Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Premonitory and Resolution Symptoms in Migraine: A Prospective Study in 100 Unselected Patients

The nosology of migraine premonitory (PS) and resolution (RS) symptoms was studied in 100 migraineurs consulting their general physician. They were asked to fill in, for three attacks, a PS and RS questionnaire. ‘True’ PS/RS were those experienced the day before (or the day after) the headache had started only if they were not present in a questionnaire completed in a pain-free period. True PS and RS were experienced by 84± and 80±, respectively, of subjects for the first attack. The mean and range (per patient) of PS were 6.8 and 0–21 and of RS 4.7 and 0–15. Anxiety, phonophobia, irritability, unhappiness and yawning were the commonest PS, whereas asthenia, tiredness, somnolence and concentration difficulties were the most common RS. Gender, age and Migraine Disability Assessment scores did not influence PS and RS. Both PS and RS were more frequent in migraine with aura subjects. Patients on preventatives showed a decreased frequency of PS and, to a lesser degree, of RS. Severity of headache was associated with a higher frequency of RS. Individual RS and especially PS were quite consistent after three attacks. Almost two-thirds of the symptoms were noticed in at least two out of three attacks, while more than a half of PS and more than a quarter of RS repeated in three out of three attacks. In conclusion, around 80± of unselected migraineurs experience RS and PS. Migraine with aura and severe pain are risk factors for experiencing PS and RS, while preventatives were protective, especially for PS.
Estimation of shear modulus ratio between inclusion and background using strain ratios in 2-D ultrasound elastography

The goal of this study is to assess the effects of region of interest (ROI) selection and lesion size on estimates of shear modulus ratio from strain ratios to quantify relative stiffness of breast tumors. A theoretical model and finite element method (FEM) simulations of lesions with various shear modulus ratios are created for a 2-D plane strain deformation. Both the lesion and the surrounding tissue are assumed to be linearly elastic, isotropic, homogenous, and incompressible. The results from the model and simulations are in agreement that the lesion-to-surrounding shear modulus ratio is linearly proportional to the axial normal strain ratio for small lesions when the ROI in the surrounding tissue is at least four lesion diameters away from the lesion. For larger lesions, FEM simulations show that the estimated strain ratio using the same ROI location increases with the lesion size and would overestimate the shear modulus ratio. Therefore, a correction factor is necessary for large breast lesions when strain ratios are used to estimate the shear modulus ratio. We also demonstrate that strain elastograms calculated using a speckle tracking method on simulated RF data are accurate enough to observe the same effect on strain ratio estimation. This result is confirmed using experimental data acquired from two tissue-mimicking phantoms. Our findings will help clinicians to estimate strain ratios and shear modulus ratios more accurately for more reliable comparison of one clinical examination to another.
Early White Blood Cell Dynamics after Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects on the Cerebral Microcirculation

Increasing clinical and experimental evidence suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) elicits an acute inflammatory response. In the present study we investigated whether white blood cells (WBC) are activated in the cerebral microcirculation early after TBI and whether WBC accumulation affects the posttraumatic cerebrovascular response. Twenty-four anesthetized rabbits had chronic cranial windows implanted 3 weeks before experimentation. Animals were divided into four experimental groups and were studied for 7 hours (groups I, IIa, and III) or 2 hours (group IIb). Intravital fluorescence videomicroscopy was used to visualize WBC (rhodamine 6G, intravenously), pial vessel diameters, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity (Na+-fluorescein) at 6 hours (groups I, IIa, and III) or 1 hour (group IIb) after TBI. Group I (n = 5) consisted of sham-operated animals. Groups IIa (n = 7) and IIb (n = 5) received fluid-percussion injury at 1 hour. Group III (n = 7) received fluid-percussion injury and 1 mg/kg anti–adhesion monoclonal antibody (MoAb) “IB4” 5 minutes before injury. Venular WBC sticking, intracranial pressure (ICP), and arterial vessel diameters increased significantly for 6 hours after trauma. IB4 reduced WBC margination and prevented vasodilation. Intracranial pressure was not reduced by treatment with IB4. Blood–brain barrier damage occurred at 1 hour but not at 6 hours after TBI and was independent of WBC activation. This first report using intravital videomicroscopy to study the inflammatory response after TBI reveals upregulated interaction between WBC and cerebral endothelium that can be manipulated pharmacologically. White blood cell activation is associated with pial arteriolar vasodilation. White blood cells do not induce BBB breakdown less than 6 hours after TBI and do not contribute to posttraumatic ICP elevation. The role of WBC more than 6 hours after TBI should be investigated further.
Crucial Contribution of Thymic Sirpα+ Conventional Dendritic Cells to Central Tolerance against Blood-Borne Antigens in a CCR2-Dependent Manner

