Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How does the brain resolve a competition of action plans in complex environments ?

Visual scenes are often complex and crowded with many different objects. To interact effectively, we must choose one object at a time as a goal for action. Certain external cues can act as a stop signal, quickly cancelling an ongoing action. Less recognized are internal signals. These can come from recent experience, anticipated action outcomes, cognitive states, and when attention is captured by a salient object. These signals elevate one action plan over alternatives and can quickly modify an initial choice. Here, we focus on these internal processes responsible for selecting, abandoning and modifying action plans. We first highlight how the brain resolves competition among multiple action plans. Critical is the existence of parallel motor planning processes, which allow efficient and timely changes. Then, we discuss how the action system interplays with perception, attention and memory processes to bias action selection and suppress or modify erroneous selections. Subsequently, we show how tracking the continuous modification of action trajectories can provide a tool to read out changes in internal cognitive states. Taken together, we shed light on a broader view that sensorimotor networks can continuously modify actions through simultaneous evaluation of alternative activities in concert with widely distributed perceptual and cognitive networks. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Movement suppression: brain mechanisms for stopping and stillness’.
Emerging treatment options for recurrent ovarian cancer: the potential role of olaparib

Olaparib has shown promising anticancer activity as a single agent in the treatment and maintenance of recurrent ovarian cancer in early clinical trials, but it is far from standard therapy. This article outlines the problem of relapsed ovarian cancer and the mechanisms of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors and reviews the recent literature pertaining to olaparib in ovarian cancer.
0 50 20 99 v 2 6 A pr 2 00 5 Phantom energy traversable wormholes

It has been suggested that a possible candidate for the present accelerated expansion of the Universe is “phantom energy”. The latter possesses an equation of state of the form ω ≡ p/ρ < −1, consequently violating the null energy condition. As this is the fundamental ingredient to sustain traversable wormholes, this cosmic fluid presents us with a natural scenario for the existence of these exotic geometries. Note, however, that the notion of phantom energy is that of a homogeneously distributed fluid. Nevertheless, it can be extended to inhomogeneous spherically symmetric spacetimes, and it is shown that traversable wormholes may be supported by phantom energy. Due to the fact of the accelerating Universe, macroscopic wormholes could naturally be grown from the submicroscopic constructions that originally pervaded the quantum foam. One could also imagine an advanced civilization mining the cosmic fluid for phantom energy necessary to construct and sustain a traversable wormhole. In this context, we investigate the physical properties and characteristics of traversable wormholes constructed using the equation of state p = ωρ, with ω < −1. We analyze specific wormhole geometries, considering asymptotically flat spacetimes and imposing an isotropic pressure. We also construct a thin shell around the interior wormhole solution, by imposing the phantom energy equation of state on the surface stresses. Using the “volume integral quantifier” we verify that it is theoretically possible to construct these geometries with vanishing amounts of averaged null energy condition violating phantom energy. Specific wormhole dimensions and the traversal velocity and time are also deduced from the traversability conditions for a particular wormhole geometry. These phantom energy traversable wormholes have far-reaching physical and cosmological implications. For instance, an advanced civilization may use these geometries to induce closed timelike curves, consequently violating causality.
Plant Parentage, Pollination, and Dispersal: How DNA Microsatellites Have Altered the Landscape

DNA microsatellites provide plant ecologists with molecular markers precise enough to assign parentage to seeds and seedlings. This allows the exact distance and trajectory of successful pollen to be traced to characterize pollination patterns. Parentage assignment of established seedlings also allows researchers to accurately determine how far new recruits have traveled from their seed parent. This paper reviews the history and development of molecular parentage assignment in studies of native plants, as well as the limitations and constraints to this approach. This paper also reviews 53 articles published in the past 15 years that use parentage assignment to study pollination and seed dispersal in native plants. These parentage studies have overturned many common assumptions regarding pollen and seed dispersal patterns. They show that long-distance dispersal of pollen is common in both wind and animal dispersed systems, with average pollination distances commonly being hundreds of meters. The pollination neighborhood is often extremely large, and simple dispersal functions based on distance alone fail to make accurate predictions of pollination. Rather than hindering gene flow, fragmentation and isolation sometimes, and perhaps even commonly, results in increased pollination distances. Studies of seed dispersal using parentage assignment have also yielded some surprises. We now know that it may be erroneous to assume that seeds growing under the crown of a conspecific adult are growing beneath their mother, or that seed dispersal distances are more limited than pollen dispersal distances. Taken together, the studies to date demonstrate that both seed and pollen dispersal are quite complex phenomena influenced by many ecological processes.
Effect of Islamic values on green purchasing behavior

