Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Accuracy in Novel Mirror Drawing after Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Induced Proprioceptive Deafferentation

When performing visually guided actions under conditions of perturbed visual feedback, e.g., in a mirror or a video camera, there is a spatial conflict between visual and proprioceptive information. Recent studies have shown that subjects without proprioception avoid this conflict and show a performance benefit. In this study, we tested whether deafferentation induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve mirror tracing skills in normal subjects. Hand trajectory error during novel mirror drawing was compared across two groups of subjects that received either 1 Hz rTMS over the somatosensory cortex contralateral to the hand or sham stimulation. Mirror tracing was more accurate after rTMS than after sham stimulation. Using a position-matching task, we confirmed that rTMS reduced proprioceptive acuity and that this reduction was largest when the coil was placed at an anterior parietal site. It is thus possible, with rTMS, to enhance motor performance in tasks involving a visuoproprioceptive conflict, presumably by reducing the excitability of somatosensory cortical areas that contribute to the sense of hand position.
Non-euclidean structure of spectral color space

Color processing methods can be divided into methods based on human color vision and spectral based methods. Human vision based methods usually describe color with three parameters which are easy to interpret since they model familiar color perception processes. They share however the limitations of human color vision such as metamerism. Spectral based methods describe colors by their underlying spectra and thus do not involve human color perception. They are often used in industrial inspection and remote sensing. Most of the spectral methods employ a low dimensional (three to ten) representation of the spectra obtained from an orthogonal (usually eigenvector) expansion. While the spectral methods have solid theoretical foundation, the results obtained are often difficult to interpret. In this paper we show that for a large family of spectra the space of eigenvector coefficients has a natural cone structure. Thus we can define a natural, hyperbolic coordinate system whose coordinates are closely related to intensity, saturation and hue. The relation between the hyperbolic coordinate system and the perceptually uniform Lab color space is also shown. Defining a Fourier transform in the hyperbolic space can have applications in pattern recognition problems.
The influence of ocean currents on latitude of landfall and migration speed of sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River

We hypothesize that the interannual variability of the Northeast Pacific Ocean circulation affects the latitude of landfall and migration speed of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) returning to the Fraser River. The Ocean Surface Current Simulations (OSCURS) model was used to simulate the return migration paths of compass-orientated sockeye for two years: 1982, which had a weak Alaska Gyre circulation and low Northern Diversion Rate (defined as the percentage of sockeye returning around the north end of Vancouver Island instead of the south end); and 1983, with a strong circulation and high northern diversion rate. The majority of model sockeye made landfall further north in 1983 than in 1982. The difference in landfall between 1983 and 1982 depended on the migration start position, swim speed, direction of orientation, and migration start date. The currents assisted the shoreward migration of sockeye starting from south of 55o N and impeded the migration of sockeye starting from further north. The simulation results were consistent with our hypothesis and suggest that the effects of the Northeast Pacific currents must be included in sockeye migration models. We propose a conceptual model for the prediction of the Northern Diversion Rate that includes Blackbourn's (1987) temperature-displacement model, enhanced to include the effects of currents during the ocean phase of migration, and the use of two predictive formulas for the coastal phase of migration: the formula of Xie and Hsieh (1989) for sockeye approaching Vancouver Island directly from the ocean, and a yet-to-be-developed formula for sockeye approaching from within the Coastal Downwelling Domain directly to the north of Vancouver Island.
Is the Dipole Anomaly a major driver to record lows in Arctic summer sea ice extent?

Recent record lows of Arctic summer sea ice extent are found to be triggered by the Arctic atmospheric Dipole Anomaly (DA) pattern. This local, second–leading mode of sea–level pressure (SLP) anomaly in the Arctic produced a strong meridional wind anomaly that drove more sea ice out of the Arctic Ocean from the western to the eastern Arctic into the northern Atlantic during the summers of 1995, 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2007. In the 2007 summer, the DA also enhanced anomalous oceanic heat flux into the Arctic Ocean via Bering Strait, which accelerated bottom and lateral melting of sea ice and amplified the ice–albedo feedback. A coupled ice–ocean model was used to confirm the historical record lows of summer sea ice extent.
Mapping of the breakpoints on the short arm of chromosome 17 in neoplasms with an i(17q)

