Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping changes in cortical activity during sleep in the first 4 years of life

A coherent body of evidence supports the notion that sleep is a local and use‐dependent process. Significant changes in brain morphology and function occur in the first years of life, revealing a postero–anterior trajectory of cortical maturation. On this basis, a recent study demonstrated that regional cortical maturation between early childhood and late adolescence is reflected in regional changes of sleep slow wave activity (SWA) during non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Our hypothesis is that changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) rhythms during sleep from birth to childhood are also mirrored by parallel regional changes in the EEG rhythms of sleep according to the assumption of a postero–anterior gradient in cortical maturation. We studied all‐night EEG of 39 healthy, full‐term, infants and children aged between 0 and 48 months, evaluating regional differences in NREM sleep. We confirmed the strictly local nature of sleep with frequency‐specific regional differences. Specifically, we found a general shift of maxima of the upper alpha activity from occipital to prefrontal regions, expressed mainly by the ~11 Hz frequency. This shift corresponds to a postero–anterior trajectory of the so‐called ‘slow spindles’. The theta and alpha EEG activity of the frontal cortex exhibits a clear, positive, correlation with age. We conclude that specific local differences during NREM sleep, parallel cortical maturation also in the first 4 years of life.
Optimal quantization intervals in distributed detection

We optimize quantization intervals based on Chernoff information (CI) and deflection criterion (DC) for distributed detection with multiple sensors and a fusion center (FC). The CI and DC of the overall system are derived, and locally optimal quantization of sensor observations is proved to achieve global optimality for identical sensor observations. An optimal iterative partitioning algorithm is proposed for both nonidentically and identically distributed sensor reports. Results indicate that optimal 2-bit quantization gives detection performance that is close to what is achievable by collecting soft information from sensors.
Dynamics modelling and linear control of quadcopter

In this paper, a cascade PID feedback control algorithm is proposed to stabilize the attitude of a quadcopter so that the balancing state can be ensured in spite of disturbances. A mathematical model of quadcopter dynamics is developed by applying Newton-Euler method. It reveals the exact relationships among all the variables involved. Both linear and nonlinear state-space equations are derived afterwards, which are essential for the controller design and further development. The simulations are also carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the cascade PID algorithm compared with classic PID control scheme.
Effects of Fluid Viscoelasticity in Non-Isothermal Flows

The study of non-Newtonian fluids is of fundamental importance in practically all branches of science and engineering that deal with incompressible fluid flow. Blood rheology, food processing, petroleum engineering, polymer blending and pharmaceutical product development are only but a few areas in which non-Newtonian fluids play a major role. Inelastic fluids with shear rate dependent viscosities are an example of non-Newtonian fluids, such fluids are called Generalized Newtonian fluids. Fluids that exhibit elastic effects are another example of non-Newtonian fluids, these fluids are called Viscoelastic fluids. We focus attention on viscoelastic fluids whose viscosities are either independent of applied shear-rates (Boger fluids) or whose viscosities are shear-rate dependent (e.g. the Generalized Oldryd-B fluids). In either case the fluid viscosity will be considered temperature dependent and our investigations will focus on the fluids’ heat transfer characteristics in simple flows. As in Chinyoka (2008; 2009a;b; 2010; 2011) the viscoelastic fluid behavior is compared to that for corresponding inelastic (Newtonian and/or Generalized Newtonian) fluids and it is demonstrated that depending on the physical application, viscoelasticity may or may not be favorable. For a comprehensive overview of non-Newtonian flows in general and viscoelastic fluid phenomena in particular, we refer to the excellent treatises of Bird et al. (1987); Ferry (1981). Investigations of heat transfer in fluid flow have mostly been conducted for inelastic fluids. Temperature dependent flows of viscoelastic fluids have been largely limited by the slow development of the relevant universally accepted non-isothermal constitutive models. The mathematical discussion of the constitutive modeling of non-isothermal effects in the flow of viscoelastic fluids is still underway and the references Dressler et al. (1999); Hutter et al. (2009); Peters & Baaijens (1997); Sugend et al. (1987); Wapperom & Hulsen (1998) provide a clear picture as to the current developments. What is now beyond doubt, among these representative cited works, is that temperature changes in such flowing polymeric systems should at the very minimum capture the effects of the three processes; conductive heat transfer effects, entropic effects due to stress work and energetic effects due to the changes in the polymer orientations. Secondary effects, say due radiation and chemical reactions can be included or neglected depending on the exact nature of the physical situation. The major difference between the most recent work Hutter et al. (2009) and previous works is the realization in Hutter et al. (2009) that the usual modeling of energetic effects using the conformational tensor may fail to capture those energetic effects that may arise from fast deformation/relaxation processes due to microscopic changes, say, resulting from continual 20
Collagen VI involvement in Ullrich syndrome: A clinical, genetic, and immunohistochemical study

