Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Dissociation of Ongoing Oscillatory Brain States

The state of a neural assembly preceding an incoming stimulus is assumed to modulate the processing of subsequently presented stimuli. The nature of this state can differ with respect to the frequency of ongoing oscillatory activity. Oscillatory brain activity of specific frequency range such as alpha (8–12 Hz) and gamma (above 30 Hz) band oscillations are hypothesized to play a functional role in cognitive processing. Therefore, a selective modulation of this prestimulus activity could clarify the functional role of these prestimulus fluctuations. For this purpose, we adopted a novel non-invasive brain-computer-interface (BCI) strategy to selectively increase alpha or gamma band activity in the occipital cortex combined with an adaptive presentation of visual stimuli within specific brain states. During training, oscillatory brain activity was estimated online and fed back to the participants to enable a deliberate modulation of alpha or gamma band oscillations. Results revealed that volunteers selectively increased alpha and gamma frequency oscillations with a high level of specificity regarding frequency range and localization. At testing, alpha or gamma band activity was classified online and at defined levels of activity, visual objects embedded in noise were presented instantly and had to be detected by the volunteer. In experiment I, the effect of two levels of prestimulus gamma band activity on visual processing was examined. During phases of increased gamma band activity significantly more visual objects were detected. In experiment II, the effect was compared against increased levels of alpha band activity. An improvement of visual processing was only observed for enhanced gamma band activity. Both experiments demonstrate the specific functional role of prestimulus gamma band oscillations for perceptual processing. We propose that the BCI method permits the selective modulation of oscillatory activity and the direct assessment of behavioral consequences to test for functional dissociations of different oscillatory brain states.
Characterization of a transoceanic aircraft delay tolerant network

In this paper we analyze a large scale delay tolerant network (DTN) of transoceanic aircraft. We assume that each airplane in our network is equipped with a simple communication system based on IEEE802.11b/g, with a communication link of around 20 km. The characterization of this large aeronautical DTN will be used to choose routing strategies for passenger or company data, only through the contacts between airplanes, in order to use this network as a cheaper alternative to other communications systems, or as backup when no other communication systems are available. Instead of relying on synthetic data, we carry our analysis from the actual traces of 2,550 trans-Atlantic flights in the ns-3 simulator, to provide a detailed study of the network connectivity and mobility metrics (node degree, clustering, any contact time and inter any contact time). The impact of other parameters (such as radio coverage) on the network is also analyzed.
“ GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING AND REPORTING ON INTANGIBLES ( INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL REPORT ) ”

It is widely accepted nowadays that since the end of the 20 century the Economy has become significantly different from the industrial economy previous to the mid-20 century. Economists consider that the main feature of this new economic environment is the essential role played by intangibles as a fundamental determinant of value creation in business companies. Since management information systems and accounting principles and standards do not allow for a full recognition and disclosure of a wide range of intangibles (acquired or internally produced), many academics and professionals have stated in recent years that management, investment and credit decisions made on the basis of financial statements that do not reflect the intangible determinants of corporate value, may result in significant economic losses both for firms and for their suppliers of goods, services or capital. Since there is presently no common international framework for the identification, measurement and disclosure of information on the intangible determinants of corporate value, but only scattered efforts around the world, it seems appropriate to devote efforts to the development of a set of general guidelines to help companies identify, measure and monitor their intangible sources of value. The objective of these guidelines is to increase management efficiency and to assist companies in the process of producing and disclosing timely, relevant and comparable reports, that allow their providers of capital to draw efficient estimates of the future benefits and risks associated with their investments opportunities. The Guidelines presented in this document attempt to provide a common framework for the identification, measurement and control of intangibles as well as to suggest criteria for the disclosure of information on the intangible determinants of the firm’s value. Therefore, they are addressed both to firms in the initial stages of the design and implementation of an Intellectual Capital Management System (ICMS) as well as to firms with some previous experience, which are concerned about the external disclosure of the information on intellectual capital they already produce and use for internal purposes. The Guidelines attempt to provide assistance initiating firms in the process of developing their ability to identify, measure, manage and value their intangible assets. The next section provides justification for the Guidelines, section three presents a conceptual framework comprising a set of definitions and a classification of intangibles 1 These Guidelines are an outcome of the MERITUM Project funded by the European Union within the framework of the TSER Programme, in which researchers from the following institutions have been involved: Copenhagen Business School (Denmark), the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy and the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration (Finland), Groupe HEC (France), Norwegian School of Management (Norway), IADE-Autonomous University of Madrid and the University of Seville (Spain Coordinator), and Stockholm University (Sweden).
Prevention strategies for blood‐borne viruses—in the Era of vaccines, direct acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy

Blood‐borne viruses, such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and the facultative blood‐borne hepatitis E virus, are considered a major public health problem given that they are accountable for millions of deaths each year. Treatment options, including effective vaccine design, development of antiviral strategies and the implementation of antiretroviral therapy have improved substantially over the last couple of years and contribute to successful treatment and prevention of these infectious diseases. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge and concepts in prevention of transmission of these blood‐borne viruses.
Analysis of skin conductance response during evaluation of preferences for cosmetic products

We analyzed skin conductance response (SCR) as a psychophysiological index to evaluate affective aspects of consumer preferences for cosmetic products. To examine the test-retest reliability of association between preferences and SCR, we asked 33 female volunteers to complete two experimental sessions approximately 1 year apart. The participants indicated their preferences in a typical paired comparison task by choosing the better option from a combination of two products among four products. We measured anticipatory SCR prior to expressions of the preferences. We found that the mean amplitude of the SCR elicited by the preferred products was significantly larger than that elicited by the non-preferred products. The participants' preferences and corresponding SCR patterns were well preserved at the second session 1 year later. Our results supported cumulating findings that SCR is a useful index of consumer preferences that has future potential, both in laboratory and marketing settings.
Xenosurveillance: A Novel Mosquito-Based Approach for Examining the Human-Pathogen Landscape

Background Globally, regions at the highest risk for emerging infectious diseases are often the ones with the fewest resources. As a result, implementing sustainable infectious disease surveillance systems in these regions is challenging. The cost of these programs and difficulties associated with collecting, storing and transporting relevant samples have hindered them in the regions where they are most needed. Therefore, we tested the sensitivity and feasibility of a novel surveillance technique called xenosurveillance. This approach utilizes the host feeding preferences and behaviors of Anopheles gambiae, which are highly anthropophilic and rest indoors after feeding, to sample viruses in human beings. We hypothesized that mosquito bloodmeals could be used to detect vertebrate viral pathogens within realistic field collection timeframes and clinically relevant concentrations. Methodology/Principal Findings To validate this approach, we examined variables influencing virus detection such as the duration between mosquito blood feeding and mosquito processing, the pathogen nucleic acid stability in the mosquito gut and the pathogen load present in the host’s blood at the time of bloodmeal ingestion using our laboratory model. Our findings revealed that viral nucleic acids, at clinically relevant concentrations, could be detected from engorged mosquitoes for up to 24 hours post feeding by qRT-PCR. Subsequently, we tested this approach in the field by examining blood from engorged mosquitoes from two field sites in Liberia. Using next-generation sequencing and PCR we were able to detect the genetic signatures of multiple viral pathogens including Epstein-Barr virus and canine distemper virus. Conclusions/Significance Together, these data demonstrate the feasibility of xenosurveillance and in doing so validated a simple and non-invasive surveillance tool that could be used to complement current biosurveillance efforts.
Explorer Directed search with multiple job applications

We develop an equilibrium directed search model of the labor market where workers can simultaneously apply for multiple jobs. Our main theoretical contribution is to integrate the portfolio choice problem faced by workers into an equilibrium framework. All equilibria of our model exhibit wage dispersion. Consistent with stylized facts, the density of wages is decreasing and higher wage firms receive more applications per vacancy. Unlike most models of directed search, the equilibria are not constrained efficient.
Getting on the Same Page: How Leaders Build Trust Consensus in Teams and Its Consequences

Existing research has demonstrated that team trust in leaders is positively related to team outcomes. However, little is known about how shared trust in leaders forms among team members. This study examines the effects of multiple emergent factors on the degree to which members develop consensus or similar levels of trust in the leader. Based on the principle of compatibility and event cycles, we predict that leader behaviors involving interactions with members would be more important for consensus in trust in the leader than leader attributes or team variables. Further, consensus is predicted to interact with the mean level of trust in leaders for team performance and voice. Three waves of data from 719 team members in 105 teams were used to analyze consensus concurrently and changes in consensus over time. The results support the predictions and suggest that leader behaviors, such as leading by example and showing concern, that afford leader-member interactions are critical for the development of collec.
Counting Independent Sets and Kernels of Regular Graphs

