Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Neuroscience

For example, a V4 neuron can respond to two stimuli at different locations in its receptive field (RF), for instance a circle and a rectangular bar (Figure 1A), because there is a projection from an upstream area (in V1 or V2) from local circuits that respond to these stimuli. However, if the subject is interested in only one of the two stimuli, the impact of the other stimulus should be reduced and/or the response to the attended stimulus should be strengthened. This can be achieved by increasing/reducing the activity in the corresponding upstream area of the cells responding to the attended/ignored stimulus, respectively , or by making the projection more or less effective. Although it is likely that a combination of the two processes is responsible for stimulus selection, we focus here on the latter. In a previous study, we proposed a mechanism for selective attention (Tiesinga et al., 2004, 2008) based on the synchrony of inhibitory networks and found the conditions under which this mechanism could account for the experimentally observed multiplicative gain of orientation tuning curves (McAdams and Maunsell, 1999), increased LFP power in the gamma frequency range (Fries et al., 2001, 2008), and increased phase locking of spikes to the gamma oscillations in the LFP (Fries et al., 2001, 2008). In this model, neurons in the attention-modulated area produced spike trains that are phase-locked to the periodic inhibitory con-ductance. The model predicts that neurons in downstream cortical areas receive phase-locked excitatory inputs, referred to as non-local because they come from outside this cortical area, together with inputs from local inhibitory neurons, which could also be synchronized in the gamma frequency range. Our goal is to review and
Robust H∞ SMC of uncertain switched systems with time delay

This paper investigates the robust Hinfin sliding mode control problem for a class of uncertain switched delay systems. A single sliding surface is constructed such that the reduced-order equivalent sliding motion restricted to the sliding surface is completely invariant to all admissible uncertainties. For cases of known delay and unknown delay, the existence conditions of the sliding surface are proposed respectively. The corresponding hysteresis switching laws are designed to stabilize the sliding motion with Hinfin disturbance attenuation level gamma. Furthermore, variable structure controllers are developed to drive the state of the switched system to reach the single sliding surface in finite time and remains on it thereafter. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method.
Effect of red wine ingestion on the antioxidant capacity of serum.

Aerobic metabolism in biological systems produces reactive oxygen species, and defense against such prooxidants requires antioxidant activity, e.g., predominantly vitamins C and E in serum. Recently, flavonoids (polyphenols occurring widely in plants) have been investigated in vitro for their antioxidant activity; whether they are absorbed after ingestion is not clear. Using a chemiluminescent assay of serum antioxidant capacity (SAOC), we have studied the effects in normal individuals of ingesting red wine, white wine, and high doses of vitamin C. In nine subjects who ingested 300 mL of red wine, the mean SAOC was increased by 18% after 1 h and by 11% at 2 h. The same amount of white wine produced 4% and 7% increases, respectively. The ingestion of 1000 mg (5.7 mmol) of ascorbic acid by four subjects increased their mean SAOC by 22% at 1 h and by 29% at 2 h. An in vitro comparison of red wine, white wine, and various fruit juices showed the high antioxidant capacity of red wine in addition to its ability to increase the antioxidant capacity of serum in vivo. The antioxidant effects of various flavonoids and other polyphenols were also studied.
A Genome-Wide Screen for Large-Effect Alloimmunization Susceptibility Loci among Red Blood Cell Transfusion Recipients with Sickle Cell Disease