Background Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) is a form of merosin-positive congenital muscular dystrophy characterized by proximal contractures, distal laxity, rigidity of the spine, and respiratory complications. Recently, a deficiency of collagen VI on muscle and skin biopsy together with recessive mutations in the collagen 6A2 gene were reported in three families with UCMD. However, the clinical spectrum, frequency, and level of heterogeneity of this disorder are not known. Subjects and Methods The authors studied 15 patients (aged 3 to 23.6 years) with a clinical diagnosis of UCMD. Linkage analysis to the three collagen VI genes was performed in all informative families (n = 7), whereas immunohistochemical analysis of collagen VI expression in muscle was performed in the remaining cases. Results An immunocytochemical reduction of collagen VI was observed in six patients. Three of the six patients belonged to informative families, and haplotype analysis clearly suggested linkage to the COL6A1/2 locus in two cases and to the COL6A3 loci in the third case. In the remaining nine patients, primary collagen VI involvement was excluded based on either the linkage analysis (four families) or considered unlikely based on normal immunolabeling of collagen VI. Age and presentation at onset, the distribution and severity of weakness and contractures, and the frequency of nonambulant patients were similar in the patients with and without collagen VI involvement. Distal laxity, rigidity of the spine, scoliosis, failure to thrive, and early and severe respiratory impairment were found in all patients by the end of the first decade of life, irrespective of their maximum motor functional ability or their collagen status. Conclusions These results suggest that collagen VI involvement is relatively common in UCMD (40%); however, the role of this molecule was excluded in a number of cases, suggesting genetic heterogeneity of this condition.
Longitudinal survey of the distribution of various serotypes of Streptococcus mutans in infants

The establishment of various serotypes of Streptococcus mutans was studied serologically in plaque samples collected from label surfaces of upper primary incisors of 22 infants (starting age, 5 to 13 months) over a period fo 30 months. Clinical examinations were also performed. No clear-cut association between the initiation of dental caries and previous detection of S. mutans was noted. However, all 12 of the infants with caries had S. mutans isolated at some time during the course of this study. The most common serotype isolated at the initial establishment of S. mutans on the tooth surfaces was serotype c, whereas types d, e, and g became established in a few cases. During the test period, changes in the distribution of serotypes of S. mutans were observed in some cases. The initiation of carious lesions could be found in a few cases even when S. mutans comprised about 1% or less of the total streptococcal count of the specimen from the tooth surfaces. Serotype d/g strains tended to develop carious lesions on smooth surfaces, although serotype c was isolated from almost all individuals who developed caries.
Colocalization of ferroportin‐1 with hephaestin on the basolateral membrane of human intestinal absorptive cells

