Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CONTACT GEOMETRY AND LENS SPACES

There exists a canonical symplectic structure on the cotangent bundle of a differentiable manifold and similarly a canonical contact structure on the positive projectivization of the cotangent bundle under the scaling R action. Given a Riemannian (or Finsler) metric on the original manifold, this contact structure is contactomorphic to the contact structure determined by the metric on the unit tangent bundle. In symplectic topology it is a general question to ask to what extent the symplectic or contact geometry of these structures determines the smooth structure of the smooth underlying manifold. For example one might expect symplectic invariants to give interesting new smooth invariants. In this paper we study the canonical contact structures associated to 3 dimensional Lens spaces L(r, s). These are the first examples of manifolds which may be homotopic but not diffeomorphic. We will see that the contact structures on their unit tangent bundles do indeed distinguish the smooth structures on the Lens spaces. We note that homotopic but non diffeomorphic Lens spaces still have diffeomorphic tangent bundles. Therefore we do need contact methods to distinguish these structures and in particular we discover examples of different 5 dimensional contact structures on the same manifold (with the same Chern class). Such examples are still quite rare (but see [6]). One natural approach to this problem is to compute the contact homology of our manifolds (see [3]). This was the approach of Ustilovsky. However the calculations in sections 2 and 3 show that this fails to separate the contact structures. Contact homology is a homology theory with chain groups generated by certain periodic orbits of a Reeb vector field on our contact manifold and with the differential defined by counting holomorphic curves. We will see that nondegenerate Reeb vector fields on our contact manifolds have isomorphic periodic orbits. Moreover these orbits are such that the necessary differentials vanish in all cases. Motivated by work of Bourgeois [1] we study holomorphic curves corresponding to natural Morse-Bott contact forms in section 4. Relative to these contact forms we can describe fairly explicitly various moduli spaces of holomorphic curves. They do not appear in the differential defining contact homology although would certainly influence the more subtle invariants coming from Symplectic Field Theory (see [2]). In any case, in section 4 we show directly that properties of these moduli spaces of holomorphic curves are enough to distinguish our contact manifolds.
Reducing a cortical network to a Potts model yields storage capacity estimates

An autoassociative network of Potts units, coupled via tensor connections, has been proposed and analysed as an effective model of an extensive cortical network with distinct short- and long-range synaptic connections, but it has not been clarified in what sense it can be regarded as an effective model. We draw here the correspondence between the two, which indicates the need to introduce a local feedback term in the reduced model, i.e. in the Potts network. An effective model allows the study of phase transitions. As an example, we study the storage capacity of the Potts network with this additional term, the local feedback w, which contributes to drive the activity of the network towards one of the stored patterns. The storage capacity calculation, performed using replica tools, is limited to fully connected networks, for which a Hamiltonian can be defined. To extend the results to the case of intermediate partial connectivity, we also derive the self-consistent signal-to-noise analysis for the Potts network; and finally we discuss the implications for semantic memory in humans.
Impact of obesity on medical imaging and image-guided intervention.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of obesity on medical imaging and provide some solutions that are currently available to tackle the challenges of imaging obese patients. CONCLUSION Increasingly, radiologists are asked to image morbidly obese patients. The challenges facing radiology departments include difficulties in transporting patients to the department, inability to accommodate large patients on currently designed imaging equipment, and difficulties in acquiring desired image quality.
RSS-Based Localization in WSNs Using Gaussian Mixture Model via Semidefinite Relaxation

Energy-based source localization methods are normally developed according to the channel path-loss models in which the noise is generally assumed to follow Gaussian distributions. In this letter, we represent the practical additive noise by the Gaussian mixture model, and develop a localization algorithm based on the received signal strength to achieve a maximum likelihood location estimator. By using Jensen’s inequality and semidefinite relaxation, the initially proposed nonlinear and nonconvex estimator is relaxed into a convex optimization problem, which can be efficiently solved to obtain the globally optimal solution. Besides, the corresponding Cramer–Rao lower bound is derived for performance comparison. Simulation and experimental results show a substantial performance gain achieved by our proposed localization algorithm in wireless sensor networks.
Developing Leadership in Healthcare Administration: A Competency Assessment Tool

