Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anterior cingulate cortex hypoactivations to an emotionally salient task in cocaine addiction

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) hypoactivations during cognitive processing characterize drug addicted individuals as compared with healthy controls. However, impaired behavioral performance or task disengagement may be crucial factors. We hypothesized that ACC hypoactivations would be documented in groups matched for performance on an emotionally salient task. Seventeen individuals with current cocaine use disorders (CUD) and 17 demographically matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during performance of a rewarded drug cue-reactivity task previously shown to engage the ACC. Despite lack of group differences in objective or subjective task-related performance, CUD showed more ACC hypoactivations throughout this emotionally salient task. Nevertheless, intensity of emotional salience contributed to results: (i) CUD with the largest rostroventral ACC [Brodmann Area (BA) 10, 11, implicated in default brain function] hypoactivations to the most salient task condition (drug words during the highest available monetary reward), had the least task-induced cocaine craving; (ii) CUD with the largest caudal-dorsal ACC (BA 32) hypoactivations especially to the least salient task condition (neutral words with no reward) had the most frequent current cocaine use; and (iii) responses to the most salient task condition in both these ACC major subdivisions were positively intercorrelated in the controls only. In conclusion, ACC hypoactivations in drug users cannot be attributed to task difficulty or disengagement. Nevertheless, emotional salience modulates ACC responses in proportion to drug use severity. Interventions to strengthen ACC reactivity or interconnectivity may be beneficial in enhancing top-down monitoring and emotion regulation as a strategy to reduce impulsive and compulsive behavior in addiction.
The frontal predominance in human EEG delta activity after sleep loss decreases with age

Sleep loss has marked and selective effects on brain wave activity during subsequent recovery sleep. The electroencephalogram (EEG) responds to sleep deprivation with a relative increase in power density in the delta and theta range during non‐rapid eye movement sleep. We investigated age‐related changes of the EEG response to sleep deprivation along the antero‐posterior axis (Fz, Cz, Pz, Oz) under constant routine conditions. Both healthy young (20–31 years) and older (57–74 years) participants manifested a significant relative increase in EEG power density in the delta and theta range after 40 h of sleep deprivation, indicating a sustained capacity of the sleep homeostat to respond to sleep loss in ageing. However, the increase in relative EEG delta activity (1.25–3.75 Hz) following sleep deprivation was significantly more pronounced in frontal than parietal brain regions in the young, whereas such a frontal predominance was diminished in the older volunteers. This age‐related decrease of frontal delta predominance was most distinct at the beginning of the recovery sleep episode. Furthermore, the dissipation of homeostatic sleep pressure during the recovery night, as indexed by EEG delta activity, exhibited a significantly shallower decline in the older group. Activation of sleep regulatory processes in frontal brain areas by an extension of wakefulness from 16 to 40 h appears to be age‐dependent. These findings provide quantitative evidence for the hypothesis that frontal brain regions are particularly vulnerable to the effects of elevated sleep pressure (‘prefrontal tiredness’) and ageing (‘frontal ageing’).
Prospective study of positron emission tomography for evaluation of the activity of lapatinib, a dual inhibitor of the ErbB1 and ErbB2 tyrosine kinases, in patients with advanced tumors.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the role of FDG-PET in assessing anti-tumor efficacy of molecular targeted drugs, we prospectively performed FDG-PET and CT for response evaluation in patients treated with lapatinib, a dual inhibitor of ErbB1 and ErbB2 tyrosine kinases. METHODS Lapatinib was given orally once a day at doses ranging from 1200 to 1800 mg in a phase I study. CT and FDG-PET were performed before treatment, and at 1, 2 and 3 months after the initiation of the treatment and every 2 months thereafter. RESULTS A total of 29 FDG-PET examinations were performed in eight patients with various solid tumors and the metabolic activity in the tumor was evaluated as SUVmax. The best responses, as assessed by CT, were as follows; one partial response, four stable disease and three disease progression. The partial response was observed in a patient with trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer, whose SUVmax was decreased by 60% from baseline. In all of the four patients whose best response was stable disease, the SUVmax was decreased by 6-42% one month after the start of treatment. Prolonged stable disease (10 months) was observed in a patient with colon cancer, whose SUVmax was decreased by 42%. In the patient group with disease progression, SUVmax was increased in two out of three patients. CONCLUSIONS FDG-PET detected decreases in the metabolic activity of the tumors in patients who experienced clinical benefits on treatment with lapatinib. Thus, FDG-PET may be useful for the evaluation of molecular targeted drugs, such as lapatinib.
Homeschooling in Singaporean Chinese families: beyond pedagogues and ideologues

