Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Going AWOL in the Brain: Mind Wandering Reduces Cortical Analysis of External Events

Converging evidence from neuroscience suggests that our attention to the outside world waxes and wanes over time. We examined whether these periods of mind wandering are associated with reduced cortical analysis of the external environment. Participants performed a sustained attention to response task in which they responded to frequent nontargets (digits 09) and withheld responses for infrequent targets (the letter X). Mind wandering was defined both behaviorally, indicated by a failure to withhold a response to a target, and subjectively, via self-report at a thought probe. The P300 event-related potential component for nontargets was reduced prior to both the behavioral and subjective reports of mind wandering, relative to periods of being on-task. Regression analysis of P300 amplitude revealed significant common variance between behavioral and subjective markers of mind wandering, suggesting that both markers reflect a common underlying mental state. Finally, control analysis revealed that the effect of mind wandering on the P300 could not be ascribed to changes in motor activity nor was it associated with general arousal. Our data suggest that when trying to engage attention in a sustained manner, the mind will naturally ebb and flow in the depth of cognitive analysis it applies to events in the external environment.
Neonatal bisphenol A exposure induces meiotic arrest and apoptosis of spermatogenic cells

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used industrial plasticizer, which is ubiquitously present in the environment and organisms. As an endocrine disruptor, BPA has caused significant concerns regarding its interference with reproductive function. However, little is known about the impact of BPA exposure on early testicular development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of neonatal BPA exposure on the first wave of spermatogenesis. Newborn male mice were subcutaneously injected with BPA (0.01, 0.1 and 5 mg/kg body weight) daily from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 21. Histological analysis of testes at PND 22 revealed that BPA-treated testes contained mostly spermatogonia and spermatocytes with markedly less round spermatids, indicating signs of meiotic arrest. Terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay showed that BPA treatment significantly increased the number of apoptotic germ cells per tubule, which corroborated the observation of meiotic arrest. In addition, BPA caused abnormal proliferation of germ cells as revealed by Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemical staining. Mechanistically, BPA-treated testes displayed a complete lack of BOULE expression, which is a conserved key regulator for spermatogenesis. Moreover, BPA significantly increased the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) α and β in the developing testis. The present study demonstrated that neonatal BPA exposure disrupted meiosis progression during the first wave of spermatogenesis, which may be, at least in part, due to inhibition of BOULE expression and/or up-regulation of ERα/β expression in BPA-exposed developing testis.
Mathematical Model for Predicting the Growth Probability of Staphylococcus aureus in Combinations of NaCl and NaNO2 under Aerobic or Evacuated Storage Conditions

The objective of this study was to describe the growth patterns of Staphylococcus aureus in combinations of NaCl and NaNO2, using a probabilistic model. A mixture of S. aureus strains (NCCP10826, ATCC13565, ATCC14458, ATCC23235, and ATCC27664) was inoculated into nutrient broth plus NaCl (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75%) and NaNO2 (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, and 120 ppm). The samples were then incubated at 4, 7, 10, 12 and 15℃ for up to 60 d under aerobic or vacuum conditions. Growth responses [growth (1) or no growth (0)] were then determined every 24 h by turbidity, and analyzed to select significant parameters (p<0.05) by a stepwise selection method, resulting in a probabilistic model. The developed models were then validated with observed growth responses. S. aureus growth was observed only under aerobic storage at 10-15℃. At 10-15℃, NaCl and NaNO2 did not inhibit S. aureus growth at less than 1.25% NaCl. Concentration dependency was observed for NaCl at more than 1.25%, but not for NaNO2. The concordance percentage between observed and predicted growth data was approximately 93.86%. This result indicates that S. aureus growth can be inhibited in vacuum packaging and even aerobic storage below 10℃. Furthermore, NaNO2 does not effectively inhibit S. aureus growth.
Measuring Internal Supply Chain Integration

