Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrogram Fractionation: The Relationship Between Spatiotemporal Variation of Tissue Excitation and Electrode Spatial Resolution

Background— Fractionated electrograms are used by some as targets for ablation in atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Fractionation has been demonstrated to result when there is repetitive or asynchronous activation of separate groups of cells within the recording region of a mapping electrode(s). Methods and Results— Using a computer model, we generated tissue activation patterns with increasing spatiotemporal variation and calculated virtual electrograms from electrodes with decreasing resolution. We then quantified electrogram fractionation. In addition, we recorded unipolar electrograms during atrial fibrillation in 20 patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation. From these we constructed bipolar electrograms with increasing interelectrode spacing and quantified fractionation. During modeling of spatiotemporal variation, fractionation varied directly with electrode length, diameter, height, and interelectrode spacing. When resolution was held constant, fractionation increased with increasing spatiotemporal variation. In the absence of spatial variation, fractionation was independent of resolution and proportional to excitation frequency. In patients with atrial fibrillation, fractionation increased as interelectrode spacing increased. Conclusions— We created a model for distinguishing the roles of spatial and temporal electric variation and electrode resolution in producing electrogram fractionation. Spatial resolution affects fractionation attributable to spatiotemporal variation but not temporal variation alone. Electrogram fractionation was directly proportional to spatiotemporal variation and inversely proportional to spatial resolution. Spatial resolution limits the ability to distinguish high-frequency excitation from overcounting. In patients with atrial fibrillation, complex fractionated atrial electrogram detection varies with spatial resolution. Electrode resolution must therefore be considered when interpreting and comparing studies of fractionation.
CFD : An Effective Tool for Flow Simulation in Hydraulic Reaction Turbines

The reaction turbines have application in very wide range hydro power projects. The turbines are the most important components of any hydro power plant. Its cost varies 15-35% of the total cost of hydropower project. Thus the cost effective design of the turbine is of utmost importance. It is very crucial to understand the flow behavior of the turbine under various operating conditions. The model testing of turbines give overall performance of turbines based on global parameters. This approach is very costly and time consuming. But the detailed analysis of the performance of turbine is important under off-design and overloading conditions. Now-a-days computational fluid dynamics compliments experimental and theoretical approach by providing an alternate cost effective means of simulating real flow as it is much cheaper than experimental testing. In the present paper, the numerical flow simulation in reaction turbines ie, the axial and mixed flow turbines has been carried out to study effect of operating conditions on the local and global parameters of turbine. The simulation results for efficiency and output bear close comparison with experimental results. Key-words; axial flow turbine, CFD, mixed flow turbine, reaction turbines, runner
The Critical Role of Basement Membrane-Independent Laminin γ1 Chain during Axon Regeneration in the CNS

We have addressed the question of whether a family of axon growth-promoting molecules known as the laminins may play a role during axon regeneration in the CNS. A narrow sickle-shaped region containing a basal lamina-independent form of laminin exists in and around the cell bodies and proximal portion of the apical dendrites of CA3 pyramidal neurons of the postnatal hippocampus. To understand the possible function of laminin in axon regeneration within this pathway, we have manipulated laminin synthesis at the mRNA level in a slice culture model of the lesioned mossy system. In this model early postnatal mossy fibers severed near the hilus can regenerate across the lesion and elongate rapidly within strata lucidum and pyramidale. In slice cultures of the postnatal day 4 hippocampus, 2 d before lesion and then continuing for 1–5 d after lesion, translation of the γ1 chain product of laminin was reduced by using antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides and DNA enzymes. In the setting of the lesioned organotypic hippocampal slice, astroglial repair of the lesion and overall glial patterning were unperturbed by the antisense or DNA enzyme treatments. However, unlike controls, in the treated, lesioned slices the vast majority of regenerating mossy fibers could not cross the lesion site; those that did were very much shorter than usual, and they took a meandering course. In a recovery experiment in which the DNA enzyme or antisense oligos were washed away, laminin immunoreactivity returned and mossy fiber regeneration resumed. These results demonstrate the critical role of laminin(s) in an axon regeneration model of the CNS.
The Fuzzy Front End of Japanese New Product Development Projects: Impact on Success and Differences between Incremental and Radical Projects

Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Management of Science and TechnologyDepartment, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan. nagahira-akio@nifty.comThis study of Japanese New Product Development (NPD) projects explores the fuzzy frontend of innovation. The goal of the paper is twofold: First, we analyse the impact of the fuzzyfront end on the success of all the NPD projects. We develop a conceptual model based on theinformation-processing approach. A structural equation model was ﬁtted to data from 497NPD projects in Japanese manufacturing ﬁrms to test the proposed model. The empiricalanalysis suggests that an early reduction of market and technical uncertainty as well as aninitial planning before development have a positive impact on NPD project success. The modelaccounts for 17% of the variance of the efﬁciency and24%of the variance ofthe effectiveness-dependent variable. Thus, the front end phase is an important driver of NPD project success.Second, we compare the fuzzy front end of incremental to radical NPD projects. Althoughthese projects differ in many aspects of newness, we found only a few differences with regard tothe fuzzy front end. For instance, it was more difﬁcult to estimate the market size and pricesensitivity of the customers during the fuzzy front end of the radical NPD projects comparedwith the incremental projects. Implications of the empirical results and limitations of the studyare discussed.
The sensory basis of roost finding in a forest bat, Nyctalus noctula

SUMMARY Tree cavities are a critical resource for most forest-dwelling bats. Yet, it is not known how bats search for new sites and, in particular, find entrances to cavities. Here, we evaluated the importance of different sensory channels for the detection of tree roosts by the noctule bat Nyctalus noctula. Specifically, we tested the role of three non-social cues (echo information, visual information and temperature-related cues) and two social sensory cues (conspecific echolocation calls and the presence of bat olfactory cues). We set up an experiment in a flight room that mimicked natural conditions. In the flight room, we trained wild-caught bats kept in captivity for a short while to find the entrance to an artificial tree cavity. We measured the bats' hole-finding performance based on echolocation cues alone and then presented the bat with one of four additional sensory cues. Our data show that conspecific echolocation calls clearly improved the bats' performance in finding tree holes, both from flying (long-range detection) and when they were crawling on the trunk (short range detection). The other cues we presented had no, or only weak, effects on performance, implying that detection of new cavities from a distance is difficult for noctules if no additional social cues, in particular calls from conspecifics, are present. We conclude that sensory constraints strongly limit the effectiveness of finding new cavities and may in turn promote sociality and acoustic information transfer among bats. As acoustic cues clearly increased the bats' detection performance, we suggest that eavesdropping is an important mechanism for reducing the costs of finding suitable roosts.
Finite-Time Stabilization for Vehicle Active Suspension Systems With Hard Constraints

This paper presents the problem of finite-time stabilization for vehicle suspension systems with hard constraints based on terminal sliding-mode (TSM) control. As we know, one of the strong points of TSM control is its finite-time convergence to a given equilibrium of the system under consideration, which may be useful in specific applications. However, two main problems hindering the application of the TSM control are the singularity and chattering in TSM control systems. This paper proposes a novel second-order sliding-mode algorithm to soften the switching control law. The effect of the equivalent low-pass filter can be properly controlled in the algorithm based on requirements. Meantime, since the derivatives of term with fractional power do not appear in the control law, the control singularity is avoided. Thus, a chattering-free TSM control scheme for suspension systems is proposed, which allows both the chattering and singularity problems to be resolved. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated by both theoretical analysis and comparative experiment results.
Clinical results of autologous bone augmentation harvested from the mandibular ramus prior to implant placement. An analysis of 104 cases

