Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abnormal Neural Oscillatory Activity to Speech Sounds in Schizophrenia: A Magnetoencephalography Study

Schizophrenia impairs many cognitive functions, and abnormalities in language processing have been proposed as one of the bases for this disorder. Previously, it was reported that different magnetoencephalography (MEG) patterns of the evoked oscillatory activity (eOA) of 20–45 Hz to speech and nonspeech sounds were evidence of a fast mechanism for the representation and identification of speech sounds in humans. The current study tested the hypothesis that the schizophrenics would show abnormal neural oscillatory activity, as measured by eOA, to speech and nonspeech sounds. Twenty patients and 23 control subjects participated in this study. MEG responses to speech and nonspeech sounds were recorded and eOA power and phase locking at 20–45 Hz were analyzed. Patients showed significantly delayed peak latencies of the eOA power and phase locking to speech sounds in the left hemisphere and to nonspeech sounds in the right hemisphere. Patients also showed a significantly reduced eOA power to speech sounds in the left hemisphere in 0–50 ms and a significantly larger eOA power to speech sounds in the left hemisphere in 100–150 ms. In addition, the analyses of the lateralization index revealed the pattern of hemispheric lateralization to be the opposite in patients. These results indicated that patients showed different characteristics of eOA compared with normal controls, probably related to deficits in a fast mechanism for identifying speech sounds. Moreover, the present study suggests that schizophrenia might be characterized by an opposite pattern of hemispheric lateralization in auditory evoked oscillations.
Prevalence of HIV Infection and Associated Risk Factors among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Harbin, P. R. China

Objective To assess the prevalence of HIV infection and characteristically risk of factors which associated with HIV infection among MSM in Harbin, China. Methods A face-to-face questionnaire interview was conducted among 463 Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) who were recruited by the snowball sampling in Harbin from April, 2011 to July, 2011. The questionnaire mainly included demographics, AIDS knowledge, homosexual behavior and the status of intervention in MSM. Blood specimens were obtained and tested for the diagnoses of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Associations between above exposed factors and HIV infection were analyzed using a univariate analysis and forward stepwise logistic regression. Results The prevalence of HIV and syphilis was 9.5 and 14.3%. The awareness rate of AIDS was 86.8%. The rate of unprotected sexual behavior was 57.6% of MSM during the past 6 months. The univariate analysis identified that the age (age≥35 years old), cohabitation, more than 10 years of homosexual behavior and more than 10 homosexual partners were risk factors which associated with the HIV infection, and that protected sex during the past 6 months was a protective factor for the HIV infection. The multivariate analysis identified that the duration of homosexual behavior and commercial sexual behavior were independent risk factors which associated with the HIV infection, and the protected sex during the past 6 months was a protective factor for the HIV infection. Conclusion The prevalence of HIV among MSM in Harbin has been rapidly increasing in the past few years. Targeted, tailored, and comprehensive interventions are urgently needed to prevent the HIV infection from MSM.
Design of Miniaturized HTS Dual-Band Bandpass Filters Using Stub-Loaded Meander Line Resonators and Their Applications to Tri-Band Bandpass Filters

We have designed a miniaturized high-temperature superconducting dual-band bandpass filters (DBPFs) using stub-loaded meander line resonators and their applications to tri-band bandpass filters (TBPFs). The DBPF enables independent control of the center frequencies of the first and second bands. The bandwidths of the DBPF can be flexibly adjusted using a capacitance-loaded microstrip line between the resonators. The DBPF was designed and analyzed using an electromagnetic simulator and fabricated using an YBa2Cu3Oy thin film on an Al2O3 substrate. The center frequencies are 3.5 and 5.0 GHz; two bands have 2% bandwidth. The measured frequency responses of the DBPF were in good agreement with the simulated frequency responses. The TBPF was realized by combining the DBPF and a single-band bandpass filter (SBPF) that uses a folded stepped-impedance resonator with common input and output. The DBPF constructs the first and third bands of 3.5 and 5.0 GHz, and the SBPF forms the second band of 4.25 GHz. The frequency responses of the simulated TBPF meet the design parameters.
Generalization of specialized on-the-fly composition

In the Weighted Finite State Transducer (WFST) framework for speech recognition, we can reduce memory usage and increase flexibility by using on-the-fly composition which generates the search network dynamically during decoding. Methods have also been proposed for optimizing WFSTs in on-the-fly composition, however, these operations place restrictions on the structure of the component WFSTs. We propose extended on-the-fly optimization operations which can operate on WFSTs of arbitrary structure by utilizing a filter composition. The evaluations illustrate the proposed method is able to generate more efficient WFSTs.
Factores de riesgo psicopatológico en la tentativa suicida Psychopathological Risk Factors in the Suicide Attempt

Métodos: Estudio descriptivo de una muestra de 67 pacientes ingresados en el Servicio de Psiquiatría durante un año con motivo de intento suicida. Se definió «tentativa suicida» como la conducta amenazante del individuo, deliberada con propósitos de terminar con la vida pero que no conlleva a la muerte. Se realizó un análisis de clasificación con 134 controles para asignar los pacientes a grupos en función de las variables.
UC San Francisco UC San Francisco Previously Published Works Title Matrix metalloproteinases in stem cell regulation and cancer

Since Gross and Lapiere firstly discovered matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as important collagenolytic enzymes during amphibian tadpole morphogenesis in 1962, this intriguing family of extracellular proteinases has been implicated in various processes of developmental biology. However, the pathogenic roles of MMPs in human diseases such as cancer have also garnered widespread attention. The most straightforward explanation for their role in cancer is that MMPs, through extracellular matrix degradation, pave the way for tumor cell invasion and metastasis. While this notion may be true for many circumstances, we now know that, depending on the context, MMPs may employ additional modes of functionality. Here, we will give an update on the function of MMPs in development and cancer, which may directly regulate signaling pathways that control tissue homeostasis and may even work in a non-proteolytic manner. These novel findings about the functionality of MMPs have important implications for MMP inhibitor design and may allow us to revisit MMPs as drug targets in the context of cancer and other diseases. © 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
An Analysis of the Walking Environmental Factors Affecting the Stress of Pedestrians for Route Recommendation

Walking is an easy exercise for maintaining health, although there are several environmental factors, such as road congestion or slopes, which are stressful for pedestrians, especially elders. Therefore, a pedestrian navigation system is required to recommend a less stressful route for a user by estimating such environmental factors. Towards realizing such a system, we firstly collect vital sign, spatiotemporal and environmental data from pedestrians, and secondly analyze the relation between them, and then propose models for estimating the personal stress of a pedestrian. As our vital sign data, we calculate the stress of each pedestrian from the R-R interval data obtained by a heart rate sensor. Our spatiotemporal data includes the walking speed of pedestrians and road grade calculated from GPS sensor data. We measure the degree of road congestion, as our environmental data, using a laser range finder. Our analysis reveals that the road congestion is an important factor affecting stress in walking. The proposed models based on neural networks employ the road congestion in addition to the vital sign and spatiotemporal data. Experimental results indicate that the road congestion degree is effective and the stress of pedestrians estimated by our models is similar to the real stress.
Effect of Phase Noise on Spectral Efficiency for Utra Long Term Evolution

In this paper, the effects of phase noise on the spectral efficiency of the next generation of OFDM based mobile systems with channel estimation is investigated. The simulation context and parameter settings are taken from the 3GPP Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA) study item, focusing on an OFDM downlink single antenna system in 20 MHz bandwidth. Phase noise is modeled as a Wiener-Levy process and several phase noise powers are evaluated. The OFDM coherent detection method is based on pilot assisted channel estimation (PACE) with Wiener based frequency domain interpolation and second order Gaussian interpolation for the time domain interpolation. The cell level spectral efficiency is also evaluated for micro and macro-cell scenarios. The simulation results indicate that the phase noise effect in E-UTRA downlink can be reduced by using high performance local oscillator or by placing pilots in every OFDM symbols
Ageing with Muscular Disease

Background: The demographic development with an ageing population is predicted to be the next global public health challenge. Advances in medicine and the socioeconomic development have reduced mortality and morbidity due to infectious conditions and non-communicable diseases. The increase in longevity will not be restricted to healthy people. Objective: To understand how people with muscular diseases experience ageing. Method: A literature review was conducted using the Matrix Method developed by Garrard (2007). This systematic method was used to identify, describe and interpret studies, irrespective of the methods applied. To avoid the exclusion of important sources, experiences and topics, we chose an integrative approach that accommodates the inclusion of studies with different methodologies. People with MD have gradually extended their life expectancy during the last 30 years. Thus, we reviewed the literature regarding MD and ageing without time limit. Results: We identified three themes: 1) Slowing down early 2) Accepting lifelong deterioration and 3) Striving for normality. Conclusion: People with MD live in a field of tension between a feeling of autonomy and normality and difficulties coping with reduced physical abilities. Getting older accentuates this tension since the physical strength diminishes and it is harder to maintain autonomy. The bodily challenges may coincide with the end of the rehabilitation people living with MD have received. Seemingly, no age-related rehabilitation is offered, and people living with MD are thus at risk of an unnecessarily passive life.
An Error-Correction Model of the Long-Term Bond Rate

An equation explaining the long-run behavior of the bond rate from 1971 to 1993 indicates that inflation is the main long-run economic determinant of the bond rate. Monetary policy actions have short-run but no long-run effects on the rate. During the subperiod 1979 to 1993, however, some episodes of large, short-run upswings in the rate remain unpredicted. Perhaps they reflect inflation scares as in Goodfriend (1993).
Transdiagnostic Research and Treatment in Youth

was published in 2003 by Fairburn and colleagues in their description of common maintaining processes across eating disorders. At the same time, Barlow and colleagues (2004) were detailing their case for a “unified protocol” across a wide spectrum of disorders. Simultaneously, Harvey and colleagues (2004) were laying out a detailed exposition of basic science that supported the presence of common cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that explained the onset and maintenance of adult psychological disorders. And, finally, the first explicit description of a transdiagnostic intervention in youth popula-tion occurred in Ehrenreich, Buzzella, and Barlow’s (2007) extension of the unified protocol across the lifespan. It cannot be overstated that the explicit, intentional study of transdiagnostic mechanisms and unified treatments is in its very nascent stages and has far to go. And yet impres-sive progress has been made.
The effects of a Skills4Life program on bullying and parents' perspective

Bullying in schools is a problem that has received widespread attention. Previous evaluations of school-based bullying prevention programs reported mixed results (Farrington & Ttoh, 2009). This study examines the effects of a school-based Dutch Skills4Life program on bullying and the factors that may help parents to deal with the bullying situation. Results indicate that a program that enhances social and emotional skills has a positive influence on bullying. Data collected by interviews highlight the kind of support that parents require from teachers geared at enhancing their skills in dealing with bullying. © 2014 Published by C-crcs. Peer-review under responsibility of the Editor of the Volume.
Enabling longitudinal assessment of ankle-foot orthosis efficacy for children with cerebral palsy

Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are often prescribed to individuals with walking disabilities, including children with cerebral palsy. Despite the widespread use of AFOs, their efficacy is not well evaluated because the quantitative assessment of gait improvement from AFOs is currently limited to short-term, in-clinic observation. To better understand how AFOs perform in aiding individuals with walking disabilities and to further enhance their efficacy, longitudinal, continuous, non-invasive measurement is necessary. Ankle joint angle is a key parameter impacted by the AFO and is central to assessing AFO efficacy. With a wireless inertial body sensor network (BSN) mounted on -- or even embedded in -- the AFOs, the ankle joint angle can be extracted and then used to derive other gait parameters such as the range of ankle angle and the percentage of time in dorsi-/plantar-flexion mode. The methodology of extracting ankle joint angle and related gait parameters for assessing AFO efficacy is detailed in this paper. In order to obtain accurate spatial information, techniques for compensating integration drift, mounting error and multi-plane motion are also presented. The BSN results are validated against the industrial standard optical motion capture system on four children with cerebral palsy. An ankle angle RMSE of 2.41 degrees was achieved, demonstrating the potential of using BSNs for longitudinal assessment of AFO efficacy.
on Circuit , Power and Computing Technologies [ ICCPCT ] Smart Street Light System based on Image Processing

This article presents streetlight system, the concept to boost energy efficiency of a city. Nowadays, people are too busy, and unable to find time even to switch OFF the lights whenever not required. The system works like, the street lights are changed to ON state in the evening before the sun sets and they are switched OFF next day morning after there is enough light on the roads. This paper gives the best solution for reducing the energy consumption. This system detect vehicle movement/human presence on highways to switch ON only a chunk of street lights ahead of it and to switch OFF the trailing lights in order to reduce consumption of energy. This is achieved by processing the image of approaching object and then sending control message to the street light block. Additional attractive features of the system using suitable sensors for detecting the failed street light and then sending an SMS to the control authority via GSM modem for appropriate action are also included. Keywords— LED Lamps, Raspberry pi, sensors, LDR, OLFC
Hormone therapy discontinuation: physician practices after the Women's Health Initiative

Objective:No guidelines or randomized trials address best practices for hormone therapy (HT) discontinuation. Methods:We conducted a survey study to explore HT discontinuation practices at Group Health and Harvard Vanguard, large integrated health systems in the Northwest and Northeast United States, focusing on differences between specialties and study site. Results:The response rate to the written questionnaire (mailed between December 2005 and May 2006) was 78.5% (736/928); this article reports the results for 483 eligible physicians. To discontinue oral HT, most physicians (91%) advised tapering, not immediate cessation (8%), and most (60%) suggested decreasing both dose and days per week. Almost 60% of physicians reported no experience with tapering patches. Harvard Vanguard physicians were more likely than Group Health physicians to encourage discontinuing HT and less likely to recommend resuming HT when a woman's symptoms returned after discontinuing HT. Physicians were most strongly influenced by their own experience (48%), advice from colleagues (25%), and the woman's preference (19%) when choosing a discontinuation strategy; only 2% relied on research evidence. Physicians endorsed various approaches to manage symptoms after HT discontinuation, most often behavioral changes (44%) and increased exercise (37%), and these approaches were more often endorsed by Harvard Vanguard physicians and obstetrician/gynecologists than Group Health physicians or family practitioners or internists. Conclusions:Two health plans in the Northwestern and Northeastern United States have no standard protocol for HT discontinuation. Physicians customized approaches, influenced by their location, colleagues, and specialty. Research is needed to guide approaches to HT discontinuation.
Transmission of Different Isolates of Spiroplasma citri to Carrot and Citrus by Circulifer tenellus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

