Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparação entre limiares de audibilidade e eletrofisiológico por estímulo tone burst

Studies have reported compatibility between hearing and electrophysiological thresholds in the auditory brainstem response (ABR) with tone burst stimuli. AIMS: to verify waves I, III, V and their latency times for tone bursts at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz and at 80 dB HL, and to compare tone burst electrophysiological thresholds with those obtained from audiological and psychoacoustic evaluations. METHODS: audiological, psychoacoustic and electrophysiological evaluations of 40 male and female normal hearing individuals aged between 18 and 40 years were undertaken. RESULTS: only wave V was visualized at 80 dB HL and its latency values decreased with increased frequencies in both genders. At 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz male subjects presented higher electrophysiological thresholds values than females at all frequencies. At 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz, electrophysiological, hearing, and psychoacoustic thresholds were statistically different in both genders. CONCLUSION: although ABR with tone burst stimulus is clinically applicable, further research is needed to standardize test techniques and results.
Regularized constrained total least-squares image restoration

In this paper the problem of restoring an image distorted by a linear space-invariant point- spread function (psf) which is not exactly known is formulated as the solution of a perturbed set of linear equations. The regularized constrained total least-squares (RCTLS) method is used to solve this set of equations. Using the diagonalization properties of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) for circulant matrices, the RCTLS estimate is computed in the DFT domain. This significantly reduces the computational cost of this approach and makes its implementation possible for large images. Numerical experiments for different psf approximations are performed to check the effectiveness of the RCTLS approach for this problem. Objective and subjective comparisons are presented with the linear minimum mean- squared-error and the regularized least-squares estimates, for 2D images, that verify the superiority of the RCTLS approach.
Design of a Dual-Wavelength Optical Head for Submicron-Scale and Nano-Scale Lithography

Previous research on the utilization of an optical pickup head (OPH) as the source for exposing inorganic photo resists uses only one wavelength. However, these single-wavelength OPHs are not appropriate for exposing organic resists. Because the optical power required for exposing the organic resists is too small to produce large enough focusing error signal (FES). To add another wavelength for the focusing servo is essential to eliminate this problem. This paper presents a design of an OPH with blue and red lasers for submicron-scale and nano-scale lithography. The blue laser is used for exposing the resists, while the red laser is used for the focusing servo. The numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens is 0.6. And the linear range of the focusing error signal (FES) is about 3.0 . In addition, this paper also discusses the variation of linear range due to fabrication error. Three types of different optical structures in the return path are compared. The simulation results show that the adoption of a plano-convex lens and a slanted beam-splitter (BS) plate is the best choice. This combination owns the best immunity to the variation of the linear range due to the fabrication errors.
Making eyes with robots

One of the most important aims of social robotics is to improve Human-Robot Interaction by providing robots with means to understand observed behavior and to predict upcoming actions of their in-teraction partners. The most reliable source for inferring the action goals of interaction partners is their gaze direction. Hence, to anticipate upcoming actions, it is necessary to identify where others are currently look-ing at and to shift the attentional focus to the same location. Interestingly, it has been shown that observing robot gaze direction also induces attentional shifts to the location that is gazed-at by the robot. Given this, gaze direction can be actively used by the robot to direct the attentional focus of interaction partners to im-portant events in the world. In this paper, we review findings from two studies indicating that the readiness to engage attentional resources in interactions with robots is modulated by the degree to which intentionali-ty can be attributed to the robot: Robots believed to behave similar to humans cause stronger gaze-cueing effects than robots perceived as machines, independently of their physical appearance. Based on these find-ings, and on results from a pilot study with a sample of patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we derive guidelines for improving human-robot interaction by emulating social gaze behavior.
Application of distributed intelligence to automatic distribution reconfiguration for reliability improvement

Summary form only given. The case study demonstrates how advanced distributed intelligence solved a problem facing a small utility in North Carolina. The utility was being threatened with relocation by a large retail store whose managers felt was not receiving sufficiently reliable power. The typical approaches of line upgrades or installation of source-transfer switchgear were either too expensive or unacceptable to the store owner. In addition, available alternate circuits either were not reliable enough, or had insufficient capacity available to service the load. A way to achieve an automated solution was required. This paper discusses the challenges faced, in detail; the potential solutions and the final solution implemented. A discussion of the underlying techniques used to implement advanced distributed intelligence in a distribution automation scheme is also presented.
Organizational factors affecting the incident reporting of train drivers

