Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wheel running and environmental enrichment differentially modify exon‐specific BDNF expression in the hippocampus of wild‐type and pre‐motor symptomatic male and female Huntington's disease mice

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential neurotrophin and regulation of its expression is complex due to multiple 5′ untranslated exons which are separately spliced to a common coding exon to form unique mRNA transcripts. Disruption of BDNF gene expression is a key to the development of symptoms in Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal neurodegenerative condition. Abnormal epigenetic modifications are associated with reduced gene expression in late‐stage HD but such regulation of BDNF gene expression has yet to be investigated. We hypothesized that BDNF gene expression is altered in the HD hippocampus of pre‐motor symptomatic R6/1 transgenic HD mice, correlating with a change in the DNA methylation profile. The effects of wheel‐running and environmental enrichment on wild‐type mice, in association with a proposed environment‐mediated correction of BDNF gene expression deficits in HD mice, were also investigated. Using real‐time PCR, levels of total BDNF mRNA were found to be reduced in the hippocampus of both male and female HD mice. Wheel‐running significantly increased total BDNF gene expression in all groups of mice except male HD mice. In contrast, environmental enrichment significantly increased expression only in male wild‐type animals. Further quantification of BDNF exon‐specific transcripts revealed sex‐specific changes in relation to the effect of the HD mutation and differential effects on gene expression by wheel‐running and environmental enrichment. The HD‐associated reduction of BDNF gene expression was not due to increased methylation of the gene sequence. Furthermore, environment‐induced changes in BDNF gene expression in the wild‐type hippocampus were independent of the extent of DNA methylation. Overall, the results of this study provide new insight into the role of BDNF in HD pathogenesis in addition to the mechanisms regulating normal BDNF gene expression. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Introducing a soybean oil-derived material as a potential rejuvenator of asphalt through rheology, mix characterisation and Fourier Transform Infrared analysis

The interest in rejuvenators has been growing rapidly in the past few years due to their ability to restore aged binders to their unaged state and the availability of aged recycled materials. The introduction of rejuvenators has made it possible to produce asphalt mixes with high recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) content. Typically rejuvenators need to be added to the RAP bitumen in high dosages, more than 10%, to achieve the desired effect. In this work a new soybean-derived additive is introduced as a rejuvenator, at 0.75% by weight of the bitumen. The effect of adding the soybean-derived rejuvenator on the rheological properties of both a performance grade (PG) 64-28 and a PG 58-28 bitumen is assessed using a dynamic shear rheometer, a bending beam rheometer and a rotational viscometer. Dynamic modulus specimens for both the control and modified blends were prepared using a mixing and compaction temperature of 120°C, as well as a temperature of 140°C, and master curves were constructed using test results. The dynamic modulus data were further analysed using a complex statistical technique which utilises a split-plot repeated measure concept. It was noted that, at such a low dosage, the rejuvenator greatly improved the fatigue and low-temperature properties of the tested asphalt binders. The dynamic modulus results revealed that the rejuvenator was successful in reducing asphalt binder stiffness, and that the extent of such a reduction depended largely on the asphalt grade. Additionally, the mixing and compaction temperature of 120°C had the effect of the mix performing better at lower test temperatures than the specimens produced using a mixing and compaction temperature of 140°C. The ageing characteristics of the rejuvenated binders were assessed using Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflection, which revealed similar ageing behaviour of both the control and modified asphalt binders, as indicated by the evolution of the carbonyl and sulfoxide indices.
Practical implementations of non-blocking synchronization primitives

This paper is concerned with system support for nonblocking synchronization in shared-memory multipr~ cesaors. Many non-blocking algorithms published recently depend on the Load-Linked (L L), Validate (VL), and Store-Con&ltional (SC) instructions. However, most systems support either Compare-and-Swap (CAS) or a weak form of LL and SC that imposes several restrictions on the use of these instructions and does not provide the exact semantics expected and assumed by algorithm designers. These limitations currently render several recent non-blocking algorithms inapplicable in most systems. The results presented here eliminate this problem by providing practical means for implementing any algorithm that is based on these instructions on any multiprocessor that provides either CAS or a form of LL and SC that is sufficiently weak that it is provided by all current hardware implementations of these instructions. This is achieved in two steps. First, we propose a slight modification to the interface for LL, VL, and SC, which will not greatly impact programmers. We then exploit this modification to provide time-optimal, space-efficient implementations of the desired primitives using commonly available ones.
Task assignment with unknown duration

