Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of CMOS front-end circuitry for the acquisition of biopotential signals

This paper presents the design of the front-end circuitry of a low power and low noise analog biopotential signal acquisition system. The design has been optimized for low power consumption while still achieving the gain, bandwidth and input referred noise required by this application. The design consists of three main building circuit blocks. The first stage is the instrumentation amplifier which amplifies and filters the biopotential signals and provides a gain of 13.9 dB. This stage is based on current feedback techniques and achieves a CMRR of 124 dB, while the integrated input referred noise is 2.67 μVrms. This is followed by an analog multiplexer, which allows the system to process multiple signals. The last stage is the programmble gain amplifier, which allows the overall gain to be set according to the type of biopotential signal, in the range from 13.9 dB to 73.9 dB. Each instrumentation amplifier consumes 10 μW while the programmable gain amplifier consumes 61 μW from a 2 V supply, making the design appropriate for battery operation. A standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology was used in this work.
The Foveal Confluence in Human Visual Cortex

The human visual system devotes a significant proportion of its resources to a very small part of the visual field, the fovea. Foveal vision is crucial for natural behavior and many tasks in daily life such as reading or fine motor control. Despite its significant size, this part of cortex is rarely investigated and the limited data have resulted in competing models of the layout of the foveal confluence in primate species. Specifically, how V2 and V3 converge at the central fovea is the subject of debate in primates and has remained “terra incognita” in humans. Using high-resolution fMRI (1.2 × 1.2 × 1.2 mm3) and carefully designed visual stimuli, we sought to accurately map the human foveal confluence and hence disambiguate the competing theories. We find that V1, V2, and V3 are separable right into the center of the foveal confluence, and V1 ends as a rounded wedge with an affine mapping of the foveal singularity. The adjacent V2 and, in contrast to current concepts from macaque monkey, also V3 maps form continuous bands (∼5 mm wide) around the tip of V1. This mapping results in a highly anisotropic representation of the visual field in these areas. Unexpectedly, for the centermost 0.75°, the cortical representations for both V2 and V3 are larger than that of V1, indicating that more neuronal processing power is dedicated to second-level analysis in this small but important part of the visual field.
Submodular dictionary learning for sparse coding

A greedy-based approach to learn a compact and discriminative dictionary for sparse representation is presented. We propose an objective function consisting of two components: entropy rate of a random walk on a graph and a discriminative term. Dictionary learning is achieved by finding a graph topology which maximizes the objective function. By exploiting the monotonicity and submodularity properties of the objective function and the matroid constraint, we present a highly efficient greedy-based optimization algorithm. It is more than an order of magnitude faster than several recently proposed dictionary learning approaches. Moreover, the greedy algorithm gives a near-optimal solution with a (1/2)-approximation bound. Our approach yields dictionaries having the property that feature points from the same class have very similar sparse codes. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach outperforms several recently proposed dictionary learning techniques for face, action and object category recognition.
The Impacts of Shopbots on Online Consumer Search

Online price comparison agents (shopbots) allow consumers to instantaneously receive price and other information from many online retailers. Contrary to conventional wisdom, our empirical study of the book and computer hardware categories reveals that consumers are visiting more online retailer web sites after using shopbots. This finding suggests that after searching for an item through a shopbot and receiving the price information, consumers will continue to look for other information by visiting the online retailers' web sites. We use an analytical model to show that on the one hand shopbots reduce the marginal benefit of searching additional online stores; on the other hand they reduce the cost of search. Therefore whether shopbots reduce consumer search depends on the cost of reducing per unit of risk, which is decided by a number of factors, such as marginal search costs, price dispersion and quality differentiation among stores, price and quality correlation, and consumers' relative preference for service quality.
The farnesyltransferase inhibitor R115777 reduces hypoxia and matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression in human glioma xenograft.

PURPOSE The high-grade primary brain tumors, glioblastoma, of extremely bad prognosis contain large regions of hypoxia known to be involved in the chemo- and radioresistance. We demonstrated previously that radioresistant human wild-type Ras U87 glioblastoma can be radiosensitized in vitro by the specific farnesyltransferase inhibitor R115777. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of this compound on the hypoxic status and the vascularization of this tumor. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN U87 xenografts bearing mice were treated with 100 mg/kg of R115777 b.i. d. during 4 days. Hypoxia was assessed by measuring the binding of hypoxic cell marker pentafluorinated 2-nitroimidazole. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze angiogenesis and metalloproteinase-2 expression. RESULTS We demonstrated here that R115777 treatment induced a significant oxygenation of U87 xenografts (P<0.001) associated with a decrease of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha expression. This reduction of hypoxia was not due to a decrease of tumor size after R115777 treatment. This oxygenation was associated with a change in vessel morphology and with a significant decrease of the vessel density. Moreover, R115777 treatment reduced matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression in xenografts and inhibited matrix metalloproteinase 2 activity in vitro. These data strongly suggest that R115777 could increase this tumor oxygenation at least by interacting with angiogenesis. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that R115777 treatment inhibits different pathways leading to the radioresistance of wild-type Ras expressing glioblastoma, including intrinsic radioresistance, hypoxia, and angiogenesis. These combined effects on glioblastoma underline the interest of associating R115777 with radiotherapy as a new treatment of these tumors of catastrophic prognosis.
Development of a dopaminergic system in sea urchin embryos and larvae

