Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Imaging Reveals Numerous Fields in the Monkey Auditory Cortex

Anatomical studies propose that the primate auditory cortex contains more fields than have actually been functionally confirmed or described. Spatially resolved functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with carefully designed acoustical stimulation could be ideally suited to extend our understanding of the processing within these fields. However, after numerous experiments in humans, many auditory fields remain poorly characterized. Imaging the macaque monkey is of particular interest as these species have a richer set of anatomical and neurophysiological data to clarify the source of the imaged activity. We functionally mapped the auditory cortex of behaving and of anesthetized macaque monkeys with high resolution fMRI. By optimizing our imaging and stimulation procedures, we obtained robust activity throughout auditory cortex using tonal and band-passed noise sounds. Then, by varying the frequency content of the sounds, spatially specific activity patterns were observed over this region. As a result, the activity patterns could be assigned to many auditory cortical fields, including those whose functional properties were previously undescribed. The results provide an extensive functional tessellation of the macaque auditory cortex and suggest that 11 fields contain neurons tuned for the frequency of sounds. This study provides functional support for a model where three fields in primary auditory cortex are surrounded by eight neighboring “belt” fields in non-primary auditory cortex. The findings can now guide neurophysiological recordings in the monkey to expand our understanding of the processing within these fields. Additionally, this work will improve fMRI investigations of the human auditory cortex.
Preemptive treatment of Cytomegalovirus infection in kidney transplant recipients with letermovir: results of a Phase 2a study

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. Letermovir (AIC246), is a novel anti‐HCMV drug in development, acting via a novel mechanism of action. In this proof‐of‐concept trial with first administration of letermovir to patients, 27 transplant recipients with active CMV replication were randomly assigned to a 14‐day oral treatment regimen of either letermovir 40 mg twice a day, letermovir 80 mg once a day, or local standard of care (SOC) in a multicenter, open‐label trial. Efficacy, safety, and limited pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed. All groups had a statistically significant decrease in CMV‐DNA copy number from baseline (40 mg BID: P = 0.031; 80 mg QD: P = 0.018; SOC: P = 0.001), and comparison of viral load reduction between treatment groups showed no statistically significant differences. Viral clearance was achieved for 6 of 12 patients (50%) in the letermovir groups versus two of seven SOC patients (28.6%). Letermovir treatment was generally well tolerated, no patient developed CMV disease during the trial. Both letermovir treatment regimens resulted in equally high trough level plasma concentrations. The efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics observed in these viremic transplant recipients indicate that letermovir is a promising new anti‐CMV drug.
Strong Structural Controllability and the Multilink Inverted Pendulum

This technical note investigates the controllability of the linearized dynamics of the multilink inverted pendulum as the number of links and the number and location of actuators changes. It is demonstrated that, in some instances, there exist sets of parameter values that render the system uncontrollable and so usual methods for assessing controllability are difficult to employ. To assess the controllability, a theorem on strong structural controllability for single-input systems is extended to the multiinput case.
3-D HOS simulations of extreme waves in open seas

Abstract. In the present paper we propose a method for studying extreme-wave appearance based on the Higher-Order Spectral (HOS) technique proposed by West et al. (1987) and Dommermuth and Yue (1987). The enhanced HOS model we use is presented and validated on test cases. Investigations of freak-wave events appearing within long-time evolutions of 2-D and 3-D wavefields in open seas are then realized, and the results are discussed. Such events are obtained in our periodic-domain HOS model by using different kinds of configurations: either i) we impose an initial 3-D directional spectrum with the phases adjusted so as to form a focused forced event after a while, or ii) we let 2-D and 3-D wavefields defined by a directional wave spectrum evolve up to the natural appearance of freak waves. Finally, we investigate the influence of directionality on extreme wave events with an original study of the 3-D shape of the detected freak waves.
Parallel repetition of zero-knowledge proofs and the possibility of basing cryptography on NP-hardness

Two long-standing open problems exist on the fringe of complexity theory and cryptography: (1) Does there exist a reduction from an NP-complete problem to a one-way function? (2) Do parallelized versions of classical constant-round zero-knowledge proofs for NP conceal every "hard" bit of the witness to the statement proved? We show that, unless the polynomial-hierarchy collapses, black-box reductions cannot be used to provide positive answers to both questions
Transient Submodeling Analysis for Board-Level Drop Tests of Electronic Packages

We present in this paper a submodeling analysis procedure capable of solving transient mechanical responses of board-level electronic packages subjected to drop impact loads, involving large deformations and nonlinear elastoplastic constitutive relationships for the solder alloy. This paper is focused on the verification of this submodeling analysis procedure and to investigate solution deviations caused by several abbreviated global models that involve simplified geometry or material properties for the solder joints
Active safety for vulnerable road users based on smartphone position data

