Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Testing theories of preferential attachment in random networks of citations

In this article we examine 2 classic stochastic models of the accumulation of citations introduced by H.A. Simon and Derek John de Solla Price. These models each have 2 distinct aspects: growth, which is the introduction of new articles, and preferential attachment, which describes how established articles accumulate new citations. The attachment rules are the subtle portion of these models that supply the interesting explanatory power. Previous treatments included both aspects. Here we separate preferential attachment from the growth aspect of the model. This separation allows us to examine the results of the preferential attachment rules without confounding these with growth in the number of articles available to receive citations. We introduce the method using Markov chains. We show how to overcome the mathematical and computational complexity to obtain results. A comparison of Simon's and Price's rules are computed in 3 Journal Citation Reports subject categories using articles published in the 1960s and allowed to accumulate citations to 1980. This comparison cannot be made through analysis of power laws.
Default-Mode Network Changes in Huntington’s Disease: An Integrated MRI Study of Functional Connectivity and Morphometry

Previous MRI studies of functional connectivity in pre-symptomatic mutation carriers of Huntington’s disease (HD) have shown dysfunction of the Default-Mode Network (DMN). No data however are currently available on the DMN alterations in the symptomatic stages of the disease, which are characterized by cortical atrophy involving several DMN nodes. We assessed DMN integrity and its possible correlations with motor and cognitive symptoms in 26 symptomatic HD patients as compared to 22 normal volunteers, by analyzing resting state functional MRI data, using the Precuneal Cortex/Posterior Cingulate Cortices (PC/PCC) as seed, controlling at voxel level for the effect of atrophy by co-varying for gray matter volume. Direct correlation with PC/PCC was decreased, without correlation with atrophy, in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (including anterior cingulate and subgenual cortex), right dorso-medial prefrontal cortex, and in the right inferior parietal cortex (mainly involving the angular gyrus). Negative correlations with PC/PCC were decreased bilaterally in the inferior parietal cortices, while a cluster in the right middle occipital gyrus presented increased correlation with PC/PCC. DMN changes in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex significantly correlated with the performance at the Stroop test (p = .0002). Widespread DMN changes, not correlating with the atrophy of the involved nodes, are present in symptomatic HD patients, and correlate with cognitive disturbances.
Wideband Millimeter-Wave Perforated Cylindrical Dielectric Resonator Antenna Configuration

This article delves into the capabilities of 3D-printed millimeter-wave (mmWave) layered cylindrical dielectric resonator antennas (CDRAs). The proposed design yielded promising results, boasting a remarkable 53% impedance bandwidth spanning the frequency spectrum from 18 to 34 GHz. Furthermore, the axial ratio (AR) bandwidth achieved an impressive 17%, coupled with a maximum gain of 13.3 dBic. These notable results underscore the efficacy of the proposed design, positioning it as a viable solution for applications in Beyond 5G (B5G). A novel assembly technique was also investigated, employing additive manufacturing to seamlessly merge two layers with distinct dielectric constants into a singular layer. This innovative approach systematically eliminates the potential for air gaps between layers, enhancing the antenna’s overall performance. This approach exhibited potential, particularly in the performance of a millimeter-wave circularly polarized (CP) cylindrical DRA featuring a perforated coating layer. The synergy between measurements and simulations demonstrates a remarkable alignment, providing robust validation of the effectiveness of the proposed design.
Efficient Failure Detection on Mobile Robots Using Particle Filters with Gaussian Process Proposals

The ability to detect failures and to analyze their causes is one of the preconditions of truly autonomous mobile robots. Especially online failure detection is a complex task, since the effects of failures are typically difficult to model and often resemble the noisy system behavior in a fault-free operational mode. The extremely low a priori likelihood of failures poses additional challenges for detection algorithms. In this paper, we present an approach that applies Gaussian process classification and regression techniques for learning highly effective proposal distributions of a particle filter that is applied to track the state of the system. As a result, the efficiency and robustness of the state estimation process is substantially improved. In practical experiments carried out with a real robot we demonstrate that our system is capable of detecting collisions with unseen obstacles while at the same time estimating the changing point of contact with the obstacle.
Prospective Analysis of Long-term Psychosocial Outcomes in Breast Reconstruction: Two-year Postoperative Results From the Michigan Breast Reconstruction Outcomes Study