SUMMARY The mechanisms that regulate the organized swimming movements of sea urchin blastulae are largely unknown. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that dopamine (DA) and the Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus homolog of the dopamine receptor D1 (Hp-DRD1) were strongly co-localized in 1–2 μm diameter granules (DA/DRD1 granules). Furthermore, these granules were arranged across the entire surface of blastulae as they developed locomotory cilia before hatching, and remained evident until metamorphosis. DA/DRD1 granules were associated with the basal bodies of cilia, and were densely packed in the ciliary band by the eight-arm pluteus stage. The transcription of Hp-DRD1 was detected from the unfertilized egg stage throughout the period of larval development. Treatment with S-(–)-carbidopa, an inhibitor of aromatic-l-amino acid decarboxylase, for 20–24 h (i) from soon after insemination until the 20 h post-fertilization (20 hpf) early gastrula stage and (ii) from the 24 hpf prism larva stage until the 48 hpf pluteus stage, inhibited the formation of DA granules and decreased the swimming activity of blastulae and larvae in a dose-dependent manner. Exogenous DA rescued these deprivations. The formation of DRD1 granules was not affected. However, in 48 hpf plutei, the serotonergic nervous system (5HT-NS) developed normally. Morpholino antisense oligonucleotides directed against Hp-DRD1 inhibited the formation of DRD1 granules and the swimming of larvae, but did not disturb the formation of DA granules. Thus, the formation of DRD1 granules and DA granules occurs chronologically closely but mechanically independently and the swimming of blastulae is regulated by the dopaminergic system. In plutei, the 5HT-NS closely surrounded the ciliary bands, suggesting the functional collaboration with the dopaminergic system in larvae.
Properties of CNT reinforced: PMMA nanocomposites and PMMA treated in NH3-gaseous atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer is a common dental laboratory and clinical material attracting various applications in plastic and adhesive dentistry. In direct contact with cellular tissues, PMMA may have toxic and inflammable properties which may limit use in contact with living dental tissues. By reinforcing PMMA with carbon nanotube and dielectric Nitrogen doping (in ammonia atmosphere), it is believed that the emerging PMMA-CNT nanocomposites could have improved mechanical, chemical and biocompatible properties, improved wear and corrosion resistance, that may not be obtainable with PMMA alone. The exposure to atmospheric plasma seems to play some role in homogenisation of the composites and in increasing matrix-filler interfacial bonding, as several radicals are generated in the plasma atmosphere leading to bonding reconfiguration. Initially, we compared the DBD surface induced properties of PMMA treated in air, ammonia and chloroform atmospheres, and then the properties of the emerging PMMA-CNT nanocomposite. The resulting composite in this preliminary investigation is, however, short of complete homogenisation as evidenced from residues/particles dislodging from the materials surface following exposure to DBD. Thus, further investigation is required in order to obtain an optimal mixture for various applications. The PMMA-CNT was produced by simple sol-gel technique with ultrasonication, and the characterisation of the resulting nanocomposite was achieved by the use of Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) and optical contact angle meter.
Experimental Flux Measurements on a Network Scale

Metabolic flux is a fundamental property of living organisms. In recent years, methods for measuring metabolic flux in plants on a network scale have evolved further. One major challenge in studying flux in plants is the complexity of the plant’s metabolism. In particular, in the presence of parallel pathways in multiple cellular compartments, the core of plant central metabolism constitutes a complex network. Hence, a common problem with the reliability of the contemporary results of 13C-Metabolic Flux Analysis in plants is the substantial reduction in complexity that must be included in the simulated networks; this omission partly is due to limitations in computational simulations. Here, I discuss recent emerging strategies that will better address these shortcomings.
Differential Induction of Type I and Type III Interferons by Swine and Human Origin H1N1 Influenza A Viruses in Porcine Airway Epithelial Cells