Smartphones have long become an omnipresent part of our life. Equipped with both a broadband internet connection and advanced GPS onboard sensors, the idea is to use them as mobile sensors for active safety systems that aim at protecting vulnerable road users such as pedestrians or cyclists. This paper gives a comprehensive analysis of today's smartphones GPS accuracy on an inner-city bicycle track. In addition, the transmission latencies of a prototypical bicycle warning system are evaluated. The results show that while the lateral deviations are still too high to allow for lane-level localization, the longitudinal accuracy as well as the transmission latencies are good enough for many active safety applications already.
ccPDB: compilation and creation of data sets from Protein Data Bank

ccPDB (http://crdd.osdd.net/raghava/ccpdb/) is a database of data sets compiled from the literature and Protein Data Bank (PDB). First, we collected and compiled data sets from the literature used for developing bioinformatics methods to annotate the structure and function of proteins. Second, data sets were derived from the latest release of PDB using standard protocols. Third, we developed a powerful module for creating a wide range of customized data sets from the current release of PDB. This is a flexible module that allows users to create data sets using a simple six step procedure. In addition, a number of web services have been integrated in ccPDB, which include submission of jobs on PDB-based servers, annotation of protein structures and generation of patterns. This database maintains >30 types of data sets such as secondary structure, tight-turns, nucleotide interacting residues, metals interacting residues, DNA/RNA binding residues and so on.
Transmission properties of composite metamaterials in free space

We present free-space microwave measurements on composite metamaterials (CMMs) consisting of split ring resonators (SRRs) and wires on alternating boards, also known as left-handed material (LHM). Our experiments are based on a type of CMMs with unique configurations and the transmission measurements performed in free space exhibit a pass band extending from 10.5 to 13.5 GH. The widely belief of the pass band is that the stop bands of the SRRs alone and the wires alone constitute a clear demonstration of left-handed (LH) behaviour. The LH behaviour only take place in the medium with simultaneously negative permittivity epsiv, and permeability mu, also called double negative materials.
Clouds as Turbulent Density Fluctuations: Implications for Pressure Confinement and Spectral Line Data Interpretation

We examine the idea that diffuse H I and giant molecular clouds and their substructure form as density fluctuations induced by large-scale interstellar turbulence. We do this by closely investigating the topology of the velocity, density, and magnetic fields within and at the boundaries of the clouds emerging in high-resolution two-dimensional simulations of the interstellar medium (ISM) including self-gravity, magnetic fields, parameterized heating and cooling, and a simple model for star formation. We find that the velocity field is continuous across cloud boundaries for a hierarchy of clouds of progressively smaller sizes. Cloud boundaries defined by a density-threshold criterion are found to be quite arbitrary, with no correspondence to any actual physical boundary, such as a density discontinuity. Abrupt velocity jumps are coincident with the density maxima, which indicates that the clouds are formed by colliding gas streams. This conclusion is also supported by the fact that the volume and surface kinetic terms in the Eulerian virial theorem for a cloud ensemble are comparable in general and by the topology of the magnetic field, which exhibits bends and reversals where the gas streams collide. However, no unique trend of alignment between density and magnetic features is observed. Both sub- and super-Alfvénic motions are observed within the clouds. In light of these results, we argue that thermal pressure equilibrium is irrelevant for cloud confinement in a turbulent medium, since inertial motions can still distort or disrupt a cloud, unless it is strongly gravitationally bound. Turbulent pressure confinement appears self-defeating because turbulence contains large-scale motions that necessarily distort Lagrangian cloud boundaries or equivalently cause flux through Eulerian boundaries. We then discuss the compatibility of the present scenario with observational data. We find that density-weighted velocity histograms are consistent with observational line profiles of comparable spatial and velocity resolution, exhibiting similar FWHMs and similar multicomponent structure. An analysis of the regions contributing to each velocity interval indicates that the histogram "features" do not come from isolated "clumps" but rather from extended regions throughout a cloud, which often have very different total velocity vectors. Finally, we argue that the scenario presented here may also be applicable to small scales with larger densities (molecular clouds and their substructure, up to at least n~103-105 cm-3) and conjecture that quasi-hydrostatic configurations cannot be produced from turbulent fluctuations unless the thermodynamic behavior of the flow becomes nearly adiabatic. We demonstrate, using appropriate cooling rates, that this will not occur except for very small compressions (≲10-2 pc) or until protostellar densities are reached for collapse.
Group cohomology, modular theory and space-time symmetries