Thymic dendritic cells (DCs) as well as thymic epithelial cells are presumed to be major sentinels in central tolerance by inducing the apoptosis of autoreactive T progenitor cells. The thymic DC population is composed of heterogeneous subsets including CD11c+B220+ plasmacytoid DCs, CD11c+B220−CD8α+ signal regulatory protein α (Sirpα)− and CD11c+B220−CD8α−Sirpα+ conventional DCs (cDCs). However, the distinctive role of each DC subset remains undefined. We show herein that Sirpα+ cDCs, a minor subpopulation, was disseminated in the thymic cortical area with some of them uniquely localized inside perivascular regions and nearby small vessels in the thymus. The Sirpα+ but not Sirpα− cDC subset can selectively capture blood-circulating Ags. Moreover, in CCR2-deficient mice, the thymic Sirpα+ cDC subset, but not other thymic cell components, was moderately decreased especially in the perivascular regions. Concomitantly, these mice exhibited a modest impairment in intrathymic negative selection against blood-borne Ags, with the reduced capacity to uptake blood-borne Ags. Given their intrathymic cortical localization, CD11c+B220−CD8α−Sirpα+ cDCs can have a unique role in the development of central tolerance against circulating peripheral Ags, at least partially in a CCR2-dependent manner.
Cooperative behavior acquisition mechanism for a multi-robot system based on reinforcement learning in continuous space

This paper describes an approach to controlling an autonomous multi-robot system. One of the most important issues for this type of system is how to design an on-line autonomous behavior acquisition mechanism which is capable of developing each robot's role in an embedded environment. Our approach is applying reinforcement learning that uses Bayesian discrimination method for segmenting the continuous state and action spaces simultaneously. In addition to this, neural networks are provided for predicting the other robots' moves at the next time step in order to support the learning in a dynamic environment that originates from the other learning robots. The output signals are utilized as the sensory information for the reinforcement learning to increase the stability of the learning problem. A homogeneous multi-robot system is built for evaluation.
A deformable subreflector for the Haystack radio telescope

A deformable subreflector was designed and implemented to compensate for part of the gravity deformations of the primary reflector of Haystack, a 37-m-(120-ft-)diameter Cassegrain radio telescope. This was done to allow it to operate at 100+ GHz, as compared to the 1-to-10 GHz range for which it was originally designed. The design, analysis, construction, testing, and the results of preliminary measurements of performance are presented. The deformable subreflector consists of a fiberglass shell, supported on an aluminum back structure. The homologous components of deformations are compensated for by optimal positioning of the subreflector, which can be displaced axially and laterally, and tilted. The deformation modes of the subreflector compensate for astigmatic deformations of the back structure of the primary, and for part of the symmetric and anti-symmetric components of gravity sag of the panels of the primary reflector. Analyses show that, due to the deformable subreflector, the surface RMS due to gravity has been reduced from 494 mm (19.4 mil) down to 146 mm (5.7 mil), as the antenna travels over its operating range of 15 to 70 degrees elevation. Combining the reduced gravity effects with surface adjustment and thermal errors results in a predicted combined surface error of 250 mm (9.8 mil), at the extremes of the operating range. <<ETX>>
Phonetic imitation of Japanese vowel devoicing