We consider a distributed server system and ask which policy should be used for assigning tasks to hosts. In our server tasks are not preemptible. Also, the task's service demand is not known a priori. We are particularly concerned with the case where the workload is heavy-tailed, as is characteristic of many empirically measured computer workloads. We analyze several natural task assignment policies and propose a new one TAGS (Task Assignment based on Guessing Size). The TAGS algorithm is counterintuitive in many respects, including load unbalancing, non-work-conserving and fairness. We find that under heavy-tailed workloads, TAGS can outperform all task assignment policies known to us by several orders of magnitude with respect to both mean response time and mean slowdown, provided the system load is not too high.
Fabrication of high-Tc superconducting hot electron bolometers for terahertz mixer applications

Superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixers are a competitive alternative to Schottky diode mixers or other conventional superconducting receiver technologies in the terahertz frequency range because of their ultrawide bandwidth (from millimeter waves to the visible), high conversion gain, and low intrinsic noise level, even at 77 K. A new technological process has been developed to realize HEB mixers based on high temperature superconducting materials, using 15 to 40 nm thick layers of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO), sputtered on MgO (100) substrates by hollow cathode magnetron sputtering. Critical temperature values of YBCO films were found in the 85 to 91 K range. Sub-micron HEB bridges (0.8 μm x 0.8 μm) were obtained by combining electronic and UV lithography followed by selective etching techniques. Realization of YBCO HEB coupling to planar integrated gold antennas was also considered.
Functional MRI study of specific animal phobia using an event‐related emotional counting stroop paradigm

Background: Emotional interference tasks may be useful in probing anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) function to understand abnormal attentional study in individuals with specific phobia. Methods: In a 3 T functional MRI study, individuals with specific phobias of the animal subtype (SAP, n=12) and healthy comparison (HC) adults (n=12) completed an event‐related emotional counting Stroop task. Individuals were presented phobia‐related, negative, and neutral words and were instructed to report via button press the number of words displayed on each trial. Results: Compared to the HC group, the SAP group exhibited greater rostral ACC activation (i.e., greater response to phobia‐related words than neutral words). In this same contrast, HCs exhibited greater right amygdala and posterior insula activations as well as greater thalamic deactivation than the SAP group. Both groups exhibited anterior cingulate, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus/insula, and amygdala activations as well as thalamic deactivation. Psychophysiological interaction analysis highlighted a network of activation in these regions in response to phobia‐related words in the SAP group. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings implicate a circuit of dysfunction, which is linked to attention abnormalities in individuals with SAP. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Context-Aware Intrusion Detection and Tolerance in MANETs

Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is a decentralized network where each node will forward the data to other nodes. The major challenge in handling security in MANETs is that the network is not constant and thereby it is difficult to set a constant algorithm for detecting the intrusion. In this work, a context-aware intrusion detection and tolerance module for MANETs is proposed. A node in MANET can be a filtering node or a monitor node. The intrusion detection based on context awareness is done with the help of filtering and monitoring nodes and intrusion tolerance is done with the help of membership policy. The filtering nodes have minimum level of static database and the monitoring nodes have a database with learning capability. For tolerance, the nodes which are not a member are denied service while the nodes which are members are allowed the service according to some specific rules.
A new method of formalizing anonymity based on protocol composition logic

In order to make protocol composition logic PCL model satisfy the special needs of anonymous analysis, based on observational equivalence theory, this paper extended PCL to be anonymity PCL APCL. In anonymity PCL, equivalent messages and equivalent traces were proposed. On the basis of equivalent traces, three kinds of anonymity were defined: sender anonymity, recipient anonymity, and relation anonymity. Finally, taking direct anonymous attestation DAA as an example, we formalized the anonymity of DAA by the new framework, the result of which demonstrates that DAA satisfies anonymity and verifies the correctness and feasibility of the new framework. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design and evaluation of floating microspheres of amoxicillin trihydrate by ionotropic gelation method

The purpose of this investigation was to design and develop floating microspheres of Amoxicillin Trihydrate by ionotropic gelation method with combination of two polymers and to get the best possible formulation out of that with the various aspects. Floating drug delivery system have a bulk density less than gastric fluids and so remains buoyant in the stomach without affecting gastric emptying rate for a prolonged period of time. The floating microspheres were prepared using Ethyl cellulose and Hydroxy propylmethyl cellulose K4M as polymer to achieve an extended retention in upper GIT and there by improved bioavailability. The microspheres were evaluated for particle size analysis, Drug Entrapment Efficiency, Drug Loading Capacity, Floating efficiency, Swelling Study, Loose Surface Crystal Study , drug entrapment efficiency, drug- polymer compatibility study, Micromeritic properties like Bulk Density, Tapped Density, Carr’s Index, and Hausner’s Ratio, In-vitro release studies and surface morphology characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Microspheres have an average size range of 743.00±7.000 to 837.00±8.544? m. The entrapment efficiency was found to be in the range of 66.96±1.944 to 82.03±0.657 %. The In-vitro release studies of the drug from the best formulation F6 exhibited a sustained release of 93.46±0.684 % as studied over 10hrs. Release was best explained by zero-order kinetics model and it shows that the drug release follows diffusion mechanism. FT-IR data revealed that, compatible and there was no interaction between the drug and excipients added in the formulation. The data obtained in this study thus suggest that a floating microspheres of Amoxicillin Trihydrate are promising for sustained drug delivery which can reduce dosing frequency.
Stability and Strategic Time-Dependent Behaviour in Multiagent Systems

