Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A neural modelling approach to investigating general intelligence

One of the most well-respected and widely used tools in the study of general intelligence is the Raven’s Progressive Matrices test, a nonverbal task wherein subjects must induce the rules that govern the patterns in an arrangement of shapes and figures. This thesis describes the first neurally based, biologically plausible model that can dynamically generate the rules needed to solve Raven’s matrices. We demonstrate the success and generality of the rules generated by the model, as well as interesting insights the model provides into the causes of individual differences, at both a low (neural capacity) and high (subject strategy) level. Throughout this discussion we place our research within the broader context of intelligence research, seeking to understand how the investigation and modelling of Raven’s Progressive Matrices can contribute to our understanding of general intelligence.
The Environmental, Social, Governance, and Financial Performance Effects on Companies that Adopt the United Nations Global Compact

This paper aims to investigate companies’ environmental, social, governance (ESG), and financial implications of their commitment to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The focus is placed on companies operating in the three countries with the highest number of UNGC participants: Spain, France, and Japan. The results clearly reveal that adoption of the UNGC often requires an organizational change that fosters stakeholder engagement, ultimately resulting in improvements in companies’ ESG performance. Additionally, the results reveal that ESG performance has a significant impact on financial performance for companies that adopted the principles of the UNGC. These findings provide both non-financial and financial incentives to companies to commit to this voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, which will have important implications on companies’ strategic management policies that aim to foster sustainable businesses and community development. Finally, the linkages between the UNGC-committed companies’ ESG and financial performance may be influenced by geographical spread, mainly due to the appearance of differences in the institutional, societal, and cultural settings.
Development of novel nitroxyl radicals for controlling reactivity with ascorbic acid

Piperidine and pyrrolidine nitroxyl radicals (nitroxide) contain unpaired electrons and have been widely recognized as antioxidants, contrast agents, spin probes, radiation protective agents and polymerization mediators. Nitroxyl radicals can react with free radicals and reductants and their reactivities depend on the basic structure of the nitroxyl radicals themselves. However, reductants easily reduce these radicals and they lose their paramagnetic nature and function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop various functional nitroxyl radicals, particularly focusing on stability towards AsA through the improvement of the synthetic route for a series of 2,6-substituted nitroxyl radicals. Tetraethyl-substituted piperidine nitroxyl radical 8 exhibited resistance to AsA reduction and 2,6-dispiro-4′,4′′-dipyrane-piperidin-4-one-N-oxyl 5 had a second-order rate constant 10-times greater than those of hydroxyl-TEMPO and oxo-TEMPO. The 2,6-substituted compound offers various reactivities towards AsA and the possibility to be used as a new antioxidant, contrast agent and radical polymerizer.
Cortical Neural Synchronization Underlies Primary Visual Consciousness of Qualia: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials

This article reviews three experiments on event-related potentials (ERPs) testing the hypothesis that primary visual consciousness (stimulus self-report) is related to enhanced cortical neural synchronization as a function of stimulus features. ERP peak latency and sources were compared between “seen” trials and “not seen” trials, respectively related and unrelated to the primary visual consciousness. Three salient features of visual stimuli were considered (visuospatial, emotional face expression, and written words). Results showed the typical visual ERP components in both “seen” and “not seen” trials. There was no statistical difference in the ERP peak latencies between the “seen” and “not seen” trials, suggesting a similar timing of the cortical neural synchronization regardless the primary visual consciousness. In contrast, ERP sources showed differences between “seen” and “not seen” trials. For the visuospatial stimuli, the primary consciousness was related to higher activity in dorsal occipital and parietal sources at about 400 ms post-stimulus. For the emotional face expressions, there was greater activity in parietal and frontal sources at about 180 ms post-stimulus. For the written letters, there was higher activity in occipital, parietal and temporal sources at about 230 ms post-stimulus. These results hint that primary visual consciousness is associated with an enhanced cortical neural synchronization having entirely different spatiotemporal characteristics as a function of the features of the visual stimuli and possibly, the relative qualia (i.e., visuospatial, face expression, and words). In this framework, the dorsal visual stream may be synchronized in association with the primary consciousness of visuospatial and emotional face contents. Analogously, both dorsal and ventral visual streams may be synchronized in association with the primary consciousness of linguistic contents. In this line of reasoning, the ensemble of the cortical neural networks underpinning the single visual features would constitute a sort of multi-dimensional palette of colors, shapes, regions of the visual field, movements, emotional face expressions, and words. The synchronization of one or more of these cortical neural networks, each with its peculiar timing, would produce the primary consciousness of one or more of the visual features of the scene.
Projections from the accessory olfactory organ into the medial region of the olfactory bulb in the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus): A novel vertebrate sensory structure?