Background: The aim of this study was the evaluation of the clinical success and complication rates associated with autologous bone grafts harvested from the mandibular ramus for alveolar ridge augmentation and the identification of possible risk factors for graft failure. Methods: In a consecutive retrospective study 86 patients could be included. In these patients a total of 104 bone grafts from the mandibular ramus were harvested for alveolar ridge augmentation. Medical history, age of patient, smoking status, periodontal status and complications were recorded. The need for bone grafting was defined by the impossibility of installing dental implants of adequate length or diameter to fulfill prosthetic requirements, or for aesthetic reasons. The surgical outcome was evaluated concerning complications at the donor or at the recipient site, risk factors associated with the complications and graft survival. All patients were treated using a two-stage technique. In the first operation bone blocks harvested from the retromolar region were placed as lateral or vertical onlay grafts using augmentation templates and were fixed with titanium osteosynthesis screws after exposure of the deficient alveolar ridge. After a healing period of 3–5 months computed tomography scans were performed followed by virtual implant planning and the implants were inserted using guided dental implantation. Results: 97 of the 104 onlay bone grafts were successful. In only 7 patients a graft failure occurred after a postsurgical complication. No long-term nerve damage occurred. Postoperative nerve disturbances were reported by 11 patients and had temporary character only. After the healing period between 4 to 5 months, 155 implants were placed (39 in the maxilla, 116 in the mandible). A final rehabilitation with dental implants was possible in 82 of the 86 patients. Except the 7 graft failures, all recorded complications were minor complications which could be easily treated successfully without any long-term problems. Complications at the donor site were recorded in 3 patients and 17 patients experienced complications at the recipient site. Three of 7 patients with graft failure, were secondarily augmented with a new retromolar graft, harvested from the contra-lateral site and dental implants could be successfully inserted later. No association between complications and smoking habit, age of patient, jaw area, and dental situation (tooth gap or free dental arch) could be detected. Conclusions: Retromolar bone grafts are an effective and safe method for the reconstruction of small- to medium-sized alveolar defects of the maxilla and mandible prior to dental implantation and show a low graft failure rate.
Trade liberalization and Indian agriculture

This volume presents an anlysis of changes in cropping patterns in the semi-arid tropics of India. It addresses the impact of trade liberalization in agriculture on the efficiency and resource cost of indigenous production vis-a-vis imports and consequently on India's self-sufficiency in oilseeds, pulses and cotton.
A STUDY OF THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF A WEB SITE

Interactive Web services make use of highly dynamic contents. To design efficient mechanisms for the replication and distribution of these contents and to improve the QoS perceived by the users, it is important to understand how often and to what extent contents change. This paper addresses these issues by studying the dynamic behavior of the contents of a popular news site. The contents are analyzed in terms of various metrics to assess their similarity. Groups of news with homogeneous characteristics are also identified.
Conditional deletion of AP-2β in mouse cranial neural crest results in anterior segment dysgenesis and early-onset glaucoma

ABSTRACT Anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD) encompasses a group of developmental disorders in which a closed angle phenotype in the anterior chamber of the eye can occur and 50% of patients develop glaucoma. Many ASDs are thought to involve an inappropriate patterning and migration of the periocular mesenchyme (POM), which is derived from cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) and mesoderm. Although, the mechanism of this disruption is not well understood, a number of transcriptional regulatory molecules have previously been implicated in ASDs. Here, we investigate the function of the transcription factor AP-2β, encoded by Tfap2b, which is expressed in NCCs and their derivatives. Wnt1-Cre-mediated conditional deletion of Tfap2b in NCCs resulted in post-natal ocular defects typified by opacity. Histological data revealed that the conditional AP-2β NCC knockout (KO) mutants exhibited dysgenesis of multiple structures in the anterior segment of the eye including defects in the corneal endothelium, corneal stroma, ciliary body and disruption in the iridocorneal angle with adherence of the iris to the cornea. We further show that this phenotype leads to a significant increase in intraocular pressure and a subsequent loss of retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve degeneration, features indicative of glaucoma. Overall, our findings demonstrate that AP-2β is required in the POM for normal development of the anterior segment of the eye and that the AP-2β NCC KO mice might serve as a new and exciting model of ASD and glaucoma that is fully penetrant and with early post-natal onset. Summary: Tissue-specific deletion of transcription factor AP-2β in the neural-crest-derived periocular mesenchyme generates a novel model of anterior segment dysgenesis and early onset glaucoma in mice.
Lipoprotein Lipase Is Expressed in Cultured Schwann Cells and Functions in Lipid Synthesis and Utilization

