Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Current Approaches in Improving Hemocompatibility of Polymeric Membranes for Biomedical Application

Suitable membranes for blood-contacting medical applications need to be resistant in confrontation with blood proteins and cells, while possessing high blood compatibility and permeability at the same time. Herein, an overview of the recent advances and strategies that have been used to enhance the hemocompatibility of polymeric membranes is provided. The review focuses on two modification strategies: (i) physical modifications and (ii) chemical modifications. It also highlights the current progress in the design of hemocompatible-functionalized membranes for biomedical applications. Subsequently, the commonly applied biocompatibility tests are also discussed and finally the future perspectives of the application of polymeric membranes in the biomedical field are presented. (Figure presented.) .
Phylogeography of the endangered black-breasted leaf turtle ( Geoemyda spengleri ) and conservation implications for other chelonians

Known-locality samples of Geoemyda spengleri from three Chinese provinces (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan) and northern Vietnam provide clear evidence for phylogeographic structure in a southern Chinese chelonian species. Within southern China two clades of mitochondrial haplotypes from east and west of the Xi Jiang together form the sister group to haplotypes from northern Vietnam. Turtles from Hainan Island harbour haplotypes of the same clade as turtles from Guangxi, 400 km distant. These findings suggest that phylogeographic differentiation may have once existed in other co-distributed, highly endangered chelonian species. The possibility of phylogeographic structure should be considered in any in-situ and ex-situ conservation program for Chinese chelonians.
Inkjet-printed silver tracks : low temperature curing and thermal stability investigation

In this contribution the curing behavior and conductivity development of several commercially available silver inks is discussed. In addition, the preparation and characterization of a silver particle ink that shows a curing temperature as low as 80 °C is described. Good to excellent conductivity values of 5 to 56% of bulk silver have been reached by using a very small amount of organic additives without any strong adsorbing groups such as amines, amides or mercapto groups. This low curing temperature opens new routes to produce conductive features on polymeric foils that have a low Tg, like PET. Furthermore, the temperature stability of silver tracks, prepared by inkjet printing different colloidal silver suspensions, was investigated. Hereto, the resistance was on-line measured during heating of the silver tracks, from room temperature to 650 °C.
Studying Invariances of Trained Convolutional Neural Networks

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) define an exceptionally powerful class of models for image classification, but the theoretical background and the understanding of how invariances to certain transformations are learned is limited. In a large scale screening with images modified by different affine and nonaffine transformations of varying magnitude, we analyzed the behavior of the CNN architectures AlexNet and ResNet. If the magnitude of different transformations does not exceed a class- and transformation dependent threshold, both architectures show invariant behavior. In this work we furthermore introduce a new learnable module, the Invariant Transformer Net, which enables us to learn differentiable parameters for a set of affine transformations. This allows us to extract the space of transformations to which the CNN is invariant and its class prediction robust.
Extracting News Sentiment and Establishing Its Relationship with the S&amp;P 500 Index

Sentiment analysis has been shown to be a useful tool for quantitative analysis in the world of finance. Researchers have shown that the sentiment picked up from the news media can be correlated with movement of the stock market. Here we use the Harvard General Inquirer to determine the sentiment present in Reuter's articles. After first generating positive and negative sentiment data we use the Kalman filter for smoothing. We then establish a correlation between the movement of the S&P 500 and sentiment. The results indicate that correlations between the sentiment in the news and the S&P index are strong for five of the seven years analyzed.
N/OFQ system in brain areas of nerve‐injured mice: its role in different aspects of neuropathic pain

Several studies showed that chronic pain causes reorganization and functional alterations of supraspinal brain regions. The nociceptin‐NOP receptor system is one of the major systems involved in pain control and much evidence also suggested its implication in stress, anxiety and depression. Therefore, we investigated the nociceptin‐NOP system alterations in selected brain regions in a neuropathic pain murine model. Fourteen days after the common sciatic nerve ligature, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated a significant decrease of pronociceptin and NOP receptor mRNA levels in the thalamus; these alterations could contribute to the decrease of the thalamic inhibitory function reported in neuropathic pain condition. Nociceptin peptide and NOP mRNA increased in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and not in the somatosensory cortex, suggesting a peculiar involvement of this system in pain regulating circuitry. Similarly to the ACC, an increase of nociceptin peptide levels was observed in the amygdala. Finally, the pronociceptin and NOP mRNAs decrease observed in the hypothalamus reflects the lack of hypothalamus‐pituitary‐adrenal axis activation, already reported in neuropathic pain models. Our data indicate that neuropathic pain conditions affect the supraspinal nociceptin‐NOP system which is also altered in regions known to play a role in emotional aspects of pain.
A study on the physical layer performance of GFDM for high throughput wireless communication

