Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined EMD-sLORETA Analysis of EEG Data Collected during a Contour Integration Task

Lately, Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) techniques receive growing interest in biomedical data analysis. Event-Related Modes (ERMs) represent features extracted by an EEMD from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. We present a new approach for source localization of EEG data based on combining ERMs with inverse models. As the first step, 64 channel EEG recordings are pooled according to six brain areas and decomposed, by applying an EEMD, into their underlying ERMs. Then, based upon the problem at hand, the most closely related ERM, in terms of frequency and amplitude, is combined with inverse modeling techniques for source localization. More specifically, the standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) procedure is employed in this work. Accuracy and robustness of the results indicate that this approach deems highly promising in source localization techniques for EEG data.
Determinants of Reduced Survival Following Hip Fractures in Men

To assess determinants of poor survival after hip fractures in men, a population-based cohort study was conducted among 131 men in Rochester, MN, who had their first hip fracture during the period from 1978 to 1989, and an equal number of age-matched control men from the community. One hundred nine patients with fractures died during 373 person-years of followup, but only 75 control men died during 742 person-years of observation. The risk of dying increased with the level of comorbidity among hip fracture cases (hazard ratio 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–8.2), as well as with age (hazard ratio, 1.4 per 10-year increase; 95% confidence ratio, 1.1–1.8) and mental confusion during hospitalization (hazard ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.5–6.9). Discharge to a nursing home and low activity status also were predictors of death in the univariate analysis. Excess mortality among men with hip fractures can be explained best by interaction of the fracture with serious underlying medical conditions.
Gamma knife radiosurgery for glossopharyngeal neuralgia: Marseille experience.

Purpose Although Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKR) is widely recognized as an effective and minimally invasive treatment for intractable trigeminal neuralgia, its role in glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) has not yet been determined. Methods Between January 2002 and February 2009, 7 patients with medically intractable GPN were treated using GKR. Indication for GKR was the presence of medically intractable GPN, patient's refusal for open surgery or contraindication to microvascular decompression. Patients underwent preoperative investigation and were evaluated postoperatively with periodic assessment of pain relief and neurological function. Seven patients, 5 males and 2 females, with mean age 62 (range 36-83) presented with symptoms for an average of 28 months (range 8-72). Four patients had a neurovascular conflict. Patients were treated with a dose ranging from 60 to 80 Gy, targeted on the cisternal segment (n=2) or glossopharyngeal meatus (GPM) (n=5). Results Outcome was favorable with cure of GPN in 5 of 7 patients (71%) in the short-term (3 months post GKR) and 4 of 7 (57%) patients in the long term (> 7 months, mean 16 months). One patient required 2 treatments because of a recurrence of symptoms and was treated with a maximum doses of 60 and 70 Gy, respectively. There were no neurological complications. Conclusions All patients with GPM as a target that received a dose greater than 75 Gy were cured at long-term follow-up. The 2 patients with cisternal segment as the target and received a dose lower than 70 Gy were not cured of their GPN. There were no neurological deficits involving the lower cranial nerves. It will be necessary to investigate the optimal radiation dose and target of GKR for GPN in order to achieve long-term pain relief.
A role for the default mode network in the bases of disorders of consciousness

Functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) is known to be reduced in patients with disorders of consciousness, to a different extent depending on their clinical severity. Nevertheless, the integrity of the structural architecture supporting this network and its relation with the exhibited functional disconnections are very poorly understood. We investigated the structural connectivity and white matter integrity of the DMN in patients with disorders of consciousness of varying clinical severity.
Generalized Selection Combining for Cognitive Relay Networks Over Nakagami-$m$  Fading

We consider transmit antenna selection with receive generalized selection combining (TAS/GSC) for cognitive decode-and-forward (DF) relaying in Nakagami- m fading channels. In an effort to assess the performance, the probability density function and the cumulative distribution function of the end-to-end SNR are derived using the moment generating function, from which new exact closed-form expressions for the outage probability and the symbol error rate are derived. We then derive a new closed-form expression for the ergodic capacity. More important, by deriving the asymptotic expressions for the outage probability and the symbol error rate, as well as the high SNR approximations of the ergodic capacity, we establish new design insights under the two distinct constraint scenarios: 1) proportional interference power constraint, and 2) fixed interference power constraint. Several pivotal conclusions are reached. For the first scenario, the full diversity order of the outage probability and the symbol error rate is achieved, and the high SNR slope of the ergodic capacity is 1/2. For the second scenario, the diversity order of the outage probability and the symbol error rate is zero with error floors, and the high SNR slope of the ergodic capacity is zero with capacity ceiling.
Activating Mutations of the Serotonin 5‐HT2C Receptor

