Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carotid Intima Media Thickness, Atherosclerosis, and 5-Year Decline in Odor Identification: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine if subclinical markers of atherosclerosis are associated with a decline in olfactory function. METHODS The San Diego Odor Identification Test was administered to 2,302 participants (age 21-84 years) at the baseline (2005-2008) and 5-year follow-up (2010-2013) examinations of the Beaver Dam Offspring Study. A decline in odor identification was defined as a decrease in San Diego Odor Identification Test score of 2 or more (range 0-8) from Beaver Dam Offspring Study 1 to Beaver Dam Offspring Study 2. Carotid intima media thickness and plaque, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, and body mass index were measured and other risk factor data were obtained by interview. RESULTS Overall 3.2% of participants had a decline in San Diego Odor Identification Test score at 5 years. In age- and sex-adjusted models, mean intima media thickness (odds ratio = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.34, per 0.1 mm) and number of sites (range 0-6) with carotid artery plaque (odds ratio = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.65, per site) at baseline were associated with an increased risk for decline. Plaque score (odds ratio = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.53) remained a significant independent predictor of olfactory decline in a model that included age, sex, hypertension, body mass index, alcohol, and smoking. CONCLUSIONS Subclinical atherosclerosis was associated with an increased risk for olfactory decline indicating that atherosclerosis may be one of the risk factors for the decline in olfactory function seen with aging. Strategies to improve vascular health may also benefit olfactory health.
Face Recognition Based on Binary Edge Map and Support Vector Machine

In this paper, a novel face recognition scheme is presented. Our method uses binary edge map (BEM) as face representation and employs support vector machine (SVM) as face classifiers. The BEM is extracted using locally adaptively threshold (LAT) method. Experimental results show that a face recognition rate of 92.73% can be achieved on 165 Yale face images and 95.62% can be achieved on 798 AR images, indicating that the proposed approach is robust to lighting changes.
Structural Insights into the Substrate Specificity of a 6-Phospho-β-glucosidase BglA-2 from Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4*

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae BglA-2 is a GH-1 6-phospho-β-glucosidase with specificity toward 1,4-linked 6-phospho-β-glucosides. Results: BglA-2 and other GH-1 members adopt a similar overall structure and catalytic mechanism. Conclusion: Tyr126, Tyr303, and Trp338 determine substrate specificity, and Ser424, Lys430, and Tyr432 discriminate phosphorylated from non-phosphorylated substrate. A tryptophan residue discriminates 6-phospho-β-glucosidase from 6-phospho-β-galactosidase activities. Significance: BglA-2 structures provide new insight into characteristics and substrate specificity of 6-phospho-β-glucosidase. The 6-phospho-β-glucosidase BglA-2 (EC 3.2.1.86) from glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH-1) catalyzes the hydrolysis of β-1,4-linked cellobiose 6-phosphate (cellobiose-6′P) to yield glucose and glucose 6-phosphate. Both reaction products are further metabolized by the energy-generating glycolytic pathway. Here, we present the first crystal structures of the apo and complex forms of BglA-2 with thiocellobiose-6′P (a non-metabolizable analog of cellobiose-6′P) at 2.0 and 2.4 Å resolution, respectively. Similar to other GH-1 enzymes, the overall structure of BglA-2 from Streptococcus pneumoniae adopts a typical (β/α)8 TIM-barrel, with the active site located at the center of the convex surface of the β-barrel. Structural analyses, in combination with enzymatic data obtained from site-directed mutant proteins, suggest that three aromatic residues, Tyr126, Tyr303, and Trp338, at subsite +1 of BglA-2 determine substrate specificity with respect to 1,4-linked 6-phospho-β-glucosides. Moreover, three additional residues, Ser424, Lys430, and Tyr432 of BglA-2, were found to play important roles in the hydrolytic selectivity toward phosphorylated rather than non-phosphorylated compounds. Comparative structural analysis suggests that a tryptophan versus a methionine/alanine residue at subsite −1 may contribute to the catalytic and substrate selectivity with respect to structurally similar 6-phospho-β-galactosidases and 6-phospho-β-glucosidases assigned to the GH-1 family.
Epileptiform activity induced by low extracellular magnesium in the human cortex maintained in vitro

