Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Autonomic Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease—A Computational Model-Based Approach

(1) Background and Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is commonly accompanied by autonomic dysfunction. Investigating autonomic dysfunction’s occurrence patterns and severity may aid in making a distinction between different dementia subtypes, as cardiac autonomic dysfunction and AD severity are correlated. Heart rate variability (HRV) allows for a non-invasive assessment of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). AD is characterized by cholinergic depletion. A computational model of ANS based on the kinetics of acetylcholine and norepinephrine is used to simulate HRV for various autonomic states. The model has the flexibility to suitably modulate the concentration of acetylcholine corresponding to different autonomic states. (2) Methods: Twenty clinically plausible AD patients are compared to 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls using HRV measures. Statistical analysis is performed to identify the HRV parameters that vary significantly in AD. By modulating the acetylcholine concentration in a controlled manner, different autonomic states of Alzheimer’s disease are simulated using the ANS model. (3) Results: In patients with AD, there is a significant decrease in vagal activity, sympathovagal imbalance with a dominant sympathetic activity, and change in the time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear HRV characteristics. Simulated HRV features corresponding to 10 progressive states of AD are presented. (4) Conclusions: There is a significant difference in the HRV features during AD. As cholinergic depletion and autonomic dysfunction have a common neurological basis, autonomic function assessment can help in diagnosis and assessment of AD. Quantitative models may help in better comprehending the pathophysiology of the disease and assessment of its progress.
EOG-Based Reading Detection in the Wild Using Spectrograms and Nested Classification Approach

Electrooculography, also known as EOG, is a technique that is used to calculate the corneo-retinal standing potential, which is located between the cornea and the retina of the human eye. Applications of EOG include eye disease diagnosis and eye movement tracking. There has been various research on reading activity detection from EOG signals in controlled laboratory settings. However, determining reading behaviours from data collected from real-world environments remains a challenging problem. Detecting reading in practical scenarios can lead us to track our daily reading activity, thereby improving our learning experience and even workplace productivity. Tracking regular reading behaviour can also lead to further research in cognitive psychology, literacy development, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. In this study, we investigated an electrooculogram dataset that was collected on the field from 10 users who were engaged in their daily activities on two separate days. We propose a pipeline combining the statistical features with deep learning features from pre-trained ImageNet models. To detect the fine-grained reading activities, we adopted a nested classification approach. Initially, we differentiate between reading and not reading and then we employ an additional classification step to discriminate among three distinct types of reading activities. With our pipeline, we could achieve 66.56% accuracy in detecting the reading activities whereas the original dataset publication showed a baseline performance of only 32%.
Multi-UAV Collaboration and IMU Fusion Localization Method in Partial GNSS-Denied Scenarios

When it comes to disaster rescue, quickly and accurately locating the trapped people will not miss the golden rescue time, thereby improving the success rate of rescue. The existing research has focused on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to locate stationary user equipment (UE). However, the simultaneous movement of the UAVs and the UE brings about problems of UAV coordinate deviation and range interference, resulting in poor accuracy and stability of UE localization. To solve the mentioned issues above, a fusion localization method based on multi-UAV collaborative ranging and user-side inertial measurement unit (IMU) module was proposed for GNSS-denied scenarios. First, the initial coordinate deviations of the UAVs were corrected by multi-UAV collaboration; Then, a pre-processing scheme based on density peaks clustering (DPC) was proposed to eliminate the abnormal interference in the ranging data; Finally, the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) was used to realize the fusion localization based on multi-UAV ranging and user-side IMU module. The simulation results showed that the proposed scheme can maintain the accuracy and stability of UE localization in the presence of ranging interference, and the positioning error was reduced by 21.4% compared with the commonly used extended Kalman filter (EKF). Moreover, the proposed localization scheme had a better performance in low-altitude rather than high-altitude flight scenarios.
Location determinants of foreign direct investment in real estate : evidence from China

The objective of this paper is to examine factors affecting locational choice of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Chinas real estate. The panel data selected 32 provinces of China during 2003 to 2017 are used in the analysis. The results show that GDP per capita, population, and loan rate are important factors affecting FDI in Chinas real estate market. This reflects that China's economic growth made a significant contribution to the growing trend of FDI in the real estate market. However, the investment of foreign real estate developers in cities in the eastern, central and western parts of China is still unevenly distributed, so the Chinese government should implement relevant policies to deal with such issues. Keywords: Real estate, loan rate, GDP per capita, foreign direct investment in real estate �
El batolito de Tastil (Salta, Argentina): un caso de magmatismo poliorogénico en el basamento andino