Purpose This study aims to conduct an experimental investigation into the effectiveness of using Islamic values and environmental knowledge in advertising for plant disposable containers on the level of willingness to purchase such products for religious ceremonies and rituals among Muslim consumers in Iran. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 270 individuals participating in one of the religious assemblies in the city of Shiraz in Iran was classified into three groups (a control and two experimental groups). A pretest was administered for each group; then both experimental groups received brochures whose contents were associated with environmental and religious messages about environmental protection. After four days, a post-test was similarly conducted for each group. The data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Findings The results revealed that the use of religious and environmental messages in advertising for plant disposable containers could boost the willingness to purchase such containers for religious ceremonies and rituals; however, the effectiveness of using religious messages was stronger compared to that of the environmental ones. Research limitations implications Given that the present study was conducted based on an experimental research design in a real context, there was the possibility of the presence of other variables outside the control of the study design and affecting its results. Practical implications Increased awareness regarding the harmful environmental impacts of plastic containers and emphasis on religious duties to protect the environment can affect targeting a sector of the Muslim community endowed with strong religious beliefs. Originality/value This study confirmed that consumer values and beliefs could have effects on their purchase and consumption behaviors.
Reconstitution immunitaire et immunothérapie adoptive anti-virales après allogreffe de cellules souches hématopoiétiques

L'allogreffe de cellules souches hematopoietiques (CSH) est un traitement efficace des Hemopathies malignes. Cependant, les complications des allogreffes parmi lesquelles les infections virales sont associees parfois a une morbidite et une mortalite importantes. Ces infections surviennent en l'absence de reconstitution immunitaire. Un monitoring regulier de la charge virale des principaux agents infectieux impliques est realise mais amene parfois a la mise en oeuvre abusive de traitements anti-viraux qui ne sont pas denues de toxicite.Dans ce travail, nous proposons d'associer a ce monitoring un suivi regulier de la reconstitution immunitaire specifique afin de cibler parmi les patients presentant une reactivation ceux qui necessitent un traitement curatif de ceux qui pourront maitriser l'infection par leur systeme immunitaire. Nous illustrons ce propos avec le virus d'Epstein Barr (EBV) et avons en cours une etude sur l'Adenovirus (ADV). Dans certains cas parfaitement cibles, les traitements anti-viraux s'averent inefficaces. C'est pourquoi dans ce travail, nous presentons la mise au point d'une technique de grade clinique de production de lymphocytes T cytotoxiques anti-ADV (CTL anti-ADV) en condition GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), grâce au systeme CliniMACS et au Cytokine Capture System de Miltenyi, afin de proposer une immunotherapie adoptive.Nous decrivons par la suite trois experiences cliniques de traitement compassionnel d'une infection ADV post-allogreffe de CSH. Enfin, nous presentons les resultats preliminaires de la production de CTL bispecifique anti-ADV et CMV.
SURGICAL REMOVAL OF ENTRAPPED BROKEN CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY CATHETER IN LEFT MAIN AND CIRCUMFLEX CORONARY ARTERY

