Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Off-State Degradation of High-Voltage-Tolerant nLDMOS-SCR ESD Devices

The OFF-state degradation of n-channel laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) silicon-controlled-rectifier electrostatic-discharge (ESD) devices for high-voltage applications in standard low-voltage complementary MOS technology is studied. Based on experimental data and technology computer-aided design simulations, impact ionization induced by conduction-band electrons tunneling from an n+ poly-Si gate to an n-well is identified to be the driving force of device degradation. Device optimization is proposed, which improves both OFF-state and ESD reliability.
Membrane protein isolation and identification by covalent binding for proteome research

A novel method to achieve highly efficient identification of membrane proteins (MPs) has been developed based on a covalent binding (CB) strategy. For this purpose, magnetic nanoparticles coated with a PEG layer were synthesized. The PEG chain end was functionalized to form the PEG‐tresyl group, which is an octopus‐like long arm to capture the free amino groups of MPs. The long arm could be used to bind proteins in a high concentration of the SDS medium. Then, the SDS and interfering substances were completely depleted by washing. The CB proteins could form a molecular monolayer on the surface of the nanoparticles in the denatured state, which was significantly favorable for the proteolysis of MPs. Therefore, isolation with CB and highly efficient digestion resulted in a larger scale of MPs. The method has been verified by a proteome identification of mouse liver samples. A total of 2946 MPs were identified in an MP fraction. A total of 1505 proteins were characterized as integral MPs, and 735 MPs were identified beyond the largest database summarized by PeptideAtlas. This approach has great potential for membrane proteome research.
The Activity of Trabectedin As a Single Agent or in Combination with Everolimus for Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the antitumor efficacy of trabectedin in clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the ovary, which is regarded as an aggressive, chemoresistant, histologic subtype. Experimental Design: Using 6 human ovarian cancer cell lines (3 CCC and 3 serous adenocarcinomas), the antitumor effects of trabectedin were examined in vitro, and we compared its activity according to histology. We next examined the antitumor activity of trabectedin in both cisplatin-resistant and paclitaxel-resistant CCC cells in vitro. Then, the in vivo effects of trabectedin were evaluated using mice inoculated with CCC cell lines. Using 2 pairs of trabectedin-sensitive parental and trabectedin-resistant CCC sublines, we investigated the role of mTOR in the mechanism of acquired resistance to trabectedin. Finally, we determined the effect of mTOR inhibition by everolimus on the antitumor efficacy of trabectedin in vitro and in vivo. Results: Trabectedin showed significant antitumor activity toward chemosensitive and chemoresistant CCC cells in vitro. Mouse xenografts of CCC cells revealed that trabectedin significantly inhibits tumor growth. Greater activation of mTOR was observed in trabectedin-resistant CCC cells than in their respective parental cells. The continuous inhibition of mTOR significantly enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of trabectedin and prevented CCC cells from acquiring resistance to trabectedin. Conclusion: Trabectedin is a promising agent for CCC as a first-line chemotherapy and as a second-line treatment of recurrent CCC that had previously been treated with cisplatin or paclitaxel. Moreover, trabectedin combined with everolimus may be more efficacious for the management of CCC. Clin Cancer Res; 17(13); 4462–73. ©2011 AACR.
The Heptameric SmAP1 and SmAP2 Proteins of the Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus Solfataricus Bind to Common and Distinct RNA Targets

Sm and Sm-like proteins represent an evolutionarily conserved family with key roles in RNA metabolism. Sm-based regulation is diverse and can range in scope from eukaryotic mRNA splicing to bacterial quorum sensing, with at least one step in these processes being mediated by an RNA-associated molecular assembly built on Sm proteins. Despite the availability of several 3D-structures of Sm-like archaeal proteins (SmAPs), their function has remained elusive. The aim of this study was to shed light on the function of SmAP1 and SmAP2 of the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso). Using co-purification followed by RNASeq different classes of non-coding RNAs and mRNAs were identified that co-purified either with both paralogues or solely with Sso-SmAP1 or Sso-SmAP2. The large number of associated intron-containing tRNAs and tRNA/rRNA modifying RNAs may suggest a role of the two Sso-SmAPs in tRNA/rRNA processing. Moreover, the 3D structure of Sso-SmAP2 was elucidated. Like Sso-SmAP1, Sso-SmAP2 forms homoheptamers. The binding of both proteins to distinct RNA substrates is discussed in terms of surface conservation, structural differences in the RNA binding sites and differences in the electrostatic surface potential of the two Sso-SmAP proteins. Taken together, this study may hint to common and different functions of both Sso-SmAPs in Sso RNA metabolism.
Route oracle: where have all the packets gone?