Extracellular field potentials and [K+]o were recorded in slices of human epileptogenic neocortex maintained in vitro during perfusion with Mg2+‐free artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). The human neocortex was obtained during neurosurgical procedures for the relief of seizures that were resistant to medical treatment. Spontaneous epileptiform activity and episodes of spreading depression appeared within 1.5 to 2 hours of perfusion with Mg2+‐free ACSF. The epileptiform discharges consisted of negative field potential shifts (amplitude, 0.8–10 mV) that lasted 2.5 to 80 seconds and recurred at intervals ranging between 4 and 160 seconds. Both duration and frequency occurrence of epileptiform events were not significantly different when measured in slices obtained from spiking tissue compared with those gathered from nonspiking neocortical areas. Transient increases in [K+]o of up to 10.5 mM were associated with each epileptiform discharge; these changes were maximal and fastest in the middle neocortical layers. Spreading depression episodes were characterized by 20 to 30‐mV negative shifts that lasted up to 200 seconds and were accompanied by increases in [K+]o of approximately 100 mM. Epileptiform discharges and spreading depressions did not occur during perfusion with Mg2+‐free ACSF that contained either competitive or noncompetitive antagonists of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subtype. In contrast, pharmacological blockade of non‐NMDA receptors did not influence the epileptiform activity observed in Mg2+‐free ACSF. These findings demonstrate that decreasing [Mg2+]o leads to the appearance of both spontaneous epileptiform discharges and spreading depression in the human epileptogenic neocortex. Both activities are solely dependent on NMDA‐activated conductances, suggesting that removal of the voltage‐dependent gating effect exerted by extracellular Mg2+ on the NMDA ionophore is a condition sufficient for neurons in the human neocortex to generate spontaneous, synchronous epileptiform activity. We propose that this experimental paradigm might represent a model suitable for analyzing the cellular mechanisms underlying human neocortical epileptogenesis in vitro as well as for preliminary screening of antiepileptic drugs.
Theoretical chemical kinetics in tropospheric chemistry: methodologies and applications.

ion reactions. Theoretical work correlating the CH bond strengths in hydrocarbons with their H-abstraction rate coefficient by OH radicals showed 361,362 that many terpenoids have weakly bonded H-atoms, in particular H-atoms whose abstraction leads to allylor superallyl-resonance stablized alkyl product radicals. At the same time, other H-atoms were found to be deactivated 362 towards Habstraction due to unexpected lack of stabilisation of the product radical. A particularly important example for bicyclic terpenes are the H-atoms on the bridgeheads connecting two fused ring systems where geometric constraints prevent rehybridization from an sp 3 to an sp 2 orbital arrangement in the product radical. The correlations observed between the bond strength and H-abstraction rate then led to the development of predictive correlations, dependent on the type of H-atom abstracted, that allow facile prediction of the abstraction rate, and improve the agreement between SARs and experiment for specific compounds. 362 These SARs have since been used extensively in the construction of complete degradation schemes for terpenoids, such as -pinene, 363–367 -pinene 368 or pinonaldehyde, 369 with often excellent agreement with available environmental chamber data. 5. Peroxy Radical Chemistry 5.1. Peroxy Radicals in Atmospheric Chemistry and Combustion Peroxy radicals play a central role in the oxidation of organic compounds in the troposphere. Carbon centered radicals, R  , formed by H-abstraction by OH or OH addition to a double bond, react
Decoupling of the short‐term hemodynamic response and the blood oxygen concentration

Neuronal activation leads to an increase in the local cortical perfusion. The exact regulatory mechanisms leading to these changes are still unknown. To elucidate the role of oxygen in the initial hemodynamic regulation, a disactivation paradigm was performed with fMRI. A stimulus was applied following a previous extended activation in order to evoke physiological variations of the local oxygen concentration. The results demonstrate that the initial hemodynamic response time is independent of the local blood oxygen concentration. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building a 3D world model for mobile robot from sensory data

