Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Mirth‐Inducing Ventral Striatal Deep Brain Stimulation on Functional and Effective Connectivity

Abstract Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) is an investigational therapy for treatment‐resistant obsessive‐compulsive disorder. The ability of VC/VS DBS to evoke spontaneous mirth in patients, often accompanied by smiling and laughter, is clinically well documented. However, the neural correlates of DBS‐evoked mirth remain poorly characterized. Patients undergoing VC/VS DBS surgery underwent intraoperative evaluation in which mirth‐inducing and non‐mirth‐inducing stimulation localizations were identified. Using dynamic causal modeling (DCM) for fMRI, the effect of mirth‐inducing DBS on functional and effective connectivity among established nodes in limbic cortico‐striato‐thalamo‐cortical (CSTC) circuitry was investigated. Both mirth‐inducing and non‐mirth‐inducing VC/VS DBS consistently resulted (conjunction, global null, family‐wise error‐corrected P < 0.05) in activation of amygdala, ventral striatum, and mediodorsal thalamus. However, only mirth‐inducing DBS resulted in functional inhibition of anterior cingulate cortex. Dynamic causal modeling revealed that mirth‐inducing DBS enhanced effective connectivity from anterior cingulate to ventral striatum, while attenuating connectivity from thalamus to ventral striatum relative to non‐mirth‐inducing stimulation. These results suggest that DBS‐evoked mood elevation is accompanied by distinct patterns of limbic thalamocortical connectivity. Using the novel combination of DBS‐evoked mood alteration and functional MRI in human subjects, we provide new insights into the network‐level mechanisms that influence affect.
AtRD22 and AtUSPL1, Members of the Plant-Specific BURP Domain Family Involved in Arabidopsis thaliana Drought Tolerance

Crop plants are regularly challenged by a range of environmental stresses which typically retard their growth and ultimately compromise economic yield. The stress response involves the reprogramming of approximately 4% of the transcriptome. Here, the behavior of AtRD22 and AtUSPL1, both members of the Arabidopsis thaliana BURP (BNM2, USP, RD22 and polygalacturonase isozyme) domain-containing gene family, has been characterized. Both genes are up-regulated as part of the abscisic acid (ABA) mediated moisture stress response. While AtRD22 transcript was largely restricted to the leaf, that of AtUSPL1 was more prevalent in the root. As the loss of function of either gene increased the plant's moisture stress tolerance, the implication was that their products act to suppress the drought stress response. In addition to the known involvement of AtUSPL1 in seed development, a further role in stress tolerance was demonstrated. Based on transcriptomic data and phenotype we concluded that the enhanced moisture stress tolerance of the two loss-of-function mutants is a consequence of an enhanced basal defense response.
Modelling timbre distance with temporal statistics from polyphonic music

Timbre distance and similarity are an expression of the phenomenon that some music appears similar while other songs sound very different to us. The notion of genre is often used to categorize music, but songs from a single genre do not necessarily sound similar and vice versa. In this work we analyze and compare a large amount of different audio features and psychoacoustic variants thereof for the purpose of modelling timbre distance. The sound of polyphonic music is commonly described by extracting audio features on short time windows during which the sound is assumed to be stationary. The resulting down sampled time series are aggregated to form a high level feature vector describing the music. We generated high level features by systematically applying static and temporal statistics for aggregation. The temporal structure of features in particular has previously been largely neglected. A novel supervised feature selection method is applied to the huge set of possible features. The selected feature distances correspond to timbre differences in music. The features show few redundancies and have high potential for explaining possible clusters. They outperform seven other previously proposed feature sets on several datasets w.r. t. the separation of the known groups of timbrally different music.
6-D Magnetic Localization and Orientation Method for an Annular Magnet Based on a Closed-Form Analytical Model

Magnetic tracking technology is emerging to provide an occlusion-free tracking scheme for the estimation of full pose (position and orientation) of various instruments. This brings substantial benefits for intracorporeal applications, such as for tracking of flexible or wireless endoscopic devices, and thus is significant for further computer-assisted diagnosis, interventions, and surgeries. Toward efficient magnetic tracking, a 6-D magnetic localization and orientation method is proposed in this paper. An annular permanent magnet is mounted on the exterior surface of a capsule. With a magnetic sensor array, the magnetic field can be measured and the capsule's 3-D location and 3-D orientation information can be estimated based on proposed closed-form analytical model of annular magnet and particle swarm optimization algorithm. Magnetic dipole model and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm are used to improve the speed and accuracy of estimation. Extensive simulation experiments show that the localization and orientation method works well with good position and orientation accuracy.
Work Accounting Mechanisms : Theory and Practice ∗