Recent studies have shown that talkers implicitly imitate/accommodate the phonetic properties of recently heard speech [1, 2]. However, it has also been shown that this phonetic imitation effect is not an automatic process [3, 4]: in [3], the artificially lengthened VOT on /p/ was imitated in a non-shadowing task, while shortened VOT (which could jeopardize phonemic contrast) was not imitated, suggesting that phonetic imitation is sensitive to existing phonemic contrast. This paper explores whether phonological factors unrelated to contrast preservation also affect imitation of phonetic details, specifically, Japanese vowel devoicing. The results revealed significant imitation of Japanese devoicing, indicating that perceived fine phonetic details are imitable and can subsequently affect speech production even in phonologically constrained environments.
Simulation des problèmes de bris de barrage par des solveurs de Riemann

Les inondations provoquees par des bris de barrages, menent souvent a des degâts materiels, et a de grandes pertes de vies humaines. C'est pourquoi, des efforts considerables ont ete fournis ces dernieres annees, afin d'aboutir a des solutions adequates a ce type de problemes. Au cours de ce travail, un code numerique a ete developpe pour la simulation des ecoulements a surface libre, capable de s'adapter a des geometries, simples ou complexes. Le modele mathematique est base sur les equations en eaux peu profondes (Shallow water), dans leur forme conservative. La methode de Galerkin discontinue est utilisee pour la discretisation dans l'espace et dans le temps du systeme d'equations. Le probleme dr Riemann est resolu en adoptant plusieurs approches pour evaluer le flux numerique. Le schema utilise fait partie de la famille des methodes decentrees (Upwinding) ou plusieurs approximations de la solution de Riemann ont ete implementees: La methode 'HLL', la methode 'HLLC' qui est une correction apportee au schema 'HLL', developpee pour etudier l'influence des ondes intermediaires, et enfin, la methode 'Weighted Average Flux', dite 'WAF'. Nous avons aussi fait appel a la methode 'Lax-Friedrichs' qui fait partie de la famille des methodes centrees. Certains problemes classiques, nous ont servi de tests, dans le but de s'assurer de la fiabilite du code, avant de proceder a un traitement d'un cas reel. Le code a reussi avec succes a traiter les differents tests de validation. Le traitement du cas reel a necessite l'introduction d'une nouvelle procedure dans la resolution du probleme du a la presence du phenomene des bancs couvrant - decouvrant. Les resultats obtenus sont encourageants et une amelioration peut encore etre apportee a la procedure de resolution.
Characterization of the extra-large G protein alpha-subunit XLalphas. II. Signal transduction properties.

In the preceding paper (Pasolli, H. A., Klemke, M., Kehlenbach, R. H. , Wang, Y., and Huttner, W. B. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 33622-33632), we report on the tissue distribution and subcellular localization of XLalphas (extra large alphas), a neuroendocrine-specific, plasma membrane-associated protein consisting of a novel 37-kDa XL domain followed by a 41-kDa alphas domain encoded by exons 2-13 of the Galphas gene. Here, we have studied the signal transduction properties of XLalphas. Like Galphas, XLalphas undergoes a conformational change upon binding of GTPgammaS (guanosine 5'-O-(thio)triphosphate), as revealed by its partial resistance to tryptic digestion, which generated the same fragments as in the case of Galphas. Two approaches were used to analyze XLalphas-betagamma interactions: (i) ADP-ribosylation by cholera toxin to detect even weak or transient XLalphas-betagamma interactions and (ii) sucrose density gradient centrifugation to reveal stable heterotrimer formation. The addition of betagamma subunits resulted in an increased ADP-ribosylation of XLalphas as well as an increased sedimentation rate of XLalphas in sucrose density gradients, indicating that XLalphas interacts with the betagamma dimer. Surprisingly, however, XLalphas, in contrast to Galphas, was not activated by the beta2-adrenergic receptor upon reconstitution of S49cyc(-) membranes. Similarly, using photoaffinity labeling of pituitary membranes with azidoanilide-GTP, XLalphas was not activated upon stimulation of pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) receptors or other Galphas-coupled receptors known to be present in these membranes, whereas Galphas was. Despite the apparent inability of XLalphas to undergo receptor-mediated activation, XLalphas-GTPgammaS markedly stimulated adenylyl cyclase in S49cyc(-) membranes. Moreover, transfection of PC12 cells with a GTPase-deficient mutant of XLalphas, XLalphas-Q548L, resulted in a massive increase in adenylyl cyclase activity. Our results suggest that in neuroendocrine cells, the two related G proteins, Galphas and XLalphas, exhibit distinct properties with regard to receptor-mediated activation but converge onto the same effector system, adenylyl cyclase.
Labor Risk and Corporate Credit Spreads: The Expected Recovery Rate Channel

