Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sulcal Span in Alzheimer's Disease, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Healthy Controls

Differences of cortical morphology between healthy controls (HC), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been repeatedly investigated using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). However, the results obtained using mainly VBM remain difficult to interpret as they can be explained by various mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the differences of cortical morphology between HC, MCI, and AD patients using a new post- processing method based on reconstruction and identification of cortical sulci. Thirty HC, 33 MCI, and 30 AD patients were randomly selected from the ADNI database. For each subject, cortical sulci were reconstructed and automatically identified using Brainvisa software. Depth and fold opening of nine large sulci were compared between HC, MCI, and AD patients. Fold opening of parietaloccipital fissure and intraparietal sulcus on both sides strongly differed between the 3 groups, with gradual increase from HC to MCI of about 1 mm and from MCI to AD of about 2 mm (right intraparietal: p = 0.005; left intraparietal: p = 0.004; right parietaloccipital: p = 0.003; left parietaloccipital: p = 0.0009). Results were left unchanged after adjustment for age, gender, and level of education. These variables were also strongly linked to neuropsychological scores, independent of age, gender, and level of education. In the present study, we found important regional differences of cortical morphology with gradual deterioration from HC to MCI to AD. The most important differences were found in parietaloccipital fissure and intraparietal sulcus. Further studies are needed to understand the involved underlying mechanisms.
University students’ perceptions of the impact of a wilderness education program on their personal growth, resilience, and sense of community

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 3 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY . 25 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS . 33 CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS . 47 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS . 53 REFERENCES . 57
The Godel brane

We consider the brane-world generalisation of the G¨odel universe and analyse its dynam-ical interaction with the bulk. The exact homogeneity of the standard G¨odel spacetime no longer holds, unless the bulk is also static. We show how the anisotropy of the G¨odel-type brane is dictated by that of the bulk and ﬁnd that the converse is also true. This determines the precise evolution of the nonlocal anisotropic stresses, without any phenomenological as-sumptions, and leads to a self-consistent closed set of equations for the evolution of the G¨odel brane. We also examine the causality of the G¨odel brane and show that the presence of the bulk cannot prevent the appearance of closed timelike curves.
Formulation and In vitro Dissolution Characteristics of Sustained-Release Matrix Tablets of Tizanidine Hydrochloride

Purpose : To formulate sustained-release (SR) matrix tablets of tizanidine hydrochloride (THC) and to investigate the effect of matrix polymer type on drug release profile of drug. Methods : Matrix tablets of THC were prepared by direct compression method using a combination of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and ethylcellulose (EC) in varying ratios. In all the formulations, the amount of THC was 6.87 mg (equivalent to 6 mg base). USP type-I (basket) apparatus was used for the dissolution study. The dissolution study was performed in 0.1M HCl for the first 2 h and in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) for another 10 h. The dissolution data were subjected to drug release models to ascertain the kinetics of drug release. Additionally, in vitro swelling and buoyancy studies were carried out on the optimized formulation. The optimized formulation was compared with a commercial reference product using similarity factor (ƒ 2 ) test. Results : F4 formulation, containing 145 g of HPMC only, (with ƒ 2 value of 67.38) was selected as optimized formulation (compared to the reference commercial product), and it released 97.84 % of the drug in 12 h. The release data showed best fit to first-order kinetics (R 2 = 0.9963 - 0.9989), though nonsignificantly (p > 0.05) different from the Higuchi model (R 2 = 0.9813 - 0.9955) except for formulation F6. Based on Koppcha model data, drug release mechanism involved both diffusion and erosion (n = 0.513 - 0.597) with diffusion being dominant. The optimized formulation exhibited 162 % swelling at the end of 11 h, after which no further weight gain occurred. Conclusion : Suitable sustained-release tablets of tizanidine hydrochloride have been successfully prepared using direct compression Drug release is sustained by increasing the content of the matrix polymers used. Keywords : Tizanidine, HPMC, EC, Koppcha, Hixson-Crowell, Stokes-Einstein’s equation
Understanding Cognitive-Emotional Processing Through a Coaching Process