We have previously demonstrated that lipopro-tein lipase (LPL; triacylglycero-protein acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.34) is most likely expressed in the non-neuronal cells of the spinal cord, and glial cells may thus be the site of expression in the peripheral nervous system as well. We investigated the expression of LPL in cultured 1.17 cells, an immortalized rat sciatic nerve Schwann cell line. The 1.17 cells were shown to express LPL mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. The 1.17 Schwann cells demonstrated heparin-releasable lipolytic activity that was inhibited by the lipase inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin in a dose-dependent manner. Preincubation of 1.17 cells with an anti-rat LPL antiserum reduced the heparin-releasable lipolytic activity to Ͻ 10% of that measured in untreated cells. To investigate the role of LPL in Schwann cell lipid metabolism, 1.17 cells were incubated for up to 24 h with an emulsified [ 14 C]triolein substrate and the incorporation of [ 14 C]triolein radioactivity into various cellular lipids was examined in the presence of either anti-rat LPL antiserum or preimmune serum. Inhibiting LPL activity reduced the incorporation of 14 C into cellular polar lipids, diacylglycerol, and cholesteryl es-ters by Ͼ 80% at 2 and 6 h after addition of the radiolabeled substrate. At 24 h, radioactivity in diacylglycerol and choles-teryl esters was similar in cells treated with anti-LPL antise-rum or preimmune serum, whereas 14 C incorporation into polar lipids was still reduced by Ͼ 60%. Separation of the polar lipids into individual lipid species revealed no specific changes in triolein-derived radioactivity incorporation across the phospholipid species examined. These results suggest that LPL-mediated hydrolysis of exogenous triacylglycerol is an important source of free fatty acids for the Schwann cell and thus may play a critical role in myelin biosynthesis in the peripheral nervous system. lipase is expressed in cultured Schwann cells and functions in lipid synthesis and utilization. Supplementary key words myelin • phospholipids • triacylglycerol • peripheral nerve • lipolysis Lipoprotein lipase (LPL; triacylglycero-protein acylhy-drolase, EC 3.1.1.34) is a 56 kDa enzyme produced by several tissues in the body, including adipose tissue, muscle, heart, and the lactating mammary gland (for a review, see ref. 1). It is rate-limiting for the hydrolysis of triacylglyc-erol (TAG) contained in the neutral lipid core of circulating chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). In skeletal and cardiac muscle, LPL-mediated hydrolysis of TAG produces mono-and diacylglycerol (MAG, DAG) and free fatty acids (FFA) for oxidation; in adipose …
Design and Assessment of a Mobile Augmented Reality-Based Information Delivery Tool for Construction and Civil Engineering Curriculum

AbstractThe goal of the research reported in this paper is to design and systematically assess the effectiveness of a collaborative context-aware mobile augmented reality tool (CAM-ART) in construction and civil engineering curriculum. To achieve this goal, an augmented reality (AR)-based information delivery tool, CAM-ART, was implemented in classroom-scale experiments to enhance traditional lecture-based instruction and information delivery methods. In the research reported in this paper, the contents of an ordinary textbook were enhanced using computer-generated three-dimensional (3D) objects and other virtual multimedia (e.g., sound, video, and graphs), and delivered to students through an AR application running on their smartphones or tablet computers. The sample consisted of construction and civil engineering students, who were randomly assigned to Group A (control group) and Group B (test group). The designed learning tool was tested in a collaborative and interactive environment, preperformance an.
Endomorphisms and automorphisms of locally covariant quantum field theories

