Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Linearized Problem of Quantitative Photoacoustic Tomography

Quantitative image reconstruction in photoacoustic tomography requires the solution of a coupled physics inverse problem involving light transport and acoustic wave propagation. In this paper we address this issue employing the radiative transfer equation as an accurate model for light transport. As main theoretical results, we derive several stability and uniqueness results for the linearized inverse problem. We consider the case of single illumination as well as the case of multiple illuminations assuming full or partial data. The numerical solution of the linearized problem is much less costly than the solution of the nonlinear problem. We present numerical simulations supporting the derived stability results for the linearized problem of quantitative photoacoustic tomography.
Predictability of Painful Stimulation Modulates the Somatosensory-Evoked Potential in the Rat

Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) are used in humans and animals to increase knowledge about nociception and pain. Since the SEP in humans increases when noxious stimuli are administered unpredictably, predictability potentially influences the SEP in animals as well. To assess the effect of predictability on the SEP in animals, classical fear conditioning was applied to compare SEPs between rats receiving SEP-evoking electrical stimuli either predictably or unpredictably. As in humans, the rat’s SEP increased when SEP-evoking stimuli were administered unpredictably. These data support the hypothesis that the predictability of noxious stimuli plays a distinctive role in the processing of these stimuli in animals. The influence of predictability should be considered when studying nociception and pain in animals. Additionally, this finding suggests that animals confronted with (un)predictable noxious stimuli can be used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the influence of predictability on central processing of noxious stimuli.
The Formation Mechanism of White Line in Welded Joints of ERW Steel Pipes

Seiji SUZUKI and Toshihiro TAKAMURA Synopsis : This investigation deals with the mechanism on the formation of white line in welded joints of ERW steel pipes. In order to demonstrate the formation mechanism, the difference in carbon contents between weld line and extruded melting bead in simulated resistance welded joints was investigated in detail, using hypoeutectics, eutectics and hypereutectics in Fe-C alloys. In hypoeutectics, the carbon content in weld line is lower than that in base metal, while the carbon content in extruded melting bead is higher. On the other hand, the carbon content in weld line is higher than that in base metal and the carbon content in extruded melting bead is lower in hypereutectics. No difference in carbon content occurs between weld line and extruded melting bead in eutectics. It can be deduced from these results that two phase region where solid and liquid phase coexist exists in weld line, and the liquid phase coexisting with solid phase is extruded outward and the solid phase remains in the weld line at upsetting. Thus, it can be concluded that the difference in the content of alloying elements between solid phase and liquid phase leads to the formation of white line in resistance welded joints such as ERW steel pipes.
Decoding digits and dice with Magnetoencephalography: Evidence for a shared representation of magnitude

Numerical format describes the way magnitude is conveyed, for example as a digit (‘3’) or Roman Numeral (‘III’). In the field of numerical cognition, there is an ongoing debate of whether magnitude representation is independent of numerical format. Here, we examine the time course of magnitude processing when using different symbolic formats. We presented participants with a series of digits and dice patterns corresponding to the magnitudes of 1 to 6 while performing a 1-back task on magnitude. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) offers an opportunity to record brain activity with high temporal resolution. Multivariate Pattern Analysis (MVPA) applied to MEG data allows us to draw conclusions about brain activation patterns underlying information processing over time. The results show that we can crossdecode magnitude when training the classifier on magnitude presented in one symbolic format and testing the classifier on the other symbolic format. This suggests similar representation of these numerical symbols. Additionally, results from a time-generalisation analysis show that digits were accessed slightly earlier than dice, demonstrating temporal asynchronies in their shared representation of magnitude. Together, our methods allow a distinction between format-specific signals and format-independent representations of magnitude showing evidence that there is a shared representation of magnitude accessed via different symbols.
Hydrodynamic modelling of electron transport in submicron Hg0.8Cd0.2Te diodes

