Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anatomical and functional plasticity in early blind individuals and the mixture of experts architecture

As described elsewhere in this special issue, recent advances in neuroimaging over the last decade have led to a rapid expansion in our knowledge of anatomical and functional correlations within the normal and abnormal human brain. Here, we review how early blindness has been used as a model system for examining the role of visual experience in the development of anatomical connections and functional responses. We discuss how lack of power in group comparisons may provide a potential explanation for why extensive anatomical changes in cortico-cortical connectivity are not observed. Finally we suggest a framework—cortical specialization via hierarchical mixtures of experts—which offers some promise in reconciling a wide range of functional and anatomical data.
Medium of Exchange Matters

Organized groups face a fundamental problem of how to distribute resources fairly. We found people view it as less fair to distribute resources equally when the allocated resource invokes the market by being a medium of exchange than when the allocated resource is a good that holds value in use. These differences in fairness can be attributed to being a medium of exchange, and not to other essential properties of money (i.e., being a unit of account or a store of value). These findings suggest that egalitarian outcomes have a greater likelihood of being accepted as fair when the resources being distributed take the form of in-kind goods rather than of cash transfers.
Chinese Herbal Medicine Bushen Qinggan Formula for Blood Pressure Variability and Endothelial Injury in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial

Background. Blood pressure variability (BPV) independent of average blood pressure is related to cardiovascular damage. Meanwhile, BPV is also associated with measures of endothelial injury. Decoction, a traditional used form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is inconvenient to prepare, carry, and store. Dispensing granules is now developing as an alternative to decoction, but the evidence supporting its clinical efficacy the same as decoction remains unclear. Objective. To examine the therapeutic effects on mean blood pressure (MBP), blood pressure variability, and endothelial function by giving Bushen Qinggan Formula, a compound Chinese Herbal Medicine and also to evaluate the difference in efficacy between decoction and granule. Methods. A total of 150 patients with hypertension were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive the placebo, Bushen Qinggan decoction, or Bushen Qinggan granule in addition to the standard medications (amlodipine-5 mg/d) for the treatment of essential hypertension (EH). The outcome was the reduction in the MBP and BPV and also included changes in the endothelial markers including endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) after 8 weeks of treatment. Results. Compared with the control group, the Bushen Qinggan decoction and granule groups had significant improvement (P < 0.01) in BPV and endothelial founction. The level of BPV and endothelial function between decoction and granule group had no significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Based on the standard treatment, Bushen Qinggan Formula further improved BPV and endothelial function. The efficacy of Bushen Qinggan decoction and granule is similar in improving BPV and endothelial function. However, no significant antihypertensive effects could be demonstrated.
Effect of Patterned Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation on Vertical Jump in Collegiate Athletes

Background: Patterned electrical neuromuscular stimulation (PENS) uses the electrical stimulation of sensory and motor nerves to achieve a skeletal muscle contraction using an electromyogram-derived functional pattern. PENS is used extensively for neuromuscular reeducation and treatment of muscle disuse atrophy. Purpose: To explore the effectiveness of PENS as applied to the quadriceps muscles on the vertical jump of an athletic population. Study Design: Experimental with control and repeated measures over time. Methods: Healthy college athletes (54 women, 75 men) were divided into 3 groups (control, n = 30; jump, n = 33; and jump with PENS, n = 63). There was no difference among groups’ height and weight. Athletes performed a baseline standing vertical jump using a vertical jump system. The control group continued its normal daily activities with no jumping tasks included. The jump groups performed 3 sets of 12 repetitions with a 2-minute rest between sets at a frequency of 3 times per week. The PENS group did the jumping with the coordination of an electrical stimulation system. Vertical jump was retested after 6 weeks of intervention and 2 weeks after cessation. Results: A 3-way repeated measures analysis of variance for time (control, jump alone, jump with PENS) revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) for time and an interaction between time and treatment, as well as a significant difference for the PENS group from baseline to posttest and for the jump group from posttest to follow-up jump. There was no significant difference between groups for the baseline vertical jump. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that 6 weeks of vertical jump training coordinated with PENS resulted in a greater increase than jumping only or control. This pattern of stimulation with PENS in combination with jump training may positively affect jumping.
Bankruptcy Sells Stocks… But Who's Buying (and Why)?

