Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overlapping Representation of Basic Tastes in the Human Gustatory Cortex

The topological representation is a fundamental property of human primary sensory cortices. The human gustatory cortex (GC) responds to the five basic tastes: bitter, salty, sweet, umami, and sour. However, the topological representation of the human gustatory cortex remains controversial. Through functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) measurements of human responses to the five basic tastes, the current study aimed to delineate the taste representations within the GC. During the scanning, the volunteers tasted solutions of the five basic tastes, then washed their mouths with the tasteless solution. The solutions were then sucked from the volunteers’ mouths, eliminating the action of swallowing. The results showed that the bilateral mid-insula activated most during the taste task, and the active areas were mainly in the precentral and central insular sulcus. However, the regions responding to the five basic tastes are substantially overlapped, and the analysis of contrasts between each taste response and the averaged response to the remaining tastes does not report any significant results. Furthermore, in the gustatory insular cortex, the multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) was unable to distinguish the activation patterns of the basic tastes, suggesting the possibility of weakly clustered distribution of the taste-preference neural activities in the human insular cortex. In conclusion, the presented results suggest overlapping representations of the basic tastes in the human gustatory insular cortex.
Measurement and Definition of Gentrification in Urban Studies and Planning

The amount of empirical research on the extent, causes, and consequences of gentrification continues to expand. This article reviews the methods utilized to delimit and quantify gentrification in the literature. Such measurement is undertaken in order to assess the consequences of gentrification, such as displacement, over various time scales and geographies. Recent research has demonstrated that the use of different quantitative definitions of gentrification may yield conflicting research results, and further, can muddy the waters for policymaking and political discourse. This article critically assesses the breadth of quantitative definitions and offers recommendations for future studies.
Beneficial Effects of Vitamin E Supplementation on Endothelial Dysfunction, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Inflammation and oxidative stress are closely related to cardiovascular complications and atherosclerosis, and have the potential to lead to an increase in death in patients receiving hemodialysis. Vitamin E has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of vitamin E supplementation on endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress biomarkers in adult patients receiving hemodialysis. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases and identified randomized controlled trials of adult patients receiving hemodialysis until 30 August 2021. A total of 11 trials with 491 randomized patients were included. The pooled data indicated that vitamin E supplementation significantly decreased intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [standardized mean difference (SMD): −1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.57, −0.13; p = 0.03, I2 = 89%], vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (SMD: −1.08; 95% CI: −2.05, −0.11; p = 0.03, I2 = 81%), C-reactive protein (SMD: −0.41; 95% CI: −0.75, −0.07; p = 0.02, I2 = 64%), and malondialdehyde (SMD: −0.76; 95% CI: −1.26, −0.25; p = 0.003, I2 = 77%) levels, but not interleukin-6 levels compared to those in the control group. Our results suggest that vitamin E supplementation may help alleviate oxidative stress and both vascular and systemic inflammation in patients receiving hemodialysis.
Memory Issues in Embedded Systems-on-Chip: Optimizations and Exploration

From the Publisher: Memory Issues in Embedded Systems-on-Chip: Optimizations and Exploration covers techniques for optimization of system-level memory requirements, and exploration of candidate memory architectures for implementing processor-core-based embedded systems. It is designed for researchers and graduate students; for designers of embedded systems who are migrating from a traditional micro-controller centered, board-based design methodology to newer design methodologies using IP blocks for process of core-based embedded systems-on-chip; and for CAD tool developers who wish to expand their application base from a hardware synthesis target to embedded systems that combine significant amounts of software and hardware.
Defense Against Node Compromise in Sensor Network Security

Security issues in Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) mainly come from attacks. In general, the attacks in WSNs can be classified as external attacks and internal attacks. In an external attack, the attacking node is not an authorized participant of the sensor network. Cryptography and other security methods can prevent some of external attacks. However, node compromise, the major and unique problem that leads to internal attacks, will eliminate all the efforts. Knowing the probability of node compromise will help systems to detect and defend against it. Although there are some approaches that can be used to detect and defend against node compromise, few of them have the ability to estimate the probability of node compromise. Hence, we develop basic uniform, basic gradient, intelligent uniform and intelligent gradient models for node compromise distribution in order to adapt to different application environments. These models allow systems to estimate the probability of node compromise. Applying these models in system security designs can improve system security and decrease the overheads nearly in every security area.
Effect of Social and Environmental Disclosure on the Performance of Listed Consumer Goods Producing Companies in Nigeria