Although four different primary olfactory pathways have been described in tetrapod vertebrates, polymorphic olfactory sensory neurons comingle in the olfactory epithelium and project axons into separate bulbar regions in teleost fish. However, spatially segregated neurons may exist in the peripheral olfactory organ of lampreys, extant representatives of ancestral jawless vertebrates. In lampreys, the caudoventral portion of the peripheral olfactory organ contains tubular diverticula, named the accessory olfactory organ (AOO). Short, ciliated AOO cells were retrogradely labelled following application of biocytin or carbocyanine dyes to the medial region of the olfactory bulb. Tracer application to eight radial locations within the layer of glomeruli with mitral cells, of the olfactory bulb, showed that AOO projections were restricted to the medial region of the olfactory bulb. The outer boundary of the AOO projection extended to the ventromedial region of glomerular neuropil in 43% of the specimens. The olfactory sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium projected to glomerular neuropil throughout the olfactory bulb, including sparse projections to the medial region of the olfactory bulb. This study shows that these AOO neurons and their projections in the medial region of the olfactory bulb are anatomically distinct regions of the primary olfactory pathway in the sea lamprey. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:105–116, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Airborne thermal infrared videography of stream temperature anomalies from a small unoccupied aerial system

Small unoccupied aerial systems (sUAS) are one of the latest technological innovations that are changing the way we view and analyse landscape patterns and processes. As sUAS technology has continued to advance, lighter sensor payloads have been developed that can now be integrated with sUAS for collecting both visual and multispectral imagery. Of these, a specific type of imagery, thermal infrared (TIR), can be used to image water bodies to assess surface temperature (e.g., Briggs, Hare, Boutt, Davenport, & Lane, 2016; George, Baldigo, Smith, Mckeown, & Faulring, 2015; Handcock et al., 2012). While the TIR literature from platforms such as satellites, aircraft, and handheld cameras is extensive (e.g., Handcock et al., 2012; Wawrzyniak, Piégay, Allemand, Vaudor, & Grandjean, 2013), it is only relatively recently that payloads of similar quality have been developed for integration with sUAS. sUAS offer a unique opportunity to image stream temperature at an intermediate scale between those of fine scale, stationary thermal cameras (e.g., Briggs et al., 2016), and aircraft or satellite‐based platforms (e.g., Jensen, Neilson, McKee, & Chen, 2012; Fullerton et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2016). To date, there is a small but growing number of studies using sUAS‐based TIR imaging of water temperatures towards a number of objectives: to image and map submarine groundwater discharge (Lee et al., 2016), lake thermal structure (Chung et al., 2015), and patterns of river temperature (DeMario et al., 2017; Jensen et al., 2012; Pai et al., 2017). Our specific aim in this study was to explore the utility of light sensor TIR payloads carried by sUAS to provide real‐time TIR data collection, which may be useful for guiding field campaigns or rapidly assessing hydrological responses to events. Existing literature has demonstrated the utility of TIR for a variety of pursuits, including identifying locations of groundwater‐surface
Increased Thalamic Gamma Band Activity Correlates with Symptom Relief following Deep Brain Stimulation in Humans with Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is an idiopathic, childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder, which is marked by persistent multiple motor and phonic tics. The disorder is highly disruptive and in some cases completely debilitating. For those with severe, treatment-refractory TS, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a possible option, although its mechanism of action is not fully understood. We performed a longitudinal study of the effects of DBS on TS symptomatology while concomitantly examining neurophysiological dynamics. We present the first report of the clinical correlation between the presence of gamma band activity and decreased tic severity. Local field potential recordings from five subjects implanted in the centromedian nucleus (CM) of the thalamus revealed a temporal correlation between the power of gamma band activity and the clinical metrics of symptomatology as measured by the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and the Modified Rush Tic Rating Scale. Additional studies utilizing short-term stimulation also produced increases in gamma power. Our results suggest that modulation of gamma band activity in both long-term and short-term DBS of the CM is a key factor in mitigating the pathophysiology associated with TS.
Carbon storage capacity of semi‐arid grassland soils and sequestration potentials in northern China

