Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lack of Hyperinhibition of Oriens Lacunosum-Moleculare Cells by Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Expressing Cells in a Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Abstract Temporal lobe epilepsy remains a common disorder with no cure and inadequate treatments, potentially because of an incomplete understanding of how seizures start. CA1 pyramidal cells and many inhibitory interneurons increase their firing rate in the seconds-minutes before a spontaneous seizure in epileptic rats. However, some interneurons fail to do so, including those identified as putative interneurons with somata in oriens and axons targeting lacunosum-moleculare (OLM cells). Somatostatin-containing cells, including OLM cells, are the primary target of inhibitory vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and calretinin-expressing (VIP/CR) bipolar interneuron-selective interneurons, type 3 (ISI-3). The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that in epilepsy inhibition of OLM cells by ISI-3 is abnormally increased, potentially explaining the failure of OLM recruitment when needed most during the ramp up of activity preceding a seizure. Stereological quantification of VIP/CR cells in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy demonstrated that they survive in epileptic mice, despite a reduction in their somatostatin-expressing (Som) cell targets. Paired recordings of unitary IPSCs (uIPSCs) from ISI-3 to OLM cells did not show increased connection probability or increased connection strength, and failure rate was unchanged. When miniature postsynaptic currents in ISI-3 were compared, only mIPSC frequency was increased in epileptic hippocampi. Nevertheless, spontaneous and miniature postsynaptic potentials were unchanged in OLM cells of epileptic mice. These results are not consistent with the hypothesis of hyperinhibition from VIP/CR bipolar cells impeding recruitment of OLM cells in advance of a seizure.
A component-based control system for agile manufacturing

Abstract Increasing complexity and interdependency in manufacturing enterprises requires an agile manufacturing paradigm. This paper considers the characteristics that a component-based control system needs to embody to support agility in this context. The concept of a component that incorporates automation hardware, software, control services, and manufacturing-related services into a basic modular unit is reported. A component encapsulates low-level, real-time implementation and component-specific knowledge, which are abstracted and exposed as standard interfaces to enable it to be integrated into a manufacturing system as a common, reusable building block. The concept and control of the component is outlined in this paper and the methodology for the implementation of a component-based control system is illustrated. Finally, the implementation of the component-based concept at Johann A. Krause Maschinenfabrik GmbH, a major manufacturer of automotive assembly automation systems, is described.
Millimeter wave detectors using the pyroelectric effect

Experimental work conducted on pyroelectric detectors in the microwave and millimeter wave regions show that the response time of such a device utilizing TGS at room temperature is on the order of 40 ns. An analysis is presented which shows good agreement with the experimental results for both long and short duration pulses. Observing the pyroelectric response also provides a direct measure of the thermal conductivity of the material. Our estimated value for TGS at room temperature is 9.1 \times 10^{-5} cal/cm.s. °C.
Pro-Inflammatory Serum Amyloid a Stimulates Renal Dysfunction and Enhances Atherosclerosis in Apo E-Deficient Mice

Acute serum amyloid A (SAA) is an apolipoprotein that mediates pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic pathways. SAA-mediated signalling is diverse and includes canonical and acute immunoregulatory pathways in a range of cell types and organs. This study aimed to further elucidate the roles for SAA in the pathogenesis of vascular and renal dysfunction. Two groups of male ApoE-deficient mice were administered SAA (100 µL, 120 µg/mL) or vehicle control (100 µL PBS) and monitored for 4 or 16 weeks after SAA treatment; tissue was harvested for biochemical and histological analyses at each time point. Under these conditions, SAA administration induced crosstalk between NF-κB and Nrf2 transcriptional factors, leading to downstream induction of pro-inflammatory mediators and antioxidant response elements 4 weeks after SAA administration, respectively. SAA treatment stimulated an upregulation of renal IFN-γ with a concomitant increase in renal levels of p38 MAPK and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities, which is linked to tissue fibrosis. In the kidney of SAA-treated mice, the immunolocalisation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was markedly increased, and this was localised to the parietal epithelial cells lining Bowman’s space within glomeruli, which led to progressive renal fibrosis. Assessment of aortic root lesion at the study endpoint revealed accelerated atherosclerosis formation; animals treated with SAA also showed evidence of a thinned fibrous cap as judged by diffuse collagen staining. Together, this suggests that SAA elicits early renal dysfunction through promoting the IFN-γ-iNOS-p38 MAPK axis that manifests as the fibrosis of renal tissue and enhanced cardiovascular disease.
DISTRIBUTION AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF PERCHLORATE IN THE HIGH PLAINS REGION OF TEXAS FINAL REPORT