Information is power; its presentation, processes and utilization can make or mare circumstances. One of the strategies of bridging information asymmetry is to disclose relevant information required by stakeholders in taking crucial decision. The impact of social and environmental disclosure on the performance of Nigeria consumer goods’ producing companies was examined in this paper, using multiple regression analysis while the sample constitute 16 out of 20 companies listed as consumer goods sector. The study found that social and environmental disclosure had significant effect on return on assets while firm size and age had no significant control in the effect of social and environmental disclosure on ROA. Also, social and environmental disclosure had insignificant effect on earnings per share (EPS) but firm size and age had significant control in the effect of social and environmental disclosure on EPS. The study concluded that social and environmental disclosure has significant impact on the performance of manufacturing companies in Nigeria. It was opined that managers should ensure that information about their social practices is well communicated in an understandable manner to the stakeholders, and thus the stakeholders would be able to comprehend, value and process it in taking meaningful decision about the firm, and that disclosure should be country-specific; every country should design the benchmark, rules and guidelines befitting their environment for such to be impactful.
Structural and Functional Characterization of One Unclassified Glutathione S-Transferase in Xenobiotic Adaptation of Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Arthropod Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a large family of multifunctional enzymes that are mainly associated with xenobiotic or stress adaptation. GST-mediated xenobiotic adaptation takes place through direct metabolism or sequestration of xenobiotics, and/or indirectly by providing protection against oxidative stress induced by xenobiotic exposure. To date, the roles of GSTs in xenobiotic adaptation in the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), a notorious agricultural pest of plants within Solanaceae, have not been well studied. Here, we functionally expressed and characterized an unclassified-class GST, LdGSTu1. The three-dimensional structure of the LdGSTu1 was solved with a resolution up to 1.8 Å by X-ray crystallography. The signature motif VSDGPPSL was identified in the “G-site”, and it contains the catalytically active residue Ser14. Recombinant LdGSTu1 was used to determine enzyme activity and kinetic parameters using 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), GSH, p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNA) as substrates. The enzyme kinetic parameters and enzyme-substrate interaction studies demonstrated that LdGSTu1 could catalyze the conjugation of GSH to both CDNB and PNA, with a higher turnover number for CDNB than PNA. The LdGSTu1 enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that the enzymatic conjugation of GSH to CDNB was inhibited by multiple pesticides, suggesting a potential function of LdGSTu1 in xenobiotic adaptation.
Wave run-up on stepped slopes

Abstract In the design of coastal structures such as seawalls or breakwaters, it is necessary to calculate the wave run-up height so as to define the height of structures. Thus, precise estimation of the wave run-up height would bring about the engineering safety and economy. Most formula for the wave run-up calculation are empirical formula, introduced from laboratory experimental data and have been proposed for either the wave run-up on smooth slopes or on rubble-mound slopes. The research on stepped slope is, however, still limited. In this study, an existing form of the wave run-up formula that accounts for the roughness of surface slopes was applied to forecast the wave run-up on stepped slopes. Empirical parameters in the formula were determined from the experimental data in laboratory. The experiments were conducted with a regular wave flume of 60 cm wide, 80 cm deep and 16 m long. The depth of water in a uniform section of the flume was 35 cm. Regular waves were generated at the frequencies of 0.83, 1.00, 1.17, 1.33, 1.50 and 1.67 Hz. For the case of smooth slopes, the slope ranged from 15 to 25 degrees and for the case of stepped slopes, the slope ranged for 14 to 27 degrees. The step riser heights were 2, 3, 4 and 5 cm. The experimental results showed that the wave run-up decreased as the riser heights increased, due to increasing friction. The wave run-up formula for both smooth and stepped slopes is proposed with satisfactory precision Keywords : Empirical formula; Seawall; Stepped slope; Wave run-up; Wave steepness
Dielectric electroactive polymer applications in buildings

The use of smart materials in buildings is investigated. In particular, a new category of smart materials, called dielectric electroactive polymers (DEAPs), is discussed. DEAPs are materials whose shape and stiffness can be changed by electric stimulus. These properties led the author to investigate the potential application of DEAPs in buildings. DEAPs are produced by covering a soft polymer with dielectrics on both sides. The properties of DEAPs are described to illustrate the differences between these and other smart materials. A description of the electric behaviour of the material is also presented. Applications of DEAPs in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, to control air or water motion, are additionally considered. Applications in large flexible structures such as building envelopes are described. As DEAPs can be laminated easily and they have great power density, they can be used in the management systems of facades, to control transparency or ventilation of the building envelopes. Finally, vibration isolation possibilities and building monitoring purposes are discussed. The state-of-the-art of DEAP science is reviewed and possible applications in buildings are described.
Evaluating Effectiveness of Outpatient Monitoring in Type 2 Diabetes: The One-Year Experience in an Italian Group of Primary Care

