Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How Memory Conforms to Brain Development

Nature exhibits countless examples of adaptive networks, whose topology evolves constantly coupled with the activity due to its function. The brain is an illustrative example of a system in which a dynamic complex network develops by the generation and pruning of synaptic contacts between neurons while memories are acquired and consolidated. Here, we consider a recently proposed brain developing model to study how mechanisms responsible for the evolution of brain structure affect and are affected by memory storage processes. Following recent experimental observations, we assume that the basic rules for adding and removing synapses depend on local synaptic currents at the respective neurons in addition to global mechanisms depending on the mean connectivity. In this way a feedback loop between “form” and “function” spontaneously emerges that influences the ability of the system to optimally store and retrieve sensory information in patterns of brain activity or memories. In particular, we report here that, as a consequence of such a feedback-loop, oscillations in the activity of the system among the memorized patterns can occur, depending on parameters, reminding mind dynamical processes. Such oscillations have their origin in the destabilization of memory attractors due to the pruning dynamics, which induces a kind of structural disorder or noise in the system at a long-term scale. This constantly modifies the synaptic disorder induced by the interference among the many patterns of activity memorized in the system. Such new intriguing oscillatory behavior is to be associated only to long-term synaptic mechanisms during the network evolution dynamics, and it does not depend on short-term synaptic processes, as assumed in other studies, that are not present in our model.
Improvement of diet sustainability with increased level of organic food in the diet: findings from the BioNutriNet cohort.

BACKGROUND Organic food consumption has steadily increased over the past decade in westernized countries. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study, based on observational data, was to compare some sustainability features of diets from consumers with varying levels of organic food. METHODS The diet sustainability among 29,210 participants of the NutriNet-Santé study was estimated using databases developed within the BioNutriNet project. Four dimensions (nutrition, environment, economy, and toxicology) of diet sustainability were assessed using: 1) nutritional indicators through dietary intakes and dietary scores, and BMI; 2) environmental indicators (greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative energy demand, and land occupation); 3) economic indicators via diet monetary costs; and 4) estimated daily food exposures to 15 pesticides. Adjusted means (95% CI) across weighted quintiles of organic food consumption in the diet were estimated via ANCOVA. Breakdown methods were used to disentangle the contribution of the production system (organic compared with conventional) from the dietary pattern in the variation of diet-related environmental impacts, monetary costs, and pesticide exposure, between the 2 extreme quintiles. RESULTS Higher organic food consumption was associated with higher plant-food and lower animal-food consumption, overall nutritional quality (higher dietary scores), and lower BMI. Diet-related greenhouse-gas emissions, cumulative energy demand, and land occupation gradually decreased with increasing organic food consumption, whereas total diet monetary cost increased. Diet exposure to most pesticides decreased across quintiles. CONCLUSIONS Diets of high organic food consumers were generally characterized by strong nutritional and environmental benefits. The latter were mostly driven by the low consumption of animal-based foods, whereas the production system was responsible for the higher diet monetary costs, and the overall reduced dietary pesticide exposure.
Intrafamilial Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Among Families of Infected Pediatric Oncology Patients.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most commonly encountered blood transmittable hepatitis among cancer patients. Several studies have reported clustering of HCV infections in families or household contacts of infected cases. Data about the epidemiologic aspects of intrafamilial transmission from pediatric cancer patients are scarce and still debated. We aimed to identify the magnitude of horizontal intrafamilial transmission of HCV from infected pediatric oncology patients; its prevalence, risk factors and possible routes of transmission. METHODS One hundred fifty-seven (86 HCV positive, 71 HCV negative) pediatric oncology patients who received treatment and follow-up at Zagazig university Hospital-Egypt and their household family contacts (751) were enrolled in this cross-sectional case-control study. Blood samples were collected from 450 relatives of HCV infected cases (group 1) and 301 household contacts of HCV-negative cases (group 2) for analysis of HCV antibodies and HCV RNA to confirm positivity. Family contacts of HCV-infected cases were interviewed, and close-ended questionnaire was completed for each participant to determine risk factors and possible routes of HCV intrafamilial transmission. RESULTS Significantly higher HCV prevalence and chronicity rates were documented among relatives of HCV-infected cases as compared with contacts of HCV-negative cases (12.6% and 10.6% for group 1 vs. 7% and 5.3% for group 2, respectively). Risk factors of infection were calculated by univariate and logistic regression analysis among contacts of HCV-infected cases. Female caregivers, particularly mother (OR 5.1, 95% CI: 2-13.5), contact with index cases blood, either directly without using personal protective equipment (OR 7.8, 95% CI: 2.9-23.8) or indirectly through common use of sharps (razors, scissors) (OR 8.9, 95% CI: 3.5-20.5) and nail clippers (OR 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1-5.4) and giving care to infected cases (OR 2.9, 95% CI: 1.3-16.6) represented the real predictors of intrafamilial HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS Intrafamilial transmission of HCV from infected children to their relatives does occur. Parenteral route is the only documented way of transmission either directly or indirectly.
λ-Density Functional Valence Bond: A Valence Bond-Based Multiconfigurational Density Functional Theory With a Single Variable Hybrid Parameter