DISTRIBUTION AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF PERCHLORATE IN THE HIGH PLAINS REGION OF TEXAS FINAL REPORT By W. Andrew Jackson, Ken Rainwater, Todd Anderson, Tom Lehman, Richard Tock, Srinath Rajagopalan, and Moira Ridley Texas Tech University Water Resources Center Box 41022, Lubbock, Texas 79409-1022 Submitted to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087 August 31, 2004
A Scalable Open-Set ECG Identification System Based on Compressed CNNs

Deep learning (DL) is known for its excellence in feature learning and its ability to deliver high-accuracy results. Its application to ECG biometric recognition has received increasing interest but is also accompanied by several deficiencies. In this study, we focus on applying DL, especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to ECG biometric identification to address these deficiencies. Using prestored user-specific feature vectors, the proposed scheme can exclude unregistered subjects to realize “open-set” identification. With the help of its scalable structure and “transfer learning,” new subjects can be enrolled in an existing system without the need for storing the ECGs of those previously enrolled. Finally, schemes based on the quantum evolutionary algorithm (QEA) are presented to prune unnecessary filters in the proposed CNN model. The performance of the proposed scheme was evaluated using the ECGs of 285 subjects from the PTB dataset. The experimental results demonstrate an identification rate of more than 99% in closed-set identification. Although incorporating the proposed method for unregistered subject exclusion degraded the identification performance slightly, the ability of the approach to resist a dictionary attack was evident. Finally, using the QEA-based filter pruning method and its two-stage extension reduced the number of floating-point operations required to complete one identity recognition to 1.20% and 0.22% of the original value without significantly impacting the identification accuracy.
From 65 to 70 years old: what is the best approach in the treatment of glioblastoma?

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary CNS tumor in adults. Between 65-70 years of age, treatment involves the best possible surgical removal followed by radiotherapy (RT), with or without temozolomide (TMZ). After assessing whether patients can tolerate TMZ, doubts regarding RT regimens persist in this age group. This study aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) in GBM patients aged 65-70 years, in two RT regimens with TMZ: Stupp (RT 60 Gy/30 fractions (fx)+TMZ) versus mini-Stupp (RT 40.05 Gy/15 fx+TMZ) and 2 regimens of RT without TMZ: 40 Gy/15 fx versus 25 Gy/5 fx.Methods: All GBM patients, 65-70 years, undergoing RT from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 were retrieved and retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into 4 groups: group 1 was Stupp; group 2 was mini-Stupp; group 3 was 40,05 Gy/15 fx without TMZ; and group4 was 25 Gy/5 fx without TMZ.Results: Sixty patients were retrieved with median follow up of 12 months. In the analysis of groups 1 and 2, all variables were comparable (0.21<p<0.6). Median OS was 18 and 15 months, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.13). The OS at 2 years was 26% and 21% respectively, decreasing to 13% and 0% at 3 years.Analyzing groups 3 and 4, all variables were comparable (0.06<p<0.88). OS had no difference (p=0.5) with 7 months of median OS for both groups.Conclusions: From 65-70 years, if CHT is not viable, the 25 Gy/5 fx should be the standard. When CHT is possible, mini-Stupp appears to be equivalent to Stupp.
Comparisons, Categories, and Labels: Investigating the North–South Dichotomy in Europe

ABSTRACT The paper presents genealogy-oriented analysis of how the Nordic model gained its dominant characterization as modern, advanced and superior to other European welfare models while Southern European countries came to be labelled laggards in the welfare domain. To illuminate the relational nature of these, and all, comparisons, the analysis accentuates how researchers, politicians, and civil servants alike designate Nordic and Southern European states, their societies, and their welfare models. The empirical analysis focuses on scholarly writings about welfare-state comparisons (1986–2017) and on European Union documents addressing cohesion policies (1986–2021). Analysis of the vocabulary and labelling illuminates how the Scandocentric and the South-related bias have been produced and reproduced.The analysis indicates that labels, once established, tend to get replicated without question and grow unquestionable in science and policy-making both. While reducing complexity and increasing predictability, this process simultaneously constrains alternative ways to interpret changing situations and alternative contexts. -
The dynamics of quality costs in continuous improvement

Purpose – The ideals of total quality view contradicts with the traditional prevention‐appraisal‐failure (PAF) model. The PAF model, based on the “higher quality‐higher cost” notion, fails to explain the “higher quality‐lower cost” premise of total quality. The purpose of this study is to examine the behaviour of quality costs and investigate the two contradicting views.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the literature, a generic descriptive model is developed to examine the dynamics of quality costs and quality level over time. Through illustrative examples, the behaviour of quality costs is demonstrated and relevant implications are highlighted.Findings – The proposed model supports continuous improvement regardless of the effectiveness of the firm's quality improvement programs. When the quality improvement program is highly effective, the “higher quality‐lower cost” phenomenon is observed; whereas, in a less effective quality improvement program, the authors observe the “higher quality‐higher cost.
A comparison of wave-function penetration effects on gate capacitance in deep submicron n- and p-MOSFETs

