Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Two On-Site Small-Scale Activated Sludge Total Oxidation Systems in Plastic and Vibrated Reinforced Concrete

This study proposes a comparison of the environmental impacts calculated with the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology of two on-site small-scale activated sludge total oxidation systems in linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and vibrated reinforced concrete (VRC). The plants were designed to ensure a treatment capacity of 5, 10, 20 and 30 equivalent inhabitants (PE). The main aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of construction, disposal and operation phases on the total impacts evaluated with three different methods: ReCiPe 2008, Ecological Footprint and IPCC 2007 100 years. The most significant phase for both treatment lines was the use phase, which contributed more than 80% to the total impacts. The construction phase was the second most impactful phase with an incidence less than 25% for both systems and for all the considered impacts assessment methods. The plant in LLDPE was more eco-friendly than that in (VRC). The plant in VRC was always most impactful, even comparing each single phase of the life cycle and for all the treatment capacities taken into consideration. Finally, the obtained results were not dependent on the impact assessment method considered.
Complex I-Associated Hydrogen Peroxide Production Is Decreased and Electron Transport Chain Enzyme Activities Are Altered in n-3 Enriched fat-1 Mice

The polyunsaturated nature of n-3 fatty acids makes them prone to oxidative damage. However, it is not clear if n-3 fatty acids are simply a passive site for oxidative attack or if they also modulate mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The present study used fat-1 transgenic mice, that are capable of synthesizing n-3 fatty acids, to investigate the influence of increases in n-3 fatty acids and resultant decreases in the n-6∶n-3 ratio on liver mitochondrial H2O2 production and electron transport chain (ETC) activity. There was an increase in n-3 fatty acids and a decrease in the n-6∶n-3 ratio in liver mitochondria from the fat-1 compared to control mice. This change was largely due to alterations in the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, with only a small percentage of fatty acids in cardiolipin being altered in the fat-1 animals. The lipid changes in the fat-1 mice were associated with a decrease (p<0.05) in the activity of ETC complex I and increases (p<0.05) in the activities of complexes III and IV. Mitochondrial H2O2 production with either succinate or succinate/glutamate/malate substrates was also decreased (p<0.05) in the fat-1 mice. This change in H2O2 production was due to a decrease in ROS production from ETC complex I in the fat-1 animals. These results indicate that the fatty acid changes in fat-1 liver mitochondria may at least partially oppose oxidative stress by limiting ROS production from ETC complex I.
Iron Loss Reduction in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor by Using Stator Core Made of Nanocrystalline Magnetic Material

This paper presents the results of experimental trials carried out on a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) that uses a stator core made of a nanocrystalline magnetic material (FINEMET). It is demonstrated that the manufactured stator can reduce the PMSM total iron loss by 64% to 75% compared with an equivalent motor using a stator made of conventional non-oriented silicon steel. The experimental results are confirmed by 2-D finite-element analysis.
What Can Database Do for Peer-to-Peer?

The Internet community has recently been focused on peer-to-peer systems like Napster, Gnutella, and Freenet. The grand vision — a decentralized community of machines pooling their resources to benefit everyone — is compelling for many reasons: scalability, robustness, lack of need for administration, and even anonymity and resistance to censorship. Existing peer-to-peer (P2P) systems have focused on specific application domains (e.g. music files) or on providing filesystem-like capabilities; these systems ignore the semantics of data. An important question for the database community is how data management can be applied to P2P, and what we can learn from and contribute to the P2P area. We address these questions, identify a number of potential research ideas in the overlap between data management and P2P systems, present some preliminary fundamental results, and describe our initial work in constructing a P2P data management system.
Contrast Independent Localization of Multiscale Problems