ABSTRACT Despite the achievement of the Singapore education system as one of the top performers in international achievement tests, there remains a group of parents who choose to homeschool their children. While this number is increasing, there is a lack of studies conducted in Singapore on why parents decide to homeschool their children. Thus, this study seeks to explore the relevance of home pedagogy by examining the reasons why parents choose homeschooling. Using a qualitative methodology, 10 homeschooling families were interviewed about their motivations for homeschooling. The results of this investigation revealed that parents were motivated by pedagogical and ideological reasons. These include a preference for individualized instruction, a dissatisfaction with an exam-oriented education system, and parents’ religious orientation and beliefs about bilingualism. This study concludes with the observation that parents who favor homeschooling view education as a lifelong process rather than as a set of content to be mastered.
Implementing it Service Management: A Case Study Focussing on Critical Success Factors

Queensland Health, a large Australian government agency, implemented a centralised IT service management model based on the ITIL framework. This paper presents an in-depth case study of the implementation. It sheds light on the challenges and breakthroughs, confirms a set of factors that contributed to the project's success and offers a learning opportunity for other organisations. The study indicates that the commitment of senior management is crucial to the project's success as is a project champion and the recognition of the need for an appropriate change management strategy to transform the organisational culture to a service-oriented focus. Maintaining close and forthright relationships with multiple vendors facilitates technology transfer to in-house staff while a benefits realisation plan is a valuable tool for tracking and communicating tangible and intangible project benefits to the project stakeholders. An effective project governance and execution process further contributes to the implementation success.
Modeling continuous-time stochastic processes using input-to-state filters

Abstract A novel direct approach for modeling continuous-time stochastic processes is proposed in this paper. First the observed data is passed through an input-to-state filter and the covariance of the output state is computed. The properties of the state covariance matrix is then exploited to estimate the positive real spectrum of the observed data at a set of prescribed points on the right half plane. Finally, the continuous-time parameters are obtained from the positive real spectrum estimates by solving a Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation problem. The estimated model is stable. The analytical results are illustrated using numerical simulations.
Dopaminergic Regulation of Progesterone Receptors: Brain D5 Dopamine Receptors Mediate Induction of Lordosis by D1-Like Agonists in Rats

To characterize the signaling pathway by which the neurotransmitter dopamine modulates progesterone receptor (PR) activation, the steroid-dependent behavior lordosis was used in estrogen-primed ovariectomized Sprague–Dawley rats with stereotaxic implanted third ventricle cannulas. Lordosis was observed in response to solicitous males in females after central administration of the D1-like agonist SKF38393 and three of its analogs (SKF77434, SKF75640, and SKF85174). In contrast, D1-like antagonist SCH23390 and D1-like/D2 repopulation inhibitor EEDQ blocked behavior inducible by the D1-like agonists. Further, antisense oligonucleotides to D5, but not D1, dopamine receptor mRNA suppressed reproductive behavior associated with D1-like stimulation. This finding provides strong evidence that dopaminergic modulation of lordosis is mediated by the novel D5 dopamine receptor. Although D1, but not D5, dopamine receptor mRNAs were detected in the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) by in situ hybridization, agonists microinjected into the VMN, but not into the arcuate nucleus or preoptic area, induced lordosis, suggesting the functional presence of D5 dopamine receptors in the VMN. Also in support, D5 receptor mRNA antisense microinjected into the VMN blocked the subsequent induction of lordosis by D1-like agonists. Finally, facilitation of sex behavior by D1-like agonists was blocked by the antiprogestin RU38486 and PR antisense oligonucleotide. Collectively, the data provide strong evidence for dopaminergic modulation of reproductive behavior through D5 dopamine receptor-mediated modulation of PR-dependent behavior in rat CNS.
Effects of acrylamide on sperm parameters, chromatin quality, and the level of blood testosterone in mice

Background: Acrylamide (AA) is an important industrial chemical primarily. AA is also found in carbohydrate-rich foods that are prepared at high temperatures, such as French fries and potato chips. It is demonstrated that AA is a carcinogen and reproductive toxin and has ability to induce sperm damage. Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the effects of AA on sperm parameters and evaluation of sperm chromatin quality and testosterone hormone in mice. Materials and Methods: Totally, 16 adult male mice were divided into two groups. Mice of group A fed on basal diet; group B received basal diet and AA (10 mg/kg, water solution) for 35 days. The right cauda epididymis was incised and then placed in Ham’s F10 culture media at 37oC for 15 min. Released spermatozoa were used to analyze count, motility, morphology and viability. To determine the sperm DNA integrity and chromatin condensation, the cytochemical techniques including Aniline blue, Acridine orange and Chromomycin A3 staining were used. Results: AA-treated mice had poor parameters in comparison with control animals. In sperm chromatin assessments, except TB (p=0.16), significant differences were found in all of the tests between two groups. It was also seen a significant decrease in concentration of blood testosterone in AA-treated animals when compared to controls (p<0.001). Conclusion: According to our results, AA can affect sperm parameters as well as sperm chromatin condensation and DNA integrity in mice. These abnormalities may be related to the reduction in blood testosterone.
Thermal modeling, analysis and control using an electrical analogy

