Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elements of exogenous attentional cueing preserved during optokinetic motion of the visual scene

Navigating through our environment raises challenges for perception by generating salient background visual motion and eliciting prominent eye movements to stabilise the retinal image. It remains unclear if exogenous spatial attentional orienting is possible during background motion and the eye movements it causes and whether this compromises the underlying neural processing. To test this, we combined exogenous orienting, visual scene motion, and electroencephalography (EEG). A total of 26 participants viewed a background of moving black and grey bars (optokinetic stimulation). We tested for effects of non‐spatially predictive peripheral cueing on visual motion discrimination of a target dot, presented either at the same (valid) or opposite (invalid) location as the preceding cue. Valid cueing decreased reaction times not only when participants kept their gaze fixed on a central point (fixation blocks) but also even when there was no fixation point, so that participants performed intensive, repetitive tracking eye movements (eye movement blocks). Overall, manual response reaction times were slower during eye movements. Cueing also produced reliable effects on neural activity on either block, including within the first 120 ms of neural processing of the target. The key pattern with larger event‐related potential (ERP) amplitudes on invalid versus valid trials showed that the neural substrate of exogenous cueing was highly similar during eye movements or fixation. Exogenous peripheral cueing and its neural correlates are robust against distraction from the moving visual scene, important for perceptual cognition during navigation.
System Study of Urban Response and Reconstruction due to Earthquake

The functioning of lifeline systems after a major earthquake is critical to the modern urban center. A system study of lifeline response to catastrophic earthquakes is the essential prerequisite for the emergency management authority to form a mitigation and reconstruction plan to minimize the total loss caused by the earthquake. This paper develops an applied formulation of lifeline-restoration processes in the post-earthquake period, on the basis of a discrete-state, discrete-time Markov process. There are a finite number of damaged lifelines that each require a resource for reconstruction. The lifelines have values associated with their functioning capacity. We wish to assign limited resources to lifelines so as to minimize the total loss caused by malfunction of damaged lifelines. Dynamic programming is used to optimize the distribution of limited reconstruction resources. By computer simulation, various scenarios are examined, and useful information that is important to the emergency management authority is obtained.
Decision tree-induced fuzzy rule-based differential relaying for transmission line including unified power flow controller and wind-farms

The paper presents a decision tree (DT) induced fuzzy rule-based intelligent differential relaying scheme for transmission lines including unified power flow controller (UPFC) and wind-farms. The conventional distance relaying scheme fails miserably in protecting transmission lines including flexible AC transmission systems controllers such as UPFC and further, the protection issues become more challenging when wind-farm is integrated. The proposed protection scheme extracts features from the instantaneous voltage and current signals from both ends of the transmission line using discrete Fourier transform based pre-processor and computes corresponding differential features. The differential features are used to build the fault classification tree using a data-mining algorithm known as DT. Further, the fuzzy membership functions are drawn using the DT thresholds and the corresponding fuzzy rule-base is developed for final relaying decision. The proposed technique has been extensively tested (in MATLAB environment) for single circuit and double circuit transmission lines including UPFC and wind-farms with wide variations in operating conditions. The test results indicate that the proposed DT-induced fuzzy rule-based relaying scheme is highly reliable and robust for protection of complex transmission line including UPFC and wind-farm.
Pharmacologic inhibition of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related (ATR) in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poses significant treatment challenges, with high recurrence rates for locally advanced disease despite aggressive therapy typically involving a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. HNSCCs commonly exhibit reduced or absent TP53 function due to genomic alterations or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, leading to dependence on the S‐ and G2/M checkpoints for cell cycle regulation. Both of these checkpoints are activated by Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3‐related (ATR), which tends to be overexpressed in HNSCC relative to adjacent normal tissues and represents a potentially promising therapeutic target, particularly in combination with other treatments. ATR is a DNA damage signaling kinase that is activated in response to replication stress and single‐stranded DNA breaks, such as those induced by radiation therapy and certain chemotherapies. ATR kinase inhibitors are currently being investigated in several clinical trials as part of the management of locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic HNSCC, along with other malignancies. In this review article, we summarize the rationale and preclinical data supporting incorporation of ATR inhibition into therapeutic regimens for HNSCC.
A qualitative analysis of communication workflows between adult day service centers and primary care providers

