julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Dopamine D2-like Receptor Activation Wipes Out Preferential Consolidation of High over Low Reward Memories during Human Sleep
2014-03-26

Abstract Memory formation is a selective process in which reward contingencies determine which memory is maintained and which is forgotten. Sleep plays a pivotal role in maintaining information for the long term and has been shown to specifically benefit memories that are associated with reward. Key to memory consolidation during sleep is a neuronal reactivation of newly encoded representations. However, it is unclear whether preferential consolidation of memories associated with reward requires the reactivation of dopaminergic circuitry known to mediate reward effects at encoding. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced crossover experiment, we show that the dopamine D2-like receptor agonist pramipexole given during sleep wipes out reward contingencies. Before sleep, 16 men learned 160 pictures of landscapes and interiors that were associated with high or low rewards, if they were identified between new stimuli at retrieval 24 hr later. In the placebo condition, the participants retained significantly more pictures that promised a high reward. In the pramipexole condition, this difference was wiped out, and performance for the low reward pictures was as high as that for high reward pictures. Pramipexole did not generally enhance memory consolidation probably because of the fact that the dopaminergic agonist concurrently suppressed both SWS and REM sleep. These results are consistent with the concept that preferential consolidation of reward-associated memories relies on hippocampus-driven reactivation within the dopaminergic reward system during sleep, whereby during sleep reward contingencies are fed back to the hippocampus to strengthen specific memories, possibly, through dopaminergic facilitation of long-term potentiation.
Covariant variational approach to Yang-Mills theory
2014-03-26

We investigate the low-order Green's functions of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in\\nLandau gauge, using a covariant variational principle based on the effective\\naction formalism. Employing an approximation to the Faddeev-Popov determinant\\nestablished previously in the Hamiltonian approach in Coulomb gauge leads to a\\nclosed set of integral equations for the ghost and gluon propagator. We carry\\nout the renormalization and the infrared analysis of this system of equations.\\nFinally, we solve the renormalized system numerically and compare with lattice\\nresults and other functional approaches.\\n
Confirmation Bias in Web-Based Search: A Randomized Online Study on the Effects of Expert Information and Social Tags on Information Search and Evaluation
2014-03-26

We conclude that the psychotherapy bias is most effectively attenuated-and even eliminated-when popular tags implicitly point to blog posts that challenge the widespread view. Explicit expert information (in a blog entry) was less successful in reducing biased information search and evaluation. Since tag clouds have the potential to counter biased information processing, we recommend their insertion.
A randomized, open‐label clinical trial of tasisulam sodium versus paclitaxel as second‐line treatment in patients with metastatic melanoma
2014-03-26

BACKGROUND Tasisulam sodium (hereafter referred to as tasisulam) is a novel, highly albumin‐bound agent that demonstrated activity in a phase 2 melanoma study. METHODS In this open‐label phase 3 study, patients with AJCC stage IV melanoma received tasisulam (targeting an albumin‐corrected exposure of 1200‐6400 h (hour).μg/mL on day 1) or paclitaxel (80 mg/m 2 on days 1, 8, and 15) every 28 days as second‐line treatment. RESULTS The study was placed on clinical hold after randomization of 336 patients when a safety review indicated an imbalance of possibly drug‐related deaths in the tasisulam arm. Efficacy results for tasisulam versus paclitaxel revealed a response rate of 3.0% versus 4.8%, a median progression‐free survival of 1.94 months versus 2.14 months ( P = .048), and a median overall survival of 6.77 months versus 9.36 months ( P = .121). The most common drug‐related grade ≥3 laboratory toxicities (graded according to Common Terminology for Adverse Events [version 3.0]) were thrombocytopenia (18.9%) for patients treated with tasisulam and neutropenia/leukopenia (8.7%) among those receiving paclitaxel. There were 13 possibly related deaths reported to occur on the study, with the majority occurring during cycle 2 in the setting of grade 4 myelosuppression, all in the tasisulam arm. Investigation of the unexpectedly high rate of hematologic toxicity revealed a subset of patients with low tasisulam clearance, leading to drug accumulation and high albumin‐corrected exposure in cycle 2. CONCLUSIONS Although the study was stopped early because of safety issues in the tasisulam arm, tasisulam was considered unlikely to be superior to paclitaxel, and paclitaxel activity in the second‐line treatment of melanoma was much lower than expected. The toxicity imbalance was attributed to an unexpectedly low tasisulam clearance in a subset of patients, underscoring the importance of pharmacokinetic monitoring of compounds with complex dosing, even in late‐phase studies. Cancer 2014;120:2016–2024 . © 2014 American Cancer Society .
Rubber Hand Illusion Affects Joint Angle Perception
2014-03-26

The Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) is a well-established experimental paradigm. It has been shown that the RHI can affect hand location estimates, arm and hand motion towards goals, the subjective visual appearance of the own hand, and the feeling of body ownership. Several studies also indicate that the peri-hand space is partially remapped around the rubber hand. Nonetheless, the question remains if and to what extent the RHI can affect the perception of other body parts. In this study we ask if the RHI can alter the perception of the elbow joint. Participants had to adjust an angular representation on a screen according to their proprioceptive perception of their own elbow joint angle. The results show that the RHI does indeed alter the elbow joint estimation, increasing the agreement with the position and orientation of the artificial hand. Thus, the results show that the brain does not only adjust the perception of the hand in body-relative space, but it also modifies the perception of other body parts. In conclusion, we propose that the brain continuously strives to maintain a consistent internal body image and that this image can be influenced by the available sensory information sources, which are mediated and mapped onto each other by means of a postural, kinematic body model.
Why are you tall while others are short? Agricultural production and other proximate determinants of global heights
2014-03-27

We analyze the proximate determinants of the biological standard of living from a global perspective, namely high-quality nutrition and the disease environment during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Until the mid-twentieth century, the local availability of cattle, meat, and milk per capita and the local disease environment mainly determined the stature of the population – and, by implication, how long they lived and how healthy they were. During the late twentieth century, the trade of agricultural products and health-promoting technologies increased in relative importance; hence, the local availabilities became less decisive in explaining height differences.
Mild Parkinsonian Signs in the Elderly – Is There an Association with PD? Crossectional Findings in 992 Individuals
2014-03-27

This study shows that individuals with MPS share many prodromal and clinical markers of PD with PD patients, implying that either a common dynamic process or similar constitutional factors occur in MPS individuals and PD patients.
Trans-dimerization of JAM-A regulates Rap2 and is mediated by a domain that is distinct from thecis-dimerization interface
2014-03-27

Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a tight junction–associated signaling protein that regulates epithelial cell proliferation, migration, and barrier function. JAM-A dimerization on a common cell surface (in cis) has been shown to regulate cell migration, and evidence suggests that JAM-A may form homodimers between cells (in trans). Indeed, transfection experiments revealed accumulation of JAM-A at sites between transfected cells, which was lost in cells expressing cis- or predicted trans-dimerization null mutants. Of importance, microspheres coated with JAM-A containing alanine substitutions to residues 43NNP45 (NNP-JAM-A) within the predicted trans-dimerization site did not aggregate. In contrast, beads coated with cis-null JAM-A demonstrated enhanced clustering similar to that observed with wild-type (WT) JAM-A. In addition, atomic force microscopy revealed decreased association forces in NNP-JAM-A compared with WT and cis-null JAM-A. Assessment of effects of JAM-A dimerization on cell signaling revealed that expression of trans- but not cis-null JAM-A mutants decreased Rap2 activity. Furthermore, confluent cells, which enable trans-dimerization, had enhanced Rap2 activity. Taken together, these results suggest that trans-dimerization of JAM-A occurs at a unique site and with different affinity compared with dimerization in cis. Trans-dimerization of JAM-A may thus act as a barrier-inducing molecular switch that is activated when cells become confluent.
Redox-Active Silica Nanoparticles. 9.1 Synthesis, Electrochemistry, and Diffusion Properties of Caged Octakis(N-ferrocenoyl-3- aminopropyl)silsesquioxane
2014-03-27