This study is based on intentional change theory and supports cognitive-emotion and social complexity perspectives regarding positive and negative affect. We examine how a coaching experience guided by a specific theoretical approach within a leadership development program at a European business school influences cognitive-emotional processing of MBA students with regard to their levels of personal vision comprehensiveness and strength, goal-directed energy, and resilience. A within-subjects pre–post Non-Equivalent Dependent Variables design with a total of 76 students was conducted using survey methods. A rigorous analysis sheds light on how intentional change theory–based coaching enhances individual self-development processes. Participants stated higher levels of personal vision, goal-directed energy, and resilience postcoaching. A series of moderator effects were identified regarding the quality of the coaching connection (i.e., overall emotional saliency) and the general self-efficacy of participants. Implications concerning how coaching processes may be enriched through the establishment of high-quality coaching connections are discussed.
SDN + cloud integrated control with statistical analysis and discrete event simulation

The software-defined infrastructure (SDI), which includes software defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), and cloud computing, has the potential to provide the appropriate amount of resources dynamically to maintain SDI service, e.g., web IT service and video service. However, its operation requires expertness and know-how to manage complex configuration. In this paper, we propose an SDI service performance management system with statistical analysis and discrete event simulation. This approach maximizes service quality and simplifies the configuration simultaneously.
Quantification of Coronary Arterial Narrowing at Necropsy in Acute Transmural Myocardial Infarction: Analysis and Comparison of Findings in 27 Patients and 22 Controls

We quantitatively analyzed the degree and extent of coronary arterial narrowing by atherosclerotic plaques in the entire length of each of the four major coronary arteries in 27 necropsy patients with transmural acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and compared the findings with those in 22 control subjects. Of the 1403 5-mm segments examined in the 27 AMI patients, 484 (34%; controls 3%) were 76–100% narrowed in cross-sectional area by atherosclerotic plaques, 528 (38%; controls 25%) were 51–75% narrowed, 319 (23%; controls 44%) were 26–50% narrowed, and only 72 segments (5%; controls 28%) were 25% narrowed. The amount of severe (> 75%) narrowing of the right, left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary arteries by atherosclerotic plaques was similar, as was the amount of severe narrowing in the distal and proximal halves of these three arteries. The number of severely narrowed 5-mm segments did not correlate significantly with the patient's age at death, the presence or absence of a history of angina pectoris or healed myocardial infarction, or with heart weight. The men, however, had a significantly greater number of severely narrowed 5-mm segments of coronary artery than the women (p < 0.05), and the patients with associated transmural left ventricular scars had significantly more severely narrowed segments than did patients without transmural scars.
IS231–MIC231 elements from Bacillus cereus sensu lato are modular

IS231A was originally discovered in Bacillus thuringiensis as a typical 1.6 kb insertion sequence (IS) displaying 20 bp inverted repeats (IR) flanking a transposase gene. A first major variation of this canonical organization was found in MIC231A1. This mobile insertion cassette (MIC), delineated by IS231A‐related extremities, contained an active d‐stereospecific endopeptidase (adp) gene instead of a transposase. Interestingly, it was shown that MIC231A1 can be mobilized in trans by the IS231A transposase. In this paper, we show that this family of IS231–MIC231 elements can be extended to a broad range of related entities displaying higher levels of structural complexity. Several IS231A‐like elements contained, upstream of their transposase gene, passenger genes coding for putative antibiotic resistances or regulatory factors. Furthermore, the diversity of the MIC231 elements ranged from empty cassettes to structures carrying up to three passenger genes. Among these, MIC231V carried, in addition to an adp gene, an active fosfomycin resistance determinant. In vivo transposition assays showed that MIC231V is also trans‐activated by the IS231A transposase. These results lend further support to the potential contribution of these modular mobile elements to the genome plasticity of the Bacillus cereus/B. thuringiensis group.
Adaptation of the brucellae to their intracellular niche

Members of the bacterial genus Brucella are facultative intracellular pathogens that reside predominantly within membrane‐bound compartments within two host cell types, macrophages and placental trophoblasts. Within macrophages, the brucellae route themselves to an intracellular compartment that is favourable for survival and replication, and they also appear to be well‐adapted from a physiological standpoint to withstand the environmental conditions encountered during prolonged residence in this intracellular niche. Much less is known about the interactions of the Brucella with placental trophoblasts, but experimental evidence suggests that these bacteria use an iron acquisition system to support extensive intracellular replication within these host cells that is not required for survival and replication in host macrophages. Thus, it appears that the brucellae rely upon the products of distinct subsets of genes to adapt successfully to the environmental conditions encountered within the two cell types within which they reside in their mammalian hosts.
Perinatal exposure to air pollutants had adverse effects on behavioral outcomes in mice

