julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Identification of stimulus cues in narrow-band tone-in-noise detection using sparse observer models
2013-07-01

The classical psychophysical paradigm of narrow-band tone-in-noise (TiN) detection has been under investigation for more than 70 years, yet no conclusive answer has been given as to which auditory stimulus features listeners rely on. Here, individual observer models were fit to a large trial-by-trial behavioral data set using a modern statistical analysis procedure. Relative perceptual weights were estimated for a set of auditory features including sound energy, representations of the spectra as well as summary statistics of both fine structure and envelope. The fitted models captured the behavior of all listeners on a single-trial level. The estimated perceptual weights were stable across signal levels. They suggest that responses of observers depended on stimulus energy, though that cue was not always dominant, as well as on band-pass detectors applied to the fine structure spectrum. A subset of the observers exhibited an additional dependence on sound envelope which was best captured by two envelope descriptors: average slope and extrema count. For some listeners, a concurrent analysis of sequential dependencies showed interactions between the current and several preceding decisions. There was no unique answer regarding the strategy individual listeners employ during TiN detection, and implications thereof are discussed.
Soil Moisture Assessment over an Alpine Hillslope with Significant Soil Heterogeneity
2013-07-01

We strive to assess soil water content on a well‐studied slow‐moving hillslope in Austria. In doing so, we employ time lapse mapping of bulk electrical conductivity using a geophysical electromagnetic induction system operated at low induction numbers. This information is complemented by the acquisition of soil samples for gravimetric water content analysis during one survey campaign. Simple visual soil sample analysis reveals that the upper material in the survey area is a spatially highly variable mixture of predominately sandy, silty, clayey and organic materials. Due to this heterogeneity, classical approaches of mapping soil moisture on the basis of stationary mapping of electrical conductivity variations are not successful. Also the time‐lapse approach does not allow ruling out some of the ambiguity inherent to the linkage of bulk electrical conductivity to soil water content. However, indication is found that time‐lapse measurements may have supportive capabilities to identify regions of low precipitation infiltration due to high soil saturation. Furthermore, the relationship between the mean electrical conductivity averaged over a full vegetation period and an already available ecological moisture map produced by vegetation analysis is found to resemble closely the relationship observed between gravimetric soil water content and electrical conductivity during the time of sample collection except for highly organic soils. This leads us to the assumption that the relative soil moisture distribution is temporarily stable except for those areas characterized by highly organic soils.
Aerosolised levofloxacin in cystic fibrosis
2013-07-01

Introduction: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease in the Caucasian population, caused by mutations in an epithelial chloride channel. A hallmark of CF is chronic microbial respiratory infection, which has the greatest role in morbidity and mortality of the patients due to progressive tissue damage. Improved high dose antibiotic treatment strategies for Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections have improved patients' prognosis. The fluoroquinolone, levofloxacin, is currently being developed for the management of chronic P. aeruginosa infection in CF patients. Levofloxacin inhalation solution (MP-376), which is generally well tolerated in CF patients, reaches high levels in CF sputum with low systemic exposure. In a Phase II study, MP-376 reduced P. aeruginosa sputum density and increased lung function in a dose-dependent manner; twice-daily administration of 240 mg MP-376 was significantly superior over placebo. Areas covered: In this manuscript, we summarise the epidemiology, genetics and pathogenesis of CF and discuss current and future therapeutic options for CF lung disease, emphasising the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of fluoroquinolone inhalation therapy for the CF-specific bacterial pathogen P. aeruginosa. Expert opinion: Based on its excellent water solubility, levofloxacin is the most promising agent among the fluoroquinolones currently developed for cystic fibrosis, yet only sparse clinical data are currently available to support this notion.
Visualizing Conceptual Relations in Legal Terminology
2013-07-01

Underlying all specialized terminology is a concept system, which is particularly important in the legal domain. However, this concept system is not explicitly available in terminology management systems. We present a tool that analyzes the relations in a terminological database and presents an interactive visualization of those relations. This tool helps terminologists manage their information, including quality assurance and analysis of the information, as well as aiding in didactic presentations of terminology work.
PER UNA NUOVA INTERPRETAZIONE DI ARISTIA, TrGF 9 F 1
2013-07-01

