Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Model-Based Approach for Predicting the Remaining Driving Range in Electric Vehicles

The limited driving range has been pointed out as one of the main technical factors affecting the acceptance of electric vehicles. Offering the driver accurate information about the remaining driving range (RDR) reduces the range anxiety and increases the acceptance of the driver. The integration of electric vehicles into future transportation systems demands advanced driving assistance systems that offer reliable information regarding the RDR. Unfortunately, the RDR is, due to many sources of uncertainty, difficult to predict. The driving style, the road conditions or the traffic situation are some of these uncertain factors. A model-based approach for predicting the RDR by combining unscented filtering and Markov chains is introduced in this paper. Detailed models are implemented for representing the electric vehicle and its energy storage system. The RDR prediction is validated by a set of simulation based experiments for different driving scenarios. Whereas traditional approaches consider the RDR as a deterministic quantity, to our knowledge, this approach is the first to represent the RDR by a probability density function. We aim to provide initial steps towards a solution for generating reliable information regarding the RDR which can be used by driving assistance systems in electric vehicles.
Cracking the social code of speech prosody using reverse correlation

Significance In speech, social evaluations of a speaker’s dominance or trustworthiness are conveyed by distinguishing, but little-understood, pitch variations. This work describes how to combine state-of-the-art vocal pitch transformations with the psychophysical technique of reverse correlation and uses this methodology to uncover the prosodic prototypes that govern such social judgments in speech. This finding is of great significance, because the exact shape of these prototypes, and how they vary with sex, age, and culture, is virtually unknown, and because prototypes derived with the method can then be reapplied to arbitrary spoken utterances, thus providing a principled way to modulate personality impressions in speech. Human listeners excel at forming high-level social representations about each other, even from the briefest of utterances. In particular, pitch is widely recognized as the auditory dimension that conveys most of the information about a speaker’s traits, emotional states, and attitudes. While past research has primarily looked at the influence of mean pitch, almost nothing is known about how intonation patterns, i.e., finely tuned pitch trajectories around the mean, may determine social judgments in speech. Here, we introduce an experimental paradigm that combines state-of-the-art voice transformation algorithms with psychophysical reverse correlation and show that two of the most important dimensions of social judgments, a speaker’s perceived dominance and trustworthiness, are driven by robust and distinguishing pitch trajectories in short utterances like the word “Hello,” which remained remarkably stable whether male or female listeners judged male or female speakers. These findings reveal a unique communicative adaptation that enables listeners to infer social traits regardless of speakers’ physical characteristics, such as sex and mean pitch. By characterizing how any given individual’s mental representations may differ from this generic code, the method introduced here opens avenues to explore dysprosody and social-cognitive deficits in disorders like autism spectrum and schizophrenia. In addition, once derived experimentally, these prototypes can be applied to novel utterances, thus providing a principled way to modulate personality impressions in arbitrary speech signals.
Lifelong Bilingualism Maintains Neural Efficiency for Cognitive Control in Aging

Recent behavioral data have shown that lifelong bilingualism can maintain youthful cognitive control abilities in aging. Here, we provide the first direct evidence of a neural basis for the bilingual cognitive control boost in aging. Two experiments were conducted, using a perceptual task-switching paradigm, including a total of 110 participants. In Experiment 1, older adult bilinguals showed better perceptual switching performance than their monolingual peers. In Experiment 2, younger and older adult monolinguals and bilinguals completed the same perceptual task-switching experiment while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed. Typical age-related performance reductions and fMRI activation increases were observed. However, like younger adults, bilingual older adults outperformed their monolingual peers while displaying decreased activation in left lateral frontal cortex and cingulate cortex. Critically, this attenuation of age-related over-recruitment associated with bilingualism was directly correlated with better task-switching performance. In addition, the lower blood oxygenation level-dependent response in frontal regions accounted for 82% of the variance in the bilingual task-switching reaction time advantage. These results suggest that lifelong bilingualism offsets age-related declines in the neural efficiency for cognitive control processes.
The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)