Internal supply chain refers to the chain of activities within a company that concludes with providing a product to the customer. This process involves multiple functions within companies – sales, production, and distribution. It is obvious that these functions need to be integrated in order to provide good customer service. However, there is no consensus yet on how integration is to be defined and measured. This paper presents research that was conducted with the goal of developing an instrument for the measurement of internal supply chain integration. Scale items were identified from current literature and the resulting survey instrument was sent out to a sample of New Zealand manufacturers. Statistical analysis was conducted to validate the instrument. We also identified three dimensions of integration labelled coordination, communication, and affective relationship. This paper makes a contribution towards developing a consensus in the understanding and measurement of the integration construct.
FINITE ELEMENT DISCRETIZATION OF THE ‘PARABOLIC’ EQUATION IN AN UNDERWATER VARIABLE BOTTOM ENVIRONMENT

The standard ‘parabolic’ approximation to the Helmholtz equation is used in order to model long-range propagation of sound in the sea in the presence of cylindrical symmetry in a domain with a rigid bottom of variable topography. The rigid bottom is modeled by a homogeneous Neumann condition and a paraxial approximation thereof proposed by Abrahamsson and Kreiss. The resulting initial-boundary-value problems are transformed, by a change of variables, to equivalent ones in a horizontal strip and, subsequently, are solved numerically by fully discrete finite element-Crank-Nicolson schemes. L and H error estimates of optimal order are proved for the numerical schemes in the case of upsloping bottoms for the Neumann boundary condition and for general bottom topographies in the case of Abrahamsson-Kreiss conditions. Results of numerical experiments are presented in domains with various bottom topographies. Some of these provide motivation for an alternative implementation of the Neumann boundary condition that yields improved numerical approximations.
Spatial targeting of land rehabilitation: a relational analysis of cropland productivitiy decline in arid Uzbekistan

Irrigated croplands of Central Asia are highly prone to land degradation due to their fragile physical settings and extensive agricultural land use. Current remote-sensing data and spatio-temporal analyses allow for detecting regional trends in a land decline and for relating them to underlying factors which is important for developing mitigation strategies. This study aimed to (1) assess the cropland’s state in the large irrigated agricultural areas in the northern Uzbekistan based on the time series of MODIS NDVI images, (2) relate the degradation trend to its factors including soil quality, terrain, population density and land use, and (3) synthesize the results to provide recommendation on spatial targeting of land rehabilitation measures. An NDVI-based land degradation assessment revealed a significant decline of land productivity across 23.13% (94834.90 ha) of the arable area in the study region. The degraded cropland, located in the areas of high population pressure and characterized by better-quality soils, should be prioritized for rehabilitation measures. For the degraded cropland, found on the poor-quality soils and in the areas of low population density, depending on the severity of degradation, a decision has to be made whether to vacant the land from agriculture or to continue cultivation if the latter is an economically viable option.
Dualism(s) revisited : a case study of Daoist internal arts and Spinoza's practical philosophy to explore a post-Cartesian perspective of embodiment

Addressing the persistence of the Cartesian paradigm in body studies, this thesis explores a post-Cartesian perspective of embodiment. I theorise embodiment as a phenomenon possessing a dual character - i.e., a phenomenon located at the intersection of a pre-individual and individuated dimension, and thus characterised by both a relational/open-ended/processual nature and a differentiated/self-organising/structural aspect. I suggest that this dual character is reflected in two main ways of getting to know and acting in the world. One is an individuated/dichotomous mode of embodiment where the mind-body dualism is phenomenologically salient - I name it the Being. The other is a pre-individual/non-dichotomous mode of embodiment where dualism(s) vanish(es) from one's phenomenological field and mind and body are experienced as a duality in unity - I call it the Becoming. I investigate these propositions by means of a case study constituted by two self-cultivation practices: Daoist Internal Arts and Spinoza's Practical Philosophy. Aiming at shifting from the Being to the Becoming, both practices engage with our phenomenological world by employing the strategy of enveloping dualism(s) in a wider non-dualist context. That is, both practices seek to attune, and thus experience the ontological unity of, the experiential dimensions constituting relationships like those between mind and body, internal and external environments of embodiment, language and corporeality, and representational and non-representational forms of knowledge. In this way, conceived of as not separate at the ontological level while amenable to change at the epistemological level, these relationships are regulated by a principle of dynamic correspondence entailing that they can be experienced by the embodied agent as dualism(s) or dualities in unity, according to respectively dichotomous and non-dichotomous modes of embodiment. On this ground, embodiment is re-conceptualised as a dynamic process of individuation which can shift between different modes, each possessing different degrees of emergent properties and capacities for agency.
Dissociable Effects of Subtotal Lesions within the Macaque Orbital Prefrontal Cortex on Reward-Guided Behavior

