julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Learning is not decline
2015-09-24

As otherwise healthy adults age, their performance on cognitive tests tends to decline. This change is traditionally taken as evidence that cognitive processing is subject to significant declines in healthy aging. We examine this claim, showing current theories over-estimate the evidence in support of it, and demonstrating that when properly evaluated, the empirical record often indicates that the opposite is true. To explain the disparity between the evidence and current theories, we show how the models of learning assumed in aging research are incapable of capturing even the most basic of empirical facts of “associative” learning, and lend themselves to spurious discoveries of “cognitive decline.” Once a more accurate model of learning is introduced, we demonstrate that far from declining, the accuracy of older adults lexical processing appears to improve continuously across the lifespan. We further identify other measures on which performance does not decline with age, and show how these different patterns of performance fit within an overall framework of learning. Finally, we consider the implications of our demonstrations of continuous and consistent learning performance throughout adulthood for our understanding of the changes in underlying brain morphology that occur during the course of cognitive development across the lifespan.
Motion-correlated flow distortion and wave-induced biases in air–sea flux measurements from ships
2015-09-25

Abstract. Direct measurements of the turbulent air–sea fluxes of momentum, heat, moisture and gases are often made using sensors mounted on ships. Ship-based turbulent wind measurements are corrected for platform motion using well established techniques, but biases at scales associated with wave and platform motion are often still apparent in the flux measurements. It has been uncertain whether this signal is due to time-varying distortion of the air flow over the platform or to wind–wave interactions impacting the turbulence. Methods for removing such motion-scale biases from scalar measurements have previously been published but their application to momentum flux measurements remains controversial. Here we show that the measured motion-scale bias has a dependence on the horizontal ship velocity and that a correction for it reduces the dependence of the measured momentum flux on the orientation of the ship to the wind. We conclude that the bias is due to experimental error and that time-varying motion-dependent flow distortion is the likely source.
Decoupling of a giant planet from its disk in an inclined binary system
2015-09-25

We explore the dynamical evolution of a planet embedded in a disk surrounding\\na star part of a binary system where the orbital plane of the binary is\\nsignificantly tilted respect to the initial disk plane. Our aim is to test\\nwhether the planet remains within the disk and continues to migrate towards the\\nstar in a Type I/II mode in spite of the secular perturbations of the companion\\nstar. This would explain observed exoplanets with significant inclination\\nrespect to the equatorial plane of their host star. We have used two different\\nSPH codes, vine and phantom, to model the evolution of a system\\nstar+disk+planet and companion star with time. After an initial coupled\\nevolution, the inclination of the disk and that of the planet begin to differ\\nsignificantly. The period of oscillation of the disk inclination, respect to\\nthe initial plane, is shorter than that of the planet which evolves\\nindependently after about 10^4 yr following a perturbed N-body behavior.\\nHowever, the planet keeps migrating towards the star because during its orbital\\nmotion it crosses the disk plane and the friction with the gas causes angular\\nmomentum loss. Disk and planet in a significantly inclined binary system are\\nnot dynamically coupled for small binary separations but evolve almost\\nindependently. The planet abandons the disk and, due to the onset of a\\nsignificant mutual inclination, it interacts with the gas only when its orbit\\nintersects the disk plane. The drift of the planet towards the star is not due\\nto type I/II with the planet embedded in the disk but to the friction with the\\ngas during the disk crossing.\\n
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Sphincter Regeneration: Role of Laminin Isoforms upon Myogenic Differentiation
2015-09-25