The accuracy of many multiscale methods based on localized computations suffers from high contrast coefficients since the localization error generally depends on the contrast. We study a class of methods based on the variational multiscale method, where the range and kernel of a quasi-interpolation operator defines the method. We present a novel interpolation operator for two-valued coefficients and prove that it yields contrast independent localization error under physically justified assumptions on the geometry of inclusions and channel structures in the coefficient. The idea developed in the paper can be transferred to more general operators and our numerical experiments show that the contrast independent localization property follows.
Lung clearance index is a sensitive, repeatable and practical measure of airways disease in adults with cystic fibrosis

Background: Lung clearance index (LCI) is a sensitive marker of early lung disease in children but has not been assessed in adults. Measurement is hindered by the complexity of the equipment required. The aims of this study were to assess performance of a novel gas analyser (Innocor) and to use it as a clinical tool for the measurement of LCI in cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods: LCI was measured in 48 healthy adults, 12 healthy school-age children and 33 adults with CF by performing an inert gas washout from 0.2% sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). SF6 signal:noise ratio and 10–90% rise time of Innocor were compared with a mass spectrometer used in similar studies in children. Results: Compared with the mass spectrometer, Innocor had a superior signal:noise ratio but a slower rise time (150 ms vs 60 ms) which may limit its use in very young children. Mean (SD) LCI in healthy adults was significantly different from that in patients with CF: 6.7 (0.4) vs 13.1 (3.8), p<0.001. Ten of the patients with CF had forced expiratory volume in 1 s ⩾80% predicted but only one had a normal LCI. LCI repeats were reproducible in all three groups of subjects (mean intra-visit coefficient of variation ranged from 3.6% to 5.4%). Conclusions: Innocor can be adapted to measure LCI and affords a simpler alternative to a mass spectrometer. LCI is raised in adults with CF with normal spirometry, and may prove to be a more sensitive marker of the effects of treatment in this group.
Neuregulin-1 controls an endogenous repair mechanism after spinal cord injury

Spontaneous remyelination after spinal cord injury is mediated largely by Schwann cells of unknown origin. Bartus et al. show that neuregulin-1 promotes differentiation of spinal cord-resident precursor cells into PNS-like Schwann cells, which remyelinate central axons and promote functional recovery. Targeting the neuregulin-1 system could enhance endogenous regenerative processes.
Unpleasant stimuli differentially modulate inhibitory processes in an emotional Go/NoGo task: an event-related potential study

ABSTRACT Threat stimuli typically elicit a psychophysiological response pattern supporting the organism's preparation for active defence. Differently, blood stimuli prompt a distinctive autonomic response pattern and sustained processing, which do not call for clear-cut mobilisation for action. However, the contribution of motor disposition in these response patterns remains unclear. One way to address this issue is to investigate whether threat and blood stimuli differentially affect the active suppression of an ongoing motor activity. Thirty-two undergraduates were presented with threat, mutilation, pleasant, and neutral pictures in an emotional Go/NoGo task. The amplitudes of the NoGo-N2 and NoGo-P3 components of the event-related potentials were analysed as indices of conflict monitoring and inhibition of motor response, respectively. Reaction times to Go trials were significantly faster for threat than for mutilations. The NoGo-N2 was significantly larger to threat than to mutilations, whereas the NoGo-P3amplitude did not differ between the two conditions. These findings suggest that threat stimuli facilitated the execution of a prepotent response and enhanced conflict monitoring when action must be withheld. In contrast, blood stimuli did not either promote action in the Go trials or increase conflict in the NoGo condition, suggesting a response pattern compatible with defensive immobility.
Learning Over Long Time Lags

