Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improvement of ketamine-induced social withdrawal in rats: the role of 5-HT7 receptors

Social withdrawal, one of the core negative symptoms of schizophrenia, can be modelled in the social interaction (SI) test in rats using N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor glutamate receptor antagonists. We have recently shown that amisulpride, an antipsychotic with a high affinity for serotonin 5-HT7 receptors, reversed ketamine-induced SI deficits in rats. The aim of the present study was to further elucidate the potential involvement of 5-HT7 receptors in the prosocial action of amisulpride. Acute administration of amisulpride (3 mg/kg) and SB-269970 (1 mg/kg), a 5-HT7 receptor antagonist, reversed ketamine-induced social withdrawal, whereas sulpiride (20 or 30 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg) were ineffective. The 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS19 (10 mg/kg) abolished the prosocial efficacy of amisulpride (3 mg/kg). The coadministration of an inactive dose of SB-269970 (0.2 mg/kg) showed the prosocial effects of inactive doses of amisulpride (1 mg/kg) and sulpiride (20 mg/kg). The anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide (2.5 mg/kg) and the antidepressant fluoxetine (2.5 mg/kg) were ineffective in reversing ketamine-induced SI deficits. The present study suggests that the antagonism of 5-HT7 receptors may contribute towards the mechanisms underlying the prosocial action of amisulpride. These results may have therapeutic implications for the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia and other disorders characterized by social withdrawal.
Protected Honey Face Templates

Most existing biometric template protection schemes (BTPS) do not provide as strong security as cryptographic tools; and furthermore, they are rarely able to detect during a verification process whether a probe template has been leaked from the database or not (i.e., being used by an imposter or a genuine user). By using the "honeywords" idea, which was proposed to detect the cracking of hashed password database, we show in this paper how to enable the detectability of biometric template database leakage. We add an extra layer of protection since biometric features cannot be renewed. The biometric system design implies that protection mechanisms must satisfy the irreversibility property and to this respect we apply different correlation tests to show the non-distinguishability between genuine and honey templates. In this paper we implement the idea of a honey template protection scheme on faces and evaluate the security and accuracy performance.
A new analytical model for the thermal resistance of deep-trench bipolar transistors

A new analytical model for the thermal resistance, temperature profile, and heat flow of deep-trench isolated (DTI) transistors is presented by taking the finite heat flow through the trenches into account. The new model is able to distinguish between the different contributions to the thermal resistance of the DTI structure and allows identification of the most dominant component. A detailed analysis of the substrate contribution shows that the substrate thermal resistance is overestimated in existing models. Results are compared with experimental data as well as numerical simulations and show a good agreement. The model can be used for process optimization and in a circuit simulator.
Multi-Unit Floating Alginate System: Effect of Additives on Ciprofloxacin Release

In an attempt to fabricate floating beads of ciprofloxacin, drugloaded alginate beads were prepared by simultaneous external and internal gelation. The effect of blending of alginate with gellan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, starch, and chitosan on the bead properties were evaluated. Beads were spherical with incorporation efficiency in the range of 52.81 ± 2.64 to 78.95 ± 1.92%. Beads exhibited buoyancy over a period of 7–24 hr based on the formulation variables. In vitro release of ciprofloxacin from the alginate beads in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) (0.1 N HCl, pH 1.2), was influenced significantly (p < 0.001) by the properties and concentration of additives. Among the polymers incorporated into alginate beads. Hydroxy propyl methylcellulose (HPMC) provided an extended release over 7 hr. The drug release predominately followed Higuchi's square root model.
An Informational Perspective on skill Transfer in Human-Machine Systems

Differentiation of perceptual invariants is proposed as a theoretical approach to explain skill transfer for control at the human-machine interface. I propose that sensitivity to perceptual invariants is enhanced during learning and that this sensitivity forms the basis for transfer of skill from one task to another. The hypothesis implies that detection and discrimination of critical features, patterns, and dimensions of difference are important for learning and for transfer. This account goes beyond other similarity conceptions of transfer. To the extent that those conceptions are specific, they cannot account for effects in which performance is better following training on tasks that are less rather than more similar to the criterion task. In essence, this is a theory about the central role of low-dimensional informational patterns for control of behavior within a high-dimensional environment, and about the adjustment of an actor's sensitivity to changes in those low-dimensional patterns.
Spatial Variability of CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O Fluxes during Midsummer in the Steppe of Northern China