Nowadays, chronic disease management is the primary challenge of the healthcare system. From 2015, in the Veneto region (Italy), patients with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been included in the diagnostic-therapeutic pathway (PDTA) program, and their clinical condition has been continuously monitored. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the effectiveness of PDTA intervention, alone or in combination with a specialized one, in subjects with diagnosis of T2DM. Clinical and behavioral characteristics were collected at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Two subgroups were considered: subjects enrolled in PDTA only and subjects enrolled in both the PDTA program and in the care plan proposed by the specialized medical center (CAD group). Longitudinal analysis showed a relevant positive effect of time on diastolic blood pressure, while CAD enrollment appears to be related to higher levels of glycated hemoglobin. When included together in the same model, interaction between time and CAD covariates results in completely nonsignificant effects. As long-term management of chronic disorders, such as T2DM, is often difficult due to disease characteristics and problems in healthcare organization, monitoring programs, such as PDTA, and specialized care programs, such as CAD, do not show a clinically relevant effect in the first year of follow-up. Therefore, they should be analyzed over a longer period. However, they should also carefully consider the need for adequate tools for data collection and sharing, in addition to the context of application, patient expectations and the need for a long-term educational program.
Identifying knowledge transfer barriers within a complex supply chain organization

This research is concerned with understanding how organizational performance can be improved through effective knowledge transfer. In particular, the researcher is interested in organizational performance as it relates to those organizations that rely on core horizontal business processes, such as those found within a supply chain. Many organizations develop knowledge strategies to try and utilise existing knowledge within their organizations. However, this process tends to be developed from a top-down perspective, and deployed on an organization-wide basis. It is the researcher’s contention that this is not a suitable approach for developing an effective knowledge strategy for supply chain / complex organizations. It is the researcher’s belief that in order to develop and define a suitable method for knowledge strategy development and implementation, how knowledge and information are created and shared along core business processes must first be understood. To do this it is important to identify the barriers that impact knowledge transfer across an organization, and more specifically, along core business processes. By mapping a core IBM supply chain process, and identifying the employee work groups associated with the process (through social network analysis), the researcher was able to identify and assess knowledge transfer barriers, and how they impact along the IBM order flow process. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods the researcher developed an emergent theory concerning how organizations should approach the identification and management of knowledge transfer barriers.
Accurate analysis of microstrip patch antennas using FDTD method

The finite difference time domain (FDTD) method can be used to analyze complex microstrip patch antennas with various feed structures. This paper uses some recent advances in conjunction with the FDTD algorithm to accurately and quickly analyze this kind of antenna with coaxial probe feed. The use of these novel techniques make it possible to analyze large complex objects.
Two-Week Rehabilitation with Auditory Biofeedback Prosthesis Reduces Whole Body Angular Momentum Range during Walking in Stroke Patients with Hemiplegia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Walking rehabilitation is challenging in stroke patients with sensory impairments. In this study, we examined the two-week effect of an auditory biofeedback prosthesis, Auditory Foot (AF), on the change in the frontal whole body angular momentum (WBAM) range, before and after a two-week walking rehabilitation. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). We employed statistical Bayesian modeling to understand the mechanism of the rehabilitation effect and predict the expected effect in new patients. The best-performing model indicated that the frontal WBAM range was reduced in the AF group by 12.9–28.7%. This suggests that the use of kinesthetic biofeedback in gait rehabilitation contributes to the suppression of frontal WBAM, resulting in an improved walking balance function in stroke patients.
The Efficacy of a Holding Community Program—Promoting Social Reflection at School