Background: A selective susceptibility of certain individuals to form multiple alloantibodies in response to red cell transfusion is well-recognized in clinical practice, and is a particular problem in persons with sickle cell disease (SCD). The reason for this differential susceptibility is unclear, but inter-individual genetic differences are likely to contribute. Methods: We conducted a pilot case-control genome-wide association study using ∼1,000,000 SNPs in 94 alloimmune responders (cases) and non-responders (controls) with SCD in order to identify loci of large effect size associated with alloimmunization. Results: No loci showed evidence of association at a genome-wide significance cut-off (p < 0.5 × 10-8). SNPs in the ARAP1/STARD10 region showed suggestive association (p < 1 × 10-6), but no association was observed at previously implicated loci TRIM21 or HLA. In analyses of the number of accumulated antibodies, a modest association was found with SNPs in the Toll-like receptor gene TLR10 (p < 1 × 10-4). Conclusions: Alloimmunization in persons with SCD is unlikely to be mediated by loci of very large effect size; however, larger and more comprehensive studies are required to fully evaluate loci with more moderate effects. This study provides a working approach to such future studies in SCD.
Cytotaxonomy of the subgenus Artibeus (Phyllostomidae, Chiroptera) by characterization of species-specific markers

Abstract The genus Artibeus represents a highly diverse group of bats from the Neotropical region, with four large species occurring in Brazil. In this paper, a comparative cytogenetic study was carried out on the species Artibeus obscurus Schinz, 1821, Artibeus fimbriatus Gray, 1838, Artibeus lituratus Olfers, 1818 and Artibeus planirostris Spix, 1823 that live sympatrically in the northeast of Brazil, through C-banding, silver staining and DNA-specific fluorochromes (CMA3 and DAPI). All the species had karyotypes with 2n=30,XX and 2n=31,XY1Y2, and FN=56. C-banding showed constitutive heterochromatin (CH) blocks in the pericentromeric regions of all the chromosomes and small CH blocks at the terminal region of pairs 5, 6, and 7 for all species. Notably, our C-banding data revealed species-specific autosomic CH blocks for each taxon, as well as different heterochromatic constitution of Y2 chromosomes of Artibeus planirostris. Ag-NORs were observed in the short arms of chromosomes 5, 6 and 7 in all species. The sequential staining AgNO3/CMA3/DA/DAPI indicated a positive association of CH with Ag-NORs and positive CMA3 signals, thus reflecting GC-richness in these regions in Artibeus obscurus and Artibeus fimbriatus. In this work it was possible to identify interespecific divergences in the Brazilian large Artibeus species using C-banding it was possible provided a suitable tool in the cytotaxonomic differentiation of this genus.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation and Its Effects on Elemental Distributions in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast Cells in X-Ray Fluorescence Microanalysis

Rapidly-frozen hydrated (cryopreserved) specimens combined with cryo-scanning x-ray fluorescence microscopy provide an ideal approach for investigating elemental distributions in biological cells and tissues. However, because cryopreservation does not deactivate potentially infectious agents associated with Risk Group 2 biological materials, one must be concerned with contamination of expensive and complicated cryogenic x-ray microscopes when working with such materials. We employed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to decontaminate previously cryopreserved cells under liquid nitrogen, and then investigated its effects on elemental distributions under both frozen hydrated and freeze dried states with x-ray fluorescence microscopy. We show that the contents and distributions of most biologically important elements remain nearly unchanged when compared with non-ultraviolet-irradiated counterparts, even after multiple cycles of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and cryogenic x-ray imaging. This provides a potential pathway for rendering Risk Group 2 biological materials safe for handling in multiuser cryogenic x-ray microscopes without affecting the fidelity of the results.
Effects of High and Low Temperature on the Tensile Strength of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

In this paper, the tensile performance of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites at high and low temperature was experimentally evaluated. GFRP laminates were manufactured using the wet hand lay-up assisted by vacuum bag, which has resulted in average fibre volume fraction of 0.45. Using simultaneous heating/cooling and loading, glass fiber epoxy and polyester laminates were evaluated for their mechanical performance in static tensile loading. In the elevated temperature environment test, the tension mechanical properties; stress and modulus were reduced with increasing temperature from 25°C to 80°C. Results of low temperature environment from room temperature to a minimum temperature of -20°C, indicated that there is no considerable effect on the tensile strength, however a slight decrease of tensile modulus were observed on the GFRP laminates. The results obtained from the research highlight the structural survivability on tensile properties at low and high temperature of the GFRP laminates.
GLOMERULAR PERMEABILITY