Isochromosomes are monocentric or dicentric chromosomes with homologous arms that are attached in a reverse configuration as mirror images. With an incidence of 3–4%, the i(17q) represents the most frequent isochromosome in human cancer. It is found in a variety of tumors, particularly in blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML‐BC), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and medulloblastoma (MB), and indicates a poor prognosis. To determine the breakpoints on the molecular genetic level, we analyzed 18 neoplasms (six CML, four AML, one NHL, and seven MB) with an i(17q) and two MB with a pure del(17p) applying fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones, P1‐artificial chromosome (PAC) clones, and cosmids from a well‐characterized contig covering more than 6 Mb of genomic DNA. We identified four different breakpoint cluster regions. One is located close to or within the centromere of chromosome 17 and a second in the Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT1A) region at 17(p11.2). A third breakpoint was found telomeric to the CMT1A region. The fourth, most common breakpoint was detected in MB, AML, and in CML‐BC specimens and was bordered by two adjacent cosmid clones (clones D14149 and M0140) within the Smith‐Magenis syndrome (SMS) region. These results indicate that the low copy number repeat gene clusters which are present in the CMT and SMS regions may be one of the factors for the increased instability that may trigger the formation of an i(17q). Genes Chromosomes Cancer 25:230–240, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Radiation Therapy in Management of Sporadic and Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Associated Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors

Introduction: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are highly aggressive soft tissue sarcomas in which complete surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy. However, the recurrence rate is high and few options remain for refractory or metastatic MPNST. This study examines the outcomes of adjuvant radiation therapy in MPNST in patients with and without neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and reviews the literature on use of radiation for MPNST. Methods: A retrospective review of 33 MPNST patients between 1990 and 2012 evaluated at the NIH. All diagnoses were pathologically confirmed at the NCI. Clinical presentation, treatment, and survival were analyzed. Results: Thirty-three patients were included 18 NF1-associated, 15 sporadic tumors. Tumor location included extremity (58%), trunk (36%), and head/neck (6%). Histologic grade showed 25 high-grade tumors compared to 7 low-grade tumors. Twenty patients were treated with radiation therapy (median total dose of 58.5 Gy with 1.8 Gy/fraction). A median survival of all patients was 46.5 months and 43.7% overall 5-year survival. Prognostic factors include extent of resection, tumor location, and histology grade. Radiation was not found to be a prognostic factor for overall survival. Conclusion: This study is consistent with previous studies regarding the role of radiation in the management of MPNST. Prospective evaluation of adjuvant radiation will allow to more fully define the role of radiation in MPNST.
TRM-SIoT: A scalable hybrid trust & reputation model for the social Internet of Things

The integration of social networking concepts into Internet of Things systems is a burgeoning topic of research that promises to support novel and more powerful applications. In this paper we focus on the design and implementation of a highly scalable Trust and Reputation Model for the Internet of Things based on the social approach that the COSMOS project introduces, as part of its final results. We create our model by combining popular solutions proposed for Peer-to-Peer and mobile ad-hoc networks and adapting them on the Internet of Things concept. Each Thing can compute the Trust index of another Thing based on its own experiences, while it has the capability of determining its Reputation Index either by consulting its other “friends” (Followees) or referring to the Platform, a management system used in COSMOS. The model is tested through simulations of the proposed social system, demonstrating the ability of TRM-SIoT to achieve the Social Exclusion of malicious nodes and collectives from the network, with low computational overhead and high scalability. Furthermore, due to the adaptive nature of the system, Social Reintegration of these nodes is also possible.
The ljubija geothermal field: A herald of the pangea break-up (NW Bosnia and Herzegovina)

The Ljubija ore deposits are the loci typici of siderite-barite-polysulphide deposits withinthe Inner Dinarides, Gemerides and Eastern Alps. Numerous sites of ore outcrops, smalleror larger ore bodies of mineralization, consisting of Fe carbonates, sulphides, barite andfluorite are scattered over an area of 150 square km. The half billion tons of iron ore resourcesoccur as replacement in dolostones and limestones, and as open-space fillings(veins, veinlets) in phyllites and sandstones. The genesis of the Ljubija ore deposits hasbeen explained as (i) syngenetic sedimentary-exhalative, (ii) hydrothermal-metasomatic inMiddle Triassic time or (iii) hydrothermal replacement of sedimentary carbonates in Permiantime. Basically two alternatives Variscan or Alpine metallogeny, frame the time of genesisfrom the Middle Carboniferous to the Middle Triassic. Genetic interpretation of theLjubija ore deposits required convincing arguments based on recent achievements of platetectonics. This contribution presents a set of new data on ore petrology, geochemistry, geologyand time of formation. The Ljubija ore field could justifiably be termed the „Ljubijageothermal field“, due to its areal extent and the thermal characteristics of numerous oredeposits and occurrences within the Sana-Una Palaeozoic terrain. The Ljubija geothermalfield marks the first signs of thermal instability of Pangea, revealing its breakdown along thedeep fractures and heralding incipient intracontinental rifting, the first phase of the newAlpine Wilson cycle. The research reveals novel data on the P-T-X characteristics of oreforming fluids (microthermometry, ion chromatography, Raman spectrometry), sulphur isotopes,maturity of organic matter by vitrinite reflection, and age determination by 40Ar/39Arand K-Ar methods. It adopts argumentatively all the estimated research parameters thatconstrain a justified genetic model.
Particulate matter air quality assessment using integrated surface, satellite, and meteorological products: Multiple regression approach