Respiratory disorders are a big issue that affects around 60% of the population all over the world. It varies from simple snoring up to severe stridor which appears mainly during sleep. The cause of all respiratory disorders depends on obstruction, vibration or both. We can also find respiratory disorders in some rare cases like Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome or Multisystem Disease. The respiratory events start with simple snoring without symptoms of dyspnea or hypopnea. It may extend to arousals due to respiratory efforts (RERAs Syndrome). With more and more distress, the hypopnea (decrease in Oxygen) appears till complete apnea occurs with awakened stridor. The most common sequence of events in sleep respiratory disorders can be summarized into the following; simple snoring which leads to the increase in upper airway resistance and finally ending in a group of syndromes like OSAS (Apnea, Hypopnea, RERAs). In another sequence, snoring leads to Uvular Oedema which feels like morning Obstructive Sleep Hypopnea Apnea Syndrome (ObSHAS). This leads to increase in Arterial Hypertension which causes daytime sleepiness. There are a lot of complications in OSAS which maybe local complications in mouse, nose and chest, or CVS complications like Erythema or Hypertension or psychological problems like dizziness or loss of consciousness or daytime sleepiness. One of the most common problems is how to exactly detect the size and site of the obstruction of air flow. There are several methods like full history of the patient and the partner, full clinical examination, full radiological examination or fiber-optic endoscopic examination. The treatment is either medical or surgical according to the case.
Solid-liquid equilibrium and heat capacity trend in the alkylimidazolium PF 6 series

Article history: Received 5 January 2017 Received in revised form 24 September 2017 Accepted 8 October 2017 Available online 14 October 2017 The heat capacity and thermal behavior trend along the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [CnC1im][PF6] (with n = 2–10, 12) ionic liquids series, is used to explore the effect of the alkyl chain length in the nanostructuration. The heat capacities of the studied ILs were measured with an uncertainty better than ±0.15% and are in excellent agreement with the available data in the literature. An odd-even effect for the specific and volumic heat capacities of the [CnC1im][PF6] serieswas found. The observed odd-even effect in the liquid heat capacity was rationalized considering the preferential orientation of the terminal\\CH3 group. The higher specific/volumic heat capacities shown for the [C6C1im][PF6] and [C8C1im][PF6] are an indication of an additional conformational disorder increase in the liquid phase that could be related with a weaker alkyl chain interdigitation capability of the even number chain ILs. The melting temperatures and consequent ΔsHm and ΔsSm trend along the alkyl series present a V-shape profile that is explained based on the analysis of the balance between the initial decrease of the electrostatic interaction potential and the increase of the van der Waals interactions with the increasing size of the alkyl side chain of the cation. The inhibition of crystallization for intermediate alkyl chain size (from [C5C1im][PF6] to [C8C1im][PF6]) seems to arise from the overlapping of the hypothetical cold crystallization temperature by themelting temperature. Above the critical alkyl size, CAS, a regular increase in the entropy and enthalpy profiles presents a similar shape than the observed in other alkane series and is a strong support of the intensification of the ILs nanostructuration. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Skin Regeneration in Adult Axolotls: A Blueprint for Scar-Free Healing in Vertebrates

While considerable progress has been made towards understanding the complex processes and pathways that regulate human wound healing, regenerative medicine has been unable to develop therapies that coax the natural wound environment to heal scar-free. The inability to induce perfect skin regeneration stems partly from our limited understanding of how scar-free healing occurs in a natural setting. Here we have investigated the wound repair process in adult axolotls and demonstrate that they are capable of perfectly repairing full thickness excisional wounds made on the flank. In the context of mammalian wound repair, our findings reveal a substantial reduction in hemostasis, reduced neutrophil infiltration and a relatively long delay in production of new extracellular matrix (ECM) during scar-free healing. Additionally, we test the hypothesis that metamorphosis leads to scarring and instead show that terrestrial axolotls also heal scar-free, albeit at a slower rate. Analysis of newly forming dermal ECM suggests that low levels of fibronectin and high levels of tenascin-C promote regeneration in lieu of scarring. Lastly, a genetic analysis during wound healing comparing epidermis between aquatic and terrestrial axolotls suggests that matrix metalloproteinases may regulate the fibrotic response. Our findings outline a blueprint to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms coordinating scar-free healing that will be useful towards elucidating new regenerative therapies targeting fibrosis and wound repair.
Effectiveness of Intraoperative Mitomycin C in Maintaining the Patency of a Frontal Sinusotomy: A Preliminary Report of a Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background Postoperative scarring in the frontal recess is the most common cause of iatrogenic frontal sinusitis. Topical mitomycin-C (MMC) is an antifibroblastic agent that has been shown to reduce clinical scarring. This is a preliminary report of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial using MMC to determine its effectiveness in reducing frontal recess stenosis after frontal sinusotomy. Methods All patients with chronic rhinosinusitis undergoing primary or revision bilateral image-guided endoscopic sinus surgery were enrolled. Patients requiring frontal sinus stents and those with allergic fungal sinusitis were excluded. After completion of the frontal sinusotomy, dimensions of the frontal recess were measured using curved Frazer suction diameters. A neuropattie soaked in 0.5 mg/mL of MMC was then placed into one frontal recess for 4 minutes in a randomized manner. A saline control was used for the other side. The primary surgeon was blinded to the medicated side intraoperatively and throughout the follow-up period. Measurements of the frontal recess were repeated at 1, 3, and 6 months. Results There was no difference in the degree of frontal recess stenosis between the MMC and control sides at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively for both primary and revision cases. Conclusion One-time intraoperative topical MMC is not effective in reducing postoperative frontal recess stenosis in both primary and revision cases.
The Relationship among Pulse Wave Velocity, Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index and Heart Rate Variability in Adult Males