Objective:To prospectively evaluate the psychosocial outcomes and body image of patients 2 years postmastectomy reconstruction using a multicenter, multisurgeon approach. Background:Although breast reconstruction has been shown to confer significant psychosocial benefits in breast cancer patients at year 1 postreconstruction, we considered the possibility that psychosocial outcomes may remain in a state of flux for years after surgery. Methods:Patients were recruited as part of the Michigan Breast Reconstruction Outcome Study, a 12 center, 23 surgeon prospective cohort study of mastectomy reconstruction patients. Two-sided paired sample t tests were used to compare change scores for the various psychosocial subscales. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether the magnitude of the change score varied by procedure type. Results:Preoperative and postoperative year 2 surveys were received from 173 patients; 116 with immediate and 57 with delayed reconstruction. For the immediate reconstruction cohort, significant improvements were observed in all psychosocial subscales except for body image. This occurred essentially independent of procedure type. In the cohort with delayed reconstruction, significant change scores were observed only in body image. Women with transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps had significantly greater gains in body image scores (P = 0.003 and P = 0.034, respectively) when compared with expander/implants. Conclusions:General psychosocial benefits and body image gains continued to manifest at 2 years postmastectomy reconstruction. In addition, procedure type had a surprisingly limited effect on psychosocial well being. With outcomes evolving beyond year 1, these data support the need for additional longitudinal breast reconstruction outcome studies.
Frugivores and seed dispersal: mechanisms and consequences for biodiversity of a key ecological interaction

The 5th Symposium on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal, held in Montpellier (France), 13–18 June 2010, brought together more than 220 researchers exemplifying a wide diversity of approaches to the study of frugivory and dispersal of seeds. Following Ted Fleming and Alejandro Estrada's initiative in 1985, this event was a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first meeting in Veracruz, Mexico. Frugivory and seed dispersal are active research areas that have diversified in multiple directions since 1985 to include evolution (e.g. phylogenetic diversity and dispersal adaptations), physiology (e.g. sensory cues and digestion), landscape ecology (movement patterns), molecular ecology (e.g. gene flow, genetic diversity and structure), community ecology (e.g. mutualistic interaction networks) and conservation biology (effects of hunting, fragmentation, invasion and extinction), among others. This meeting provided an opportunity to assess conceptual and methodological progress, to present ever more sophisticated insights into frugivory in animals and dispersal patterns in plants, and to report the advances made in examining the mechanisms and consequences of seed dispersal for plants and frugivores.
Is sleep disturbed by vigorous late-night exercise?

PURPOSE This experiment examined the influence of prolonged, vigorous late-night exercise on sleep. METHODS Sixteen highly fit male cyclists completed each of two 60-h laboratory treatments involving a baseline night, an experimental treatment night, and a recovery night. In counterbalanced order, subjects 1) cycled for 3 h at 65-75% of heart rate reserve combined with bright light exposure (3000 lux) light, and 2) were exposed to a 3 h pulse of bright light (3000 lux) alone. RESULTS On the baseline and recovery nights, subjects maintained their usual sleep-wake schedules. On the treatment night, exercise + bright light or bright light alone were centered at 6 h before their usual wake times, followed by bedtimes 30 min after the treatments. Illumination was 3000 lux during the experimental treatments, 0 lux during the sleep periods, and 50 lux at other times. Sleep was assessed with an Actillume (Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc., Ardsley, NY) wrist monitor to define sleep onset latency (SOL), wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO), and total sleep time. Subjective assessments of SOL, WASO, and insomnia were also gathered each morning. No significant differences in objective or subjective sleep variables were found between treatments. CONCLUSIONS These data are inconsistent with the general opinion that vigorous exercise shortly before bedtime disturbs sleep.
Sun Tracking Systems: A Review

The output power produced by high-concentration solar thermal and photovoltaic systems is directly related to the amount of solar energy acquired by the system, and it is therefore necessary to track the sun's position with a high degree of accuracy. Many systems have been proposed to facilitate this task over the past 20 years. Accordingly, this paper commences by providing a high level overview of the sun tracking system field and then describes some of the more significant proposals for closed-loop and open-loop types of sun tracking systems.
Allele Copy Number and Underlying Pathology Are Associated with Subclinical Severity in Equine Type 1 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM1)

