Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multilayer perceptron for EEG signal classification during listening to emotional music

In this study an electroencephalography (EEG) signal-based emotion classification algorithm was investigated. Several excerpts of emotional music were used as stimulus for elicitation of emotion-specific EEG signal. Besides, the hemispheric asymmetry alpha power indices of brain activation were extracted as feature vector for training multilayer perceptron classifier (MLP) in order to learn four targeted emotion categories, including joy, angry, sadness, and pleasure. The results demonstrated that the average classification accuracy of MLP could be 69.69% in five subjects for four emotional categories, which is much higher than chance probability of 25%.
Oropharyngeal Candidosis in HIV-Infected Patients—An Update

Oropharyngeal candidosis (OPC) is an opportunistic fungal infection that is commonly found in HIV-infected patients, even in the twenty-first century. Candida albicans is the main pathogen, but other Candida species have been isolated. OPC usually presents months or years before other severe opportunistic infections and may indicate the presence or progression of HIV disease. The concept of OPC as a biofilm infection has changed our understanding of its pathobiology. Various anti-fungal agents (both topical and systemic) are available to treat OPC. However, anti-fungal resistance as a result of the long-term use of anti-fungal agents and recurrent oropharyngeal infection in AIDS patients require alternative anti-fungal therapies. In addition, both identifying the causative Candida species and conducting anti-fungal vulnerability testing can improve a clinician's ability to prescribe effective anti-fungal agents. The present review focuses on the current findings and therapeutic challenges for HIV-infected patients with OPC.
Broadband Circularly Polarized Annular-Ring Microstrip Antenna

A wideband circularly polarized (CP) annular-ring patch antenna with two proximity-coupled L-probe feeds orientated to have phases of 0deg and 90deg, using a broadband 90deg hybrid feed, is proposed. It is found that the current distribution for CP operation can be improved by cutting a smaller concentric circular slot on the original larger circular patch to form an annular-ring patch. With such an arrangement, the proposed antenna delivers a wider axial ratio (AR) bandwidth than that of the conventional circular patch with the identical feeding technique. Considering the common overlapped bandwidth limited by the impedance, AR and gain, the proposed annular-ring patch antenna exhibits an effective bandwidth of 38% from 1.5 to 2.2 GHz, which is wider than the corresponding bandwidth of 29.7% from 1.35 to 1.82 GHz for the conventional circular patch. Moreover, the effective bandwidth of 38% for the proposed annular-ring antenna is also much wider than those for the other annular-ring patch antennas in the literature.
Tunable microwave, millimeter-wave and THz signal generation with a 1310nm quantum dot laser

Tunable microwave (MW), millimeter-wave (MMW) and THz signal generation with frequencies ranging from below 1 GHz to 1 THz are demonstrated experimentally with a 1310-nm Quantum Dot (QD) Distributed-Feedback (DFB) laser. Continuously tunable MW signals from below 1 GHz to over 40 GHz are produced using the period-1 dynamics induced in the QD DFB laser when subject to optical injection into its lasing mode. In addition, we report a novel technique for MMW and THz signal generation which is based on the dual-mode laser operation and Four-Wave-Mixing induced in the QD DFB laser under single-beam optical injection into one of its residual Fabry-Perot modes. Coarse and fine frequency tunability of the generated MMW and THz signals from 117 GHz to 954 GHz is also demonstrated experimentally. The simplicity of the experimental configuration used in this work offers promise for novel uses of QD lasers as MW, MMW and THz signal sources for Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) applications and future mobile communication networks.
Direct numerical simulation of rotating fluid flow in a closed cylinder

Present numerical simulations of the transition scenario of a rotating fluid flow in a closed cylinder are presented, where the motion is created by a rotating lid. The numerical algorithm, which is based on a finite‐difference discretization of the axisymmetric Navier‐Stokes equations, is validated against experimental visualizations of both transient and stable periodic flows. The complexity of the flow problem is illuminated numerically by injecting flow tracers into the flow domain and following their evolution in time. The vortex dynamics appears as stretching, folding and squeezing of flow structures which wave along the contour of a central vortex core. The main purpose of the study is to clarify the mechanisms of the transition scenario and relate these to experiences known from other dynamical systems and bifurcation theory. The dynamical system was observed to exhibit up to three multiple solutions for the same Reynolds number, and to contain four discernible branches. The transition to strange .
Low-cost semirigid ureteroscopy is effective for ureteral stones: experience of a single high volume center.