Modeling and identification of thermal systems is a problem frequently treated in theoretical and application domains. Most of these systems have been modeled using black-box structures whose parameters are identified using temperature measurements. Although black-box models have achieved good results in terms of temperature evolution, they cannot model variables which had not been measured in the identification test. In this article we present a new method to build grey-box thermal models based on electrical equivalent circuits which not only give information about temperatures evolution, but also about heat fluxes and thermal energy stored in the system. The partially unknown parameters of the models are identified using temperature measurements and applying nonlinear optimization techniques. The obtained state space representation can be used to develop a deterministic state space temperature controller that provides better accuracy than classical PID controllers. Our proposal is complemented with various examples of a real application in an electric oven.
Cl 1358+62: Characterizing the Physical Properties of Cluster Galaxies at z = 0.33

We examine the physical properties of 173 cluster members in Cl 1358+62 (z = 0.3283) from Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 imaging taken in the F606W (~rest-frame B) and F814W (~rest-frame V) filters over a 2.2 × 2.2 Mpc2 field (H0 = 100 km s-1 Mpc-1, ΩM = 0.3, ΩΛ = 0.7). Structural parameters are measured for each galaxy by fitting a PSF-convolved, two-component model to their two-dimensional surface brightness distribution. We examine bulge+disk models using three different bulge profiles (de Vaucouleurs, Sérsic, and exponential) and rigorously test the robustness of our results by analyzing several thousand artificial galaxies in the same manner as the cluster data. The measured physical properties from the best-fit profile of the cluster galaxies are combined with ground-based spectroscopy to test for correlations between morphological characteristics, current star formation, total galaxy colors, and cluster substructure. We find the following: (1) The bulge-to-total ratio [(B/T)deV] and Hubble type (-5 ≤ T ≤ 8) are strongly correlated (99% confidence), but the scatter is large, and early-type spirals are not reliably distinguished from ellipticals and S0's based on (B/T)deV. (2) From comparison of their physical properties, the low-luminosity (-17.3 ≥ Bz,e - 5 log h ≥ -19.3) ellipticals in our sample are likely to be face-on S0 galaxies. (3) High galaxy asymmetry and strong [O II] λ3727 emission are strongly correlated for disk-dominated members [(B/T)deV < 0.4]. (4) There exists a small population (~5%) of bulge-dominated members whose significant [O II] λ3727 emission (<-5 Å) suggests that they harbor active galactic nuclei. (5) At these redshifts, determining the correct Sérsic index n can be highly unreliable.
SEMICLASSICAL L p ESTIMATES

The purpose of this paper is to use semiclassical analysis to unify and generalize L estimates on high energy eigenfunctions and spectral clusters. In our approach these estimates do not depend on ellipticity and order, and apply to operators which are selfadjoint only at the principal level. They are estimates on weakly approximate solutions to semiclassical pseudodifferential equations. To motivate our results let us first recall Sogge’s L estimate [18] on spectral clusters, Π[λ,λ+1], of the Laplace-Beltrami operator, −∆g, on a compact Riemannian manifold, (M, g):
The Mycobacterium Tuberculosis FAS-II Dehydratases and Methyltransferases Define the Specificity of the Mycolic Acid Elongation Complexes

Background The human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has the originality of possessing a multifunctional mega-enzyme FAS-I (Fatty Acid Synthase-I), together with a multi-protein FAS-II system, to carry out the biosynthesis of common and of specific long chain fatty acids: the mycolic acids (MA). MA are the main constituents of the external mycomembrane that represents a tight permeability barrier involved in the pathogenicity of Mtb. The MA biosynthesis pathway is essential and contains targets for efficient antibiotics. We have demonstrated previously that proteins of FAS-II interact specifically to form specialized and interconnected complexes. This finding suggested that the organization of FAS-II resemble to the architecture of multifunctional mega-enzyme like the mammalian mFAS-I, which is devoted to the fatty acid biosynthesis. Principal Findings Based on conventional and reliable studies using yeast-two hybrid, yeast-three-hybrid and in vitro Co-immunoprecipitation, we completed here the analysis of the composition and architecture of the interactome between the known components of the Mtb FAS-II complexes. We showed that the recently identified dehydratases HadAB and HadBC are part of the FAS-II elongation complexes and may represent a specific link between the core of FAS-II and the condensing enzymes of the system. By testing four additional methyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of mycolic acids, we demonstrated that they display specific interactions with each type of complexes suggesting their coordinated action during MA elongation. Significance These results provide a global update of the architecture and organization of a FAS-II system. The FAS-II system of Mtb is organized in specialized interconnected complexes and the specificity of each elongation complex is given by preferential interactions between condensing enzymes and dehydratase heterodimers. This study will probably allow defining essential and specific interactions that correspond to promising targets for Mtb FAS-II inhibitors.
Improvements and Comparison of Heuristics for solving the Multisource Weber Problem

