Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endophytes: A Treasure House of Bioactive Compounds of Medicinal Importance

Endophytes are an endosymbiotic group of microorganisms that colonize in plants and microbes that can be readily isolated from any microbial or plant growth medium. They act as reservoirs of novel bioactive secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, phenolic acids, quinones, steroids, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids that serve as a potential candidate for antimicrobial, anti-insect, anticancer and many more properties. While plant sources are being extensively explored for new chemical entities for therapeutic purposes, endophytic microbes also constitute an important source for drug discovery. This review aims to comprehend the contribution and uses of endophytes as an impending source of drugs against various forms of diseases and other possible medicinal use.
An Experiential Perspective on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Abstract The objective of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is to support drivers in mastering the driving task. Until now, the development of ADAS has mainly focused on technology, safety and comfort. This paper aims to complement this by a more experiential view. A study explored how Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), as an example of ADAS, impacts people´s driving experience. It showed that ACC creates a gap between the driver and her car. This gap can be interpreted in two different ways. It is negative, when the “joy of driving” is in the fore, because it removes the feeling of mastery, control, being in charge and being one with the car. It is potentially positive, when the “joy while driving” is in the fore, because it creates the freedom to engage in pleasurable activities beyond driving. Unfortunately, the current concept of “supervisory control” for ADAS does not allow for the disengagement with driving. Based on our findings, we discuss crucial aspects to consider when designing ADAS from an experiential perspective. Zusammenfassung Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) haben das Ziel, den Fahrer bei seiner Fahraufgabe zu unterstützen. Dabei konzentriert sich die Entwicklung auf technologische Aspekte, Sicherheit und Komfort. Dieser Artikel ergänzt dies um eine erlebnisorientierte Sicht. Eine qualitative Studie zeigt, wie Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) das Fahrerlebnis verändert. ACC erzeugt eine Distanz zwischen Fahrer und Auto. Ist die “Freude am Fahren” im Vordergrund ist diese Distanz negativ, denn sie verringert Gefühle des Meisterns, der Kontrolle, des Verantwortlichseins und des “Einsseins” mit dem Auto. Ist die “Freude beim Fahren” im Vordergrund ist die Distanz potentiell positiv, denn sie erzeugt den Freiraum, sich mit anderen freudvollen Dingen jenseits des Fahrens zu beschäftigen. Leider erlaubt es das Konzept der “supervisory control” nicht, dem Fahrer diesen Freiraum wirklich zu geben. Auf dieser Basis diskutieren wir zentrale Punkte, die es zu berücksichtigen gilt, wenn man ADAS eher erlebnisorientiert gestalten möchte.
Applications of Linear Logic to Computation: An Overview

This paper is an overview of existing applications of Linear Logic LL to issues of computation After a substantial introduction to LL it discusses the implications of LL to functional programming logic programming concurrent and object oriented programming and some other applications of LL like semantics of negation in LP non monotonic issues in AI planning etc Although the overview covers pretty much the state of the art in this area by necessity many of the works are only mentioned and referenced but not discussed in any considerable detail The paper does not presuppose any previous exposition to LL and is addressed more to computer scientists probably with a theoretical inclination than to logicians The paper contains over references of which some are about applications of LL
Discontinuous PWM scheme for a modular multilevel converter with advanced switching losses reduction ability

This paper presents discontinuous pulse width modulation (DPWM) scheme for a modular multilevel converter (MMC) to achieve an advanced switching losses reduction. The MMC is considered to be one of the most attractive multilevel topology for high-power applications because of the features of its high power quality, modularity, and availability. However, the MMC has large switching losses because of the huge number of switching devices. To reduce the switching losses, the novel DPWM scheme with additional clamping intervals is proposed in this paper. Furthermore, a rotation scheme for voltage balancing and power distribution of sub modules (SMs) is also proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed switching losses reduction ability is verified by simulation results.
Patterns of neuropsychiatric sub-syndromes in Brazilian and Norwegian patients with dementia