AIM OF THE STUDY To demonstrate how, in a center with a large number of patients, as our center is, it is possible to perform ureterolithotripsy using a limited set of instruments. METHODS We evaluated medical charts of our center related to semirigid ureteral ureteroscopy (URS) with ureterolithotripsy using Holmium laser performed from July 2004 to July 2011. Overall, 658 URS for ureteral stones were performed in 601 patients, of which 204 in proximal ureter (31%), 86 in the mid (13.06%) and 368 (57.76%) in the distal ureter. In 504 patients (76.5%) ureterohydronephrosis (Grade II-III) was observed. In 57 patients (8.6%), we performed a bilateral approach at the same time, but most patients had a solitary distal ureteral stone. 106 patients (16.1%) had more than one stone in their distal ureter and 96 (14.8%) had a proximal ureteral stone treated in the same surgery as well. RESULTS The overall stone-free rate for ureteral stones was 86.1% (567/658). Success rates for proximal, medial and distal ureteral stones were 68.13% (139/204 patients), 84.8% (73/86 patients) and 96.4% (355/368 patients), respectively. One hundred and twenty patients (18.3%) required additional surgical treatment for their stones beyond the initial URS, including a second URS in 97 patients (14.74%) and URS plus Retrograde Intra-Renal Surgery (RIRS) in 23 patients (3.54%). The overall stonefree rate after the second treatment was 99.3%. Intra-operative complications accounted for 5.92% and consisted of ureteral perforations in 16 pts (2.4%), erosions of urothelium leading to significant bleeding in 15 pts (2.27%), severe pain in 4 pts (0.6%), fever in 3 pts (0.45%) and one case of ureteral avulsion (0.15%). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that the use of Holmium laser lithotripsy is a safe and effective means of treating ureteral stones regardless of sex, age, stone location, or stone size. The instrumentation we used was extremely limited, in order to reduce costs related to the procedure to an absolute minimum whilst maintaining the two quality indicators for the procedure, namely success rate and length of hospitalisation (86.1% and 34 hours).
First-year compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act

Objectives: We quantitatively evaluated compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act (NCIAA) by different types of businesses in Nevada and determined whether compliance affected indoor concentrations of benzene and 3-ethenyl pyridine (3-EP), markers of tobacco smoke. Methods: Managers of 181 businesses in Washoe County, Nevada, were interviewed about business characteristics and practices and policies related to smoking. During unannounced visits, compliance data and air samples (n=66) were collected from interviewed businesses and from an additional sample (n = 56) of businesses without knowledge of the study. Results: Overall compliance, as defined by the NCIAA, was low (28.2%). Benzene concentrations were higher in casino restaurants than in other businesses, although most complied with the requirements of the ban. Neither benzene nor 3-EP concentrations differed significantly between compliant and non-compliant businesses. Conclusions: The finding that casino restaurants had poorer air quality despite their compliance with the NCIAA suggests that compliance alone may not be sufficient to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, particularly in buildings with both nonsmoking and smoking areas.
Production of polyclonal antisera using recombinant coat proteins of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 and Grapevine virus B