The authors developed a Holding Community Program to achieve the following objectives: (a) to increase the perspective-taking capacity of adolescents; (b) to promote interpersonal and intergroup harmony; (c) to empower school students to be more (pro)active in their communities and in public life. Apart from the intervention itself, the study comprised a pre-test and a post-test and involved a total of 240 Hungarian high school students (159 female, 66.3%). The students were aged 14–18 (Mage=15.33; SDage=0.88). They were recruited from four high schools. Control groups (N=122) were chosen from the same institution and graded as experimental classes (N=118, 7 classes). Both immediate and long-term effects of the intervention (4–6 months after the intervention) were explored. Quantitative analysis of the data indicated that the two-day intervention program had significantly increased the students’ perspective-taking capacity (short-term: F(1,238)=6.03, p<0.05, long-term: n.s. ) and efficacy beliefs (short-term: F(1,238)= 3.83, p=0.052, long-term: F(1,238)= 3.38, p<0.05). After the training, students were more willing to participate in collective actions (short-term: F(1,238)= 7.32, p<0.01, long-term: F(1,238)= 3.83, p<0.05). These results seem quite promising but the outcome was not significant regarding its effect on prejudice.
Aplikasi Pengenalan Plat Nomor Kendaraan Dengan Metode Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Perkembangnya teknologi komputer memang tidak lepas dari pemanfaatan sebuah aplikasi. Berbagai aplikasi telah banyak diterapkan dalam bidang yang berhubungan dengan data citra digital. Bidang pada citra digital salah satunya adalah pengenalan pola yang digunakan untuk mengenali pola citra itu sendiri. Pengenalan pola pada citra digital di manfaatkan untuk mengenali citra plat nomor. Plat nomor memiliki susunan dari kode wilayah berupa huruf, nomor urut berupa angka, dan kode kota berupa huruf. Susunan huruf dan angka tersebut dikenali oleh aplikasi dalam bentuk bilangan biner sehingga bidang pengenalan pola sangat tepat digunakan. Penerapan pengenalan pola pada citra plat nomor dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan sebuah metode yaitu metode OCR. Metode OCR memiliki tahapan dalam penerapannya dan tahapan itu meliputi yang pertama, akusisi. Proses akusisi berfungsi untuk mengambil objek citra plat nomor kemudian menjadikannya sebagai inputan citra digital. Kedua prepocessing, adalah kumpulan dari beberapa proses yang digunakan untuk mengolah citra plat nomor yang terdiri dari image adjustment (imadjust), image complement, biner, dan morphological opening. Ketiga adalah proses OCR, yang berfungsi mengkorelasikan antara karakter pola citra plat nomor dengan citra template matching. Proses OCR sekaligus juga akan mengubah citra yang telah dikorelasikan untuk di ubah menjadi text. Keempat adalah proses identifikasi yang digunakan untuk mengidentifikasi bagian karakter terakhir dari output text untuk di cari identitas kota dari plat nomor itu sendiri. Penelitian dilakukan terhadap beberapa sampel citra plat nomor yang berjumlah 10 buah dengan masing-masing dari kota yang berbeda di wilayah Surakarta. Semua sampel tersebut melalui tahap proses akusisi hingga proses identifikasi dengan hasil rata-rata tingkat keberhasilan 96,25%. Berdasarkan 10 sampel hanya 8 sampel citra yang berhasil dengan tingkat keberhasilan 100% dan 2 sampel citra terdapat sedikit kesalahan dengan tingkat keberhasilan 75% dan 87,5%. Sampel citra plat nomor yang berjumlah 8 buah tersebut berhasil dikarenakan karakter pola citra plat nomor dengan citra template matching ketika melalui proses OCR perhitungan nilai binernya hampir sama. Sedangkan 2 buah citra plat nomor yang terdapat kesalahan karena ketidaksamaan nilai biner karakter pola citra plat nomor dengan citra template matching sehingga, diambil pola citra lain yang nilai binernya terdekat.
State-Public University Contractual Relationship Impact on Student’s Accessibility Rights: The Agency Theory Perspective

The state-public university contractual relationship constrains public universities to be driven by the state expected level of quality output of graduates. The relationship reduces institutional substantive and procedural autonomy in specific key areas like student admission. In order to achieve good results consonant to the state support, universities are directed to ensure strict scrutiny of those they admit. This locks out many qualifying students from accessing studies at state-funded institutions. This study uses the perspective of agency theory to assess the impact of state – public university contractual relationship on student’s accessibility rights. The interpretive phenomenological analysis enabled to appreciate data collected through self-administered questions given to seven participants in four public and regional universities. The analysis bases on parameters of selection and admission. The study recommends capital grant, national ranking of academic units, and policy imperatives for special interest groups as the means by which sub-Saharan higher education institutions can maximise students’ access rights
Response to Electrostimulation Is Impaired in Muscle Cells from Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Among the comorbidities associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy are known to affect patient survival rate. In addition to muscle deconditioning, various systemic and intrinsic factors have been implicated in COPD muscle dysfunction but an impaired COPD muscle adaptation to contraction has never been extensively studied. We submitted cultured myotubes from nine healthy subjects and nine patients with COPD to an endurance-type protocol of electrical pulse stimulation (EPS). EPS induced a decrease in the diameter, covered surface and expression of MHC1 in COPD myotubes. Although the expression of protein degradation markers was not affected, expression of the protein synthesis marker mTOR was not induced in COPD compared to healthy myotubes after EPS. The expression of the differentiation markers p16INK4a and p21 was impaired, while expression of Myf5 and MyoD tended to be affected in COPD muscle cells in response to EPS. The expression of mitochondrial biogenesis markers PGC1α and MFN2 was affected and expression of TFAM and COX1 tended to be reduced in COPD compared to healthy myotubes upon EPS. Lipid peroxidation was increased and the expression of the antioxidant enzymes SOD2 and GPx4 was affected in COPD compared to healthy myotubes in response to EPS. Thus, we provide evidence of an impaired response of COPD muscle cells to contraction, which might be involved in the muscle weakness observed in patients with COPD.