Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Near-Death High-Frequency Hyper-Synchronization in the Rat Hippocampus

Near-death experiences (NDE) are episodes of enhanced perception with impending death, which have been associated with increased high-frequency (13–100 Hz) synchronization of neuronal activity, which is implicated in cognitive processes like perception, attention and memory. To test whether the NDE-associated high-frequency oscillations surge is related to cardiac arrest, recordings were made from the hippocampus of anesthetized rats dying from an overdose of the sedative chloral hydrate (CH). At a lethal dose, CH caused a surge in beta band power in CA3 and CA1 and a surge in gamma band power in CA1. CH increased the inter-regional coherence of high-frequency oscillations within and between hippocampi. Whereas the surge in beta power developed at non-lethal chloral hydrate doses, the surge in gamma power was specific for impending death. In contrast, CH strongly suppressed theta band power in both CA1 and CA3 and reduced inter-regional coherence in the theta band. The simultaneously recorded electrocardiogram showed a small decrease in heart rate but no change in waveform during the high-frequency oscillation surge, with cardiac arrest only developing after the cessation of breathing and collapse of all oscillatory activity. These results demonstrate that the high-frequency oscillation surge just before death is not limited to cardiac arrest and that especially the increase in gamma synchronization in CA1 may contribute to NDE observed both with and without cardiac arrest.
Deep Learning With EEG Spectrograms in Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder

REM Behavior Disorder (RBD) is now recognized as the prodromal stage of α-synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this paper, we describe deep learning models for diagnosis/prognosis derived from a few minutes of eyes-closed resting electroencephalography data (EEG) collected from idiopathic RBD patients (n=121) and healthy controls (HC, n=91). A few years after the EEG acquisition (4 ± 2 years), a subset of the RBD patients eventually developed either PD (n=14) or Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, n=13), while the rest remained idiopathic. We describe first a simple convolutional neural network (DCNN) with a five-layer architecture combining filtering and pooling, which we train using stacked multi-channel EEG spectrograms. We treat the data as in audio or image classification problems where deep networks have proven highly successful by exploiting compositional and translationally invariant features in the data. For comparison, we study an even simpler deep recurrent neural network using three stacked Long Short Term Memory network (LSTM) cells or gated-recurrent unit (GRU) cells—with very similar results. The performance of these networks typically reaches 80% (±1%) classification accuracy in the balanced HC vs. PD-outcome classification problem. In particular, using data from a single EEG channel we obtain an area under the curve (AUC) of 87% (±1%) while avoiding spectral feature selection. The trained classifier can also be used to generate synthetic spectrograms to study what spectrogram features are relevant for classification, pointing to the presence of theta band bursts and a decrease of power in the alpha band in future PD or DLB patients compared to HCs. We conclude that deep networks may provide a key tool for the analysis of EEG dynamics even from relatively small datasets and enable the delivery of new biomarkers.
Informal Caregiver Burnout? Development of a Theoretical Framework to Understand the Impact of Caregiving

Informal caregiving is a rewarding but demanding role. The present theoretical framework proposes to adapt the tridimensional concept of burnout to informal caregiving as a way to address the potential consequences of caregiving. This adaptation reflects caregivers’ reported difficulties, as well as empirical findings on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment as caregiving outcomes. But to understand burnout in informal caregiving contexts, it is also necessary to find ways to model it. The Informal Caregiving Integrative Model (ICIM) is thus proposed. This model is based on the integration of elements from literature on both informal caregiving stress and professional burnout. The goal of the ICIM is to emphasize the importance of every category of determinants of informal caregiver burnout (i.e., relating to the caregiver, the caregiving setting, and the sociocultural context), with a key mediating role for the caregivers’ appraisal of their situation and their relationship with the care-recipient. This article is a first integrative step in the consideration of a form of burnout specific to informal caregivers and supports the design of empirical and interventional studies based on the theoretical foundation that the ICIM proposes.
State of the Field: Differentiating Intellectual Disability From Autism Spectrum Disorder

The topic of this special issue on secondary versus idiopathic autism allows for discussion of how different groups may come to manifest autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD-like symptoms despite important etiological differences. A related issue is that, because many of the social communication deficits that define ASD represent a failure to acquire developmentally expected skills, these same deficits would be expected to occur to some extent in all individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Thus, regardless of etiology, ASD symptoms may appear across groups of individuals with vastly different profiles of underlying deficits and strengths. In this focused review, we consider the impact of ID on the diagnosis of ASD. We discuss behavioral distinctions between ID and ASD, in light of the diagnostic criterion mandating that ASD should not be diagnosed if symptoms are accounted for by ID or general developmental delay. We review the evolution of the autism diagnosis and ASD diagnostic tools to understand how this distinction has been conceptualized previously. We then consider ways that operationalized criteria may be beneficial for making the clinical distinction between ID with and without ASD. Finally, we consider the impact of the blurred diagnostic boundaries between ID and ASD on the study of secondary versus idiopathic ASD. Especially pertinent to this discussion are findings that a diagnosis of ID in the context of an ASD diagnosis may be one of the strongest indicators that an associated condition or specific etiological factor is present (i.e., secondary autism).
Real World Fuel Consumption and Emissions From LDVs and HDVs

