Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional disorganization of small-world brain networks in mild Alzheimer's Disease and amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: an EEG study using Relative Wavelet Entropy (RWE)

Previous neuroscientific findings have linked Alzheimer's Disease (AD) with less efficient information processing and brain network disorganization. However, pathological alterations of the brain networks during the preclinical phase of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) remain largely unknown. The present study aimed at comparing patterns of the detection of functional disorganization in MCI relative to Mild Dementia (MD). Participants consisted of 23 cognitively healthy adults, 17 aMCI and 24 mild AD patients who underwent electroencephalographic (EEG) data acquisition during a resting-state condition. Synchronization analysis through the Orthogonal Discrete Wavelet Transform (ODWT), and directional brain network analysis were applied on the EEG data. This computational model was performed for networks that have the same number of edges (N = 500, 600, 700, 800 edges) across all participants and groups (fixed density values). All groups exhibited a small-world (SW) brain architecture. However, we found a significant reduction in the SW brain architecture in both aMCI and MD patients relative to the group of Healthy controls. This functional disorganization was also correlated with the participant's generic cognitive status. The deterioration of the network's organization was caused mainly by deficient local information processing as quantified by the mean cluster coefficient value. Functional hubs were identified through the normalized betweenness centrality metric. Analysis of the local characteristics showed relative hub preservation even with statistically significant reduced strength. Compensatory phenomena were also evident through the formation of additional hubs on left frontal and parietal regions. Our results indicate a declined functional network organization even during the prodromal phase. Degeneration is evident even in the preclinical phase and coexists with transient network reorganization due to compensation.
Kurtosis-based criteria for adaptive blind source separation

We consider the problem of separating adaptively p synchronous user signals that are received by an m-element antenna array without the use of training sequences. We establish a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for perfect recovery of all the transmitted signals. Based on these conditions we propose optimization criteria that lead to adaptive algorithms for efficient blind source separation of non-Gaussian signals. Convergence analysis shows important global convergence properties of the proposed techniques. Combined with their low complexity, these features make the proposed algorithms good candidates for adaptive source separation.
How 'Provincial' is Your Region? Effects on Labour Productivity in Europe

This paper estimates the determinants of labour productivity in European NUTS regions during 1989-1996. Unlike previous studies, which have focussed either on local technological capabilities or on agglomeration economies, we compare three potential explanations of regional advantages: Technological capabilities (proxied by regional patents), agglomeration economies (employment density), and openness. To study the latter we use a new measure, the number of airplane passengers embarked and disembarked in the region, and found that in spite of some limitations, this is a meaningful index for the openness of the regions and possibly of other locations (e.g. cities). By using instrumental variables, we confirm existing results that patents and employment density affect labour productivity. Our novel finding is that openness affects labour productivity as well.
Primary cervical cancer screening with an HPV mRNA test: a prospective cohort study

Objectives To assess the performance of a 5-type human papillomavirus (HPV) messenger RNA (mRNA) test in primary screening within the framework of the Norwegian population-based screening programme. Design Nationwide register-based cohort study. Setting In 2003–2004, general practitioners and gynaecologists recruited 18 852 women for participation in a primary screening study with a 5-type HPV mRNA test. Participants After excluding women with a history of abnormal smears and with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2+) before or until 3 months after screening, 11 220 women aged 25–69 years were eligible for study participation. The Norwegian Cancer Registry completed follow-up of CIN2+ through 31 December 2009. Interventions Follow-up according to the algorithm for cytology outcomes in the population-based Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme. Main outcome measures We estimated cumulative incidence of CIN grade 3 or worse (CIN3+) 72 months after the 5-type HPV mRNA test. Results 3.6% of the women were HPV mRNA-positive at baseline. The overall cumulative rate of CIN3+ was 1.3% (95% CI 1.1% to 1.5%) through 72 months of follow-up, 2.3% for women aged 25–33 years (n=3277) and 0.9% for women aged 34–69 years (n=7943). Cumulative CIN3+ rates by baseline status for HPV mRNA-positive and mRNA-negative women aged 25–33 years were 22.2% (95% CI 14.5% to 29.8%) and 0.9% (95% CI 0.4% to 1.4%), respectively, and 16.6% (95% CI 10.7% to 22.5%) and 0.5% (95% CI 0.4% to 0.7%), respectively, in women aged 34–69 years. Conclusions The present cumulative incidence of CIN3+ is similar to rates reported in screening studies via HPV DNA tests. Owing to differences in biological rationale and test characteristics, there is a trade-off between sensitivity and specificity that must be balanced when decisions on HPV tests in primary screening are taken. HPV mRNA testing may be used as primary screening for women aged 25–33 years and 34–69 years.
Feature Selection Based on Genetic Algorithms for Speaker Recognition

The Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) and their derivatives are commonly used as acoustic features for speaker recognition. The issue arises of whether some of those features are redundant or dependent on other features. Probably, not all of them are equally relevant for speaker recognition. Reduced feature sets allow more robust estimates of the model parameters. Also, less computational resources are required, which is crucial for real-time speaker recognition applications using low-resource devices. In this paper, we use feature weighting as an intermediate step towards feature selection. Genetic algorithms are used to find the optimal set of weights for a 38-dimensional feature set, consisting of 12 MFCC, their first and second derivatives, energy and its first derivative. To evaluate each set of weights, speaker recognition errors are counted over a validation dataset. Speaker models are based on empirical distributions of acoustic labels, obtained through vector quantization. On average, weighting acoustic features yields between 15% and 25% error reduction in speaker recognition tests. Finally, features are sorted according to their weights, and the K features with greatest average ranks are retained and evaluated. We conclude that combining feature weighting and feature selection allows to reduce costs without degrading performance
Dropping policies for transient network traffic congestion control

This paper examines the effects of dropping policies on dropping probabilities for multi-class traffic and compares their performance and support for Quality of Service (QoS). The flexibility of these dropping policies is illustrated with respect to performance parameters and traffic characteristics. The method used for this evaluation is simulation on a model network that carries traffic of different class; realtime and bursty (non real-time) traffic. Results showed that Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) in conjunction with an appropriate queuing discipline provides better support for Quality of Service of real time applications while Tail Drop supports best effort applications.
Phosphorylation and Activation of the Plasma Membrane Na+/H+ Exchanger (NHE1) during Osmotic Cell Shrinkage

The Na+/H + Exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) is a highly versatile, broadly distributed and precisely controlled transport protein that mediates volume and pH regulation in most cell types. NHE1 phosphorylation contributes to Na+/H+ exchange activity in response to phorbol esters, growth factors or protein phosphatase inhibitors, but has not been observed during activation by osmotic cell shrinkage (OCS). We examined the role of NHE1 phosphorylation during activation by OCS, using an ideal model system, the Amphiuma tridactylum red blood cell (atRBC). Na+/H+ exchange in atRBCs is mediated by an NHE1 homolog (atNHE1) that is 79% identical to human NHE1 at the amino acid level. NHE1 activity in atRBCs is exceptionally robust in that transport activity can increase more than 2 orders of magnitude from rest to full activation. Michaelis-Menten transport kinetics indicates that either OCS or treatment with the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin-A (CLA) increase Na+ transport capacity without affecting transport affinity (Km = 44 mM) in atRBCs. CLA and OCS act non-additively to activate atNHE1, indicating convergent, phosphorylation-dependent signaling in atNHE1 activation. In situ 32P labeling and immunoprecipitation demonstrates that the net phosphorylation of atNHE1 is increased 4-fold during OCS coinciding with a more than 2-order increase in Na+ transport activity. This is the first reported evidence of increased NHE1 phosphorylation during OCS in any vertebrate cell type. Finally, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of atNHE1 immunoprecipitated from atRBC membranes reveals 9 phosphorylated serine/threonine residues, suggesting that activation of atNHE1 involves multiple phosphorylation and/or dephosphorylation events.
The sensitivity of Pavlovian to Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm to measure wanting for pleasant olfactory stimuli