Abstract The under-reporting of accidents and incidents is well established as a substantial problem across industries; however, few studies have specifically examined employees' reasons for failing to report. This study investigates the factors affecting incident reporting by train drivers (n = 128) in three different areas of British Rail (the company that operated the railway network in Britain, prior to its privatization in 1994). Drivers completed a questionnaire rating their likelihood of reporting a number of hazardous incidents and giving their reasons for not reporting them. Intention not to report incidents was predicted by ‘managers take no notice’ of reports and the interaction between ‘just part of the day's work’ and ‘nothing would get done’. It is concluded that incident reporting is most influenced by the way that drivers perceive managers' reactions to reports. In addition, the three areas differed significantly in their likelihood of reporting incidents, suggesting that the local subcult.
Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated With Increased Spontaneous Calcium Release From the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum in Human Atrial Myocytes

Background—Spontaneous Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) can generate afterdepolarizations, and these have the potential to initiate arrhythmias. Therefore, an association may exist between spontaneous SR Ca2+ release and initiation of atrial fibrillation (AF), but this has not yet been reported. Methods and Results—Spontaneous Ca2+ release from the SR, manifested as Ca2+ sparks and Ca2+ waves, was recorded with confocal microscopy in atrial myocytes isolated from patients with and those without AF. In addition, the spontaneous inward current associated with Ca2+ waves was measured with the use of the perforated patch-clamp technique. The Ca2+ spark frequency was higher in 8 patients with AF than in 16 patients without (6.0±1.2 versus 2.8±0.8 sparks/mm per second, P<0.05). Similarly, the spontaneous Ca2+ wave frequency was greater in patients with AF (2.8±0.5 versus 1.1±0.3 waves/mm per second, P<0.01). The spontaneous inward current frequency was also higher in 10 patients with AF than in 13 patients without this arrhythmia (0.101±0.028 versus 0.031±0.007 per second, P<0.05, at a clamped potential of −80 mV). In contrast, both the Ca2+ released from the SR and the Na+-Ca2+ exchange rate induced by a rapid caffeine application were comparable in patients with and without AF. Conclusions—The observed increase in spontaneous Ca2+ release in patients with AF probably is due to an upregulation of the SR Ca2+ release channel activity, which may contribute to the development of AF.
Carbohydrate and oxygen metabolism during hepatocellular proliferation: A study in perfused livers from mirex‐treated rats

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is accompanied by altered hepatic intermediary metabolism. Because the organochlorine compound mirex also causes liver cell growth, the purpose of this study was to investigate hepatic carbohydrate and oxygen metabolism in perfused livers from mirex‐treated rats and to localize cell proliferation in this model. Pretreatment with mirex (100 mg/kg, intragastrically) increased liver/body weight ratios and DNA synthesis in livers of fed rats, effects that were markedly diminished in livers of fasted rats. This finding shows that liver growth caused by mirex, as is the case after partial hepatectomy, is hindered when animals are deprived of food. Furthermore, perfused livers from mirex‐treated rats had depleted glycogen stores but significantly elevated oxygen uptake compared with livers from control rats. Increases in oxygen uptake and hepatocellular proliferation were observed mostly in periportal regions of the liver lobule. In regenerating livers, most DNA synthesis was reported to also occur in these regions of the liver lobule. Taken together, these data show that liver cell growth caused by mirex is accompanied by changes in hepatic intermediary metabolism and sublobular proliferation similar to those observed after partial hepatectomy. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;13:1229–1234.)
Association of after-school physical activity levels and organized physical activity participation in Hong Kong children

The aims of this study were to 1) describe the children’s physical activity (PA) patterns during the after-school period and 2) to compare the type and intensity of activity during the after-school period of children with or without participation in organized PA programmes. The participants were 456 children from four primary schools in Hong Kong. Self-administered questionnaires were used to measure the PA pattern and intensity level of the children during the after-school period. Independent t-test and factorial ANOVA was used for data analysis. Results indicated that children engaged substantial time in light intensity PA during the after-school period. Children who participated in organized PA programmes spent fewer time blocks on light intensity PA and more time blocks in vigorous PA. The boys spent more time blocks on high intensity PA than the girls. A structured PA programme during the after-school period is a potential intervention strategy to increase children’s PA participation without using up the time intended for children’s homework.
Theory of tunneling magnetoresistance of an epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe(001) junction

Calculation of the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of an epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe(001) junction is reported. The conductances of the junction in its ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic configurations are determined without any approximations from the real-space Kubo formula using tight-binding bands fitted to an ab initio band structure of iron and MgO. The calculated optimistic TMR ratio is in excess of 1000% for an MgO barrier of {approximately}20 atomic planes and the spin polarization of the tunneling current is positive for all MgO thicknesses. It is also found that spin-dependent tunneling in an Fe/MgO/Fe(001) junction is not entirely determined by states at the {Gamma} point (k{sub {parallel}}=0) even for MgO thicknesses as large as {approximately}20 atomic planes. All these results are explained qualitatively in terms of the Fe majority- and minority-spin surface spectral densities and the complex MgO Fermi surface.
Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease: Navigating the Evidence