The author presents a method for building a 3D world model for a mobile robot from sensory data. The model consists of three kinds of maps: a sensor map, a local map, and a global map. A range image (sensor map) is transformed to a height map (local map) with respect to a mobile robot. The height map is segmented into four categories (unexplored, occluded, traversable, and obstacle regions) for obstacle detection and path planning. Obstacle regions are classified into artificial objects or natural objects using both the height image and video image. One drawback of height map-the recovery of vertical planes-is overcome by the utilization of multiple height maps which include the maximum and minimum heights of each point, and the number of points in the range image mapped into one point in the height map. The multiple height map is useful not only for finding vertical planes in the height map but also for segmentation of the video image. Height maps are integrated into a global map by matching geometrical properties and updating region labels. <<ETX>>
The Application of an Experimental Design for the Defect Reduction of Electrodeposition Painting on Stainless Steel Washers

The purpose of this research is to reduce the amount of incomplete coating of stainless steel washers in the electrodeposition painting process by using an experimental design technique. The surface preparation was found to be a major cause of painted surface quality. The influence of pretreating and painting process parameters, which are cleaning time, chemical concentration and shape of hanger were studied. A 2 factorial design with two replications was performed. The analysis of variance for the designed experiment showed the great influence of cleaning time and shape of hanger. From this study, optimized cleaning time was determined and a newly designed electrical conductive hanger was proved to be superior to the original one. The experimental verification results showed that the amount of incomplete coating defects decreased from 4% to 1.02% and operation cost decreased by 10.5%. Keywords—Defect reduction, design of experiments, electrodeposition painting, stainless steel.
OLTP PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT USING FILE-SYSTEMS LAYER COMPRESSION

Database for Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) application is used by almost every corporations that has adopted computerisation to support their operational day to day business. Compression in the storage or file-systems layer has not been widely adopted for OLTP database because of the concern that it might decrease database performance. OLTP compression in the database layer is available commercially but it has a significant licence cost that reduces the cost saving of compression. In this research, transparent file-system compression with LZ4, LZJB and ZLE algorithm have been tested to improve performance of OLTP application. Using Swing-bench as the benchmark tool and Oracle database 12c, The result indicated that on OLTP workload, LZJB was the most optimal compression algorithm with performance improvement up to 49% and consistent reduction of maximum response time and CPU utilisation overhead, while LZ4 was the compression with the highest compression ratio and ZLE was the compression with the lowest CPU utilisation overhead. In terms of compression ratio, LZ4 can deliver the highest compression ratio which is 5.32, followed by LZJB, 4.92; and ZLE, 1.76. Furthermore, it is found that there is indeed a risk of reduced performance and/or an increase of maximum response time.
Enhancing WLAN security with smart antennas: a physical layer response for information assurance

We examine methods to extend IEEE 802.11 to incorporate adaptive antennas, thereby enhancing security. The focus is on the adaptation that is required to the overall system to take advantage of adaptive antennas. We consider a system architecture that makes use of beamforming antennas and power control to take advantage of the multiple propagation channels typically available in WLAN applications.
In vitro and in vivo targeting of hollow gold nanoshells directed at epidermal growth factor receptor for photothermal ablation therapy

Laser-induced phototherapy is a new therapeutic use of electromagnetic radiation for cancer treatment. The use of targeted plasmonic gold nanoparticles can reduce the laser energy necessary for selective tumor cell destruction. However, the ability for targeted delivery of the currently used gold nanoparticles to tumor cells is limited. Here, we describe a new class of molecular specific photothermal coupling agents based on hollow gold nanoshells (HAuNS; average diameter, ∼30 nm) covalently attached to monoclonal antibody directed at epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The resulting anti-EGFR-HAuNS exhibited excellent colloidal stability and efficient photothermal effect in the near-infrared region. EGFR-mediated selective uptake of anti-EGFR-HAuNS in EGFR-positive A431 tumor cells but not IgG-HAuNS control was shown in vitro by imaging scattered light from the nanoshells. Irradiation of A431 cells treated with anti-EGFR-HAuNS with near-infrared laser resulted in selective destruction of these cells. In contrast, cells treated with anti-EGFR-HAuNS alone, laser alone, or IgG-HAuNS plus laser did not show observable effect on cell viability. Using 111In-labeled HAuNS, we showed that anti-EGFR-HAuNS could be delivered to EGFR-positive tumors at 6.8% ID/g, and the microscopic image of excised tumor with scattering signal from nanoshells confirmed preferential delivery to A431 tumor of anti-EGFR-HAuNS compared with IgG-HAuNS. The absence of silica core, the relatively small particle size and high tumor uptake, and the absence of cytotoxic surfactant required to stabilize other gold nanoparticles suggest that immuno-HAuNS have the potential to extend to in vivo molecular therapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(6):1730–9]
Negotiating the transition to middle school: the role of self-regulatory processes.