ABSTRACT Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) affect the majority of patients who have dementia. Neuropsychiatric sub-syndromes with symptoms that occur together and have common neurobiological correlates have been identified. There are scarce data regarding the comparison of the pattern of the neuropsychiatric sub-syndromes in distinct ethnical and cultural populations. We aim at comparing the pattern of the NPS, and the factor analysis of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-10) in two samples of outpatients with dementia living in Brazil and Norway. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The sample consists of 168 Brazilian and 155 Norwegian demented patients from psychogeriatric facilities and community-based educational programs. Brazilian patients were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (63.7%), vascular dementia (15.5%), or mixed dementia (20.8%), whereas the diagnoses of Norwegian patients were Alzheimer's disease (97.4%) and mixed dementia (2.6%). Principal component analysis with the Varimax rotation was used for factor analysis of the NPI-10. Results: Apathy (80.4 %), agitation/aggression (45.8%), and aberrant motor behavior (45.8%) were the most common symptoms in the Brazilian sample. Apathy (72.3%), dysphoria (61.9%), and anxiety (52.3%) were the most frequent symptoms in the Norwegian sample. Factor analysis of the NPI-10 revealed three syndromes for the Brazilian (Psychosis, Mood, Psychomotor) and Norwegian (Psychosis, Mood, Frontal) groups. Conclusions: The frequency of individual NPS may differ among distinct populations. However, Psychosis and Depression are common sub-syndromes in diverse ethnical and cultural patients with dementia. Our findings support the syndromic approach for the clinical assessment of the patients with dementia.
Inferential Sensing and Monitoring for Feedwater Flowrate in Pressurized Water Reactors

The feedwater flowrate that is measured by Venturi flow meters in most pressurized water reactors can be overmeasured because of the fouling phenomena that make corrosion products accumulate in the Venturi meters. Therefore, in this paper, support vector machines combined with a sequential probability ratio test are used in order to accurately estimate online the feedwater flowrate, and also to monitor the status of the existing hardware sensors. Also, the data for training the support vector machines are selected by using a subtractive clustering scheme to select informative data from among all acquired data. The proposed inferential sensing and monitoring algorithm is verified by using the acquired real plant data of Yonggwang Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3. In the simulations, since the root mean squared error and the relative maximum error are so small and the proposed method early detects the degradation of an existing hardware sensor, it can be applied successfully to validate and monitor the existing hardware feedwater flow meters
MMV: Metamodeling Based Microprocessor Valiation Environment

With increasing levels of integration of multiple processing cores and new features to support software functionality, recent generations of microprocessors face difficult validation challenges. The systematic validation approach starts with defining the correct behaviors of the hardware and software components and their interactions. This requires a new modeling paradigm that supports multiple levels of abstraction. Mutual consistency of models at adjacent levels is crucial for manual refinement of models from the full chip level to production RTL, which is likely to remain the dominant design methodology of complex microprocessors in the near future. In this work, we present MMV, a validation environment based on metamodeling, that can be used to create models at various, abstraction levels and to generate most of the important validation collaterals, viz., simulators, checkers, coverage and test generation tools. We illustrate the functionalities in MMV by modeling a 32 bit RISC processor at the system, instruction set architecture and microarchitecture levels. We show by examples how consistency across levels is enforced during modeling and also how to generate constraints for automatic test generation
Neuromodulator-mediated control of spatial and nonspatial information processing in the hippocampus

How the brain implements learning is a long-standing question in neuroscience research. Many studies have indicated a critical role of the hippocampus in establishing memories of facts and episodes. As episodic memories require the association of many different sensory events in the environment, the hippocampus integrates multimodal information acquired from sensory systems. The brain area that sends major afferent inputs to the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, can be further divided into two subareas, the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex, each of which primarily transfers either spatial or nonspatial information to the hippocampus. The proper control of these two information streams is essential for constructing neuronal representations of the environment in hippocampus. To understand this process, my studies have focused primarily on the projection from the entorhinal cortex to area CA1, the temporoammonic pathway. Although this pathway has been relatively unexplored, recent studies have suggested that it plays a unique role in hippocampal function. I investigated how the temporoammonic synapses influence hippocampal function from three different perspectives; in single-neuron studies, local-circuit analyses, and behavioral manipulations. I propose that the temporoammonic pathway gives rise to a unique functional circuit in the hippocampus, which allows for the independent control of spatial and nonspatial information processing. Neuromodulators are a key component to this control as they differentially influence two streams of information from the entorhinal cortex. Finally, I describe my studies on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-like behaviors at a neuronal circuit level. A mouse model of schizophrenia, generated by maternal immune activation, displays several behavioral abnormalities relevant to schizophrenia patients. We found that hippocampal slices prepared from these mice exhibit altered synaptic properties in the temporoammonic pathway. The mice also exhibit behavioral abnormality in novel object recognition. Taken together, my studies shed light on two information streams in hippocampal circuits. Anatomical or neuromodulatory-based disturbance of this control may underlie some of the behavioral abnormalities observed in several mental disorders.
The effects of peer tutoring interview skills training with transition-age youth with disabilities