The advantage of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) in learning dependencies between time-series data has distinguished RNNs from other deep learning models. Recently, many advances are proposed in this emerging field. However, there is a lack of comprehensive review on memory models in RNNs in the literature. This paper provides a fundamental review on RNNs and long short term memory (LSTM) model. Then, provides a surveys of recent advances in different memory enhancements and learning techniques for capturing long term dependencies in RNNs.
Oracle inequalities for computationally budgeted model selection

erieure Abstract We analyze general model selection procedures using penalized empirical loss minimiza- tion under computational constraints. While classical model selection approaches do not consider computational aspects of performing model selection, we argue that any practical model selection procedure must not only trade o estimation and approximation error, but also the eects of the computational eort required to compute empirical minimizers for dierent function classes. We provide a framework for analyzing such problems, and we give algorithms for model selection under a computational budget. These algorithms satisfy oracle inequalities that show that the risk of the selected model is not much worse than if we had devoted all of our computational budget to the best function class.
Vibrotactile sense in median and ulnar nerve innervated fingers of men with type 2 diabetes and with normal and impaired glucose tolerance Running title : Vibrotactile sense in hands and type 2 diabetes

Aims To investigate vibrotactile sense [large fibre neuropathy] at different frequencies in index and little fingers [median and ulnar nerves, respectively] of subjects with diabetic, impaired and normal glucose tolerance. Methods Vibration thresholds [tactilometry at seven frequencies (8, 16, 32, 64, 125, 250 and 500 Hz)] and median nerve function [electrophysiology] were examined in men (age 73.4 ± 0.12; n=58) with constant normal (NGT; n=28) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; n=7) or with type 2 DM (n=23) for >15 years. Results HbA1c-values were increased and vibrotactile sense (sensibility index) was impaired in index and little fingers in men with type 2 DM. Vibration thresholds were particularly increased at 16, 250 and 500 Hz in the little finger (ulnar nerve). Type 2 DM subjects showed electrophysiological (gold standard) signs of neuropathy in the median nerve. Although subjects with constant IGT had higher HbA1c-values they had no deterioration of vibrotactile sense or electrophysiology. HbA1c did not correlate with vibrotactile sense or electrophysiology, but the latter two correlated with regard to Z-score (sign of neuropathy) in forearm (NGT) and at wrist level (NGT and DM). Conclusions Vibration thresholds are increased in finger pulps of hands in type 2 DM subjects, particularly at specific frequencies in ulnar nerve innervated finger pulps. IGT does not to induce neuropathy. Tactilometry, with a multi-frequency approach, can be a sensitive technique to screen for large fibre neuropathy in type 2 DM. Frequency-related changes may mirror dysfunction of various receptors.
Assessment of early occlusal caries pre‐ and post‐ sealant application—An imaging approach

Clinicians have difficulty assessing and monitoring early occlusal caries. Traditional clinical exam and radiographs are unable to detect the subtle alterations in enamel indicative of de‐ or re‐mineralization, particularly under dental sealants. Although clinicians have used laser fluorescence (LF) to address this gap, this modality has demonstrated weak correlation with histology. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS‐II) has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for caries detection, but since it is based on visual assessment, it is of no use in areas beneath the most commonly used dental sealants which are opaque. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emergent assessment tool which has demonstrated great promise in detecting and quantifying caries, including areas beneath commonly used dental sealants and composites. However, OCT has not yet been widely integrated into clinical dental practice, perhaps because OCT imaging does not provide an easily accessible diagnostic outcome for clinicians. The objective of this ex vivo study was to use OCT‐images of sound and carious occlusal surfaces in combination with a simple algorithm to compare the caries detection ability of OCT with tools clinicians may be more familiar with (LF and radiography), and with an established valid and reliable clinical assessment tool (ICDAS‐II).
Integrated molecular profiles of invasive breast tumors and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) reveal differential vascular and interleukin signaling

