Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors that affect error potentials during a grasping task: toward a hybrid natural movement decoding BCI

Objective. In this manuscript, we consider factors that may affect the design of a hybrid brain–computer interface (BCI). We combine neural correlates of natural movements and interaction error-related potentials (ErrP) to perform a 3D reaching task, focusing on the impact that such factors have on the evoked ErrP signatures and in their classification. Approach. Users attempted to control a 3D virtual interface that simulated their own hand, to reach and grasp two different objects. Three factors of interest were modulated during the experimentation: (1) execution speed of the grasping, (2) type of grasping and (3) mental strategy (motor imagery or real motion) used to produce motor commands. Thirteen healthy subjects carried out the protocol. The peaks and latencies of the ErrP were analyzed for the different factors as well as the classification performance. Main results. ErrP are evoked for erroneous commands decoded from neural correlates of natural movements. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses revealed that latency and magnitude of the most characteristic ErrP peaks were significantly influenced by the speed at which the grasping was executed, but not the type of grasp. This resulted in an greater accuracy of single-trial decoding of errors for fast movements (75.65%) compared to slow ones (68.99%). Significance. Understanding the effects of combining paradigms is a first step to design hybrid BCI that optimize decoding accuracy and can be deployed in motor substitution and neuro-rehabilitation applications.
The polymerization of actin. III. Aggregates of nonfilamentous actin and its associated proteins: a storage form of actin

When echinoderm sperm are treated with the detergent Triton X-100 at pH 6.4 in 10 mM phosphate buffer, the membranes are solubilized, but the actin which is located in the periacrosomal region remains as a phase- dense cup. These cups can be isolated free from the flagella and chromatin and can be solubilized by increasing the pH to 8.0 and by changing the ionic strength and type of buffer used. Since the actin does not exist in the "F" state in unreacted sperm, and since the actin remains as a unit that does not diffuse away, it must be present in the mature sperm in a bound or storage state. The actin is, in fact, associated with a pair of proteins whose mol wt are 250,000 and 230,000. When the isolated cups are digested with trypsin, these high molecular weight proteins are digested, thereby liberating the actin. The actin will polymerize if heavy meromyosin or subfragment 1 is added to a preparation of isolated cups. Evidence is presented that this pair of high molecular weight proteins is similar in molecular weight and properties to erythrocyte spectrin. Attempts at transforming the storage form of actin in the cup into filaments were only moderately successful. The best conditions for filament formation involve incubating the cup in ATP and divalent salts. Careful examination of these cups reveals that the actin polymerized preferentially on either end of oriented filaments that already exist in the cup, indicating that self-nucleation is inefficacious. I conclude that the actin can exist in the storage form by its association with spectrin-like molecules and that the actin in this state polymerizes preferentially onto existing filaments.
Combination Therapies to Inhibit the RAF/MEK/ERK Pathway in Melanoma: We are not Done Yet

1 Department of Cancer Medicine, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 2 Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, 3 Department of Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia, 4 Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 5 Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Oncogenic Signaling and Growth Control Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 6 Translational Research Laboratory, Cancer Therapeutics Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Explaining Mainstream Success

The bulk of sociological work examines African American men who are young, unemployed, and poorly educated. In contrast, we offer a nuanced look at Black men living and working in mainstream society—men in the American mainstream although not always identifying as middle class. From 25 in-depth interviews, our data show an apparent contradiction. We find that men account for their success through their individual choices and declared personal motivation to succeed. Yet, throughout their interviews, these men revealed ways they were exposed to critical interactions and opportunities to a larger social network that provided them with tools for mainstream success. In talking about their experiences, these men shared instances in which their racial identity was questioned.
Efficacy and safety of capecitabine-based first-line chemotherapy in advanced or metastatic breast cancer: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine-based therapy as first-line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer. Randomised controlled trials of capecitabine monotherapy or combined treatment were included in the meta-analysis. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library database and important meeting summaries were searched systematically. Outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR) and grades 3–4 drug-related adverse events. Nine trials with 1798 patients were included. The results indicated a significant improvement with capecitabine-based chemotherapy compared with capecitabine-free chemotherapy in ORR (relative risk [RR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03 to 1.26, P = 0.013) and PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.87, P < 0.0001). Overall survival favoured capecitabine-based chemotherapy, but this was not significant. There were more incidences of neutropenia and neutropenic fever in the capecitabine-free chemotherapy group and more vomiting, diarrhoea and hand–foot syndrome in the capecitabine-based chemotherapy group. There were no significant differences in nausea, fatigue, cardiotoxicity or mucositis/stomatitis between the two treatment regimens. Capecitabine-based chemotherapy significantly improves ORR and PFS in patients with advanced breast cancer, but has no demonstrable impact on OS. Capecitabine-based regimens are suitable as first-line treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer.
Extrinsic work values and feedback: Contrary effects for performance and well-being