In this paper, we investigate the physical layer (PHY) performance of generalized frequency division multiplexing (GFDM) for high throughput wireless communication. For comparison purposes, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based IEEE 802.11ac PHY is used as a benchmark. Harnessing the flexibility of GFDM, we propose a novel configuration, being compliant to the IEEE 802.11ac PHY for data transmission. With that configuration, we can achieve not only lower out-of-band (OOB) emission performance but also higher spectral efficiency. By further deriving the corresponding receiver, the overall GFDM-based PHY implementation is shown to attain better frame error rates (FERs) under various modulation and coding schemes (MCSs). Moreover, at the signal to noise ratios (SNRs) where the target FER of 10% is fulfilled, GFDM can also provide higher throughput than OFDM.
Atomic force microscopy as a tool for comparing lubrication behavior of lubricants

Choosing and optimizing the additives for formulation of base oils has some trial and error aspects which needs time and cost consuming experiments. Among the various types of additives, friction modifiers are used in the formulation of a wide range of industrial lubricants. In this paper the results of using contact mode Atomic Force Microscope for studying the nanotribological behavior of mica in the absence and presence of lubricants are presented and compared with the results of macro scale evaluations by FZG test.APolyol Ester (POE) base oil and a formulation of itwith a combination of a friction modifier and an antiwear agent have been used as lubricants.
Bank Failure Prediction: A Two-Step Survival Time Approach

In this paper we develop a novel bank failure prediction approach that uses the output of a multiperiod logit model to assess banks' risk situations and then estimates a survival time model for the subset of at-risk ("ill") banks. Our empirical analysis reveals that this two-step approach significantly outperforms benchmark logit models with respect to out-of-sample prediction performance. Furthermore, we identify important differences between the subset of at-risk banks and the entire population of banks regarding the set of significant predictive variables. Management efficiency and size relative to geographically close competitors, for example, are important default predictors for at-risk banks but not for the entire banking population. Consequently, these results have notable policy implications for the design of off-site banking supervision.
On the Development Process of ReApp, an Emotion Regulation Training Mobile Game, in the Context of Gamification and the Creation of Games for Wellbeing

ReApp is a mobile, multiplayer game aimed at training people in emotional regulation, specifically in cognitive reappraisal (CR). The game was produced as part of an interdisciplinary research between a group of researchers from the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at IDC Prof. Eran Halperin, Lihi Harel, and researchers from the Game Design Program at Shenkar College for Engineering and Design Dr. Vered Pnueli, Benjamin Cook, Adi Galili and Mor Mendelevi. The process of CR involves the reinterpretation of situations in a manner that changes our emotional responses to them. In this process an individual learns how to control her emotions and express less negative and more positive emotions. CR is an antecedent focused strategy for emotion regulation as it concerns the things we do before our emotion response tendencies have become fully activated and influence our behavior. By contrast to other emotion regulation technics, such as Suppression for instance, CR trains people to reappraise situations first and following this to control their emotional response. Suppression, on the contrary, is a response – focused strategy. People who suppress reappraise their emotional response. CR is widely valued as a more productive process for emotion regulation that benefits from less side-effect, such as memory loss. This paper focuses on the process of developing a game that will serve as a training tool for people who are interested in practicing CR. It describes the challenges we faced in our attempt to implement a psychological model into a fun driven environment, whilst keeping the game effective in its psychological goal. ReApp is still a work in progress. Future research raises questions related to the use of usergenerated-content to increase players' scope of training and sense of playfulness, and the employment of AI to have a better monetization on players progression in CR. Author
Non-Convex Weighted Lp Nuclear Norm based ADMM Framework for Image Restoration

Since the matrix formed by nonlocal similar patches in a natural image is of low rank, the nuclear norm minimization (NNM) has been widely used in various image processing studies. Nonetheless, nuclear norm based convex surrogate of the rank function usually over-shrinks the rank components and makes different components equally, and thus may produce a result far from the optimum. To alleviate the above-mentioned limitations of the nuclear norm, in this paper we propose a new method for image restoration via the non-convex weighted Lp nuclear norm minimization (NCW-NNM), which is able to more accurately enforce the image structural sparsity and self-similarity simultaneously. To make the proposed model tractable and robust, the alternative direction multiplier method (ADMM) is adopted to solve the associated non-convex minimization problem. Experimental results on various types of image restoration problems, including image deblurring, image inpainting and image compressive sensing (CS) recovery, demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms many current state-of-the-art methods in both the objective and the perceptual qualities.
No laughing matter: How the presence of laughing witnesses changes the perception of insults.