We simulate electron transport in ultra small mercury-cadmium-telluride n+-n-n+ diodes using a hydrodynamic approach. A numerical staggered solution is employed to treat the coupled hydrodynamic and Poisson equations, where the spatial profiles of the main transport parameters within the diodes are analyzed including the Auger generation-recombination processes. Our numerical results show that, even for low applied voltages, impact ionization processes are activated and affect dramatically the current-voltage characteristics of the Hg0.8Cd0. 2Te diode.
Putting the Biological Species Concept to the Test: Using Mating Networks to Delimit Species

Although interfertility is the key criterion upon which Mayr’s biological species concept is based, it has never been applied directly to delimit species under natural conditions. Our study fills this gap. We used the interfertility criterion to delimit two closely related oak species in a forest stand by analyzing the network of natural mating events between individuals. The results reveal two groups of interfertile individuals connected by only few mating events. These two groups were largely congruent with those determined using other criteria (morphological similarity, genotypic similarity and individual relatedness). Our study, therefore, shows that the analysis of mating networks is an effective method to delimit species based on the interfertility criterion, provided that adequate network data can be assembled. Our study also shows that although species boundaries are highly congruent across methods of species delimitation, they are not exactly the same. Most of the differences stem from assignment of individuals to an intermediate category. The discrepancies between methods may reflect a biological reality. Indeed, the interfertility criterion is an environment-dependant criterion as species abundances typically affect rates of hybridization under natural conditions. Thus, the methods of species delimitation based on the interfertility criterion are expected to give results slightly different from those based on environment-independent criteria (such as the genotypic similarity criteria). However, whatever the criterion chosen, the challenge we face when delimiting species is to summarize continuous but non-uniform variations in biological diversity. The grade of membership model that we use in this study appears as an appropriate tool.
Vitamin C Potentiates the Killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by the First-Line Tuberculosis Drugs Isoniazid and Rifampin in Mice

ABSTRACT The treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) is long and cumbersome. Mismanagement of TB treatment can lead to the emergence of drug resistance in patients, so shortening the treatment duration could significantly improve TB chemotherapy and prevent the development of drug resistance. We previously discovered that high concentrations of vitamin C sterilize cultures of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we tested subinhibitory concentration of vitamin C in combination with TB drugs against M. tuberculosis in vitro and in a mouse model of M. tuberculosis infection. In vivo, we showed that the vitamin C level in mouse serum can be increased by intraperitoneal injection of vitamin C to reach vitamin C levels close to the concentrations required for activity in vitro. Although vitamin C had no activity by itself in M. tuberculosis-infected mice, the combination of vitamin C with the first-line TB drugs isoniazid and rifampin reduced the bacterial burden in the lungs of M. tuberculosis-infected mice faster than isoniazid and rifampin combined in two independent experiments. These experiments suggest that the addition of vitamin C to first-line TB drugs could shorten TB treatment. Vitamin C, an inexpensive and nontoxic compound, could easily be added to the TB pharmacopeia to substantially improve chemotherapy outcome, which would have a significant impact on the worldwide TB community.
Dynamics of Vocalization-Induced Modulation of Auditory Cortical Activity at Mid-utterance

Background Recent research has addressed the suppression of cortical sensory responses to altered auditory feedback that occurs at utterance onset regarding speech. However, there is reason to assume that the mechanisms underlying sensorimotor processing at mid-utterance are different than those involved in sensorimotor control at utterance onset. The present study attempted to examine the dynamics of event-related potentials (ERPs) to different acoustic versions of auditory feedback at mid-utterance. Methodology/Principal findings Subjects produced a vowel sound while hearing their pitch-shifted voice (100 cents), a sum of their vocalization and pure tones, or a sum of their vocalization and white noise at mid-utterance via headphones. Subjects also passively listened to playback of what they heard during active vocalization. Cortical ERPs were recorded in response to different acoustic versions of feedback changes during both active vocalization and passive listening. The results showed that, relative to passive listening, active vocalization yielded enhanced P2 responses to the 100 cents pitch shifts, whereas suppression effects of P2 responses were observed when voice auditory feedback was distorted by pure tones or white noise. Conclusion/Significance The present findings, for the first time, demonstrate a dynamic modulation of cortical activity as a function of the quality of acoustic feedback at mid-utterance, suggesting that auditory cortical responses can be enhanced or suppressed to distinguish self-produced speech from externally-produced sounds.
Memory and Energy Optimization Strategies for Multithreaded Operating System on the Resource-Constrained Wireless Sensor Node