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Despite the many graduate programs that specialize in health administration, healthcare leaders and practitioners have expressed concern about the quality of preparation of health administration graduates. The purpose of this study was to facilitate one part of an integrated approach to leadership development that spans academic and practitioner settings. The approach was to design a competency assessment tool for early careerists who have two to five years of postgraduate experience and who aspire to fill senior leadership positions in complex, providerbased healthcare organizations. Open‐ended interviews with key informants and a comprehensive review of relevant literature were done to identify and categorize a set of competencies relevant to early careerists. Based on data from key informants, specific work experiences and academic courses were mapped to each competency, indicating where and how such competencies might be developed. A simple rating system was then added to assess each competency, which resulted in the completion of the tool. Finally, the tool was piloted in a practitioner setting at the Massachusetts General Hospital Administrative Fellowship Program and in an academic setting at the Yale University Health Management Program. The resulting tool includes 52 competencies categorized into four domains: (1) technical skills (operations, finance, information resources, human resources, and strategic planning/external affairs); (2) industry knowledge (clinical process and healthcare institutions); (3) analytic and conceptual reasoning; and (4) interpersonal and emotional intelligence. Early experience with the tool suggests that it can facilitate career planning among graduate students, early careerists, and their mentors. Further, the tool can help directors of both academic and practitioner programs identify strengths and gaps in their existing curricula or training programs. By offering specific competencies linked to work experiences and graduate courses, the tool is an initial step toward promoting collaborative efforts between academic and practitioner programs.
P4K-4 Novel Layered SAW Structure for Droplet Multidirectional Actuating and Sensing

A new concept of SAW powered lab on chip able to actuate and to perform accurate sensing is presented. Using IdT/ZnO/IdT/Quartz structure, it is possible to obtain simultaneously Rayleigh and Love waves. The first wave will be used to mix or heat whereas the second one will be use to sense. In order to determine the optimal characteristics, a theoretical approach has been developed. A comparison between our former classical microfluidic device and the new structure is presented. First results are explained.
A propagator-based method for bistatic MIMO radar angle estimation with unknown spatial colored noise

This paper discusses the problem of angle estimation for bistatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar in the presence of spatial colored noise. The spatial colored noise is eliminated by exploiting the temporal uncorrelated property. Thereafter, a propagator method is considered for joint direction of departure (DOD) and direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. The proposed method does not require high-complexity singular value decomposition (SVD), and it can achieve automatic pairing of the estimated DOD and DOA. Numerical simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Caenorhabditis elegans period homolog lin-42 regulates the timing of heterochronic miRNA expression

Significance Caenorhabditis elegans studies have contributed greatly to our understanding of the temporal regulation of development. These studies led to the discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) and revealed that a succession of stage-specifically expressed miRNAs act as switches to guide life-stage transitions in cell fates. These miRNAs are conserved to humans and cause disease states when misexpressed, highlighting the importance of their temporal regulation. Much is known about the biogenesis and function of miRNAs, but how these processes are temporally sculpted is not well understood. This study reports that LIN-42, the C. elegans homolog of the circadian rhythm protein Period, regulates timing of miRNA expression by modulating transcription. These findings further our understanding of the functions of developmental timekeepers and regulation of miRNAs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally via the 3′ UTR of target mRNAs and were first identified in the Caenorhabditis elegans heterochronic pathway. miRNAs have since been found in many organisms and have broad functions, including control of differentiation and pluripotency in humans. lin-4 and let-7–family miRNAs regulate developmental timing in C. elegans, and their proper temporal expression ensures cell lineage patterns are correctly timed and sequentially executed. Although much is known about miRNA biogenesis, less is understood about how miRNA expression is timed and regulated. lin-42, the worm homolog of the circadian rhythm gene period of flies and mammals, is another core component of the heterochronic gene pathway. lin-42 mutants have a precocious phenotype, in which later-stage programs are executed too early, but the placement of lin-42 in the timing pathway is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that lin-42 negatively regulates heterochronic miRNA transcription. let-7 and the related miRNA miR-48 accumulate precociously in lin-42 mutants. This defect reflects transcriptional misregulation because enhanced expression of both primary miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs) and a let-7 promoter::gfp fusion are observed. The pri-miRNA levels oscillate during larval development, in a pattern reminiscent of lin-42 expression. Importantly, we show that lin-42 is not required for this cycling; instead, peak amplitude is increased. Genetic analyses further confirm that lin-42 acts through let-7 family miRNAs. Taken together, these data show that a key function of lin-42 in developmental timing is to dampen pri-miRNAs levels, preventing their premature expression as mature miRNAs.
A Mississippian Period Ritual Cave in Tennessee