O objetivo deste trabalho foi produzir e caracterizar anti-soros especificos contra isolados brasileiros do Virus do enrolamento-da-folha da videira 2 (GLRaV-2) e do Virus B da videira (GVB), desenvolvidos a partir das proteinas capsidiais expressas em Escherichia coli, e testar seu possivel uso para a deteccao destes dois virus em videiras infectadas. Os genes da proteina capsidial (CP) foram amplificados via RT-PCR, clonados e sequenciados. Foram, subsequentemente, subclonados, e os plasmideos recombinantes foram empregados na transformacao das celulas de E. coli e na expressao das proteinas capsidiais. As proteinas capsidiais recombinantes foram purificadas, e suas identidades foram confirmadas em SDS-PAGE e "Western blot" e utilizadas para imunizar coelhos. Os anti-soros produzidos contra essas proteinas foram capazes de reconhecer as proteinas recombinantes correspondentes em "Western blot", de detectar GLRaV-2 e GVB em tecidos infectados de videiras pelo ELISA indireto, e de discriminar videiras sadias e infectadas, com absorbâncias (A405) de 0,08/1,15 e 0,12/1,30, respectivamente. A expressao dos genes CP pode produzir grandes quantidades de proteinas virais, com elevada antigenicidade, e os anti-soros de GLRaV-2 e GVB obtidos neste trabalho possibilitam a diagnose confiavel desses virus.
A molecular phylogeny and classification of the Eleusininae with a new genus, Micrachne (Poaceae: Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae)

The subtribe Eleusininae Dumort. (Poaceae: Chlorid­ oideae: Cynodonteae) is a morphologically diverse group, characterized by having racemose inflorescences (with a few exceptions) and contains about 212 species in 31 genera found primarily in low latitudes in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Ten of the genera are currently monotypic (Apochiton C.E.Hubb., Austrochloris Lazarides, Daknopholis Clayton, Harpochloa Kunth, Ochthochloa Edgew., Oxychloris Lazarides, Pommereulla L.f., Rheochloa Filg. & al., Sclero­ dactylon Stapf, Stapfochloa H.Scholz), 16 genera contain 10 or fewer species: Acrachne Wight & Arn. ex Chiov. (3 spp.), Afrotrichloris Chiov. (2 spp.), Astrebla F.Muell. (4 spp.), Brachyachne (Benth.) Stapf (9 spp.), Chrysochloa Swallen (4 spp.), Coelachyrum Hochst. & Nees (5 spp.), Cynodon Rich. A molecular phylogeny and classification of the Eleusininae with a new genus, Micrachne (Poaceae: Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae)
Immunoglobulin classes and liver function tests in Nigerian petrol attendants

Prolonged exposure to petrol has been shown to be a significant health hazard, especially for skeletal, circulatory, immune and reproductive systems. The present study investigates liver functions (alanine amino transferase and aspartate amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein and albumin) and immune functions (IgG, IgA and IgM) in 29 male petrol attendants and compares them with corresponding values in 22 sex- and age-matched controls using spectrophotometry and single radial immuno-diffusion method respectively for determining the functions. All the liver function tests were similar in both petrol attendants and the controls except for significantly lower levels of ALP ( P =0.02). Also, the levels of IgG and IgA were similar in petrol attendants when compared with corresponding levels in controls, while the levels of IgM were significantly raised in petrol attendants when compared with corresponding levels in controls ( P =0.02). This study shows that parameters of liver functions are within normal range in Nigerian petrol attendants.
Determination of the Nonlinear Muskingum Model Coefficients Using Genetic Algorithm and Numerical Solution of the Continuity Equation

The optimization method is an appropriate choice for determining optimal parameters in the Muskingum model, in order to increase the speed of computations; coefficients of this model have been computed optimally with assistance of the genetic algorithm. These coefficients were computed from the linear Muskingum and Muskingum-Cunge models using required data and the available relations. In order to evaluate efficiency of the procedure of optimizing coefficients of the nonlinear Muskingum model via the genetic algorithm method compared with the other two methods used for determining these coefficients, outflow hydrographs were computed using the optimal coefficients and solving the continuity equations according to the Runge-Kutta method order 4 and was compared with the two flood routing methods from the Muskingum and Muskingum-Cunge models as well. To study the precision of these three methods, square root of sum of squares of difference of discharges computed from each of the three methods and observational discharges obtained from the HEC-RAS RMSE software was used as the objective function and achieved results indicate more proximity of the computed hydrographs from the optimization coefficients in the Runge-Kutta order 4 to the outflow hydrographs obtained to the HEC-RAS software compared with the two Muskingum and Muskingum-Cunge models.
Introducing Flexibility to Complex, Resilient Socio-Ecological Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Economics, Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Evolutionary Biology, and Supply Chain Management