Organic carbon (OC) sequestration in degraded semi‐arid environments by improved soil management is assumed to contribute substantially to climate change mitigation. However, information about the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration potential in steppe soils and their current saturation status remains unknown. In this study, we estimated the OC storage capacity of semi‐arid grassland soils on the basis of remote, natural steppe fragments in northern China. Based on the maximum OC saturation of silt and clay particles <20 μm, OC sequestration potentials of degraded steppe soils (grazing land, arable land, eroded areas) were estimated. The analysis of natural grassland soils revealed a strong linear regression between the proportion of the fine fraction and its OC content, confirming the importance of silt and clay particles for OC stabilization in steppe soils. This relationship was similar to derived regressions in temperate and tropical soils but on a lower level, probably due to a lower C input and different clay mineralogy. In relation to the estimated OC storage capacity, degraded steppe soils showed a high OC saturation of 78–85% despite massive SOC losses due to unsustainable land use. As a result, the potential of degraded grassland soils to sequester additional OC was generally low. This can be related to a relatively high contribution of labile SOC, which is preferentially lost in the course of soil degradation. Moreover, wind erosion leads to substantial loss of silt and clay particles and consequently results in a direct loss of the ability to stabilize additional OC. Our findings indicate that the SOC loss in semi‐arid environments induced by intensive land use is largely irreversible. Observed SOC increases after improved land management mainly result in an accumulation of labile SOC prone to land use/climate changes and therefore cannot be regarded as contribution to long‐term OC sequestration.
Floristic Quality Index of Restored Wetlands in Coastal Louisiana

Abstract : Restoration efforts in the United States have created or benefitted large expanses of wetlands. Typical goals of wetland restoration efforts are to conserve, create, or enhance wetland form and to achieve wetland function that approaches natural conditions. Measures of wetland condition have been used to monitor and assess project performance, resilience, and adaptive management needs. An emerging tool for performing bioassessments in wetland systems is the Floristic Quality Index (FQI). This study assessed the use of a modified FQI (FQImod) to evaluate site development, plant community establishment, and wetland condition. Three restoration sites in coastal Louisiana were used to evaluate the utility of an FQImod for assessing the performance and resilience of restored wetlands by comparison to reference wetlands. Results demonstrate that the FQImod data successfully reflected large disturbance events namely hurricanes and salinity spikes. The data also identified vegetation differences due to elevation, age, and hydrology. The modified FQI provided useful measures of restoration type (e.g., planted versus not planted, marsh creation versus nourishment), chronosequence (condition and stability over time), and trajectory (i.e., intersecting trend lines when restored marsh FQI approaches reference marsh condition). The FQImod provides a rapid and effective system for assessing wetland condition and performance.
FT-Raman Spectra of Unsoaked and NaOH-Soaked Wheat Kernels, Bran, and Ferulic Acid

ABSTRACT The sodium hydroxide (NaOH) test for determining wheat color class depends on the observation that on soaking in NaOH, red wheat turns a darker red and white wheat turns straw yellow. To understand the mechanism of this test, Raman spectra of wheat bran, wheat starch, ferulic acid, and whole kernels of wheat, before and after NaOH soak, were studied. The major observable components in the whole kernel were that of starch, protein, and ferulic acid, perhaps esterified to arabinoxylan and sterols. When kernels are soaked in NaOH, spectral bands due to ferulic acid shift to lower energy and show a slightly reduced intensity that is consistent with deprotonation of the phenolic group and extraction of a portion of the ferulic acid into solution. Other phenolic acids, alkyl resorcinols, and flavonoids observed in the NaOH extracts of wheat by HPLC were not observed in the Raman spectra. Wheat bran accounts for most of the ferulic acid in the whole kernel, as indicated by the increased intensity of the.
Impact of oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol) replacement therapy on blood pressure in type 2 diabetes patients; a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D is an important mediator of calcium metabolism. It has also been implicated as a potential contributor to the pathophysiology of various extra-skeletal conditions, consisting hypertension, renal disease, and insulin resistance. OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this study was to determine whether oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplementation can lead to improvement of blood pressure in type 2 diabetes patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study was a double blind clinical trial conducted on 60 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Exclusion criteria were taking calcium, vitamin D supplements or any drugs effecting calcium and vitamin D metabolism in the past 6 months. Patients were administered weekly vitamin D supplementation (50000 units) for 12 weeks. Serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level was measured with ELISA method. RESULTS Five patients (8.3%) had vitamin D deficiency, 27 (45%) had insufficient levels of vitamin D and in 28 (45%) patients vitamin D level was within normal limits. The means of systolic blood pressure (BP) and diastolic BP in patients before intervention were 121 and 80.5 mmHg; after intervention they were 110 and 76.3 mmHg, respectively. After intervention, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were significantly less than control group (p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS In this study we found that weekly vitamin D supplementation (cholecalciferol; 50,000 units for 12 weeks) had beneficial effect on the level of blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients. Thus, oral vitamin D may help in improvement of hypertension in these patients.
Singleton Detection using Word Embeddings and Neural Networks