Real world emission and energy consumption behavior from vehicles is a key element for meeting air quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) targets for any country. While CO2 fleet targets for vehicles are defined on basis of standardized test procedures, in real driving conditions manifold parameters show large variabilities. Main differences are Driving cycle Vehicle loading and driving resistances Ambient temperature levels, start conditions and trip length Gear shift behavior of the drivers Power demand from auxiliaries Fuel quality For the upcoming update of the Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA 4.1) we have performed analysis, measurements and simulations to elaborate real world energy consumption values for 2-wheelers, passenger cars (PC), light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and heavy duty vehicles (HDVs), so called emission factors (EF). EFs show fuel consumption or emission level in [g/km] and [#/km] for fuel, gaseous exhaust gas components and also for the particle number (PN). EFs are provided for a lot of different traffic situations covering stop & go up to highway for different road gradient categories. EFs are different for each vehicle category and for each powertrain technology and emission standard (from EURO 0 gasoline PC to EURO VI HDV with CNG engine). To produce the EFs, vehicle tests from chassis dyno and from on-board measurements were collected in all European labs to set up models for all vehicle segments in the passenger cars and heavy duty emission model (PHEM). The models for PC and LCVs were based on weight and road load data available from the type approval test, the worldwide harmonized light vehicles test procedure (WLTP), and then calibrated in a stepwise approach to consider all influences in real world driving. Finally, the results for new vehicle fleet fuel consumption values were compared with data from the fuel consumption monitoring data base. For HDVs, the models are based on data from the development of the HDV CO2 determination method (Regulation (EU) 2017/2400, “VECTO”). The methods and also the results in terms of differences between real world and type approval for loading, road load, energy consumption and emission levels are described in this paper.
Variability of Isoflavone Content in Soy Milk Products Commercially Available in Thailand

Objective: To determine the isoflavone content in soy milk products commercially available in Thailand. Material and Methods: Two flavors of each of 4 brands of soy milk were obtained from retail outlets in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The isoflavone content in soy milk was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Genistin and daidzin, both β-glycoside conjugates, were found to be the main isoflavone components in soy milk. The total amount of isoflavones varied considerably among different products, ranging from 25.5 to 63.5 mg per serving (250 mL) of soy milk. Marked variation in total isoflavones was also found even among different lots of the same product. Conclusion: The isoflavone content in soy milk products available in Thailand varies substantially among different products as well as among different lots of the same product. This suggests that standardizing or, at least, declaring the isoflavone content in soy milk products is needed to facilitate the optimal consumption of soy milk for health benefits.
Severe Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction Treated With Supraglottoplasty

Introduction: Exercise induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is relatively common in adolescents, with symptoms often confused with exercise induced asthma. EILO often starts with medial or inward rotation of supraglottic structures of the larynx, whereas glottic adduction appears as a secondary phenomenon in a majority. Therefore, surgical treatment (supraglottoplasty) is used in thoroughly selected and highly motivated patients with pronounced symptoms and severe supraglottic collapse. Aim: To investigate efficacy and safety of laser supraglottoplasty as treatment for severe supraglottic EILO by retrospective chart reviews. Methods: The EILO register at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway was used to identify patients who had undergone laser supraglottoplasty for severe supraglottic EILO, verified by continuous laryngoscopy exercise (CLE) test, during 2013–2015. Laser incision in both aryepiglottic folds anterior to the cuneiform tubercles and removal of the mucosa around the top was performed in general anesthesia. Outcomes were questionnaire based self-reported symptoms, and laryngeal obstruction scored according to a defined scheme during a CLE-test performed before and after surgery. Results: Forty-five of 65 eligible patients, mean age 15.9 years, were included. Post-operatively, 38/45 (84%) patients reported less symptoms, whereas CLE-test scores had improved in all, of whom 16/45 (36%) had no signs of obstruction. Most improvements were at the supraglottic level, but 21/45 (47%) also improved at the glottic level. Two of 65 patients had complications; self-limiting vocal fold paresis and scarring/shortening of plica ary-epiglottica. Conclusion: Supraglottoplasty improves symptoms and decreases laryngeal obstruction in patients with severe supraglottic EILO, and appears safe in highly selected cases.
Bacterial–Fungal Interactions in the Kelp Endomicrobiota Drive Autoinducer-2 Quorum Sensing