In this paper, a framework incorporating flexibility as a characteristic is proposed for designing complex, resilient socio-ecological systems. In an interconnected complex system, flexibility allows prompt deployment of resources where they are needed and is crucial for both innovation and robustness. A comparative analysis of flexible manufacturing systems, economics, evolutionary biology, and supply chain management is conducted to identify the most important characteristics of flexibility. Evolutionary biology emphasises overlapping functions and multi-functionality, which allow a system with structurally different elements to perform the same function, enhancing resilience. In economics, marginal cost and marginal expected profit are factors that are considered to be important in incorporating flexibility while making changes to the system. In flexible manufacturing systems, the size of choice sets is important in creating flexibility, as initial actions preserve more options for future actions that will enhance resilience. Given the dynamic nature of flexibility, identifying the characteristics that can lead to flexibility will introduce a crucial dimension to designing resilient and sustainable socio-ecological systems with a long-term perspective in mind.
Transfer Pricing or Formula Apportionment? Tax-Induced Distortions of Multinationals' Investment and Production Decisions

Multinational groups (MNGs) produce a major part of global output. Further, a substantial fraction of international transactions happens to be internal, i.e., intermediate products and services are traded between group members. Thus, the problem of co-ordinating economic decisions like investment or production within such large entities has been widely recog-nized in the theoretical and empirical literature. The findings suggest that transfer prices are a widespread device for splitting up complex decision situations and allocating the responsibility for the resulting subproblems to several decision makers. Apart from its co-ordination function transfer pricing is also used for tax purposes. Legally independent group members realize intra-group sales and contribute to a single product. Taxable group profits are often allocated among the participating companies by means of transfer prices. In this case, from the group's perspective, transfer pricing is a device of international tax planning. Of course, national tax authorities have been aware of potential misuse. In Europe, the problem has become especially severe since the mid-European countries joined the EU. Due to the emerging large tax rate differentials, tax revenues of high-tax legislations eroded. For mitigating this problem formula apportionment (FA) is discussed intensively. Under FA, a common tax base is calculated and divided among the host countries in accordance with given apportionment factors. As a consequence, earnings management fails to re-allocate profits to low-tax legislations and tax base erosion seems to be stopped. However, FA could even be more harmful than transfer pricing because under FA income shifting would require changing economic decisions instead of just taking advantage of accounting options. In addition to the erosion of tax revenues, capital investments and employment could decrease in high-tax legislations. The goal of our paper is to analyze the impact of different international tax allocation regimes on the MNG's investment and production decisions. In our theoretical model, we derive optimal decisions under transfer pricing and FA. A prominent result of our analysis is that FA offsets the advantages of decision decentralization as it reverses the separation of responsibility areas. It is not clear whether FA is desirable from a fiscal or an entrepreneurial perspective. We show that the effects of FA compared to transfer pricing depend strongly on the parameter setting under consideration. One of the most important determinants is the internal decision procedure within the MNG.
EWI‐2wint promotes CD81 clustering that abrogates Hepatitis C Virus entry