Temporal reasoning and strategic behaviour are important abilities of multiagent systems. We introduce a game-theoretic framework suitable for modelling selfish and rational agents which can store and reason about the evolution of an environment, and act according to their interests. Our aim is to identify stable interactions: those where no agent has a benefit from changing his behaviour to another. For this reason we deploy the game-theoretic concept of Nash equilibrium and strong Nash equilibrium. We show that not all agent interactions can be stable. Also, we investigate the computational complexity for verifying and checking the existence of stable agent interactions. This paves the way for developing agents which can take appropriate decisions in competitive and strategic situations.
Assessment of sitting balance of patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation

Accurate clinical assessment of sitting is required to develop appropriate treatment programs and evaluate outcomes, but no set tool for measuring sitting balance has been commonly accepted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the sitting balance items of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Clinical Outcome Variables Scale (COVS) to show a clinical change following rehabilitation of patients with subacute stroke. A retrospective audit of 51 patients with stroke who underwent inpatient rehabilitation was conducted. Frequency distributions were used to evaluate ceiling and floor effects. Change in sitting balance was evaluated by using the Wilcoxon test, and effect size was calculated. The results showed that the mean age of the sample was 72 (SD=11.3) years, 57% were males, and 52% were admitted for rehabilitation within 30 days of their stroke. Frequency distributions showed significant ceiling effect only for the BBS sitting item. There was a significant change in the COVS sitting scores (effect size=0.46; p < 0.001), but not for the BBS (effect size=0.22; p=0.102). The results of this study suggest that the sitting item of the COVS may provide a measure of sitting balance for the inpatient stage of rehabilitation after stroke.
Myocardial ischemia and viability by cardiac magnetic resonance: the international experience and the Greek reality.

ardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), a relatively new imaging technique, has already proven its efficacy in the assessment of myocardial function, inflammation, tissue characteri-sation, and viability. Currently, the appli-cations of CMR in coronary artery disease are being extended, making it a powerful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of myo-cardial perfusion and viability. The aim of this review is to offer a condensed sum-mary of CMR applications in the evalua-tion of perfusion and viability in coronary artery disease (CAD) and to present the Greek reality in the field.
Characterizing the Associative Content of Brain Structures Involved in Habitual and Goal-Directed Actions in Humans: A Multivariate fMRI Study

While there is accumulating evidence for the existence of distinct neural systems supporting goal-directed and habitual action selection in the mammalian brain, much less is known about the nature of the information being processed in these different brain regions. Associative learning theory predicts that brain systems involved in habitual control, such as the dorsolateral striatum, should contain stimulus and response information only, but not outcome information, while regions involved in goal-directed action, such as ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial striatum, should be involved in processing information about outcomes as well as stimuli and responses. To test this prediction, human participants underwent fMRI while engaging in a binary choice task designed to enable the separate identification of these different representations with a multivariate classification analysis approach. Consistent with our predictions, the dorsolateral striatum contained information about responses but not outcomes at the time of an initial stimulus, while the regions implicated in goal-directed action selection contained information about both responses and outcomes. These findings suggest that differential contributions of these regions to habitual and goal-directed behavioral control may depend in part on basic differences in the type of information that these regions have access to at the time of decision making.
Molecular dynamics investigation of the grain boundary migration hysteresis of nanocrystalline Ni under cyclic shear loading

The deformation behavior and grain boundary (GB) response of nanocrystalline Ni under cyclic shear loading are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The GB migration hysteresis phenomenon, in which the GB migration displacement lags behind the change in nominal shear strain, is observed in the symmetric tilt GBs for the first time. The elementary structure transformation occurring at the two end segments of the observed GB during GB migration produces a disordered and irreversible state, while the transformation in the middle segment is reversible. Both dislocation retraction and nucleation occur during unloading. Relatively large cyclic strain amplitudes lead to disordered GB segments of greater length, such that the residual GB migration displacement increases with increasing cyclic amplitude. GB migration hysteresis vanishes after the GB becomes immobile owing to a cyclic shear induced transition to a disordered state along its entire length.
Incorrect reconstitution of incobotulinumtoxinA leads to loss of neurotoxin.

