Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
100-nm n-/p-channel I-MOS using a novel self-aligned structure

We have fabricated a 100-nm n-/p-channel I-MOS by adopting a novel structure. The proposed structure shows some advantages over the conventional one in terms of self-alignment and reduced number of photolithography masks. It leads to low fabrication cost, accelerated scaling down, and enhanced performance due to reduced parasitic elements. It shows a normal transistor operation with small subthreshold swing less than 11.8 mV/dec at room temperature. The n- and p-channel I-MOS have an ON/OFF current of 81.1/2.8 and 78.2/3.4 /spl mu/A per /spl mu/m, respectively. The device performance provides a promise for near-ideal switch application.
Effect of various uncertainties on the performance of occupancy-based optimal control of HVAC zones

Model Predictive Control (MPC) has emerged as a potential control architecture for operating buildings in a more energy efficient manner. We study through simulations the effect of several sources of uncertainty that arise in the implementation of MPC on the energy consumption, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality (IAQ). These include occupancy profile, measurement errors and mismatch between the plant and its model that the control algorithm uses. Simulations are carried out for two extreme cases: a winter day with no solar load and a summer day with high solar load. The study shows that increasing fluctuations in occupancy, errors in measuring occupancy, and model mismatch have the strongest impact on the energy consumption. However, measurement errors in outside temperature and solar load does not have significant impact. Therefore, it is possible to improve the controller performance by using more accurate occupancy sensors. Furthermore, implementation cost can also be reduced by eliminating the sensors and prediction algorithms for predicting outside temperature and thermal loads without compromising the controller performance. Even with these uncertainties, MPC delivers 12-37% reduction of energy use over conventional control methods without affecting thermal comfort and IAQ.
Antihyperlipidemic Effect of a Polyherbal Mixture in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

The effects of a polyherbal mixture containing Allium sativum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Citrullus colocynthis, Juglans regia, Nigella sativa, Olea europaea, Punica granatum, Salvia officinalis, Teucrium polium, Trigonella foenum, Urtica dioica, and Vaccinium arctostaphylos were tested on biochemical parameters in diabetic rats. The animals were randomized into three groups: (1) normal control, (2) diabetic control, and (3) diabetic rats which received diet containing 15% (w/w) of this mixture for 4 weeks. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). At the end of experiment, the mixture had no significant effect on serum hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities. However, the level of fasting blood glucose, water intake, and urine output in treated group was lower than that in diabetic control rats (P < 0.01). Also, the levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol in polyherbal mixture treated rats were significantly lower than those in diabetic control group (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrated that this polyherbal mixture has beneficial effects on blood glucose and lipid profile and it has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement for the management of diabetes.
Navigation in Combined Outdoor and Indoor Environments using Multi-Level Surface Maps

Whenever mobile robots are used in real world applications, the ability to learn an accurate model of the environment and to localize itself based on such a model are important prerequisites for reliable operation. Whereas these problems have been successfully solved in the past for most indoor tasks, in which the robot is assumed to operate on a flat surface, such approaches are likely to fail in combined indor and outdoor environments in which the three-dimensional structure of the world needs to be considered. In this paper, we consider the problem of localizing a vehicle that operate s in 3D indoor as well as outdoor settings. Our approach is entirely probabilistic and does not rely on GPS information. It is based on so-called multi-level surface maps which are an extension of the well-known elevation maps. In addition t o that, we present a technique that allows the robot to activel y explore the environment. This algorithm applies a decision theoretic approach and considers the uncertainty in the mod el to determine the next action to be executed. In practical experiments, we illustrate the properties as well as advant ages of our approach compared to other techniques.
Independent opinions? on the causal foundations of belief formation and jury theorems