Many network-management problems in large backbone networks need the answer to a seemingly simple question: where does a given IP packet, entering the network at a particular place and time, leave the network to continue on its path to the destination? Answering this question at scale and in real time is challenging for several reasons: (i) a destination IP address could match several IP prefixes, (ii) the longest-matching prefix may change over time, (iii) the number of IP prefixes and routing protocol messages is very large, and (iv) network-management applications often require answers to this question for a large number of destination IP addresses in real time. In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm for tracking prefix-match changes for ranges of IP addresses. We then present the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Route Oracle tool that answers queries about routing changes on behalf of network management applications. Our design of Route Oracle includes several performance optimizations, such as pre-processing of BGP update messages, and parallelization of query processing. Experiments with BGP measurement data from a large ISP backbone demonstrate that our system answers queries in real time and at scale.
Active Overhearing: Development in Preschoolers' Skill at 'Listening in' to Naturalistic Overheard Speech

Overhearing can be seen as an instance of active learning, and overheard speech provides an increasingly viable source of linguistic input across development. However, previous studies of overhearing have often tested learning from simplified, pedagogic, adult-directed speech. This study extends previous results to a more ecologically valid context. Children learn multiple words and facts corresponding to novel toys either through a naturalistic overheard phone call or through direct instruction. Remarkably, 4.5–6-year-olds learned four new words above chance and equally well in both conditions. Their performance on a set of six facts was even better, especially when they were taught them directly. Analysis of the videos revealed that older children with high test accuracy both looked toward the experimenter often, and reliably played with individual objects as she discussed them in her phone call. 3– 4.5-year-olds, on the other hand, showed a greater difference between overhearing versus direct instruction, with learning from overhearing suffering for both words and facts. While their overheard word-learning was at chance, they were able to learn facts, and succeed at both when taught directly. Together, these results suggest learning from overhearing is driven by attention to the indirect input, and may be a skill that undergoes substantial development during the preschool years.
The risk of liver and bile duct cancer in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholism, or cirrhosis

No prospective study has analyzed simultaneously chronic viral hepatitis and alcoholism as risk factors for liver carcinogenesis, while taking into consideration the role of cirrhosis. Nor has the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with chronic viral hepatitis been prospectively evaluated in a low‐risk Western population. Last, the relationship between hepatocellular carcinoma risk factors and bile duct cancer remains to be clarified. We analyzed prospectively the risk for primary liver and extrahepatic biliary tract cancer among 186,395 patients hospitalized with either chronic viral hepatitis, alcoholism, cirrhosis, or any combination of these conditions through linkages between national Swedish registers. Compared with the general population, the relative risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was 34.4 for chronic viral hepatitis alone, 2.4 for alcoholism alone, and 40.7 for cirrhosis alone. Among patients with combinations of these risk conditions, the relative risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was 27.3 for chronic viral hepatitis and alcoholism, 118.5 for chronic viral hepatitis and cirrhosis, 22.4 for alcoholism and cirrhosis, and 171.4 for all 3 conditions. We found limited evidence for an excess risk of intrahepatic, but not for extrahepatic, biliary duct cancer. Cirrhosis amplifies the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with chronic viral hepatitis, but it is not a prerequisite for liver carcinogenesis. In contrast, cirrhosis may be a necessary intermediate for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma among alcoholics.
Discrete viscous threads

We present a continuum-based discrete model for thin threads of viscous fluid by drawing upon the Rayleigh analogy to elastic rods, demonstrating canonical coiling, folding, and breakup in dynamic simulations. Our derivation emphasizes space-time symmetry, which sheds light on the role of time-parallel transport in eliminating---without approximation---all but an O(n) band of entries of the physical system's energy Hessian. The result is a fast, unified, implicit treatment of viscous threads and elastic rods that closely reproduces a variety of fascinating physical phenomena, including hysteretic transitions between coiling regimes, competition between surface tension and gravity, and the first numerical fluid-mechanical sewing machine. The novel implicit treatment also yields an order of magnitude speedup in our elastic rod dynamics.
Progression and biomarkers for Parkinson disease

The conceptualization of clinical aspects of Parkinson disease (PD) and its pathophysiology has changed considerably since Braak's description of a “bottom-up” progression of Lewy body pathology from the lower medulla and the olfactory bundle.1 Substantia nigra involvement, once the hallmark of PD pathology, is now recognized to occur at a substantially later stage, with nonmotor symptoms (NMS) occurring before classical motor signs are evident. Recent diagnostic criteria have been devised to predict prodromal PD2 in which PD NMS underpin the prodromal stage. The phenotypic heterogeneity of PD reflects the convergence of deficits in multiple transmitter systems and non-dopamine pathways, including the cholinergic, noradrenergic, and serotonergic systems.3–5 This formulation has now been translated to clinical practice with the recent description of several nonmotor subtypes of PD.6
Digoxin-induced anemia among patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure: clinical data analysis and drug-gene interaction network