ABSTRACT Insults always sting, but the context in which they are delivered can make the effects even worse. Here we test how the brain processes insults, and whether and how the neurocognitive processing of insults is changed by the presence of a laughing crowd. Event-related potentials showed that insults, compared to compliments, evoked an increase in N400 amplitude (indicating increased lexical-semantic processing) and LPP amplitude (indicating emotional processing) when presented in isolation. When insults were perceived in the presence of a laughing crowd, the difference in N400 amplitude disappeared, while the difference in LPP activation increased. These results show that even without laughter, verbal insults receive additional neural processing over compliments, both at the lexical-semantic and emotional level. The presence of a laughing crowd has a direct effect on the neurocognitive processing of insults, leading to stronger and more elongated emotional processing.
Self-Harm among Young People Detained in the Youth Justice System in Sri Lanka

Self-harm is prevalent in incarcerated adults, yet comparatively few studies of self-harm in detained youth (and even fewer in low- and middle-income countries) have been published. We examined the prevalence and correlates of self-harm in a sample of 181 young people (mean age 15.0 years, SD = 2.3) detained in the youth justice system in Sri Lanka. Structured face-to-face questionnaires assessed demographic characteristics, family and social background, substance use, self-harm history (including frequency, method, and intention), bullying victimization, physical and sexual abuse (victimization and perpetration), and exposure to self-harm/suicide by others. Seventy-seven participants (43%) reported a lifetime history of self-harm, 19 of whom (25%) who reported doing so with suicidal intent. Fifty participants (65% of those with a history of self-harm) reported engaging in self-harm impulsively, with no prior planning. A history of self-harm was associated with being female, prior sexual abuse victimization, prior exposure to self-harm by friends, and a lifetime history of self-harm ideation. High rates of substance use, bullying victimization, parental incarceration, and exposure to suicide were reported across the sample. Young people detained in the youth justice system in Sri Lanka are a vulnerable group with high rates of self-harm, substance use, and psychosocial risk factors. Strategies for identifying and preventing self-harm, and targeted psychological interventions designed specifically to address impulsivity, may contribute to more positive outcomes in this marginalised population.
An automatic generation method of sports news based on knowledge rules

Nowadays, with the massive demand for sports news, automatic generation systems based on the template technology has been deployed, which could generate massive sports news quickly and effectively. However, by using one simple template for one scenario, the pattern of text generated by such system is single. In this paper, we propose an automatic generation method based on knowledge rules to select the template dynamically from a template set. The text generated by the system is flexible and the format is varied, which improves the quality of the generated news.
Etanercept immunotherapy in women with a history of recurrent reproductive failure.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of etanercept immunotherapy on peripheral natural killer (NK) cell activity in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage (RM) or failed in vitro fertilization (IVF). MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty nonpregnant women with reproductive failure and increased peripheral NK-cell number and/or activity before conception were studied. Women with reproductive failure received 4 doses (25 mg) of etanercept twice weekly before conception. Peripheral NK-cell activity before and after etanercept therapy in RM women was measured using flow cytometry In addition, the peripheral blood NK-cell surface antigens- CD16- and CD56 and peripheral blood regulatory T cell (T reg) antigens- CD4- and CD25 were studied using flow cytometry before treatment and 2 weeks after the last etanercept dose. RESULTS NK-cell activity was significantly decreased after etanercept therapy in the study women (P < .05). This effect was significantly higher in women with subsequent pregnancy success (P < .05), but not in those with pregnancy failure (P > .05). There were no significant differences in T reg level before and after etanercept therapy (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Etanercept therapy might be effective treatment for women with increased NK-cell activity. Regulation of immune system activity may underlie the possible effect of such therapy.
Genetic Diversity in Camptotheca Decaisne

RAPD markers were used to reveal the genetic diversity of the genus Camptotheca. Three primers (OPA02, OPA03, and OPA04), generating 44 polymorphic bands using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, were able to discriminate among 25 Camptotheca populations. The band size varied from 268-4,411bp, with an average of 15 bands/primer. Of these populations, cultivars 'Katie' (KT) and 'Ang' (AG) of C. lowreyana and cultivated A1a (HJ) of C. acuminata can be easily distinguished by their unique bands. Population differentiation of Camptotheca was found to be higher than in other species with similar breeding systems. Cluster analysis of the genetic distance values and dendro- gram from RAPD markers were consistent with the phenotypic data and both support the current taxonomic treatment of Camptotheca. Camptotheca acuminata var. acuminata appeared as the closest relative of C. yunnanensis, followed at some distance by C. lowreyana and, further away, C. acuminata var. tenuifolia.
Psychological Factors, Including Alexithymia, in the Prediction of Cardiovascular Risk in HIV Infected Patients: Results of a Cohort Study