It is often claimed that opinions are more likely to be correct if they are held independently by many individuals. But what does it mean to hold independent opinions? To clarify this condition, we distinguish four notions of probabilistic opinion independence. Which notion applies depends on environmental factors such as commonly perceived evidence, or, more formally, on the causal network in which people interact and form their opinions. In a general theorem, we identify conditions on this network that guarantee opinion independence in each sense. Our results have implications for `wisdom of crowds' arguments, as we illustrate by providing old and new jury theorems.
Multiple evolutionary origins of Trypanosoma evansi in Kenya

Trypanosoma evansi is the parasite causing surra, a form of trypanosomiasis in camels and other livestock, and a serious economic burden in Kenya and many other parts of the world. Trypanosoma evansi transmission can be sustained mechanically by tabanid and Stomoxys biting flies, whereas the closely related African trypanosomes T. brucei brucei and T. b. rhodesiense require cyclical development in tsetse flies (genus Glossina) for transmission. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary origins of T. evansi. We used 15 polymorphic microsatellites to quantify levels and patterns of genetic diversity among 41 T. evansi isolates and 66 isolates of T. b. brucei (n = 51) and T. b. rhodesiense (n = 15), including many from Kenya, a region where T. evansi may have evolved from T. brucei. We found that T. evansi strains belong to at least two distinct T. brucei genetic units and contain genetic diversity that is similar to that in T. brucei strains. Results indicated that the 41 T. evansi isolates originated from multiple T. brucei strains from different genetic backgrounds, implying independent origins of T. evansi from T. brucei strains. This surprising finding further suggested that the acquisition of the ability of T. evansi to be transmitted mechanically, and thus the ability to escape the obligate link with the African tsetse fly vector, has occurred repeatedly. These findings, if confirmed, have epidemiological implications, as T. brucei strains from different genetic backgrounds can become either causative agents of a dangerous, cosmopolitan livestock disease or of a lethal human disease, like for T. b. rhodesiense.
Precision Agriculture in Citrus: A Probit Model Analysis for Technology Adoption

The objective of this study is to identify the likelihood of Florida citrus producers adopting precision agriculture technologies. This is the second stage of a multi-part study on precision agriculture in Florida citrus production. Stage one involved the use of a mail questionnaire to collect growers’ information regarding production management practices in citrus. The results of the citrus producer survey regarding adoption trends and attitudes towards precision agriculture were used to analyze the likelihood of adoption for precision agriculture technologies in Florida citrus production. The objective was to identify demographic characteristics of adopters versus non-adopters, and determine from questionnaire responses if there were other factors that influenced the decision to adopt precision agriculture technologies. The indicators that were measured included the growers' demographic characteristics, a self-perceived technology adoption attitude and the grower's self-perceived in-grove level of variability. A random selection of citrus growers from the top 10 counties (in production area) in Florida was questioned regarding current and future practices. Multinomial probit models were developed to estimate the probability of adoption of 10 different precision agriculture technologies based on the indicators measured in the survey. Early results from the probit models have shown a statistically significant correlation to the independent variables related to in-grove spatial variability, age and land ownership influencing the decision to adopt precision farming technologies in citrus production.
Acetylbritannilactone Inhibits Neointimal Hyperplasia after Balloon Injury of Rat Artery by Suppressing Nuclear Factor-κB Activation

Based on our previous observations that 1-O-acetylbritannilactone (R)-4((3aS,4S,7aR)-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-3-methylene-2-oxo-2,3,3a,4,7,7a-hexahydrobenzofuran-5-yl)pentyl acetate (ABL) suppresses prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide synthesis in macrophages, the present study was designed to explore the effect of ABL on neointimal hyperplasia after balloon injury and its mechanism of action. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, 26 mg/kg ABL or polyglycol (control) was administered daily from 3 days before injury to 2 weeks after conventional balloon injury. ABL administration led to a significant reduction in neointimal formation (neointima to media ratio, 1.94 ± 0.43 versus 0.84 ± 0.29, P < 0.01) and proliferative activity of vascular smooth muscle cells after balloon injury in rats. Western blot analysis revealed that this is correlated to the inhibition of nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and to the reduced expression of cyclooxygenase-2. Investigation of potential signaling pathways demonstrated that ABL inhibited NF-κB activation via the blockade of the inhibitor of NF-κB kinase-β activation and the suppression of the degradation of the inhibitors of NF-κB-α. These findings suggest that ABL is a potential inhibitor of neointimal formation because it blocks injury-induced NF-κB activation and may have beneficial effects in reducing the risk of restenosis after angioplasty.
Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics at Yale University Cowles Foundation Discussion Paper No . 1753 INTRODUCTION TO JUDGMENT AGGREGATION