Abstract: Site‐directed mutagenesis was performed to create a mutant serotonin 5‐HT2C receptor that would mimic the active conformation of the native receptor. Structural alteration of receptor conformation was achieved by changing amino acid no. 312 from serine to phenylalanine (S312F) or lysine (S312K). After expression in COS‐7 cells, the binding affinity of 5‐HT for [3H]‐mesulergine‐labeled 5‐HT2C receptors increased from 203 nM (native) to 76 nM for S312F and 6.6 nM for S312K mutant receptors. 5‐HT potency for stimulation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis increased from 70 nM (native) to 28 nM for S312F and 2.7 nM for S312K mutant receptors. The mutant receptors were constitutively active, stimulating PI hydrolysis in the absence of agonist. S312F and S312K mutations resulted in twofold and five‐fold increases, respectively, in basal levels of PI hydrolysis. Mianserin and mesulergine displayed inverse agonist activity by decreasing basal levels of PI hydrolysis stimulated by S312K mutant receptors. [3H]5‐HT and [3H]‐mesulergine labeled the same number of S312K mutant receptors and 5′‐guanylylimidodiphosphate had no effect on [3H]5‐HT binding. These results indicate that serine → lysine mutation at amino acid no. 312 produces an agonist high‐affinity state of the 5‐HT2C receptor that spontaneously couples to G proteins and stimulates PI hydrolysis in the absence of agonist.
Genetic Characteristics of Japanese Clinical Listeria monocytogenes Isolates

Listeria monocytogenes causes foodborne illnesses through consumption of ready-to-eat foods. Although 135-201annual listeriosis cases have been estimated in Japan, the details regarding the clinical isolates such as infection source, virulence level, and other genetic characteristics, are not known. In order to uncover the trends of listeriosis in Japan and use the knowledge for prevention measures to be taken, the genetic characteristics of the past human clinical isolates needs to be elucidated. For this purpose, multilocus tandem-repeat sequence analysis (MLTSA) and multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST) were used in this study. The clinical isolates showed a variety of genetically distant genotypes, indicating they were from sporadic cases. However, the MVLST profiles of 7 clinical isolates were identical to those of epidemic clone (EC) I isolates, which have caused several serious outbreaks in other countries, suggesting the possibility that they have strong virulence potential and originated from a single outbreak. Moreover, 6 Japanese food isolates shared their genotypes with ECI isolates, indicating that there may be risks for listeriosis outbreak in Japan. This is the first investigational study on genetic characteristics of Japanese listeriosis isolates. The listeriosis cases happened in the past are presumably sporadic, but it is still possible that some isolates with strong virulence potential have caused listeriosis outbreaks, and future listeriosis risks also exist.
The Einstein-Boltzmann Relation for Thermodynamic and Hydrodynamic Fluctuations

When making the connection between the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and the theory of stochastic processes through the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, it is necessary to invoke a postulate of the Einstein-Boltzmann type. For convective processes hydrodynamic fluctuations must be included, the velocity is a dynamical variable and although the entropy cannot depend directly on the velocity, $\delta^{2} S$ will depend on velocity variations. Some authors do not include velocity variations in $\delta^{2} S$, and so have to introduce a non-thermodynamic function which replaces the entropy and does depend on the velocity. At first sight, it seems that the introduction of such a function requires a generalisation of the Einstein-Boltzmann relation to be invoked. We review the reason why it is not necessary to introduce such a function, and therefore why there is no need to generalise the Einstein-Boltzmann relation in this way. We then obtain the fluctuation-dissipation theorem which shows some differences as compared with the non-convective case. We also show that $\delta^{2} S$ is a Liapunov function when it includes velocity fluctuations.
Ascorbic acid is a dose-dependent inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation, probably by reducing cAMP pool

Ascorbic acid (AA) is the active component of vitamin C and antioxidant activity was long considered to be the primary molecular mechanism underlying the physiological actions of AA. We recently demonstrated that AA is a competitive inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, acting as a global regulator of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. Our study, therefore, aimed to determine new targets of AA that would account for its potential effect on signal transduction, particularly during cell differentiation. We demonstrated that AA is an inhibitor of pre-adipocyte cell line differentiation, with a dose-dependent effect. Additionally, we describe the impact of AA on the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and/or the adipocyte phenotype. Moreover, our data suggest that treatment with AA partially reverses lipid accumulation in mature adipocytes. These properties likely reflect the function of AA as a global regulator of the cAMP pool, since an analog of AA without any antioxidant properties elicited the same effect. Additionally, we demonstrated that AA inhibits adipogenesis in OP9 mesenchymal cell line and drives the differentiation of this line toward osteogenesis. Finally, our data suggest that the intracellular transporter SVCT2 is involved in these processes and may act as a receptor for AA.
Molecular Determinants of Agonist Selectivity in Glutamate-Gated Chloride Channels Which Likely Explain the Agonist Selectivity of the Vertebrate Glycine and GABAA-ρ Receptors