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are well known for their tri-lineage potential and ability to differentiate in vitro into osteogenic, chondrogenic or adipogenic lineages. By selecting appropriate conditions MSCs can also be differentiated in vitro into the myogenic lineage and are therefore a promising option for cell-based regeneration of muscle tissue such as an aged or damaged sphincter muscle. For the differentiation into the myogenic lineage there is still a need to evaluate the effects of extracellular matrix proteins such as laminins (LM) which are crucial for different stem cell types and for normal muscle function. The laminin family consists of 16 functionally different isoforms with LM-211 being the most abundant isoform of adult muscle tissues. In the sphincter tissue a strong expression of the isoforms LM-211/221, LM-411/421 and LM-511/521 can be detected in the different cell layers. Bone marrow-derived MSCs in culture, however, mainly express the isoforms LM-411 and LM-511, but not LM-211. Even after myogenic differentiation, LM-211 can hardly be detected. All laminin isoforms tested (LM-211, LM-411, LM-511 and LM-521) showed a significant inhibition of the proliferation of undifferentiated MSCs but, with the exception of LM-521, they had no influence on the proliferation of MSCs cultivated in myogenic medium. The strongest cellular adhesion of MSCs was to LM-511 and LM-521, whereas LM-211 was only a weakly-adhesive substrate for MSCs. Myogenic differentiation of MSCs even reduced the interaction with LM-211, but it did not affect the interaction with LM-511 and LM-521. Since during normal myogenesis the latter two isoforms are the major laminins surrounding developing myogenic progenitors, α5 chain-containing laminins are recommended for further improvements of myogenic differentiation protocols of MSCs into smooth muscle cells.
Garner-Interference in Skilled Right-Handed Grasping is Possible
2015-09-25

According to the Perception-Action-Model (PAM), the human visual cortex consists of the ventral vision-for-perception and the dorsal vision-for-action streams. Performance decrements with increasing variation of nominally task-irrelevant stimulus features (Garner-Interference) was suggested as an empirical tool for identifying contributions of these streams: vision-for-perception, but not visionfor-action, should suffer from Garner-Interference, but inconsistencies in this argument were revealed by several studies. We here used a new manipulation to induce Garner-Interference in a dorsal task: The stimulus objects did not differ in their lengths but in the side to which they were weighted. In Experiment 1, Garner-Interference was found in a ventral perceptual judgment task. Notably, we did also find Garner-Interference in skilled right-handed grasping in Experiment 2. These findings suggest that the presence or absence of Garner-Interference does not consistently index the contribution of different processing streams for perception and action, but the coprocessing of nominally task-irrelevant stimulus features in general, be it for perception of action.
Monitoring a ‘metabolic shift’ after surgical resection of oral squamous cell carcinomas by serum lactate dehydrogenase
2015-09-25

Objectives Monitoring surgical removal of oral squamous cell carcinomas ( OSCC ) is being routinely performed through clinical and imaging follow‐up. We analyzed the potential use of serum lactate, lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH ), and LDH isoenzymes ( LDH 1‐5) as biomarkers in blood for the monitoring of surgical removal of OSCC . Materials and Methods Serum lactate, LDH , and LDH isoenzymes ( LDH 1‐5) have been prospectively assessed in healthy individuals ( n = 19), patients with OSCC ( n = 34: primary OSCC , n = 32 and recurrent OSCC , n = 2) before surgery and after curative tumor resection ( n = 26). LDHA and LDHB expressions were analyzed by immunohistochemistry ( IHC ) in the same OSCC tumor specimen. Results Positive LDHA tumor tissue expression measured by IHC ( n = 34/34, 100%) was significantly associated with increased serum LDH ‐5 ( n = 24/34, 71%, P = 0.0258) but weak significantly associated with increased total serum LDH ( n = 23/34, 68%, P = 0.0592). Positive LDHB tumor tissue expression measured by IHC ( n = 25/34, 74%) was significantly associated with increased total serum LDH ( P = 0.0172). After surgery, serum LDH and LDH ‐5 isoenzyme significantly decreased and LDH ‐1 significantly increased in the aftercare. A significantly inverse correlation of LDHA with LDHB IHC scores was found ( P &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions The association of LDHA and LDHB measured by IHC with serum LDH indicates that analyzing this enzyme could serve as a favorable ‘liquid biopsy’ (non‐invasive diagnostic tool) for OSCC .
Squamous cell carcinomas in chronic venous leg ulcers. Data of the German Marjolin Registry and review
2015-09-26