This article investigates the interactive effects of extrinsic value orientation and competence supportive feedback on the work outcomes of in-role and extra-role performance, and employees’ subjective well-being at work. Two studies are presented with samples consisting of a cross-section of employees and, for Study 1, their managers. In keeping with established theory and findings, competence supportive feedback demonstrated positive and significant main effects. In support of this article’s unique predictions, these relationships were amplified (in-role and extra-role performance) and attenuated (subjective well-being) at higher levels of individual extrinsic value orientation. Findings for well-being were more closely examined with the second sample, and an underlying mechanism of experienced work demands was identified. Thus, it seems that motivational sensitivity to the instrumental value of competence supportive feedback, in addition to its recognized psychological value, may drive work engagement all too well. Implications for future research and performance management are discussed.
University of Cambridge Numerical Analysis Reports Waveform Relaxation Method with Toeplitz Operator Splitting Waveform Relaxation Method with Toeplitz Operator Splitting

In this paper we consider a waveform relaxation method of the form du n+1 dt + Pu n+1 = Qu n + f; A = P ? Q u n+1 (0) = u 0 ; where P is Toeplitz or block Toeplitz matrix for a numerical solution of the equation du dt + Au = f u(0) = u 0 We show that under suitable conditions this method converges and apply this result to linear parabolic equations with variable coeecients.
Limited Asset Market Participation and the Elasticity of Intertemporal Substitution

The paper presents empirical evidence based on the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey that accounting for limited asset market participation is important for estimating the elasticity of intertemporal substitution. Differences in estimates of the EIS between asset holders and non–asset holders are large and statistically significant. This is the case whether estimating the EIS on the basis of the Euler equation for stock index returns or the Euler equation for Treasury bills, in each case distinguishing between asset holders and non–asset holders as best as possible. Estimates of the EIS are around 0.3–0.4 for stockholders and around 0.8–1 for bondholders and are larger for households with larger asset holdings within these two groups.
Enhancement of Adipocyte Browning by Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockade

Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has been highlighted as a new possible therapeutic target for obesity, diabetes and lipid metabolic disorders, because WAT browning could increase energy expenditure and reduce adiposity. The new clusters of adipocytes that emerge with WAT browning have been named ‘beige’ or ‘brite’ adipocytes. Recent reports have indicated that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a role in various aspects of adipose tissue physiology and dysfunction. The biological effects of angiotensin II, a major component of RAS, are mediated by two receptor subtypes, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and type 2 receptor (AT2R). However, the functional roles of angiotensin II receptor subtypes in WAT browning have not been defined. Therefore, we examined whether deletion of angiotensin II receptor subtypes (AT1aR and AT2R) may affect white-to-beige fat conversion in vivo. AT1a receptor knockout (AT1aKO) mice exhibited increased appearance of multilocular lipid droplets and upregulation of thermogenic gene expression in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) compared to wild-type (WT) mice. AT2 receptor-deleted mice did not show miniaturization of lipid droplets or alteration of thermogenic gene expression levels in iWAT. An in vitro experiment using adipose tissue-derived stem cells showed that deletion of the AT1a receptor resulted in suppression of adipocyte differentiation, with reduction in expression of thermogenic genes. These results indicate that deletion of the AT1a receptor might have some effects on the process of browning of WAT and that blockade of the AT1 receptor could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic disorders.
Conflicting Pathways to Participation in the FL Classroom: L2 Speech Production vs. L2 Thought Processes.