Spatial variability is a major source of uncertainty in estimating the fluxes of greenhouse gases between steppe and atmosphere. The fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O were carried out between 08:00 and 10:00 h. of the following day during the midsummer period from a transect (area: 5.25×10 6 ha) in the semiarid steppe of northern China, using the dark static chamber technique and gas chromatography. Two land uses were chosen for this study: soils with plant covers and bare soils. Daily average GHG fluxes from the steppe transect were: 1.3×10 5 t C for CO2, -66.3 t C for CH4, and 1.1 t N for N2O. The emission of CO2 from soils with plant cover was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that from the corresponding bare soils. The canopy effect, however, was observed for neither CH4 (P = 0.058) nor N2O (P = 0.772). Air temperature and relative humidity were the major factors affecting the diurnal variation in site-based CO2 flux (P < 0.05), while soil pH controlled its spatial variation (P < 0.05). The spatial uptake of CH4 correlated negatively with soil total N (TN) content (P < 0.05), while the flux of N2O significantly increased with soil organic carbon (P = 0.031) and TN (P = 0.022), indicating that soil organic matter is an important factor determining the N2O flux in the steppe of northern China.
Long-term vemurafenib treatment drives inhibitor resistance through a spontaneous KRAS G12D mutation in a BRAF V600E papillary thyroid carcinoma model

The BRAF V600E mutation is commonly observed in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and predominantly activates the MAPK pathway. Presence of BRAF V600E predicts increasing risk of recurrence and higher mortality rate, and treatment options for such patients are limited. Vemurafenib, a BRAF V600E inhibitor, is initially effective, but cells inevitably develop alternative mechanisms of pathway activation. Mechanisms of primary resistance have been described in short-term cultures of PTC cells; however, mechanisms of acquired resistance have not. In the present study, we investigated possible adaptive mechanisms of BRAF V600E inhibitor resistance in KTC1 thyroid cancer cells following long-term vemurafenib exposure. We found that a subpopulation of KTC1 cells acquired resistance to vemurafenib following 5 months of treatment with the inhibitor. Resistance coincided with the spontaneous acquisition of a KRAS G12D activating mutation. Increases in activated AKT, ERK1/2, and EGFR were observed in these cells. In addition, the resistant cells were less sensitive to combinations of vemurafenib and MEK1 inhibitor or AKT inhibitor. These results support the KRAS G12D mutation as a genetic mechanism of spontaneously acquired secondary BRAF inhibitor resistance in BRAF V600E thyroid cancer cells.
Galaxy spectral parametrization in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey as a diagnostic of star formation history

We investigate the physical significance of a new spectral parameter, η. This parameter was defined using a principal component analysis of the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS), to retain astrophysical information while minimizing the effect of measurement uncertainties. We find that although η is correlated with morphological type, there is a large scatter in this relationship. A tighter empirical relationship is found between η and the equivalent width of the Hα line, suggesting a connection with the star formation rate. We pursue this connection using spectral synthesis models. Using models in which the star formation history is parametrized in terms of an exponentially decreasing function of time, we find that there is a tight correlation between η and the ratio of the present- to the past-averaged rate of star formation, often known as the ‘birth rate’ parameter b. This correlation also holds in models with much more complicated star formation histories, generated by a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation based upon the hierarchical formation scenario. There are two possible causes for the tight correlations we find between η and b in those galaxies with the most complex star formation histories as follows. First, the spectra themselves may be degenerate to the actual long-term star formation history of each galaxy in the optical wavelength range probed by the 2dFGRS. Secondly, b may represent a physically fundamental quality of galaxy haloes ‐ their overdensity relative to the background density ‐ such that small-b galaxies form in high peaks (which collapse early), whereas large-b galaxies represent lower peaks (which collapse later). We conclude that the tight connection with b makes η a physically meaningful ‐ as well as convenient and robust ‐ statistic for galaxy parametrization and classification.
Wave propagation in photonic crystals and metamaterials: surface waves, nonlinearity and chirality