Chandrasekaran, Chertkov, Gamarnik, Shah, and Shin recently proved that the average number of independent sets of random regular graphs of size n and degree 3 approaches w^n for large n, where w is approximately 1.54563, consistent with the Bethe approximation. They also made the surprising conjecture that the fluctuations of the logarithm of the number of independent sets were only O(1) as n grew large, which would mean that the Bethe approximation is amazingly accurate for all 3-regular graphs. Here, I provide numerical evidence supporting this conjecture obtained from exact counts of independent sets using binary decision diagrams. I also provide numerical evidence that supports the novel conjectures that the number of kernels of 3-regular graphs of size n is given by y^n, where y is approximately 1.299, and that the fluctuations in the logarithm of the number of kernels is also only O(1).
Decreased MicroRNA-125a-3p Contributes to Upregulation of p38 MAPK in Rat Trigeminal Ganglions with Orofacial Inflammatory Pain

Orofacial inflammatory pain is a difficult clinical problem, and the specific molecular mechanisms for this pain remain largely unexplained. The present study aimed to determine the differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and disclose the underlying role of miR-125a-3p in orofacial inflammatory pain induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Thirty-two differentially expressed miRNAs were first screened using a microarray chip in ipsilateral trigeminal ganglions (TGs) following CFA injection into the orofacial skin innervated by trigeminal nerve, and a portion of them, including miR-23a*, -24-2*, -26a, -92a, -125a-3p, -183 and -299 were subsequently selected and validated by qPCR. The target genes were predicted based on the miRWalk website and were further analyzed by gene ontology (GO). Further studies revealed miR-125a-3p expression was down-regulated, whereas both the expression of p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) alpha and CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) were up-regulated in ipsilateral TGs at different time points after CFA injection compared with control. Furthermore, mechanistic study revealed that miR-125a-3p negatively regulates p38 alpha gene expression and is positively correlated with the head withdrawal threshold reflecting pain. Luciferase assay showed that binding of miR-125a-3p to the 3′UTR of p38 alpha gene suppressed the transcriptional activity, and overexpression of miR-125a-3p significantly inhibited the p38 alpha mRNA level in ND8/34 cells. Taken together, our results show that miR-125a-3p is negatively correlated with the development and maintenance of orofacial inflammatory pain via regulating p38 MAPK.
Tutorial: Defining Probability for Science

Preface For many years I have recommended the short reference on statistics [2] and similar introductory texts to my students and researchers. Barlow's book can be considered a fair reflection of the main stream view of the topic [14]. Yet despite this, I generally gave the caveat that I disagreed with some parts of the book and indeed the conventional view. On a recent reading of the book I concluded that many of my objections were confined to chapter 7, and in particular the discussion regarding definitions of probability. I therefore decided to write this document to provide a record of how I would have presented these sections, for distribution within our group. The document explains a physics based approach motivated by scientific considerations of uniqueness, falsifiability and quantitation. These considerations are intended to eliminate aspects of 'black magic' or arbitrariness, a view which seems to me to be important yet lacking from general texts. It summarises what I regard as the reasons I work as I do when designing and testing algorithms and systems for computer vision and image processing. Although this document is self contained, the interested reader might wish to look at the original version first, before reading mine. You would then be in a good position to decide if you want to continue to take the conventional view of the topic, or take the rather bold step of being more critical and forming some conclusions. Introduction The accepted method for all scientific data analysis is probability and statistics. Although all statistical techniques are related to probability the very definition of this word is not generally comprehended. In my view, the resulting lack of clarity on this issue leads to misunderstanding and inappropriate application of techniques. In subject areas where the analysis of data is the dominant activity, real progress is hampered by a lack of concensus regarding best scientific practice. This situation is not generally improved if we look in standard statistical reference texts for more clarity. The dominant attitude to statistical methods being that we can largely pick various measures out of thin air and worry about how they behave on data afterwards, rather than deriving techniques from principles based upon the characteristics of the data. There is in my view an over-tolerance of contradictory opinions and general failure to resolve fundamental issues. To do better we must start with a solid understanding of probability. …
Increased osteoinductivity and mineralization by minimal concentration of bone morphogenetic protein-2 loaded onto biphasic calcium phosphate in a rabbit sinus

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a minimal concentration of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in terms of quantitative and qualitative analyses of newly formed bone in a rabbit maxillary sinus model. Methods In 7 rabbits, sinus windows were prepared bilaterally. Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) loaded with 0.05 mg/mL BMP-2 was grafted into one sinus (the BMP group) and saline-soaked BCP was placed into the other (the control group) in each animal. The animals were allowed an 8-week healing period before being sacrificed. Specimens including the augmented area and surrounding tissues were then removed and evaluated both radiographically and histologically. Results There was a difference in the mineralization of new bone between the groups. In the BMP group, the greater part of the new bone consisted of mature lamellar bone with an evident trabecular pattern, whereas the control group showed mostly woven bone, consisting only partially of lamellar bone. Histometrically, the area of new bone was significantly greater (4.55±1.35 mm2 vs. 2.99±0.86 mm2) in the BMP group than in the control group (P<0.05); however, the total augmentation volumes were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusions Within the limitations of this study, it can be suggested that a minimal concentration of BMP-2 (0.05 mg/mL) had an osteoinductive effect with accelerated mineralization in a rabbit sinus model using a BCP carrier.
The Nuclear Activity of Galaxies in the Hickson Compact Groups

