Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Participant-dependent and participant-independent classification of emotions using EEG signals

Emotion recognition has gained importance and significant attention as a part of the human-computer interface (HCI), and is envisioned to provide an "emotional dimension" to HCI. In this paper, we propose a novel method for participant-dependent and participant-independent emotion recognition using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. We aim to distinguish between positive and negative valence emotions on the valence-arousal graph, i.e., considering a binary classification problem. The EEG signals of DEAP dataset, where forty different videos were used to stimulate 32 participants is considered for the classification problem. Participant-dependent features are extracted in order to classify emotions for each participant, where a perfect classification score is shown to be achieved for one of the participants. Next, we consider generalization across participants and find participant-independent features. Applying the widely used or conventional method in this regard, we observe that the training time increases many fold with increase in participants. We propose a technique called averaging of features and show that the computational complexity of the proposed technique is significantly low as compared to the conventional method with increase in participants. The results obtained by detailed experiments and evaluation procedure indicate that averaging of features technique yields nearly the same performance as the conventional approach, but scarcely consumes computational time. The maximum classification accuracy for 32 participants was obtained to be 81.03% and 77.46% using conventional and averaging approaches respectively.
“Cracking” into the debate about laying hen housing

&NA; Livestock production systems have faced social pressures related to animal welfare; the laying hen industry also has faced changes in governing regulations/policies. This study employs experimental data to evaluate 3 confinement‐housing systems: standard cages with no perches, cages with standard perches, and cages with cooled perches. Based on the cost‐benefit analysis conducted of revenue less feed costs, operators are expected to have revenue, after covering feed costs, which could contribute to installation and maintenance of standard and/or cooled perches. Thus, egg producers may be able to use caged housing that incorporates perches profitably, depending on the final costs of such a system.
An analysis of tweets in response to the death of Michael Jackson

Purpose – Grieving resulting from the death of a loved one or someone familiar is a painful process and individuals invariably seek support to help them through this difficult period. In this study, the paper investigates the role microblogs play by exploring the types of messages following the death of a public figure, Michael Jackson, “the King of Pop”. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was conducted using 50,000 tweets harvested from Twitter from the first 12 days after Michael Jackson's death. A coding instrument characterizing a set of categories that users posted about Jackson's death was inductively constructed, and then applied to the entire dataset of tweets.Findings – About 50 per cent of tweets fell into categories commonly associated with expressions of emotions or thoughts due to death. However, as the single largest category, Twitter was used primarily as a platform for sharing news and other information. Surprisingly, categories not normally associated with grieving, such as spr.
Effect of different antibiotics on biofilm produced by uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from children with urinary tract infection

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur frequently in children and women. Intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) and biofilm formation by Escherichia coli are risk factors for recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different antibiotics on biofilms by E. coli strains isolated from children with UTI and to correlate virulence factors and IBCs with biofilm formation. A total of 116 E. coli strains were tested for biofilm formation using the crystal violet microplate technique. 58.6% of the strains did not produce biofilm, while 16.4%, 18.1% and 6.8% formed weak, moderate and strong biofilms, respectively. No correlation was found between the ability to form biofilms and the presence of IBCs. Biofilm formation was significantly associated with pili P codifying genes, whereas other virulence factors were not statistically associated. Antibiotics, including ampicillin, cephalothin, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, amikacin and ciprofloxacin, were evaluated at different concentrations after 48 h of biofilm formation. Except ampicillin, the other antibiotics tested induced a significant reduction of biofilm biomass. In the case of recurrent UTIs potentially associated with the presence of biofilm, the use of third-generation cephalosporin, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides could be recommended. These antibiotics demonstrated to reduce biofilm biomass produced even by resistant strains.
Design of Continuous-Time $\Delta \Sigma $ Modulators With Dual Switched-Capacitor Return-to-Zero DACs

Single-bit continuous-time sigma-delta modulators (CTDSMs) are overly sensitive to clock jitter when a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) feedback DAC is used. One way of addressing this problem is to use a DAC with an exponentially decaying pulse shape, realized using a switched capacitor (SC). Existing variants of the SC feedback DAC degrade linearity due to the high peak-to-average ratio of the feedback waveform and severely compromise the alias rejection of the modulator around multiples of the sampling frequency. We introduce the dual switched-capacitor return-to-zero (Dual-SCRZ) DAC, which combines the low clock jitter sensitivity of a switched-capacitor DAC with the low peak-to-average ratio characteristic of NRZ feedback. Further, this DAC preserves the implicit anti-aliasing feature of the CTDSMs around all odd multiples of the sampling frequency. A single-bit CTDSMs that uses the Dual-SCRZ technique and opamp-assistance to improve linearity and reduce jitter sensitivity achieves 91/85.1/83 dB DR/SNR/SNDR in a 2 MHz bandwidth. Operating at 256 MHz in a 0.18 μm CMOS process, the modulator dissipates 14.8 mW from a 1.8 V supply.
Stretchable Metallic Electrodes for Electroactive Polymer Actuators