[1] Monitoring particulate matter air quality from spaceborne measurements is largely confined to relating columnar satellite retrievals of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) with ground measurements of PM2.5 mass concentration. However, vertical distribution of aerosols and meteorological effects such as wind speed, temperature, and humidity also play a major role in this AOT-PM2.5 relationship. In this study, using 3 years of coincident hourly PM2.5 mass concentration (PM2.5 or PM2.5), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer–derived AOT, and rapid update cycle meteorological fields, we developed multiple regression equations as function of season for 85 P.M2. 5 monitors over the southeastern United States. Our goal is to examine whether the use of meteorological fields will improve the relationship between PM2.5 and AOT. Our results indicate that there is up to threefold improvement in the correlation coefficients while using meteorological information through multiple regression methods compared to two variant regression (AOT versus PM2.5) equations. A 20–50% improvement in root-mean-square error is observed when adding temperature and boundary layer height to the AOT-PM2.5 relationship. The best agreement between AOT and PM2.5 was found during summer and in well-mixed boundary layer regimes. Since boundary layer heights are readily available from model simulations over the United States, they can be used as a good surrogate for estimating aerosol heights in conjunction with space- and ground-based lidars. These results and analysis are useful to research and operational communities that seek to improve the use of satellite information for assessing surface PM2.5.
On Demographic Change and Competitive Equilibrium in American Politics

In their seminal analysis of American elections, Stokes and Iversen (1962) demonstrated that each party’s share of the vote never strays very far or very long from a competitive equilibrium, which they define as an even partisan vote distribution. Yet, the growth in size of Latinos and Asians — two Democratic leaning groups — has put the Republican Party in a difficult position. What are the political consequences of these demographic changes? Given what we know about the existence of the competitive equilibrium, it is quite likely that the parties will adjust to demographic changes in a fashion that will maintain electoral balance. The question is what these changes might look like? In this analysis I use a set of projections to explore some ways that the party system might balance. I establish how much the Republican Party will have to increase their level of support among whites and among other groups in order to remain competitive.
Calculation and Coordination: Essays on Socialism and Transitional Political Economy

1: Why no Austrian Socialists? 1A Appendix: Is economics a moral science? Part I - The Theoretical Framework 2: Economic calculation: The Austrian contribution to political economy 3: Hayek's The Road to Serfdom revisited: Government failure in the argument against socialism 4: Coase, communism and inside the 'Black Box' of soviet-type economies Part II - History and practice of real existing socialism 5: The soviet experience with pure communism 5A Appendix: The Soviet experience with pure communism: Rejoinder to Nove 6: The political economy of Utopia: Communism in Soviet Russia, 1918-1921 7: Soviet venality: A rent-seeking model of the communist system Part III - Realism and Reform 8: Credibility, commitment and soviet economic reform 9: Perestroika and public choice: The economics of autocratic succession in a rent-seeking society 10: The reform trap in economics and politics in the former communist economies 11: Promises made and promises broken in the Russian transition 12: The Russian crisis: Perils and prospects for Post-soviet transition 13: The political infrastructure of economic development 13A Appendix: The argument applied to Post-Perestroika Russia Part IV - Political economy and the fate of economies 14: Why culture matters: economics, politics and the imprint of history 15: Concluding remarks 15A Appendix A: Economic freedom and economic growth 15B Appendix B: Economic growth and human well-being
Effectiveness and Social Validity of FBAs for Youth At-Risk or With High Incidence Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness and social validity of 44 functional behavioral assessment (FBA) studies using single case research designs (SCRDs) conducted with youth displaying challenging behaviors or had high incidence disabilities. Three effect sizes were calculated: standard mean difference (SMD), Tau-U, and improvement rate difference (IRD). Fisher’s conservative dual criterion (CDC), which is a statistical aid to visual analysis, was also applied. Social validity was assessed by using indicators described by Kazdin (2010). Effect sizes were in ranges indicating moderate to large effects. Approximately 71% of AB contrasts reflected CDC systematic change. However, only 44% of studies assessed social validity. There were no significant differences in effectiveness of interventions whether or not a functional analysis was conducted nor whether the controlling function was escape or attention. Results are discussed in terms of FBA implementation issues related to social validity and the necessity for conducting a functional analysis for these youth.
How Do People Become W.E.I.R.D.? Migration Reveals the Cultural Transmission Mechanisms Underlying Variation in Psychological Processes