Background Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) are non-invasive tools to measure atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness. Heart rate variability (HRV) has proven to be a non-invasive powerful tool in the investigation of the autonomic cardiovascular control. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship among PWV, ABI, and HRV parameters in adult males. Methods The study was carried out with 117 males who visited a health care center from April, 2009 to May, 2010. We conducted blood sampling (total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, cholesterol, fasting glucose) and physical examination. We studied brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) and ABI. We examined HRV parameters including standard deviation of NN interval (SDNN), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), LF/HF ratio. We analyzed the relationship among baPWV, ABI, and HRV parameters. Results SDNN had a significant negative correlation with age, systolic blood pressure and heart rate. LF and HF had a significant negative correlation with age, and age and heart rate, respectively. baPWV was significantly and positively associated with age, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, fasting glucose and heart rate. ABI was negative correlated significantly with systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate. After adjusting for all associated variables, baPWV was not correlated with HRV parameters, but there was a significant positive association between SDNN and ABI (r = 0.195, P = 0.014). Conclusion SDNN of HRV parameters had a significant positive correlation with ABI.
Burden on caregivers of people with schizophrenia: Comparison between Germany and Britain

Background Burden on the relatives of patients with schizophrenia may be influenced not only by patient and caregiver characteristics, but also by differences in mental health service provision. Aims To analyse whether family burden is affected by national differences in the provision of mental health services. Method Patients with schizophrenia and their key relatives were examined in Germany (n=333) and Britain (n = 170). Differences in family burden in both countries were analysed with regression models controlling for patient and caregiver characteristics. Results Family burden was associated with patients' symptoms, male gender, unemployment and marital status, as well as caregivers' coping abilities, patient contact and being a patient's parent. However, even when these attributes were controlled for, British caregivers reported more burden than German caregivers. Conclusions National differences in family burden may be related to different healthcare systems in Germany and Britain. Support for patients with schizophrenia may be shifted from the professional to the informal healthcare sector more in Britain than in Germany.
Management of extrapulmonary sarcoidosis: challenges and solutions

Background Sarcoidosis is a chronic multisystem disease of unknown etiology characterized by noncaseating granulomas that most often involves the lungs, but frequently has extrapulmonary manifestations, which might be difficult to treat in individual patients. Objective To review different disease manifestations, focusing on extrapulmonary organ systems, and to provide treatment options for refractory cases. Materials and methods We performed a literature search using Medline and Google Scholar for individual or combined keywords of “sarcoidosis, extrapulmonary, treatment, kidney, neurosarcoidosis, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, transplantation, musculoskeletal, rheumatology, arthritis, and skin”. Peer-reviewed articles, including review articles, clinical trials, observational trials, and case reports that were published in English were included. References from retrieved articles were also manually searched for relevant articles. Results and conclusion Isolated involvement of a single organ or organ system is rare in sarcoidosis, and thus all patients must be thoroughly evaluated for additional disease manifestations. Cardiac sarcoidosis and neurosarcoidosis may be life-threatening. Clinicians need to assess patients comprehensively using clinical, laboratory, imaging, and histopathological data to recommend competently the best and least toxic treatment option for the individual patient.
Problems and pitfalls in relating climate variability to population dynamics

We discuss 3 methodological issues involved in climate-population dynamics research. Precise alternative hypotheses are the first requirement, and correlational studies are the weakest way to test the multiple working hypotheses required. Large-scale effects are difficult to investigate because of heterogeneity in environmental variables, and long-term predictions require more patience to test adequately. Multifactorial hypotheses are required for the investigation of climatic effects but these are too often vague and qualitative. Complex computer models can almost never be empirically validated and their predictions should be carefully examined. We illustrate these prob- lems with 3 case studies: snowshoe hares in Canada, desert rodents in Arizona, and red kangaroos in Australia. Correlations abound but mechanistic understanding is limited because of long causal chains and indirect effects.
Transcription Factors in Muscle Atrophy Caused by Blocked Neuromuscular Transmission and Muscle Unloading In Rats