Digoxin is widely used to treat various heart conditions. In order to clarify the association between digoxin and anemia adverse reaction, we inspected case reports submitted to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between January 2004 and December 2015. These reports involved 75618 atrial fibrillation patients and 15699 heart failure patients. Compared to other therapies, digoxin treatment was significantly more likely to be concurrent with anemia adverse reaction among both atrial fibrillation patients (pooled OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.14–1.68, P-value = 0.001) and heart failure patients (pooled OR =1.50, 95% CI 1.33–1.59–, P =4.27×10−5). We further explored previously published evidences and found 821 human genes directly or indirectly interacting with digoxin. Functional analysis indicated that these genes were significantly enriched in the biological processes of iron transport, which are closely related to iron deficiency anemia. Taken together, our retrospective analysis demonstrated the significant association between digoxin treatment and anemia adverse reaction, which should be seriously considered in clinical practice. Functional enrichment analysis on digoxin-related genes warranted subsequent research on the underlying toxicological mechanisms.
Regulation by hetC of Genes Required for Heterocyst Differentiation and Cell Division in Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120

ABSTRACT Unlike those of the wild-type strain, proheterocysts of the Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 hetC strain keep dividing. ftsZ, the most critical cell division gene, is up-regulated in hetC proheterocysts. Heterocyst differentiation genes hglD, hglE, patB, nifB, and xisA are no longer expressed in the hetC mutant. hetC also regulates the expression of patA, a pattern formation gene.
May Fever Trigger Ventricular Fibrillation?

The clinical precipitants of ventricular fibrillation (VF) remain poorly understood. Clinical factors such as hypoxemia, acidosis or electrolyte imbalance, drug-related toxicity, autonomic nervous system disorders as well as viral myocarditis have been proposed to be associated with sudden cardiac death particularly in patients with structural heart disease. However, In the Brugada syndrome, concurrent febrile illness has been reported to unmask the electrocardiographic features of the Brugada syndrome and be associated with an increased propensity for VF. More recently, a febrile illnesses of infectious etiology was associated to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or VF in patients with normal hearts and without known repolarization abnormality. In this review we detail this phenomenon and its putative mechanisms.
Perceptions of a short-term medical programme in the Dominican Republic: Voices of care recipients

Participation in short-term global health programmes for low-income countries is increasing amongst practising clinicians and trainees from high-income countries. However, few studies explicitly examine the perceptions of programme recipients. In July 2012, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 47 adults receiving care from Medical Ministry International, an international non-governmental organisation providing short-term medical programmes in the Dominican Republic. Thirty interviews met criteria for inclusion. Transcripts were independently coded using a descriptive approach. After thematic saturation, 20 interviews were included in the final analysis. Nine major themes were identified: misidentification, access, identified needs, social determinants, faith, language, student involvement, areas for improvement and respect. Recipients were reluctant to discuss programme improvement directly and frequently misidentified the researcher as a caregiver, suggesting a need to separate clearly programme evaluation from care provision. They viewed student involvement positively in a setting where supervision is emphasised, suggesting a potential to develop measures of supervision's adequacy. Finally, recipients' perceptions of respect as an important but intangible programme element encourage broadening the ethical discourse around short-term programmes beyond only tangible goods and services. Our findings support the usefulness of qualitative methods for short-term programme evaluation and generate important hypotheses for future research.
Molecular profiling of the residual disease of triple-negative breast cancers after neoadjuvant chemotherapy identifies actionable therapeutic targets.

UNLABELLED Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) induces a pathologic complete response (pCR) in approximately 30% of patients with triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). In patients lacking a pCR, NAC selects a subpopulation of chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. To understand the molecular underpinnings driving treatment-resistant TNBCs, we performed comprehensive molecular analyses on the residual disease of 74 clinically defined TNBCs after NAC, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) on 20 matched pretreatment biopsies. Combined NGS and digital RNA expression analysis identified diverse molecular lesions and pathway activation in drug-resistant tumor cells. Ninety percent of the tumors contained a genetic alteration potentially treatable with a currently available targeted therapy. Thus, profiling residual TNBCs after NAC identifies targetable molecular lesions in the chemotherapy-resistant component of the tumor, which may mirror micrometastases destined to recur clinically. These data can guide biomarker-driven adjuvant studies targeting these micrometastases to improve the outcome of patients with TNBC who do not respond completely to NAC. SIGNIFICANCE This study demonstrates the spectrum of genomic alterations present in residual TNBC after NAC. Because TNBCs that do not achieve a CR after NAC are likely to recur as metastatic disease at variable times after surgery, these alterations may guide the selection of targeted therapies immediately after mastectomy before these metastases become evident.
Pairwise Relative Offset Features for Atari 2600 Games