Summary Background Secondary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare complication of chronic venous leg ulcers. So far, little is known about its pathophysiology and clinical behavior. Initiated by the working group “Wound Healing” (AGW) of the German Society of Dermatology (DDG), it is the objective of the current Marjolin registry to collect cases of SCC arising in venous ulcers, in order to evaluate diagnostic characteristics. Patients and Methods All members of the AGW received questionnaires inquiring about basic patient data, ulcer characteristics, and therapy conducted. Results From 2010 to 2013, 30 patients (20 women, 10 men) from six tertiary wound care centers were registered. Mean age was 76.17 years. The average duration of venous leg ulcers prior to SCC diagnosis was 15.93 years. Suspicious wound characteristics primarily included: pain (n = 3), therapy resistance (n = 27), and fetor (n = 12) as well as clinical appearance (n = 10) with atypical morphology, nodular wound bed, and hypergranulation. Conclusions Atypical morphology or changes in appearance as well as therapy resistance despite optimal care (6–12 weeks) should prompt physicians to take spindle‐shaped, if necessary multiple and serial, biopsies. Primary risk factors for malignant transformation include patient age and ulcer duration.
Straightforward Generation of Pillared, Microporous Graphene Frameworks for Use in Supercapacitors
2015-09-28

Microporous, pillared graphene-based frameworks are generated in a simple functionalization/coupling procedure starting from reduced graphene oxide. They are used for the fabrication of high-performance supercapacitor devices.
The scope and consequences of metaphoric thinking: Using individual differences in metaphor usage to understand how metaphor functions.
2015-09-28

People often think, feel, and behave metaphorically according to conceptual metaphor theory. There are normative sources of support for this theory, but individual differences have received scant attention. This is surprising because people are likely to differ in the frequency with which they use metaphors and, therefore, the frequency with which they experience the costs and benefits of metaphoric thinking. To investigate these ideas, a 5-study program of research (total N = 532) was conducted. Study 1 developed and validated a Metaphor Usage Measure (MUM), finding that people were fairly consistent in their tendencies toward literal thought and language on the one hand versus metaphoric thought and language on the other. These differences were, in turn, consequential. Although metaphor usage predicted susceptibility to metaphor transfer effects (Studies 2 and 3), it was also linked to higher levels of emotional understanding (Studies 4 and 5). The findings provide support for several key premises of conceptual metaphor theory in the context of a new measure that can be used to track the consequences of metaphoric thinking. (PsycINFO Database Record
Anisotropy of Human Horizontal and Vertical Navigation in Real Space: Behavioral and PET Correlates
2015-09-28

Spatial orientation was tested during a horizontal and vertical real navigation task in humans. Video tracking of eye movements was used to analyse the behavioral strategy and combined with simultaneous measurements of brain activation and metabolism ([18F]-FDG-PET). Spatial navigation performance was significantly better during horizontal navigation. Horizontal navigation was predominantly visually and landmark-guided. PET measurements indicated that glucose metabolism increased in the right hippocampus, bilateral retrosplenial cortex, and pontine tegmentum during horizontal navigation. In contrast, vertical navigation was less reliant on visual and landmark information. In PET, vertical navigation activated the bilateral hippocampus and insula. Direct comparison revealed a relative activation in the pontine tegmentum and visual cortical areas during horizontal navigation and in the flocculus, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex during vertical navigation. In conclusion, these data indicate a functional anisotropy of human 3D-navigation in favor of the horizontal plane. There are common brain areas for both forms of navigation (hippocampus) as well as unique areas such as the retrosplenial cortex, visual cortex (horizontal navigation), flocculus, and vestibular multisensory cortex (vertical navigation). Visually guided landmark recognition seems to be more important for horizontal navigation, while distance estimation based on vestibular input might be more relevant for vertical navigation.
Multi-frequency study of the newly confirmed supernova remnant MCSNR J0512−6707 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
2015-09-28