Trailed and incised drawings on the mud-covered walls of an East Tennessee cave have been identified as the artwork of Mississippian Indians who visited this sanctuary about 800 years ago. These unique drawings, called “mud glyphs” because of their similarity to certain petroglyphs found in the southeastern United States, include abstract designs, symbols, zoomorphic forms and anthropomorphic figures. Symbols such as the forked eye and the “bird-man” anthropomorphic representation correlate with six radiocarbon dates on torch charcoal that range between the twelfth and seventeenth centuries A.D. The occurrence of thousands of superimposed elements on the walls indicates that Mud Glyph cave was a Mississippian period sanctuary and further suggests that certain southeastern caves during this period were used for ritual activities rather than for mining as they were during earlier Woodland and Archaic times.
NANO-ENGINEERED CARBON NANOFIBER-COPPER COMPOSITE THERMAL INTERFACE MATERIAL FOR EFFICIENT HEAT CONDUCTION

Efforts in integrated circuit (IC) packaging technologies have recently been focused on management of increasing heat density associated with high frequency and high density circuit designs. While current flip-chip package designs can accommodate relatively high amounts of heat density, new materials need to be developed to manage thermal effects of next-generation integrated circuits. Carbon nanofibers (CNF) have been shown to significantly enhance thermal conduction in the axial direction and thus can be considered to be a candidate for future thermal interface materials by facilitating efficient interfacial thermal transport.
Studies of the Novel Ketolide ABT-773: Transport, Binding to Ribosomes, and Inhibition of Protein Synthesis inStreptococcus pneumoniae

ABSTRACT Macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae has been associated with two main mechanisms: target modification by Erm methyltransferases and efflux by macrolide pumps. The ketolide ABT-773, which has a 3-keto group and no l-cladinose sugar, represents a new class of drugs with in vitro activity against a variety of resistant bacteria. Several approaches were undertaken to understand how ABT-773 was able to defeat resistance mechanisms. We demonstrated tighter ribosome binding of ABT-773 than erythromycin. We also showed that ABT-773 (i) accumulated in macrolide-sensitiveS. pneumoniae at a higher rate than erythromycin, (ii) was able to bind with methylated ribosomes, though at lower affinities than with wild-type ribosomes, and (iii) accumulated in S. pneumoniae strains with the efflux-resistant phenotype.
Contrast enhanced MRI‐guided photodynamic therapy for site‐specific cancer treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive and effective approach for cancer treatment. It is potentially useful for treating tumors that are not accessible to surgery, radiation, or destructive ablations, and are resistant to chemotherapy. Efficacious treatment of interstitial tumors with PDT requires efficient delivery of photosensitizers and accurate location of tumor tissues for effective light irradiations. In this study we performed contrast‐enhanced (CE) MRI‐guided PDT with a bifunctional polymer conjugate containing both a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent and a photosensitizer, poly(L‐glutamic acid) (PGA)‐(Gd‐DO3A)‐mesochlorin e6 (Mce6). The efficacy of the bifunctional conjugate in cancer CE‐MRI and cancer treatment was evaluated in athymic nude mice bearing MDA‐MB‐231 human breast carcinoma xenografts, with PGA‐(Gd‐DO3A) used as a control. The polymer conjugates preferentially accumulated in the solid tumor due to the hyperpermeability of the tumor vasculature, resulting in significant tumor enhancement for accurate tumor detection and localization by MRI. Significant therapeutic response was observed for PDT with the bifunctional conjugate as compared to the control. CE‐MRI‐guided PDT with the bifunctional conjugate is effective for tumor detection and minimally invasive cancer treatment. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mindfulness-Based Program for Management of Aggression Among Youth: A Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND Youth have shown indulgence in various high-risk behaviors and violent activities. Yoga-based approaches have been used for the management of psychological problems. The present work explores the role of mindfulness-based program in the management of aggression among youth. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sociodemographic information schedule, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and World Health Organization quality of life were administered on 50 subjects in the age range of 18-25 years at pre- and post-mindfulness-based program level. RESULTS It revealed the presence of feeling of well-being and ability to relax themselves; changes in score of anger, hostility, physical, and verbal aggression; and enhancement of quality of life in the physical and environment domains at 1 month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Mindfulness-based program has shown changes in aggression expression/control and implies integration of it in available program for the management of aggression among youth.
Emersonbot : Information-Focused Conversational

We describe an information-oriented conversational AI system, EmersonBot, developed for the Alexa Prize 2017 competition. The main goal of the system was informing users about current events, and answering their questions, while maintaining a fluent conversation. The main innovations of Emersonbot include the development of a federated multi-source information retrieval system that is aware of the conversation context; a general dialogue management system which uses machine learning to analyze the user responses, complemented with rule-based conversational logic component, specifically tailored for the Alexa Prize competition rules. This report provides a detailed description of the system, and includes extensive analysis of the contributions of the various components to user satisfaction and engagement with the system. Our results show a steady and substantial improvement in user ratings and user engagement over the period of the semi-finals as the system was refined, especially in the last weeks as entity-oriented search and recommendation features were introduced. We conclude the report by outlining promising research directions, which could improve the satisfaction of the users, while also advancing the state of the art in conversation-oriented search.
Faceted Information Flow and Bi-Monadic Interpreters