Photonic crystals and metamaterials, both composed of artificial structures, are two interesting areas in electromagnetism and optics. New phenomena in photonic crystals and metamaterials are being discovered, including some not found in natural materials. This thesis presents my research work in the two areas. Photonic crystals are periodically arranged artificial structures, mostly made from dielectric materials, with period on the same order of the wavelength of the working electromagnetic wave. The wave propagation in photonic crystals is determined by the Bragg scattering of the periodic structure. Photonic band-gaps can be present for a properly designed photonic crystal. Electromagnetic waves with frequency within the range of the band-gap are suppressed from propagating in the photonic crystal. With surface defects, a photonic crystal could support surface modes that are localized on the surface of the crystal, with mode frequencies within the band-gap. With line defects, a photonic crystal could allow the propagation of electromagnetic waves along the channels. The study of surface modes and waveguiding properties of a 2D photonic crystal will be presented in Chapter 1. Metamaterials are generally composed of artificial structures with sizes one order smaller than the wavelength and can be approximated as effective media. Effective macroscopic parametersmore » such as electric permittivity {epsilon}, magnetic permeability {mu} are used to characterize the wave propagation in metamaterials. The fundamental structures of the metamaterials affect strongly their macroscopic properties. By designing the fundamental structures of the metamaterials, the effective parameters can be tuned and different electromagnetic properties can be achieved. One important aspect of metamaterial research is to get artificial magnetism. Metallic split-ring resonators (SRRs) and variants are widely used to build magnetic metamaterials with effective {mu} < 1 or even {mu} < 0. Varactor based nonlinear SRRs are built and modeled to study the nonlinearity in magnetic metamaterials and the results will be presented in Chapter 3. Negative refractive index n is one of the major target in the research of metamaterials. Negative n can be obtained with a metamaterial with both {epsilon} and {mu} negative. As an alternative, negative index for one of the circularly polarized waves could be achieved with metamaterials having a strong chirality ? In this case neither {epsilon} nor {mu} negative is required. My work on chiral metamaterials will be presented in Chapter 4. « less
Traffic dimensioning on feeder link in IPTV networks

The access part of an IPTV network includes feeder links between the CO and DSLAM. The focus of this study is feeder link traffic dimensioning. This traffic includes both multicast (broadcast TV channels) and unicast, e.g., Video on Demand, Fast Channel Change (FCC) traffic. In this paper, we assume that there is a caching memory at the DSLAM where we can store some video content that allows reductions in the amount of unicast traffic on the feeder link. The simulation model and sensitivity study presented allow estimation of feeder link traffic and sensitivity of this traffic to FCC and VoD concurrency factors and to the channel popularity distribution.
Load interaction effects during fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude loading : A literature review. Part I : Empirical trends

A summary is given of reported trends in fatigue crack growth observed in variable amplitude fatigue tests on metallic materials, specifically on steels, under both simple and complex load histories. The effects of load variables, specimen geometry, material properties, microstructure and environment are considered. Attention is given to the threshold behaviour and small crack effects. The reviewed data suggest that, depending on a particular combination of load parameters, material, geometry and environment, variable amplitude load sequences of the same type can produce either retardation or acceleration in fatigue crack growth.
Optimizing indirect branch prediction accuracy in virtual machine interpreters

Interpreters designed for efficiency execute a huge number of indirect branches and can spend more than half of the execution time in indirect branch mispredictions. Branch target buffers (BTBs) are the most widely available form of indirect branch prediction; however, their prediction accuracy for existing interpreters is only 2%--50%. In this article we investigate two methods for improving the prediction accuracy of BTBs for interpreters: replicating virtual machine (VM) instructions and combining sequences of VM instructions into superinstructions. We investigate static (interpreter build-time) and dynamic (interpreter runtime) variants of these techniques and compare them and several combinations of these techniques. To show their generality, we have implemented these optimizations in VMs for both Java and Forth. These techniques can eliminate nearly all of the dispatch branch mispredictions, and have other benefits, resulting in speedups by a factor of up to 4.55 over efficient threaded-code interpreters, and speedups by a factor of up to 1.34 over techniques relying on dynamic superinstructions alone.
The eta-invariant, Maslov index, and spectral flow for Dirac-type operators on manifolds with boundary

Several proofs have been published of the Mod Z gluing formula for the eta-invariant of a Dirac operator. However, so far the integer contribution to the gluing formula for the eta-invariant is left obscure in the literature. In this article we present a gluing formula for the eta-invariant which expresses the integer contribution as a triple index involving the boundary conditions and the Calderon projectors of the two parts of the decomposition. The main ingredients of our presentation are the Scott-Wojciechowski theorem for the determinant of a Dirac operator on a manifold with boundary and the approach of Bruning-Lesch to the mod Z gluing formula. Our presentation includes careful constructions of the Maslov index and triple index in a symplectic Hilbert space. As a byproduct we give intuitively appealing proofs of two theorems of Nicolaescu on the spectral flow of Dirac operators. As an application of our methods, we carry out a detailed analysis of the eta-invariant of the odd signature operator coupled to a flat connection using adiabatic methods. This is used to extend the definition of the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer rho-invariant to manifolds with boundary. We derive a ``non-additivity'' formula for the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer rho-invariant and relate it to Wall's non-additivity formula for the signature of even-dimensional manifolds.
Elimination of viruses and indicator bacteria at each step of treatment during preparation of drinking water at seven water treatment plants