Abstract Objectives Our study documented communication workflows across adult day care centers (ADCs) and primary care providers (PCPs) around complex needs of persons living with dementia (PLWD). We also identified barriers and facilitators to productive communication in clinical decision support and clinical information systems. Materials and Methods We conducted 6 focus groups with ADC staff (N = 33) and individual semistructured interviews with PCPs (N = 22) in California. The eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model was used to frame the directed qualitative content analysis. Results Our results captured cumbersome and ineffective workflows currently used to exchange information across PCPs and ADCs. Stakeholders characterized current communication as (1) infrequent, (2) delayed, (3) incomplete, (4) unreliable, (5) irrelevant, and (6) generic. Conversely, communication that was bidirectional, relevant, succinct, and interdisciplinary was needed to elevate the standard of care for PLWD. Discussion and Conclusion ADCs possess a wealth of information that can support clinical decision-making across community-based providers involved in the care of PLWD, especially PCPs. However, effective information exchange is mired by complicated workflows that rely on antiquated technologies (eg, facsimile) and standard templates. Current information exchange largely focuses on satisfying regulatory guidelines rather than supporting clinical decision-making. Integrating community-based services into the health care continuum is a necessary step in elevating the standard of care for PLWD. In the absence of interoperable electronic health records, which may not be financially viable for ADCs, other options, such as mobile health, should be explored to facilitate productive information exchange of personalized relevant information.
A study of operator-induced instabilities in a tactual virtual environment

One of the major outcomes of the EPSRC/British Aerospace supported project "Enabling Tactile Technology Environments", was the Reactabot, a three degree of freedom force feedback device which provides tactual/kinaesthetic feedback to an operator via a surrogate object. Systems of this nature exhibit unwanted oscillatory behaviour and eventually instability if the virtual mass is reduced to too low a value, corresponding to raising the loop gain too high. The onset of this behaviour is found to be operator dependent. This paper studies the phenomenon in detail, modelling both the open loop system and human operator in the feedback path. It is shown that the variation between operators, allied with the unwanted but inevitable phase lags in the open loop system, cause the undesirable behaviour and suggestions are made to minimise their effect.
How Perceptions of Responsibility and Affective Consequences Influence Parents’ Digital Media Engagement in Relation to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination

Individuals are expected to be responsible for their own health and that of their families—and act accordingly. Yet, being in a position of responsibility might be undesirable for individuals either unable or reluctant to comply with the expectations this responsibility entails. In this article, I explore how parents experience the process of engaging responsibly with digital media in relation to the question of human papillomavirus vaccination. The study is based on interviews with eighteen Danish parents, and my findings show that these parents not only understand themselves but also other actors in terms of responsibility, and that being positioned in terms of responsibility can have negative affective consequences. I argue that meeting the expectations of biological citizenship should not necessarily be a goal in relation to complex health topics.
Orienting to different dimensions of word meaning alters the representation of word meaning in early processing regions

Abstract Conscious processing of word meaning can be guided by attention. In this event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study in 22 healthy young volunteers, we examined in which regions orienting attention to two fundamental and generic dimensions of word meaning, concreteness versus valence, alters the semantic representations coded in activity patterns. The stimuli consisted of 120 nouns in written or spoken modality which varied factorially along the concreteness and valence axis. Participants performed a forced-choice judgement of either concreteness or valence. Rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate were strongly activated during valence judgement, and precuneus and the dorsal attention network during concreteness judgement. Task and stimulus type interacted in right posterior fusiform gyrus, left lingual gyrus, precuneus, and insula. In the right posterior fusiform gyrus and the left lingual gyrus, the correlation between the pairwise similarity in activity patterns evoked by words and the pairwise distance in valence and concreteness was modulated by the direction of attention, word valence or concreteness. The data indicate that orienting attention to basic dimensions of word meaning exerts effects on the representation of word meaning in more peripheral nodes, such as the ventral occipital cortex, rather than the core perisylvian language regions.
A Low Noise Distributed Amplifier with Gain Control

A 2 to 18 GHz monolithic GaAs distributed amplifier has been developed with 17dB nominal gain, less than 2.0:1 input and output VSWR, Iess than 6.0dB noise figure, and greater than 40dB gain control . The chip size at 3.0 sq. mm. (1.63mm by 1.88mm) makes it cost effective for a wide variety of applications.
A New Approach To Image Modeling And Edge Detection In The SEM