Firms that file for Chapter 11 are actively traded. This paper investigates who trades these bankrupt firms and why. We also examine the potential pricing impact of this active trading. We find that the unique lottery-like characteristics of bankrupt firms make them attractive to a particular retail investor clientele who uses them to gamble in the market. Such gambling-motivated trading generates an average annual abnormal return of −28% following the bankruptcy filing date, but arbitrageurs do not fully exploit this mispricing. Overall, the combination of gambling-motivated retail trading and limits to arbitrage generate the anomalous market underreaction we document.
Abundances of Cu and Zn in metal-poor stars: Clues for Galaxy evolution

We present new observations of copper and zinc abundances in 90 metal-poor stars, belonging to the metallicity range −3 100). The trend of Cu and Zn abundances as a function of the metallicity (Fe/H) is discussed and compared to that of other heavy elements beyond iron. We also estimate spatial velocities and galactic orbital parameters for our target stars in order to disentangle the population of disk stars from that of halo stars using kinematic criteria. In the absence of a firm a priori knowledge of the nucleosynthesis mechanisms controlling Cu and Zn production, and of the relative stellar sites, we derive constraints on these last from the trend of the observed ratios (Cu/Fe) and (Zn/Fe) throughout the history of the Galaxy, as well as from a few well established properties of basic nucleosynthesis processes in stars. We thus confirm that the production of Cu and Zn requires a number of different sources (neutron captures in massive stars, s-processing in low and intermediate mass stars, explosive nucleosynthesis in various supernova types). We also attempt a ranking of the relative roles played by different production mechanisms, and verify these hints through a simple estimate of the galactic enrichment in Cu and Zn. In agreement with suggestions presented earlier, we find evidence that type Ia Supernovae must play a relevant role, especially for the production of Cu.
Optimal Discipline in Donor-Recipient Relationships -Reframing the Aid Effectiveness Debate

Increased attention to the issue of aid effectiveness has sparked a flurry of empirical studies attempting to measure the macro-level impact of aid flows on the performances of developing countries. These studies yield ambiguous and even contradictory results and one possible source of confusion is the fact that they are not grounded in solid theorizing. This paper tries to remedy this lacuna by proposing a principal-agent model in which the donor monitors the use of aid and metes out sanctions in the event of fraud detection. Its most original feature lies in the assumed comparability between internal (domestic) and external (donor-imposed) disciplines and the resulting possibility of studying the behaviour of aggregate discipline. We show that, contrary to intuition, an (exogenous) improvement of domestic discipline may be over-compensated by the donor so that total discipline actually decreases and elite capture paradoxically increases. This implies that the relationship between domestic and total disciplines may be non-monotonous. We highlight the crucial role of the shape of the cost functions to obtain not only the above paradox but also corner solutions in which the donor optimally chooses to refrain from imposing any external discipline. The central lesson to draw from the whole exercise is therefore that no simple general testable prediction can be inferred from economic theory regarding the impact of aid on the donors' objective even when the quality of domestic governance or the policy environment is considered.
Advanced small cell carcinoma of the bladder: clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes in 960 patients and comparison with urothelial carcinoma

To describe the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes in advanced small cell bladder cancer (aSCBC) patients and compare to those with urothelial carcinoma (UC). Individuals in the National Cancer Data Base with a diagnosis of either nodal (TxN+M0) or distant metastatic (TxNxM1) disease were identified from 1998 to 2010. We assessed the relationships between stage, treatment modalities and survival in the aSCBC cohort and compared these to UC patients. In the 960 patient aSCBC cohort (62% M1), 50% received palliative therapy alone, 68% in M1 versus 21% in M0 groups (P < 0.0001). Single modality local therapy (15%) and surgical (21%) or radiation‐based (14%) multimodal therapy (MMT) were used in the other 50%. Cystectomy‐based MMT was utilized in 45% of N+M0 versus 6.4% of NxM1 patients (P < 0.0001). Median overall survival (OS) for aSCBC patients was 8.6 months; 13.0 months in N+M0 versus 5.3 months in NxM1 patients (P < 0.0001). Survival was similar between TxN1M0 and TxN2‐3M0 patients (14.8 months vs. 12.1 months, P = 0.15). Urothelial carcinoma patients (n = 27,796, 45% M1) lived longer compared to aSCBC patients in the N+M0 group (17.3 months vs. 13.0 months, P = 0.0007). There were not clinically significant differences in OS between UC and aSCBC patients in the M1 group. Advanced SCBC is a rare disease with a poor survival and palliative therapy is common, especially in M1 patients. In comparison to UC, the outcomes for aSCBC patients are worse in those with lymph node only involvement but similar in those with distant disease.
Antibodies to variant surface antigens of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes are associated with protection from treatment failure and the development of anemia in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND In pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM), Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) express variant surface antigens (VSA-PAM) that evade existing immunity and mediate placental sequestration. Antibodies to VSA-PAM develop with gravidity and block placental adhesion or opsonize IEs for phagocytic clearance, helping to prevent maternal anemia and low birth weight in infants. METHODS Using serum samples from 141 pregnant Malawian women with parasitemia enrolled in a randomized trial of antimalarials and VSA-PAM-expressing CS2 IEs, we quantified levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) G to VSA-PAM by flow cytometry and levels of opsonizing antibodies by measuring uptake of IEs by THP1 promonocytes. RESULTS After controlling for gravidity and antimalarial treatment, higher levels of IgG to VSA-PAM were associated with decreased anemia at delivery (odds ratio [OR], 0.66 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.46-0.93]; P = .018) and were weakly associated with decreased parasitological failure (OR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.60-1.03]; P = .075), especially reinfection (OR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.53-1.01]; P = .057). Higher levels of opsonizing antibodies to CS2 IEs were associated with less maternal anemia (OR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.13-0.74]; P = .008) and treatment failure (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.25-0.90]; P = .023), primarily because of recrudescent infection (OR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.21-1.12]; P = .089). CONCLUSION Higher levels of both IgG antibodies to VSA-PAM and opsonizing antibodies, a functional measure of immunity, correlate with parasite clearance and less anemia in pregnancy malaria.
Species specificity of an enzyme determined by an erythrocyte nucleus in an interspecific hybrid cell.

