Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Passive Tunable Matching Filter for Multiband RF Applications Demonstrated at 7 to 14 GHz

This letter presents a general approach to implement a wideband tunable matching filter for multiband radio-frequency applications. The concept is demonstrated for a two-stage bipolar amplifier to achieve a tunable input and output small-signal match to 50 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\Omega }$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. The filters are realized as <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\pi $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-networks with two fixed inductors and a 4-bit digitally tuned capacitor based on CMOS switches. The utilized technology is a 130-nm SiGe BiCMOS process. A total frequency tuning range of 7–14 GHz with at least 8-dB return loss and 16.5–20 dB gain is confirmed by measurements and aligns well with the theoretical predictions and simulation results. In addition, a compact analytic theory for the proposed network is derived to extend this approach to arbitrary frequencies and bandwidths.
Perceptions of Parental Gender Roles and Conflict Styles and Their Association With Young Adults' Relational and Psychological Well-Being

According to social cognitive theory and intergenerational transmission, young adults acquire attitudes and behaviors that are relevant to interpersonal relationships from observation of their parents, and these tendencies are assumed to be associated with young adults' own relational and psychological well-being as they form and manage close relationships. This study expanded on past research in this area by examining the extent to which young adult perceptions of parental gender roles and conflict styles were predictive of their own gender roles and conflict styles. It was expected that traditional gender role beliefs and distributive conflict styles would be deleterious to young adults' relational locus of control, which would, in turn, be predictive of their psychological distress. In contrast, integrative conflict styles were anticipated to be beneficial to relational locus of control. Data from 368 young adults supported all of these predictions. Structural equation models were suggestive of a process whereby parental gender roles and conflict styles are intergenerationally transmitted from both parents to their young adult offspring. These young adult relationship beliefs and behaviors, in turn, were predictive of both relational locus of control and psychological distress.
Continuum of Renin-Independent Aldosteronism in Normotension

Primary aldosteronism is a severe form of autonomous aldosteronism. Milder forms of autonomous and renin-independent aldosteronism may be common, even in normotension. We characterized aldosterone secretion in 210 normotensives who had suppressed plasma renin activity (<1.0 ng/mL per hour), completed an oral sodium suppression test, received an infusion of angiotensin II, and had measurements of blood pressure and renal plasma flow. Continuous associations between urinary aldosterone excretion rate, renin, and potassium handling were investigated. Severe autonomous aldosterone secretion that was consistent with confirmed primary aldosteronism was defined based on accepted criteria of an aldosterone excretion rate >12 &mgr;g/24 hours with urinary sodium excretion >200 mmol/24 hours. Across the population, there were strong and significant associations between higher aldosterone excretion rate and higher urinary potassium excretion, higher angiotensin II–stimulated aldosterone, and lower plasma renin activity, suggesting a continuum of renin-independent aldosteronism and mineralocorticoid receptor activity. Autonomous aldosterone secretion that fulfilled confirmatory criteria for primary aldosteronism was detected in 29 participants (14%). Normotensives with evidence suggestive of confirmed primary aldosteronism had higher 24-hour urinary aldosterone excretion rate (20.2±12.2 versus 6.2±2.9 &mgr;g/24 hours; P<0.001) as expected, but also higher angiotensin II–stimulated aldosterone (12.4±8.6 versus 6.6±4.3 ng/dL; P<0.001) and lower 24-hour urinary sodium-to-potassium excretion (2.69±0.65 versus 3.69±1.50 mmol/mmol; P=0.001); however, there were no differences in age, aldosterone-to-renin ratio, blood pressure, or renal plasma flow between the 2 groups. These findings indicate a continuum of renin-independent aldosteronism and mineralocorticoid receptor activity in normotension that ranges from subtle to overtly dysregulated and autonomous. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether this spectrum of autonomous aldosterone secretion contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Learning Modern Greek: A Comparison of Development and Identification Patterns Among Heritage and Foreign Language Learners