The present research examined the role of maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs as vulnerability factors for academic and emotional difficulties during the transition to middle school. A short-term longitudinal design was employed to follow two groups of early adolescents: 187 adolescents who experienced a school transition between the fifth and sixth grades, and 142 adolescents who did not experience a school transition between the fifth and sixth grades. Adolescents completed measures of perceptions of academic control and importance of academic success, experience of chronic academic strain, daily school hassles, and depressive symptoms. Teachers reported on students' academic engagement, including levels of helpless behavior, effort, and academic performance. Consistent with the proposed model of self-regulation, maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs (i.e., decreased perceptions of academic control and importance) predicted individual differences in perceived school-related stress and depressive symptoms over the course of the middle school transition, but were not associated with academic and emotional difficulties in adolescents who remained in a stable school environment. Moreover, a self-regulatory sequence was identified proceeding from maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs, to academic disengagement, to enhanced perceptions of school-related stress, to depressive symptoms. This study bridges prior theory and research concerning the psychological impact of normative developmental transitions, the developmental context of depression, and the associations among self-regulatory beliefs, achievement-related behavior, and emotional experience.
RF power measurement in D-band using down-converter calibrated by three-mixer method

To establish an RF power standard above 110 GHz, we have developed a measurement system using a down-conversion mixer with a spectrum analyzer, and the conversion loss of the mixer was determined by the three-mixer method. This method measures the three transmission S-parameters (S21) of three mixer pairs using a vector network analyzer. The experimental results proved that the three-mixer method can determine the conversion loss of mixers with an uncertainty of 0.5 dB (level of confidence: 95%) in the entire range of the D-band. Using this uncertainty and the uncertainty of the spectrum analyzer, the proposed system can measure the RF power in the D-band with an uncertainty of less than 2.0 dB.
Quantitative Evaluation of Brain Magnetic Resonance Images Using Voxel-based Morphometry and Bayesian Theorem for Patients with Bipolar Disorder

The present diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD), which mainly depends on patients’ symptoms and self reports of past history and mood status, may encounter difficulty of distinguishing from unipolar disorder when patients behave depressively in clinic. This work proposes a novel computer-aided evaluation system for bipolar disorder using anatomic magnetic resonance images (MRI) to provide a second opinion for clinician’s diagnosis. First we adopt the voxel-based morphometry method to identify brain regions with significant difference between patient and normal control groups as regions of interest (ROIs). Then the MRI data within these ROIs are processed with principal component analysis (PCA) in order to reduce feature dimensionality. Finally, a classification model based on Bayesian theorem together with Parzen-window density estimation in PCA space is constructed to provide the possibility of an individual belonging to the BD patient group. The proposed system reaches 86.8% accuracy in classification. In our experiment, the misdetection rate was zero, and the false alarm was 15.8%. Through appropriate feature analysis and selection method, this computer-aided system can detect the disease of BD and obtain high classification accuracy.
Aerodynamic Characteristics of Saccate Pollen Grains