We present a study of the supernova remnant MCSNR J0512-6707 in the Large\\nMagellanic Cloud. We used new data from XMM-Newton to characterise the X-ray\\nemission and data from the Australian Telescope Compact Array, the Magellanic\\nCloud Emission Line Survey, and Spitzer to gain a picture of the environment\\ninto which the remnant is expanding. We performed a morphological study,\\ndetermined radio polarisation and magnetic field orientation, and performed an\\nX-ray spectral analysis. We estimated the its size to be 24.9 (\\\\pm1.5) x 21.9\\n(\\\\pm1.5) pc, with the major axis rotated ~29 deg east of north. Radio\\npolarisation at 3 cm and 6 cm indicate a higher degree of polarisation in the\\nNW and SE tangentially oriented to the SNR shock front, indicative of an SNR\\ncompressing the magnetic field threading the interstellar medium. The X-ray\\nspectrum is unusual as it requires a soft (~0.2 keV) CIE thermal plasma of\\ninterstellar medium abundance, in addition to a harder component. Using our\\nresults and the Sedov dynamical model, we showed that this emission is not\\nconsistent with a Sedov remnant. We suggested that the thermal X-rays can be\\nexplained by MCSNR J0512-6707 having initially evolved into a wind-blown cavity\\nand is now interacting with the surrounding dense shell. The origin of the hard\\ncomponent remains unclear. We could not determine the supernova type from the\\nX-ray spectrum. Indirect evidence was found in the study of the local stellar\\npopulation and star formation history in the literature, which suggests a\\ncore-collapse origin. MCSNR J0512-6707 likely resulted from the core-collapse\\nof high mass progenitor which carved a low density cavity into its surrounding\\nmedium, with the soft X-rays resulting from the impact of the blast wave with\\nthe surrounding shell. The unusual hard X-ray component requires deeper and\\nhigher spatial resolution radio and X-ray observations to confirm its origin.\\n
IL-1 inhibition in Muckle-Wells-Syndrome: withdrawal resulting in rapid deterioration of hearing loss
2015-09-28

Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), a phenotype within the spectrum of cryopyrine-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is characterized by excessive IL-1 release resulting in chronic systemic and organ-specific inflammation including sensorineural hearing loss. During continuous anti-IL-1-therapy clinical symptoms are controlled and hearing loss remains stable. Limited data exists about discontinuation of IL-1-inhibition during the course of disease.
Unmet psychosocial needs in CAPS
2015-09-28

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a rare autoinflammatory disease. Generalized manifestations like recurrent fever and fatigue and organ disease like reduced vision, hearing loss, bone deformities and aseptic meningitis impair patients' well-being. While most physical complaints are well defined and managed by effective IL-1 inhibition, areas of psychosocial needs are much less explored and often unsatisfied even in treated patients.
Plant diversity shapes microbe‐rhizosphere effects on P mobilisation from organic matter in soil
2015-09-29

Abstract Plant species richness ( PSR ) increases nutrient uptake which depletes bioavailable nutrient pools in soil. No such relationship between plant uptake and availability in soil was found for phosphorus (P). We explored PSR effects on P mobilisation [phosphatase activity ( PA )] in soil. PA increased with PSR . The positive PSR effect was not solely due to an increase in C org concentrations because PSR remained significant if related to PA :C org . An increase in PA per unit C org increases the probability of the temporal and spatial match between substrate, enzyme and microorganism potentially serving as an adaption to competition. Carbon use efficiency of microorganisms (C mic :C org ) increased with increasing PSR while enzyme exudation efficiency ( PA :C mic ) remained constant. These findings suggest the need for efficient C rather than P cycling underlying the relationship between PSR and PA . Our results indicate that the coupling between C and P cycling in soil becomes tighter with increasing PSR .
Isomerization and fragmentation pathways of 1,2‐azaborine
2015-09-29