The macaque orbital prefrontal cortex (PFo) has been implicated in a wide range of reward-guided behaviors essential for efficient foraging. The PFo, however, is not a homogeneous structure. Two major subregions, distinct by their cytoarchitecture and connections to other brain structures, compose the PFo. One subregion encompasses Walker's areas 11 and 13 and the other centers on Walker's area 14. Although it has been suggested that these subregions play dissociable roles in reward-guided behavior, direct neuropsychological evidence for this hypothesis is limited. To explore the independent contributions of PFo subregions to behavior, we studied rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with restricted excitotoxic lesions targeting either Walker's areas 11/13 or area 14. The performance of these two groups was compared to that of a group of unoperated controls on a series of reward-based tasks that has been shown to be sensitive to lesions of the PFo as a whole (Walker's areas 11, 13, and 14). Lesions of areas 11/13, but not area 14, disrupted the rapid updating of object value during selective satiation. In contrast, lesions targeting area 14, but not areas 11/13, impaired the ability of monkeys to learn to stop responding to a previously rewarded object. Somewhat surprisingly, neither lesion disrupted performance on a serial object reversal learning task, although aspiration lesions of the entire PFo produce severe deficits on this task. Our data indicate that anatomically defined subregions within macaque PFo make dissociable contributions to reward-guided behavior.
Formal Modelling of PLC Systems by BIP Components

Programable logic controllers (PLCs) are complex embedded systems which are widely used in industry. The formal modeling of PLC system for verification is a rough task. Good verification model should be faithful with the system, and also should have suitable scale because of the state explosion problem of verification. This paper proposes an automatic framework for the construction of verification model of PLC systems. BIP (Behavior, Interaction, Priority) separates behavioral and architectural aspects in modelling. Specifical PLC features and system architecture are modelled by BIP framework. They are universal for all PLC applications. We define the operational semantics of PLC instruction and present an automatic translation based modeling method for PLC software. A small example is demonstrated for our approach.
Coding space-time stimulus dynamics in auditory brain maps

Sensory maps are often distorted representations of the environment, where ethologically-important ranges are magnified. The implication of a biased representation extends beyond increased acuity for having more neurons dedicated to a certain range. Because neurons are functionally interconnected, non-uniform representations influence the processing of high-order features that rely on comparison across areas of the map. Among these features are time-dependent changes of the auditory scene generated by moving objects. How sensory representation affects high order processing can be approached in the map of auditory space of the owl's midbrain, where locations in the front are over-represented. In this map, neurons are selective not only to location but also to location over time. The tuning to space over time leads to direction selectivity, which is also topographically organized. Across the population, neurons tuned to peripheral space are more selective to sounds moving into the front. The distribution of direction selectivity can be explained by spatial and temporal integration on the non-uniform map of space. Thus, the representation of space can induce biased computation of a second-order stimulus feature. This phenomenon is likely observed in other sensory maps and may be relevant for behavior.
Urinary Deoxynivalenol Is Correlated with Cereal Intake in Individuals from the United Kingdom