In order to investigate the nuclear activity of galaxies residing in compact groups of galaxies, we present results of our optical spectroscopic program made at Okayama Astrophysical Observatory. We have performed optical spectroscopy of 69 galaxies belonging to 31 Hickson compact groups (HCGs) of galaxies. Among them, three galaxies have discordant redshifts and, moreover, spectral quality is too poor to classify another three galaxies. Therefore, we describe our results for the remaining 63 galaxies. Our main results are summarized as follows: (1) We have found in our sample 28 active galactic nuclei (AGNs), 16 H II nuclei, and 19 normal galaxies showing no emission line. We used this HCG sample for statistical analyses. (2) Comparing the frequency distributions of activity types between the HCGs and the field galaxies whose data are taken from Ho, Filippenko, & Sargent (382 field galaxies), we find that the frequency of H II nuclei in the HCGs is significantly less than that in the field. However, this difference may be due to selection bias to the effect that our HCG sample contains more early-type galaxies than the field, because it is known that H II nuclei are rarer in early-type galaxies than in later ones. (3) Applying a correction to this morphological bias to the HCG sample, we find that there is no statistically significant difference in the frequency of occurrence of emission-line galaxies between the HCGs and the field. This implies that the dense galaxy environment in the HCGs does not affect the triggering of either the AGN activity and the nuclear starburst. We discuss some implications on the nuclear activity in the HCG galaxies.
An RF-DC Converter with Wide Dynamic Range Input Matching For Power Recovery Applications

3 ABSTRACT: An improved RF-dc converter based on a class-E rectifier with wide-dynamic-range input matching is presented. The input impedance is controlled by two varactor diodes to compensate for impedance changes with RF input power and dc loading conditions. The RF-dc converter achieved a peak efficiency of 60% and an S11 less than −20 dB over an input RF power range of 12 dB and an operating battery voltage of 2.5-4.2 V at 800 MHz. An analytical model for input impedance and efficiency was developed and shown to match simulation and measurement results.
Dynamic Material Response of Aluminum Single Crystal Under Micro Scale Laser Shock

The process of laser shock peening induces compressive residual stresses in a material to improve material fatigue life. For micron sized laser beams, the size of the laser-target interaction zone is of the same order of magnitude as the target material grains and thus the target material must be considered as being anisotropic and inhomogeneous. Single crystals are chosen to study the effects of the anisotropic mechanical properties. It is also of interest to investigate the response of symmetric and asymmetric slip systems with respect to the shocked surface. In the present study, numerical and experimental aspects of laser shock peening on two different crystal surfaces, (110) and (1A 1̄E A4), of aluminum single crystals are studied. Lattice rotations on the top surface and cross section are measured using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), while residual stress is characterized using X-ray microdiffraction. Numerical model has been developed that takes into account anisotropy as well as inertial terms to predict size and nature of the deformation and residual stresses. Obtained results were compared with experimental finding for validation purpose.
Verbal and spatial functions during different phases of the menstrual cycle.

BACKGROUND It has been reported that high levels of sex hormones improve the efficiency in tasks which are usually better performed by females. In contrast, in tasks which are usually better performed by males, the best efficiency corresponds to low levels of sex hormones. The aim of this study was to examine changes of efficiency in tasks of verbal fluency and mental rotations, as well as changes in masculinity and femininity during the menstrual cycle. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Seventeen female subjects with a regular menstrual cycle took part in the study. For assesssments of masculinity and femininity, the subjects filled the Bem's Sex Roles Inventory. Endler's Anxiety Scale was used for determining the autonomic-emotional and cognitive-worry components of anxiety. Subjects performed the verbal fluency task and mental rotations tasks during the menstrual and the early follicular phase, as well as during the pre-ovulation and the midluteal phase. RESULTS The results showed the best performance in mental rotation tasks which included rotations of three-dimensional objects along x and y axis during the phases of menstrual cycle, which are characterized by a low level of sex hormones. The most pronounced during these phases was also the masculinity. Furthermore, the best performance in verbal fluency task occurred during the menstrual and midluteal phase. Anxiety and femininity did not change across the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSION Low levels of sex hormones potentiated the typical male cognitive profile.