Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Report on the 68-bus, 16-machine, 5-area system

The present report refers to a small-signal stability study carried over the 68-Bus, 16-Machine, 5-Area System and validated on a widely known software package: MATLAB-Simulink (ver. 2012b). The 68-bus system is a reduced order equivalent of the inter-connected New England test system (NETS) and New York power system (NYPS), with five geographical regions out of which NETS and NYPS are represented by a group of generators whereas, the power import from each of the three other neighboring areas are approximated by equivalent generator models. This report has the objective to show how the simulation of this system must be done using MATLAB in order to get results that are comparable (and exhibit a good match with respect to the electromechanical modes) with the ones obtained using other commercial software packages and presented on the PES Task Force website on Benchmark Systems for Stability Controls.
Increased Adhesive Potential of Antiphospholipid Syndrome Neutrophils Mediated by β2 Integrin Mac‐1

While the role of antiphospholipid antibodies in activating endothelial cells has been extensively studied, the impact of these antibodies on the adhesive potential of leukocytes has received less attention. This study was undertaken to investigate the extent to which antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) neutrophils adhere to resting endothelial cells under physiologic flow conditions and the surface molecules required for that adhesion.
Sex-specific components of frailty in C57BL/6 mice

Many age-related biochemical, physiological and behavioral changes are known to be sex-specific. However, how sex influences frailty status and mortality risk in frail rodents has yet to be established. The purpose of this study was therefore to characterize sex differences in frail mice across the lifespan. Male (n=29) and female (n=27) mice starting at 17 months of age were assessed using a frailty phenotype adjusted according to sex, which included body weight, walking speed, strength, endurance and physical activity. Regardless of sex, frail mice were phenotypically dysfunctional compared to age-matched non-frail mice, while non-frail females generally possessed a higher body fat percentage and were more physically active than non-frail males (p≤0.05). The prevalence of frailty was greater in female mice at 26 months of age (p=0.05), but if normalized to mean lifespan, no sex differences remained. No differences were detected in the rate of death or mean lifespan between frail male and female mice (p≥0.12). In closing, these data indicate that sexual differences exist in aging C57BL/6 mice and if the frailty criteria are adjusted according to sex, the prevalence of frailty increases across age with frail mice dying early in life, regardless of sex.
Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging quantifies corticospinal tract microstructural organization in children with unilateral cerebral palsy

Children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) due to early brain injury exhibit disrupted connectivity of corticospinal tracts (CSTs), which can be quantified using diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is commonly used to quantify white matter organization, however, this model lacks the biological specificity to accurately describe underlying microstructural properties. Newer approaches, such as neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), may provide more biologically accurate information regarding CST microstructure. In this study, we directly compared metrics of CST microstructure using NODDI and DTI models to characterize the microstructural organization of corticospinal pathways. Twenty participants with UCP participating in a neuromodulation/rehabilitation intervention underwent imaging including multi‐shell DWI; 10 participants' datasets were adequately completed for neuroimaging analysis. Task fMRI‐guided probabilistic tractography from motor cortex to brainstem was performed at baseline and follow‐up to reconstruct the CSTs. Diffusion metrics were compared between hemispheres at baseline, and between baseline and follow‐up to test for intervention effects. Correlation analyses were used to compare baseline metrics to changes in hand function following the intervention. DTI results showed that mean fractional anisotropy in lesioned and nonlesioned CSTs did not significantly differ, but mean, axial, and radial diffusivity were greater in the lesioned CST. For NODDI, intracellular volume fraction (ICVF) and orientation dispersion index (ODI) were lower in the lesioned CST. Unimanual function was strongly correlated with ICVF, but not FA. NODDI may reveal distinct properties of CST microstructure that are linked to motor function, indicating their potential in characterizing brain structure and development.
Longitudinal Development of Receptive Vocabulary in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Anarthria: Use of the MacArthur-Bates CDI

ABSTRACT Objective To examine receptive language growth in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and anarthria using a parent-reported measure of vocabulary. Method Scores from 47 children (29 males) with CP and anarthria were obtained from the vocabulary checklists on the MacArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventories (MCDI) and analyzed to examine the distribution of receptive language growth. Linear trajectories of word composite scores were created using a linear-mixed model, incorporating between two and ten data points per child. Results Three different growth trajectories emerged: approximately 23% grew by 100 or more words per year, 13% grew by 50–100 words per year, and 64% grew by 50 words per year or less. Age-four vocabulary was strongly correlated with rate of increase in vocabulary. Conclusion Receptive vocabulary scores from the MCDI are increasing at a reduced pace for most children with CP and anarthria. More sensitive measures of language assessment are necessary to gain a complete picture of their language ability levels.
Treatment of central sensitization in patients with chronic pain: time for change?