Wistar/Furth rats were made nephrotic by daily administration of amino-nucleoside of puromycin, and the ultrastructural localization of horseradish peroxidase (mol wt 40,000) in the renal glomerulus was studied from 1 min to 20 hr after intravenous injection of the tracer. In control rats, peroxidase permeated the endothelial fenestrae, the basement membrane, and the epithelial slits, and was present in tubular lumina. Nephrotic glomeruli showed relatively normal basement membranes, extensive fusion of foot processes with formation of "close" intercellular junctions, and large vacuoles and pockets in epithelial cells. On serial sections some of the epithelial vacuoles communicated on one side with the extracellular space overlying basement membrane, and on the other side with the urinary space. In nephrotic animals, peroxidase permeated the basement membrane and the close junctions, and was present in many of the vacuoles and pockets as early as 1 min after injection. Only small numbers of peroxidase-positive vacuoles remained in. epithelial cells 1 hr or more after injection of the tracer. It is suggested that the epithelial pockets and vacuoles form pathways across which leaking proteins can be transferred across the epithelium into the urinary space. Epithelial vacuoles may also be absorption droplets designed to "conserve" leaking proteins, but this function was not prominent in our experiments with peroxidase.
Prevalence and predisposing factors regarding intestinal parasitic infections among rural primary school pupils at Minia Governorate, Egypt

About 400 million school-age children are infected with roundworm, whipworm and hookworm worldwide. This study aims to assess prevalence of parasitic infections among rural primary school pupils at Minia Governorate, Egypt, and to identify relevant predisposing factors of the school and pupils to intestinal parasitic infections. A total of 264 pupils out of 1,053, aged 6–12 years, were randomly selected for parasitological investigation and the school was inspected on site for sanitary facilities and conditions of hygiene, as well as the conditions of hygiene of the pupils. The pupils were examined for ova, cysts and/or larvae of intestinal parasites using direct wet mount and formal-ether concentration techniques. Inspection of sanitary facilities and the conditions of hygiene of the school, as well pupil's conditions of hygiene, were carried out through observation checklists. Findings revealed the following intestinal parasites: Entamoeba coli (in 19.3% of pupils), Ascaris lumbricoides (3.8%), Hymenolepiasis nana (12.5%), Enterobious vermicularis (5.7%) and Giardia lamblia (12.5%), with varying percentages between male and female pupils, and a highly statistical association between pupil sex and type of parasites (P<0.001). Unapproved sanitary facilities and conditions of hygiene of the school and pupils were observed. Many intestinal parasitic infections among the primary school pupils were found. Unapproved and low inventory school sanitary facilities were observed, in addition to poor conditions of hygiene of pupils which may play a crucial role in these infections. The school facilities and sanitary conditions, especially the quality of water in the toilets, should be improved. Pupils and school personnel have a real need for health education about modes of transmission and preventive methods of intestinal parasitic infections.
Rising from the Ashes: Cognitive Determinants of Venture Growth after Entrepreneurial Failure

How does previous entrepreneurial failure influence future entrepreneurship? More specifically, under what conditions do entrepreneurs who rebound from failure do better in the next round? Drawing on the cognitive literature in attribution and motivation, we focus on entrepreneurs’ reaction to failure and the growth of their subsequent ventures. Leveraging a survey database of new–venture founders with failure experiences, we investigate how their internal attribution of the cause of failure, their intrinsic motivation to start up another business after failure, and the extent of their failure experiences impact the growth of their subsequent ventures.
ASYMPTOTIC BEHAVIOUR FOR THE VLASOV-POISSON-FOKER-PLANCK SYSTEM