Orthologous Cys-loop glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluClR’s) have been cloned and described electrophysiologically and pharmacologically in arthropods and nematodes (both members of the invertebrate ecdysozoan superphylum). Recently, GluClR’s from Aplysia californica (a mollusc from the lophotrochozoan superphylum) have been cloned and similarly studied. In spite of sharing a common function, the ecdysozoan and lophotrochozoan receptors have been shown by phylogenetic analyses to have evolved independently. The recent crystallization of the GluClR from C. elegans revealed the binding pocket of the nematode receptor. An alignment of the protein sequences of the nematode and molluscan GluClRs showed that the Aplysia receptor does not contain all of the residues defining the binding mode of the ecdysozoan receptor. That the two receptors have slightly different binding modes is not surprising since earlier electrophysiological and pharmacological experiments had suggested that they were differentially responsive to certain agonists. Knowledge of the structure of the C. elegans GluClR has permitted us to generate a homology model of the binding pocket of the Aplysia receptor. We have analyzed the differences between the two binding modes and evaluated the relative significance of their non-common residues. We have compared the GluClRs electrophysiologically and pharmacologically and we have used site-directed mutagenesis on both receptor types to test predictions made from the model. Finally, we propose an explanation derived from the model for why the nematode receptors are gated only by glutamate, whereas the molluscan receptors can also be activated by β-alanine, GABA and taurine. Like the Aplysia receptor, the vertebrate glycine and GABAA-ρ receptors also respond to these other agonists. An alignment of the sequences of the molluscan and vertebrate receptors shows that the reasons we have given for the ability of the other agonists to activate the Aplysia receptor also explain the agonist profile seen in the glycine and GABAA-ρ receptors.
Non-parametric Revenue Optimization for Generalized Second Price auctions

We present an extensive analysis of the key problem of learning optimal reserve prices for generalized second price auctions. We describe two algorithms for this task: one based on density estimation, and a novel algorithm benefiting from solid theoretical guarantees and with a very favorable running-time complexity of $O(n S \log (n S))$, where $n$ is the sample size and $S$ the number of slots. Our theoretical guarantees are more favorable than those previously presented in the literature. Additionally, we show that even if bidders do not play at an equilibrium, our second algorithm is still well defined and minimizes a quantity of interest. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply learning algorithms to the problem of reserve price optimization in GSP auctions. Finally, we present the first convergence analysis of empirical equilibrium bidding functions to the unique symmetric Bayesian-Nash equilibrium of a GSP.
Can Myopic Loss Aversion Explain the Equity Premium Puzzle? Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment with Professional Traders

Behavioral economists have recently put forth a theoretical explanation for the equity premium puzzle based on combining myopia and loss aversion. Complementing the behavioral theory is evidence from laboratory experiments, which provide strong empirical support consistent with myopic loss aversion (MLA). Yet, whether, and to what extent, such preferences underlie behaviors of traders in their natural domain remains unknown. Indeed, a necessary condition for the MLA theory to explain the equity premium puzzle is for marginal traders in markets to exhibit such preferences. Using minute-by-minute trading observations from over 864,000 price realizations in a natural field experiment, we find data patterns consonant with MLA: in their normal course of business, professional traders who receive infrequent price information invest 33% more in risky assets, yielding profits that are 53% higher, compared to traders who receive frequent price information. Beyond testing theory, these results have important implications for efficient resource allocation as well as characterizing the optimal structure of social and economic policies.
Design of robust dependent networks against flow-based cascading failures

In this paper we propose strategies to increase the robustness of a communication network which depends on the proper functioning of an electricity network. The strategies involve selecting nodes of the communication network and removing their dependency on the electricity network. Compared to existing literature on this topic, such as Schneider et al. [1], we use a more realistic model of the electricity network by taking the essential characteristics of the power flow into account, instead of considering purely the topological structure. The effect of the flow-based cascading failures originating from the electrical grid, on the communication network is studied, where the coupling between those networks plays an important role. We have computed the performance of our proposed selection strategies by averaging over many configurations of communication networks, which are modelled both as scale-free networks and as Erdös-Rényi random graphs, applied to an electricity network formed by the IEEE 118 bus test system. We show that a hybrid strategy, based on the degree of the communication nodes and the failure probabilities of the electricity nodes, give a significant improvement over a random selection strategy, as well as over other strategies we proposed. Our method is also tested on a real-world interdependent network: the high voltage electricity grid in Italy coupled with a communication network, inspired by the Italy blackout in 2003.
Air pollution is associated with increased level of exhaled nitric oxide in nonsmoking healthy subjects.