ABSTRACT Introduction: Given our improved understanding of the role of central sensitization (CS) in many patients with chronic pain, it seems rational to account for CS during treatment. Areas covered: First, the treatment rationale based on the complex mechanisms underlying CS in patients having chronic pain is presented. Second, emphasis is given to explaining the concept of CS when providing treatment, as well as why patients and clinicians should focus on long-term rather than short-term treatment effects. Third, possible pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options are discussed. Expert opinion: Centrally acting drugs such as tricyclic compounds, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and α2δ ligands each target mechanisms that are often dysfunctional in patients having chronic pain and CS, but decades of clinical practice and clinical trials have not resulted in satisfactory outcomes. This comes as no surprise; CS comprises complex psycho-neuro-immunological interactions, while each of the tested drugs targets one or two of those mechanisms from a purely biomedical viewpoint. Clinicians willing to take CS into account should design an individually tailored multimodal treatment plan comprising pain neuroscience education, cognition-targeted exercise therapy, sleep management, stress management, and/or dietary intervention.
Synergistic use of biochar and acidified manure for improving growth of maize in chromium contaminated soil

Abstract Chromium (Cr) contamination in farmlands has become a serious environmental concern due to the excessive use of industrial wastewater as an irrigation source. Therefore, some important measures need to be taken for reducing its mobility in a soil profile. A pot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of sugarcane bagasse derived biochar and acidified manure on Cr mobility and its uptake by maize plant. Results showed that the application of biochar and acidified manure significantly changed soil pH, improved crop growth and as well as reduce the antioxidant response of maize in Cr contaminated soil. The concentration of bioavailable (AB-DTPA) extractable Cr in soil decreased with the addition of co-use of biochar (3%) and acidified manure (5%) by 36% relative to control. The maximum reduction in superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidase dismutase (POD), and catalase activity assay (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase activity (APX) was occurred by 41%, 51%, 20%, and 55%, respectively when biochar (3%) amended with the combination of acidified manure in Cr contaminated soil. Among all the amendments, biochar at 3% application combination with acidified manure (B2 + AMS) offered significantly minimize Cr mobility (Cr-III (44%) and Cr-VI (22%)) and thereby reduce its uptake by maize plant.
Quantifying Behavioral Sensation Seeking With the Aroma Choice Task

Our goal was to develop a behavioral measure of sensation seeking (SS). The Aroma Choice Task (ACT) assesses preference for an intense, novel, varied, and risky (exciting) option versus a mild, safe (boring) option using real-time odorant delivery. A total of 147 healthy young adults completed 40 binary choice trials. We examined (1) intensity and pleasantness of odorants, (2) stability of responding, (3) association with SS self-report, and (4) association with self-reported illicit drug use. Participants’ preference for the “exciting” option versus the safe option was significantly associated with self-reported SS (p < .001) and illicit drug use (p = .041). Odorant ratings comported with their intended intensity. The ACT showed good internal, convergent, and criterion validity. We propose that the ACT might permit more objective SS assessment for investigating the biological bases of psychiatric conditions marked by high SS, particularly addiction. The ACT measures SS behaviorally, mitigating some self-report challenges and enabling real-time assessment, for example, for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Effects of deep sedation on sleep in critically ill medical patients on mechanical ventilation

Atypical EEG patterns not consistent with standard sleep staging criteria have been observed in medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Our aim was to examine the relationship between sleep architecture and sedation in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients pre‐ and post‐extubation. We performed a prospective observational repeated measures study where 50 mechanically ventilated patients with 31 paired analyses were examined at an academic medical centre. The sleep efficiency was 58.3 ± 25.4% for intubated patients and 45.6 ± 25.4% for extubated patients (p = .02). Intubated patients spent 76.33 ± 3.34% of time in non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep compared to 64.66 ± 4.06% of time for extubated patients (p = .02). REM sleep constituted 1.36 ± 0.67% of total sleep time in intubated patients and 2.06 ± 1.09% in extubated patients (p = .58). Relative sleep atypia was higher in intubated patients compared to extubated patients (3.38 ± 0.87 versus 2.79 ± 0.42; p < .001). Eleven patients were sedated with propofol only, 18 patients with fentanyl only, 11 patients with fentanyl and propofol, and 10 patients had no sedation. The mean sleep times on “propofol”, “fentanyl”, “propofol and fentanyl,” and “no sedation” were 6.54 ± 0.64, 4.88 ± 0.75, 6.20 ± 0.75 and 4.02 ± 0.62 hr, respectively. The sigma/alpha values for patients on “propofol”, “fentanyl”, “propofol and fentanyl” and “no sedation” were 0.69 ± 0.04, 0.54 ± 0.01, 0.62 ± 0.02 and 0.57 ± 0.02, respectively. Sedated patients on mechanical ventilation had higher sleep efficiency and more atypia compared to the same patients following extubation. Propofol was associated with higher sleep duration and less disrupted sleep architecture compared to fentanyl, propofol and fentanyl, or no sedation.
Impact of neutropenia on central venous catheter–related bloodstream infections in patients with hematological malignancies at the time of central venous catheter insertion: A matched-pair analysis