In sensory and consumer science, it has long been posited that liking measurement was the best method to understand preference and food choice behaviour (De Graaf et al., 2005; Kamen, 1962; Peryam & Pilgrim, 1957; Pilgrim, 1961; Pilgrim & Kramen, 1963; Schutz, 1957). Indeed, consumers laboratory experiments showed that products with high liking score are more often chosen compared to products with low liking score (De Graaf et al., 2005). However, newly pleasant products launched on the market, are not always the mostly bought by the consumers and do not have the success expected by business department. Consequently, a question is raised: Is the most pleasant product, the one that consumers really want? In addition, is it possible to measure independently the liking level from the motivation to obtain a specific product? Currently, the approaches used in industry to evaluate liking (and more globally the other emotions elicited by products) have their origin in clinical and academic psychology research (Cardello & Jaeger, 2016). A well-established theoretical framework to study liking and motivation is the Incentive Salience Theory (IST). The IST posits that the pursuit of a positive outcome (reward) depends on three distinct components: the motivation to obtain it (wanting), the pleasure felt during the consumption of it (liking), and the automatic associations and/or cognitive representations of the reward (learning). Animal studies have allowed measuring independently these components. Recently, based on animal methodology, a multitude of methods have been developed to measure the components of reward system in human. However, investigation of these components in human is more complex, mainly because more facets of the same components are presented in human and because human are able to fake a lot of behaviours. A promising method to be used in industrial setting to investigate consumer motivation, is the Pavlovian to Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm. In fundamental research, this procedure provides a pure measure of the effort engaged to obtain a reward (“wanting”) independently of liking level felt during consumption of it and without asking explicitly cognitive desires motivating participant to obtain a reward. This thesis sought to (i) examine the sensitivity of the PIT procedure to measure “wanting” when two olfactory pleasant stimuli are simultaneously used, (ii) test the PIT procedure according to the physiological state of the participant and (iii) experimentally dissociate “wanting” from liking according to the needs of the participant. Finally, this thesis tried to bring evidence to conclude whether PIT could be used as a practical tool in industrial setting.
Design of the Secondary Optical Elements for Concentrated Photovoltaic Units with Fresnel Lenses

The goal of this presented study was to determine the optimum parameters of secondary optical elements (SOEs) for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) units with flat Fresnel lenses. Three types of SOEs are under consideration in the design process, including kaleidoscope with equal optical path design (KOD), kaleidoscope with flat top surface (KFTS), and open-truncated tetrahedral pyramid with specular walls (SP). The function of using a SOE with a Fresnel lens in a CPV unit is to achieve high optical efficiency, low sensitivity to the sun tracking error, and improved uniformity of irradiance distribution on the solar cell. Ray tracing technique was developed to simulate the optical characteristics of the CPV unit with various design parameters of each type of SOE. Finally, an optimum KOD-type SOE was determined by parametric design process. The resulting optical performance of the CPV unit with the optimum SOE was evaluated in both single-wavelength and broadband simulation of solar spectrum.
High-Flux Hemodialysis and High-Volume Hemodiafiltration Improve Serum Calcification Propensity