El batolito de Tastil, situado en Salta (noroeste de Argentina), esta emplazado en la Formacion Puncoviscana, de edad neoproterozoica a eopaleozoica. Actualmente se admite que este batolito esta formado por granodioritas grises y por granitos rojos, y que esta cubierto discordantemente por areniscas eopaleozoicas del Grupo Meson. La realizacion de una cartografia detallada y nuevas observaciones de campo demuestran que el batolito contiene ademas dacitas y monzodioritas, y que el contacto entre los granitos rojos y el Grupo Meson es de naturaleza intrusiva y no una discordancia. De mas antigua a mas reciente, la secuencia de episodios magmaticos es la siguiente: granitos grises/dacitas, granitos rojos y monzodioritas. Las monzodioritas son una manifestacion del magmatismo terciario de los Andes, por correlacion con las monzodioritas del Nevado de Acay. La presencia de clastos de granitos rojos en conglomerados tremadocienses proporciona una edad cambrica minima para los granitos rojos, y edades mayores para el Grupo Meson, los granitos grises y las dacitas. La edad radiometrica (U-Pb en circones) de 526±2 Ma obtenida en una dacita, avala lo anterior. La suite granitica del batolito de Tastil debe relacionarse, por lo tanto, con estadios iniciales de la tectonica extensional que dio lugar al desarrollo de las cuencas eopaleozoicas, en vez de con la evolucion neoproterozoica del basamento andino, como se venia considerando hasta ahora.
Relation of MRI-Visible Perivascular Spaces and Other MRI Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Perivascular spaces (PVS) visible on brain MRI signal cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The coexistence of PVS with other CSVD manifestations likely increases the risk of adverse neurological outcomes. We related PVS to other CSVD manifestations and brain volumes that are markers of vascular brain injury and neurodegeneration. Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants with CSVD ratings on brain MRI were included. PVS were rated in the basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semiovale (CSO) into grades I–IV and a category reflecting high burden in single or mixed CSO-BG regions. We related PVS to covert brain infarcts (CBI), white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebral microbleeds (CMB), total brain, hippocampal, and cortical gray matter volumes using adjusted multivariable regression analyses. In 2454 participants (mean age 54 ± 12 years), we observed that higher PVS burden in both BG and CSO was related to CMB in lobar and deep brain regions and increased WMH. Greater CSO PVS burden was associated with decreased total cortical gray volumes. PVS are associated with ischemic markers of CSVD and neurodegeneration markers. Further studies should elucidate the causality between PVS and other CSVD manifestations.
The Impending Population Decline in Northern Norway: Implications and Demographic Challenges

This study presents an analysis of population trends in rural Norway, with a specific focus on the potential implications for rural populations in a long-term perspective. We highlight the significant outward migration of young people from rural areas, which has led to a demographic shift happening at a faster pace and on a larger scale in rural areas compared to central areas. Using North-Varanger, the most north-eastern part of the country, as an example, the article shows that the region has experienced net outward migration for the past 50 years, and if current trends persist, the population in the region could decrease by up to 80 percent by 2100. North-Varanger is an area of strategic importance to Norway. It is also an area of vital importance for the Sami people. This study shows that there is a risk that the population in one of the most strategically important regions will see a dramatic reduction. The only way to reverse this trend is to change the migration patterns and encourage more young families to settle in North-Varanger. This stresses the urgent need for policymakers to re-evaluate current public measures aimed at attracting migrants to rural areas in order to make the measures more effective and to ensure sustainable settlement in the region.
Necrosis de la cabeza femoral tras fractura del cuello femoral tratada mediante osteosíntesis

We report a retrospective analysis of the incident of osteonecrosis in 233 patients with femoral neck fractures treated with cancellous screws. The average age was 80.6 years. Seventy-one patients (26%) had a displaced fracture (Garden I-II). Six months after surgery 170 patients survived (73%). Thirty-four of them (20%) had developed osteonecrosis and 10 (5,9%) collapse. After a follow-up of 12 months 114 patients (49%) survived. Twenty-four of these patients (21%) had an osteonecrosis and 18 (16%) a collapse. Two years after surgery 103 patients (44%) survived. Seven of them had developed an osteonecrosis (8%) and 25 a collapse (27%). At the time of most recent follow-up (three years) 84 patients survived (36%). There was a collapse in 8 of them (10%). We observed a significant relation between patients who had a displaced fracture, a failed reduction, an unstable fixation, and the later development of necrosis and late collapse.
Effects of Pregabalin as Preemptive Analgesia for Pain Score, Sedation Score, and Cortisol Level after Caesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia

INTRODUCTION: Cesarean section (C-section) is an increasingly common method of delivery, so optimal management of anesthesia and post-operative pain is essential for better outcomes. Preemptive analgesia is an effective method for preventing post-operative pain, with the benefits of pregabalin specifically being much studied and debated. This study aimed to determine the side effects and efficacy of different pregabalin doses for pain management and prevention of stress response in C-section patients under spinal anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This double-blind randomized trial study examined 30 patients who underwent elective C-section under spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 10 mg + adjuvant fentanyl 25 mcg, who were divided into three equal groups which received oral placebo or pregabalin (75 or 150 mg). Pain scores, sedation scores, and cortisol levels and changes were analyzed, the former two using Mann–Whitney tests, cortisol levels using one-way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, and cortisol level changes using repeated-measures ANOVA tests on SPSS software version 20. Results were considered significant when p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were significant differences in numerical rating scale between the placebo and pregabalin groups at rest and movement after surgery (p < 0.05), and in sedation scores between the placebo and 150 mg groups and between the 75 mg and 150 mg groups at 2 and 6-h post-surgery (p < 0.05), as well as cortisol level changes between all groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preemptive administration of pregabalin 75 mg is recommended for C-section surgery because it may reduce post-operative pain with minimal side effects.
A Blockchain-based secure Internet of Medical Things framework for smart healthcare

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) industry has grown lightning during the estimated time frame. Privacy and security are essential concerns given the scale and widespread use of IoMT networks. Blending healthcare data in one place storage device to prepare an effective predictive model, on the other hand, increases more severe security and privacy issues, ownership, and regulation. An advanced system is required to enhance information utilization while restricting privacy issues. This research presents a new architecture to address security and privacy challenges in e-healthcare services in Healthcare 5.0. This paper integrates the distributed ledger technology (DLT) with IoMT. This integration has become necessary due to the growing demand for e-health-related technologies and services. The proposed solution in this research is based on a Blockchain framework to enhance medical data privacy and integrity. This research evidence found that Blockchain can overcome IoMT privacy and data protection. The proposed framework has far-reaching consequences for the medical field. The proposed method has reduced Commit time by up to 10 seconds, and Commutative probability has been gained to 88%. It has advantages, including faster data exchange, less duplication of effort, and more secure patient information.
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND OTHER FACTORS ON THE OUTBREAK AND SPREAD OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN SUNEKA DIVISION OF KISII COUNTY

xix CHAPTER ONE . 1 1.0 Introduction. 1 1.1 Background of the study . 1 1.2 Statement of the problem . 4 1.3 Research Objectives. 5 1.3. 1. Specific Objectives . 5 1.4 Research Questions . 6 1.5 Research hypothesis. 6
Multi-temporal Processing Quality Prediction Based on Graph Neural Networks and Transfer Learning

The model abstracts the complex influence relationships between parameters as graph data, uses graph neural networks to calculate the spatial information between parameters, and uses long and short term memory networks to model the complex temporal dependencies of workshop processing quality index sequences. Experimental results show that the model was achieve absolute performance improvements of 0.011, 0.001 and 2.35% compared to time series analysis methods.
Source process of long‐period seismic events at Taal volcano, Philippines: Vapor transportation and condensation in a shallow hydrothermal fissure

We analyzed observations of a swarm of more than 40,000 long‐period (LP) seismic events at Taal volcano, Philippines, in 2010–2011. The event waveforms are strongly correlated to each other, consistent with a fixed source location, and begin with a dilatational first motion. They have a peak frequency around 0.8 Hz and a quality factor Q of 6. Waveform inversion of the events pointed to a tensile crack source dipping 30°–60° at a shallow (100–200 m) depth. A simulation using a fluid‐filled crack model indicated that the complex frequencies of the waveforms are explained by the fundamental longitudinal mode resonance of a vapor‐filled crack 188 m long. A satellite thermal infrared image acquired during the swarm period suggests that the LP events were not accompanied by surface gas releases. We considered a vapor transportation model in which vapor exsolved from magma and rose in a fissure extending to the LP source. This model yielded estimates that 105–107 m3 of magma was involved in the LP swarm and that the temperature of vapor in the LP source crack was around 600 K. We modeled a triggering mechanism of the crack resonance based on sudden condensation of vapor at the crack tip in a cold aquifer. This model explained observed characteristics of the events including the dilatational first motion, the total volumetric change, and the fixed source location.
Study on the Properties and Synergistic Antioxidant Effects of Novel Bifunctional Fusion Proteins Expressed Using the UTuT6 System