inant Elizabethkingia species found in blood cultures in Singapore. J Clin Microbiol 2018;56:1–3. 6. Wang M, Gao H, Lin N, et al. The antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity of a multidrug-resistant Elizabethkingia anophelis isolate. MicrobiologyOpen 2019;e804. 7. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, 29th edition. Wayne, PA: CLSI; 2013. 8. Adiguzel A, Ozkan H, Baris O, Inan K, Gulluce M, Sahin F. Identification and characterization of thermophilic bacteria isolated from hot springs in Turkey. J Microbiol Meth 2009;79:321–328. 9. Lin JN, Lai CH, Yang CH, Huang YH, Lin HH. Genomic features, phylogenetic relationships, and comparative genomics of Elizabethkingia anophelis strain EM361-97 isolated in Taiwan. Sci Rep 2017;7:8.
High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Improve of Verbal Retrieval Deficits in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.

Chronic verbal retrieval deficits have been noted in TBI, but no FDA-approved interventions are available. The present study investigated whether 10 sessions of 20 minutes of 1 milliamp anodal HD-tDCS targeting preSMA/dACC (compared to sham HD-tDCS) would improve verbal retrieval deficits in TBI patients. Improvements in verbal retrieval processes were observed up to 8 weeks post-treatment. Thus, potential dysfunction to verbal retrieval circuitry in TBI appears amenable to remediation through electromodulation with HD tDCS to the preSMA/dACC. Although further studies clarifying mechanisms by which tDCS brought about these improvements will likely inform refinements in the application of this therapeutic technique, the findings suggest the efficacy of using HD-tDCS to target other systems vulnerable to TBI to improve functioning.
Economic Behavior and Evolutionary vs. Behavioral Perspectives

Behavioral economics focuses mainly on how limitations of the human cognitive apparatus, risk attitudes, and human sociality affect decision making. The former two lead to deviations from rationality standards, the latter to deviations from rational self-interest. Some of these research interests are also shared by evolutionary psychology which, however, explains the observed deviations by features of the human genetic endowment conjectured to have evolved under fierce selection pressure in early human phylogeny. Important as the decisionmaking theoretical perspective of the two disciplines is, it will be claimed to be too narrow to fully account for what an evolutionary approach has to say about economic behavior. This is particularly true regarding the questions of what choices are made and what causes them, i.e., the motivational aspects of behavior. In the language of economics this points to the agents= preferences. This article discusses how preferences relate to the human genetic endowment, how they can change over time, and what conclusions have to be drawn from extending the analysis to the motivational side.
Magnetic Resonance Angiography-based Prediction of the Results of Balloon Test Occlusion

Precautious balloon test occlusion (BTO) is sometimes performed in cases of high-risk intraoperative internal carotid artery injury. We investigated whether magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) findings could predict BTO results to thus avoid the use of precautious BTO. This retrospective study, included 96 patients who underwent BTO, eight of whom underwent bilateral BTO. The relationship between the BTO results for 104 internal carotid arteries and the MRA findings obtained in 96 patients were retrospectively evaluated. On MRA, anterior cerebral artery (A1)–anterior communicating artery–A1 was defined as anterior collateral circulation (ACC), and posterior cerebral artery–posterior communicating artery was defined as posterior collateral circulation (PCC). BTO was tolerated in all 27 sides with thick ACC regardless of PCC thickness. In 31 of 44 cases with a thin ACC, the tested sides were BTO-tolerant (70.5%). Of these 44 tested sides, all five with a thick PCC were BTO-tolerant, but eight with a thin PCC and 31 with an invisible PCC showed results other than tolerance. Among cases with an invisible ACC, 10 of 33 tested sides were BTO-tolerant (30.3%). Among these 33 tested sides, outcomes other than tolerance were observed regardless of PCC thickness. Thick, thin, and invisible ACCs were assigned 3, 1, and 0 points, respectively; and thick, thin, and invisible PCCs were assigned 2, 1, and 0 points, respectively. A sum of 3 points in the ACC and PCC indicated that all sides were BTO-tolerant. In conclusion, a thick ACC or a thin ACC with a thick PCC indicates BTO-tolerance. The BTO prediction score is useful for predicting results of BTO.
The distribution and origins of Fallopia x bohemica (Polygonaceae) in Europe