Hypertension is both an important cause and consequence of chronic kidney disease. Evidence from numerous clinical trials has demonstrated the benefit of blood pressure control. However, it remains unclear whether available results could be extrapolated to patients with chronic kidney diseases because most studies on hypertension have excluded patients with kidney failure. In addition, chronic kidney disease encompasses a large group of clinical disorders with heterogeneous natural history and pathogenesis. In this paper, we review current evidence supporting treatment of hypertension in various forms of chronic kidney disease and highlight some of the gaps in the extant literature.
Manifestation of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction due to hyperthyroidism in an anomalous right coronary artery

Introduction Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left coronary cusp of the aorta is a moderately rare but potentially life-threatening incident. Myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden cardiac death have been described with this anomaly, especially in those who engage in excessive exercise. However, this case study shows this incidence in association with hyperthyroidism. Case description A previously healthy 51-year-old female with history of hypothyroidism presented with acute onset chest pain for 1 day. Patient’s electrocardiogram was normal, however, she had elevated troponins and given her typical chest pain, she was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The patient had been on levothyroxine and was found to have a subnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone level suggesting hyperthyroidism. Echocardiogram was normal. Coronary angiogram showed an anomalous RCA arising from the left coronary cusp of the sinus of Valsalva and no evidence of atherosclerosis. A coronary computed tomography angiogram was done confirming this finding and showed a slit-like deformity of the coronary ostium with at least 50% luminal stenosis. The patient was referred to a cardiothoracic surgeon for potential coronary artery bypass graft. Discussion This case illustrates a rare presentation of ACS due to hyperthyroidism in an anomalous RCA. MI is a rare manifestation of hyperthyroidism, but in combination with an anatomical defect, it can potentiate adverse outcomes. The mechanisms by which thyroid hormones influence cardiovascular hemodynamics are by causing a hyperdynamic circulatory state, increasing myocardial oxygen demand, and increasing the risk of coronary vasospasm. The combination of anatomic and metabolic defects is what likely precipitated this patient’s outcome.
Selected HIV-1 Env Trimeric Formulations Act as Potent Immunogens in a Rabbit Vaccination Model

Background Ten to 30% of HIV-1 infected subjects develop broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) during chronic infection. We hypothesized that immunizing rabbits with viral envelope glycoproteins (Envs) from these patients may induce bNAbs, when formulated as a trimeric protein and in the presence of an adjuvant. Methods Based on in vitro neutralizing activity in serum, patients with bNAbs were selected for cloning of their HIV-1 Env. Seven stable soluble trimeric gp140 proteins were generated from sequences derived from four adults and two children infected with either clade A or B HIV-1. From one of the clade A Envs both the monomeric and trimeric Env were produced for comparison. Rabbits were immunized with soluble gp120 or trimeric gp140 proteins in combination with the adjuvant dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium/trehalose dibehenate (CAF01). Env binding in rabbit immune serum was determined using ELISAs based on gp120-IIIB protein. Neutralizing activity of IgG purified from rabbit immune sera was measured with the pseudovirus-TZMbl assay and a PBMC-based neutralization assay for selected experiments. Results It was initially established that gp140 trimers induce better antibody responses over gp120 monomers and that the adjuvant CAF01 was necessary for such strong responses. Gp140 trimers, based on HIV-1 variants from patients with bNAbs, were able to elicit both gp120IIIB specific IgG and NAbs to Tier 1 viruses of different subtypes. Potency of NAbs closely correlated with titers, and an gp120-binding IgG titer above a threshold of 100,000 was predictive of neutralization capability. Finally, peptide inhibition experiments showed that a large fraction of the neutralizing IgG was directed against the gp120 V3 region. Conclusions Our results indicate that the strategy of reverse immunology based on selected Env sequences is promising when immunogens are delivered as stabilized trimers in CAF01 adjuvant and that the rabbit is a valuable model for HIV vaccine studies.
Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation: Model Systems, Regulatory Mechanisms, and Vascular Diseases

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation is an important process during vascular development. The highly differentiated mature SMCs play critical roles in maintaining structural and functional integrity of blood vessels. However, SMCs are not terminally differentiated, and their phenotype can be modulated between contractile and proliferative states in response to various environmental conditions. Alterations in SMC phenotype contribute to a number of major cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension and restenosis following angioplasty, etc. The goal of this review is to provide a brief overview of the recent advancements in our understanding of SMC differentiation and the development of in vitro SMC differentiation models, with a particular emphasis on examination of molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of SMC differentiation and phenotypic modulation. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 777–787, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Soft computing approaches to DPLL SAT solver optimization