We use an integrated approach to understand breast cancer heterogeneity by modeling mRNA, copy number alterations, microRNAs, and methylation in a pathway context utilizing the pathway recognition algorithm using data integration on genomic models (PARADIGM). We demonstrate that combining mRNA expression and DNA copy number classified the patients in groups that provide the best predictive value with respect to prognosis and identified key molecular and stromal signatures. A chronic inflammatory signature, which promotes the development and/or progression of various epithelial tumors, is uniformly present in all breast cancers. We further demonstrate that within the adaptive immune lineage, the strongest predictor of good outcome is the acquisition of a gene signature that favors a high T-helper 1 (Th1)/cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response at the expense of Th2-driven humoral immunity. Patients who have breast cancer with a basal HER2-negative molecular profile (PDGM2) are characterized by high expression of protumorigenic Th2/humoral-related genes (24–38%) and a low Th1/Th2 ratio. The luminal molecular subtypes are again differentiated by low or high FOXM1 and ERBB4 signaling. We show that the interleukin signaling profiles observed in invasive cancers are absent or weakly expressed in healthy tissue but already prominent in ductal carcinoma in situ, together with ECM and cell-cell adhesion regulating pathways. The most prominent difference between low and high mammographic density in healthy breast tissue by PARADIGM was that of STAT4 signaling. In conclusion, by means of a pathway-based modeling methodology (PARADIGM) integrating different layers of molecular data from whole-tumor samples, we demonstrate that we can stratify immune signatures that predict patient survival.
Postocclusive Hyperemia Measured with Laser Doppler Flowmetry and Transcutaneous Oxygen Tension in the Diagnosis of Primary Raynaud's Phenomenon: A Prospective, Controlled Study

The aim of this study was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of transcutaneous oxygen tension and postocclusive hyperemia testing using laser Doppler flowmetry in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon. One hundred patients and one hundred controls were included in the study. Baseline microvascular blood flow and then time to peak flow following occlusion were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry. Afterwards, the transcutaneous oxygen tension was recorded. The sensitivities of baseline microvascular blood flow, postocclusive time to peak flow, and transcutaneous oxygen tension were 79%, 79%, and 77%, respectively. The postocclusive time peak flow had a superior specificity of 90% and area under the curve of 0.92 as compared to 66% and 0.80 for baseline microvascular flow and 64% and 0.76 for transcutaneous oxygen tension. Time to postocclusive peak blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmetry is a highly accurate test for differentiating patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon from healthy controls.
Bacterial Contaminants of Poultry Meat: Sources, Species, and Dynamics

With the constant increase in poultry meat consumption worldwide and the large variety of poultry meat products and consumer demand, ensuring the microbial safety of poultry carcasses and cuts is essential. In the present review, we address the bacterial contamination of poultry meat from the slaughtering steps to the use-by-date of the products. The different contamination sources are identified. The contaminants occurring in poultry meat cuts and their behavior toward sanitizing treatments or various storage conditions are discussed. A list of the main pathogenic bacteria of concern for the consumer and those responsible for spoilage and waste of poultry meat is established.
A Double-Blind Comparative Multicentre Study of Controlled-Release Remoxipride, Immediate-Release Remoxipride and Haloperidol in Schizophrenia

A double-blind multicentre study comparing the efficacy and safety of remoxipride in controlled-release formulation (REM-CR), given once a day, and immediate-release formulation (REM-IR) and haloperidol, given twice daily, was conducted in patients with schizophrenic illness. In total, 150 inpatients were randomized: 49, 51 and 50 in the REM-CR, REM-IR, and haloperidol groups, respectively. The mean daily dose of REM-CR during the last week of treatment was 361 mg, that of REM-IR 332 mg. In the haloperidol group the corresponding dose was 12.5mg per day. The study treatment period was four weeks. The median BPRS total score was 37.5 in the REM-CR group at start of treatment, and 14.5 at last rating (n = 38). For the REM-IR group and the haloperidol group the corresponding figures were 36.0 and 38.0 at start of treatment and 18.0 (n = 43) and 16.5 (n = 40) at last rating. No statistically significant differences were found between the treatments. Therapy-emergent extrapyramidal symptoms (Simpson & Angus rating scale) were significantly (p less than 0.05) more frequent and more severe during haloperidol than during REM-CR and REM-IR treatment, despite significantly higher concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs in the haloperidol group. --REM-CR was comparable in efficacy and tolerability to REM-IR. The tolerability profile favoured both remoxipride formulations over haloperidol. Evaluation of the clinical chemistry, haematology, and cardiovascular data showed no clinically significant deleterious effects on any organ system for either drug.
Voornaam is not (really) a Homophone: Lexical Prosody and Lexical Access in Dutch