The pollen grains of several gymnosperm groups consist of a main body and one to three air-filled bladders, or sacci. Although sacci may serve a buoyancy function to orient the grain on the ovular pollination droplet in some taxa, sacci have also been shown to increase pollen volume while adding minimal mass, thus decreasing density and thereby increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of wind pollination. However, no published studies have quantitatively addressed the effects of grain geometry or surface ornamentation at the low Reynolds numbers that pollen grains demonstrate. The objectives of this study were to empirically investigate the effects of varying geometries and surface ornamentation on the aerodynamic properties of saccate pollen grains through the experimental determination of drag coefficients and shape factors. Structurally different grains of two extant conifers (Pinus and Falcatifolium) were studied, and using electron microscopy, mathematical modeling, and solid modeling, we created scaled-up physical models of the pollen types. Models were produced with and without sacci, as well as with and without surface texture on the main body. Sacci increased the shape factor, or resistance coefficient, in all pollen types studied, compared to the same types that had been modeled without sacci. The presence of surface ornamentation also decreased the drag coefficients for saccate pollen grains of Pinus. This study is the first to experimentally demonstrate the effect of surface texture on drag for any biological or nonbiological particle at low Reynolds numbers. This study also provides additional empirical evidence for the aerodynamic role of sacci, supporting their adaptive significance for anemophily.
A wireless sensor system for global self-localization and collaborative actioning

Recent progress in MEMS technology and miniaturization together with low power radio solutions have enabled new concepts of wireless sensor devices and applications. In this article, we present a wireless sensor system developed for conducting experiments in global self-localization, collaborative actioning, and gestural control. The sensor system consists of multiple wireless nodes, based on the nRF24L01 radio transceiver, and a base station. Each sensor node includes 3-axis accelerometer, atmospheric pressure sensor, photo detector, and a microphone. For global self-localization experiments 3-axis magnetometer was added to a sensor node by using the expansion bus of the node. Depending on the application the sensor data is stored into the flash memory inside the base station or sent directly to a host computer through the radio link. The selected applications and preliminary results are also presented.
Vortices at planar defects in layered superconductors.

We propose a self-consistent nonlocal approach for the description of vortices in layered supeconductors that contain planar defects parallel to the layers. The model takes account of interlayer Josephson coupling and of a reduced maximum Josephson current density {ital j}{sub 0}{prime} across the defect as compared to {ital j}{sub 0} for other interlayer junctions. Analytical formulas that describe the structure of both static and moving vortices, including the nonlinear Josephson core region, are obtained. Within the framework of the model, we have calculated the lower critical field {ital H}{sub {ital c}1}, vortex mass {ital M}, viscous drag coefficient {mu}, and the nonlinear current-voltage characteristic {ital V}({ital j}) for a vortex moving along planar defects. It is shown that for identical junctions ({ital j}{sub 0}{prime}={ital j}{sub 0}) our approach reproduces results of Clem, Coffey, and Hao [Phys. Rev. B {bold 42}, 6209 (1990); {bold 44}, 2732 (1991); {bold 44}, 6903 (1991)] for {mu}, {ital M}, and {ital H}{sub {ital c}1}. In the opposite limit {ital j}{sub 0}{prime}{lt}{ital j}{sub 0}, our model gives an Abrikosov vortex with anisotropic Josephson core described by a nonlocal Josephson electrodynamics. A sign change in the curvature of {ital V}({ital j}) is shown to occur due tomore » a crossover between underdamped ({ital T}{lt}{ital T}{sub {ital c}}) and overdamped {ital T}{approx_equal}{ital T}{sub {ital c}} dynamics of interlayer junctions as the temperature {ital T} is increased. Implications of the results on the {ital c}-axis current transport in high-{ital T}{sub {ital c}} superconductors are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society. }« less
Microbial production of citric acid

Citric acid is the most important organic acid produced in tonnage and is extensively used in food and pharmaceutical industries. It is produced mainly by submerged fermentation using Aspergillus niger or Candida sp. from different sources of carbohydrates, such as molasses and starch based media. However, other fermentation techniques, e.g. solid state fermentation and surface fermentation, and alternative sources of carbon such as agro-industrial residues have been intensively studied showing great perspective to its production. This paper reviews recent developments on citric acid production by presenting a brief summary of the subject, describing micro-organisms, production techniques, and substrates, etc.