The Internet has enabled a new paradigm of economic production, where individual users perform work for others, often in small units, for short periods of time, and without formal contracts or monetary payments. These distributed work systems can arise in many places, for example in peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks, in ad-hoc wireless routing networks, or in 3G content distribution systems. The particular challenge is to incentivize users to perform work for others, even though all interactions are bilateral and monitoring is not possible. In this paper, we formalize the problem of designing incentive-compatible work accounting mechanisms that measure the net contributions of users, despite relying on voluntary reports. We describe a fully distributed accounting mechanism called BarterCast and introduce the Drop-Edge extension which removes any incentive for a user to make misreports about its own interactions. We prove that the information loss necessary to achieve this incentive compatibility is small and vanishes in the limit as the number of users grows. In some domains, users may be able to cheaply create fake identities (i.e, sybils) and use those to manipulate the accounting mechanism. A striking negative result is that no sybil-proof accounting mechanism exists if one requires responsiveness to a single positive report. To evaluate the welfare properties of BarterCast+DropEdge, we first present results from a discrete, round-based simulation, showing that the mechanism achieves very high efficiency. We have also implemented the mechanism in Tribler, a BitTorrent software client, that is already deployed in the real world and has thousands of users. Experimental results using Tribler demonstrate that the mechanism successfully prevents free-riding in P2P-file-sharing systems, and achieves better efficiency than the standard BitTorrent protocol.
What interventions can improve quality of life or psychosocial factors of individuals with knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review with meta-analysis of primary outcomes from randomised controlled trials

Objective To systematically review evidence of primary outcomes from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effect of treatment strategies on quality of life (QoL) or psychosocial factors in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Data sources Medline, Embase, SPORTDiscus, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Web of Science were searched from inception to November 2017. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies We included RCTs investigating the effect of conservative interventions on QoL or psychosocial factors in individuals with knee OA. Only RCTs considering these outcomes as primary were included. Results Pooled data supported the use of exercise therapy compared with controls for improving health-related and knee-related QoL. There was limited evidence that a combined treatment of yoga, transcutaneous electrical stimulation and ultrasound may be effective in improving QoL. Limited evidence supported the use of cognitive behavioural therapies (with or without being combined with exercise therapy) for improving psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy, depression and psychological distress. Summary/Conclusion Exercise therapy (with or without being combined with other interventions) seems to be effective in improving health-related and knee-related QoL or psychosocial factors of individuals with knee OA. In addition, evidence supports the use of cognitive behavioural therapies (with or without exercise therapy) for improving psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy, depression and psychological distress in individuals with knee OA. PROSPERO registration number CRD42016047602.
Scaling Collaborative Filtering to Large–Scale Bipartite Rating Graphs Using Lenskit and Spark

Popular social networking applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Friendster, etc. generate very large graphs with different characteristics. These social networks are huge, comprising millions of nodes and edges that push existing graph mining algorithms and architectures to their limits. In product-rating graphs, users connect with each other and rate items in tandem. In such bipartite graphs users and items are the nodes and ratings are the edges and collaborative filtering algorithms use the edge information (i.e. user ratings for items) in order to suggest items of potential interest to users. Existing algorithms can hardly scale up to the size of the entire graph and require unlimited resources to finish. This work employs a machine learning method for predicting the performance of Collaborative Filtering algorithms using the structural features of the bipartite graphs. Using a fast graph partitioning algorithm and information from the user-friendship graph, the original bipartite graph is partitioned into different schemes (i.e. sets of smaller bipartite graphs). The schemes are evaluated against the predicted performance of the Collaborative Filtering algorithm and the best partitioning scheme is employed for generating the recommendations. As a result, the Collaborative Filtering algorithms are applied to smaller bipartite graphs, using limited resources and allowing the problem to scale or be parallelized. Tests on a large, real-life, rating graph, show that the proposed method allows the collaborative filtering algorithms to run in parallel and complete using limited resources.
Detecting Depression Severity by Interpretable Representations of Motion Dynamics