Memory and energy optimization strategies are essential for the resource-constrained wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes. In this article, a new memory-optimized and energy-optimized multithreaded WSN operating system (OS) LiveOS is designed and implemented. Memory cost of LiveOS is optimized by using the stack-shifting hybrid scheduling approach. Different from the traditional multithreaded OS in which thread stacks are allocated statically by the pre-reservation, thread stacks in LiveOS are allocated dynamically by using the stack-shifting technique. As a result, memory waste problems caused by the static pre-reservation can be avoided. In addition to the stack-shifting dynamic allocation approach, the hybrid scheduling mechanism which can decrease both the thread scheduling overhead and the thread stack number is also implemented in LiveOS. With these mechanisms, the stack memory cost of LiveOS can be reduced more than 50% if compared to that of a traditional multithreaded OS. Not is memory cost optimized, but also the energy cost is optimized in LiveOS, and this is achieved by using the multi-core “context aware” and multi-core “power-off/wakeup” energy conservation approaches. By using these approaches, energy cost of LiveOS can be reduced more than 30% when compared to the single-core WSN system. Memory and energy optimization strategies in LiveOS not only prolong the lifetime of WSN nodes, but also make the multithreaded OS feasible to run on the memory-constrained WSN nodes.
The physiological effects of 3,5',3'-triiodo-L-thyronine alone or combined with cortisol on cultured pavement cell epithelia from freshwater rainbow trout gills.

The effects of 3,5',3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3; 10 or 100 ng ml(-1)), alone or combined with cortisol (500 ng ml(-1)), on the physiological properties of cultured pavement cell epithelia from freshwater rainbow trout gills were assessed. T3 had dose-dependent effects on electrophysiological, biochemical, and ion transporting properties of cultured epithelia in both the absence and the presence of cortisol. These included reduced transepithelial resistance (TER), increased net Na(+) and Cl(-) movement (basolateral to apical) under asymmetrical culture conditions (freshwater apical/L15 media basolateral), and elevated Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. However, paracellular permeability was elevated only in high-dose T3-treated preparations. In T3 + cortisol-treated epithelia, similar T3-induced alterations in TER, net Na(+) and Cl(-) movement, and paracellular permeability were observed, whereas the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase was further elevated. Under symmetrical culture conditions (L15 medium apical/L15 medium basolateral), T3 had no effect on transepithelial Na(+) and Cl(-) transport, which was passive. However, T3 + cortisol treatment resulted in active Na(+) extrusion (basolateral to apical). Under asymmetrical conditions, hormone treatment did not change the pattern of ion movement (active Na(+) extrusion, active Cl(-) uptake). These experiments demonstrate that cultured pavement cell epithelia from freshwater rainbow trout are T3-responsive and provide evidence for the direct action of T3 and the interaction of T3 and cortisol on the physiology of this preparation.
Quality of life and/or symptom control in randomized clinical trials for patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND Measures reflecting quality of life (QoL) or symptom control should be included as major endpoints in most phase III trials for patients with advanced cancer. Here we review the use of such endpoints. METHODS We evaluated methodological aspects relating to QoL or symptom control in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included >or=150 patients, published from 1994 to 2004, using a 10-point checklist. RESULTS Of 112 RCTs that met our criteria, few were rated as high quality: 22% defined QoL or symptom control as a primary endpoint; 19% established an a priori hypothesis relevant to palliation and 21% defined minimal differences in QoL or symptom scores that were clinically meaningful. Most trials (81%) analyzed differences between mean or median scores across groups and only 21% defined the proportion of individual patients who met criteria for palliative response. Only 15% of the studies met more than 5/10 criteria from our checklist. There was improvement over time in methodology and reporting. CONCLUSIONS Current standards for analyzing QoL and symptom control in RCTs are poor. Definition of a palliative endpoint, with an a priori hypothesis, is essential; defining the proportion of patients with palliative response is preferred. The proposed checklist could raise standards of reporting in future RCTs.
Neural Voice Cloning with a Few Samples