Background Calciprotein particles (CPPs) may play an important role in the calcification process. The calcification propensity of serum (T50) is highly predictive of all-cause mortality in chronic kidney disease patients. Whether T50 is therapeutically improvable, by high-flux hemodialysis (HD) or hemodiafiltration (HDF), has not been studied yet. Methods We designed a cross-sectional single center study, and included stable prevalent in-center dialysis patients on HD or HDF. Patients were divided into two groups based on dialysis modality, were on a thrice-weekly schedule, had a dialysis vintage of > 3 months and vascular access providing a blood flow rate > 300 ml/min. Calcification propensity of serum was measured by the time of transformation from primary to secondary CPP (T50 test), by time-resolved nephelometry. Results We included 64 patients, mean convective volume was 21.7L (SD 3.3L). In the pooled analysis, T50 levels increased in both the HD and HDF group with pre- and post-dialysis (mean (SD)) of 244(64) - 301(57) and 253(55) - 304(61) min respectively (P = 0.43(HD vs. HDF)). The mean increase in T50 was 26.29% for HD and 21.97% for HDF patients (P = 0.61 (HD vs. HDF)). The delta values (Δ) of calcium, phosphate and serum albumin were equal in both groups. Baseline T50 was negatively correlated with phosphate, and positively correlated with serum magnesium and fetuin-A. The ΔT50 was mostly influenced by Δ phosphate (r = -0.342; P = 0.002 HD and r = -0.396; P<0.001 HDF) in both groups. Conclusions HD and HDF patients present with same baseline T50 calcification propensity values pre-dialysis. Calcification propensity is significantly improved during both HD and HDF sessions without significant differences between both modalities.
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: A Systematic Review

In the recent years minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has become a well-established and increasingly used option for managing patients with a mitral valve pathology. Nonetheless, whether the purported benefits of MIMVS translate into clinically important outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, in this paper we provide an overview of MIMVS and discuss results, morbidity, mortality, and quality of life following mitral minimally invasive procedures. MIMVS has been proven to be a feasible alternative to the conventional full sternotomy approach with low perioperative morbidity and short-term mortality. Reported benefits of MIMVS include also decreased postoperative pain, improved postoperative respiratory function, reduced surgical trauma, and greater patient satisfaction. Finally, compared to standard surgery, MIMVS demonstrated comparable efficacy across a range of long-term efficacy measures such as freedom from reoperation and long-term survival.
Mifepristone for treatment of uterine leiomyoma. A prospective randomized placebo controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Uterine leiomyomas are widely prevalent and frequently cause menorrhagia. The major therapeutic option today is hysterectomy. Medical options are of highest interest. METHODS A total of 30 women with uterine leiomyomas scheduled for surgical intervention were randomized to receive either 50 mg mifepristone or placebo every other day during 3 months prior to surgery. Uterine blood flow and leiomyoma volume were evaluated once a month until surgery. Endometrial biopsies were obtained prior to and at end of treatment. Relevant biochemistry, symptoms and bleeding were recorded. Primary outcome was reduction in uterine leiomyoma size. RESULTS There was a significant percentual decrease (P = 0.021) in the total leiomyoma volume in the mifepristone-treated group, -28 (-48, -8) % (mean +/- 0, 95 confidence interval), compared with the control group values 6 (-13, 25) %. Mifepristone treatment significantly reduced the bleeding days (P = 0.001) and increased serum haemoglobin values (P = 0.046). Serum cortisol levels remained unchanged, while a mild increase in serum androgens was noted. Endometrial biopsies showed no premalignant changes or changes in mitotic indices. CONCLUSION Mifepristone may offer an effective treatment option for women with uterine leiomyoma and the associated pronounced uterovaginal bleeding. Clinical Trials identifier: www.clinicaltrials. gov: NCT00579475.
Copper levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

INTRODUCTION Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune-based disease of the connective tissue with still unknown etiology. Numerous studies have indicated the association between Copper (Cu) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) concentrations and pathogenesis of RA. OBJECTIVE To compare the concentrations of Cu and Cp in different biological samples and their correlation with the inflammatory process, between a group of patients with RA and a control group of healthy individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study enrolled 74 Caucasian patients (20 men and 54 women), aged 29-50 (mean age 39.8±6.1 years) diagnosed with RA. The control group consisted of 30 healthy Caucasian individuals. Copper levels were assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. RESULTS Among RA patients the mean Cu level was significantly higher in serum and hair compartments and significantly lower in erythrocytes, compared with the control group (p<0.01). The Cp concentration was also higher in serum of RA patients (p<0.001). A statistically significant, positive correlation between the Cp serum concentration and the ESR values (r(s)=0.38; p<0.007) was found. No significant influence of pharmaceutical treatment (methotrexate, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, calcium, vitamin D3 and sulphasalazine) on serum Cu was found. CONCLUSIONS It seems that the 'copper status' in patients with RA, based on the measurement of Cu and Cp levels in blood serum is correlated with presence of the inflammatory process. The hair could serve as a useful, additional diagnostic material. Some other factors, different from the applied treatment, can probably influence the Cu levels in patients with RA.
Impact of Secondary Eyewall Heating on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Change