BACKGROUND IncobotulinumtoxinA (INCO) was approved for aesthetic use in the United States in 2011. When reconstituted per manufacturer's instructions, diminished delivery of INCO in US may result. OBJECTIVE Investigators sought to determine whether potential loss of decreased motor activity could be demonstrated, using a simple reconstitution technique. METHODS AND MATERIALS In this 5-patient study, investigators added 2.0 mL of saline to INCO powder at the bottom of the first of 5 vials, swirling gently to dissolve INCO powder at the bottom. Reconstituted INCO was discarded and the cap was replaced. The "empty" vial then received 0.6 mL of saline, and was swirled and inverted 3 times to ensure dissolution. The 0.6 mL from the first vial was added to the second "empty" vial and the process was repeated for the remaining 3 vials (5 vials per patient). Patients were injected from reconstitution of "empty" vials to determine neuromodulatory activity. Pre- and post-treatment patient photographs of maximal contraction were taken. RESULTS Markedly diminished maximal frown could be observed in all 5 patients. CONCLUSION Improper reconstitution of INCO, or swirling without inversion of the vial following saline injection, can result in significant loss of units of the neurotoxin in the clinical setting.
Visual Question Answering with Question Representation Update (QRU)

Our method aims at reasoning over natural language questions and visual images. Given a natural language question about an image, our model updates the question representation iteratively by selecting image regions relevant to the query and learns to give the correct answer. Our model contains several reasoning layers, exploiting complex visual relations in the visual question answering (VQA) task. The proposed network is end-to-end trainable through back-propagation, where its weights are initialized using pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) and gated recurrent unit (GRU). Our method is evaluated on challenging datasets of COCO-QA and VQA and yields state-of-the-art performance.
Object-based Audio Reproduction and the Audio Scene Description Format

The introduction of new techniques for audio reproduction such as HRTF-based technology, wave field synthesis and higher-order Ambisonics is accompanied by a paradigm shift from channel-based to object-based transmission and storage of spatial audio. Not only is the separate coding of source signal and source location more efficient considering the number of channels used for reproduction by large loudspeaker arrays, it also opens up new options for a user-controlled interactive sound field design. This article describes the need for a common exchange format for object-based audio scenes, reviews some existing formats with potential to meet some of the requirements and finally introduces a new format called Audio Scene Description Format (ASDF) and presents the SoundScape Renderer, an audio reproduction software which implements a draft version of the ASDF.
Mechanical Response of Steel Pipe Welded Lap Joints in Seismic Areas

Nonlinear finite element simulation tools are employed to investigate the bending capacity of internally-pressurized double-welded lap pipeline joints for a typical steel, with D t value equal to 191.5. The study constitutes the first part of a comprehensive investigation on welded lap joints, which comprises both numerical simulations and experimental testing. The on-going research project is aimed at providing better understanding of welded lap joint behavior under extreme bending loading conditions, towards developing efficient design guidelines and safeguarding the structural integrity of steel water pipelines imposed to severe ground-induced actions. Herein, numerical work is presented, focusing on the global behavior of the lap joints, as well as on the value of local strains developed at critical locations. The present numerical results can be considered as preliminary, aiming at the efficient preparation and design of the upcoming experimental work.
Predicting unplanned hospital readmissions

The number of unplanned readmissions is an important quality improvement indicator for Australian hospitals, as it has a direct impact on costs and patient outcomes. It is a useful indicator for patient multi-morbidity to identify patients that should potentially have different treatment or discharge plans. The objective of the Health Insights Challenge project was to develop a predictive model to determine the likelihood of an unplanned hospital readmission. The outcome was a validated analytical model that predicts the likelihood of an unplanned hospital readmission occurring within 30 days after a given in-patient episode. An ‘all-cause’ model does not pay attention to any specific disease or diagnosis groups. The predicted likelihood of an unplanned readmission occurring can assist care workers and clinicians in planning treatment and discharge processes.
Metabolic and cardiovascular responses to exercise with caffeine.

The effect of caffeine on circulation and metabolism was studied during a discontinuous maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) test on a bicycle ergometer. Eight male subjects were chosen for their minimal use of caffeine of which six normally did not ingest caffeinated beverages. Two caffeinated and two decaffeinated (control) trials were administered to each subject following double-blind and counterbalanced testing procedures. One hour before exercise, subjects ingested decaffeinated coffee with or without 350 mg of caffeine anhydrous added. Cardiac output (Q) was measured by a C02 rebreathing technique. Compared to control trials, caffeine increased the VO2 max by an average of 140ml min−1 (p <0-0·5)l. In addition, during caffeine trials, the average maximal heart rate (HR max) was elevated by 5 beats min−1 (p<0·01). There were no other statistically significant changes in metabolic (VO2 and R) and cardiovascular (Q, HR, SV and (a-v) 02 diff) variables during either submaximal or maximal exercise. Performanc.