Four experiments examined Dutch listeners' use of suprasegmental information in spoken-word recognition. Isolated syllables excised from minimal stress pairs such as VOORnaam/voorNAAM could be reliably assigned to their source words. In lexical decision, no priming was observed from one member of minimal stress pairs to the other, suggesting that the pairs' segmental ambiguity was removed by suprasegmental information. Words embedded in nonsense strings were harder to detect if the nonsense string itself formed the beginning of a competing word, but a suprasegmental mismatch to the competing word significantly reduced this inhibition. The same nonsense strings facilitated recognition of the longer words of which they constituted the beginning, but again the facilitation was significantly reduced by suprasegmental mismatch. Together these results indicate that Dutch listeners effectively exploit suprasegmental cues in recognizing spoken words. Nonetheless, suprasegmental mismatch appears to be somewhat less effective in constraining activation than segmental mismatch.
Unraveling the Mechanisms of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a heritable arrhythmia unmasked by exertion or stress, characterized by triggered activity and sudden cardiac death in affected patients. In this study we used a mathematical model to simulate two mutations linked toCPVT, in cardiac calsequestrin (CSQN2) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR2). The aim of the present study is to characterize the mutations responsible for CPVT and establish the mechanistic basis for spontaneous Ca2+ release events that lead to delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) and triggered arrhythmias. Simulated calcium transients in the mutant CSQN2 model recapitulated the smaller amplitude and time to peak, as well as accelerated recovery from inactivation seen in experiments. When simulated CSQN2-mutant myocytes were paced in current-clamp mode, DADs were observed, suggesting that accelerated recovery of RyR2 induced by impaired luminal Ca2(+) sensing can lead to the triggered activity observed in the mutant CSQN2. Simulations of mutant RyR2 suggest that the hyperactive, "leaky" receptors characteristic of reduced FKBP12.6 function may be centrally involved in triggering DADs. These results provide plausible mechanisms by which defects in RyR2 gating may lead to the cellular triggers of CPVT, with implications for the development of targeted therapies.
Developmental changes in the expression of chemokine receptor CCR1 in the rat cerebellum

Chemokines are small, soluble proteins that regulate leukocyte migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Recent evidence suggests that chemokine receptors are expressed in the central nervous system and that their functions extend beyond their roles in inflammation. Specific chemokines and their receptors are implicated in cerebellar development. In this study, we evaluated the expression of β‐chemokine receptor CCR1 in the immature and adult rat cerebellum and report striking developmental changes in CCR1 expression. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays of cerebellum revealed moderate increases in CCR1 mRNA expression from postnatal day (P) 3 to adulthood. Light and confocal microscopy were used to evaluate developmental changes in the neuroanatomical and cell‐specific distribution of CCR1 immunoreactivity. CCR1 immunoreactivity was detected as early as P3 and peaked between P7 and P21. The predominant CCR1‐immunoreactive neuronal cell types included granule cells of the internal granular layer, Purkinje cells, Golgi cells, and molecular layer interneurons; Bergmann glia, astrocytes, and resting microglia also expressed CCR1. In contrast, granule cells in the external germinal layer, descending granule cells, and activated microglia rarely expressed CCR1. We also evaluated the expression of the CCR1 ligand macrophage inflammatory protein‐1α (MIP‐1α/CCL3). Two cell populations expressed MIP‐1α: physiologically activated microglia in white matter (P7–P14) and Purkinje cells (P7–adult). MIP‐1α‐positive cells were frequently located near the processes and cell bodies of CCR1‐immunoreactive cells, during times of neuronal and glial maturation (second and third postnatal weeks). These findings provide support for the hypothesis that CCR1 plays a role in postnatal cerebellar development. J. Comp. Neurol. 457:7–23, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.