Abstract Poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage are associated with environmental inequalities such as exposure to hazardous air pollutants. Children from low-income communities living in highly polluted cities tend to exhibit higher rates of depression, anxiety, and attention disorders. Early exposure to pollution may play a part in this trend. A postulated mechanism for this is that maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollutants can trigger an immune response in the mother. This inflammatory response can be transferred to the fetus via the placenta, with resultant effects on brain and lung inflammation. Our study used a murine model to examine the effects of prenatal and early postnatal toxin exposure on neurocognitive outcomes. Behavioral tests were conducted on cohorts treated with traffic-related air pollutants, ozone, and diesel, to assess if multiple agent exposures had synergistic effects on neurocognitive development. Animals exposed to the pollutants developed maladaptive responses later in life. Our findings show that perinatal brain development is susceptible to the toxic effects of air pollution. Despite the adverse effects of perinatal exposure on outcome, enriching the prenatal, postnatal, and childhood environments may break the cycle of disadvantage. Educational enrichment programs aimed at enhancing specific neurocognitive functions offer the opportunity to bridge disparities in mental health, academic achievement, and cognition and overcome the adverse environmental influences.
A method for computing the characteristic impedance of transmission lines using the wave cascade matrix formalism

This work deals with the characterization of the line impedance of uniform transmission lines. Using the Wave Cascade Matrix representation (WCM) of a uniform transmission line as reported by J.A. Reynoso-Hernandez (2003), a new method for determining the line impedance is presented. The method can be used fur any kind of transmission line. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method, the line impedance of coplanar waveguides (CPWs), using SRO20 and SiO2 as the passivation layer is evaluated both in dark conditions and when illuminated by a visible laser.
Intimate Partner Violence and Death Among Infants and Children in India

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to test the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and child death. METHODS: Information was collected regarding 39096 children <60 months of age in the nationally representative 2005–2006 National Family Health Survey of India. The exposures were maternal reports of physical, sexual, psychological, and any IPV. Outcomes included infant (0 to <12 months), older child (12 to <60 months), and any child (0 to <60 months) deaths. RESULTS: Maternal experience of physical IPV was associated with increased mortality rates among all children (risk ratio [RR]: 1.21 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–1.30]), infants (RR: 1.24 [95% CI: 1.01–1.53]), and older children (RR: 1.25 [95% CI: 1.00–1.56]). Sexual and psychological IPV were less strongly associated with child death. The associations between maternal IPV and death did not differ according to the child's gender. CONCLUSION: The robust association between exposure to household IPV and infant and child death could be attributable to the mother's inability to care for her child, psychological stress associated with witnessing violence, and the use of maternal violence victimization as a proxy for child violence victimization.
Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine Dovepress Do Physiological Measures Predict Selected Crossfit ® Benchmark Performance?

Purpose: CrossFit ® is a new but extremely popular method of exercise training and competition that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. Despite the popularity of this training method, the physiological determinants of CrossFit performance have not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether physiological and/ or muscle strength measures could predict performance on three common CrossFit " Workouts of the Day " (WODs). Materials and methods: Fourteen CrossFit Open or Regional athletes completed, on separate days, the WODs " Grace " (30 clean and jerks for time), " Fran " (three rounds of thrusters and pull-ups for 21, 15, and nine repetitions), and " Cindy " (20 minutes of rounds of five pull-ups, ten push-ups, and 15 bodyweight squats), as well as the " CrossFit Total " (1 repetition max [1RM] back squat, overhead press, and deadlift), maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max), and Wingate anaerobic power/capacity testing. Results: Performance of Grace and Fran was related to whole-body strength (CrossFit Total) (r=−0.88 and −0.65, respectively) and anaerobic threshold (r=−0.61 and −0.53, respectively); however, whole-body strength was the only variable to survive the prediction regression for both of these WODs (R 2 =0.77 and 0.42, respectively). There were no significant associations or predictors for Cindy. Conclusion: CrossFit benchmark WOD performance cannot be predicted by VO 2 max, Wing-ate power/capacity, or either respiratory compensation or anaerobic thresholds. Of the data measured, only whole-body strength can partially explain performance on Grace and Fran, although anaerobic threshold also exhibited association with performance. Along with their typical training, CrossFit athletes should likely ensure an adequate level of strength and aerobic endurance to optimize performance on at least some benchmark WODs.
On the Well-Posedness of Generalized Hemivariational Inequalities and Inclusion Problems in Banach Spaces