This paper describes preparation and characterization of silver electrodes deposited by magnetron sputtering with high stretching capability while maintaining their electrical conductivity. It is shown that tuning the microstructure and grain size of silver films of 30 nm thickness deposited on silicone membranes is an effective way to extend the stretching limit until rupture to 13%. It is shown that films with an open pores microstructure and small grains of 18 nm do not develop cracks that are observable by AFM, while dense films with grains of ca. 25 nm develop crack networks with individual crack widths of several hundred nanometers, causing conductive failure already at 4% strain.
Navigating learning Resources through Linked Data: a preliminary Report on the Re-Design of Organic.Edunet

Learning objects repositories have grown and matured in the last years, being currently a cornerstone for open education. Several current systems are offering metadata openly through mainstream harvesting protocols or providing standardized query interfaces. Also, the use of standardized vocabularies or ontologies is becoming more common to provide a degree of semantic interoperability. However, learning object metadata is typically not linked across repositories, and it is not providing a way to navigate by using other sources of data available on the Web. The linked open data (LOD) approach provides the framework for the evolution of learning object repositories into a more flexible system of sharing learning resource metadata. This paper describes how linked data has been integrated in the design and redesign of the export mechanisms of Organic.Edunet, a federation of learning repositories in the domain of organic agriculture that uses an RDF store and several ontologies to browse and search resources. The paper focuses on how the existing search and semantic browsing mechanisms can benefit from the use of LOD across repositories.
Biomechanical Implications of Training Volume and Intensity in Aging Runners

Running speed is slower in middle-age compared with younger runners due to reduced ankle but not hip and knee kinetic output. Running-specific training helps attenuate age-related declines in measures of endurance, muscle strength, and gait speed. Considering the adaptability of the human body in response to imposed stresses, maintaining training volume and intensity may play a role in modifying running biomechanics in middle-age runners. PurposeTo compare running biomechanics between young and middle-age runners when controlling for the confounding effects of training volume and intensity. MethodsFifteen middle-age runners, 15 young runners with similar training volume as the middle-age group and, 15 young runners with similar preferred training paces (i.e., intensity) as the middle-age runners participated in the study. Lower-limb joint kinetics were calculated from kinematic and ground reaction force data during overground running at a submaximal speed and compared among groups. ResultsMiddle-age runners ran with similar peak ankle power compared with volume-matched younger runners although peak plantarflexor moment was 10.5% lower in the middle age group (P = 0.046; Cohen d = 0.78). Middle-age runners ran with similar ankle plantarflexor moment and joint power compared with training pace-matched young runners. As expected, no age-related differences were observed in hip and knee kinetics when training volume or pace were matched between age groups. These results suggest that training pace may be more effective in attenuating age-related declines in plantarflexor kinetics in middle-age runners. ConclusionsFrom these findings, we propose the hypothesis that both training volume and training pace may play a role in maintaining plantarflexor kinetics but that training pace may have a greater impact on ankle plantarflexor kinetics in middle-age runners.
Reproductive value in a complex life cycle: heat tolerance of the pitcher‐plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii

Because mortality accumulates with age, Fisher proposed that the strength of selection acting on survival should increase from birth up to the age of first reproduction. Hamilton later theorized that the strength of selection acting on survival should not change from birth to age at first reproduction. As organisms in nature do not live in uniform environments but, rather, experience periodic stress, we hypothesized that resistance to environmental stress should increase (Fisher) or remain constant (Hamilton) from birth to age at first reproduction. Using the pitcher‐plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, we imposed heat stress by simulating the passage of a warm‐weather front at different preadult and adult stages. Contrary to either Fisher or Hamilton, stress tolerance declined from embryos to larvae to pupae to adults. Consequently, reproductive value appears to have been of little consequence in the evolution of stage‐specific tolerance of heat stress in W. smithii.
Healing Carbon Fiber / Polymer Composites by Resistive Heating

Interface is the key region which determines, to a great extent, the set of properties of all heterogeneous systems, including composite materials. We reported interface healing of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material via resistive heating. The carbon fiber, T700 carbon fiber, with a resistivity of 1.66x10-3 Ω·cm was used as the heating element while the matrix is polyarylether sulfone with cardo. Micro-droplet experiment was used to study the interface strength before and after heating to determine the healing efficiency. The measurement shows (experimental results show) that resistive heating is an efficient way to heal cracks near interface.
Pre-treatment Technology of Wastewater Sludge for Enhanced Biogas Production in Anaerobic Digestion