We introduce a novel feature set for reinforcement learning in visual domains (e.g. video games) designed to capture pairwise, position-invariant, spatial relationships between objects on the screen. The feature set is simple to implement and computationally practical, but nevertheless allows for substantial improvement over existing baselines in a wide variety of Atari 2600 games. In the most dramatic results the features allow multiple orders of magnitude improvement in performance.
Dry sliding wear behaviour of Al2O3–Al composites produced by centrifugal force infiltration

AbstractThe dry sliding wear and friction behaviour of cast Al-Si alloy and composites containing 5·0, 8·0, 12·0, and 16·0 vol.-% alumina short fibres was investigated by means of a block on ring (bearing steel) type wear rig. The volume wear rate, the coefficient of friction, and the contact surface temperature of both matrix alloy and metal matrix composites (MMCs) were measured over a load range of 20–150 N for various sliding distances. Comparisons were made between the wear properties of MMCs produced by the centrifugal force infiltration route and by the squeeze infiltration method. The experimental results show that the addition of reinforcing alumina fibre in Al-Si alloy not only reduced the wear rate, but also effectively suppressed the transition to the severe wear rate regime which occurred in an unreinforced Al-Si alloy in the load range of 100–150 N. The coefficient offriction of the composites was higher than that of the unreinforced Al-Si alloy at applied loads below 100 N, but there was al.
Sequelae of infant colic: evidence of transient infant distress and absence of lasting effects on maternal mental health.

BACKGROUND Colic is widely believed to remit by 3 months of age, with little lasting effect on the infant or the family. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of colic at 3 months and the proportion of cases of colic (identified at 6 weeks) that remitted by 3 months; to identify the factors predictive of colic's remission; and to explore the potential lasting effects of colic on maternal mental health. DESIGN Prospective cohort study of 856 mother-infant dyads. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to mothers at 1 and 6 weeks and 3 and 6 months post partum. Standardized instruments were incorporated into the first and last questionnaires to assess maternal anxiety, postnatal depression, and social support. At 6 weeks and at 3 months, mothers completed the Barr diary and/or the Ames Cry Score. RESULTS Data from 547 dyads were available for analysis. The prevalence of colic at 3 months was 6.4%. More than 85% of cases of colic had remitted by 3 months of age. These infants were more likely to be female, whereas the mothers of these infants were more likely to have received pain relief during labor/delivery and to have been employed during pregnancy. Reductions in scores for trait anxiety and postnatal depression, although smaller for mothers whose infants were colicky at 6 weeks of age, were not significantly different from those of mothers whose infants were never colicky. CONCLUSION This study provides support for the belief that, in most cases, colic is self-limiting and does not result in lasting effects to maternal mental health.
Interspecific prediction of photosynthetic light response curves using specific leaf mass and leaf nitrogen content: effects of differences in soil fertility and growth irradiance.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous work has shown that the entire photosynthetic light response curve, based on both Mitscherlich and Michaelis-Menten functions, could be predicted in an interspecific context through allometric relations linking the parameters of these functions to two static leaf traits: leaf nitrogen (N) content and leaf mass per area (LMA). This paper describes to what extent these allometric relations are robust to changes in soil fertility and the growth irradiance of the plants. METHODS Plants of 25 herbaceous species were grown under controlled conditions in factorial combinations of low/high soil fertility and low/high growth irradiance. Net photosynthetic rates per unit dry mass were measured at light intensities ranging from 0 to 700 µmol m(-2) s(-1) photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). KEY RESULTS The differing growth environments induced large changes in N, LMA and in each of the parameter estimates of the Mitscherlich and Michaelis-Menten functions. However, the differing growth environments induced only small (although significant) changes in the allometric relationships linking N and LMA to the parameters of the two functions. As a result, 88 % (Mitcherlich) and 89 % (Michaelis-Menten) of the observed net photosynthetic rates over the full range of light intensities (0-700 µmol m(-2) s(-1) PAR) and across all four growth environments could be predicted using only N and LMA using the same allometric relations. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest the possibility of predicting net photosynthetic rates in nature across species over the full range of light intensities using readily available data.
Test Patterns Compression Technique Based on a Dedicated SAT-Based ATPG

In this paper we propose a new method of test patterns compression based on a design of a dedicated SAT-based ATPG (Automatic Test Pattern Generator). This compression method is targeted to systems on chip (SoCs)provided with the P1500 test standard. The RESPIN architecture can be used for test patterns decompression. The main idea is based on finding the best overlap of test patterns during the test generation, unlike other methods, which are based on efficient overlapping of pre-generated test patterns. The proposed algorithm takes advantage of an implicit test representation as SAT problem instances. The results of test patterns compression obtained for standard ISCAS’85 and ‘89benchmark circuits are shown and compared with competitive test compression methods.