Background Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a toxic fungal metabolite that frequently contaminates cereal crops. DON is toxic to animals, but the effects on humans are poorly understood, in part because exposure estimates are of limited precision. Objectives In this study we used the U.K. adult National Diet and Nutrition Survey to compare 24-hr urinary DON excretion with cereal intake. Methods One hundred subjects were identified for each of the following cereal consumption groups: low (mean, 107 g cereal/day; range, 88–125), medium (mean, 179 g/day; range, 162–195) and high (mean, 300 g/day; range, 276–325). DON was analyzed in 24-hr urine samples by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry after purification on immunoaffinity columns. Results DON was detected in 296 of 300 (98.7%) urine samples. Cereal intake was significantly associated with urinary DON (p < 0.0005), with the geometric mean urinary levels being 6.55 μg DON/day [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.71–7.53]; 9.63 μg/day (95% CI, 8.39–11.05); and 13.24 μg/day (95% CI, 11.54–15.19) for low-, medium-, and high-intake groups, respectively. In multivariable analysis, wholemeal bread (p < 0.0005), white bread (p < 0.0005), “other” bread (p < 0.0005), buns/cakes (p = 0.003), high-fiber breakfast cereal (p = 0.016), and pasta (p = 0.017) were significantly associated with urinary DON. Wholemeal bread was associated with the greatest percent increase in urinary DON per unit of consumption, but white bread contributed approximately twice as much as wholemeal bread to the urinary DON levels because it was consumed in higher amounts. Conclusion The majority of adults in the United Kingdom appear to be exposed to DON, and on the basis of the urinary levels, we estimate that some individuals may exceed the European Union (EU) recommended maximum tolerable daily intake of 1,000 ng DON/kg (bw). This exposure biomarker will be a valuable tool for biomonitoring as part of surveillance strategies and in etiologic studies of DON and human disease risk.
Mechanism of Impaired Baroreflex Control in Prehypertensive Dahl Salt‐Sensitive Rats

Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a low salt diet demonstrate functional impairment in baroreflex control of cardiovascular function prior to the development of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to identify the mechanism(s) responsible for impaired baroreflex control in prehypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats. To examine the central and efferent portions of the baroreflex arc, we electrically stimulated the aortic depressor nerve of urethane anesthetized Dahl salt-sensitive and Dahl salt-resistant rats while recording arterial pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nerve activity. Aortic nerve stimulation produced equivalent responses in both groups, indicating that central and efferent mechanisms could not account for functional baroreflex impairment. In separate groups of Dahl rats, multifiber afferent aortic baroreceptor discharge was recorded while arterial pressure was increased with phenylephrine. Prehypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats demonstrated significantly less baroreceptor activation than Dahl salt-resistant rats, indicating that impaired baroreceptor discharge is the mechanism responsible for baroreflex abnormalities. Aortic arch distensibility was not different between Dahl strains, suggesting that impaired baroreceptor discharge in Dahl salt-sensitive rats is probably not due to abnormalities in vessel wall distensibility. Since arterial pressure of both Dahl strains was in the normotensive range and did not differ significantly between Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats, baroreceptor impairment appears to be a primary defect in Dahl salt-sensitive rats, rather than being secondary to hypertension. We speculate that this impairment in baroreceptor function in Dahl salt-sensitive rats prior to any elevation in arterial pressure may contribute to the Dahl salt-sensitive rat's genetic propensity to develop hypertension.
SYNERGY AMONG RESPONDING LYMPHOID CELLS IN THE ONE-WAY MIXED LYMPHOCYTE REACTION