The caged, cube-shaped silsesquioxane T8Fc8 with eight attached ferrocenoyl units has been synthesized. Its structure is supported by NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. Electrochemical results show separate signals for adsorbed and freely diffusing molecules. Estimation of the diffusion coefficient and comparison of electrochemical and PGSE NMR data lead to the conclusion that the ferrocene units undergo stepwise one-electron transfers with closely spaced formal potentials, where possibly not all electroactive moieties are oxidized.
The relationship between verbal and nonverbal auditory signal processing in conduction aphasia: behavioral and anatomical evidence for common decoding mechanisms
2014-03-28

The processing of nonverbal auditory stimuli has not yet been sufficiently investigated in patients with aphasia. On the basis of a duration discrimination task, we examined whether patients with left-sided cerebrovascular lesions were able to perceive time differences in the scale of approximately 150 ms. Further linguistic and memory-related tasks were used to characterize more exactly the relationships in the performances between auditory nonverbal task and selective linguistic or mnemonic disturbances. All examined conduction aphasics showed increased thresholds in the duration discrimination task. The low thresholds on this task were in a strong correlative relation to the reduced performances in repetition and working memory task. This was interpreted as an indication of a pronounced disturbance in integrating auditory verbal information into a long-term window (sampling disturbance) resulting in an additional load of working memory. In order to determine the lesion topography of patients with sampling disturbances, the anatomical and psychophysical data were correlated on the basis of a voxelwise statistical approach. It was found that tissue damage extending through the insula, the posterior superior temporal gyrus, and the supramarginal gyrus causes impairments in sequencing of time-sensitive information.
Influence of Mifepristone in Induction Time for Terminations in the Second and Third Trimester
2014-03-28

Termination of pregnancy after the first trimester is generally carried out by medical induction. <b>Question:</b> The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mifepristone before administration of the prostaglandin derivative on induction time. <b>Material and Methods:</b> We analysed 333 medically indicated terminations after the first trimester under the terms of § 218 a Para. 2 of the German Criminal Code, in which the prostaglandin derivatives misoprostol, gemeprost or dinoprostone were administered with or without pre-treatment with 600 mg of mifepristone. The time interval between the initial administration of prostaglandin and delivery was investigated. Using uni- and multivariate regression analysis, the effect of maternal age, body mass index, gravidity and parity, previous Caesarean sections, gestational age and the induction regimen on the induction time were analysed. <b>Results:</b> The average induction time was significantly shortened with mifepristone (15.1 ± 11.9 hours with mifepristone vs. 25.3 ± 24.2 hours without mifepristone [p < 0.001]). The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol was most frequently used and proved to be the most effective regimen, reducing the induction period to 13.6 ± 10.3 hours. Besides pre-treatment with mifepristone, gestational age and a history of delivery without Caesarean section were significant influencing factors in reducing the induction time. <b>Conclusion:</b> The induction interval can be significantly shortened by the prior administration of mifepristone. The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol or gemeprost is the most effective regimen for the medical termination of pregnancy.
Effects of PipX on NtcA‐dependent promoters and characterization of the cox3 promoter region in the heterocyst‐forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
2014-03-28

In Anabaena , the pipX gene is induced in the cells differentiating into heterocysts, being the PipX factor required for full expression of late heterocyst‐specific genes. Here we show that PipX has a positive effect on in vitro binding of the transcription factor NtcA to DNA, as well as on transcript production, in different NtcA‐dependent promoters. We found that the cox3 operon, encoding a heterocyst‐specific terminal respiratory oxidase, is expressed from three nitrogen‐regulated promoters to which NtcA binds. At the three sites, NtcA binding is potentiated by PipX. Thus, PipX has a direct effect on gene expression influencing the activity of NtcA.
Incorporation of Pharmacogenomics into Routine Clinical Practice: the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) Guideline Development Process
2014-03-29