Important antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), are involved in maintaining redox balance. They can protect each other and result in more efficiently removing excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), protecting cells against injury, and maintaining the normal metabolism of ROS. In this study, human cytosolic GPx (hGPx1) and human phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx (hGPx4) genes were integrated into the same open reading frame with human extracellular SOD active site (SOD3-72P) genes, respectively, and several novel fusion proteins were obtained by using the UTuT6 expression system for the first time. Among them, Se-hGPx1UAG-L4-SOD3-72P is the bifunctional fusion protein with the highest GPx activity and the best anti-hydrogen peroxide inactivation ability thus far. The Se-hGPx4UAG-L3-SOD3-72P fusion protein exhibits the strongest alkali and high temperature resistance and a greater protective effect against lipoprotein peroxidation damage. Se-hGPx1UAG-L4-SOD3-72P and Se-hGPx4UAG-L3-SOD3-72P fusion proteins both have good synergistic and antioxidant abilities in H2O2-induced RBCs and liver damage models. We believe that this research will help with the development of novel bifunctional fusion proteins and the investigation of the synergistic and catalytic mechanisms of GPx and SOD, which are important in creating novel protein therapeutics.
Continuance Intention on Using E-Payment in Hotel Business

This study aims to analyze the continuance intention of using e-payment technology in the hotel business, focusing on sustainable usage. The research adopts a quantitative approach and includes 207 respondents who actively use e-payment technology. Random sampling is employed to ensure a representative sample. Data analysis is conducted using the SmartPLS application. The findings indicate a significant relationship between the desire and interest in using e-payment technology (continuance intention) and the sustainable utilization of e-payment technology. These results contribute to the understanding of the factors influencing the ongoing adoption and usage of e-payment solutions in the hotel industry. By investigating continuance intention and emphasizing sustainability, this research provides insights for industry stakeholders to implement and promote the long-term use of e-payments in payment transactions. Ultimately, this research contributes to the existing knowledge by shedding light on the importance of continuance intention and sustainability in the context of e-payment usage in the hotel business, offering opportunities for improved business operations and enhanced customer experiences in the evolving digital landscape.
Implementation of an Efficient Multi-Signature Scheme for Copyright Protection on Ethereum

Blockchain has shown great potential in various fields due to its technical advantages such as peer-to-peer, timestamp, consensus algorithm and encryption. In blockchain, the protection method of transaction data or copyright is crucial and cryptographic digital signature technology has been applied as one of the copyright protection methods. The multi-signature scheme provides higher security than single-signature schemes, enhances the transparency of transactions and contracts, and is widely used in distributed systems utilizing distributed ledger technology in blockchain. Multi-signature requires multiple parties to cooperate in order to produce a valid signature, reducing the risk of exposing the entire system to a single point of failure when compared to single-signature schemes. This is an important role in transactions or contracts that require consensus among multiple parties, where each party can sign to implement the agreement, increasing transparency and preventing disputes. However, the cryptographic digital signature is resource consuming and inefficient because the verification of the signature consumes lots of computational resources and excessive number of communications. Therefore, we have proposed an efficient multi-signature scheme based on Schnorr for copyright protection on Ethereum.
A Note on Relation Between Point-Line Displacement and Equiform Transformation

− The present paper studies the relation between the point-line displacement and theequiform transformation in Euclidean 3-space R3. A point-line can be transformed into another pointline via an equiform transformation. Observing that a point-line is nothing but a line element whenits reference point is the origin of the coordinate system, we show that this transformation can also beperformed by using dual quaternions
Modeled and observed fast flow in the Greenland ice sheet

Satellite surface velocity measurements covering 86% of the Greenland Ice Sheet were used to evaluate a prognostic ice dynamics model on a 3 km grid. A small, but systematic, exploration of the parameter space considered changes in just three critical model parameters, describing ice softness, nonlinear basal rheology, and basal water pressure, respectively. Parameter combinations were evaluated by comparing the modeled and observed surface speeds. Best fit to the observed distribution of fast flow occurred with no enhancement of ice softness, nearlyplastic basal material, and high basal water pressure under fast-flowing ice. The use of a standard amount of ice flow enhancement was seen to generate a distribution of fast flow which is fundamentally different from that in the observed flow, while a specific parameterization of basal sliding generated a close-to-observed distribution.