Equine type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1), a common glycogenosis associated with an R309H founder mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 gene (GYS1), shares pathological features with several human myopathies. In common with related human disorders, the pathogenesis remains unclear in particular, the marked phenotypic variability between affected animals. Given that affected animals accumulate glycogen and alpha-crystalline polysaccharide within their muscles, it is possible that physical disruption associated with the presence of this material could exacerbate the phenotype. The aim of this study was to compare the histopathological changes in horses with PSSM1, and specifically, to investigate the hypothesis that the severity of underlying pathology, (e.g. vacuolation and inclusion formation) would (1) be higher in homozygotes than heterozygotes and (2) correlate with clinical severity. Resting and post-exercise plasma creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme activity measurements and muscle pathology were assessed in matched cohorts of PSSM1 homozygotes, heterozygotes or control horses. Median (interquartile range (IR)) resting CK activities were 364 (332–764) U/L for homozygotes, 301 (222–377) U/L for heterozygotes and 260 (216–320) U/L for controls, and mean (+/− SD) AST activity for homozygotes were 502 (+/116) U/L, for heterozygotes, 357 (+/−92) U/L and for controls, 311 (+/−64) U/L and were significantly different between groups (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01 respectively). Resting plasma AST activity was significantly associated with the severity of subsarcolemmal vacuolation (rho = 0.816; P = 0.01) and cytoplasmic inclusions (rho = 0.766; P = 0.01). There were fewer type 2× and more type 2a muscle fibres in PSSM1-affected horses. Our results indicate that PSSM1 has incomplete dominance. Furthermore, the association between plasma muscle enzyme activity and severity of underlying pathology suggests that physical disruption of myofibres may contribute to the myopathic phenotype. This work provides insight into PSSM1 pathogenesis and has implications for related human glycogenoses.
Kinetics of the membrane current mediated by serotonin 5‐HT3 receptors in cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells.

1. Ionic currents mediated by serotonin 5‐HT3 receptors were studied in the mouse neuroblastoma cell line N1E‐115, using suction pipettes for intracellular perfusion and voltage clamp recording. The dependence of the kinetics of the membrane current on serotonin concentration was investigated. 2. At a holding potential of ‐70 mV application of 5‐HT (5‐hydroxytryptamine creatinine sulphate) causes a transient inward current. The i‐V curve of the peak amplitude is linear between ‐80 and 60 mV. The reversal potential is 20 +/‐ 4 mV (mean +/‐ S.D.). The kinetics of the transient ionic current are independent of the holding potential. 3. In the presence of 5‐HT the membrane current decays to a small steady‐state level with a single‐exponential time course. The time constant of decay decreases with increasing concentration of the agonist, to a minimum value of 6.5 +/‐ 1.5 s for concentrations of 5‐HT greater than or equal to 3 microM. 4. When the agonist is rapidly removed, single‐exponential decay of the ionic current is observed. The time constant of this decay in the absence of 5‐HT amounts to 6.9 +/‐ 1.5 s and is independent of the membrane potential and of the concentration of 5‐HT used. 5. In the presence of low concentrations of 5‐HT the peak amplitude of the inward current evoked with a high concentration of agonist is gradually reduced. The onset of this desensitization follows the same time course as the decay of the membrane current. In the range from 0.7 to 1.5 microM‐5‐HT both kinetic processes show the same steep concentration dependence. 6. Recovery from desensitization, measured at variable intervals after removal of the agonist, can be fitted by a single‐exponential function with a time constant of 18 +/‐ 4 s. 7. The results show that the kinetic properties of the 5‐HT3 receptor‐mediated ionic current can only be described by a complex, co‐operative model.
Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among injecting drug users in Glasgow 1990-1996: are current harm reduction strategies working?

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of HCV antibodies among injecting drug users and to gauge the effectiveness of needle/syringe exchange in preventing the transmission of HCV infection. METHODS Between 1990-1994 and in 1996, annual cross-sectional surveys of injecting drug users in Glasgow were conducted. In order to ensure as representative a sample as possible, the 1949 respondents were recruited from both 'in-treatment' and 'out-of treatment' settings. Injectors were interviewed about their risk behaviours for blood-borne viruses and provided a saliva sample which was initially tested, anonymously, for HIV antibodies, and subsequently tested for hepatitis C infection. RESULTS Among 1949 injectors, the prevalence of salivary antibodies, indicative of hepatitis C viraemia, was 61%(95%, confidence interval (CI) 59%-63%): the estimated prevalence of serum antibody positivity was 72%. Length of injecting, year of commencing drug injecting and the number of times in prison were predictive of antibody positivity. Thirty-one per cent of injectors who commenced their injecting after 1992, following the full establishment of needle/syringe exchange in the city, were salivary antibody positive, and the majority of their infections were acquired outside the prison setting. Respondents who began injecting after the introduction of needle/syringe exchange in the city were significantly less likely to test HCV antibody positive than those who commenced injecting prior to the advent of needle/syringe exchange, after adjusting for length of injecting career. CONCLUSION The prevalence of HCV among injectors in Glasgow has decreased during the era of needle/syringe exchange. However, there is evidence to suggest that the incidence of infection remains high. Since the prevalence of hepatitis C viraemia among the city's injecting population is extremely high, ongoing transmission is inevitable unless more effective interventions are identified and implemented urgently.
Odorant-Dependent Generation of Nitric Oxide in Mammalian Olfactory Sensory Neurons