The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) publishes genotype-based drug guidelines to help clinicians understand how available genetic test results could be used to optimize drug therapy. CPIC has focused initially on well-known examples of pharmacogenomic associations that have been implemented in selected clinical settings, publishing nine to date. Each CPIC guideline adheres to a standardized format and includes a standard system for grading levels of evidence linking genotypes to phenotypes and assigning a level of strength to each prescribing recommendation. CPIC guidelines contain the necessary information to help clinicians translate patient-specific diplotypes for each gene into clinical phenotypes or drug dosing groups. This paper reviews the development process of the CPIC guidelines and compares this process to the Institute of Medicine's Standards for Developing Trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Influence of Nutrient Concentrations on MPN Quantification and Enrichment of Nitrate-Reducing Fe(II)-Oxidizing and Fe(III)-Reducing Bacteria from Littoral Freshwater Lake Sediments
2014-03-29

The application of culture-dependent studies to quantify Fe-metabolizing microorganisms from the environment is a necessity, as there are so far no universal functional marker genes for application in culture-independent studies. Media composition can vary between studies, therefore, we determined the effects of three different growth media on the quantification (MPNs) and identity (via cloning and sequencing of dominant DGGE bands) of nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizers and lactate- or acetate-oxidizing Fe(III)-reducers from a lacustrine sediment: low sulphate freshwater medium (FWM), sterile filtered bicarbonate-buffered lake water (BLW) and a mixture of both (MIX). We consistently found fewer cells in the BLW than in the FWM and the MIX. The DGGE banding patterns of the microbial communities enriched in different media types clustered together according to the e− donor and acceptor couples and not according to the medium used. Thus, although the medium composition significantly influenced the quantification and thereby conclusions on the abundance and potential significance of the targeted group within the ecosystem, biodiversity assessments through enrichment cultures were less influenced by the medium, but instead were affected by the type and concentration of the e− donor/acceptor.
Groundwater temperature evolution in the subsurface urban heat island of Cologne, Germany
2014-03-30

Abstract Long‐term heating of shallow urban aquifers is observed worldwide. Our measurements in the city of Cologne, Germany revealed that the groundwater temperatures found in the city centre are more than 5 K higher than the undisturbed background. To explore the role of groundwater flow for the development of subsurface urban heat islands, a numerical flow and heat transport model is set up, which describes the hydraulic conditions of Cologne and simulates the transient evolution of thermal anomalies in the urban ground. A main focus is on the influence of horizontal groundwater flow, groundwater recharge and trends in local ground warming. To examine heat transport in groundwater, a scenario consisting of a local hot spot with a length of 1 km of long‐term ground heating was set up in the centre of the city. Groundwater temperature‐depth profiles at upstream, central and downstream locations of this hot spot are inspected. The simulation results indicate that the main thermal transport mechanisms are long‐term vertical conductive heat input, horizontal advection and transverse dispersion. Groundwater recharge rates in the city are low (&lt;100 mm a −1 ) and thus do not significantly contribute to heat transport into the urban aquifer. With groundwater flow, local vertical temperature profiles become very complex and are hard to interpret, if local flow conditions and heat sources are not thoroughly known. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.
Rescue transoesophageal echocardiography for refractory haemodynamic instability during transvenous lead extraction
2014-03-30

While TLE is a relatively safe procedure, life-threatening cardiovascular injuries remain a rare risk. In this study, the use of rescue TEE ruled out significant cardiovascular injuries in the majority of patients. Furthermore, rescue TEE had a substantial impact on the efficiency of determining the aetiology of refractory haemodynamic instability during TLE and thereby facilitated the timely initiation of definitive intervention.
Functionally distinct PI 3-kinase pathways regulate myelination in the peripheral nervous system
2014-03-31