The multisource Weber problem is to locate simultaneously p facilities in the Euclidean plane in order to minimize the total transportation cost for satisfying the demand of n fixed users, each supplied from its closest facility. Many heuristics have been proposed for this problem, as well as a few exact algorithms. Heuristics are needed to solve quickly large problems and to provide good initial solutions for exact algorithms. We compare various heuristics, i.e., alternative location- allocation, projection, Tabu search, p-Median plus Weber, Genetic Search and several versions of Variable Neighbourhood Search. It appears that most traditional and some recent heuristics give pour results when the number of facilities to locate is large and that Variable Neighbourhood Search gives consistently best results on average, in moderate computing time.
MegaPipe: The MegaCam Image Stacking Pipeline at the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre

This paper describes the MegaPipe image processing pipeline at the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre. The pipeline combines multiple images from the MegaCam mosaic camera on Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and combines them into a single output image. MegaPipe takes as input detrended MegaCam images and does a careful astrometric and photometric calibration on them. The calibrated images are then resampled and combined into image stacks. The astrometric calibration of the output images is accurate to within 0.15″ relative to external reference frames and 0.04″ internally. The photometric calibration is good to within 0.03 mag. The stacked images and catalogs derived from these images are available through the CADC Web site.
Squeeze More from Fingerprints Reporting Strategy for Indoor Localization

Recent study on Wi-Fi RSS fingerprinting based indoor localization reveals that reporting fingerprints with respect to different set of access points (APs) results in location estimations in different levels of accuracy; however, how to find the best strategy for fingerprints reporting with reasonable computational cost, and how to exploit the finding to streamline the design of the localization system are still unknown. In this paper, we revisit the design principles of the localization system with the opportunity provided by the theory of best fingerprints reporting strategy. We first present the localization reliability bounds under the best strategy, and develop algorithms to find the best strategy in practice. We then demonstrate how the best strategy theory can be utilized to improve accuracy of location estimation by resolving the issue of similar fingerprints for both faraway and close-by locations. An iterative algorithm is developed to cross check fingerprints sampled in different locations, in order to derive the best possible result of localization. Moreover, we reveal the relationship between accuracy of location estimation and coverage of Wi-Fi signals in a region, when planning deployment of APs. Experiment results are presented to validate our analysis and design.
Single-Stage High-Power-Factor Electronic Ballast with a Symmetrical Class-DE Resonant Rectifier

This paper presents the use of a novel, single-stage high-power-factor electronic ballast with a symmetrical class-DE low-dυ/dt resonant rectifier as a power-factor corrector for fluorescent lamps. The power-factor correction is achieved by using a bridge rectifier to utilize the function of a symmetrical class-DE resonant rectifier. By employing this topology, the peak and ripple values of the input current are reduced, allowing for a reduced filter inductor volume of the EMI filter. Since the conduction angle of the bridge rectifier diode current was increased, a low-line current harmonic and a power factor near unity can be obtained. A prototype ballast, operating at an 84-㎑ fixed frequency and a 220-Vrms, 50-㎐ line input voltage, was utilized to drive a T8-36W fluorescent lamp. Experimental results are presented which verify the theoretical analysis.
Identifying and Decomposing Peer Effects on Participation Decisions Using a Randomized Controlled Trial

Utilizing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in traditional clusters of apparel and textile firms in Vietnam, this paper investigates how firms' decisions to participate in seminars on export promotion are affected by their information exchange peers. We identify the effect of the number of peers participating in the seminars by using the number of randomly invited peers as an instrument. In addition, because we held three one-day seminars consecutively and invited each firm to one of the seminars, we can isolate the peer effects based on the reduction of the psychological costs of participation--or social utility--from other effects through information confirmation among the peer participants and free riding on peer information. We find that peers' participation in the seminars has a positive effect overall. To further decompose this positive effect, we distinguish between peers participating on the same day and other days, finding that the former has a positive effect while the latter has no significant effect. These results imply that peer effects arise mostly through the social utility channel. The presence of positive peer effects suggests that multiple equilibria in terms of the share of participants within each network of firms may emerge, which is also consistent with our observations.