Author(s): Li, Zhipeng | Advisor(s): Eisfeldt, Andrea | Abstract: Intangible capital embodied in the firm’s key employees has become an increasinglyimportant factor of production. Potential separation of employees upon defaultreduces the expected remaining value of the firm’s asset. Therefore, investors shouldexpect lower recovery rates and require higher bond spreads for labor-intensive firms.I construct a market-based proxy for firm-level recovery rates and show that recoveryrate variations are an important determinant of bond spreads. Then I find firms withrelatively higher labor shares have lower average recovery rates and higher spreadsthrough quasi-experiments.
Research on cross section of UHF radio wave scattering from surface waves on water

: Bragg scattering mechanism has been probed by a fully digital ultra-high-frequency (UHF) radar system. The system is based on studies of UHF radio wave (340 MHz) scattering from small-amplitude water waves. First-order radar cross section Doppler spectra have been measured. Com-paring them with theoretical models, good agreement has been found. The amplitude ratio (dB) of the cross section between incident and re ﬂ ected waves is 14.7 dB, and its deviation is 0.68%. The expectation of the normalized Doppler frequency shift of ﬁ rst-order peaks is 0.9850, and the deviation is 1.5%.
Per Packet Value: A Practical Concept for Network Resource Sharing

Governing how network resources are shared among various traffic flows is not a completely solved problem. The ideal system can implement a wide variety of detailed and flexible policies; enforces those policies under all possible offered traffic combinations and scales well with the number of flows. In this paper we introduce a framework that approximates the ideal system well. It consists of flow-aware Packet Value marking at the edges and flow-unaware operation inside the network. We show that inside the network relatively simple scheduling and AQM algorithms operating solely on Packet Value are suitable to implement the policies set at the network edge. We also discuss, how the framework can be used to support resource sharing over radio networks (where the cost of transmission varies) and how it enables load balancing, resource balancing and optimal network-wide load distribution.
Assessing the E-Services of the Banking Sector by Using E-Servqual Model: A Comparative Study of Local Commercial Banks and Foreign Banks in Pakistan

The aim of the present study is twofold; firstly, to measure the differences in e-services of foreign and local commercial banks and secondly, to find out the critical dimension of e-SERVQUAL for online banking. The study used comparative approach; local commercial and foreign banks in Pakistan. For this purpose, the study targeted local (MCB and HBL) and foreign (Standard Charted and Alfalah) banks. A total of 195 responses were received through a mean of questionnaire based on a five - point Likert scale from Sahiwal. The study performed reliability analysis, regression and Pearson chi-square. The reliability of all dimensions was tested with a Cronbach alpha that was greater than.7. The results of the chi-square showed that no difference is found with respect to any dimension in e-services of both local and foreign banks in Pakistan. The findings of the regression analysis showed that e-service quality was affected by 66.2% due to dimensions of e-SERVQUAL. The "reliability" and "privacy" have highest impact on e-service quality than all other dimensions, so banks should pay more attention on these dimensions because that is critical to online banking.
Energy Efficient Power Allocation for the Uplink of Distributed Massive MIMO Systems