The authors sought to determine which air pollutant is responsible for the increase in exhaled nitric oxide observed in healthy subjects. Exhaled nitric oxide was measured in 16 nonsmoking healthy subjects on 14 workdays, during which there were varying air-pollution levels. Contamination of samples by ambient nitric oxide was excluded. The baseline value of exhaled nitric oxide, determined at times when outdoor air pollution was low, ranged from 7 to 43 ppb (mean = 28+/-5 ppb). The daily value of exhaled nitric oxide (range = 5-60 ppb) was associated positively with ambient carbon monoxide (r = .85) and nitric oxide (r = .81). Exposure during the morning hours to high levels of outdoor pollution was associated with increased exhaled nitric oxide (i.e., 50% above baseline), which persisted for up to 5 h (i.e., 32% above baseline). These results indicated that exhaled nitric oxide levels represent a useful biomonitor of individual exposure to air pollutants.
Isolation and purification of bromelain from waste peel of pineapple for therapeutic application

The aim of this work was to isolate and purify bromelain extracted from the pineapple peel by ammonium sulfate precipitation (40-80%), followed by desalting and freeze-drying with a 75% activity recovery and 2.2 fold increased specific activity. Ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose was able to separate the polysaccharides from the enzyme, which was recovered in the elution step, maintaining its enzymatic activity. The batch adsorption of bromelain was evaluated in terms of total protein and enzymatic activity using Langmuir and Langmuir-Freundlich models. Results showed that the process could be suitable for the recovery and purification of the enzyme, maintaining its specific activity.
The Moderating Effect of Personality Traits on the Relationship Between Management Practices, Leadership Styles and Safety Performance in Iraq

Existing literature reveals a gap in the empirical knowledge on safety performance in the oil and gas (O&G) industry in Iraq. This study specifically aims to identify the level of safety performance in the Iraqi O&G industry by examining the direct relationship among management practices (safety training, rewards, management commitment, communication and feedback, hiring practices, and employee participation), leadership styles (transformational and transactional), and safety performance (compliance with safety behavior and safety participation) among 713 employees. This study also explores the role of personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, intellect, agreeableness, and emotional stability) as a moderator of the relationship among management practices, leadership styles, and safety performance. Quantitative data were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 18.0, which includes descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Pearson correlation. Additionally, multiple regression and hierarchical multiple regressions were used to test the study hypotheses. In identifying interaction effects, significant beta coefficients and post hoc probing by split sample analysis were employed. Results provide general support for the hypothesis of the study, despite a number of differences in the direction of the relationships. Specifically, training, rewards, management commitment, communication and feedback, hiring practices, employee participation, and the transactional leadership style positively related to safety performance, whereas the transformational leadership style did not significantly relate to safety performance. The results also suggest that personality traits have a positive and significant moderating influence on the model. The relationship among management practices, leadership styles, and safety performance indicates that the improvement of safety performance through the management of employees will be beneficial to the Iraqi O&G industry. Finally, this study discusses theoretical and practical implications, as well as recommendations for future research.
Dilution robustness for mean field ferromagnets

In this work we compare two different random dilutions on a mean field ferromagnet: the first model is built on a Bernoulli diluted graph while the second lives on a Poisson diluted one. While it is known that the two models have, in the thermodynamic limit, the same free energy, we investigate the structural constraints that the two models must fulfill. We rigorously derive for each model the set of identities for the multi-overlap distribution, using different methods for the two dilutions: constraints in the former model are obtained by studying the consequences of the self-averaging of the internal energy density, while in the latter they are obtained by a stochastic stability technique. Finally we prove that the identities emerging in the two models are the same, showing robustness of the ferromagnetic properties of diluted graphs with respect to the details of dilution.
Using Multidimensional Clustering Based Collaborative Filtering Approach Improving Recommendation Diversity

In this paper, we present a hybrid recommendation approach for discovering potential preferences of individual users. The proposed approach provides a flexible solution that incorporates multidimensional clustering into a collaborative filtering recommendation model to provide a quality recommendation. This facilitates to obtain user clusters which have diverse preference from multi-view for improving effectiveness and diversity of recommendation. The presented algorithm works in three phases: data preprocessing and multidimensional clustering, choosing the appropriate clusters and recommending for the target user. The performance of proposed approach is evaluated using a public movie dataset and compared with two representative recommendation algorithms. The empirical results demonstrate that our proposed approach is likely to trade-off on increasing the diversity of recommendations while maintaining the accuracy of recommendations.