Fauopia×bohemica is a good example of a hybrid occurring when two introduced species come in contact in their adventive range. Although only recognised in the early 1980's, herbarium material and the current distribution pattern suggest that it has long been an unrecognised part of the Japanese Knotweed s.l. population. The identification, distribution, cytological background, history and some of the ecological determinants of the spread in Europe are provided along with a substantial citation of field observations and herbarium specimens used to produce the distribution map. This is the first attempt to map its European distribution, and must be regarded as provisional since comprehensive recording of its distribution is limited to a handful of countries. The unexpected discovery for the first time of this taxon in the Mediterranean is also reported. It is to be hoped that this paper will provide the impetus for a more comprehensive study of this invidious and under-recorded taxon.
Lmx1b is required at multiple stages to build expansive serotonergic axon architectures

Formation of long-range axons occurs over multiple stages of morphological maturation. However, the intrinsic transcriptional mechanisms that temporally control different stages of axon projection development are unknown. Here, we addressed this question by studying the formation of mouse serotonin (5-HT) axons, the exemplar of long-range profusely arborized axon architectures. We report that LIM homeodomain factor 1b (Lmx1b)-deficient 5-HT neurons fail to generate axonal projections to the forebrain and spinal cord. Stage-specific targeting demonstrates that Lmx1b is required at successive stages to control 5-HT axon primary outgrowth, selective routing, and terminal arborization. We show a Lmx1b→Pet1 regulatory cascade is temporally required for 5-HT arborization and upregulation of the 5-HT axon arborization gene, Protocadherin-alphac2, during postnatal development of forebrain 5-HT axons. Our findings identify a temporal regulatory mechanism in which a single continuously expressed transcription factor functions at successive stages to orchestrate the progressive development of long-range axon architectures enabling expansive neuromodulation.
Compositional verification of industrial control systems: methods and case studies

The main obstacles in the formal verification of industrial control systems are the lack of precise semantics for its programming languages, and the complexity problems which arise during the verification process. This work addresses both issues by defining an operational semantics for Sequential Function Charts, a widely-used language for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and by presenting modular and compositional methods to reduce the complexity arising from parallel structures in the system. These methods are illustrated by the verification of two PLC-controlled chemical batch plants.
Prognostic implications of stromal hyaluronic acid protein expression in resected oropharyngeal and oral cavity cancers

Background/Aims Hyaluronic acid (HA) regulates cell adhesion, migration and proliferation in various cancers. The clinical implications of HA in resected head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have not been elucidated. We investigated the clinical significance and prognostic value of the expression of tumoral and stromal HA and its related proteins in oropharyngeal and oral cavity cancer. Methods Resected tissues from oropharyngeal or oral cavity cancer patients undergoing surgery were analysed in tissue microarrays divided into stroma and cancer panels. The expression levels of HA, HA synthases and hyaluronidases were also assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results A total of 160 resected oropharyngeal or oral cavity cancer tissues were analysed. Stromal HA expression was observed more frequently in human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative tumors, but other clinicopathological characteristics did not differ. In patients with HPV-negative oral cavity cancers, high stromal HA expression was associated with significantly shorter recurrence-free survival and overall survival compared with low stromal HA expression. The expression of HA in both tumors and stroma was significantly correlated with poorer outcomes than other combinations in patients with HPV-negative oral cavity cancers. However, these prognostic roles of HA were not observed in patients with HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancers. In the HPV-stratified multivariate analysis, high stromal HA expression remained an independent indicator of poor prognosis in terms of recurrence-free survival. Conclusions High stromal HA and expression of HA in both tumors and stroma were correlated with poor prognosis in HPV-negative oral cavity cancer, but not in HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancers.
Parametric-resonance based phenomenology of gravitating axion configurations

One of the most compelling candidates for Dark Matter (DM) are light pseudo-scalar particles (axions), motivated by the strong CP problem and axiverse scenario in string theory. Depending on their mass and type of self-interaction, these particles can build self-gravitating configurations such as compact objects, DM clumps or even galactic DM halos. On the other hand, superradiant instabilities can produce long-living extended configurations (scalar clouds) gravitating around Black Holes (BHs). As these scalars are real and harmonic, their interaction with the other matter components can induce a parametric resonance that might lead to their observable signatures. First, we consider the orbital dynamics of test particles in these axion configurations, show when resonances can occur and discuss the secular evolution of the orbital elements. This scenario can lead to observable consequences for binary pulsars or S stars around the supermassive BH in our Galaxy. Secondly, we discuss electromagnetic (EM) field instabilities in homogeneous axion configurations as well as scalar clouds around Kerr BHs. These axion-photon resonances can quench superradiant instabilities, while producing an observable signature in the EM sector. We give an analytical estimate of the rate of these processes that have good agreement with the fully relativistic numerical simulations and discuss the impact of plasma in the vicinity of BHs on these instabilities. Subjects: Classical Field Theory ∗ General Relativity ∗ Astroparticle Physics ∗ Celestial Mechanics