The need for feature-size measurements on microchips for VLSI and other developing technologies with micrometer and submicrometer dimensions has resulted in using scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) for critical dimension measurements during fabrication. However, good measurement practice requires the ability to accurately predict the observed signal output for any given feature. The model used to predict the output then becomes the basis for measurement algorithms, error analysis, and proper calibration techniques. The SEM, especially for secondary electron imaging and low beam voltages, has lacked the ability to quantitatively predict image waveforms at the 0.01 μm level needed for sub-micrometer dimensional control. This paper describes such a model for SEM imaging and edge detection. A new approach to secondary-electron image modeling has been developed consisting of a surface integral (over the line geometry) of a probability density function which describes the likelihood of a secondary electron being generated by the primary beam and emitted at a given point in space, if that point coincides with the surface of a line. This probability density function can be determined by using either a state-of-the-art Monte Carlo technique or by using a modified diffusion model which is a good approximation to the Monte Carlo method and greatly reduces the computation time. The calculation of the image from this probability density function takes into account edge geometry and shadowing due to nearby edges as well as field effects due to any bias voltage on the electron-detector grid. The Monte Carlo approach takes into account the fact that low energy secondary electrons cannot be produced inside the specimen by a primary or high energy secondary electron after it exits the surface of the specimen. The resulting probability density function which is referred to here as "forward-looking" is, therefore, not a gaussian distribution. An alternate approach to determination of the probability density function uses a modified diffusion model which, although it does not take into account the forward-looking aspect of electron scattering at edges, is shown to approximate edge images well. The diffusion approach has the advantage that calculations can be readily performed on a desktop computer in seconds as compared to hours for Monte Carlo simulations. In addition, it is readily adapted to the development of edge detection algorithms and error analyses.
Mapping cross-variant neutralizing sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

ABSTRACT The emergence of multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern threatens the efficacy of currently approved vaccines and authorized therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). It is hence important to continue searching for SARS-CoV-2 broadly neutralizing MAbs and defining their epitopes. Here, we isolate 9 neutralizing mouse MAbs raised against the spike protein of a SARS-CoV-2 prototype strain and evaluate their neutralizing potency towards a panel of variants, including B.1. 1.7, B.1. 351, B.1. 617.1, and B.1. 617.2. By using a combination of biochemical, virological, and cryo-EM structural analyses, we identify three types of cross-variant neutralizing MAbs, represented by S5D2, S5G2, and S3H3, respectively, and further define their epitopes. S5D2 binds the top lateral edge of the receptor-binding motif within the receptor-binding domain (RBD) with a binding footprint centred around the loop477–489, and efficiently neutralizes all variant pseudoviruses, but the potency against B.1. 617.2 was observed to decrease significantly. S5G2 targets the highly conserved RBD core region and exhibits comparable neutralization towards the variant panel. S3H3 binds a previously unreported epitope located within the evolutionarily stable SD1 region and is able to near equally neutralize all of the variants tested. Our work thus defines three distinct cross-variant neutralizing sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, providing guidance for design and development of broadly effective vaccines and MAb-based therapies.
P‐90: Automatic Optimization of Liquid Crystal Displays Applied to Discotic Compensation Design for a 90‐MTN LCoS Imager

We demonstrate the use of automatic optimization applied to the design of discotic compensation films for twisted nematic LCoS imagers. A least squares metric, adapted from optical lens design, is used to determine optimal design from a 4×4 simulation. The key to success is the proper choice of the merit function.
Shifts in xylanases and the microbial community associated with xylan biodegradation during treatment with rumen fluid

Treatment with rumen fluid improves methane production from non‐degradable lignocellulosic biomass during subsequent methane fermentation; however, the kinetics of xylanases during treatment with rumen fluid remain unclear. This study aimed to identify key xylanases contributing to xylan degradation and their individual activities during xylan treatment with bovine rumen microorganisms. Xylan was treated with bovine rumen fluid at 37°C for 48 h under anaerobic conditions. Total solids were degraded into volatile fatty acids and gases during the first 24 h. Zymography showed that xylanases of 24, 34, 85, 180, and 200 kDa were highly active during the first 24 h. Therefore, these xylanases are considered to be crucial for xylan degradation during treatment with rumen fluid. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the rumen microbial community’s structure and metabolic function temporally shifted during xylan biodegradation. Although statistical analyses did not reveal significantly positive correlations between xylanase activities and known xylanolytic bacterial genera, they positively correlated with protozoal (e.g., Entodinium, Diploplastron, and Eudiplodinium) and fungal (e.g., Neocallimastix, Orpinomyces, and Olpidium) genera and unclassified bacteria. Our findings suggest that rumen protozoa, fungi, and unclassified bacteria are associated with key xylanase activities, accelerating xylan biodegradation into volatile fatty acids and gases, during treatment of lignocellulosic biomass with rumen fluid.
Numerical Analysis of Junction Point Pressure during Droplet Formation in Y-Junction Microchannel