This introduces the symposium on judgment aggregation. The theory of judgment aggregation asks how several individualsjudgments on some logically connected propositions can be aggregated into consistent collective judgments. The aim of this introduction is to show how ideas from the familiar theory of preference aggregation can be extended to this more general case. We rst translate a proof of Arrows impossibility theorem into the new setting, so as to motivate some of the central concepts and conditions leading to analogous impossibilities, as discussed in the symposium. We then consider each of four possible escape-routes explored in the symposium. JEL classi cation: D70, D71
Unpacking Prior Experience: How Career History Affects Job Performance

As individuals change jobs more frequently, it is increasingly important to understand what they carry from their prior work experience that affects their performance in a new organizational context. So far, explanations about the imperfect portability of experience have primarily been about firm specificity of knowledge and skill. We draw on psychological theory to propose additional sociocognitive factors that interfere with the transfer of knowledge and skill acquired from prior related work experience. As we hypothesized, we find that task-relevant knowledge and skill mediates the relationship between prior related experience and job performance and that it acts as suppressing mediator of a negative direct relationship between prior related experience and current job performance. We also find that the positive effect of prior related experience on task-relevant knowledge and skill is attenuated by higher levels of experience within the current firm.
A Dual-Buck–Boost AC/DC Converter for DC Nanogrid With Three Terminal Outputs

Due to the widely used dc characterized loads and more distributed power generation sources, the dc nanogrid becomes more and more popular, and it is seen as an alternative to the ac grid. For safety considerations, the dc nanogrid should provide reliable grounding for the residential loads such as the low-voltage ac power system. There are three typical grounding configurations for a dc nanogrid: the united grounding, the unidirectional grounding, and the virtual isolated grounding. Each grounding configuration has its own specifications to ac/dc converters. In this paper, a dual-buck-boost ac/dc converter for use in the united-grounding-configuration-based dc nanogrid with three terminal outputs is proposed. The working principle of this converter is presented in detail through analyzing the equivalent circuits. Experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis.
Detection of pulmonary embolism in patients with unresolved clinical and scintigraphic diagnosis: helical CT versus angiography.

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to prospectively compare helical CT with pulmonary angiography in the detection of pulmonary embolism in patients with an unresolved clinical and scintigraphic diagnosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty patients with an unresolved suspicion of pulmonary embolism were evaluated with contrast-enhanced helical CT and with selective pulmonary angiography. An average of 11 hr separated the two studies. The CT scans were obtained during one 24-sec or two 12-sec breath-holds. CT scans were interpreted without knowledge of the results of scintigraphy or angiography. Selective pulmonary angiograms were obtained with knowledge of the findings on the ventilation/perfusion scan only. The sensitivity and specificity of CT were compared with those of angiography for central vessels (segmental and larger) only and for all vessels. RESULTS Eleven of the 20 patients had proved pulmonary embolism (seven in central vessels and four in subsegmental vessels only). When only central vessels were analyzed, CT sensitivity was 86%, specificity was 92%, and the likelihood ratio was 10.7. However, when subsegmental vessels were included, CT results were 63%, 89%, and 5.7, respectively. CONCLUSION In our subset of patients, helical CT was only 63% sensitive. Subsegmental emboli are difficult to diagnose. Pulmonary angiography remains the study of choice. CT has a limited role in the evaluation of acute pulmonary embolism.
Reliability analysis of microarray data using fuzzy c-means and normal mixture modeling based classification methods