Background Psychological factors are known predictors of cardiovascular disease in many clinical settings, but data are lacking for HIV infection. We carried out a prospective cohort study to evaluate potential psychological predictors of preclinical and clinical vascular disease in HIV patients. Methodology/Principal Findings HIV patients were consecutively enrolled. Demographics, viral and immune parameters and traditional cardiovascular predictors were considered; Intima-Media Thickness (c-IMT, continuous measure) and Carotid Plaques (CPs, focal thickening ≥1.5 mm) were investigated by B-mode ultrasonography; depressive symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Type D personality (Distressed Personality or Type D) by the DS14, alexithymia by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Vascular outcomes included transient ischemic attacks or stroke, acute coronary syndrome, myocardial or other organ infarction. We enrolled 232 HIV subjects, 73.9% males, aged 44.5±9.9 y, 38.2% with AIDS diagnosis, 18.3% untreated. Mean Nadir CD4 T-cell counts were 237.5±186.2/mmc. Of them, 224 (96.5%) attended IMT measurements; 201 (86.6%) attended both IMT assessment and psychological profiling. Mean follow-up was 782±308 days. Fifty-nine patients (29.4%) had CPs at baseline. Nineteen patients (9.5%) had ≥1 vascular event; 12 (6.0%) died due to such events (n = 4) or any cause. At baseline cross-sectional multivariate analysis, increasing age, total cholesterol, current smoking and Alexithymia score≥50 were significantly associated with both increased cIMT (linear regression) and CPs (logistic regression). At follow-up analysis, log-rank tests and Cox’s regression revealed that only older age (p = 0.001), current smoking (p = 0.019) and alexithymia score≥50 (p = 0.013) were independently associated with vascular events. Conclusions/Significance In HIV-infected subjects, the Alexithymic trait emerges as a strong predictor of increased IMT, presence of CPs and vascular events. Such results are preliminary and require confirmation from studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up.
A Case–Control Study of Prenatal Thallium Exposure and Low Birth Weight in China

Background Thallium (Tl) is a highly toxic heavy metal widely present in the environment. Case reports have suggested that maternal exposure to high levels of Tl during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight (LBW), but epidemiological data are limited. Objectives This study was designed to evaluate whether prenatal Tl exposure is associated with an increased risk of LBW. Methods This case–control study involving 816 study participants (204 LBW cases and 612 matched controls) was conducted in Hubei Province, China, in 2012–2014. Tl concentrations were measured in maternal urine collected at delivery, and associations with LBW were evaluated using conditional logistic regression. Results Higher maternal urinary Tl levels were significantly associated with increased risk of LBW [crude odds ratio (OR) = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.30 for the highest vs. lowest tertile], and the association was similarly elevated after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted OR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.58 for the highest vs. lowest tertile). Stratified analyses showed slightly higher risk estimates for LBW associated with higher Tl levels for mothers < 28 years old and for mothers with lower household income; however, there was no statistical evidence of heterogeneity in risk according to maternal age (p for heterogeneity = 0.18) or household income (p for heterogeneity = 0.28). Conclusion To our knowledge, ours is the first case–control study to investigate the association between prenatal Tl exposure and LBW. The results suggest that prenatal exposure to high levels of Tl may be associated with an increased risk of LBW. Citation Xia W, Du X, Zheng T, Zhang B, Li Y, Bassig BA, Zhou A, Wang Y, Xiong C, Li Z, Yao Y, Hu J, Zhou Y, Liu J, Xue W, Ma Y, Pan X, Peng Y, Xu S. 2016. A case–control study of prenatal thallium exposure and low birth weight in China. Environ Health Perspect 124:164–169; http://dx.doi. org/10.1289/ehp.1409202
A new dominating tree routing algorithm for efficient leader election in IoT networks

A leader node in Ad hoc networks and especially in WSNs and IoT networks is needed in many cases, for example to find a node with minimum energy or situated on the extreme left of the network. For this kind of applications, algorithms must be robust and fault-tolerant since it is difficult and even impossible to intervene if a node fails. Such a situation can be catastrophic in case that this node is the leader. In this paper, we present a new algorithm, which is based on a tree routing protocol. It starts from local leaders which will start the process of flooding to determine a spanning tree. During this process their value will be routed. If two spanning trees meet each other then the tree routing the best value will continue its process while the other tree will stop it. The remaining tree is the dominating one and its root will be the leader. This algorithm turns out to be low energy consuming with reduction rates that can exceed 85%. It is efficient and fault-tolerant since it works in the case where any node can fail and in the case where the network is disconnected.