A new valence bond (VB)-based multireference density functional theory (MRDFT) method, named λ-DFVB, is presented in this paper. The method follows the idea of the hybrid multireference density functional method theory proposed by Sharkas et al. (2012). λ-DFVB combines the valence bond self-consistent field (VBSCF) method with Kohn–Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) by decomposing the electron–electron interactions with a hybrid parameter λ. Different from the Toulouse's scheme, the hybrid parameter λ in λ-DFVB is variable, defined as a function of a multireference character of a molecular system. Furthermore, the EC correlation energy of a leading determinant is introduced to ensure size consistency at the dissociation limit. Satisfactory results of test calculations, including potential energy surfaces, bond dissociation energies, reaction barriers, and singlet–triplet energy gaps, show the potential capability of λ-DFVB for molecular systems with strong correlation.
Experimental Study on Fire Performance of Weathered Cedar

ABSTRACT Historic buildings have significant cultural, scientific, and aesthetic value, and show the accomplishments of past eras. Unfortunately, many of wooden historic buildings are destroyed by fire disasters. The reaction-to-fire performance of timber was changed after several hundred years of natural weathering. In this study, the effect of weathering on the reaction-to-fire performance of untreated and fire retardant treated timber are investigated. The conventionally treated cedars were weathered in accordance with a standard construction material durability test method (JSTM J7001), three accelerated weathering test methods (J60, J20 and J4), and a standard weathering method (NT FIRE 053 Method A), respectively. Then, the effect of weathering on phosphoric acid and paraffin treated timber samples was examined by comparing the reaction-to-fire performance of chemically treated timber before and after weathering. The results show that the use of fire retardant can reduce the ignition time, the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR). The weathering process increases both the pHRR and THR, but reduces the ignition time, which infer a relationship between the two processes of sufficient pyrolysis.
Robust Residual Generator Synthesis for Uncertain LPV Systems Applied to Lateral Vehicle Dynamics

In the residual generator design problem, a method to ensure the residual’s fault sensitivity is to minimize the difference between the fault-to-residual response and a reference model. However, an inappropriate reference model with unattainable ratios between sensitivities from multiple faults can have a detrimental impact on disturbance decoupling performance. This impact is reduced in the proposed design method for uncertain linear parameter-varying systems by optimizing these sensitivity ratios. The synthesis method involves solving an induced- $\mathcal {L}_{2}$ robust estimator synthesis problem, in which parameter uncertainty is handled via integral quadratic constraints. Optimization of the sensitivity ratios is integrated into the ensuing a semidefinite program. The resulting residual generator synthesis method achieves perfect decoupling when this is possible, and more generally improves performance compared with when arbitrary references are used, without the precomputation of an attainable reference as seen in other approaches. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated in a vehicle lateral dynamics application and validated using experimental data.
Yaw Angle Tracking Control for a Quadrotor-Like Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Using Global Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control

A quadrotor-like autonomous underwater vehicle (QLAUV) that is similar with but rather different from quadro-tor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has been reported recently. In the paper, the yaw angle tracking control problem for the QLAUV with system uncertainties and external disturbances is addressed. The tracking control law is achieved by designing a global fast terminal sliding mode control (FTSMC), which can not only drive the yaw angle of the QLAUV to the desired angle in finite time but suppress the system uncertainties and external disturbances effectively. Further, to avoid a singularity problem, a specified open region is defined explicitly to guarantee that any system trajectory starting from the region will not incur the singularity. Finally, in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller, we present some simulation results.
The Rank Distribution of Sparse Random Linear Network Coding

Sparse random linear network coding (SRLNC) is a promising solution for reducing the complexity of random linear network coding (RLNC). RLNC can be modeled as a linear operator channel (LOC). It is well known that the normalized channel capacity of LOC is characterized by the rank distribution of the transfer matrix. In this paper, we study the rank distribution of SRLNC. By exploiting the definition of linear dependence of the vectors, we first derive a novel approximation to the probability of a sparse random matrix being non-full rank. By using the Gauss coefficient, we then provide a closed approximation to the rank distribution of a sparse random matrix over a finite field. The simulation and numerical results show that our proposed approximation to the rank distribution of sparse matrices is very tight and outperforms the state-of-the-art results, except for the finite field size and the number of input packets are small, and the sparsity of the matrices is large.
Usefulness Analysis Of Accrual Based Accounting Information On Local Government Financial Statement: A Qualitative Study