Economic feasibility is one of the most important factors in energy production from regenerative biomass. From the aspect, biogas from anaerobic digestion of wastewater sludge is regarded as the most economical because of its cheap substrate and additional income from the disposal of waste sludge. Sludge hydrolysis has been regarded as the rate limiting step of anaerobic digestion and many sludge pre-treatment technologies have been developed to accelerate anaerobic sludge digestion for enhanced biogas production. Various sludge pre-treatment technologies including biological, thermo hydrolysis, ultrasonic, and mechanical methods have been applied to full-scale systems. Sludge pre-treatment increased the efficiency of anaerobic digestion by enhancing hydrolysis, reducing residual soilds, and increasing biogas production. This paper introduces the characteristics of various sludge pre-treatment technologies and the energy balance and economic feasibility of each technology were compared to prepare a guideline for the selection of feasible pre-treatment technology. It was estimated that thermophilic digestion and thermal hydrolysis were most economical technology followed by Cell rupture TM , OpenCEL TM , MicroSludge TM , and ultrasound. The cost for waste sludge disposal shares the biggest portion in the economic analysis, therefore, water content of the waste sludge was the most important factor to be controlled.
Pilot Study Measuring the Novel Satiety Hormone, Pro-Uroguanylin, in Adolescents With and Without Obesity

Objective: Disruption of satiety signaling may lead to increased caloric intake and obesity. Uroguanylin, the intestinal hormone, travels as a precursor to the central nervous system where it activates guanylyl cyclase C and stimulates pro-satiety neurons. Rodent studies have demonstrated that guanylyl cyclase C-knockout mice overeat and have increased weight gain versus wild-type mice and hyper-caloric obesity diminishes uroguanylin expression. We measured circulating plasma pro-uroguanylin, along with other gastrointestinal peptides and inflammatory markers, in human adolescents with and without obesity, as a pilot study. We hypothesized that adolescents with obesity would have less circulating pro-uroguanylin than adolescents without obesity have. Methods: We recruited 24 adolescents (age 14–17 years) with and without obesity (body mass index >95% or body mass index <95%) and measured plasma pro-uroguanylin at fasting and successive time points after a meal. We measured 3 other satiety hormones and 2 inflammatory markers to characterize overall satiety signaling and highlight any link between uroguanylin and inflammation. Results: Female adolescents with obesity had lower circulating pro-uroguanylin levels than female adolescents without obesity; we observed no difference in males. Other measured gastrointestinal peptides varied in their differences between cohorts. Inflammatory markers were higher in female participants with obesity. Conclusions: In adolescents with and without obesity, we can measure circulating pro-uroguanylin levels. In female adolescents without obesity, levels are particularly higher. Pro-uroguanylin secretion patterns differ from other circulating gastrointestinal peptides. In female adolescents with obesity, inflammation correlates with decreased pro-uroguanylin levels.
Task Allocation for Stream Processing with Recovery Latency Guarantee

Stream processing applications continuously process large amounts of online streaming data in real-time or near real-time. They have strict latency constraints, but they are also vulnerable to failures. Failure recoveries may slow down the entire processing pipeline and break latency constraints. Upstream backup is one of the most widely applied fault-tolerant schemes for stream processing systems. It introduces complex backup dependencies to tasks, and increases the difficulty of controlling recovery latencies. Moreover, when dependent tasks are located on the same processor, they fail at the same time in processor-level failures, bringing extra recovery latencies that increase the impacts of failures. This paper presents a correlated failure effect model to describe the recovery latency of a stream topology in processor-level failures for an allocation plan. We introduce a Recovery-latency-aware Task Allocation Problem (RTAP) that seeks task allocation plans for stream topologies that will achieve guaranteed recovery latencies. We present a heuristic algorithm with a computational complexity of O(nlog^2n) to solve the problem. Extensive experiments were conducted to verify the correctness and effectiveness of our approach.
Age‐related changes in pain sensitivity in healthy humans: A systematic review with meta‐analysis

