that auditors are reluctant to issue going-concern opinions. Some suggest this reluctance is strategic and stems from the auditor's desire to avoid loss of clients or reputation. This paper investigates the threat of loss resulting from auditor switching and client bankruptcy in the regulatory context of Belgium. Belgium requires companies to engage an audit firm for a three-year period. Consequently, the client's threat of switching auditors is potentially more credible in the third year than in the first two years. The empirical results support the hypothesis that going-concern opinions significantly increase the probability of bankruptcy. Thus, going-concern reports remain relevant even in a country where debt financing is dominant. In addition, clients are four times more likely to switch auditors at the end of the mandatory term if they receive a going-concern opinion in the final year of the term relative to the previous two years. This strongly suggests that mandatory terms influence the association between going-concern opinions and auditor switching.