Seven drinking water treatment plants were sampled twice a month for 12 months to evaluate the removal of indicator bacteria and cytopathogenic enteric viruses. Samples were obtained at each level of treatment: raw water, postchlorination, postsedimentation, postfiltration, postozonation, and finished (tap) water. Raw water quality was usually poor, with total coliform counts exceeding 105 to 106 CFU/liter and the average virus count in raw water of 3.3 most probable number of cytopathogenic units (MPNCU)/liter; several samples contained more than 100 MPNCU/liter. All plants distributed finished water that was essentially free of indicator bacteria as judged by analysis of 1 liter for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The total plate counts at 20 and 35 degrees C were also evaluated as a measure of the total microbial population and were usually very low. Viruses were detected in 7% (11 of 155) of the finished water samples (1,000 liters) at an average density of 0.0006 MPNCU/liter the highest virus density measured being 0.2 MPNCU/liter. The average cumulative virus reduction was 95.15% after sedimentation and 99.97% after filtration and did not significantly decrease after ozonation or final chlorination. The viruses isolated from treated waters were all enteroviruses: poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3, coxsackievirus types B3, B4, and B5, echovirus type 7, and untyped picornaviruses.
Numerical Simulations of Pulverized Coal Combustion

Coal is an important energy resource for meeting the further demand for electricity, as coal reserves are much more abundant than those of other fossil fuels. In pulverized coal fired power plants, it is very important to improve the technology for the control of environmental pollutants such as NOx, SOx and ash particles including unburned carbon. With the remarkable progress in the performance of computers, it is strongly expected that the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) would be a tool for the development and design of such suitable combustion furnaces and burners for the pulverized coal combustion. The focus of this review is to highlight our recent progress of CFD of the pulverized coal combustion in terms of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) together with some of future perspectives.
Incremental Policy Generation for Finite-Horizon DEC-POMDPs

Solving multiagent planning problems modeled as DEC-POMDPs is an important challenge. These models are often solved by using dynamic programming, but the high resource usage of current approaches results in limited scalability. To improve the efficiency of dynamic programming algorithms, we propose a new backup algorithm that is based on a reachability analysis of the state space. This method, which we call incremental policy generation, can be used to produce an optimal solution for any possible initial state or further scalability can be achieved by making use of a known start state. When incorporated into the optimal dynamic programming algorithm, our experiments show that planning horizon can be increased due to a marked reduction in resource consumption. This approach also fits nicely with approximate dynamic programming algorithms. To demonstrate this, we incorporate it into the state-of-the-art PBIP algorithm and show significant performance gains. The results suggest that the performance of other dynamic programming algorithms for DEC-POMDPs could be similarly improved by integrating the incremental policy generation approach.
Benzyl 3-[(E)-furfurylidene]dithiocarbazate

In the title compound, C13H12N2OS2, the molecule assumes an E configuration, with the furan ring and dithiocarbazate units located on opposite sides of the N=C double bond. In the crystal structure, molecules are linked via two intermolecular N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds to form centrosymmetric dimers.
Netrin induces down‐regulation of its receptor, Deleted in Colorectal Cancer, through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway in the embryonic cortical neuron

The proper regulation of temporal and spatial expression of the axon guidance cues and their receptors is critical for the normal wiring of nervous system during development. Netrins, a family of secreted guidance cues, are involved in the midline crossing of spinal commissural axons and in the guidance of cortical efferents. Axons normally lose the responsiveness to their attractants when they arrive at their targets, where the attractant is produced. However the molecular mechanism is still unknown. We investigated the molecular mechanism of down‐regulation of netrin‐1 signaling in the embryonic cortical neurons. Netrin‐1 induced the ubiquitination and proteolytic cleavage of Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC), a transmembrane receptor for netrin, in dissociated cortical neurons. A dramatic decrease of DCC level particularly on the cell surface was also observed after netrin‐1 stimulation. Specific ubiquitin–proteasome inhibitors prevented the netrin‐induced DCC cleavage and decrease of cell surface DCC. We suggest that the ligand‐mediated down‐regulation of DCC might participate in the loss of netrin‐responsiveness in the developing nervous system.