Although second language (L2) research has explored connections between sociopsychological variables and L2 socialization processes, relatively few investigations have compared heritage language (HL) learners to traditional foreign language (FL) learners in the North American context. This descriptive study compares the learning and acculturation patterns of 26 first- and second-generation Greek American learners of Modern Greek and 16 non-Greek American learners. Oral performance measures and ethnographic interviews involving 10 participants reveal that FL participants attributed their L2 proficiency to sophisticated metalinguistic knowledge and social strategies. In contrast, Greek American participants cited prior language instruction, the use of Greek as a home language, and—significantly—their ethnicity, as the most meaningful contributors to their linguistic success. Analyses highlight striking distinctions between the cognitive strategies, affiliation patterns, and identity construction patterns of FL and HL learners, suggesting implications for providing instruction that is appropriate for both FL instruction and HL maintenance.
Parent–child relationships among older Chinese immigrants: the influence of co-residence, frequent contact, intergenerational support and sense of children's deference

ABSTRACT Immigration disrupts the bonding process in families. Maintaining close relationships with adult children can be an important protective factor for older immigrants' health and wellbeing. Quantitative research explaining such close relationships is rare. This study examined factors associated with close parent–child relationships in a purposive sample of 236 older Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles who provided information regarding 365 children. Two-level regression models were estimated to investigate factors contributing to cohesive parent–child relationships among these older adults. The findings showed that co-residence, a characteristic that distinguishes immigrant families from most non-immigrant families, was associated with lower parent–child relationship quality. Frequent contact was associated with closer relationships. While receiving instrumental and monetary support from children was associated with favourable ratings of relationships with children, providing such support to children was not related to parents' assessment of relationship quality. Parental perceptions of children being respectful was also associated with better relationship quality ratings. Overall, the findings demonstrate how family-related changes in the immigration context shape parent–child relationships in later life. Implications for future research and practice are provided.
Measuring General Self-Efficacy

General self-efficacy (GSE), individuals'belief in their ability to perform well in a variety of situations, has been the subject of increasing research attention. However, the psychometric properties (e.g., reliability, validity) associated with the scores on GSE measures have been criticized, which has hindered efforts to further establish the construct of GSE. This study examines the reliability of responses to the items, as well as the item parameters of three GSE measures using item response theory. Contrary to the criticisms, the responses to the items on all three measures of GSE demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties, especially at lower levels of GSE. The results indicate that the New General Self-Efficacy Scale has a slight advantage over the other measures examined in this study in terms of the item discrimination, item information, and relative efficiency of the test information function. Implications for GSE research are discussed.
Integration of Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Indices of Orbifloxacin in Beagle Dogs after a Single Intravenous and Intramuscular Administration

ABSTRACT The pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of orbifloxacin were studied in beagle dogs after intravenous (i.v.) and intramuscular (i.m.) administration at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight. An absolute bioavailability of 100.1% ± 4.76%, a terminal half-life of 4.23 ± 0.2 h and 3.95 ± 0.15 h after i.v. and i.m. administration, a steady-state volume of distribution of 1.61 ± 0.13 liters/kg, and clearance of 0.31 ± 0.03 liters/h/kg were observed. Orbifloxacin showed rapid, concentration-dependent killing against the Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus intermedius, and Proteus mirabilis clinical isolates. Computations based on PK-PD analysis indicated that the recommended dose is unlikely to be clinically effective against some strains like S. intermedius. Therefore, a higher dose of orbifloxacin would be worthy of consideration for treatment of certain bacterial infections in dogs.
Effects of Thyroid Hormone on Myocardial Adrenergic β-Receptor Responsiveness and Function during Late Gestation