An iron exporter ferroportin‐1 (FPN‐1) and a multi‐copper oxidase hephaestin (Heph) are predicted to be expressed on the basolateral membrane of the enterocyte and involved in the processes of iron export across the basolateral membrane of the enterocyte. However, it is not clear where these proteins are exactly located in the intestinal absorptive cell. We examined cellular localization of FPN‐1 and Heph in the intestinal absorptive cells using the fully differentiated Caco‐2 cells. Confocal microscope study showed that FPN‐1 and Heph are located on the basolateral membrane and they are associated with the transferrin receptor (TfR) in fully differentiated Caco‐2 cells grown on microporous membrane inserts. However, Heph protein was not detected in the crypt cell‐like proliferating Caco‐2 cell. In stably transfected human intestinal absorptive cells expressing human FPN‐1 modified by the addition of GFP at the C‐terminus, we show that FPN‐1‐GFP is located on the basolateral membrane and it is associated with Heph suggesting the possibility that FPN‐1 might associate and interact with Heph in the process of iron exit across the basolateral membrane of intestinal absorptive cell. J. Cell. Biochem. 101: 1000–1010, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparison of Existing Response Criteria in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Transarterial Chemoembolization Using a 3D Quantitative Approach.

PURPOSE To compare currently available non-three-dimensional methods (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST], European Association for Study of the Liver [EASL], modified RECIST [mRECIST[) with three-dimensional (3D) quantitative methods of the index tumor as early response markers in predicting patient survival after initial transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a retrospective single-institution HIPAA-compliant and institutional review board-approved study. From November 2001 to November 2008, 491 consecutive patients underwent intraarterial therapy for liver cancer with either conventional TACE or TACE with drug-eluting beads. A diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was made in 290 of these patients. The response of the index tumor on pre- and post-TACE magnetic resonance images was assessed retrospectively in 78 treatment-naïve patients with HCC (63 male; mean age, 63 years ± 11 [standard deviation]). Each response assessment method (RECIST, mRECIST, EASL, and 3D methods of volumetric RECIST [vRECIST] and quantitative EASL [qEASL]) was used to classify patients as responders or nonresponders by following standard guidelines for the uni- and bidimensional measurements and by using the formula for a sphere for the 3D measurements. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was performed for each method to evaluate its ability to help predict survival of responders and nonresponders. Uni- and multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratio models were used to identify covariates that had significant association with survival. RESULTS The uni- and bidimensional measurements of RECIST (hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.3, 1.0; P = .09), mRECIST (hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.0; P = .05), and EASL (hazard ratio, 1.1; 95% CI: 0.6, 2.2; P = .75) did not show a significant difference in survival between responders and nonresponders, whereas vRECIST (hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% CI: 0.3, 1.0; P = .04), qEASL (Vol) (hazard ratio, 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.9; P = .02), and qEASL (%) (hazard ratio, 0.3; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.60; P < .001) did show a significant difference between these groups. CONCLUSION The 3D-based imaging biomarkers qEASL and vRECIST were tumor response criteria that could be used to predict patient survival early after initial TACE and enabled clear identification of nonresponders.
Biotyping of Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus by Enterotoxin Gene Cluster (egc) Polymorphism and spa Typing Analyses

ABSTRACT Thirty-five Staphylococcus aureus strains, including 10 reference strains and 25 strains recovered from clinical specimens and food samples, were analyzed by PCR REA (restriction endonucleases analysis) of the egc operon and spa typing. Nineteen spa types and seven different egc operons, including four putative new egc variants, were revealed. In 13 strains, allelic variants of sei and/or seg were found. By an analysis of their nucleotide sequence identities, a new homogeneous cluster of a sei variant, called the sei variant, was detected in six strains. In addition, the prototype sei was shown to be more polymorphic than assumed so far. Seven strains possessed the recently described seg variant, also exhibiting several nucleotide exchanges. spa typing was more effective than REA egc grouping as a typing technique. Since, in some cases, the REA typing method was able to discriminate strains showing the same spa type, it must be considered for PCR approaches involved in diagnostic procedures and may be useful for epidemiological studies. Hence, the polyphasic approach used in this study can be reliably and advantageously applied for typing egc-positive S. aureus strains.
Cutaneous manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in Pakistani patients.