Brown macroalgae are an essential component of temperate coastal ecosystems and a growing economic sector. They harbor diverse microbial communities that regulate algal development and health. This algal holobiont is dynamic and achieves equilibrium via a complex network of microbial and host interactions. We now report that bacterial and fungal endophytes associated with four brown algae (Ascophyllum nodosum, Pelvetia canaliculata, Laminaria digitata, and Saccharina latissima) produce metabolites that interfere with bacterial autoinducer-2 quorum sensing, a signaling system implicated in virulence and host colonization. Additionally, we performed co-culture experiments combined to a metabolomic approach and demonstrated that microbial interactions influence production of metabolites, including metabolites involved in quorum sensing. Collectively, the data highlight autoinducer-2 quorum sensing as a key metabolite in the complex network of interactions within the algal holobiont.
Accuracy and Limitations of the Growth Hormone (GH) Releasing Hormone-Arginine Retesting in Young Adults With Childhood-Onset GH Deficiency

Background: Re-testing for GH secretion is needed to confirm the diagnosis of GH deficiency (GHD) after adult height achievement in childhood-onset GHD (COGHD). Aim: To define the cut-off of GH peak after retesting with GH-releasing hormone plus arginine (GHRHarg) in the diagnosis of permanent GHD in COGHD of different etiology. Patients and methods: Eighty-eight COGHD (median age 17.2 y), 29 idiopathic GHD (IGHD), 44 cancer survivors (TGHD) and 15 congenital GHD (CGHD) were enrolled in the study; 54 had isolated GHD (iGHD) and 34 had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD). All were tested with insulin tolerance test (ITT) and GHRHarg. IGHD with a GH response to ITT ≥6μg/L were considered true negatives and served as the control group, and patients with a GH response <6μg/L as true positives. Baseline IGF-I was also measured. The diagnostic accuracy of GHRHarg testing and of IGF-I SDS in patients with GHD of different etiologies was evaluated by ROC analysis. Results: Forty-six subjects with a GH peak to ITT ≥6μg/L and 42 with GH peak <6 μg/L showed a GH peak after GHRHarg between 8.8–124μg/L and 0.3–26. 3μg/L, respectively; 29 IGHD were true negatives, 42 were true positives and 17 with a high likelihood GHD showed a GH peak to ITT ≥6μg/L. ROC analysis based on the etiology indicated the best diagnostic accuracy for peak GH cutoffs after GHRHarg of 25.3 μg/L in CGHD, 15.7 in TGHD, and 13.8 in MPHD, and for IGF-1 SDS at −2.1 in CGHD, −1.5 in TGHD, and −1.9 in MPHD. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the best cut-off for GH peak after retesting with GHRHarg changes according to the etiology of GHD during the transition age. Based on these results the diagnostic accuracy of GHRHarg remains questionable.
TOR as a Regulatory Target in Rhipicephalus microplus Embryogenesis

Embryogenesis is a metabolically intensive process carried out under tightly controlled conditions. The insulin signaling pathway regulates glucose homeostasis and is essential for reproduction in metazoan model species. Three key targets are part of this signaling pathway: protein kinase B (PKB, or AKT), glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), and target of rapamycin (TOR). While the role of AKT and GSK-3 has been investigated during tick embryonic development, the role of TOR remains unknown. In this study, TOR and two other downstream effectors, namely S6 kinase (S6K) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), were investigated in in vitro studies using the tick embryonic cell line BME26. First, we show that exogenous insulin can stimulate TOR transcription. Second, TOR chemical inhibition led to a decrease in BME26 cell viability, loss of membrane integrity, and downregulation of S6K and 4E-BP1 transcription. Conversely, treating BME26 cells with chemical inhibitors of AKT or GSK-3 did not affect S6K and 4E-BP1 transcription, showing that TOR is specifically required to activate its downstream targets. To address the role of TOR in tick reproduction, in vivo studies were performed. Analysis of relative transcription during different stages of tick embryonic development showed different levels of transcription for TOR, and a maternal deposition of S6K and 4E-BP1 transcripts. Injection of TOR double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into partially fed females led to a slight delay in oviposition, an atypical egg external morphology, decreased vitellin content in eggs, and decreased larval hatching. Taken together, our data show that the TOR signaling pathway is important for tick reproduction, that TOR acts as a regulatory target in Rhipicephalus microplus embryogenesis and represents a promising target for the development of compounds for tick control.
Correlation Between Human Development and Sustainable Development – Condition of Human Security

Abstract For the sake of contemporaneity, the notion of sustainable development has become the key concept in developing new paradigms of human survival, in designing new ways of managing social systems. The current state of today’s humanity is looking for a new development model as well as new security objectives. Considered as a process over time, human development means creating, through action at policy level, the conditions for facilitating sustainable human development, such as appropriate education, health, material wellbeing, participation, social empowerment and inclusion and establishment of a model of socially and geographically equitable economic growth.
Value of NSE and S100 Protein of Kawasaki Disease with Aseptic Meningitis in Infant