MOTIVATION A serious limitation in microarray analysis is the unreliability of the data generated from low signal intensities. Such data may produce erroneous gene expression ratios and cause unnecessary validation or post-analysis follow-up tasks. Therefore, the elimination of unreliable signal intensities will enhance reproducibility and reliability of gene expression ratios produced from microarray data. In this study, we applied fuzzy c-means (FCM) and normal mixture modeling (NMM) based classification methods to separate microarray data into reliable and unreliable signal intensity populations. RESULTS We compared the results of FCM classification with those of classification based on NMM. Both approaches were validated against reference sets of biological data consisting of only true positives and true negatives. We observed that both methods performed equally well in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Although a comparison of the computation times indicated that the fuzzy approach is computationally more efficient, other considerations support the use of NMM for the reliability analysis of microarray data. AVAILABILITY The classification approaches described in this paper and sample microarray data are available as Matlab( TM ) (The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA) programs (mfiles) and text files, respectively, at http://rc.kfshrc.edu.sa/bssc/staff/MusaAsyali/Downloads.asp. The programs can be run/tested on many different computer platforms where Matlab is available. CONTACT asyali@kfshrc.edu.sa.
Mechanism of altered patterns of left ventricular filling during the development of congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND The mechanism of the alterations in the pattern of left ventricular (LV) filling during the development of congestive heart failure (CHF) is not fully understood. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied six conscious dogs instrumented to measure LV and left atrial (LA) pressures and LV volume as CHF was induced by rapid pacing. Diastolic filling dynamics were serially measured over 4 weeks during normal sinus rhythm. Four days after we initiated pacing, the peak early diastolic filing rate decreased from 108 +/- 24 to 88 +/- 27 mL/s (P < .05) as the maximal early diastolic LA-LV pressure gradient decreased associated with a slowing of the rate of LV relaxation. Subsequently, the peak early filling rate progressively increased, returning to control at 1 week, and by the fourth week, it had increased to 168 +/- 39 mL/s (P < .05). These changes in early filling rates occurred as the maximal early diastolic LA-LV pressure gradient increased in association with a progressive increase in LV pressure despite further progressive slowing of the rate of LV relaxation. Throughout the development of CHF, peak early filling rate and the maximal LA-LV pressure gradient correlated (r = .99, P < .001). The early filling deceleration rate increased and deceleration time progressively decreased over the 4 weeks as LV stiffness and net LA plus LV stiffness increased (P < .05). As predicted by a theoretical analysis, the deceleration time was linearly related to the reciprocal of the square root of LV stiffness (r = .94, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Early in CHF, slowing of LV relaxation reduces the maximal early diastolic LA-LV pressure gradient, decreasing the peak early filling rate. As CHF progresses, this is overcome by an increase in LA pressure that augments the early diastolic LA-LV pressure gradient, increasing peak early filling rate. Increasing LV stiffness during the development of CHF progressively shortens the early filling deceleration time and augments the early filling deceleration rate. These observations suggest that the early filling deceleration time reflects LV stiffness.
Processing and mechanical properties of nickel(titanium)/alumina and metal/hydroxyapatite composites

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The ars operon of Escherichia coli confers arsenical and antimonial resistance

The chromosomally encoded arsenical resistance (ars) operon subcloned into a multicopy plasmid was found to confer a moderate level of resistance to arsenite and antimonite in Escherichia coli. When the operon was deleted from the chromosome, the cells exhibited hypersensitivity to arsenite, antimonite, and arsenate. Expression of the ars genes was inducible by arsenite. By Southern hybridization, the operon was found in all strains of E. coli examined but not in Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Bacillus subtilis.
Family Background of Children with Down's Syndrome and of Children with a Similar Degree of Mental Retardation