In the framework of locally covariant quantum field theory, a theory is described as a functor from a category of spacetimes to a category of ∗-algebras. It is proposed that the global gauge group of such a theory can be identified as the group of automorphisms of the defining functor. Consequently, multiplets of fields may be identified at the functorial level. It is shown that locally covariant theories that obey standard assumptions in Minkowski space, including energy compactness, have no proper endomorphisms (i.e., all endomorphisms are automorphisms) and have a compact automorphism group. Further, it is shown how the endomorphisms and automorphisms of a locally covariant theory may, in principle, be classified in any single spacetime. As an example, the endomorphisms and automorphisms of a system of finitely many free scalar fields are completely classified.
The A2SC2 Model: The Influence of Attitudes and Attitude Strength on Consideration and Choice

This research investigates the influence of attitudes and attitude strength on consideration and choice. Three experiments provide support for the Attitude and Attitude Strength, Consideration and Choice (A2SC2) Model, which hypothesizes that (a) attitude strength moderates the influence of attitudes on consideration, such that attitudes guide consideration more for strongly held attitudes than for weakly held attitudes and (b) consideration of a brand mediates the influence of attitudes and attitude strength on choice. Copyright 2004 by the University of Chicago.
Does it Matter How to Measure Aggregates? The Case of Monetary Transmission Mechanisms in the Euro Area

Beyer, Doornik and Hendry (2000, 2001) show analytically that three out of four aggregation methods yield problematic results when exchange rate shifts induce relative-price changes between individual countries and found the least problematic method to be the variable weight method of growth rates. This papers shows, however, that the latter is sensitive to the choice of base year when based on real GDP weights whereas not on nominal GDP weights. A comparison of aggregates calculated with different methods shows that the differences are tiny in absolute value but highly persistent. To investigate the impact on the cointegration properties in empirical modelling, the monetary model in Coenen & Vega (2001) based on fixed weights was re-estimated using flexible real and nominal GDP weights. In general, the results remained reasonably robust to the choice of aggregation method.
Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Recent immigrants tend to locate in ethnic "enclaves" within metropolitan areas. The economic consequence of living in such enclaves is still an unresolved issue. We use an immigrant policy initiative in Sweden, when government authorities distributed refugee immigrants across locales in a way that may be considered exogenous. This policy initiative provides a unique natural experiment, which allows us to estimate the causal effect on labor market outcomes of living in enclaves. We find substantive evidence of sorting across locations. When sorting is taken into account, living in enclaves improves labor market outcomes; for instance, the earnings gain associated with a standard deviation increase in ethnic concentration is in the order of four to five percent.
Identifying valence structure in LiFeAs and NaFeAs with core-level spectroscopy

Resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) measurements at Fe L2,3 edges and electronic structure calculations for LiFeAs and NaFeAs are presented. Experiment and theory show that in the vicinity of the Fermi energy, the density of states is dominated by contributions from Fe 3d states. The comparison of Fe L2,3 XES with spectra of related FeAs compounds reveals similar trends in energy and the ratio of intensities of the L2 and L3 peaks (I(L2)/I(L3) ratio). The I(L2)/I(L3) ratio for all FeAs-based superconductors is found to be closer to that of metallic Fe than that of the strongly correlated FeO. We conclude that iron-based superconductors are weakly or, at most, moderately correlated systems.
The Technology Cycle and Inequality

Motivated by the observed rise in the trade of technology, I analyse how technology would spread in a frictionless market. In such a world, low-skilled agents prefer to use old technology because it costs less; their skills do not justify the use of frontier technology. The model generates a technology-life cycle of somewhere between 68 and 124 years and per-capita income differential factors between 2.3 and 4.5. The model matches fairly well the cross-section relation between a country's income per capita and the average age of the technologies that its residents use. It is also consistent with aspects of the observed positive relation between income and imports of technology. Copyright , Wiley-Blackwell.