OBJECTIVE Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune process in which cutaneous lesions occur in majority of patients. This study from Karachi, Pakistan was conducted to determine the pattern and prevalence of such lesions in SLE in Pakistani patients. METHODS One hundred ninety eight patients with SLE fulfilling the clinical and laboratory criteria of the American Rheumatology Association were examined between 1986 and 2001 for the presence of cutaneous manifestations. RESULTS Skin changes noted were: noncicatricial diffuse alopecia (22%), malar rash (31%), mucosal lesions (20%), discoid eruptions (15%), photosensitivity (33%), vascular lesions (20%), pruritus (17%), and pigmentary changes (22%). Peripheral gangrene, chronic ulcers, Raynauds phenomenon, urticaria, chilblains, thrombophlebitis, palmar erythema, and erythema multiform were rare. Anti ANA and anti dsDNA were positive in 93% and 83% patients respectively. CONCLUSION A different clinical pattern was noted in our patients than reported previously.
Expression of CD30 mRNA, CD30L mRNA and a variant form of CD30 mRNA in restimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with helminthic infections resembling a Th2 disease

It has been proposed that CD30, a member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, is preferentially up‐regulated on Th2‐type human T cells. In order to investigate a correlation between infection with Echinococcus multilocularis and CD30 expression, we analysed regulation of CD30 mRNA, a variant form of CD30 mRNA (CD30v) and CD30 ligand (CD30L) mRNA expression on PBMC from patients with alveolar echinococcosis (AE) using reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). In PBMC of patients with AE as well as healthy donors, spontaneous expression of CD30L mRNA and the CD30v mRNA could be detected. However, the intact form of CD30 mRNA could be detected neither in freshly isolated PBMC of patients nor in PBMC of healthy individuals. Expression of CD30L mRNA and the variant form of CD30 mRNA was frequently detected at individual time points during 72 h of culture of PBMC stimulated with crude Echinococcus antigen. In contrast to CD30v or CD30L mRNA expression, induction of CD30 mRNA expression was detected only in three out of six (50%) healthy donors and in 10 out of 21 (48%) patients with alveolar echinococcosis after 72 h of incubation. As a control, mitogenic stimulation of PBMC of both healthy individuals and infected patients led to expression of intact CD30 mRNA within 24 h of culture. These data demonstrate the different expression of two different forms of CD30 mRNA in PBMC of human individuals. The specific induction of CD30 expression is correlated only in rare cases with the clinical status of patients with AE, indicating the lack of a general induction of CD30 mRNA in this Th2‐type‐dominated helminthic disease. The data provide further evidence that the CD30 receptor is not an exclusive marker for a Th2‐type response.
TEORI MAQASHID AL-SYARI'AH DALAM HUKUM ISLAM

Pembicaraan tentang maqashid al-syari'ah atau tujuan hukum Islam merupakan suatu pembahasan penting dalam hukum Islam yang tidak luput dari perhatian ulama serta pakar hukum Islam. Sebagian ulama menempatkannya dalam bahasan ushul fiqh, dan ulama lain membahasnya sebagai materi tersendiri serta diperluas dalam filsafat hukum Islam. Bila diteliti semua perintah dan larangan Allah dalam Al-Qur'an, begitu pula suruhan dan larangan Nabi SAW dalam sunnah yang terumuskan dalam fiqh, akan terlihat bahwa semuanya mempunyai tujuan tertentu dan tidak ada yang sia-sia. Semuanya mempunyai hikmah yang mendalam, yaitu sebagai rahmat bagi umat manusia, sebagaimana yang ditegaskan dalam beberapa ayat Al-Qur'an, di antaranya dalam surat Al-Anbiya' :107, tentang tujuan Nabi Muhammad diutus. Rahmat untuk seluruh alam dalam ayat tersebut diartikan dengan kemaslahatan umat. Sedangkan, secara sederhana maslahat itu dapat diartikan sebagai sesuatu yang baik dan dapat diterima oleh akal sehat. Diterima akal mengandung pengertian bahwa akal itu dapat mengetahui dan memahami motif di balik penetapan suatu hukum, yaitu karena mengandung kemaslahatan untuk manusia, baik dijelaskan sendiri alasannya oleh Allah atau dengan jalan rasionalisasi. Kata kunci : Maqashid al-syari'ah , maslahat, taklif hukum, 'illat
Salesforce Compensation: An Empirical Investigation of Factors Related to Use of Salary versus Incentive Compensation