ABSTRACT Carrot purple leaf disease was first reported in 2006 in the state of Washington and was associated with Spiroplasma citri. The disease also was reported in California in 2008. The objectives of this work were to fulfill Koch's postulates and to determine 1) whether the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), transmits carrot [Daucus carota L. subsp. Sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang] isolates of S. citri; and 2) whether carrot and citrus [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb. ]derived spiroplasmas are pathogenic to both plant species. C. tenellus adults received a 24-h acquisition access period to a diet containing carrot-derived S. citri. After 30 d, insects were transferred to healthy carrot seedlings (five per plant). Negative controls were carrot and periwinkle [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don] plants exposed to diet-only-fed insects, and positive controls were periwinkle plants exposed to insects fed on spiroplasma-supplemented diet. Purple carrot leaves and small, chlorotic periwinkle leaves were evident 10–45 d after exposure. Spiroplasmas were reisolated only from symptomatic plants, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed their identity as S. citri. No symptoms occurred, and no spiroplasma-specific PCR amplifications or spiroplasma cultures were obtained from plants exposed to diet only-fed insects. Carrot-derived S. citri was transmitted to 15 and 50% of carrot and periwinkle plants exposed, respectively. Insects exposed to S. citri isolates from carrot or citrus transmitted the pathogen to both their host of origin and to the other plant host (carrot or citrus), showing no isolate-host specificity. Our findings confirm that carrot is a host of S. citri, Although carrot is not a preferred host of C. tenellus, it is likely that inoculative leafhoppers feed on carrot during seasonal migration.
Development of Budesonide Microparticles Using Spray-Drying Technology for Pulmonary Administration: Design, Characterization, In Vitro Evaluation, and In Vivo Efficacy Study

The purpose of this research was to generate, characterize, and investigate the in vivo efficacy of budesonide (BUD) microparticles prepared by spray-drying technology with a potential application as carriers for pulmonary administration with sustained-release profile and improved respirable fraction. Microspheres and porous particles of chitosan (drug/chitosan, 1:2) were prepared by spray drying using optimized process parameters and were characterized for different physicochemical parameters. Mass median aerodynamic diameter and geometric standard deviation for conventional, microspheres, and porous particles formulations were 2.75, 4.60, and 4.30 µm and 2.56, 1.75, and 2.54, respectively. Pharmacokinetic study was performed in rats by intratracheal administration of either placebo or developed dry powder inhalation (DPI) formulation. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated (Ka, Ke, Tmax, Cmax, AUC, and Vd) and these results indicated that developed formulations extended half life compared to conventional formulation with onefold to fourfold improved local and systemic bioavailability. Estimates of relative bioavailability suggested that developed formulations have excellent lung deposition characteristics with extended T1/2 from 9.4 to 14 h compared to conventional formulation. Anti-inflammatory activity of BUD and developed formulations was compared and found to be similar. Cytotoxicity was determined in A549 alveolar epithelial cell line and found to be not toxic. In vivo pulmonary deposition of developed conventional formulation was studied using gamma scintigraphy and results indicated potential in vitro–in vivo correlation in performance of conventional BUD DPI formulation. From the DPI formulation prepared with porous particles, the concentration of BUD increased fourfold in the lungs, indicating pulmonary targeting potential of developed formulations.
Travelers’ experiences of authenticity in “hill tribe” tourism in Northern Thailand

This study examines how tourists experience authenticity and the ethics of “hill tribe” trekking in northern Thailand, and what they learn as a result of their touristic encounters. A “netnography” methodology was used to analyze on-line data from travelers’ touristic encounters with highland people in two sites. The first was the on-line reviews, blogs, and videos of travelers’ experiences in Baan Tong Luang, a multi-ethnic “hill tribe village” tourist attraction outside of Chiang Mai. The second was the blog and video reviews of visitors to three exemplary “community-based tourism” highland village sites. Findings show a variety of complex understandings of authenticity, both “objective” and “constructivist. ” For community-based tourism reviewers in particular, authenticity was understood as a hybrid, fluid concept which derived from meanings ascribed to objects, practices, and place; personal relationships with hosts; and opportunities for cultural learning afforded visitors.