Voice cloning is a highly desired feature for personalized speech interfaces. Neural network based speech synthesis has been shown to generate high quality speech for a large number of speakers. In this paper, we introduce a neural voice cloning system that takes a few audio samples as input. We study two approaches: speaker adaptation and speaker encoding. Speaker adaptation is based on fine-tuning a multi-speaker generative model with a few cloning samples. Speaker encoding is based on training a separate model to directly infer a new speaker embedding from cloning audios and to be used with a multi-speaker generative model. In terms of naturalness of the speech and its similarity to original speaker, both approaches can achieve good performance, even with very few cloning audios. While speaker adaptation can achieve better naturalness and similarity, the cloning time or required memory for the speaker encoding approach is significantly less, making it favorable for low-resource deployment.
How Hard is Smart Play-Out? On the Complexity of Verification-Driven Execution

Smart play-out is a method for executing declarative scenario-based requirements, which utilizes powerful model-checking or planning algorithms to run the scenarios and avoid some of the violations that can be caused by naive execution. In this paper, we investigate the complexity of smart play-out. Specifically, we use a reduction from QBF in order to show that smart play-out for a most basic subset of the scenario-based language of LSC is PSPACE-hard. The main advantage of our proof compared to a previous one by Bontemps and Schobbens is that ours is explicit, and takes advantage of the visual features of the LSC language. We also show that for a subset of the language, in which no multiple running copies are allowed, the problem is NP-hard.
Fixation Strategy Influences the Ability to Focus Attention on Two Spatially Separate Objects

The ability to devote attention simultaneously to multiple visual objects plays an important role in domains ranging from everyday activities to the workplace. Yet, no studies have systematically explored the fixation strategies that optimize attention to two spatially distinct objects. Assuming the two objects require attention nearly simultaneously, subjects either could fixate one object or they could fixate between the objects. Studies measuring the breadth of attention have focused almost exclusively on the former strategy, by having subjects simultaneously perform one attention-demanding task at fixation and another in the periphery. We compared performance when one object was at fixation and the other was in the periphery to a condition in which both objects were in the periphery and subjects fixated between them. Performance was better with two peripheral stimuli than with one central and one peripheral stimulus, meaning that a strategy of fixating between stimuli permitted greater attention breadth. Consistent with the idea that both measures tap attention breadth, sport experts consistently outperformed novices with both fixation strategies. Our findings suggest a way to improve performance when observers must pay attention to multiple objects across spatial regions. We discuss possible explanations for this performance advantage.
Characterization of graphite-polyurethane composites used as electrode materials

Graphite powder was mixed with polyurethane in order to prepare composite materials in different proportions intended to be used in voltammetric analysis. Results of thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamical mechanical analysis were used in the characterization of the composites. Thermal and visco-elastic behavior of pressed and non-pressed graphite-polyurethane composite used as electrode materials was investigated regarding the graphite content. TG curves revealed that thermal stability increases with the graphite content. DSC presented that the composites are completely cured after 24 h and DMA was used in the determination of glass transition of the composites, showing that the pressing during the cure resulted in lower mobility of polymeric chains inside the composites. DMA curves of GPU composites, using a dual cantilever clamp, between - 50 and 120 °C, heating rate of 5.0 °C min-1, frequency of 1.1 Hz and samples with 35 ± 1 mm (length) x 13 ± 1 mm (wide) x 3.5 ± 0.2 mm (thickness).
Dickkopf Homolog 3 (DKK3) Plays a Crucial Role Upstream of WNT/β-CATENIN Signaling for Sertoli Cell Mediated Regulation of Spermatogenesis