CD81 is a major receptor for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). It belongs to the tetraspanin family whose members form dynamic clusters with numerous partner proteins and with one another, forming tetraspanin‐enriched areas in the plasma membrane. In our study, we combined single‐molecule microscopy and biochemistry experiments to investigate the clustering and membrane behaviour of CD81 in the context of cells expressing EWI‐2wint, a natural inhibitor of HCV entry. Interestingly, we found that EWI‐2wint reduces the global diffusion of CD81 molecules due to a decrease of the diffusion rate of mobile CD81molecules and an increase in the proportion of confined molecules. Indeed, we demonstrated that EWI‐2wint promotes CD81 clustering and confinement in CD81‐enriched areas. In addition, we showed that EWI‐2wint influences the colocalization of CD81 with Claudin‐1 – a co‐receptor required for HCV entry. Together, our results indicate that a change in membrane partitioning of CD81 occurs in the presence of EWI‐2wint. This study gives new insights on the mechanism by which HCV enters into its target cells, namely by exploiting the dynamic properties of CD81.
Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs in Henan province, central China

The heartworm Dirofilaria immitis is the causative agent of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis in dogs and cats, and also infects humans. However, there has been no study on dirofilariasis in dogs in central China. From March 2015 to February 2016, sera from 1176 randomly selected household dogs from Henan province, central China were examined for D. immitis antigen using the Canine Heartworm Antigen Test Kit. The overall seroprevalence of D. immitis in dogs in Henan province was 13% (155/1176). The prevalence was significantly higher in older dogs and dogs kept outdoors, compared to the younger ones and those sheltered indoors. No significant difference of prevalence was observed between sexes. The results suggest that the risk of exposure to D. immitis in dogs is high in Henan, and prophylaxis against the parasite is advisable to decrease the incidence of canine dirofilariosis in this region.
Influence of Stimulus Type on Effects of Flanker, Flanker Position, and Trial Sequence in a Saccadic Eye Movement Task

Using the flanker paradigm in a task requiring eye movement responses, we examined how stimulus type (arrows vs. letters) modulated effects of flanker and flanker position. Further, we examined trial sequence effects and the impact of stimulus type on these effects. Participants responded to a central target with a left- or rightward saccade. We reasoned that arrows, being overlearned symbols of direction, are processed with less effort and are therefore linked more easily to a direction and a required response than are letters. The main findings demonstrate that (a) flanker effects were stronger for arrows than for letters, (b) flanker position more strongly modulated the flanker effect for letters than for arrows, and (c) trial sequence effects partly differed between the two stimulus types. We discuss these findings in the context of a more automatic and effortless processing of arrow relative to letter stimuli.
Distributed Filter Design and Power Allocation for Small-Cell MIMO Networks

A primary challenge for deploying dense small-cell networks comes from the lack of practical techniques that efficiently handle the increased network interference at a low cost. This has aroused considerable interest in the design of distributed precoder/combiner coordination techniques that leverage channel reciprocity, while relying on the local channel state information (CSI) available at each communication end. We present, in this paper, a power-efficient distributed coordination technique for dense small-cell multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) networks. We optimize the linear filters by minimizing the transmit power subject to target signal-to- interference-plus-noise ratios (SINRs). Although this strategy enhances the power efficiency, the considered optimization problem is non-convex and not directly solvable even under centralized coordination. To address this difficulty, we propose distributed filter adaptation and power allocation techniques that are based on the primal and its dual problem formulations. Under this construction, the two sub-problems, i.e., the linear filter design and power allocation problems, are separable. To solve them, we devise the distributed Jacobi-type power allocation and maximum SINR filter design techniques. Improved power efficiency of the proposed technique as compared to other existing distributed techniques is evidenced.
Design of optical full encoders/decoders for code-based photonic routers

This paper demonstrates that standard multiplexers as generalized Mach-Zehnder interferometers or waveguide grating routers can be designed to generate/process a set of orthogonal optical codes (OCs) with very high-correlation performances. The same device can be used at the ingress node of a generalized multiprotocol label switching network to generate the photonic labels and at each routing node to perform all the correlations simultaneously. To enhance the code cardinality, without increasing the code length, this paper shows that it is possible to use the proposed encoder/decoder architectures to generate/process multidimensional OCs.