Junction point pressure changes during droplet formation in Y-junction microchannels with differed Y-angles, wetting property and capillary number of the liquid by using a three dimensional numerical simulation. The pressure of the junction point fluctuates throughout the droplet formation process, and it can be used to depict exactly and directly different stages of droplet in microchannels. And the pressure of junctions with different Y-angles of microchannel, different contact angles of dispersed phase with the surface, and different capillary numbers of continuous phase could thus be investigated via the droplet formation mechanism.
Co-existing neuropeptide FF and gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 coordinately modulate male sexual behavior.

Animals properly perform sexual behaviors by using multiple sensory cues. However, neural mechanisms integrating multiple sensory cues and regulating motivation for sexual behaviors remain unclear. Here, we focused on peptidergic neurons, terminal nerve gonadotropin-releasing hormone (TN-GnRH) neurons, which receive inputs from various sensory systems and co-express neuropeptide FF (NPFF) in addition to GnRH. Our behavioral analyses using knockout medaka of GnRH (gnrh3) and/or NPFF (npff) demonstrated that some sexual behavioral repertoires were 'delayed', not disrupted, in gnrh3 and npff single knockout males, while the double knockout appeared to alleviate the significant defects that were observed in single knockouts. We also found anatomical evidence to show that both neuropeptides modulate the sexual behavior-controlling brain areas. Furthermore, we demonstrated that NPFF activates neurons in the preoptic area via indirect pathway, which is considered to induce the increase in motivation for male sexual behaviors. Considering these results, we propose a novel mechanism by which co-existing peptides of the TN-GnRH neurons, NPFF and GnRH3, coordinately modulate certain neuronal circuit for the control of behavioral motivation. Our results may go a long way toward understanding the functional significance of peptidergic neuromodulation in response to sensory information from the external environments.
Disturbances in sleep, circadian rhythms and daytime functioning in relation to coronavirus infection and Long‐COVID – A multinational ICOSS study

This protocol paper describes the second survey produced by the International Covid Sleep Study (ICOSS) group with the aim to examine the associations between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and sleep, sleepiness, and circadian problems as potential predisposing factors for more severe COVID‐19 disease profile and for development of Long‐COVID in the general population. The survey consists of 47 questions on sleep, daytime sleepiness, circadian rhythm, health, mental wellbeing, life habits, and socioeconomic situation before and during the pandemic, and conditional questions to those reporting having had coronavirus infection, being vaccinated, or suffering from particular sleep symptoms or sleep disorders. Surveys will be administered online between May and November 2021 in Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and USA. Data collected by the survey will give valuable information on the open questions regarding COVID‐19 disease risk factors, symptomatology and evolution of Long‐COVID, and on other long‐term consequences related to the pandemic.
Inter-brain synchronization is weakened by the introduction of external punishment

Abstract Punishment is a popular institution to enforce social norms in human society. However, how the punishment institution impacts the inter-brain neural signatures of two-person social interactions is still an open question. By performing electroencephalography recording of brain activity in two interacting parties as they simultaneously played both the revised repeated ultimatum game (rrUG) and the revised repeated dictator game (rrDG), this study focused on exploring how the introduction of external punishment influences inter-brain synchronization between the two parties. The data showed a significant negative effect of external punishment on inter-brain synchronization, with greater inter-brain synchronization observed in the rrDG than in the rrUG. We proposed a possible mechanism underlying this result. In the rrDG, the similar moral motivation of both proposers and responders results in inter-brain synchronization between them. However, in the rrUG, the introduction of external punishment crowds out the intrinsic moral motivation of the proposers, thereby undermining the inter-brain synchronization. Moreover, we found a significant positive correlation between the rejection rate from responders for disadvantageous inequal offer and inter-brain synchronization in the rrDG. These findings contribute to understanding the negative effect of punishment institution and shed light on the inter-brain mechanism underlying social interaction.