The transaction cost analysis framework is integrated with prescriptions from the sales management literature to develop a model that indicates the role of salary in a sales compensation plan for industrial firms. The descriptive power of the model is examined by surveying compensation practices in 161 firms. The results indicate that the transaction cost framework is somewhat useful in describing the use of salary, but the framework does not consider some important aspects guiding salary versus incentive compensation decisions.
Temperament and Psychiatric Disorder: The Genetic Contribution to Behaviour in Childhood

The studies stemming from the New York longitudinal study of temperament in childhood are summarised and conceptual difficulties and problems arising from them are described. An alternative model of temperament provided by Buss and Plomin is also considered. Finally, a new typology of temperament is proposed. It is based on the suggestion that ordinary, non-pathological behaviours, in extreme form, can be viewed as manifestations of emotional disorder, hyperactivity and antisocial disorder. Empirical evidence derived both from twin studies and from epidemiological investigations is put forward to support this view.
Caries infiltrant combined with conventional adhesives for sealing sound enamel in vitro.

OBJECTIVE To test the null hypothesis that combining low-viscosity caries infiltrant with conventional adhesive resins would not improve sealing of sound enamel against demineralization in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bovine enamel discs (N = 60) with diameter of 3 mm were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10). The discs were etched with 37% phosphoric acid for 30 seconds and treated with resins of different monomer content forming the following groups: (1) Icon (DMG), (2) Transbond XT Primer (3M ESPE), (3) Heliobond (Ivoclar Vivadent), (4) Icon + Transbond XT Primer, and (5) Icon + Heliobond. Untreated etched samples served as the negative control. Specimens were subjected to demineralization by immersion in hydrochloric acid (pH 2.6) for 80 hours. Calcium dissolution into the acid was assessed by colorimetric analysis using Arsenazo III method at 16-hour intervals. Groups presenting high protection against demineralization were subjected to further acidic challenge for 15 days with calcium measurements repeated at 24-hour intervals. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS Untreated specimens showed the highest amount of demineralization. Icon and Transbond XT primer decreased the mineral loss significantly compared to the control. Heliobond performed significantly better than both Icon and Transbond XT primer. Combination of Icon both with Transbond XT primer or Heliobond served as the best protective measures and maintained the protective effect for the additional 15-day acidic challenge. CONCLUSIONS Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it could be concluded that the use of low-viscosity caries infiltrant prior to application of the tested conventional adhesives increases their protective effect against demineralization.
The specific role of chemokines in atherosclerosis

Summary Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that represents the primary cause of heart disease and stroke.The recruitment of inflammatory cells in the intima is an essential step in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.This process is triggered by local production of chemokines and chemokine receptors from activated endothelial cells and inflammatory cells. Various members of the CC chemokine family (e.g. MCP- 1/CCL2) as well as CXC family (e.g. IL-8/CCL8, IP-10/CXCL10, SDF-1/CXCL12) and, more recently, fractalkine/CX3CL1 have been implicated in atherosclerosis development. Latest findings in animal models suggest that blocking chemokine/chemokine receptor interactions may serve as a suitable approach to treat atherosclerosis. Likewise, chemokine antagonists that inhibit leukocyte recruitment could particularly be interesting to treat inflammation in response to myocardial infarction, the major consequence of atherosclerosis.