The Bisognano-Wichmann property on the geometric behavior of the modular group of the von Neumann algebras of local observables associated to wedge regions in Quantum Field Theory is shown to provide an intrinsic sufficient criterion for the existence of a covariant action of the (universal covering of) the Poincare group. In particular this gives, together with our previous results, an intrinsic characterization of positive-energy conformal pre-cosheaves of von Neumann algebras. To this end we adapt to our use Moore theory of central extensions of locally compact groups by polish groups, selecting and making an analysis of a wider class of extensions with natural measurable properties and showing henceforth that the universal covering of the Poincare group has only trivial central extensions (vanishing of the first and second order cohomology) within our class.
A Test of the Technology Acceptance Model for Understanding the ICT Adoption Behavior of Rural Young Entrepreneurs

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) open up new opportunities for rural young entrepreneurs to enhance their businesses. However, the challenges of adopting and using ICTs obstruct these businesses from growing into drivers for rural-economic development and job creation. The purpose of this paper is to seek to validate the technology acceptance model (TAM), which measures the volitional aspect of the ICT adoption behavior of young entrepreneurs in a rural community. In order to test the model, data are collected using self-administered questionnaires from 400 rural youth entrepreneurs. The structural equation modeling technique(SEM) was applied to assess the model. The results confirmed that TAM is robust enough to gauge the dimensions of young entrepreneurs’ adoption of ICT by way of the model accounting for 55 percent of the variance in intention to use ICT. They also indicated that attitude toward entrepreneurship partially mediated the relationship between ICT’s usefulness and entrepreneurial intention. This paper will serve to illuminate this model and reveal new knowledge perspectives. Policy makers could encourage rural youth entrepreneurs to use ICT in their businesses, which will in turn inspire other entrepreneurs to look up to these adopters and follow them, thus increasing the use of ICT in rural communities.
Mental Mechanisms: Philosophical Perspectives on Cognitive Neuroscience

Contents: Naturalism and Mechanism: Outlines of a New Philosophy of Science. From Mental Phenomena to Operations: Delineating and Decomposing Memory. From Working Parts to Operations: Decomposing and Resynthesizing Visual Processing. Reduction and Independence of Higher-Level Sciences: A Rapprochement. Representations and Mental Mechanisms. From Responsive to Active Mechanisms. Confronting Mechanism's Critics: Accounting for Freedom and Dignity via Mental Mechanisms.
Genetics of Stillbirth

Approximately 25% of stillbirths have been attributed to genetic etiologies. The most common cytogenetic abnormalities are similar to those seen in liveborns and include 45X, trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13. Cytogenetic abnormalities are more common when fetal structural anomalies are identified. Mendelian and metabolic causes of stillbirth are less well understood although single gene disorders can result in stillbirth. With new cytogenetic and molecular technologies additional genetic causes of stillbirth are likely to be described and will provide additional information for appropriate genetic counseling.
Lipopolysaccharide Heterogeneity: Innate Host Responses to Bacterial Modification of Lipid A Structure

The innate host response system is composed of various mechanisms designed to detect and facilitate host responses to microbial components, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). To enable this to occur, innate systems contain multiple pattern recognition receptors (i.e., LBP, CD14, and TLRs), which identify certain features within bacterial LPS that are foreign to the host, as well as essential and uniquely specific for bacteria. Innate host identification of unique bacterial components or patterns, therefore, relies on the inability of bacteria to alter these essential or critical components dramatically. Historically, LPS have been viewed as essential outer-membrane molecules containing both a highly variable outer region (O-segment) as well as a relatively conserved inner region (lipid A). However, over the last decade, new evidence has emerged, revealing that increased natural diversity or heterogeneity within specific components of LPS, such as lipid A—resulting in minor to moderate changes in lipid A structure—can produce dramatic host responses. Therefore, examples of natural lipid A heterogeneity, and the mechanisms that control it, represent a novel approach in which bacteria modulate host responses and may thereby confer specific advantages to certain bacterial species under changing environmental host conditions.
Section: SCIENCE'S COMPASS

Few altruistic acts are less likely to be returned by the recipient than that of paying last respects. Yet one feels that the old professor has reason to expect that his own funeral will be well attended. He is relying on indirect reciprocity: His act of kindness will be returned not by recipients, but rather by third parties. This type of cooperation figures prominently in human societies, and has been hailed as the "basis of all systems of morality" (1). On page 850 of this issue, Wedekind and Milinski examine the part that indirect reciprocity plays in human society. They designed a fascinating psychology experiment to investigate how generosity garners future rewards for donors from third parties, but not from the original recipients (2).
Concepts, Measurement and Trends

Measuring informal employment has remained a challenge and requires the use of a variety of sources and methods, including the use of data for self-employment as a proxy indicator. Although patterns are not uniform, informal employment persists at a high level in all parts of the developing world, with the highest level seen in sub-Saharan Africa where more than twothirds of people in the non-agricultural sector are working in informal jobs. Important gender differences can be seen in informal employment, with patterns in job status and earnings differing distinctly between men and women. Moreover, the differences in earnings between formal and informal work depend on the job status with informal entrepreneurs being better off relative to informal employees.
On the Long-Term Predictive Capability of Data-Driven Software Reliability Model: An Empirical Evaluation