In this paper, an energy efficient power allocation scheme is proposed for a distributed massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system with a circular antenna array. Single-antenna users simultaneously transmit signal to the base station (BS) with a large number of distributed antennas. The tight approximation of the energy efficiency (EE) is derived in closed form expressions. Through jointly optimizing the power allocation and the antenna number of BS, an NP-hard problem is formulated to maximize the EE. The equal power allocation is proved to be optimal given the total transmit power and the number of antennas. Finally, the optimal antenna number is determined by one dimension search. It is noteworthy that the NP-hard problem is solved by one dimension search. Simulation results validate the accuracy and the low-complexity of our proposed scheme.
Visual discrimination of orientation by octopus: mirror images.

Octopuses were trained to discriminate visually between different pairs of mirror image shapes. The successive method of discrimination training was used. It was found first that octopuses discriminate more readily between up-down mirror images than between left-right mirror images; secondly, that octopuses discriminate as readily between mirror image shapes as between non-mirror image shapes of equivalent complexity. It was also shown that it is possible to train octopuses on a comparatively difficult discrimination by the method of making reward conditional upon an attack upon the positive shape presented upon its own instead of presenting reward with the positive shape every positive trial. Although initial learning by the former method is slower, a smoother learning curve is obtained by this method, and the final level of performance reached is higher.
Phase shift induced from the dc Stark effect in an atom interferometer comprised of four copropagating laser beams.

We observed the phase shift of the atomic wave function induced from the dc Stark effect using an atom interferometer comprised of four copropagating traveling laser beams. We calculated the interference signal for the interferometer in the case of a thermal atomic beam. By comparing the observed interference fringes with the calculated ones, the difference between the polarizabilities of the $^{3}P_{1}$ state and the $^{1}S_{0}$ state of calcium was obtained to be $\ensuremath{\alpha}(^{3}P_{1})\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}(^{1}S_{0})=(13.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}24}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. This value was consistent with that deduced from the Stark frequency shift.
Isyn Initialization Minimizing E ( Φ ) Analysis Synthesis Fitted model Redirection optical ow Warp eyelids Overlay eyeballs Stage 1 : Eye region tracking Stage 2 : Eye gaze redirection Input image Iobs New gaze target g ’ Iobs

We present GazeDirector, a new approach for eye gaze redirection that uses model-fitting. Our method first tracks the eyes by fitting a multi-part eye region model to video frames using analysis-by-synthesis, thereby recovering eye region shape, texture, pose, and gaze simultaneously. It then redirects gaze by 1) warping the eyelids from the original image using a model-derived flow field, and 2) rendering and compositing synthesized 3D eyeballs onto the output image in a photorealistic manner. GazeDirector allows us to change where people are looking without person-specific training data, and with full articulation, i.e. we can precisely specify new gaze directions in 3D. Quantitatively, we evaluate both model-fitting and gaze synthesis, with experiments for gaze estimation and redirection on the Columbia gaze dataset. Qualitatively, we compare GazeDirector against recent work on gaze redirection, showing better results especially for large redirection angles. Finally, we demonstrate gaze redirection on YouTube videos by introducing new 3D gaze targets and by manipulating visual behavior.1
Interest Operator Analysis for Automatic Assessment of Spontaneous Gestures in Audiometries

Hearing loss is a common disease which affects a large percentage of the population. Hearing loss may have a negative impact on health, social participation, and daily activities, so its diagnosis and monitoring is indeed important. The audiometric tests related to this diagnosis are constrained when the patient suffers from some form of cognitive impairment. In these cases, audilogist must try to detect particular facial reactions that may indicate auditory perception. With the aim of supporting the audiologist in this evaluation, a screening method that analyzes video sequences and seeks for facial reactions within the eye area was proposed. In this research, a comprehensive survey of one of the most relevent steps of this methodology is presented. This survey considers different alternatives for the detection of the interest points and the classsification techniques. The provided results allow to determine the most suitable configuration for this domain.