This study aims to explain the usefulness of accrual-based accounting information on local government financial statements, using framing theory analysis. Informants in the study amounted to 27 people in the Lampung Provincial Government consisting of Regional Government Budget Team (TAPD) 15 people and Government Internal Supervisory Apparatus (APIP) 12 people. Data collection techniques by semi-structured interviews, test the validity of the data using triangulation and analysis methods and qualitative data management using NVivo version 12 software. The results showed that the accrual accounting information had not been useful by the local government in decision making. Furthermore, the results of the research are presented by framing usefulness of accrual-based accounting information on local government financial statement including Diagnosis (problem): System, accounting information system is not full accrual, not integrated with planning and asset subsystems; Human Resources (HR), low understanding and less number of accounting education employees; Data of Local Government Financial Statements, not full disclosure, are not presented in full and valid; Regulation, has not regulated the use of information in financial statements; Report Users, low executive and legislative commitment and understanding about the use of financial report information for decision making. Prognosis (strategi): employee education and training, socialization to the executive and legislative, improvement of regional accounting information systems, and changes in regulations both central and regional which give role to accounting information in government financial reports. Motivational (impact): increasing efficiency and effectiveness, increasing transparency and accountability, measuring performance and internal control, comprehensive and prudent decision making, realizing the principle of prudence, for calculating service rates, minimizing budget politicization and minimizing opportunities for corruption.
Efficacy and safety of probiotics in eradicating Helicobacter pylori

Background: Due to decreasing eradication rate and increasing side effects, probiotics have gradually become an important supplement to standard eradication regimens for Helicobacter pylori. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of probiotics in facilitating the eradication of H pylori and to explore the best timing and duration of probiotic supplementation, use of eradication regimens, strains, locations, and common side effects. Methods: Eligible studies were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI databases, and we applied the Stata 12.0 software for the standard meta-analysis and network meta-analysis. Results: Forty eligible studies with 8924 patients were included in the analysis. We used a random-effects model (I2 = 52.1% and I2 = 81.4%) to analyze the eradication rate and the incidence of total side effects by intention to treat (ITT). Compared with the control group, a higher eradication rate (relative risk [RR] 1.140, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.101–1.180, P < . 001) and lower incidence of total side effects (RR 0.470, 95% CI 0.391–0.565, P < .001) were observed in the probiotic group. In the subgroup analysis, we evaluated the surface under the cumulative ranking curve scores for the before + same (75.2%), >2 weeks (92.6%), probiotic + quadruple regimen (99.9%), Lactobacillus (73.6%), multiple strains (72.1%), China (98.5%) groups. The rankings of common side effects are shown in Table 6. SUCRA scores for diarrhea (39.7%), abdominal pain (43.9%), nausea (78.8%), taste disturbance (99.6%), vomiting (7.1%), and constipation (30.9%) were reported. The consistency of all comparison groups was good. Conclusions: Probiotics improved the eradication rate and reduced side effects when added to the treatments designed to eradicate H pylori. The use of probiotics before the eradication treatment and throughout the eradication treatment, and also the use of probiotics for more than 2 weeks, exerted better eradication effects. Probiotics combined with the bismuth quadruple regimen was the best combination. Lactobacillus and multiple strains were better choices of probiotic strains. The eradication effect observed in China was better than the effect observed in other countries.
Effects of in ovo injection of L-ascorbic acid on growth performance, carcass composition, plasma antioxidant capacity, and meat quality in broiler chickens1,2,3.