Perkutan translüminal koroner anjiyoplasti, birçok vakada koroner arter baypas cerrahisi için geçerli bir alternatiftir. Kırılan koroner anjioplasti kateterinin çıkartılamaması translüminal koroner anjiyoplastinin nadir bir komplikasyonudur. Bu olgu sunumu, koroner anjiyoplasti uygulanırken sol ana koroner arter ve sirkumfleks arterde takılarak çıkartılamayan kateter nedeniyle acil koroner arter bypass cerrahisi uygulanan bir vakayı sunmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler : Anjiyoplasti, Kateter Kırılması, Cerrahi Çıkartma.
Targeting and Scheduling of Advertisements to Maximize Revenue

The increasing popularity of the World Wide Web had made it an attractive medium for advertisers; online advertising has became a very powerful and popular method of marketing. Many web sites like Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. Provide free services to the users while generating revenues from advertising. As more advertisers place Internet advertisements it has become important for web site owners to maximize revenue through the optimal selection and placement of these ads. Main goal is to schedule ads such that each ad is displayed with the correct frequency, each ad is allocated enough space for the specified geometry, and all the ads to be displayed simultaneously can be arranged in the space available for advertising . The proposed system is implemented using ASP.NET and SQL server for storage requirement . It employs the Knapsack Relaxation algorithm which delays the issues such as maxspace and minspace related to the scheduling of advertisements.
End of Transportation of Spent Laying Hens: From Idea to Solution

Transportation of spent laying hens causes them severe suffering. HAI-MESHEK (The Israeli Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals) looked for ways to decrease the suffering and finally developed the solution. Spent laying hens are brutally taken out of the cages, and with broken legs and chests pressed into small boxes for transportation to the slaughter-house. Removing all hens from the cages, transportation, waiting in the slaughter-house and slaughtering all hens is a long and hard-suffering time, which may take 8-10 hours. Hai-Meshek conducted a research, aimed at finding more humane methods of transportation. The findings from other countries were very disappointing. Even in countries having high level of animal welfare, about 30% of the hens arrived at the slaughter-house with broken limbs! The conclusion was that even better method, imposed by legislation, would not solve the problem: it is difficult to detect truck drivers violating the rules and the fine is negligible, compared to the savings by the abovementioned cruel method. The only humane solution is by preventing the transportation and slaughtering on farm. Spent laying hens are not edible, so they need not be slaughtered in the slaughter-house. Hai-Meshek initiated and participated in the development and the building of a facility for the humane killing of spent laying hens on farms. The hens are electrified and die in 1-1.5 seconds. This method costs far less than transportation and slaughtering. The Poultry Council, which takes care to remove spent laying hens from farms, requires contractors to use the facility and they bring it to every farm in Israel. The facility is also used for killing sick flocks. No more transportation of spent laying hens is allowed!
Atresia of the Coronary Sinus Ostium to the Right Atrium with a Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava

El seno coronario recientemente ha asumido un papel importante en la clinica cardiologico, siendo ampliamente utilizado en procedimientos invasivos del corazon. Comunmente, se utiliza en los implantes de los electrodos para el monitoreo epimiocardico del ritmo cardiaco, a traves de un ritmo biventricular establecido. Estos procedimientos invasivos no son posibles en los corazones con una atresia del ostium del seno coronario. En presencia de esta condicion, se puede producir otra anomalia: el desarrollo de la vena de "Marchal" la cual es un vestigio de la vena cava superior izquierda (VCSI). Esto provoca que la sangre venosa del corazon pueda drenar en el atrio derecho, por una comunicacion entre la VCSI y la vena braquicefalica izquierda. La presencia de una VCSI trae dificultades a la hora de realizar un procedimiento invasivo con el fin de acceder al atrio derecho a traves de la vena cava superior, usualmente hecho en la clinica cardiologica. Por otra parte, el cruzamiento de la VCSI sobre el atrio izquierdo es vulnerable en las intervenciones quirurgicas cardiovasculares, confirmado por informes clinicos. En el presente estudio, 400 corazones fijados en formalina provenientes a cadaveres de sexo masculino, con edades comprendidas entre los 35 y 80 anos, fueron investigados, en particular por la anatomia del seno coronario. El ostium obliterado del seno coronario al atrio derecho asociado con una VCSI persistente estuvo presente en solo una muestra (0,25%). Se realizo un estudio del diametro de estas estructuras dilatadas debido a que la sangre venosa drena desde el corazon hacia el atrio derecho, por una comunicacion entre la VCSI y la vena braquicefalica izquierda. Tambien se realiza una revision de la literatura de estos casos y se discuten nuestros hallazgos en relacion con su importancia clinica.
Sustained Gq-Protein Signaling Disrupts Striatal Circuits via JNK