In recent years, data-driven software reliability models have been proposed to solve the problematic issues of existing software reliability growth models (i.e., Unrealistic underlying assumptions and model selection problems). However, the previous data-driven approaches mostly focused on sample fitting or next-step prediction without adequate evaluation on their long-term predictive capability. This paper investigates three multi-step-ahead prediction strategies for data-driven software reliability models and compares their predictive performance on failure count data and time between failure data. Then, the model with the outstanding strategy on each data type is compared with conventional software reliability growth models. We found that the Recursive strategy gives better prediction for fault count data, while no strategy is superior to the others for time between failure data. Such data-driven approach with the best input domain showed performance as good as the best one among the software reliability growth models in long-term prediction. These results indicate the applicability of data-driven methods even in long-term prediction and help reliability practitioners to identify an appropriate multi-step prediction strategy for software reliability.
Tumor cells circulate in the peripheral blood of all major carcinomas but not in healthy subjects or patients with non-malignant diseases.

9552 Background: The number of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in carcinoma patients may provide diagnostic and prognostic information to guide selection and monitor efficacy of therapies. This requires a standardized assay that is accurate and reproducible. Previous studies have demonstrated that CTC can be detected in peripheral blood of cancer patients, but a systematic survey of the prevalence of CTC in healthy subjects, patients with non-malignant diseases and a wide range of carcinomas is needed to establish a foundation for clinical implementation of this technology. METHODS We developed the CellSearch assay to accurately and reproducibly enumerate CTC in 7.5 ml of blood. The assay is based on immunomagnetic enrichment and fluorescent labeling of CTC followed by enumeration on a four color semi-automated fluorescence microscope. Blood from 145 healthy women, 199 women with non-malignant diseases and 1082 patients with a variety of metastatic carcinomas was tested for the presence of CTC. RESULTS Blood samples spiked with tumor cells were used to establish accuracy, reproducibility and linearity of the test. Recovery of spiked cells was ≥ 85% with a CV of 9.4% at a spike of 258 cells and 15.8% at a spike of 47 cells. The assay was linear over the tested range of 4 -1000 cells (r2=0.99). CTC in 344 healthy and non-malignant subjects were extremely rare with only one sample with > 1 cell/7.5 mL. In metastatic carcinoma patients CTC ranged from 0 to 3677 /7.5 mL (mean 32 ± 218). In 36% of the 1082 samples 2 or more CTC were present in 7.5 ml of blood. In 181 prostate cancer patients ≥2 CTC were detected in 57%, in 331 breast cancer patients 37%, in 47 ovarian cancers 36%, in 259 colorectal cancers 30%, and in 149 lung cancer patients 22%. CONCLUSIONS The CellSearch assay is a reliable highly sensitive assay that can be used to explore the clinical utility of CTC in carcinomas. CTC are present in various metastatic carcinomas with a wide range of frequencies. [Table: see text].
Real-Time Discriminative Background Subtraction

The authors examine the problem of segmenting foreground objects in live video when background scene textures change over time. In particular, we formulate background subtraction as minimizing a penalized instantaneous risk functional-yielding a local online discriminative algorithm that can quickly adapt to temporal changes. We analyze the algorithm's convergence, discuss its robustness to nonstationarity, and provide an efficient nonlinear extension via sparse kernels. To accommodate interactions among neighboring pixels, a global algorithm is then derived that explicitly distinguishes objects versus background using maximum a posteriori inference in a Markov random field (implemented via graph-cuts). By exploiting the parallel nature of the proposed algorithms, we develop an implementation that can run efficiently on the highly parallel graphics processing unit (GPU). Empirical studies on a wide variety of datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves quality that is comparable to state-of-the-art offline methods, while still being suitable for real-time video analysis (≥ 75&nbsp;fps on a mid-range GPU).
Societal Threat to Safety, Compensatory Control, and Right‐Wing Authoritarianism

We analyzed directly and indirectly the relationships between societal threat to safety, perceived control, and the increase in right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) in two studies. In Study 1 (national sample of the Italian population, N = 1,169), we performed a longitudinal analysis structured into three waves (January 2003, September 2004, and January 2005). A moderated regression analysis showed that RWA increased from 2003 to 2005 as a function of perceived societal threat to safety more among low- than among high RWA scorers. In experimental Study 2 (Italian university students, N = 131) a moderated mediation model showed loss of perceived control to mediate the relation between societal threat to safety and the increase in RWA, but among low authoritarians only. Limitations, implications, and possible developments of this research are discussed.