Cultural psychologists have shown that people from Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic (WEIRD) countries often exhibit different psychological processing to people from less-WEIRD countries. The former exhibit more individualistic and less collectivistic social orientation, and more analytic and less holistic cognition, than non-Westerners. Yet the mechanisms responsible for maintaining this cultural variation are unclear. Immigration is an ideal ‘natural experiment’ for uncovering such mechanisms. We used a battery of psychological measures previously shown to vary cross-culturally to compare the social orientation and cognitive style of 286 residents of East London from three cultural backgrounds: (i) 1st-generation British Bangladeshi immigrants; (ii) 2nd-generation British Bangladeshis raised in the UK to Bangladeshi-raised parents; and (iii) non-migrants whose parents were born and raised in the UK. Model comparison revealed that individualism and dispositional attribution, typical of Western societies, are driven primarily by horizontal cultural transmission (e.g. via mass media), with parents and other family members having little or no effect, while collectivism, social closeness and situational attribution were driven by a mix of vertical/oblique cultural transmission (e.g. via family contact) and horizontal cultural transmission. These individual-level transmission dynamics can explain hitherto puzzling population-level phenomena, such as the partial acculturation of 2nd-generation immigrants on measures such as collectivism (due to the mix of vertical and horizontal cultural transmission), or the observation in several countries of increasing individualism (which is transmitted horizontally and therefore rapidly) despite little corresponding change in collectivism (which is transmitted partly vertically and therefore more slowly). Further consideration of cultural transmission mechanisms, in conjunction with the study of migrant communities and model comparison statistics, can shed light on the persistence of, and changes in, culturally-variable psychological processes.
The NorM Efflux Pump of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis Recognizes Antimicrobial Cationic Compounds

ABSTRACT In Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis, we identified a gene that would encode a protein highly similar to NorM of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Y. Morita et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42:1778-1782, 1998). A nonpolar insertional mutation in either the gonococcal or meningococcal norM gene resulted in increased bacterial sensitivity to compounds harboring a quaternary ammonium on an aromatic ring (e.g., ethidium bromide, acriflavine hydrochloride, 2-N-methylellipticinium, and berberine). The presence of point mutations within the −35 region of a putative norM promoter or a likely ribosome binding site resulted in an increased resistance of gonococci and meningococci to the same compounds, as well as to norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Structure-activity relationship studies with putative NorM substrates have found that a cationic moiety is essential for NorM recognition.
Lessons from a Mouse Model Characterizing Features of Vascular Cognitive Impairment with White Matter Changes

With the demographic shift in age in advanced countries inexorably set to progress in the 21st century, dementia will become one of the most important health problems worldwide. Vascular cognitive impairment is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease and is frequently responsible for the cognitive decline of the elderly. It is characterized by cerebrovascular white matter changes; thus, in order to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in white matter changes, a mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion has been developed, which involves the narrowing of the bilateral common carotid arteries with newly designed microcoils. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive summary of the achievements made with the model that shows good reproducibility of the white matter changes characterized by blood-brain barrier disruption, glial activation, oxidative stress, and oligodendrocyte loss following chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Detailed characterization of this model may help to decipher the substrates associated with impaired memory and move toward a more integrated therapy of vascular cognitive impairment.
Preprints of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods Bonn 2005/14 A Note on Budget Balance under Interim Participation Constraints: The Case of Independent Types

We provide a simple proof of the equivalence between ex ante and ex post budget balance constraints in Bayesian mechanism design with independent types when participation decisions are made at the interim stage. The result is given an interpretation in terms of efficient allocation of risk. We thank Yoram Halevy, Martin Hellwig, Mike Peters, Phil Reny and Larry Samuelson for comments and helpful discussions. The usual disclaimer applies. Both authors are grateful to the Max Planck Institute for research on Collective Goods in Bonn for its hospitality. Peter Norman thanks SSHRC for financial assistance, and Tilman Börgers thanks the ESRC for financial assistance. Department of Economics, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K, t.borgers@ucl.ac. uk. Department of Economics, University of British Columbia, 909-1873 East Mall, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z1, penorman@interchange.ubc. ca.