Digital electronic systems are now so large and complex that ensuring their correct functionality has become the most time-consuming part of their design. Formal verification allows the exhaustive, automatic testing of functional properties of such systems without requiring the designer to create individual test cases manually, which is time-consuming as well as prone to errors and oversights. The properties are first transformed into instances of the Boolean satifiability problem (SAT), which are then solved with SAT solvers. The most efficient SAT solvers for industrial SAT problems are based on enhanced versions of the DPLL algorithm which employs a number of heuristics to guide the search for a solution. Solving times are highly dependent on the choice of the solver's heuristic parameters, and adjusting the heuristics optimally is a complex task in itself. This work presents and tests a new, fully automatic optimization procedure for a SAT solver's heuristic parameters that is based on using local search algorithms which attempt to find optimal parameters for training sets of SAT problems; a result configuration is synthesized from the gathered data. For the optimization two subtypes of Evolutionary Algorithms (local search algorithms that mimic Darwinian evolution), Genetic Algorithms and Evolution Strategies, were tested. The target of optimization was the well known open-source SAT solver MiniSAT. It could be shown that the parameter configurations generated by the automatic procedure are competitive with the default parameters set by human experts.
Security is fuzzy!: applying the fuzzy logic paradigm to the multipolicy paradigm

Fuzzy logic is a relatively new paradigm which may radically impact computer security. It can be used in formal methods, in trusted system analysis and design, in measuring the security of systems, and in representing the imprecise human world of policies and inference. The implications are challenging and complicated. This paper reviews basic fuzzy logic concepts, illustrates their use with examples f. +om computer security, and incorporates fuzzy logic into the Multipolicy Machine architecture. It is easier to use tools designed to deal with fuzziness than search in vain for the illusive perfectly secure system. I The Multipolicy Paradigm’ Pohcy-making is a human enterprise, integrating many complementary, contradictory, fuzzy, and changing human values. Every person, as well as every computer system, participates in multiple policy domains. Automated policy systems should model human systems, allow different authorities to change the policies under their jurisdiction and allow ad hut resolution of policy conflicts when two independent policies clash. Multiple policies occur when there are multiple security goals (such as privacy, confidentiality and integrity), diverse constituents with individual goals and plans (e.g., the members of the European Community), separately evaluated pieces (e.g. OS and DBMS), or a need to adapt to changing situations. A priori integration of these policies is often impossible,2 necessitating a new approach. H. H. Hosmer 199
Noisy Text Analytics

Text produced by processing signals intended for human use is often noisy for automated computer processing. Digital text produced in informal settings such as online chat, SMS, emails, tweets, message boards, newsgroups, blogs, wikis and web pages contain considerable noise. Also processing techniques like Automatic Speech Recognition, Optical Character Recognition and Machine Translation introduce processing noise. People are adept when it comes to pattern recognition tasks involving typeset or handwritten documents or recorded speech, machines less-so.
Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks from Raw Data: A Molecular Epistemics Approach

Biopathways play an important role in the functional understanding and interpretation of gene function. In this paper we present the results of an iterative algorithm for automatically generating gene regulatory networks from raw data. The algorithm is based on an epistemics approach of conjecture (hypothesis formation) and refutation (hypothesis testing). These operations are performed on a matrix representation of the gene network. Our approach also provides a way of incorporating external biological knowledge into the model. This is done by pre-assigning portions of the matrix--which represent previously known background knowledge. This background knowledge helps make the results closer to a human's rendition of such networks. We illustrate our approach by having the computer replicate a gene regulatory network generated by human scientists at an academic lab.
Methemoglobin values in premature and mature infants and children.

The concentration of methemoglobin in the blood serum of normal premature infants, full-term newborn infants, and older infants and children was the subject of this study. Methemoglobin may exist in small amounts normally in the blood of children and adults. * It has also been found as a normal constituent of the blood in various animals. † The only normal children reported, however, were in the study by Paul and Kemp, 1 and the youngest was 7 years. There have been numerous reports of methemoglobinemia following poisoning 7 or following administration of sulfonamide, acetanilid, and many other drugs. 8 Methemoglobinemia in infants due to ingestion of water containing high concentrations of nitrates is well known. 9 The principle aim of the present study was to determine the amounts of methemoglobin in the blood of normal premature and mature newborn infants and of older children. MATERIAL AND METHODS The premature infants and mature