ABSTRACT: To assess the effect of fetal hypothyroidism during late gestation on postnatal cardiovascular responsiveness, we measured heart rate and cardiac output responses to isoproterenol in newborn tombs. To evaluate the effect of such altered thyroid status on the development of β-adrenergic signaling cascade, we measured myocardial β-adrenergic receptor concentration and affinity, guanine nucleotide regulatory protein density, and adenylyl cyclase responsiveness. Twenty fetal lambs underwent either thy-roidectomy and line placement or line placement alone at 128–130 d gestation. Five thyroidectomized and six control newborns were treated with isoproterenol, five thyroidectomized and four control newborns were killed upon delivery and tissue was obtained for biochemical studies, and four additional animals were delivered and killed at 126 d gestation and tissue was obtained for receptor analysis. Of the newborns treated with isoproterenol, the thyroidectomized Iambs showed tower increase in heart rate and cardiac output compared with euthyroid newborns. Compared with the myocardium of normal newborns of similar gestation, the myocardium of the newborns who underwent fetal thyroidectomy failed to show the normal increase in β-adrenoceptors accompanied by reduction in β-adrenergic-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. These results suggest that near term, the normal development of ovine fetus myocardial β-adrenergic receptor is affected by thyroid hormones.
Highly accelerated real‐time cardiac cine MRI using k–t SPARSE‐SENSE

For patients with impaired breath‐hold capacity and/or arrhythmias, real‐time cine MRI may be more clinically useful than breath‐hold cine MRI. However, commercially available real‐time cine MRI methods using parallel imaging typically yield relatively poor spatio‐temporal resolution due to their low image acquisition speed. We sought to achieve relatively high spatial resolution (∼2.5 × 2.5 mm2) and temporal resolution (∼40 ms), to produce high‐quality real‐time cine MR images that could be applied clinically for wall motion assessment and measurement of left ventricular function. In this work, we present an eightfold accelerated real‐time cardiac cine MRI pulse sequence using a combination of compressed sensing and parallel imaging (k‐t SPARSE‐SENSE). Compared with reference, breath‐hold cine MRI, our eightfold accelerated real‐time cine MRI produced significantly worse qualitative grades (1–5 scale), but its image quality and temporal fidelity scores were above 3.0 (adequate) and artifacts and noise scores were below 3.0 (moderate), suggesting that acceptable diagnostic image quality can be achieved. Additionally, both eightfold accelerated real‐time cine and breath‐hold cine MRI yielded comparable left ventricular function measurements, with coefficient of variation <10% for left ventricular volumes. Our proposed eightfold accelerated real‐time cine MRI with k–t SPARSE‐SENSE is a promising modality for rapid imaging of myocardial function. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Musical Training Shapes Structural Brain Development

The human brain has the remarkable capacity to alter in response to environmental demands. Training-induced structural brain changes have been demonstrated in the healthy adult human brain. However, no study has yet directly related structural brain changes to behavioral changes in the developing brain, addressing the question of whether structural brain differences seen in adults (comparing experts with matched controls) are a product of “nature” (via biological brain predispositions) or “nurture” (via early training). Long-term instrumental music training is an intense, multisensory, and motor experience and offers an ideal opportunity to study structural brain plasticity in the developing brain in correlation with behavioral changes induced by training. Here we demonstrate structural brain changes after only 15 months of musical training in early childhood, which were correlated with improvements in musically relevant motor and auditory skills. These findings shed light on brain plasticity and suggest that structural brain differences in adult experts (whether musicians or experts in other areas) are likely due to training-induced brain plasticity.
Clonal Expansions in Acute EBV Infection Are Detectable in the CD8 and not the CD4 Subset and Persist with a Variable CD45 Phenotype1