The present studies have shown that two subpopulations of thymus-dependent lymphocytes may act synergistically in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in the mouse. One subpopulation was well represented in the young adult thymus and the other in lymph nodes. For optimum synergy, both populations must be allogeneic to the stimulator cells. Pretreatment of either population with mitomycin-C abolished synergy. Anti-θ serum abolished both MLR responding and synergizing activities of lymphoid cells. The two thymus-dependent subpopulations were both present in the spleen, and displayed different migratory patterns when injected into irradiated mice: one population went to spleens of the irradiated mice, the other to lymph nodes. The effects of anti-thymocyte serum on the MLR and upon synergy were assessed. While minor differences exist and are herein described, our overall results strongly suggest that in our experiments with synergy in MLR, we may be dealing with the same T1- and T2-cell subpopulations described by Cantor and Asofsky and coworkers (1, 2, 4, 5, 14) as displaying synergy in the graft-vs.-host reaction.
Accessing Spectrum Databases Using Interference Alignment in Vehicular Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio (CR) vehicular networks are poised to opportunistically use the licensed spectrum for high-bandwidth intervehicular messaging, driver-assist functions, and passenger entertainment services. Recent rulings that mandate the use of spectrum databases have introduced additional challenges in this highly mobile environment, where the CR-enabled vehicles must update their spectrum data frequently and complete the data transfers with roadside base stations (BSs) in very short interaction times. This paper aims to answer two fundamental questions: 1) when to undertake local spectrum sensing, as opposed to accessing spectrum database information at a finite cost overhead; and 2) how to ensure correct packet receptions among the multiple BSs and CR vehicles using fewer slots than the messages that need to be transmitted. The contributions of this paper are twofold: First, we introduce a method of qualifying the correctness of spectrum sensing results using out-of-band 2G spectrum data using experimental results. Second, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on applying the concept of interference alignment (IA) in a practical network setting, leading to dramatic reduction in message transmission times. Our approach demonstrates significant reductions in the overhead of direct database queries and improvement in the accuracy of spectrum sensing for mobile vehicles.
Serotonin and Angiotensin Receptors in Cardiac Fibroblasts Coregulate Adrenergic-Dependent Cardiac Hypertrophy

By mimicking sympathetic stimulation in vivo, we previously reported that mice globally lacking serotonin 5-HT2B receptors did not develop isoproterenol-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. However, the exact cardiac cell type(s) expressing 5-HT2B receptors (cardiomyocytes versus noncardiomyocytes) involved in pathological heart hypertrophy was never addressed in vivo. We report here that mice expressing the 5-HT2B receptor solely in cardiomyocytes, like global 5-HT2B receptor–null mice, are resistant to isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, as well as to isoproterenol-induced increases in cytokine plasma-levels. These data reveal a key role of noncardiomyocytes in isoproterenol-induced hypertrophy in vivo. Interestingly, we show that primary cultures of angiotensinogen null adult cardiac fibroblasts are releasing cytokines on stimulation with either angiotensin II or serotonin, but not in response to isoproterenol stimulation, demonstrating a critical role of angiotensinogen in adrenergic-dependent cytokine production. We then show a functional interdependence between AT1Rs and 5-HT2B receptors in fibroblasts by revealing a transinhibition mechanism that may involve heterodimeric receptor complexes. Both serotonin- and angiotensin II–dependent cytokine production occur via a Src/heparin-binding epidermal growth factor–dependent transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptors in cardiac fibroblasts, supporting a common signaling pathway. Finally, we demonstrate that 5-HT2B receptors are overexpressed in hearts from patients with congestive heart failure, this overexpression being positively correlated with cytokine and norepinephrine plasma levels. Collectively, these results reveal for the first time that interactions between AT1 and 5-HT2B receptors coexpressed by noncardiomyocytes are limiting key events in adrenergic agonist-induced, angiotensin-dependent cardiac hypertrophy. Accordingly, antagonists of 5-HT2B receptors might represent novel therapeutics for sympathetic overstimulation-dependent heart failure.
User-Centered Design and Fast Prototyping of an Ambient Assisted Living System for Elderly People

This paper presents the Keep-In-Touch project, which aims at developing an integrated Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solution assisting and monitoring elderly people in their daily-life activities, supporting personal autonomy and well-being, and maintaining social cohesion. The focus of this paper is the integration of interactive user modeling, the benefit of the combination of user-centered development method and fast prototyping implementation in order to develop a solution which fits the end-user. The key elements to achieve this goal are: multimodality, accessibility, adaptability to user profile and changes, and usability. We will show how our approach addresses these needs.