SUMMARY When a chick erythrocyte nucleus is introduced into the cytoplasm of a mutant mouse cell lacking inosinic acid pyrophosphorylase, synthesis of the enzyme is induced. The enzyme induced in this way has the characteristics of chick, not mouse, inosinic acid pyrophosphorylase.
Is a Sense of Community Vital to Interagency Coordination? (Interagency Paper, Number 3, January 2011)

Abstract : As the nation develops its strategy to deepen and improve broader interagency coordination (i.e., coordination among the various civilian agencies as well as with the military establishment), it needs to consider, and if possible determine, whether a shared sense of community (SOC) will advance or be a critical factor in such coordination. As a first step in making such a determination, research for this paper focused on measuring the current level of the SOC between Department of Defense officers and other government agencies. The paper serves two purposes. First, it attempts to measure the SOC that military officers have regarding the three groups with which they work: Members of their own service, Members of other military services, and Members of other (nonmilitary) agencies. Second, the paper attempts to determine the relationship between military officers' SOC and their perception of the efficacy and importance of the different communities in addressing complex problems. In addition, research for this paper also attempted to determine if certain experiences affected the officers' perceptions. To measure the SOC among groups and the relation of SOC to officers' perceptions, the author queried and surveyed 208 military officers. The officers were divided into three groups, and each was asked to answer 25 questions to determine his or her SOC toward only one particular community, i.e., his or her own service, the joint military community, or the interagency community. Each officer was then asked to answer an additional seven questions on deployments and his or her interactions with and opinions of nonmilitary agencies. Lastly, each officer was asked to anonymously answer five questions to identify his/her service, years of duty, active (or not) status, gender, and rank.
Comments on the Fayet-Iliopoulos term in field theory and supergravity

A careful analysis of the Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) model shows that its energy momentum tensor and supersymmetry current are not gauge invariant. Since the corresponding charges are gauge invariant, the model is consistent. However, our observation about the currents gives a new perspective on its restrictive renormalization group flow and explains why FI-terms never appear in dynamical supersymmetry breaking. This lack of gauge invariance is at the root of the complications of coupling the model to supergravity. We show that this is possible only if the full supergravity theory (including all higher derivative corrections) has an additional exact continuous global symmetry. A consistent quantum gravity theory cannot have such symmetries and hence FI-terms cannot appear. Our results have consequences for various models of particle physics and cosmology.
Absorptive Capacity in Technological Learning in Clean Development Mechanism Projects

Technology transfer in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects of the Kyoto Protocol has become one of the important issues addressed both in policy agenda and by academic scholars. In many CDM project host countries, technology transfer is among the key provisions of sustainable development objectives of the CDM projects. This study is an effort to investigate CDM projects' related technology transfer process from the organizational learning perspective. The prerequisite for successful technology transfer and organizational technological learning is to foster technological capabilities (TC) of an organization. In this study we used data from our survey of the CDM project host organizations in four largest CDM host countries India, Brazil, Mexico and China. We assessed TC building progress and studied various characteristics of the organizations. The present paper focuses on absorptive capacity related determinants of technological capability building in the CDM projects. Absorptive capacity is a multidimensional concept thus we investigated the effect of the dimensions such as prior knowledge, personnel qualification, and training efforts. A strong positive association was established between prior knowledge and TC building; and less for qualification variable. Besides we proved a curvilinear relationship between prior knowledge and TC building outcomes.
Efficient Computation of the Worst-Delay Corner