Abstract In the only surviving fragment of Aristias’ Antaeus (TrGF 9 F 1) a difficulty arises when one tries to make sense of the proper name ∫Antaiov, which, in the only source that transmits the fragment (Herodian’s On Lexical Singularity ), is featured just before what is usually considered to be the beginning of the fragment itself. Snell’s interpretation of ∫Antaiov as a piece of information provided by Herodian about the identity of the persona loquens is not convincing; however, the expunction of the word preferred by both Lehrs and Lentz is not justified either. Instead of interpreting ∫Antaiov as a word introduced by Herodian or as an explanatory gloss, this article suggests incorporating the proper name in Aristias’ verse and interpreting this new text as an acatalectic iambic tetrameter. As in dramatic poetry this kind of metre is found only in satyr play, it is worth reconsidering the evidence for attributing the Antaeus - the plot of which is far from certain - to this literary genre.
P2–211: Seeded beta‐amyloid in long‐term hippocampal slice cultures
2013-07-01

A major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the aggregation and deposition of amyloid-βpeptides (Aβ) in the brain. According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis the accumulation of Aβpeptide is an early and central event, which precedes the transition to the symptomatic phase of the disease. Thus, a great effort has been made to study the mechanisms of Aβaggregation and pathogenicity. Due to the lack of satisfactory in vitro assays β-amyloidosis has mainly been studied in amyloid-βprecursor protein (APP) transgenic mice. Here we report a long-term hippocampal slice culture model developing Aβdeposits. We propose this system as a new tool to study β-amyloidosis. Hippocampal slice cultures from postnatal (P2-P3) wildtype mice were incubated with Aβ-containing brain extracts from aged, plaque-bearing APP transgenic mice. The culture medium was supplemented with synthetic Aβover the entire cultivation time. Subsequently, Aβdepositions in the cultures were characterized by electron-microscopy and immunohistochemistry. To study the seeding activity of slice culture-aggregated Aβ, extracts from slice cultures were prepared and intracerebral injected into the hippocampus of pre-depositing 3–4 month old APP transgenic mice. β-Amyloid deposits started to develop in 4 week-old cultures and progressed up to 10 weeks in vitro. The morphotypes of the seeded β-amyloid deposits were dependent on the origin of the Aβseed, i.e. brain extracts from either aged APP23 or APPPS1 transgenic mice as well as on the synthetic Aβspecies applied to the culture medium (Aβ1–40 or Aβ1–42). Aggregated synthetic Aβfrom these cultures, but not in vitro aggregated synthetic Aβ of equal concentration, induced cerebral β-amyloidosis 4 months postinoculation in young APP transgenic mice. This observation suggests that synthetic Aβcan be converted into in vivo active Aβseeds in the hippocampal slice culture model. The here described ex vivo hippocampal slice culture model is a new approach to study β-amyloidosis and associated toxicities in a living system. It may open new opportunities to screen for inhibitory treatments under standardized conditions in vitro.
O5–02–04: CSF beta‐amyloid 42 and t‐tau profile in murine models of cerebral beta‐amyloidosis
2013-07-01