This paper examines the effectiveness of peer tutors teaching interview skills to transition-age youth with disabilities. Findings from studies show that students with disabilities do not receive adequate instruction in preparing for employment due to a variety of reasons. One strategy to improve employability skills is through the use of well-trained peer tutors to assist in teaching interviewing strategies. Providing training, structure, and support are important to designing a successful peer-tutoring program. Peer tutoring is beneficial to both tutors and tutees; it provides opportunities for self-advocacy and self-determination. The 6 students who participated in this 11-week study improved their interviewing skills when compared to their baseline data. Students with histories of behavior problems engaged in positive social interactions. Initial results indicate that the use of peer tutoring is an effective approach for students with disabilities to improve their abilities to interview for employment.
Extending Figlewski ’ s option pricing formula 0

0 We would like to thank Gurdip Bakshi, Nikunj Kapadia and Robert Tompkins for kindly sharing their data sets. We also thank seminar participants at Stanford University and Steve Figlewski for comments on a previous version of this paper. The second author is supported by an Advanced Fellowship from the EPSRC. The third author acknowledges partial financial support from DAAD, EPSRC and KWI.
DSM-5 and autism spectrum disorders--two decades of perspectives from the JCPP.

The newest revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the DSM-5, will be published in less than a year and anticipation is high. The changes to the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) criteria are likely to be among the most extensive of the revisions to the manual, as well as among the most contested. Worries about loss of diagnosis and service eligibility are common, especially among parents. Some have felt that the proposed changes are confusing, even capricious, or poorly justified (e.g., Ghaziuddin, 2011). The rationale for combining the individual PDD diagnoses into a single category of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), when we hear so much about the heterogeneity of autism, has been questioned. Rather than referring to ‘‘autism’’ as a unitary condition, many researchers now refer to ‘‘autisms’’ in the plural (Boucher, 2011) so the DSM-5 proposal to lump rather than split can seem perplexing. But in fact the proposed changes have a clear empirical basis, resulting from extensive literature reviews and secondary data analyses undertaken by the DSM working groups. JCPP, with its 50-plus year history of tracking changes in child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology (Berger & Hersov, 2009; Rutter, 1999), has published a number of papers of direct relevance to the DSM revisions. A comprehensive search of the Wiley-Blackwell database turned up 535 papers on PDD/ASD from the period between the first edition of JCPP in 1961 to today. Of these, 158 papers were specifically on diagnostic or classification issues. It is likely that the work of contributors to JCPP was in the minds of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders working group as the DSM-5 criteria were developed In this Virtual Issue, I have selected a dozen papers from the Journal that trace the changing conceptualizations of the PDDs over the last two decades, highlighting the evolution of the Asperger Syndrome classification, and raising several of the diagnostic issues that were ultimately addressed by the proposed DSM-5 criteria. As I hope this editorial will make clear, the changes are anything but capricious or arbitrary. It was not difficult to find a dozen papers from JCPP alone that were supportive of the new DSM criteria. Quite the reverse, it was challenging to find those that supported a ‘‘DSM-as-usual’’ approach. To ground this within the appropriate context, I begin with a list (not exhaustive) of the proposed changes to the criteria: • Change in name from Pervasive Developmental Disorder to Autism Spectrum Disorder • Creation of a single diagnosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, rather than a category containing five individual diagnoses
Validating Distributed Software Modeled with UML

The development of correct OO distributed software is a daunting task as soon as the distributed interactions are not trivial. This is due to the inherent complexity of distributed systems (latency, error recovery, etc.), leading to numerous problems such as deadlocks, race conditions, and many difficulties in trying to reproduce such error conditions and debug them. The OO technology is ill equipped to deal with this dimension of the problem. On the other hand, the willingness of mastering this complexity in the context of telecommunication protocols gave birth to specific formal verification and validation tools. The aim of this paper is to explore how the underlying technology of these tools could be made available to the designer of OO distributed software. We propose a framework allowing the integration of formal verification and validation technology in a seamless OO lifecycle based on UML, the Unified Modeling Language.
Epidemiology and management of osteoporosis in the People’s Republic of China: current perspectives

With the progressive aging of the population, osteoporosis has gradually grown into a global health problem for men and women aged 50 years and older because of its consequences in terms of disabilities and fragility fractures. This is especially true in the People’s Republic of China, which has the largest population and an increasing proportion of elderly people, as osteoporosis has become a serious challenge to the Chinese government, society, and family. Apart from the fact that all osteoporotic fractures can increase the patient’s morbidity, they can also result in fractures of the hip and vertebrae, which are associated with a significantly higher mortality. The cost of osteoporotic fractures, moreover, is a heavy burden on families, society, and even the country, which is likely to increase in the future due, in part, to the improvement in average life expectancy. Therefore, understanding the epidemiology of osteoporosis is essential and is significant for developing strategies to help reduce this problem. In this review, we will summarize the epidemiology of osteoporosis in the People’s Republic of China, including the epidemiology of osteoporotic fractures, focusing on preventive methods and the management of osteoporosis, which consist of basic measures and pharmacological treatments.
‘Order out of chaos’: the London Society and the planning of London 1912–1920