Recent breakthroughs in deep learning using automated measurement of face and head motion have made possible the first objective measurement of depression severity. While powerful, deep learning approaches lack interpretability. We developed an interpretable method of automatically measuring depression severity that uses barycentric coordinates of facial landmarks and a Lie-algebra based rotation matrix of 3D head motion. Using these representations, kinematic features are extracted, preprocessed, and encoded using Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) and Fisher vector encoding. A multi-class SVM is used to classify the encoded facial and head movement dynamics into three levels of depression severity. The proposed approach was evaluated in adults with history of chronic depression. The method approached the classification accuracy of state-of-the-art deep learning while enabling clinically and theoretically relevant findings. The velocity and acceleration of facial movement strongly mapped onto depression severity symptoms consistent with clinical data and theory.
Scalable production of CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots in a two-step droplet-based microfluidic platform

We report the scalable formation of CuInS2/ZnS nanocrystals using a two-stage microfluidic reactor integrated with a real-time optical detection system, which is able to monitor reaction parameters prior and subsequent to the addition of the shell material. By injecting a ZnS single source precursor in droplets containing CuInS2 cores and without the need of purification steps, we are able to obtain core–shell nanocrystal populations emitting between 580 and 760 nm with significant narrower size distributions (90–95 nm) than for the same material systems synthesized on the macroscale. In-line monitoring allowed for rapid assessment of optimum reaction parameters (Cu/In, S/(Cu + In), Zn/(Cu + In) molar ratios, temperatures and reaction time) and enabled the formation of CuInS2/ZnS nanocrystals with high photoluminescence quantum yields (∼55%) within a few seconds. We believe that this synthetic methodology will be of significant utility in controllable production of ternary and quaternary metal chalcogenides, complex core–shell and doped nanostructures.
Antioxidant properties of lignin in polypropylene

This work deals with lignin antioxidant properties in polypropylene. We extracted and characterised 15 lignin samples from various botanical origins (wheat straw and wheat bran) using different processes of extraction and using industrial Kraft lignins fractions (Westaco). These lignins were incorporated in polypropylene (1% weight). We underline the effect of lignin solubility in PP on stabilisation behaviour. The solubility in polypropylene is very low; as a consequence, classically important factors such as phenol content and intrinsic reactivity of the molecule are less important than factors making easier solubility. Solubility in PP could not be measured directly; a morphological criterion (average dimension of lignin aggregates in the blend) has been correlated to antioxidant activity and is thought indirectly to reflect solubility behaviour. The following factors tend to improve the compatibility (blend morphology) and consequently the antioxidant activity: low molecular weight low total OH content (aliphatic+phenolic) The non-linear relation between Kraft lignin activity and its concentration in the blend has been explained by molecular weight polydispersity, and correlated to activities of Kraft fractions. # 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Application of a Multi-Analytical Toolset to Characterize the Ancient Pottery from Kottapalayam, Tamilnadu, India Using Spectroscopic Techniques

The aim of this paper is to assess the full potentialities of spectroscopy techniques in the art work investigation and to explore the capabilities in the determination of the chemical and mineralogical composition of ancient pottery excavated from Kottapalayam village, Karur district, Tamilnadu. Spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR. X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microcopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) are utilized in this work. The constituent of the minerals is identified with help of FTIR and compared with Research Article International Research Journal of Pure & Applied Chemistry, 3(3): 210-219, 2013 211 XRD. The combined mineralogical results showed that the pottery samples from Kottapalayam were fired in between 800oC-850oC. The microstructure and elemental composition of the pottery sample were evaluated from their microphotograph by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) along with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). The results are discussed and the conclusion is drawn.
Millennial Climatic Fluctuations Are Key to the Structure of Last Glacial Ecosystems

Whereas fossil evidence indicates extensive treeless vegetation and diverse grazing megafauna in Europe and northern Asia during the last glacial, experiments combining vegetation models and climate models have to-date simulated widespread persistence of trees. Resolving this conflict is key to understanding both last glacial ecosystems and extinction of most of the mega-herbivores. Using a dynamic vegetation model (DVM) we explored the implications of the differing climatic conditions generated by a general circulation model (GCM) in “normal” and “hosing” experiments. Whilst the former approximate interstadial conditions, the latter, designed to mimic Heinrich Events, approximate stadial conditions. The “hosing” experiments gave simulated European vegetation much closer in composition to that inferred from fossil evidence than did the “normal” experiments. Given the short duration of interstadials, and the rate at which forest cover expanded during the late-glacial and early Holocene, our results demonstrate the importance of millennial variability in determining the character of last glacial ecosystems.
Physiological genomics identifies genetic modifiers of long QT syndrome type 2 severity