We have calculated the effects of wave function penetration into the gate-oxide on the modeling of gate capacitance in deep submicron p-MOSFETs on [100] silicon for the first time. These results are compared to those of n-MOSFETs. Self-consistent calculations show that contrary to the common belief, penetration effects are more pronounced in p-MOS devices. The error in inversion capacitance due to neglect of penetration effects has opposite dependence on substrate doping density for n-MOS and p-MOS structures. Consequently, the error in gate capacitance for an n-MOSFET in strong inversion is strongly dependent on doping density, while that for a p-MOSFET essentially does not depend on doping density. An explanation for this unusual result is also provided. Although the error in gate capacitance is only a few percent, it will have nontrivial effects on device parameter extraction from capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements.
Towards environmental DNA-based bioassessment of freshwater reservoirs with small volumes of water: robust molecular protocols

Bioassessment of freshwater quality via eDNA is rapidly developing into a powerful alternative to traditional methods involving collecting, sorting, and identifying macroinvertebrates based on morphology. Particularly attractive would be methods that can use remote-controlled boats for sampling because it would allow for cost-effective, and frequent monitoring at multiple sites. The latter will be particularly important for tropical reservoirs that require year-around surveillance. We here optimize molecular protocols for capturing reservoir-specific differences in metazoan communities based on small water volumes (15 mL). The optimization is based on samples from two freshwater reservoirs with very different water qualities (“reservoir signal”). Each reservoir was sampled at three sites (“biological replicates”). For each water sample, the DNA was extracted twice (“technical replicates”). We then tested how much DNA template (0.1 ng to 15 ng) and how many PCR cycles (25 or 35) minimized variance between technical replicates. We find that 15 mL is sufficient for capturing the reservoir signal regardless of sampling time, template amounts, or PCR cycle numbers. Indeed, extrapolation from our results suggests that <1 mL would be sufficient because only 17 of 59 metazoan mOTUs (mainly planktonic crustaceans and rotifers) detected with a 313bp COI minibarcode were shared. We find that the use of 35 PCR cycles significantly lowered the number of detected species and that template amounts <0.5 ng yielded somewhat higher variance between technical replicates. Despite extensive trials, the variance between technical replicates remained high (Bray-Curtis: 5–20%; Jaccard: 10–40%) and we predict that it will be difficult to reduce this variance further. However, the overall reservoir differences are so strong that all biological and technical replicates can be correctly assigned.
Controversies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by great clinical heterogeneity. The objectives of its management are to make a timely diagnosis and to initiate treatment as promptly as possible so organ damage can be avoided while at the same time exposure to potentially toxic drugs is minimized so that its overall course and outcome improve. In reviewing the current literature, it became quite clear that there are specific topics in which controversies do exist. These include how to treat patients with incomplete lupus erythematosus, the real possibility of abandoning altogether the use of oral glucocorticoids, and the pros and cons of the use of cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil for the induction treatment of lupus nephritis. Herein we discuss different points of view regarding these still unresolved issues; these comments represent a debate that took place during the PANLAR Virtual Congress (Pan American League of Associations for Rheumatology) and that was organized by the PANLAR Lupus study group, GLADEL (Grupo Latino Americano De Estudio del Lupus) on September 19, 2020.
Controlling the Emission Properties of Quantum Rods via Multiscale 3D Ordered Organization

A specific organization of optically active nanoscale objects can greatly affect the optical response of a system. Here, we report the controlled modification of the fluorescent emission by the assembly of water-soluble quantum rods (QRs). Our study combines optical, electron microcopy, and X-ray scattering characterizations to reveal a correlation between the self-assembly behavior of QRs into ordered 3D-arrays and the optical properties (luminescence) of formed assemblies, where the observed optical response is highly dependent on the QR aspect ratio. Specifically, shorter, 18 nm long QRs (QR18), exhibiting a well-defined smectic packing, demonstrate an enhancement of the emission intensity accompanied by a red shift and a lifetime reduction. In contrast, 40 nm long QRs (QR40), forming a columnar phase, does not show these optical properties.
Explainability of Neural Network Clustering in Interpreting the COVID-19 Emergency Data

Among other hospitalization causes and cases, the clinical emergency is a critical case and the data of the reporting patients are biased as well as poorly managed due to the chaotic situation. The world has faced chaos over the past year due to the frequent waves of COVID-19 and the resulting emergencies. The data banks, linked with the clinical emergencies require serious quantitative and qualitative analysis to drive interpretable conclusions for necessary future emergency measures and to develop explainable artificial intelligence tools. This important procedure involves the clear understanding of the data patterns and topologies, which is a great challenge for the multidimensional data sets. Mathematically, the topological mapping can resolve this problem by mapping higher-dimensional data to two-dimensional representation, based on the overall association. Proper data mining and pattern recognition can help in improving the rapid patients admission, in providing the medical resources timely and in proper patient administration. In this paper, the importance of self-organizing maps, to interpret the hospital data, particularly for the COVID-19 epidemic is discussed in detail. Important variables are identified with the aid of networks and mappings. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Fractals is the property of World Scientific Publishing Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
Modelling and simulating worm propagation in static and dynamic traffic

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have no fixed infrastructure and instead relies on the vehicles themselves to provide network functionality. An attack scenario with potentially catastrophic consequences is the outbreak of mobile worm epidemic in these networks. This paper analyses the snapshot spreading results under an urban scenario with equilibrium traffic through modelling the mobility pattern, the communication channel, the medium access control (MAC) mechanism and the worm propagation process. The extensive Monte Carlo simulations uncovered the effects of the transmission range (from a typical minimum to a maximum), the minimum velocity and the maximum velocity (from the free flow to the congested traffic), the vehicle density (from a sparse topology to a dense spatial relation) and the MAC mechanism (from presence to absence) on epidemic spreading of such worms in VANETs. Furthermore, the authors simulate the wireless worm propagation in dynamic traffic with the same scenario as the static traffic by using a network simulation tool. The authors discuss the correlation between snapshot results and evolutive outcome, also analyse the reasons resulting in the local differences and finally uncover the interrelations between the affected rate and network parameters. The results are expected to help engineers design intelligent and automatic detection prevention strategies for VANETs.
Case series of 100 supraorbital mini-craniotomies in patients with good grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage at a single neurosurgical Centre

Abstract Background Endovascular techniques are becoming more common for cerebral aneurysms, but not all patients are suitable and open surgery is necessary for some. The traditional pterional approach requires a large craniotomy and this carries some morbidity in itself. With the growing expectation for minimally invasive surgery, we present our experience in supraorbital mini-craniotomy for good grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Methods Data on good-grade subarachnoid haemorrhage patients having aneurysms clipped via this approach were collected prospectively. Aneurysms at all anterior circulation sites were included, with the exception of the pericallosal artery, which was not within reach. A long-term follow-up questionnaire was sent to patients who had a supraorbital approach to clip the aneurysm at more than 1 year from hospital discharge. Results Our results demonstrate mortality of 1% and severe residual disability in 10% of patients. Approach-related complications were low and it was considered that the operating space was not restricted in any of our cases. Return to work was achieved in 70% of patients who were working at the time of their haemorrhage. Conclusions Supraorbital micro-craniotomy is a safe approach for patients with proximal anterior circulation aneurysms, with low mortality and morbidity.
Analysis of Household Electricity Consumption Patterns and Economy of Water Heating Shifting and Saving Bulbs

Analysis of Household Electricity Consumption Patterns and Economy of Water Heating Shifting and Saving Bulbs This article analyses household electricity consumption based on an object in Estonia. Energy consumption of workday and holiday by loads (including high and low tariff energy consumption) is discussed. The final part describes the evaluation of profitability of common investments of consumption shifting and replacing inefficient devices with more efficient ones. Additionally it describes shifting problems and shifting equipment profitability in real-time tariff system.
A Threshold Image Method for Finger-Vein Segmentation

Image segmentation is an important processing step for finger-vein identification technique. But it’s difficult to extract precise details because of the irregular noise and shades around finger-vein. In this paper, a threshold image method is proposed for finger-vein segmentation. The new method computes thresholds for every pixel, so every pixel has a best threshold to get good segmentation. In order to compute the thresholds robustly and rapidly, we develop an optimal OTSU method. Firstly, the pixels with larger brightness than mean brightness are set to background directly. Then, the brightness is confined in a small region when computing threshold by using an optimal OTSU method. The experiments show that the proposed method can obtain good segmentation of finger vein images while costing small time consuming.
Research on Outdoor Garden Scene Reconstruction Based on PMVS Algorithm

The three-dimensional reconstruction of outdoor landscape is of great significance for the construction of digital city. With the rapid development of big data and Internet of things technology, when using the traditional image-based 3D reconstruction method to restore the 3D information of objects in the image, there will be a large number of redundant points in the point cloud and the density of the point cloud is insufficient. Based on the analysis of the existing three-dimensional reconstruction technology, combined with the characteristics of outdoor garden scene, this paper gives the detection and extraction methods of relevant feature points and adopts feature matching and repairing the holes generated by point cloud meshing. By adopting the candidate strategy of feature points and adding the mesh subdivision processing method, an improved PMVS algorithm is proposed and the problem of sparse point cloud in 3D reconstruction is solved. Experimental results show that the proposed method not only effectively realizes the three-dimensional reconstruction of outdoor garden scene, but also improves the execution efficiency of the algorithm on the premise of ensuring the reconstruction effect.