The history of civic consciousness in the late nineteenth century has focused on philanthropic housing reform and the provision of civic amenities such as public parks and libraries. Histories of the growth of the town planning movement in the same period likewise have been dominated by housing, with an emphasis on the garden suburb and the activities of the Garden City Association (founded 1899). At the same time, and partly due to the popularity of research on Ruskin, Morris and their followers, the history of popular movements emerging at the end of the last century has concentrated on conservation groups like the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (founded 1877) and the National Trust (founded 1895). An analysis is presented here of an emerging voluntary civic and planning movement and its contribution to urban and planning history. It examines the growth of modern civic consciousness from 1890 to 1920, when citizens began to exercise their right to participate in the planning and design .
Solar Lentigines: Evaluating Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) as an Effective Treatment Option.

INTRODUCTION Solar lentigines are among commonest cosmetic problems. There are many topical therapies suggested to treat these lesions including cryotherapy, chemical peeling with tri chloro acetic acid (TCA) and laser therapy with q-switched lasers as well as long pulsed lasers. Considering possible treatment side effects (PIH, scar) with cryotherapy and peeling in Iranian patients (darker skin types) it seems necessary to try to find alternative measures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate effect of long pulsed dye laser (LPDL) on lentigines via an objective method (computerized dermoscopy). METHODS Patients with pathologically confirmed lentigines were selected if they agreed to participate in the study,were not treated before, hadn't history of psoriasis, vitiligo, scar formation and were not pregnant. Letigines were dermoscopied before and after treatment with PDL (V-beam, 595nm, Candela Corp. Wayland, USA) using fluence of 10 joules,without DCD (dynamic cooling device) via extra compress lens provided with laser system.The resulting figures were compared by two academic unrelated dermatologists as well as by computerized analysis. Post laser side effects were treated with topical antibiotics and mild topical steroids. Patients were followed for six months after the end of the study to determine the rate of recurrence via dermoscopy of sites of previous lesions and also delayed side effects. RESULTS A total of 21 patients with the same number of lesions, were included in the study.Mean age of patients was 54.2 years (±23.3) ranging from 39 to 71 years. Included patient swere 18 females and three males. From 21 treated lesions, 11 were located on the hands and 10 on the face. Comparing before and after photographs taken through dermoscopy system,revealed that approximately 57% of patients had more than 75% improvement. Mean pigment analysis score (calculated by computerized dermoscope software) was respectively 8 and 2 before and after PDL therapy, showing noticeable decrease in pigment density of lesions.Side effects were mild erythema and local irritation responding to topical mild steroids.No hypo or persistent hyper pigmentation or other delayed side effects was seen after six months follow up. One patient experienced transient hyper pigmentation of treatment site after treatment. During six months follow up, no recurrences were seen. CONCLUSION In conclusion, PDL is a safe and effective option to treat lentigines if applied properly using compression method, especially in Iranian patients. However, further studies with larger sample size are required to confirm these results.
Genetics of Human Taste Perception

Genetic approaches are rapidly yielding new information about our sense of taste. This information comes from both molecular studies of genes encoding taste receptors and other taste-signaling components, and from studies of inherited variation in taste abilities. Our understanding of bitter taste has advanced by combined information from discovery and study of the TAS2R family of taste receptor genes, hand in hand with genetic linkage and positional cloning studies, notably on the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Sweet and umami tastes, mediated by TAS1R receptors, are becoming well-characterized at the molecular genetic level, and these taste classes are now targets for linkage, positional cloning, and genetic association strategies. Salty and sour tastes are still poorly characterized in genetic terms, and represent opportunities for the future.
Degrees of separation on a dynamic social network

Social networks are nowadays the most prominent online environments for communication and interaction among individuals, that allow people to communicate more often. In fact, in recent years, most studies have concluded that we are more close now, with the number of degrees of separation becoming smaller for most social networks. These networks are nevertheless continuously changing and evolving, being in fact highly dynamic, with many relations among users not being always active, or even becoming dead links. In this paper, we describe the reconstruction of interaction networks from Twitter data, along a given period of time. We report detailed statistics for these networks and results about observed degrees of separation. Our results point out that, taking into account just real time interactions, the degrees of separation are higher than those reported for traditional contact networks.