We have applied a sensitive global analysis of TCR heterogeneity to compare clonal dynamics of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in acute infectious mononucleosis. Using this approach, we are able to identify a broad representation of the total virus-specific population without the bias of in vitro culture and then to track their phenotype and fate by their unique molecular footprint. We demonstrate a large number of Ag-driven clones using different TCRs in the acute phase, all CD8+. The diverse large clones generated in the CD8 subset in response to this virus contrast with the complete lack of detectable clonal expansion in the CD4 compartment. Many of the same clones remain detectable in directly ex vivo CD8+ T cells for at least a year after resolution of infectious mononucleosis, although the clone size is reduced. Thus, memory CD8 cells following EBV infection persist at relatively high circulating frequency and represent a subset of the large range of clonotypes comprising the acute effectors. Separation of samples into CD45RA (naive) and CD45RO (memory) fractions shows the accumulation of identical CDR3 region defined clonotypes in both CD45RO and CD45RA fractions and sequencing confirms that dominant long-lived monoclonal expansions can reside in the CD45RA pool.
Quality of School Life: A Scale to Measure Student Experience or School Climate?

The purpose of this study was to examine school (institutional) influences on the latent structure of the seven subscales of the Quality of School Life scale, a measure of school life at the student level. A total of 5,932 twelfth-year students (3,048 males and 2,884 females) enrolled in 50 Australian parochial schools were administered the instrument. Structural equation models were fit to the subscales and the subsequent variance component analysis revealed that only about 2%-3% of the variances were explained by between-school differences. As predicted, results of two-level factor analyses supported the findings that the school level has only a small effect on the factor structure of the items making up the scales.
Blood culture bottles are superior to lysis-centrifugation tubes for bacteriological diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

The conventional method of ascitic fluid culturing was compared with the bedside inoculation of ascites into blood culture bottles and into lysis-centrifugation tubes. The conventional culture method was compared with the blood culture bottle method in 31 episodes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Cultures were positive with the conventional culture method in 11 (35%) episodes and with the blood culture bottle method in 26 (84%) episodes (P less than 0.001). The lysis-centrifugation tube method was compared with the blood culture bottle method in 24 episodes of SBP. Cultures were positive with the lysis-centrifugation tube method in 11 (46%) episodes and with the blood culture bottle method in 19 (79%) episodes (P less than 0.05). Moreover, the blood culture bottle method also shortened the time needed for the detection of bacterial growth. In conclusion, bedside inoculation of ascites into blood culture bottles should be used routinely for patients with suspected SBP. Culturing of ascites in lysis-centrifugation tubes is more laborious than and inferior to that in blood culture bottles.
A study of students' achievement in algebra: Considering the effect of gender and types of schools

Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with symbols and also the rules for manipulating those symbols, which are used to represent numbers and quantities in mathematical formulae and equations. It is needed and used in our everyday lives. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ performance in algebra related to gender and types of schools.The research sample consisted of 317 students (135 boys and 182 girls) from three types of schools in Malaysia ie; national schools, Islamic-religious schools and boarding schools. Data were collected through an instrument known as the Algebra Achievement Test (AAT), and were then analyzed quantitatively using a two-way ANOVA test. Research findings showed that there were statistically significant main effects for gender and types of schools towards students’ achievement in algebra. However, no interactional effects were found between gender and types of schools that could influence the results obtained.It is concluded that gender and types of schools do effect students' achievement in algebra.
Students' psychological type and success in different engineering programs

A longitudinal study of a seven-year cohort of engineering students at The University of Western Ontario aims to document student academic success in the university engineering program and subsequent satisfaction in the engineering profession in terms of personality type as reported by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Results for the full seven-year cohort show that success in first year is more probable, certainly for the weaker students, if their personality type is I-TJ. Also, in a cross-cultural comparison with a similar group of American students the Canadian cohort of entry students is significantly more l-P. The graduation data for the first five years of the cohort show that successful graduation in engineering is also associated with I-TJ personality types and that graduation within four years is correlated with INTJ types. Data is also presented regarding student's choice of engineering discipline in terms of their MBTI type.
Increasing the Permeability of the Blood–brain Barrier in Three Different Models in vivo

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays significant roles in the circumstance maintains for the central nervous system (CNS). The dysfunction of the BBB could occur in all pathological conditions of CNS diseases, such as ischemic stroke, cerebral edema, or inflammatory disorders. However, the comparisons among different animal models with a broken BBB in vivo are still need to be further studied.
Organ-specific activation of activator protein-1 in transgenic mice by 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate with different administration methods.