Singleton (or non-coreferential) mentions are a problem for coreference resolution systems, and identifying singletons before mentions are linked improves resolution performance. Here, a singleton detection system based on word embeddings and neural networks is presented, which achieves state-of-the-art performance (79.6% accuracy) on the CoNLL-2012 shared task development set. Extrinsic evaluation with the Stanford and Berkeley coreference resolution systems shows significant improvement for the first, but not for the latter. The results show the potential of using neural networks and word embeddings for improving both singleton detection and coreference resolution.
Choosing appropriate comparison group participants in studies of veterans: Characteristics of orthopedically injured and uninjured Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn veterans

ABSTRACT Introduction: Research addressing deployment-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) is fairly complex due to a high prevalence of comorbid conditions, multiple exposures, and the lack of acute medical records. Therefore, there is a need for a well-defined, matching comparison group. This study compared deployment-related characteristics, everyday functioning, and cognitive performance in recently deployed veterans who had not sustained any injuries with those who had orthopedic injuries during deployment, but who were without a history of TBI. Method: Participants included 45 individuals who had been deployed and who were without injuries and a group of 27 individuals who reported at least one orthopedic injury during deployment. The Mayo–Portland Adaptability Inventory–4, Community Integration Questionnaire, Veterans RAND 36 Item Health Survey, Brief Pain Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale–11, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist–Civilian (PCL-C) were used to assess daily functioning. Cognitive performance was measured using the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Trail Making Test, Color–Word Interference Test, and Verbal Selective Reminding Test. The two groups were compared using t tests based on equal variances. The effect size was calculated. Results: There were no between-group differences, with all variables having p-values >. 1 and small to medium effect sizes. Discussion: Orthopedic injuries sustained during deployment that did not require evacuation or hospitalization did not have any lasting effect on participants’ health, cognition, and daily functioning relative to other deployed individuals with no history of injury. These results indicate the two groups are comparable and that their data could be potentially combined to create a single comparison group. Due to the small sample available for this study, the current results are considered preliminary, and further investigation is needed.
Peptidoglycan Structure Analysis of Lactococcus lactis Reveals the Presence of an l,d-Carboxypeptidase Involved in Peptidoglycan Maturation

ABSTRACT Detailed structural analysis of Lactococcus lactis peptidoglycan was achieved by identification of its constituent muropeptides separated by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Modification of the classical elution buffer allowed direct and sensitive analysis of the purified muropeptides by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The structures of 45 muropeptides were assigned for L. lactis strain MG1363. Analysis of the muropeptide composition of an MG1363 dacB mutant showed that the dacB-encoded protein has l,d-carboxypeptidase activity and is involved in peptidoglycan maturation.
Code transformation strategies for extensible embedded processors

Embedded application requirements, including high performance, low power consumption and fast time to market, are uncommon in the broader domain of general purpose applications. In order to satisfy these demands, chip manufacturers often provide developers with the possibility to define application-specific Instruction Set Extensions (ISEs). Many techniques have been proposed that automatically identify the most beneficial ISEs from source code, so that compilers can identify the 'best' instruction set for the underlying machine. However, can we simply retrofit these techniques into a traditional compiler, or does ISE identification demand different tuning of the heuristics utilized throughout the optimization pipeline? In this paper, we show why compilers should sometimes make different decisions when targeting customized processors, and we show how traditional ISE identification techniques can improve significantly if the code is properly transformed in order to expose more beneficial extensions. The proposed approach was validated using the SimpleScalar simulator for the ARM processor, augmented with the possibility to define additional instructions.Using benchmarks taken from the MiBench suite,we show that the proposed transformations improve state of the art ISE identi cation techniques by 55% on average and 4x maximum.
Multimodality Treatment for Invasive Pituitary Adenomas

Abstract Most pituitary adenomas are slow-growing, benign tumors that do not exhibit aggressive behavior but instead grow by expansion. The majority of these adenomas can be treated successfully with transsphenoidal resection. However, more than one-third of adenomas are invasive, making complete surgical resection without unacceptable neurological deficits difficult. These more complicated adenomas require multimodal treatment and long-term follow-up for continued favorable outcomes. Initial surgical resection is indicated for decompression of the optic apparatus or cytoreduction before adjuvant therapy, even when gross total resection is not anticipated. Medical therapy is an option for most endocrinologically active adenomas, but nonfunctioning and functional adenomas that do not respond to medical therapy require a multidisciplinary approach. Radiation is often beneficial and can be delivered either as fractionated therapy or in a single dose. Conformal dose planning can be used in most cases to maximize therapeutic benefits. This article reviews the evaluation and treatment of invasive pituitary adenomas and discusses promising new therapies.