Literature suggests that pain perception diminishes in old age. The most recent review used search strategies conducted over a decade ago and concluded that study findings were equivocal. The aim of this systematic review, with meta‐analysis, was to determine age‐related changes in pain sensitivity in healthy pain‐free adults, children and adolescents. A search of PubMed, Science Direct, and PsycINFO identified studies that compared pain sensitivity response to noxious stimuli at different time points in the lifespan of healthy individuals. Selected studies were assessed for methodological quality and data pooled and meta‐analysed. Publication bias was tested using Funnel plots. Twelve studies were included in the review (study sample sizes 30–244 participants). Seven of nine studies found statistically significant differences in pain sensitivity response between old (mean ± SD 62.2 ± 3.4 to 79 ± 4 years) and younger adults (22 ± 1.5 to 39.1 ± 8.8 years), but the direction of change was inconsistent. Meta‐analysis found that pressure pain threshold was lower in old adults compared with younger adults (p = 0.018, I2 = 60.970%). There were no differences in contact heat pain thresholds between old and younger adults (p = 0.0001, I2 = 90.23%). Three studies found that younger children (6–8.12 years) were more sensitive to noxious stimuli than older children (9–14 years). Methodological quality of studies was high, with a low risk of publication bias. There was substantial statistical and methodological heterogeneity. There is tentative evidence that pressure pain threshold was lower in old adults compared with younger adults, with no differences in heat pain thresholds. Further studies are needed.
Minocycline as an adjunct for treatment-resistant depressive symptoms: A pilot randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory medication may be effective in the treatment of depressive symptoms. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether minocycline added to treatment as usual (TAU) for 3 months in patients with treatment-resistant depression will lead to an improvement in depressive symptoms. Methods: Multi-site, 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trial of minocycline added to TAU for patients suffering from DSM-5 major depressive disorder, whose current episode has failed to respond to at least two antidepressants. The primary outcome measure was mean change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores from baseline to week 12. Secondary measures were the Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) and EuroQoL (EQ-5D) quality-of-life questionnaire. Side-effect checklists were also used. Minocycline was started at 100 mg once daily (OD) and increased to 200 mg after 2 weeks. Results: A total of 41 participants were randomised, with 21 in the minocycline group and 20 in the placebo group. A large decrease in HAMD scores was observed in the minocycline group compared to the placebo group (standardised effect size (ES) –1.21, p < 0.001). CGI scores in the minocycline group also showed a large improvement compared with placebo (odds ratio (OR): 17.6, p < 0.001). PHQ-9, GAD-7 and EQ-5D total showed more moderate improvements (ES ~ 0.4–0.5). Conclusion: The findings indicate that adjunctive minocycline leads to improvement in symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. However, our findings require replication in a larger sample. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02263872, registered October 2014.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Putative Genes Involved in Dioscin Biosynthesis in Dioscorea zingiberensis

Dioscorea zingiberensis is a perennial herb native to China. The rhizome of D. zingiberensis has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat rheumatic arthritis. Dioscin is the major bioactive ingredient conferring the medicinal property described in Chinese pharmacopoeia. Several previous studies have suggested cholesterol as the intermediate to the biosynthesis of dioscin, however, the biosynthetic steps to dioscin after cholesterol remain unknown. In this study, a comprehensive D. zingiberensis transcriptome derived from its leaf and rhizome was constructed. Based on the annotation using various public databases, all possible enzymes in the biosynthetic steps to cholesterol were identified. In the late steps beyond cholesterol, cholesterol undergoes site-specific oxidation by cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and glycosylation by UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) to yield dioscin. From the D. zingiberensis transcriptome, a total of 485 unigenes were annotated as CYPs and 195 unigenes with a sequence length above 1000 bp were annotated as UGTs. Transcriptomic comparison revealed 165 CYP annotated unigenes correlating to dioscin biosynthesis in the plant. Further phylogenetic analysis suggested that among those CYP candidates four of them would be the most likely candidates involved in the biosynthetic steps from cholesterol to dioscin. Additionally, from the UGT annotated unigenes, six of them were annotated as 3-O-UGTs and two of them were annotated as rhamnosyltransferases, which consisted of potential UGT candidates involved in dioscin biosynthesis. To further explore the function of the UGT candidates, two 3-O-UGT candidates, named Dz3GT1 and Dz3GT2, were cloned and functionally characterized. Both Dz3GT1 and Dz3GT2 were able to catalyze a C3-glucosylation activity on diosgenin. In conclusion, this study will facilitate our understanding of dioscin biosynthesis pathway and provides a basis for further mining the genes involved in dioscin biosynthesis.
Correction for Susceptibility Distortions Increases the Performance of Arterial Spin Labeling in Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an MRI technique to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) without the need of exogenous contrast agents and is thus a promising alternative to the clinical standard dynamic susceptibility‐weighted contrast‐enhanced (DSC) perfusion imaging. Latest international guidelines encourage its application in the clinical setting. However, susceptibility‐induced image distortions impair ASL with fast readout modules (eg Echo Planar Imaging, EPI; gradient and spin echo, GRASE). In the present study, we investigated the benefit of a distortion correction for ASL compared to DSC.