12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is widely used as a tumor promoter with organotropy in skin and esophagus. TPA-induced, organ-specific tumor promotion is not correlated with the distribution of its receptor, protein kinase C (PKC). Using five administration methods (painting, drinking, gavage feeding, i.p. injection, and i.v. injection), we analyzed TPA-stimulated activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity in various organs (liver, kidney, brain, lung, spleen, heart, stomach, colon, esophagus, and skin) from transgenic mice expressing the AP-1 luciferase reporter gene. Topical application of TPA by painting the skin on the back of mice raised AP-1 activity 122.6-fold, and the highest peak of AP-1 activity was at 12 h after administration of TPA. Drinking water containing TPA caused a 25.8-fold induction of AP-1 activity in the skin, whereas gavage feeding with TPA caused a 34.2-fold induction of AP-1 in the skin. Intraperitoneal or i.v. injection of TPA induced a 49.56-fold or 20.4-fold increase in AP-1 activity in the skin, respectively. The highest peaks of AP-1 activity in the skin were at 12 h after drinking, feeding, or injection of TPA. More interesting, in the esophagus, i.p. injection of TPA raised AP-1 activity 13.9-fold, drinking TPA raised AP-1 activity 8.4-fold, and painting with TPA caused a 2.4-fold induction of AP-1 activity. In the colon, i.p. injection of TPA raised AP-1 activity 3.9-fold, drinking TPA induced a 1.2-fold increase in AP-1 activity, but painting with TPA had no effect. AP-1 activity in other organs was not detectable after administration of TPA by painting, drinking, or injection. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases in the skin increased at 12 h after painting, drinking, or i.p. injection of TPA. In addition, phosphorylation of p38 kinase was raised slightly after TPA administration, but phosphorylation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases was not detected at any time point after TPA administration. Similar changes in MAP kinases were also seen in the esophagus after TPA administration. These results indicate that the skin is the most sensitive organ to TPA induction of AP-1 activity. The data suggest that the organ-specific, tumor-promoting effect of TPA may be through AP-1 activation and phosphorylation of ERKs and p38 kinase.
The Selective Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor 1 Agonist Ponesimod Protects against Lymphocyte-Mediated Tissue Inflammation

Lymphocyte exit from lymph nodes and their recirculation into blood is controlled by the sphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). The cellular receptor mediating lymphocyte exit is S1P1, one of five S1P receptors. Nonselective agonists for S1P receptors lead to blood lymphocyte count reduction. The effects of selective S1P1 agonists on blood lymphocyte count and their impact in models of lymphocyte-mediated tissue inflammation have been less investigated. We describe here the general pharmacology of ponesimod, (Z,Z)-5-[3-chloro-4-((2R)-2,3-dihydroxy-propoxy)-benzylidene]-2-propylimino-3-o-tolyl-thiazolidin-4-one, a new, potent, and orally active selective S1P1 agonist. Ponesimod activated S1P1-mediated signal transduction with high potency (EC50 of 5.7 nM) and selectivity. Oral administration of ponesimod to rats led to a dose-dependent decrease of blood lymphocyte count. After discontinuation of dosing, blood lymphocyte count returned to baseline within 48 h. Ponesimod prevented edema formation, inflammatory cell accumulation, and cytokine release in the skin of mice with delayed-type hypersensitivity. Ponesimod also prevented the increase in paw volume and joint inflammation in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis. These data show that selective activation of S1P1 using ponesimod leads to blood lymphocyte count reduction and efficacy in models of lymphocyte-mediated tissue inflammation. Immunomodulation with a rapidly reversible S1P1-selective agonist may represent a new therapeutic approach in lymphocyte-mediated autoimmune diseases.