Interferons (IFNs) have been shown to inhibit influenza A virus (IAV) replication and play an essential role in controlling viral infection. Here we studied the kinetics and magnitude of induction of type I and type III IFN transcripts by primary porcine airway epithelial cells (pAECs) in response to swine and human origin IAV. We observed that swine influenza viruses (SIV) replicate more efficiently than the human pandemic influenza A/California/2009 (pH1N1 CA/09) in pAECs. Interestingly, we also found significant difference in kinetics of IFN-β, IFN-λ1 and IFN-λ3 gene expression by these viruses. While there was delay of up to 12 hours post infection (h p.i.) in induction of IFN genes in pAECs infected with swine IAV A/Sw/Illinois/2008 (H1N1 IL/08), human pH1N1 CA/09 rapidly induced IFN-β, IFN-λ1 and IFN-λ3 gene expression as early as 4 h p.i. However, the magnitude of IFN-β and IFN-λ3 induction at 24 h p.i. was not significantly different between the viral strains tested. Additionally, we found that swine H1N1 IL/08 was less sensitive to dsRNA induced antiviral response compared to human pH1N1 CA/09. Our data suggest that the human and swine IAVs differ in their ability to induce and respond to type I and type III interferons in swine cells. Swine origin IAV may have adapted to the pig host by subverting innate antiviral responses to viral infection.
Observing end-state comfort favorable actions does not modulate action plan recall

A large corpus of work demonstrates that observing other people’s actions activates corresponding motor representations in the observer by running an internal simulation of the observed action. Recent evidence suggests that recalled action plans reflect a plan of how the observer would execute that action (based on the specific motor representation) rather than a plan of the actually observed action (based on the visual representation). This study examined whether people would recall an action plan based on a visual representation if the observed movement is biomechanically favorable for their own subsequent action. Participants performed an object manipulation task alongside a confederate. In the intra-individual task, the participant (or confederate) transported a plunger from an outer platform of fixed height to a center target platform located at different heights (home-to-target move), and then the same person transported the plunger back to the outer platform (target-back-to-home move). In the inter-individual task, the sequence was split between the two persons such that the participant (or confederate) performed the home-to-target move and the other person performed the target-back-to-home move. Importantly, the confederate always grasped the plunger at the same height. This grasp height was designated such that if participants would copy the action (i.e., grasp the object at the same height) it would place the participant’s arm in a comfortable position at the end of the target-back-to-home move (i.e., end-state comfort). Results show that participants’ grasp height was inversely related to center target height and similar regardless of direction (home-to-target vs. target-back-to-home move) and task (intra- vs. inter-individual). In addition, during the inter-individual task, participant’s target-back-to-home grasp height was correlated with their own, but not with the confederate’s grasp height during the home-to-target moves. These findings provide evidence that observing actions that are biomechanically favorable for subsequent action execution does not influence action plan recall processes.
Identification of dnaX as a High-Copy Suppressor of the Conditional Lethal and Partition Phenotypes of theparE10 Allele

ABSTRACT Termination of DNA replication, complete topological unlinking of the parental template DNA strands, partition of the daughter chromosomes, and cell division follow in an ordered and interdependent sequence during normal bacterial growth. In Escherichia coli, topoisomerase IV (Topo IV), encoded by parE andparC, is responsible for decatenation of the two newly formed chromosomes. In an effort to uncover the pathway of information flow between the macromolecular processes that describe these events, we identified dnaX, encoding the τ and γ subunits of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, as a high-copy suppressor of the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the parE10 allele. We show that suppression derives from overexpression of the γ, but not the τ, subunit of the holoenzyme and that the partition defect ofparE10 cells is nearly completely reverted at the nonpermissive temperature as well. These observations suggest a possible association between Topo IV and the replication machinery.
Review of "Secure Coding in C and C++ by Robert C. Seacord," Addison Wesley, 2006, paperback, ISBN 0-321-33572-4, 341 pp., $39.99

We propose a technique for static and dynamic slicing of UML models. For a software architecture specified using UML, we first transform the systems' architectural model into an intermediate representation which we have named Model Dependency Graph (MDG). MDG combines information available in various sequence diagrams along with the relevant information available in class diagrams into an integrated UML model. For a given slicing criterion, our slicing algorithm traverses the constructed MDG to identify the relevant model elements. Our algorithm's novelty lies in its computing a slice based on an integrated UML model as against independently processing separate UML diagrams, and determining the implicit interdependencies among the different model elements distributed across various UML Abstract Systems designers will most often design to the N-1 criterion whether the designers know they are doing so or not. Systems designed to the N-1 criterion detect, isolate and (possibly) recover from at most one fault at a time. In contrast to the N-1 criterion, systems integrators must fault isolate in the presence of multiple simultaneous faults and in the absence of user guides. The purpose of this paper is to debug the debugging process used by systems integrators. To that end this paper describes the systems integration environment, identifies factors that drive the efficiency of that effort and provides a critique of the historical roots of architectural firewalls. (If there were no firewalls everything could theoretically interfere with everything else as only the stricture of time would prevent everything from happening at once. Yet a perfect firewall would be an impossibility; a Maxwell's demon of information.) This paper penultimately provides philosophical musings, a self-reflection on meanings uncovered. As this paper has strong non-linear content an attempt has been made for textual constraint by theme:
promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques

Objective: Smartphone games that aim to alter health behaviours are common, but there is uncertainty about how to achieve this. We systematically reviewed health apps containing gaming elements analysing their embedded behaviour change techniques. Methods: Two trained researchers independently coded apps for behaviour change techniques using a standard taxonomy. We explored associations with user ratings and price. Data sources: We screened the National Health Service (NHS) Health Apps Library and all top-rated medical, health and wellness and health and fitness apps (defined by Apple and Google Play stores based on revenue and downloads). We included free and paid English language apps using ‘ gamification ’ (rewards, prizes, avatars, badges, leaderboards, competitions, levelling-up or health-related challenges). We excluded apps targeting health professionals. Results: 64 of 1680 (4%) health apps included gamification and met inclusion criteria; only 3 of these were in the NHS Library. Behaviour change categories used were: feedback and monitoring (n=60, 94% of apps), reward and threat (n=52, 81%), and goals and planning (n=52, 81%). Individual techniques were: self-monitoring of behaviour (n=55, 86%), non-specific reward (n=49, 82%), social support unspecified (n=48, 75%), non-specific incentive (n=49, 82%) and focus on past success (n=47, 73%). Median number of techniques per app was 14 (range: 5 – 22). Common combinations were: goal setting, self-monitoring, non-specific reward and non-specific incentive (n=35, 55%); goal setting, self-monitoring and focus on past success (n=33, 52%). There was no correlation between number of techniques and user ratings (p=0.07; r s =0.23) or price (p=0.45; r s =0.10). Conclusions: Few health apps currently employ gamification and there is a wide variation in the use of behaviour change techniques, which may limit potential to improve health outcomes. We found no correlation between user rating (a possible proxy for health benefits) and game content or price. Further research is required to evaluate effective behaviour change techniques and to assess clinical outcomes.
Felt and Seen Pain Evoke the Same Local Patterns of Cortical Activity in Insular and Cingulate Cortex

The discovery of regions in the human brain (e.g., insula and cingulate cortex) that activate both under direct exposure to pain and when perceiving pain in others has been interpreted as a neural signature of empathy. However, this overlap raises the question of whether it may reflect a unique distributed population of bimodal neurons or, alternatively, the activity of intermingled but independent populations. We used fMRI on 28 female volunteers and used multivariate pattern analysis techniques to probe for more fine-grain spatial representations of seen and felt pain. Using a whole-brain approach, we found that only in the anterior insula (bilaterally) the distribution of cortical activity evoked by seeing another person's hand in pain was spatially similar to that of pain felt on one's own hand. Subsequent region of interest analyses also implicated the middle insula (right hemisphere) and the middle cingulate cortex. Furthermore, for the anterior insula, the spatial distribution of activity associated with one's pain also replicates that of the perception of negative but painless stimuli. Our data show how the neural representations of aversive events affecting oneself are also recruited when the same events affect others, and provide the stronger evidence thus far of a unique distributed cortical ensemble coding for aversive events regardless of the subject who is affected.
Topological and mutational analysis of KpsM, the hydrophobic component of the ABC‐transporter involved in the export of polysialic acid in Escherichia coli K1

The 17 kb kps gene cluster of Escherichia coli K1, which encodes the information required for synthesis, assembly and translocation of the polysialic acid capsule of E. coli K1, is divided into three functional regions. Region 3 contains two genes, kpsM and kpsT, essential for the transport of capsule polymer across the cytoplasmic membrane. The hydrophobicity profile of KpsM suggests that it is an integral membrane protein while KpsT contains a consensus ATP‐binding site. KpsM and KpsT belong to the ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of membrane transporters. In this study, we investigate the topology of KpsM within the cytoplasmic membrane using β‐lactamase fusions and alkaline phosphatase sandwich fusions. Our analysis provides evidence for a model of KpsM having six membrane‐spanning regions, with the N‐ and C‐terminal domains facing the cytoplasm, and a short domain within the third periplasmic loop, which we refer to as the SV–SVI linker localizing in the membrane. Protease digestion studies are consistent with regions of KpsM exposed to the periplasmic space. In vivo cross‐linking studies provide support for dimerization of KpsM within the cytoplasmic membrane. Linker‐insertion and site‐directed mutagenesis define the N‐terminus, the first cytoplasmic loop, and the SV‐SVI linker as regions that are important for the function of KpsM in K1 polymer transport.