is the macroscopic density of particles, f is the stadistical distribution of particles in phase space, E is the internal vector force, p and u are constants related to the collision between the particles and 0 = -1 in the gravitational case and 6 = 1 in the electrostatic case. The VPFP system has been extensively studied in the last years: classical solutions by H. D. Victory, B. P. O’Dwyer in [15] and by G. Rein, J. Weckler in [12]; LP weak solutions by 3. A. Carrillo and J. Soler in [6] and H. D. Victory in 1141; measure solutions to VPFP in one space dimension is analyzed by Y. Zheng, A. Majda in [16]; measures solutions in Morrey spaces and functional solutions by J. A. Carrillo and J. Soler in [7, 81 and the regularity for weak solutions by F. Bouchut in [2, 31. We study in this paper the case of the large time asymptic in the frictionless case (p = 0) in the whole lR6, see J. A. Carrillo, J. Soler and J. L. VBzquez [9] and in bounded domains with reflection-type boundary conditions, see L. L. Bonilla, J. A. Carrillo and J. Soler [l]. On the other hand we analyze the behaviour of solutions with respect to the physical constants using a diffusion approximation method, see J. A. Carrillo, F. Poupaud and J. Soler [5].
Maternal Nicotine Exposure During Late Gestation and Lactation Increases Anxiety-Like and Impulsive Decision-Making Behavior in Adolescent Offspring of Rat

Prenatal nicotine exposure over an entire pregnancy has been associated with an increased prevalence of hyperactivity, anxiety-like behavior and depression-like behavior in mature rats. However, the effects of maternal nicotine exposure in late gestation and lactation on the psychology and behavior of adolescent rat offspring are unclear. Thus, we investigated the effect of nicotine exposure during late gestation and lactation on anxiety-like and impulsive decision-making behavior in adolescent offspring of rat. Female rats were orally exposed to nicotine which is within range of plasma level of human chronic smokers during the period of third last period of gestation and lactation. When the offspring were weaned, we observed alterations in the anxiety-like behavior and decision-making ability of adolescent rat offspring using light/ dark box test and T-maze delay-based cost-benefit decision-making task. The maternal consumption of nicotine reduced both the time spent in the light compartment and the number of transitions compared to nicotine-free rats. Moreover, such nicotine exposed adolescent offspring rats showed impulsive decision making which chose the instant reward in a decision-making situation. We found that nicotine exposure during late gestation and lactation induces an increase in anxiety-like and impulsive decision-making behavior at this developmental stage. These findings suggest that maternal nicotine-exposed offspring are at an increased risk of developing anxious and impulsive behavior.
The Expression of Invasive Behavior of Differentiated Squamous Carcinoma Cell Line Evaluated by an in vitro Invasion Model

In order to elucidate the factors contributory to the expression of invasiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma, we conducted biochemical and morphological comparisons of well differentiated squamous carcinoma cell line OSC‐19 (oral squamous cell carcinoma) and undifferentiated carcinoma cell line KB, both cultured on 3T3 cell‐embedded collagen gel (in vitro invasion model). OSC‐19 cells invaded 3T3 cell‐embedded collagen gel, while KB cells and OSC‐19 cells on 3T3 cell‐free gel matrix were less invasive. Cultured OSC‐19 cells were characterized by lower proliferating activity, lower secretion of laminin and higher secretion of fibronectin than those of KB cells. Although the basement membrane with deposition of laminin and type IV collagen was formed, it was discontinuous at the invasion front. Gelatin zymography and western blotting showed matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), i.e., 72 kDa gelatinase (MMP‐2) and 92 kDa gelatinase (MMP‐9). Gelatinolytic activity was assayed, and was higher in OSC‐19 cells than in KB cells or OSC‐19 cells of the 3T3 cell‐free model. By immuno‐histochemical analysis, MMP‐2‐positive cells were found scattered in both cell lines without any preferential localization, and the positivity for MMP‐9 was localized in the invasion front of OSC‐19 cells. These results strongly suggest that the invasiveness of squamous cell carcinoma is well correlated with cell‐matrix adhesion by fibronectin and with focal elaboration of metalloproteinases, especially MMP‐9, which play a major role in degrading the extracellular matrix components.
Job Satisfaction and Co-Worker Wages: Status or Signal?