The current study was designed to investigate the effects of the in ovo injection of different dosages of L-ascorbic acid (AA) on posthatch growth performance, carcass characteristics, plasma antioxidant capacity, and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total of 2,220 Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs containing live embryos at 17 D of incubation were subjected to 1 of 6 treatments (trt): non-injected control, saline-injected control, or saline containing 3, 6, 12 or 36 mg of AA. An Inovoject m semi-automatic multi-egg injector was used to inject a 100 μL volume of sterile saline (0.85%) alone or containing the different AA dosage into each egg. After hatch, 14 male hatchlings from each trt group were randomly selected and placed in each of 10 replicate floor pens for growth performance evaluation through 45 D posthatch. Chicks from the 3 and 6 mg AA trt groups had a higher average daily BW gain and a higher feed intake compared to the saline-injected control group during the grower phase. Chicks in the 12 mg AA trt group exhibited a better feed efficiency in the late finisher phase and the entire growing phase than those in the saline-injected control group. Higher thigh and leg percentages were observed in chicks from the 3 and 6 mg AA trt groups than in the non-injected control group. Compared to the non-injected or saline-injected control groups, birds in the 12 mg AA trt group were observed to have a lower plasma malondialdehyde content during the grower and finisher phases, and breast muscle tenderness was elevated in chicks from the 36 mg AA trt group. Taken together, these results suggest that the in ovo injection of AA (3 to 12 mg per egg) have lasting positive effects on the posthatch growth, leg muscle development, and systemic antioxidant capacity of broilers. Higher injected dosages of AA (36 mg per egg) may also have the potential to improve broiler meat quality.
Comparison of Machine- and Expert-Based Thai Dance Evaluation Methods

It takes years to learn the Thai dance movements and become an expert. A Thai dance master must train close together with his or her students to transfer tacit knowledge. However, there is a lack of teachers and tools for teaching Thai dance. A Thai dance training tool prototype has to be developed to help the dance students practice dance movement outside the class. The tool is developed to give feedback to Thai dance students on basic dancing movements and to get a better performance based on the feedback. The evaluation process for the Thai dance training tool is taken into consideration. The method is to compare the machine feedback points with the Thai dance expert perspective. The comparison method is using the t-test to get a p-value between two groups and the difference within the groups to provide an evidence of significant value. Therefore, this paper is focusing on comparing machine scores with Thai dance expert scores (scores for each body part and an overall score) with 2 groups of Thai dance movement (Group A & B). The result of both groups has shown significant and insignificant values which are irrelevant to the score given by the machine and by the expert. The insignificant result provides the knowledge for improving the evaluation process of the Thai dance training tool.
Aberrant personality tendencies and academic success throughout engineering education.

OBJECTIVE In a longitudinal field study, we investigated the predictive associations between six aberrant personality tendencies (schizotypal, avoidant, borderline, antisocial, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive) and academic success of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students. METHOD Bachelor students of Industrial Engineering at a Dutch technical university (N = 432, Mage = 18.45; 87.3% male) filled out the NEO-PI-R and aberrant tendencies were operationalized by the five-factor model (FFM) compound technique. Indicators of academic achievement (grades) and persistence (credit points earned per year, re-enrollment, study duration) were made available by the academic office. RESULTS Validities across the 3 years of the study program consistently support the role of two aberrant tendencies: Individuals with high antisocial tendency reached lower academic achievement, took longer to finish their study, and had a higher risk of dropout. The obsessive-compulsive tendency was associated with higher grade-point average, faster study progress, and higher retention rates and effects were still visible while controlling for known predictors (high school grades, Conscientiousness). Contrary to our expectations, we found no evidence for inverted U-shaped relationships. CONCLUSIONS We used the compound technique for aberrant tendencies based on the FFM in the academic context and our findings support the importance of personality-based psychopathological tendencies for academic success.
Do we need aspirin in HeartMate 3 patients?

The HeartMate 3 (HM3, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Lake Forest, IL, USA) is a fully magnetically levitated left ventricular assist device that has abated the incidence of pump thrombosis1 and revealed an extremely low rate of thromboembolic events.2 However, the occurrence of bleeding events with this cardiac pump is still an issue. The Multicenter Study of MagLev Technology in Patients Undergoing Mechanical Circulatory Support Therapy with HeartMate 3 (MOMENTUM 3) trial showed a bleeding complication rate of 43% in the HM3 population (bleeding requiring surgery: 12%; gastrointestinal bleeding: 27%). 1 This was further confirmed by the 2-year results of the HM3 CE Mark study, which reported an incidence of bleeding events requiring surgery of 16%. 3 The recommended antithrombotic regimen in the setting of HM3 support includes a vitamin-K antagonist, targeted to an international normalized ratio (INR) of 2–3, plus aspirin (100 mg/day). However, few data are available regarding the optimal antithrombotic strategy with this device and, at present, it is questioned whether a reduced antithrombotic strategy might mitigate bleeding complications in HM3 patients. The European STudy of Reduced Anti-Coagulation/Anti-platelet Therapy in Patients with the HeartMatE II (EU TRACE study) demonstrated that bleeding complications in patients receiving the HeartMate II (Thoratec Corp., Pleasanton, CA, USA) can be managed with reduced antithrombotic therapy, particularly with aspirin discontinuation.4 Similarly, Lim et al.5 showed that aspirin discontinuation allowed resolution of bleeding events in HM3 patients on a single vitamin-K antagonist (warfarin