When an application fails to ensure information flow security, it may leak sensitive data such as passwords, credit card numbers, or medical records. News stories of such failures abound. Austin and Flanagan [2012] introduce faceted values – values that present different behavior according to the privileges of the observer – as a dynamic approach to enforcing information flow policies for an untyped, imperative λ-calculus. We implement faceted values as a Haskell library, elucidating their relationship to types and monadic imperative programming. In contrast to previous work, our approach does not require modification to the language runtime. In addition to pure faceted values, our library supports faceted mutable reference cells and secure facet-aware socket-like communication. To illustrate a non-trivial use of the library, we present an interpreter for a small language whose information flow security is guaranteed by our library. This interpreter uses a monad in the traditional way for encapsulating effects, but it also uniquely uses a second monad to structure its values.
Enhanced interoceptive awareness during anticipation of public speaking is associated with fear of negative evaluation

Interoceptive awareness (IA)—the ability to detect internal body signals—has been linked to various aspects of emotional processing. However, it has been examined mostly as a trait variable, with few studies also investigating state dependent fluctuations in IA. Based on the known positive correlation between IA and emotional reactivity, negative affectivity, and trait anxiety, the current study examined whether IA, as indexed by heartbeat detection accuracy, would change during an anxiety-provoking situation. Participants in the experimental condition, in which they anticipated giving a speech in front of a small audience, displayed significant IA increases from baseline to anticipation. Enhancement in IA was positively correlated with fear of negative evaluation. Implications of the results are discussed in relation to the role of trait and state IA in emotional experience.
Bioactive Grape Proanthocyanidins Enhance Immune Reactivity in UV-Irradiated Skin through Functional Activation of Dendritic Cells in Mice

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced immunosuppression has been implicated in skin carcinogenesis. Grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) have anti-skin carcinogenic effects in mice and GSPs-fed mice exhibit a reduction in UV-induced suppression of allergic contact hypersensitivity (CHS), a prototypic T-cell–mediated response. Here, we report that dietary GSPs did not inhibit UVB-induced suppression of CHS in xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA)-deficient mice, which lack nucleotide excision repair mechanisms. GSPs enhanced repair of UVB-induced DNA damage (cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers) in wild-type, but not XPA-deficient, dendritic cells (DC). Co-culture of CD4+ T cells with DCs from UVB-irradiated wild-type mice resulted in suppression of T-cell proliferation and secretion of T-helper (TH) 1-type cytokines that was ameliorated when the DCs were obtained from GSP-fed mice, whereas DCs obtained from GSP-fed XPA-KO mice failed to restore T-cell proliferation. In adoptive transfer experiments, donor DCs were positively selected from the draining lymph nodes of UVB-exposed donor mice that were sensitized to 2,4,-dinitrofluorobenzene were transferred into naïve recipient mice and the CHS response assessed. Naïve recipients that received DCs from UVB-exposed wild-type donors that had been fed GSPs exhibited a full CHS response, whereas no significant CHS was observed in mice that received DCs from XPA-KO mice fed GSPs. These results suggest that GSPs prevent UVB-induced immunosuppression through DNA repair–dependent functional activation of dendritic cells in mice. Cancer Prev Res; 6(3); 242–52. ©2013 AACR.
Antimicrobial activity of Nigerian medicinal plants

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the major threats facing mankind. The emergence and rapid spread of multi- and pan-drug-resistant organisms (such as vancomycin-, methicillin-, extended-spectrum β-lactam-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant organisms) has put the world in a dilemma. The health and economic burden associated with AMR on a global scale are dreadful. Available antimicrobials have been misused and are almost ineffective with some of these drugs associated with dangerous side effects in some individuals. Development of new, effective, and safe antimicrobials is one of the ways by which AMR burden can be reduced. The rate at which microorganisms develop AMR mechanisms outpaces the rate at which new antimicrobials are being developed. Medicinal plants are potential sources of new antimicrobial molecules. There is renewed interest in antimicrobial activities of phytochemicals. Nigeria boasts of a huge heritage of medicinal plants and there is avalanche of researches that have been undertaken to screen antimicrobial activities of these plants. Scientific compilation of these studies could provide useful information on the antimicrobial properties of the plants. This information can be useful in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. This paper reviews antimicrobial researches that have been undertaken on Nigerian medicinal plants.