The muscle wasting associated with long-term intensive care unit (ICU) treatment has a negative effect on muscle function resulting in prolonged periods of rehabilitation and a decreased quality of life. To identify mechanisms behind this form of muscle wasting, we have used a rat model designed to mimic the conditions in an ICU. Rats were pharmacologically paralyzed with a postsynaptic blocker of neuromuscular transmission, and mechanically ventilated for one to two weeks, thereby unloading the limb muscles. Transcription factors were analyzed for cellular localization and nuclear concentration in the fast-twitch muscle extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and in the slow-twitch soleus. Significant muscle wasting and upregulation of mRNA for the ubiquitin ligases MAFbx and MuRF1 followed the treatment. The IκB family-member Bcl-3 displayed a concomitant decrease in concentration, suggesting altered κB controlled gene expression, although NFκB p65 was not significantly affected. The nuclear levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the thyroid receptor α1 (TRα1) were altered and also suggested as potential mediators of the MAFbx- and MuRF1-induction in the absence of induced Foxo1. We believe that this model, and the strategy of quantifying nuclear proteins, will provide a valuable tool for further, more detailed, analyses of the muscle wasting occurring in patients kept on a mechanical ventilator.
Simvastatin Rescues Rats From Fatal Pulmonary Hypertension by Inducing Apoptosis of Neointimal Smooth Muscle Cells

Background—Pulmonary vascular injury by toxins can induce neointimal formation, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), right ventricular failure, and death. We showed previously that simvastatin attenuates smooth muscle neointimal proliferation and pulmonary hypertension in pneumonectomized rats injected with the alkaloid toxin monocrotaline. The present study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of simvastatin and its mechanism of reversing established neointimal vascular occlusion and pulmonary hypertension. Methods and Results—Pneumonectomized rats injected with monocrotaline at 4 weeks demonstrated severe PAH at 11 weeks (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP]=42 versus 17 mm Hg in normal rats) and death by 15 weeks. When rats with severe PAH received simvastatin (2 mg · kg−1 · d−1 by gavage) from week 11, there was 100% survival and reversal of PAH after 2 weeks (mPAP=36 mm Hg) and 6 weeks (mPAP=24 mm Hg) of therapy. Simvastatin treatment reduced right ventricular hypertrophy and reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis of pathological smooth muscle cells in the neointima and medial walls of pulmonary arteries. Longitudinal transcriptional profiling revealed that simvastatin downregulated the inflammatory genes fos, jun, and tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and upregulated the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1a. Conclusions—Simvastatin reverses pulmonary arterial neointimal formation and PAH after toxic injury.
A Persistent Na + Current and Its Contribution to Burst-Like Firing in Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons

The ventral tegmental area dopamine (DA VTA) neurons have the spontaneous tonic activity and an alteration of firing pattern from tonic to burst accelerates dopamine transmission more effectively in the mesoaccumbal dopaminergic system, leading to the reinforcing process of drugs of abuse such as alcohol and nicotine. In the present study, we examined whether a persistent Na+ current would contribute to burst firing in DA VTA neuronsusing nystatin-perforated recording. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) (1 μM) or riluzole (10 μM) hyperpolarized the membrane potential and stopped spontaneous firing of DA VTA neurons. In voltage-clamp analysis, a TTX and riluzole-sensitive and persistent Na+ current was activated at ? 60 mV and reached maximal amplitude at ? 40 mV. This persistent Na+ current was potentiated by a negative shift of the voltage of activation by eliminating Ca2+ from the extracellular solution. The Ca2+-free extracellular solution depolarized the membrane potential and increased the firing frequency of DA VTA neurons. When a continuous hyperpolarizing current was injected, the firing pattern of the DA VTA neurons transformed into burst-like firing; with average spike number of 4.9, average inter-spike interval of 221 ms, and an average plateau potential, on which the train of spikes generated, was 11 mV. The burst-like firing of DA VTA neurons was abolished by 10 μM riluzole. The concurrent blockade of both T-type Ca2+ current and small conductance Ca2+-activated K+(SK) currents by 100 μM nickel did not induce burst-like firing with or without continuous hyperpolarizing current injection in DA VTA neurons. In conclusion, increases in a persistent Na+ current that mediates a depolarizing driving force by removing extracellular Ca2+ contributes to burst-like firing in DA VTA neurons.