Testicular Sertoli cells (Sc) are main somatic component of seminiferous tubules that govern the differentiation of germ cells (Gc) and provide them physical support. Sc are the target of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T) which are known to regulate spermatogenesis. FSH and T levels in human and sub-human male primates remain high during infancy (4–6 months post birth), similar to those during puberty. Subsequently, juvenile phase is marked with low levels of these hormones. In spite of prolonged hormonal exposure, spermatogenesis is not discerned during infancy unlike that during puberty. Situation during infancy is similar to certain idiopathic male infertility, where prolonged hormone supplementation fails to initiate spermatogenesis. In our quest to determine non hormonal causes of idiopathic infertility which may reside within the Sc, we investigated the association between spermatogenesis and Sc specific gene(s) expressed differentially during puberty and infancy. Although products of several genes may be necessary for quantitatively normal spermatogenesis, one needs to investigate their roles one by one. Differential display and real time PCR analysis revealed higher expression of a known tumor suppressor, Dickkopf homolog 3 (DKK3), by pubertal monkey Sc as compared to infant Sc. To evaluate role of DKK3 in spermatogenesis, we generated DKK3 knock down mice (DKDM) using shRNA construct targeted to DKK3. In testis of adult DKDM, expression of DKK3 mRNA and protein were significantly (p<0.05) low and was associated with elevated WNT-4/β-CATENIN activity. Elevated β-CATENIN activity is known to restrict Sc maturation. Abundant expression of infant Sc marker, Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS), in the testes of adult DKDM confirmed lack of Sc maturation in DKDM. Gc differentiation and fertility was severely compromised in DKDM. This is the first report of role of DKK3 in the testis and DKK3 mediated regulation of spermatogenesis via WNT-4/β-CATENIN modulation.
Assessing Antenatal Care and Newborn Survival in Sub-Saharan Africa within the Context of Renewed Commitments to Save Newborn Lives

Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the key interventions of the Every Newborn action plan to improve newborn health and prevent stillbirths by 2035. However, little is known about its relationship with neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1990s. We use data from 54 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from 27 countries to make comparisons of neonatal mortality by ANC attendance. Each country had two surveys that were categorized as ‘earliest surveys’ (i.e. conducted since 1990 but before 2010) and ‘latest surveys’ (from 2010 to 2014). Multi-level logistic regression model and meta-analysis were applied on 1.1 million births that occurred among women in the 5 years preceding the surveys. Overall neonatal mortality rate (NMR) was 37.7 (95% CI, 37.4–38.1) deaths per 1000 live births; NMR in the earliest surveys were 46.0 (95% CI, 45.4–46.7) and 33.4 (95% CI, 33.0–33.8) deaths per 1000 live births in the latest surveys. The overall NMR was also 10% higher than expected NMR (37.7 vs 34.3 deaths per 1000 live births). NMR was 2.2 times higher among births of women with no ANC compared to those who had at least one ANC visit (42.5 vs 19.6 per 1000 live births). After adjusting for place of delivery, maternal age at birth, relative household wealth, residence, mother's education, marital status, birth order, sex of child, and period of survey, the overall odds ratio (OR) demonstrated that women with at least one ANC visit were 48% less likely to report neonatal deaths (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47–0.57) than women who did not receive ANC. NMR was 27% less likely to occur during the latest surveys than during the earliest surveys (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.71–0.75). We discuss these results within the context of calls for continued efforts to deploy interventions aimed at improving the quality of maternal and newborn care.