Timing analysis and verification is a critical stage in digital integrated circuit design. As feature sizes decrease to nanometer scale, the impact of process parameter variations in circuit performance becomes extremely relevant. Even though several statistical timing analysis techniques have recently been proposed, as a form of incorporating variability effects in traditional static timing analysis, corner analysis still is the current timing signoff methodology for any industrial design. Since it is impossible to analyze a design for all the process corners, due to the exponential size of the corner space, the design is usually analyzed for a set of carefully chosen corners, that are expected to cover all the worst-case scenarios. However, there is no established systematic methodology for picking the right worst-case corners, and this task usually relies on the experience of design and process engineers, many times leading to over design. This paper proposes an efficient automated methodology for computing the worst-delay process corners of a digital integrated circuit, given a linear parametric characterization of the gate and interconnect delays
Phencyclidine Disrupts the Auditory Steady State Response in Rats

The Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR) in the electroencephalogram (EEG) is usually reduced in schizophrenia (SZ), particularly to 40 Hz stimulation. The gamma frequency ASSR deficit has been attributed to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction. We tested whether the NMDAR antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP), produced similar ASSR deficits in rats. EEG was recorded from awake rats via intracranial electrodes overlaying the auditory cortex and at the vertex of the skull. ASSRs to click trains were recorded at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 55 Hz and measured by ASSR Mean Power (MP) and Phase Locking Factor (PLF). In Experiment 1, the effect of different subcutaneous doses of PCP (1.0, 2.5 and 4.0 mg/kg) on the ASSR in 12 rats was assessed. In Experiment 2, ASSRs were compared in PCP treated rats and control rats at baseline, after acute injection (5 mg/kg), following two weeks of subchronic, continuous administration (5 mg/kg/day), and one week after drug cessation. Acute administration of PCP increased PLF and MP at frequencies of stimulation below 50 Hz, and decreased responses at higher frequencies at the auditory cortex site. Acute administration had a less pronounced effect at the vertex site, with a reduction of either PLF or MP observed at frequencies above 20 Hz. Acute effects increased in magnitude with higher doses of PCP. Consistent effects were not observed after subchronic PCP administration. These data indicate that acute administration of PCP, a NMDAR antagonist, produces an increase in ASSR synchrony and power at low frequencies of stimulation and a reduction of high frequency (> 40 Hz) ASSR activity in rats. Subchronic, continuous administration of PCP, on the other hand, has little impact on ASSRs. Thus, while ASSRs are highly sensitive to NMDAR antagonists, their translational utility as a cross-species biomarker for NMDAR hypofunction in SZ and other disorders may be dependent on dose and schedule.
Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after Termination of Pregnancy and Reproductive Loss: A Systematic Review

Objective. The aims of this systematic review were to integrate the research on posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after termination of pregnancy (TOP), miscarriage, perinatal death, stillbirth, neonatal death, and failed in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Methods. Electronic databases (AMED, British Nursing Index, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, PubMEd, ScienceDirect) were searched for articles using PRISMA guidelines. Results. Data from 48 studies were included. Quality of the research was generally good. PTS/PTSD has been investigated in TOP and miscarriage more than perinatal loss, stillbirth, and neonatal death. In all reproductive losses and TOPs, the prevalence of PTS was greater than PTSD, both decreased over time, and longer gestational age is associated with higher levels of PTS/PTSD. Women have generally reported more PTS or PTSD than men. Sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., younger age, lower education, and history of previous traumas or mental health problems) and psychsocial factors influence PTS and PTSD after TOP and reproductive loss. Conclusions. This systematic review is the first to investigate PTS/PTSD after reproductive loss. Patients with advanced pregnancies, a history of previous traumas, mental health problems, and adverse psychosocial profiles should be considered as high risk for developing PTS or PTSD following reproductive loss.
Power consumption improvement with residue code for fault tolerance on SRAM FPGA

The reliability of new SRAM FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) devices, which are the first components launched for each new generation of transistor, is difficult to estimate. Their increasing use on electronic boards in both terrestrial and space applications necessitates the development of fault tolerant techniques in the wake of growing soft error rates (SER). In this article, In this article, a concurrent error detection and correction scheme using residue codes is proposed and designed. The results express the gain for power consumption and circuit area compared for other solutions for fault detection or fault correction.