The generation of 1,2‐azaborine ( 4 ), the BN‐analogue of ortho ‐benzyne, was recently achieved by elimination of tert ‐butyldimethylchlorosilane under the conditions of flash vacuum pyrolysis. The present investigation identifies by computational means pathways for the thermal isomerization and fragmentation of 1,2‐azaborine. The computations were performed using single reference (hybrid/density functional, second order Møller‐Plesset perturbation, and coupled cluster theories) as well as multiconfiguration methods (complete active space SCF based second order perturbation theory, multireference configuration interaction, and multiconfiguration coupled electron pair approximation) with basis sets up to polarized triple‐ζ quality. The 1,2‐azaborine is, despite the distortion of its molecular structure, the most stable C 4 H 4 BN isomer investigated. The formation of BN‐endiyne isomers is highly unfavorable as the identified pathways involve barriers close to 80 kcal mol −1 . The concerted fragmentation to ethyne and 2‐aza‐3‐bora‐butadiyne even has a barrier close to 120 kcal mol −1 . The fragmentation of BN‐enediynes has energetic requirements similar to enediynes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improvement of Split Skin Graft Quality Using a Newly Developed Collagen Scaffold as an Underlayment in Full Thickness Wounds in a Rat Model
2015-09-29

As split skin grafting is frequently associated with skin quality reduction, the presented results reveal the beneficial effects of CCC in terms of skin graft quality improvement. This may offer unique opportunities in wound management and encourages further evaluation of CCC in surgical applications and regenerative medicine.
Yearbook of Muslims in Europe, vol. 3
2015-09-29

This book was published in 2011 at a crucial moment in the debates about a ‘European Islam’ and about European identities, just as the process of unifying and extending the European Union was being...
The developmental inter‐relationships between activity, novelty preferences, and delay discounting in male and female rats
2015-09-30

ABSTRACT Increased locomotion, novelty‐seeking, and impulsivity are risk factors associated with substance use. In this study, the inter‐relationships between activity, novelty preferences, and delay discounting, a measure of impulsivity, were examined across three stages: juvenile/early adolescence (postnatal Day [P] 15, 19, and 42 for activity, novelty, and impulsivity, respectively), adolescent/late adolescent (P28, 32, 73), and adult (P90, 94, 137) in male and female rats. Our estimates of impulsive choice, where animals were trained to criterion, revealed an age × sex interaction where early adolescent females had the lowest levels of impulsivity. The relationships of activity and novelty to impulsivity significantly changed across age within each sex. Early adolescent males with high activity, but low novelty preferences, were more impulsive; however, low activity and high novelty preferences were related to high impulsivity in adult males. Female activity gradually increased across age, but did not show a strong relationship with impulsivity. Novelty preferences are moderately related to impulsivity into adulthood in females. These data show that males and females have different developmental trajectories for these behaviors. Males show greater sensation‐seeking (e.g., activity) and risky behavior (e.g., novelty preferences) earlier in life, whereas these behaviors emerge during adolescence in females. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 58: 231–242, 2016.
Using modern ferruginous habitats to interpret Precambrian banded iron formation deposition
2015-09-30

Abstract Early Earth processes are typically identified through the study of mineralogical, elemental and isotopic features in the rock record, including Precambrian banded iron formations (BIF). However, post-depositional processes often obscure the primary geochemical signals, making the use of BIF as proxies for paleo-seawater and the paleo-biosphere potentially imprecise. Thus, alternative approaches are required to complement the information gained from the rock record in order to fully understand the distinctive biogeochemical processes on ancient Earth. Simulating these conditions in the laboratory is one approach, but this approach can never fully replicate the complexity of a natural environment. Therefore, finding modern environments with a unique set of geochemical and microbiological characteristics to use as analogues for BIF depositional environments can provide invaluable information. In this review, we provide an overview of the chemical, physical and biological parameters of modern, ferruginous lakes that have been used as analogue BIF environments.