The gaseous signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO) is involved in various physiological processes including regulation of blood pressure, immunocytotoxicity and neurotransmission. In the mammalian olfactory bulb (OB), NO plays a role in the formation of olfactory memory evoked by pheromones as well as conventional odorants. While NO generated by the neuronal isoform of NO synthase (nNOS) regulates neurogenesis in the olfactory epithelium, NO has not been implicated in olfactory signal transduction. We now show the expression and function of the endothelial isoform of NO synthase (eNOS) in mature olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) of adult mice. Using NO-sensitive micro electrodes, we show that stimulation liberates NO from isolated wild-type OSNs, but not from OSNs of eNOS deficient mice. Integrated electrophysiological recordings (electro-olfactograms or EOGs) from the olfactory epithelium of these mice show that NO plays a significant role in modulating adaptation. Evidence for the presence of eNOS in mature mammalian OSNs and its involvement in odorant adaptation implicates NO as an important new element involved in olfactory signal transduction. As a diffusible messenger, NO could also have additional functions related to cross adaptation, regeneration, and maintenance of MOE homeostasis.
Aberrantly Glycosylated GLUT1 as a Poor Prognosis Marker in Aggressive Bladder Cancer

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains a pressing health concern due to conventional treatment failure and significant molecular heterogeneity, hampering the development of novel targeted therapeutics. In our quest for novel targetable markers, recent glycoproteomics and bioinformatics data have pinpointed (glucose transporter 1) GLUT1 as a potential biomarker due to its increased expression in tumours compared to healthy tissues. This study explores this hypothesis in more detail, with emphasis on GLUT1 glycosylation patterns and cancer specificity. Immunohistochemistry analysis across a diverse set of human bladder tumours representing all disease stages revealed increasing GLUT1 expression with lesion severity, extending to metastasis, while remaining undetectable in healthy urothelium. In line with this, GLUT1 emerged as a marker of reduced overall survival. Revisiting nanoLC-EThcD-MS/MS data targeting immature O-glycosylation on muscle-invasive tumours identified GLUT1 as a carrier of short glycosylation associated with invasive disease. Precise glycosite mapping uncovered significant heterogeneity between patient samples, but also common glycopatterns that could provide the molecular basis for targeted solutions. Immature O-glycosylation conferred cancer specificity to GLUT1, laying the molecular groundwork for enhanced targeted therapeutics in bladder cancer. Future studies should focus on a comprehensive mapping of GLUT1 glycosites for highly specific cancer-targeted therapy development for bladder cancer.
Loss of physical independence in rheumatoid arthritis: interview data from a representative sample of patients in rheumatologic care.

OBJECTIVE The goal of the study was to obtain an estimate of the proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in rheumatologic care who are unable to live independently. It investigates the association of age, disease duration, disease activity, joint involvement, and comorbidity with dependence on help and care. In addition, we attempt to derive an estimate of the level of physical disability at which dependence on external help is to be expected in more than 50% of the cases. METHODS A sample of 273 patients with RA and considerable physical disabilities (less than 67% of full functional capacity) was drawn from the Berlin rheumatologic database. Standardized questionnaires and interview data were used to ascertain dependence on help and care. Patients were classified as in need of help when they depended on external help to manage household chores and as in need of care if beyond this they depended on assistance to manage personal hygiene and nutrition. RESULTS More than 50% of the patients who had less than 58% of full functional capacity (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ] > 1.54) required help, and for patients with less than 30% (HAQ > 2.3) the need for help was almost certain (more than 95%). Generalizing these results to all RA patients treated by rheumatologists in Berlin, 33% were expected to be dependent on external help and 7% to be dependent on care. Even in patients with disease duration < or = 5 years, a rather high expected proportion of help-dependence was found (26%). When single joints were compared, the highest amount of disability resulted from impaired wrists. Our data suggest that the contribution of comorbidity to functional impairment was low, especially in patients in need of help, while patients independent of help reported more frequently that their comorbid condition had an impact on their physical function. CONCLUSION The results support the importance of identifying high-risk patients and of the employment of a strategy of early therapeutic intervention, since a high degree of dependence on help was observed in patients with short disease duration. As help-dependence is highly influenced by the condition of the wrists, more attention should be paid to the treatment and stabilization of these joints.
Measuring Perceived Quality and Satisfaction of ERP Systems: An Empirical Study with Customers of a Brazilian Software Company

The main objective of this research is to develop a scale to measure perceived quality of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Systems. The exploratory stage of the research involved in-depth interviews and focus groups and the descriptive stage comprised a survey with 684 valid cases. The study revealed that the scales to measure quality of ERP systems were valid and reliable. A structural model was used to verify antecedents of satisfaction of ERP users, and the impact of satisfaction on loyalty of ERP customers.