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is thought to start 10–20 years before the first clinical symptoms emerge. Notably, familial AD patients already show decreased CSF Aβ42 and increasedtotal-Tau (t-Tau) levels in this pre-clinical phase. It is assumed that the drop in CSF Aβ42 is associated with Aβ aggregation and deposition in the brain parenchyma and that CSF t-Tau increase reflects the extracellular release of Tau after neuronal degeneration. These interpretations are largely indirect, based on CSF measurements during life vs. neuropathological assessment at autopsy, and on analogies with episodic CNS conditions (e.g. stroke, head trauma). To overcome these limitations, APP transgenic (APP-tg) mice may represent a reliable model to characterize AD-related CSF biomarker dynamics. We analyzed CSF biomarker profiles in a large series of well-characterized APP-tg mice: APPPS1 and APP23, virtually covering all steps from pre-depositing to late depositing stages. CSF and brain human- A β40, A β42 and endogenous t-Tau measurements were performed by Electrochemiluminescence-linked immunoassay. Plaque load was determined by stereology on histological sections. In APP23 mice CSF A β42 levels remained stable with a slight increase before brain Aβ deposition started, which was then followed by a significant drop when A βdeposition became prominent. This was further reinforced in APPPS1 mice, an early A β depositing model, where CSF human A β42 levels exhibited an immediate and striking decline, reaching 80% in aged mice. CSF t-Tau increased remarkably following A β deposition in both mouse models. The CSF t-Tau increase occurred earlier and more markedly in APPPS1, compared to APP23 mice, despite the higher APP expression in the latter mouse model. Overall, the temporal sequence of the CSF biomarker changes in both APP-tg was characterized by a decline in CSF A β42 with increasing brain A β deposition, which was followed by a steady CSF t-Tau increase, in the absence of neurofibrillary tangles and significant neuronal loss. We have shown that the CSF Aβ decrease reflects brain A β-amyloidosis and that Aβ aggregation in the brain induces CSF tau increase in the absence of neurofibrillary tangles and major neuron loss. This temporal profile of CSF biomarkers makes APP-tg mice invaluable translational tools for preclinical prevention and disease-modifying therapies.
Evolution of internal energy distribution and terahertz radiation of a Josephson junctions stack
2013-07-01

Being frequency tunable sources, Josephson junctions are attractive for the generation of high frequency electromagnetic radiation. Recently, coherent off-chip THz radiation with an extrapolated output power of some μW was observed. Different mechanisms, like geometry resonance and heating effect, have been raised to explain how the junctions in the stack are synchronized, while there is no consensus which has been reached. To get further understanding on this issue, it is expected to demonstrate the process that the electromagnetic field and thermal distribution evolve as the detected terahertz(THz) emission signal varies in experiment. To realize this goal, we developed a home-made system, by combining a low-temperature scanning laser microscope (LTSLM) and a THz interferometer. With this setup, we are able to simultaneously detect THz emission and observe LTSLM images. In this talk, we will report the unambiguous observation of the correlation between the standing wave patterns, the hotspot formation and the THz radiation characteristics of the Bi <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Sr <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> CaCu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">8</sub> (BSCCO) junctions stack with a mesa structure. We stress that this joint measurement setup will play an important role in studying solid state microwave or terahertz devices.
P1–327: Memory performance of past public events depends on retrieval frequency but not remoteness in Alzheimer's disease
2013-07-01

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) typically develop retrograde amnesia. But whereas some studies found a better preservation of older memories than more recent ones, others could not detect such a temporal gradient (TG). Therefore the views of involvement of the in AD early affected hippocampus in the storage and retrieval of declarative knowledge are ambiguous. In two previous studies we investigated autobiographical memory and remembrance of historic events in patients with AD. While we could show a clear TG in recall of autobiographical information, we did not find a TG for knowledge concerning public events in the same patients with AD. We concluded that recall of more frequently retrieved memories as older autobiographical incidents becomes more independent of the hippocampal formation than more seldomly retrieved remembrances. Consequently, we investigated memory retrieval of past public events in patients with AD in dependency of retrieval frequency with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In 28 healthy controls (HC) and 26 patients with AD we assessed the remembrance of historic events of the last 60 years divided in 4 time segments. Retrieval frequency was operationalized by a paired comparison analysis. The events were matched head-to-head with each other and the subjects were required to estimate which of the two events was more often remembered during lifetime. In the scanner an imagination task was chosen as control task. As well for the HC group as for the patients with AD we could show a better remembrance of frequently retrieved historic events. No influence of time segment was found. Neuronal network of memory of historic events comprised hippocampus, parts of the medial temporal cortex, precuneus, gyrus angularis and medial prefrontal cortex. Brain activity in this network was reduced in AD. In both groups activity in hippocampus and precuneus increased with retrieval frequency but did not differ with time period. The results of the present study suggest a dependency of memory performance on retrieval frequency accompanied by enhancement of brain activity in hippocampus and precuneus in HC and AD. Thus, we conclude that cognitive activities can delay the onset of memory decline in persons who develop AD.
Dynamics of the thalamo-cortical system driven by pulsed sensory stimulation
2013-07-01

There exists a large body of evidence pointing to an essential role of sleep in memory consolidation [1-3]. In particular non-REM sleep seems to be important for consolidating declarative memories [4]. Boosting the so-called slow oscillations (<1 Hz) during non-REM sleep via transcranial electric stimulation leads to a potentiation of memory [5]. It has also been demonstrated that slow oscillations can be induced by optogenetic, magnetic and acoustic stimulation [6-8]. Here we present data from human sleep studies and modeling results on the thalamo-cortical system under sensory stimulation, that give new clues for effective stimulation protocols. We use a population model that exhibits important features of brain activity during non-REM sleep, e.g. spindles, cortical slow oscillations with gamma activity and clock-like delta oscillations. The model aims at reproducing evoked responses of auditory and visual stimuli at several frequencies. We extend previous results on the phase-dependent response of isolated cortex [9] to stimuli which are time-locked to spindle and slow oscillation events and test the hypothesis that the main factor determining thalamic gating properties in non-REM sleep is the phase of the cortical slow oscillation.
P1–229: sTNF‐R1 as a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease varies by APOE‐ε4 status
2013-07-01

sTNF-R1 is one of the receptors for TNFα, which is a central immune mediator. Prior work has linked sTNF-R1 to Aβ plaque formation as well as Aβ neurotoxicity. TNF-R1 has also been found elevated in AD brains. sTNF-R1 was recently found to be a key marker in a serum-based algorithm that yielded excellent discrimination between AD cases and normal controls. The current study was undertaken to examine the performance of sTNF-R1 as a putative biomarker of AD presence. Serum and plasma levels of sTNF-R1 were assayed from 300 participants (150 AD cases and 150 controls) from the Texas Alzheimer's Research & Care Consortium (TARCC) via electochemiluminescense (ECL). Serum sTNF-R1 levels were significantly higher among AD cases as compared to NCs (t=0.04) though plasma levels were not significantly different. In an adjusted model, neither serum nor plasma sTNF-R1 was a significant predictor of disease presence. However, when split by APOE4 genotype, serum sTNF-R1 was a significant negative predictor of AD status (B=0.02; 95%CI=0.001–0.386, p=0.01). Plasma sTNF-R1 was not significantly associated with AD status for either APOE4 genotype. Our results confirm that sTNF-R1 levels are related to AD status; however, they suggest a sample medium (serum/plasma) by genotype (APOE) interaction. This experiment highlights the need to consider blood fraction as well as APOE4 genotype when examining putative blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.
Investigating the retention of intermediate-mass black holes in star clusters usingN-body simulations
2013-07-02

Contrary to supermassive and stellar-mass black holes (SBHs), the existence\\nof intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with masses ranging between 10^{2-5}\\nMsun has not yet been confirmed. The main problem in the detection is that the\\ninnermost stellar kinematics of globular clusters (GCs) or small galaxies, the\\npossible natural loci to IMBHs, are very difficult to resolve. However, if\\nIMBHs reside in the centre of GCs, a possibility is that they interact\\ndynamically with their environment. A binary formed with the IMBH and a compact\\nobject of the GC would naturally lead to a prominent source of gravitational\\nradiation, detectable with future observatories. We use N-body simulations to\\nstudy the evolution of GCs containing an IMBH and calculate the gravitational\\nradiation emitted from dynamically formed IMBH-SBH binaries and the possibility\\nthat the IMBH escapes the GC after an IMBH-SBH merger. We run for the first\\ntime direct-summation integrations of GCs with an IMBH including the dynamical\\nevolution of the IMBH with the stellar system and relativistic effects, such as\\nenergy loss in gravitational waves (GWs) and periapsis shift, and gravitational\\nrecoil. We find in one of our models an intermediate mass-ratio inspiral\\n(IMRI), which leads to a merger with a recoiling velocity higher than the\\nescape velocity of the GC. The GWs emitted fall in the range of frequencies\\nthat a LISA-like observatory could detect, like the European eLISA or in\\nmission options considered in the recent preliminary mission study conducted in\\nChina. The merger has an impact on the global dynamics of the cluster, as an\\nimportant heating source is removed when the merged system leaves the GC. The\\ndetection of one IMRI would constitute a test of GR, as well as an irrefutable\\nproof of the existence of IMBHs.\\n
Climate controls on Andean precipitation δ18O interannual variability
2013-07-02

The stable oxygen isotopic composition of precipitation (δ 18 O p ) is used as a proxy for modern and past atmospheric, biologic, and surface processes. Although the physical processes that fractionate 18 O in vapor are known, regional controls of δ 18 O p are not well understood. Here we present results from a limited‐domain general circulation model (REMOiso) to quantify regional controls on modern (1976–1999) interannual and spatial variations of δ 18 O p across four Andean domains spanning 50° latitude. Results are compared to observed δ 18 O p from meteorological stations. Simulated annual amount‐weighted mean δ 18 O p ranges between −4 and −7‰ (0–5°S), −8 and −20‰ (14°S–26°S), −4 and −8.5‰ (30°S–35°S), and −7 to −10‰ (45°S–50°S). Relationships between climate and δ 18 O p on interannual timescale vary along the Andes and are tied to changes in precipitation and large‐scale dynamics. In the northern Andes, interannual variations in δ 18 O p are mainly associated with precipitation amounts driven by low‐latitude sea surface temperature and Amazon Basin conditions. In the north central Andes, δ 18 O p correlates with precipitation amount and wind trajectory, which is related to the position of the Bolivian High. In the south central Andes, δ 18 O p variability is mainly influenced by precipitation amounts that are controlled by the position and strength of the westerlies. In the southern Andes, interannual δ 18 O p variability is linked to the intensification and weakening of the South Pacific High. The regional climate‐δ 18 O p relationships are discussed in the context of pre‐Quaternary sedimentary δ 18 O proxy records.
Correction: The rise and fall of the Phytophthora infestans lineage that triggered the Irish potato famine
2013-07-02

Phytophthora infestans, the cause of potato late blight, is infamous for having triggered the Irish Great Famine in the 1840s.Until the late 1970s, P. infestans diversity outside of its Mexican center of origin was low, and one scenario held that a single strain, US-1, had dominated the global population for 150 years; this was later challenged based on DNA analysis of historical herbarium specimens.We have compared the genomes of 11 herbarium and 15 modern strains.We conclude that the 19th century epidemic was caused by a unique genotype, HERB-1, that persisted for over 50 years.HERB-1 is distinct from all examined modern strains, but it is a close relative of US-1, which replaced it outside of Mexico in the 20th century.We propose that HERB-1 and US-1 emerged from a metapopulation that was established in the early 1800s outside of the species' center of diversity.
Scattering and absorption of ultracold atoms by nanotubes
2013-07-02

We investigate theoretically how cold atoms, including Bose–Einstein condensates, are scattered from, or absorbed by, nanotubes with a view to analysing recent experiments. In particular, we consider the role of potential strength, quantum reflection, atomic interactions and tube vibrations on atom loss rates. Lifshitz theory calculations deliver a significantly stronger scattering potential than that found in experiment and we discuss possible reasons for this. We found that the scattering potential for dielectric tubes can be calculated to a good approximation using a modified pairwise summation approach, which is efficient and easily extendable to arbitrary geometries. Quantum reflection of atoms from a nanotube may become a significant factor at low temperatures, especially for non-metallic tubes. Interatomic interactions are shown to increase the rate at which atoms are lost to the nanotube and lead to non-trivial dynamics. Thermal nanotube vibrations do not significantly increase loss rates or reduce condensate fractions, but lower frequency oscillations can dramatically heat the cloud.