The dorsal striatum is a major input structure of the basal ganglia and plays a key role in the control of vital processes such as motor behavior, cognition, and motivation. The functionality of striatal neurons is tightly controlled by various metabotropic receptors. Whereas the Gs/Gi-protein-dependent tuning of striatal neurons is fairly well known, the precise impact and underlying mechanism of Gq-protein-dependent signals remain poorly understood. Here, using different experimental approaches, especially designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug (DREADD) chemogenetic technology, we found that sustained activation of Gq-protein signaling impairs the functionality of striatal neurons and we unveil the precise molecular mechanism underlying this process: a phospholipase C/Ca2+/proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2/cJun N-terminal kinase pathway. Moreover, engagement of this intracellular signaling route was functionally active in the mouse dorsal striatum in vivo, as proven by the disruption of neuronal integrity and behavioral tasks. To analyze this effect anatomically, we manipulated Gq-protein-dependent signaling selectively in neurons belonging to the direct or indirect striatal pathway. Acute Gq-protein activation in direct-pathway or indirect-pathway neurons produced an enhancement or a decrease, respectively, of activity-dependent parameters. In contrast, sustained Gq-protein activation impaired the functionality of direct-pathway and indirect-pathway neurons and disrupted the behavioral performance and electroencephalography-related activity tasks controlled by either anatomical framework. Collectively, these findings define the molecular mechanism and functional relevance of Gq-protein-driven signals in striatal circuits under normal and overactivated states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dorsal striatum is a major input structure of the basal ganglia and plays a key role in the control of vital processes such as motor behavior, cognition, and motivation. Whereas the Gs/Gi-protein-dependent tuning of striatal neurons is fairly well known, the precise impact and underlying mechanism of Gq-protein-dependent signals remain unclear. Here, we show that striatal circuits can be “turned on” by acute Gq-protein signaling or “turned off” by sustained Gq-protein signaling. Specifically, sustained Gq-protein signaling inactivates striatal neurons by an intracellular pathway that relies on cJun N-terminal kinase. Overall, this study sheds new light onto the molecular mechanism and functional relevance of Gq-protein-driven signals in striatal circuits under normal and overactivated states.
Using Learning of Speed to Stabilize Scale in Monocular Localization and Mapping

Monocular visual localization and mapping algorithms are able to estimate the environment only up to scale, a degree of freedom which leads to scale drift, difficulty closing loops, and eventual failure. This paper describes an image-driven approach for scale-drift correction which uses a convolutional neural network to infer the speed of the camera from successive monocular video frames. We obtain continuous drift correction, avoiding the need for explicit higher-level representations of the map to resolve scale. We also propose a novel method of including speed estimates as a regularizer in bundle adjustment which avoids the pitfalls of sudden imposition of scale knowledge. We demonstrate our approach using long-distance sequences for which ground truth is available, and find output that is essentially free of scale drift. We compare the performance with number of other methods for scale-drift correction from monocular data, and show that our solution achieves more accurate results.
Costs and benefits of sustainable diets: impacts for the environment, society and public health nutrition.