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited channelopathy associated with life-threatening arrhythmias. LQTS type 2 (LQT2) is caused by mutations in KCNH2, which encodes the potassium channel hERG. We hypothesized that modifier genes are partly responsible for the variable phenotype severity observed in some LQT2 families. Here, we identified contributors to variable expressivity in an LQT2 family by using induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and whole exome sequencing in a synergistic manner. We found that iPSC-CMs recapitulated the clinical genotype-phenotype discordance in vitro. Importantly, iPSC-CMs derived from the severely affected LQT2 patients displayed prolonged action potentials compared with cells from mildly affected first-degree relatives. The iPSC-CMs derived from all patients with hERG R752W mutation displayed lower IKr amplitude. Interestingly, iPSC-CMs from severely affected mutation-positive individuals exhibited greater L-type Ca2+ current. Whole exome sequencing identified variants of KCNK17 and the GTP-binding protein REM2, providing biologically plausible explanations for this variable expressivity. Genome editing to correct a REM2 variant reversed the enhanced L-type Ca2+ current and prolonged action potential observed in iPSC-CMs from severely affected individuals. Thus, our findings showcase the power of combining complementary physiological and genomic analyses to identify genetic modifiers and potential therapeutic targets of a monogenic disorder. Furthermore, we propose that this strategy can be deployed to unravel myriad confounding pathologies displaying variable expressivity.
3′-epi-12β-hydroxyfroside, a new cardenolide, induces cytoprotective autophagy via blocking the Hsp90/Akt/mTOR axis in lung cancer cells

Rationale: Cardenolides have potential as anticancer drugs. 3′-epi-12β-hydroxyfroside (HyFS) is a new cardenolide structure isolated by our research group, but its molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigates the relationship between its antitumor activities and autophagy in lung cancer cells. Methods: Cell growth and proliferation were detected by MTT, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine (EDU) and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Autophagic and signal proteins were detected by Western blotting. Markers of autophagy and autophagy flux were also detected by immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy and acridine orange staining. Real time RT-PCR was used to analyze the gene expression of Hsp90. Hsp90 ubiquitination was detected by coimmunoprecipitation. The antitumore activities of HyFS were observed in nude mice. Results: HyFS treatment inhibited cell proliferation and induced autophagy in A549 and H460 lung cancer cells, but stronger inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell apoptosis were shown when HyFS-mediated autophagy was blocked. The Hsp90/Akt/mTOR axis was found to be involved in the activation of HyFS-mediated autophagy. Evidence of direct interaction between Hsp90 and Akt was observed. HyFS treatment resulted in decreased levels of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and phosphorylated Akt, overexpression of Hsp90 increased activation of autophagy, and inhibition of Hsp90 expression decreased autophagy. In addition, ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Hsp90 and subsequent dephosphorylation of its client protein Akt were also found in HyFS-treated lung cancer cells. Moreover, combination treatment with HyFS and chloroquine showed remarkably increased tumor inhibition in both A549- and H460-bearing mice. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that HyFS induced cytoprotective autophagy through ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Hsp90, which further blocked the Akt/mTOR pathway in lung cancer cells. Thus, a combination of a HyFS-like cardenolide and an autophagic inhibitor is a potential alternative approach for the treatment of lung cancer.
Reduced expression of SCF in serum and follicle from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE In humans, stem cell factor (SCF), produced by cumulus granulosa cells during the follicular phase, plays a crucial role in follicular development. Remarkably, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the main reasons affecting women fertility, is accompanied by some abnormal follicles. Is there a relationship between SCF and PCOS? This study aimed to compare the expression of SCF in follicle and serum from patients with and without PCOS undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and to investigate the potential relationship between aberrant SCF expression and PCOS. PATIENTS AND METHODS Serum, follicular fluid (FF) samples and granulosa cells (GCs) from 48 patients with PCOS (PCOS group) and 62 normal ovulatory patients (control group) were collected. SCF was evaluated in FF, serum, and GCs by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence staining, Western blot and real-time PCR. The rates of metaphase II (MII) oocyte, fertilization, embryo cleavage and high-quality embryo between PCOS group and control group were also analyzed. RESULTS The rates of MII oocyte and fertilization were significantly lower in PCOS group than those in control group (p < 0.05). No difference was observed for the rate of embryo cleavage and high-quality embryo in these two groups. The concentrations of SCF in serum and FF from PCOS patients were remarkably lower than those in the controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the expressions of SCF protein and SCF mRNA in GCs from PCOS patients were also decreased compared with the controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS PCOS patients showed a reduced SCF expression in serum and follicle, which might be associated with oocyte dysmaturity and low fertilization rate.