The families of Down's Syndrome children and another group with a similar degree of retardation were compared using data collected at interview. Differences in social class distribution were explained by the maternal age effect in the Down's group. Divorce was more common in the control group but the quality of marriage in those parents still together and the health of parents were similar. No close associations were found between behaviour disorders in the children and family factors, except that behaviour disorders were likely to be associated with similar disturbance in siblings next in age and to be more common in the less happy marriages.
Fear conditioned changes of heart rate in patients with medial cerebellar lesions

Fear conditioned changes of heart rate and skin conductance responses were investigated in patients with medial cerebellar lesions. A classical conditioning paradigm with a tone as the conditioned stimulus (CS) and an electrical shock as the unconditioned stimulus (US) was tested on five patients with medial cerebellar lesions due to surgery for astrocytoma and five controls. The CS preceded the US by 5900 ms and coterminated with the US. Changes in heart rate and skin conductance responses were obtained as measures for autonomic fear responses. Effects of conditioning were quantified by comparison of the habituation and extinction phases. Controls, but not cerebellar patients, showed a significant decrease of heart rate during fear conditioning. However, there were no significant fear conditioned changes in electrodermal responses in either group. In summary, the medial cerebellum seems to be involved in fear-conditioned bradycardia in humans.
Mixed-Lineage Kinase Inhibitors Require the Activation of Trk Receptors to Maintain Long-Term Neuronal Trophism and Survival

Small-molecule mixed-lineage kinase (MLK) inhibitors, such as CEP-1347 [3,9-bis[(ethylthio)methyl]-(8R*,9S*,11S*)-(–)-9-hydroxy-9-methoxycarbonyl-8-methyl-2,3,9,10-tetrahydro-8,11-epoxy-1H,8H, 11H-2,7b,11a-triazadibenzo(a,g)cycloocta(cde)trinden-1-one] and CEP-11004 [3,9-bis-[(isopropylthio)methyl]-(8R*,9S*,11S*)-(–)-9-hydroxy-9-methoxycarbonyl-8-methyl-2,3,9,10-tetrahydro-8,11-epoxy-1H,8H,11H-2,7b,11a-triazadibenzo(a,g)cycloocta(cde)trinden-1-one], prevent c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway activation as well as the consequent neuronal cell death in many cell culture and animal models. In the cell culture model of nerve growth factor (NGF)-deprived sympathetic neurons, we find that CEP-11004 induced a ∼3-fold increase in the mRNA and protein levels of TrkA, the NGF receptor. This resulted in ligand-independent activation of the TrkA receptor and the downstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) pathway. Addition of the Trk inhibitor K252a [(8R*,9S*,11S*)-(–)-9-hydroxy-9-methoxycarbonyl-8-methyl-2,3,9,10-tetrahydro-8,11-epoxy-1H,8H,11H-2,7b,11a-triazadibenzo(a,g)cycloocta(cde)-trinden-1-one] or the PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 [2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one] significantly decreased the protein synthesis rates, mitochondrial function, and neuronal survival maintained by CEP-11004. In contrast to sympathetic neurons, MLK inhibitors maintain only short-term survival of potassium- and serum-deprived rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs), despite continuous inhibition of the JNK pathway. We found that similar to sympathetic neurons, CEP-11004 increased the levels of the Trk receptor expressed in CGNs, TrkB. However, CGNs required the addition of the exogenous ligand brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to activate the PI3-kinase pathway and to maintain long-term survival. BDNF activated TrkB, but caused rapid down-regulation of activated receptors and maintained only minimal survival. Therefore, increase in TrkB levels by CEP-11004 mediated a synergism with BDNF resulting in long-term survival in response to the combined treatment of CEP-11004 and BDNF. Taken together, our studies suggest that in addition to the direct inhibition of the JNK pathway, the indirect activation of the PI3-kinase pathway via Trk activation is important for MLK inhibitor-mediated neuronal survival and trophism.