In the present paper, we generalize the concept of well-posedness to a generalized hemivariational inequality, give some metric characterizations of the α-well-posed generalized hemivariational inequality, and derive some conditions under which the generalized hemivariational inequality is strongly α-well-posed in the generalized sense. Also, we show that the α-well-posedness of the generalized hemivariational inequality is equivalent to the α-well-posedness of the corresponding inclusion problem. c ©2016 All rights reserved.
RMC: An Energy-Aware Cross-Layer Data-Gathering Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of miniature devices with sensing, computation and wireless communication capabilities. They are typically designed for hostile environments, where recharging a node is impractical. Thus, energy efficiency is vital. For substantial energy savings, cross-layer information sharing and in-network processing among sensors have emerged as promising solutions. In this paper, we propose an energy-aware cross-layer data-gathering protocol for WSNs, termed RMC. By integrating the routing, MAC and clustering protocols, RMC is a scalable collision-free protocol. RMC is designed to address the overhead caused by managing the transmissions schedule. To this end, RMC works by defining a dependence relation between a node's transmission schedule and its location. Therefore, each node can determine its schedule and forwarding path entirely locally. Its performance is extensively evaluated through simulations and is shown to have significant improvement over well-known comparable cross- layer scheme.
Nanophotonic Reservoir Computing With Photonic Crystal Cavities to Generate Periodic Patterns

Reservoir computing (RC) is a technique in machine learning inspired by neural systems. RC has been used successfully to solve complex problems such as signal classification and signal generation. These systems are mainly implemented in software, and thereby they are limited in speed and power efficiency. Several optical and optoelectronic implementations have been demonstrated, in which the system has signals with an amplitude and phase. It is proven that these enrich the dynamics of the system, which is beneficial for the performance. In this paper, we introduce a novel optical architecture based on nanophotonic crystal cavities. This allows us to integrate many neurons on one chip, which, compared with other photonic solutions, closest resembles a classical neural network. Furthermore, the components are passive, which simplifies the design and reduces the power consumption. To assess the performance of this network, we train a photonic network to generate periodic patterns, using an alternative online learning rule called first-order reduced and corrected error. For this, we first train a classical hyperbolic tangent reservoir, but then we vary some of the properties to incorporate typical aspects of a photonics reservoir, such as the use of continuous-time versus discrete-time signals and the use of complex-valued versus real-valued signals. Then, the nanophotonic reservoir is simulated and we explore the role of relevant parameters such as the topology, the phases between the resonators, the number of nodes that are biased and the delay between the resonators. It is important that these parameters are chosen such that no strong self-oscillations occur. Finally, our results show that for a signal generation task a complex-valued, continuous-time nanophotonic reservoir outperforms a classical (i.e., discrete-time, real-valued) leaky hyperbolic tangent reservoir (normalized root-mean-square errors=0.030 versus NRMSE=0.127).
Regular reflection in self-similar potential flow and the sonic criterion

Reflection of a shock from a solid wedge is a classical problem in gas dynamics. Depending on the parameters either a regular or a irregular (Mach-type) reflection results. We construct regular reflection as an exact self-similar solution for potential flow. For some upstream Mach numbers and isentropic coefficients, a solution exists for all wedge angles allowed by the sonic criterion. This demonstrates that, at least for potential flow, weaker criteria are false.
The ODE method for stability of skip-free Markov chains with applications to MCMC

Fluid limit techniques have become a central tool to analyze queueing networks over the last decade, with applications to performance analysis, simulation and optimization. In this paper, some of these techniques are extended to a general class of skip-free Markov chains. As in the case of queueing models, a fluid approximation is obtained by scaling time, space and the initial condition by a large constant. The resulting fluid limit is the solution of an ordinary differential equation (ODE) in ``most'' of the state space. Stability and finer ergodic properties for the stochastic model then follow from stability of the set of fluid limits. Moreover, similarly to the queueing context where fluid models are routinely used to design control policies, the structure of the limiting ODE in this general setting provides an understanding of the dynamics of the Markov chain. These results are illustrated through application to Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.