Previous research on foreign language classroom participation has shown that oral production has a privileged status compared to less salient forms of participation, such as mental involvement and engagement in class activities. This mixed-methods study presents an alternative look at classroom participation by investigating the relationship between second language (L2) thoughts and L2 speech in German as a foreign language learners in a language program in the United States. At four points during an academic semester, 16 students answered an in-class survey that aimed at recording students' estimations of how much of their thoughts had been formulated in the L2 and how much of their speech had been articulated in the L2. A small subset of these students participated in individual stimulated recall interviews to gather their own reflections on their thought processes and L2 speech production. Results show that students' L2 speech production is conditioned by a complex interplay of variables, which results in a mismatch between self-reported L2 thoughts and L2 speech. Several explanations derived from interview data are offered to account for this divergence, such as motivational tendencies, misperceptions of L2 use, the production of rehearsed speech, metalinguistic thoughts in the first language, and conceptions of silence as a valid form of participation. Pedagogical implications are discu
Sprouting of Brainstem–Spinal Tracts in Response to Unilateral Motor Cortex Stroke in Mice

After a stroke to the motor cortex, sprouting of spared contralateral corticospinal fibers into the affected hemicord is one mechanism thought to mediate functional recovery. Little is known, however, about the role of the phylogenetically old, functionally very important brainstem–spinal systems. Adult mice were subjected to a unilateral photothrombotic stroke of the right motor cortex ablating 90% of the cross-projecting corticospinal cells. Unilateral retrograde tracing from the left cervical spinal hemicord devoid of its corticospinal input revealed widespread plastic responses in different brainstem nuclei 4 weeks after stroke. Whereas some nuclei showed no change or a decrease of their spinal projections, several parts of the medullary reticular formation as well as the spinally projecting raphe nuclei increased their projections to the cortically denervated cervical hemicord by 1.2- to 1.6-fold. The terminal density of corticobulbar fibers from the intact, contralesional cortex, which itself formed a fivefold expanded connection to the ipsilateral spinal cord, increased up to 1.6-fold specifically in these plastic, caudal medullary nuclei. A second stroke, ablating the originally spared motor cortex, resulted in the reappearance of the deficits that had partially recovered after the initial right-sided stroke, suggesting dependence of recovered function on the spared cortical hemisphere and its direct corticospinal and indirect corticobulbospinal connections.
Hypoxia-Induced Centrosome Amplification Underlies Aggressive Disease Course in HPV-Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Human papillomavirus-negative (HPV-neg) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) are associated with poorer overall survival (OS) compared with HPV-positive (HPV-pos) OPSCCs. The major obstacle in improving outcomes of HPV-neg patients is the lack of robust biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Herein, we investigated the role of centrosome amplification (CA) as a prognostic biomarker in HPV-neg OPSCCs. A quantitative evaluation of CA in clinical specimens of OPSCC revealed that (a) HPV-neg OPSCCs exhibit higher CA compared with HPV-pos OPSCCs, and (b) CA was associated with poor OS, even after adjusting for potentially confounding clinicopathologic variables. Contrastingly, CA was higher in HPV-pos cultured cell lines compared to HPV-neg ones. This divergence in CA phenotypes between clinical specimens and cultured cells can therefore be attributed to an inaccurate recapitulation of the in vivo tumor microenvironment in the cultured cell lines, namely a hypoxic environment. The exposure of HPV-neg OPSCC cultured cells to hypoxia or stabilizing HIF-1α genetically increased CA. Both the 26-gene hypoxia signature as well as the overexpression of HIF-1α positively correlated with increased CA in HPV-neg OPSCCs. In addition, we showed that HIF-1α upregulation is associated with the downregulation of miR-34a, increase in CA and expression of cyclin- D1. Our findings demonstrate that the evaluation of CA may aid in therapeutic decision-making, and CA can serve as a promising therapeutic target for HPV-neg OPSCC patients.
Predicting resource usage and estimation accuracy in an IP flow measurement collection infrastructure

This paper describes a measurement infrastructure used to collect detailed IP traffic measurements from an IP backbone. Usage, i.e, bytes transmitted, is determined from raw NetFlow records generated by the backbone routers. The amount of raw data is immense. Two types of data sampling in order to manage data volumes: (i) (packet) sampled NetFlow in the routers; (ii) size-dependent sampling of NetFlow records. Furthermore, dropping of NetFlow records in transmission can be regarded as an uncontrolled form of sampling.We show how to manage the trade-off between estimation accuracy and data volume. Firstly, we describe the sampling error that arises from all three types of sampling when estimating usage per traffic class: how it can be predicted from models and raw data, and how it can be estimated directly from the sampled data itself. Secondly, we show how to determined the usage of resources---bandwidth, computational cycle, storage---within the components of the infrastructure. These two sets of methods allow dimensioning of the measurement infrastructure in order to meet accuracy goals for usage estimation.
Detecting and Defending against Sybil Attacks in Social Networks: An Overview