The PI 3-kinase (PI 3-K) signaling pathway is essential for Schwann cell myelination. Here we have characterized PI 3-K effectors activated during myelination by probing myelinating cultures and developing nerves with an antibody that recognizes phosphorylated substrates for this pathway. We identified a discrete number of phospho-proteins including the S6 ribosomal protein (S6rp), which is down-regulated at the onset of myelination, and N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (NDRG1), which is up-regulated strikingly with myelination. We show that type III Neuregulin1 on the axon is the primary activator of S6rp, an effector of mTORC1. In contrast, laminin-2 in the extracellular matrix (ECM), signaling through the α6β4 integrin and Sgk1 (serum and glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1), drives phosphorylation of NDRG1 in the Cajal bands of the abaxonal compartment. Unexpectedly, mice deficient in α6β4 integrin signaling or Sgk1 exhibit hypermyelination during development. These results identify functionally and spatially distinct PI 3-K pathways: an early, pro-myelinating pathway driven by axonal Neuregulin1 and a later-acting, laminin–integrin-dependent pathway that negatively regulates myelination.
Ultraviolet exposure and risk of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma in Ulm and Dresden, Germany
2014-03-31

Abstract Background There is a perpetuating increase in melanoma and basal cell carcinoma ( BCC ) incidence in Europe. Few studies are evaluating various risk factors for both tumours. Objectives This pre‐planned additional analysis directly compared occupational and past‐time ultraviolet exposure behaviour, and examined the effects of sun sensitivity between melanoma and sporadic BCC , and assessed its importance for the two entities. Patients/Methods The study included 503 patients (melanoma, n = 291 and BCC , n = 212), and 329 controls from Germany. In all, 244 (49%) of the cases and 165 (50%) of the controls were male (median age melanoma, 55 years; BCC , 69 years; and controls, 57 years). Selection of important risk factors was performed by backward elimination in a polytomous logistic regression. Results When directly comparing melanoma and sporadic BCC , actinic elastosis ( OR 48.83; 95% CI 17.87, 133.40) and site were associated with a higher risk of melanoma, whereas mountaineering in childhood, sunburn 20 years before diagnosis, farming full time, sunbed use in general, seborrheic keratosis, actinic cheilitis, actinic keratosis and age were associated with a higher risk of sporadic BCC . Gardening 20 years before melanoma, hair colour and solar lentigo were risk factors for both entities. A re‐evaluation of the data excluding lentiginous melanoma entities (i.e. acro‐lentiginous and lentigo‐maligna melanoma) resulted in selection of the same factors. However, compared to controls, atopy evolved as a protective factor for melanoma ( OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.15, 0.57) and BCC ( OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.17, 0.99), respectively, but was associated with a higher risk of sporadic BCC compared to melanoma. Conclusion The odds for having clinical actinic elastosis was lower in BCC compared to melanoma. In contrast, various factors associated with chronic UV exposure and age had higher odds for sporadic BCC , rather than melanoma. Further research is required to set the context for these findings, especially regarding, atopy in non‐lentiginous vs. lentiginous forms of melanoma, and possible molecular pathways involved.
Correction of dephasing oscillations in matter-wave interferometry
2014-03-31

Vibrations, electromagnetic oscillations and temperature drifts are among the\\nmain reasons for dephasing in matter-wave interferometry. Sophisticated\\ninterferometry experiments, e.g. with ions or heavy molecules, often require\\nintegration times of several minutes due to the low source intensity or the\\nhigh velocity selection. Here we present a scheme to suppress the influence of\\nsuch dephasing mechanisms - especially in the low-frequency regime - by\\nanalyzing temporal and spatial particle correlations available in modern\\ndetectors. Such correlations can reveal interference properties that would\\notherwise be washed out due to dephasing by external oscillating signals. The\\nmethod is shown experimentally in a biprism electron interferometer where a\\nperturbing oscillation is artificially introduced by a periodically varying\\nmagnetic field. We provide a full theoretical description of the particle\\ncorrelations where the perturbing frequency and amplitude can be revealed from\\nthe disturbed interferogram. The original spatial fringe pattern without the\\nperturbation can thereby be restored. The technique can be applied to lower the\\ngeneral noise requirements in matter-wave interferometers. It allows for the\\noptimization of electromagnetic shielding and decreases the efforts for\\nvibrational or temperature stabilization.\\n