Abstract The cerebrospinal fluid content was examined for concentrations of S100 protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in two diseases, Kawasaki disease (KD) with aseptic meningitis (1-3 months) and purulent meningitis (PM), to determine whether or not these measuremets could be used in early diagnosis. The content of cerebrospinal fluid S100 protein of KD with aseptic meningitis and PM were significantly higher than those in the control group. There was also a difference between KD and purulent meningitis (PM). The concentration of NSE was highest in the encephalitis group, which was statistically different from control group. However, there was no difference between the KD and control groups. The levels of S100 protein and NSE of KD with aseptic meningitis were lower than those in PM, indicating that the extent of neuronal damage is significantly lower than of the enchephalitis group. The area under the curve (AUCs) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for S100 and NSE were both 0.972. The S100 threshold was 0.4315, the sensitivity was 92.1%, and the specificity was 100%, while the NSE threshold was 9.325, sensitivity 92.1%, and specificity 90%. The combined detection of NSE and S100 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid can be used for the differential diagnosis of KD with aseptic meningitis and purulent meningitis.
The Relationship between Ownership Structure and Dividend Policy: An Application in Vietnam Stock Exchange

Abstract This research examines the possible association between ownership structure and Vietnam listed companies’ dividend payout policy over the period of 2009 – 2015. We have investigated 642 listed firms in Hochiminh stock exchange and Hanoi stock exchange, using pannel data analysis. Ownership structure is described with two main sub-variables: ownership concentration and ownership composition. Specifically, the Herfindahl index (or H-index) was applied to measure the level of ownership concentration /dispersion for all major shareholders in the company, including the five biggest investors, corporate institutional investors, the ownership concentration level, and foreign investors. It has been observed that the H-index of all major shareholders has an average of less than 0.5 but the value of the H-index of institutional investors at 0.594 indicates that institutional investors are more likely to be concentrated in the hands of large institutional investors. The result showed linear relationship between institutional ownership and the dividend rate, but not statistically significant for the relationship between managerial ownership and dividend payout ratio.
Effect of Soil Conditioning on the Moisture Content and the Salt Profile of the Soil Under Irrigation with Saline Water

Abstract The research work was started on the preliminary knowledge that the risk of secondary salinization is high in the hobby gardens around Karcag as the water of the aquifers used for irrigation is saline, nevertheless irrigation in the drought periods is essential for vegetable production. A complex experiment was set up in 12 simple drainage lysimeters at the lysimeter station of the Research Institute of Karcag in 2012 in order to simulate the conditions of irrigation characteristic in the region with the goal of finding a solution to mitigate the harmful effects by means of optimization of irrigation. In 2017–2018 three approaches were applied for the scientific establishment of the problem studying the effect of different irrigation frequencies, different irrigation water qualities, and soil conditioning on the moisture content and the salt profile of the soil. The soil conditioner (Neosol) applied was found to have a positive effect on the water and salt regime of the soil, partly by creating a more favourable vertical distribution of the soil water, and partly preserving more moisture in the soil.
The dark side of the breastfeeding: In the light of endocrine disruptors

Abstract Breastfeeding plays an essential role in the healthy development of a newborn, but human milk is obviously compromised by pollutants from our environment. The main contaminants of human milk with endocrine-disrupting compound (EDCs) have raised concern for public and environmental health. Bisphenol A (BPA), which can leach from plastics, are among the most well-studied. Since EDs are known to cross the mammary gland barrier and BPA may accumulate in the neonate, “BPA-free” products have been introduced to the market. However, recent studies have shown that alternative bisphenols (e.g. BPS, BPF) can be detected in breast milk, have ED activities and may have developmental effects similar to BPA.
Reducing False Positives of Static Analysis for SEI CERT C Coding Standard

Static analysis tools have important roles in detecting violations in source code which is not compliant with coding standards. However, for industrious size systems, these tools report an overwhelming number of violations, which contain many false positives. This research considers the SEI CERT C Coding Standard and proposes a method for automatically reducing false positives of static analysis tools by combining static analysis and deductive verification. Firstly, static analysis tools are used to detect positions in the source code which may not conform to the SEI CERT C. Secondly, behavioral properties of the program at the detected positions are described by ANSI/ISO C Specification Language regarding the SEI CERT C rule or recommendation they may violate. Deductive verification is then used to prove whether these properties satisfy conventions of the SEI CERT C. Our experiment with source code for tractors, shows that 20% of violation suggestions of Rosecheckers can be handled automatically and 90% false positives of them are reduced.