Sybil attacks are becoming increasingly serious in online social networks. A number of schemes to defend against Sybil attacks have been developed in the past decade. However, only a few of these schemes are widely used in real-world social networks. In this article, we provide an overview of the key challenges in detecting and defending against Sybil attacks and the work performed so far. We aim to provide inspiration to future researchers who wish to overcome the said challenges. This study lays a foundation for the development of defence schemes and their application in real-world social networks.
Simple Mechanisms for a Combinatorial Buyer and Applications to Revenue Monotonicity

We study the revenue maximization problem of a seller with n heterogeneous items for sale to a single buyer whose valuation function for sets of items is unknown and drawn from some distribution D. We show that if D is a distribution over subadditive valuations with independent items, then the better of pricing each item separately or pricing only the grand bundle achieves a constant-factor approximation to the revenue of the optimal mechanism. This includes buyers who are k-demand, additive up to a matroid constraint, or additive up to constraints of any downwards-closed set system (and whose values for the individual items are sampled independently), as well as buyers who are fractionally subadditive with item multipliers drawn independently. Our proof makes use of the core-tail decomposition framework developed in prior work showing similar results for the significantly simpler class of additive buyers [LY13, BILW14]. In the second part of the paper, we develop a connection between approximately optimal simple mechanisms and approximate revenue monotonicity with respect to buyers' valuations. Revenue non-monotonicity is the phenomenon that sometimes strictly increasing buyers' values for every set can strictly decrease the revenue of the optimal mechanism [HR12]. Using our main result, we derive a bound on how bad this degradation can be (and dub such a bound a proof of approximate revenue monotonicity); we further show that better bounds on approximate monotonicity imply a better analysis of our simple mechanisms.
The Effect of Teacher’s Teaching-Efficacy and Classroom Environment on Peer-Play Interaction: Mediation Effect of Teacher-Child Interaction

This study examines the mediation effect of teacher-child interactions in the process of the impact of teacher`s teaching-efficacy on childhood education institutions and classroom environment on peer-play interactions. We used data from 970 children aged between 49 and 55 months and 970 homeroom teachers from the fifth Korean Child Panel (2012) of the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education. The model fitness was excellent after data were statistically analyzed with model of structure to testify the relationship and effect among teaching efficacy, classroom environment, teacher-child interactions, and peer-play interactions. First, the analysis also showed that the teacher`s teaching efficacy did not influence peer-play interactions directly, but gave an indirect effect on the peer-play interactions with the mediation of the teacher-child interactions. Second, the classroom environment directly and indirectly influenced the peer-play interactions with the mediation of the teacher-child interactions. Third, the variable of teacher-child interactions was fully effective as a mediating variable in the process of the teaching efficacy and classroom environment influence on teacher-child interactions. Teaching efficacy and classroom environment influenced the peer-play interactions through the mediation of the teacher-child interactions. The significance of mediation effect of the teacher-child interactions was verified through a bootstrapping method.
Intrapreneurial behavior: an empirical investigation of personality traits

Abstract The study investigated the impact of personality traits on intrapreneurial behavior. Data was collected from 306 employees working in higher education institutions. Structural equation modeling technique was utilized with the help of SmartPLS software. The findings of the study revealed a positive association of extroversion, openness to experiences and emotional stability with intrapreneurial behavior, while a negative impact of conscientiousness, agreeableness on intrapreneurial behavior was recorded. The findings of this study have several implications in the context of HEIs. To enhance the intrapreneurial behavior in the higher educational institutes, the management of the institutions should take positive steps to ensure that employees have personality traits which have shown a significant impact on the intraprenuerial behavior in this study. One strategy top management could consider is that, at the time of recruitment, preference should be given to candidates with higher levels of extroversion, openness to experience and emotional stability. However, among all the traits, the most indicative marker is extroversions followed by emotional stability. Therefore, hiring employees with high levels of extroversion and emotional stability could facilitate more intraprenuerial behavior, which ultimately, will help improve the performance of HEIs. This study with its focus on the micro level foundations of intrapreneurial behavior is one of the first studies in the domain of intrapreneurship.