This paper uses matched employer-employee panel data to show that individual job satisfaction is higher when other workers in the same establishment are better-paid. This runs contrary to a large literature which has found evidence of income comparisons in subjective well-being. We argue that the difference hinges on the nature of the reference group. We here use co-workers. Their wages not only induce jealousy, but also provide a signal about the worker's own future earnings. Our positive estimated coefficient on others' wages shows that this positive future earnings signal outweighs any negative status effect. This phenomenon is stronger for men, and in the private sector.
THE RATING SCALE MODEL FOR OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT

Necessary and sufficient relations between measurement objectivity and psychometric models for data in more than two categories are reviewed and extended. Rasch (1960, 1961) and others prove the sufficiency of Rasch models for objectivity. Douglas and Wright (1986) derive the model necessary for objectivity for data in two categories. Rasch (1968) outlines a proof of the model necessary for observations in any number of categories but does not deal with the unidimensional rating scale model. This paper completes Rasch's proof, interprets the structural characteristics of his model and shows that it is the only rating scale model which produces the measurement objectivity necessary for scientific comparisons.
A $k$ -Space Pseudospectral Method for Elastic Wave Propagation in Heterogeneous Anisotropic Media

This paper presents the theory of the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-space method generalized to model elastic wave propagation in heterogeneous anisotropic media. The <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-space methods are promising time integration techniques giving, in conjunction with collocation spectral methods, accurate and efficient numerical schemes for problems in heterogeneous media. In this paper, the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-space operator is derived in a spatially continuous form using the Fourier analysis of the displacement formalism of elastodynamics. An efficient numerical algorithm is then constructed by applying a Fourier collocation spectral method, leading to define the discrete <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-space scheme. The proposed method is temporally exact for homogeneous media, unconditionally stable for heterogeneous media, and also allows larger time steps without loss of accuracy. Implementation of the method is discussed in detail. The method is validated through a set of numerical tests. The numerical results show the efficacy of the method compared with the conventional schemes.
Information integration via hierarchical and hybrid bayesian networks

A collaboration scheme for information integration among multiple agencies (and/or various divisions within a single agency) is designed using hierarchical and hybrid Bayesian networks (HHBNs). In this scheme, raw information is represented by transactions (e.g., communication, travel, and financing) and information entities to be integrated are modeled as random variables (e.g., an event occurs, an effect exists, or an action is undertaken). Each random variable has certain states with probabilities assigned to them. Hierarchical is in terms of the model structure and hybrid stems from our usage of both general Bayesian networks (BNs) and hidden Markov models (HMMs, a special form of dynamic BNs). The general BNs are adopted in the top (decision) layer to address global assessment for a specific question (e.g., "Is target A under terrorist threat? " in the context of counterterrorism). HMMs function in the bottom (observation) layer to report processed evidence to the upper layer BN based on the local information available to a particular agency or a division. A software tool, termed the adaptive safety analysis and monitoring (ASAM) system, is developed to implement HHBNs for information integration either in a centralized or in a distributed fashion. As an example, a terrorist attack scenario gleaned from open sources is modeled and analyzed to illustrate the functionality of the proposed framework.
Post-Compromise Security

In this work we study communication with a party whose secrets have already been compromised. At ﬁrst sight, it may seem impossible to provide any type of security in this scenario. However, under some conditions, practically relevant guarantees can still be achieved. We call such guarantees “post-compromise security”. We provide the ﬁrst informal and formal deﬁnitions for post-compromise security, and show that it can be achieved in several scenarios. At a technical level, we instantiate our informal deﬁnitions in the setting of authenticated key exchange (AKE) protocols, and develop two new strong security models for two different threat models. We show that both of these security models can be satisﬁed, by proposing two concrete protocol constructions and proving they are secure in the models. Our work leads to crucial insights on how post-compromise security can (and cannot) be achieved, paving the way for applications in other domains.