Abstract The primary goal of this study is to explore the factors that might influence the intensity change of tropical cyclones (TCs) associated with secondary eyewall replacement. Concentric eyewall structures in TCs with and without large intensity weakening are compared using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 2A12 and 2A25 data. It is found that the secondary eyewalls with a stratiform-type heating profile show a marked weakening, while those TCs with a convective-type heating weaken insignificantly or even intensify. This observed feature is supported by a set of sensitivity numerical experiments performed with the Weather Research and Forecasting model. With more active convection, the latent heat released in the outer eyewall and moat region can better sustain storm intensity. The prevailing stratiform precipitation results in low equivalent potential temperature air in the moat and reduces the entropy of the boundary layer inflow to the inner eyewall through persistent downdrafts, lea.
First report of Neoechinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from marine fish of the eastern seaboard of Vietnam, with the description of six new species

The occurrence of acanthocephalans of the genus Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1905 in Vietnamese waters is reported for the first time. Six new species are described from seven species of marine fish of the families Belonidae, Clupeidae, Megalopidae, Mugilidae, and Sciaenidae, collected in Halong Bay of the eastern seaboard of Vietnam in 2008 and 2009. These are Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) plaquensis n. sp. characterized by dermal plaques covering the entire trunk; Neoechinorhynchus manubriensis n. sp. with very long anterior proboscis hooks having roots with prominent anterior manubria and very small and equal middle and posterior hooks, two pseudoretractors in the receptacle, simple vagina, and terminal gonopore; Neoechinorhynchus pennahia n. sp. with equal anterior and middle proboscis and somewhat smaller posterior hooks, and terminal female gonopore; Neoechinorhynchus ampullata with many giant nuclei in the body wall and lemnisci and a parareceptacle structure complex which includes pumping ampullas reported for the first time; Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) longinucleatus n. sp. with very long giant nuclei in the Lemnisci, anteriorly twisted vagina, and subterminal female gonopore. Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) ascus n. sp. is the second species of Neoechinorhynchus found with the parareceptacle structure/ampulla complex. Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) johnii Yamaguti, 1929 of Bilqees, 1972 is not N. johnii because of proboscis armature and other discrepancies with the Yamaguti material. Notes on host distribution and feeding habits are also included.
Geodesic Discrete Global Grid Systems

In recent years, a number of data structures for global geo-referenced data sets have been proposed based on regular, multi-resolution partitions of polyhedra. We present a survey of the most promising of such systems, which we call Geodesic Discrete Global Grid Systems (Geodesic DGGSs). We show that Geodesic DGGS alternatives can be constructed by specifying five substantially independent design choices: a base regular polyhedron, a fixed orientation of the base regular polyhedron relative to the Earth, a hierarchical spatial partitioning method defined symmetrically on a face (or set of faces) of the base regular polyhedron, a method for transforming that planar partition to the corresponding spherical/ellipsoidal surface, and a method for assigning point representations to grid cells. The majority of systems surveyed are based on the icosahedron, use an aperture 4 triangle or hexagon partition, and are either created directly on the surface of the sphere or by using an equal-area transformation. An examination of the design choice options leads us to the construction of the Icosahedral Snyder Equal Area aperture 3 Hexagon (ISEA3H) Geodesic DGGS.