Abstract The four domains of food sustainability are nutrition, economics, society and the environment. Sustainable diets need to be nutritionally adequate, safe, affordable, acceptable and appealing, while sparing of both human and natural resources. Those multiple demands are contradictory and can be hard to satisfy at the same time. First, the most nutrient-rich diets are not necessarily the most affordable or environmentally friendly. It is empty calories of minimal nutritional value that are cheap. Second, the most nutrient-rich diets require more land, water and energy use; empty calories are more sparing of the environment. Third, some foods that are nutrient rich, affordable and environmentally friendly may not be socially or culturally acceptable. As a result, assessing the likely impact of sustainable diets on economic equity, food security and population health is a continuing challenge. Cost-benefit analyses rely on multiple inputs. Diet quality is measured through a variety of indices, both food- and nutrient-based. Affordability is measured in terms of calories and nutrients per penny. Cultural acceptance can be based on purchases and consumption frequencies across population groups. Environmental impact is measured in terms of land, water, and energy use, notably greenhouse gas emissions. However, relevant input data are scarce, especially at the local and regional level. Mainstream public health nutrition needs to pay more attention to food production and cost, sensory and cultural acceptance of foods, and the environmental impact of the recommended diets. The way forward is through multi-sector engagement and through sustainable food-based dietary guidelines.
Relationship between cytokine IL 6 levels and early-onset neonatal morbidity.

UNLABELLED Perinatal infections exert considerably negative effects on morbidity and mortality of newborns. HYPOTHESIS elevations of cytokine IL levels may be used as a marker of early-onset neonatal infections. TARGETS to establish relationships between elevated IL 6 cytokine levels and neonatal morbidity (cranial and pulmonary). METHODS examinations of the umbilical blood for IL 6 values in 392 newborns weighing under 1500 g treated in Ceské Budĕjovice at the Intensive Care Unit and Unit of Intensive Care and Resuscitation. RESULTS a statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between elevations of cytokine IL 6 levels and pulmonary morbidity in newborns. DISCUSSION the authors recommend examination of cytokine IL levels in the umbilical blood with a possibility to acquire the result within 2 hours after the delivery, which makes neonatologists possible to initiate goal-directed antibiotic therapy.
Compact microstrip bandpass filter with two transmission zeros using a stub-tapped half-wavelength line resonator

A compact microstrip bandpass filter is developed using a half-wavelength (/spl lambda//2) transmission line resonator with a pair of tap-connected open-ended stubs. Such paired stubs with total length of about /spl lambda//2 constructs an equivalent line resonator. Together with two separated /spl lambda//4 line resonators, the three transmission poles can be achieved inside the passband. Meanwhile, two stub lengths are adjusted slightly longer and shorter than /spl lambda//4 to realize the two transmission zeros at both low and high rejection bands. Further, the long tapped-stub is kept wider than its short counterpart to improve the low rejection behavior. A filter sample is designed and fabricated to provide an experimental verification on the proposed filter.
A New Statistical Wideband Spatio-Temporal Channel Model for 5-GHz Band WLAN Systems [Comments and corrections on]

This note points out that the probability density function (pdf) for cluster conditional angle-of-arrival (AOA) in the line-of-sight (LOS) scenario proposed in the above-mentioned paper by C.C. Chong et al. (see IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, vol.21, no.2, Feb. 2003) has some mathematical errors. A possible correction is presented.
Towards Sustainability Through Incremental Innovation of a Low Cost Product: The Nespresso Case

With the increase of the population, it is imperative to expand the production of goods and services to meet the needs of individuals. Aggressive production practices are destroying and diminishing the world’s natural resources, without any consideration about its consequences and impact on future generations. In order to minimize this problem, organizations need to develop innovations, which focus on and address the economic, social and environmental dimensions, or Triple Bottom Line. This article presents a case study on Nespresso, and investigates their strategy of developing an innovative recyclable aluminum coffee capsule, and a closed-loop recycling process, with the purpose of meeting the Triple Bottom Line. Data collection was done through secondary data, video testimonies and public documents. The collected data was analyzed and validated using the Theoretical Framework of Sustainability. With the understanding of this case, it was sought to answer the following research question: How can a low-cost incremental innovation contribute to sustainability in a gourmet coffee company? The main finding is that a low-cost product with incremental innovation, designed to meet the purpose of the Triple Bottom Line and coupled with a value-sharing strategy, is capable of delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits.