Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SALSA: Systematic logic synthesis of approximate circuits

Approximate computing has emerged as a new design paradigm that exploits the inherent error resilience of a wide range of application domains by allowing hardware implementations to forsake exact Boolean equivalence with algorithmic specifications. A slew of manual design techniques for approximate computing have been proposed in recent years, but very little effort has been devoted to design automation. We propose SALSA, a Systematic methodology for Automatic Logic Synthesis of Approximate circuits. Given a golden RTL specification of a circuit and a quality constraint that defines the amount of error that may be introduced in the implementation, SALSA synthesizes an approximate version of the circuit that adheres to the pre-specified quality bounds. We make two key contributions: (i) the rigorous formulation of the problem of approximate logic synthesis, enabling the generation of circuits that are correct by construction, and (ii) mapping the problem of approximate synthesis into an equivalent traditional logic synthesis problem, thereby allowing the capabilities of existing synthesis tools to be fully utilized for approximate logic synthesis. In order to achieve these benefits, SALSA encodes the quality constraints using logic functions called Q-functions, and captures the flexibility that they engender as Approximation Don't Cares (ADCs), which are used for circuit simplification using traditional don't care based optimization techniques. We have implemented SALSA using two off-the-shelf logic synthesis tools - SIS and Synopsys Design Compiler. We automatically synthesize approximate circuits ranging from arithmetic building blocks (adders, multipliers, MAC) to entire datapaths (DCT, FIR, IIR, SAD, FFT Butterfly, Euclidean distance), demonstrating scalability and significant improvements in area (1.1X to 1.85X for tight error constraints, and 1.2X to 4.75X for relaxed error constraints) and power (1.15X to 1.75X for tight error constraints, and 1.3X to 5.25X for relaxed error constraints).
Crack propagation in porous polymer sheets with different pore sizes

Physical understanding of crack propagation is a fundamental issue in the industry. In the literature, crack velocities of polymer materials are strongly dependent on their visco-elastic properties and energy release rates. Recently, numerical and theoretical studies have proposed that structural sizes in polymers also influence on crack propagation. Here, using polymer sheets with similar visco-elastic properties but with different pore sizes, we vary explicitly the representative structural size and examine the effect of the size on crack propagation. Findings in this work help us to understand crack propagation in polymer materials and bio-inspired materials which have porous structures.
Apocynin Is Not an Inhibitor of Vascular NADPH Oxidases but an Antioxidant

A large body of literature suggest that vascular reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases are important sources of reactive oxygen species. Many studies, however, relied on data obtained with the inhibitor apocynin (4′-hydroxy-3′methoxyacetophenone). Because the mode of action of apocynin, however, is elusive, we determined its mechanism of inhibition on vascular NADPH oxidases. In HEK293 cells overexpressing NADPH oxidase isoforms (Nox1, Nox2, or Nox4), apocynin failed to inhibit superoxide anion generation detected by lucigenin chemiluminescence. In contrast, apocynin interfered with the detection of reactive oxygen species in assay systems selective for hydrogen peroxide or hydroxyl radicals. Importantly, apocynin interfered directly with the detection of peroxides but not superoxide, if generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase or nonenzymatic systems. In leukocytes, apocynin is a prodrug that is activated by myeloperoxidase, a process that results in the formation of apocynin dimers. Endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells failed to form these dimers and, therefore, are not able to activate apocynin. Dimer formation was, however, observed in Nox-overexpressing HEK293 cells when myeloperoxidase was supplemented. As a consequence, apocynin should only inhibit NADPH oxidase in leukocytes, whereas in vascular cells, the compound could act as an antioxidant. Indeed, in vascular smooth muscle cells, the activation of the redox-sensitive kinases p38-mitogen-activate protein kinase, Akt, and extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 by hydrogen peroxide and by the intracellular radical generator menadione was prevented in the presence of apocynin. These observations indicate that apocynin predominantly acts as an antioxidant in endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells and should not be used as an NADPH oxidase inhibitor in vascular systems.
Global Asymptotic Stabilization for Nonminimum Phase Nonlinear Systems Admitting a Strict Normal Form

In this paper, we address the problem of global asymptotic stabilization by output feedback for nonminimum phase nonlinear systems which admit a strict normal form. We assume the knowledge of an observer and, depending on its properties, we propose various approaches to design the control law. Each of these approaches needs a different stabilizability assumption on the inverse dynamics. In this way, within a unified framework, we recover and extend some already published results and we establish new ones.
The Lectin Pathway of Complement Activation Is a Critical Component of the Innate Immune Response to Pneumococcal Infection

The complement system plays a key role in host defense against pneumococcal infection. Three different pathways, the classical, alternative and lectin pathways, mediate complement activation. While there is limited information available on the roles of the classical and the alternative activation pathways of complement in fighting streptococcal infection, little is known about the role of the lectin pathway, mainly due to the lack of appropriate experimental models of lectin pathway deficiency. We have recently established a mouse strain deficient of the lectin pathway effector enzyme mannan-binding lectin associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2) and shown that this mouse strain is unable to form the lectin pathway specific C3 and C5 convertases. Here we report that MASP-2 deficient mice (which can still activate complement via the classical pathway and the alternative pathway) are highly susceptible to pneumococcal infection and fail to opsonize Streptococcus pneumoniae in the none-immune host. This defect in complement opsonisation severely compromises pathogen clearance in the lectin pathway deficient host. Using sera from mice and humans with defined complement deficiencies, we demonstrate that mouse ficolin A, human L-ficolin, and collectin 11 in both species, but not mannan-binding lectin (MBL), are the pattern recognition molecules that drive lectin pathway activation on the surface of S. pneumoniae. We further show that pneumococcal opsonisation via the lectin pathway can proceed in the absence of C4. This study corroborates the essential function of MASP-2 in the lectin pathway and highlights the importance of MBL-independent lectin pathway activation in the host defense against pneumococci.
Modification of ventricular fibrillation latency following coronary artery occlusion in the conscious pig.

Abrupt occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery was performed on 45 unanesthetized farm pigs in order to evaluate the relative effects on the latency to ventricular fibrillation (VFL) of 1) adaptation of the animals to the laboratory, and 2) beta-receptor blockade by propranolol. Compared to control values, VFL was greatly lengthened (i.e., VF delayed or prevented) by adaptation (P smaller than 0.01), was shortened by large (2 MG/KG) doses of racemic propranolol in unadapted animals (P smaller than 0.02), and was again increased while under the influence of the drug, by adaptation (P smaller than 0.051). Neither a lower (0.02 mg/kg) dose of racemic propranolol, 2 mg/kg of dextropropranolol, nor ventricular pacing to a higher heart rate had an effect on VFL. The results suggest that reduced psychological stress was very effective in retarding or preventing the onset of VF, that low doses of propranolol were ineffective, and that higher doses were deleterious in unadapted animals.
Biomechanical Aspects of the Cervical Cord: Effects of Postural Changes in Healthy Volunteers Using Positional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Study Design The area in cross-sectional view of the cervical cord (ACSCC) at each disc levels was measured in supine and erect positions using positional magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI). Objectives To assess the relationship between ACSCC and cervical posture in healthy volunteers using pMRI. Summary of Background Data There have been few detailed descriptions of the normal morphologic features of the cervical cord. However, there is no report to compare the relationship between ACSCC and cervical posture in healthy volunteers. Methods The study was performed on 20 healthy volunteers. The subjects were studied with pMRI in the supine and erect positions. The recumbent series and the erect series consist of 3 positions each: neutral, flexion and extension. On axial images, ACSCC was measured at the C2/3, C3/4, C4/5, C5/6, and C6/7 disc levels. On midsagittal image, the angle of the lower-endplate of C2 and C7 was measured. The results were compared between each series. Results In the recumbent and erect series, ACSCC was larger in extension than in neutral and flexion at all levels. There were significant differences between ACSCC in extension, neutral and flexion. ACSCC was smaller in flexion than in neutral and extension at all levels. There were significant differences between ACSCC in flexion, neutral and extension. Conclusions We found posture-dependent differences of ACSCC in the recumbent and erect series. These results may be valuable for identifying a dynamic factor in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
One-Year Results of a Synthetic Intervention Model for the Primary Prevention of T2D among Elderly Individuals with Prediabetes in Rural China

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a synthetic intervention model aimed at preventing type 2 diabetes and controlling plasma glucose, body weight and waist circumference in elderly individuals with prediabetes in rural China. Methods: We randomly assigned 434 (180 men and 254 women; mean age, 69 years; mean body mass index, 23.6 kg/m2) with prediabetes to either the intervention group or the control group. Each participant in the intervention group received synthetic intervention for 1 year. Results: The incidence of diabetes was 4.2% in the intervention group, versus 19.7% in the control group at the end of 1 year (p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the intervention group experienced a great decrease in fasting glucose (−3.9 vs. 2.2 mg/dL, p < 0.001), body weight (−3.2 vs. 1.7 kg, p < 0.001), waist circumference (−2.4 vs. 1.0 cm, p < 0001), total cholesterol (−9.1 vs. −4.6 mg/dL. p = 0.014) and HbA1c (−1.0 vs. 0.1 mg %, p = 0.002) at the end of 1 year. Conclusions: The incidence of diabetes of the control group was higher than that of the intervention group. Besides, the synthetic intervention contributes to weight loss and glucose decrease, and may be effective in reducing the risk of diabetes among elderly individuals with prediabetes in rural China.
Are there Gaps in Swedish Gender Wage Gap Research? A Meta-Analytical Approach

The persistence of “unexplained” gender wage differentials has necessitated an expanding body of research attempting to explain their lasting continuity. This is true of research conducted on the Scandinavian country of Sweden, which is widely regarded for a social and institutional commitment to gender equality. This paper empirically probes the existing body of gender specific wage research asking: How can research findings on the gender wage gap in Sweden be assessed and brought into a dialogue on an empirical level? The paper addresses this question by employing a meta-analytical framework using data extracted from studies which present a regression based estimation of the national gender wage gap in Sweden. This allows for an empirical analysis of how research parameters, the presence of specific variables and possible biases may be reflected in national gender wage gap estimates as well as illustrating whether research generally promotes the idea of a falling wage gap. The constructed dataset includes thirty two wage gap observations derived from studies conducted on national data from 1968 to 2013, with the inclusion of moderator variables indicative of research specifications. Empirical analysis suggests that controlling for occupational composition as well as work type, the type of wage gap decomposition, and the presence of limiting proxies all have strong effects in shaping Swedish wage gap estimates.
Risk Experiments in Gains and Losses: A Case Study for Benin

The aim of this paper is to expand our knowledge on risk aversion among the poor by conducting experiments that do not only test risk aversion in small and large stakes but also in risky gains and risky losses. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to conduct experiments in poor communities strictly focused on the loss domain. The experiments were conducted with 120 poor rural households in Benin. In contrast to results in industrialized countries, we find that playing lotteries constrained to the loss domain dramatically increases risk aversion. We also find a strong negative relationship between the level of risk aversion (both in gains and losses) and the level of religious faith. Our interpretation of this result is that villagers with strong beliefs tend to rely more on God´s goodwill at the expense of a proper risk assessment, resulting in larger risk-taking.
Characterization of Influenza Vaccine Immunogenicity Using Influenza Antigen Microarrays

Background Existing methods to measure influenza vaccine immunogenicity prohibit detailed analysis of epitope determinants recognized by immunoglobulins. The development of highly multiplex proteomics platforms capable of capturing a high level of antibody binding information will enable researchers and clinicians to generate rapid and meaningful readouts of influenza-specific antibody reactivity. Methods We developed influenza hemagglutinin (HA) whole-protein and peptide microarrays and validated that the arrays allow detection of specific antibody reactivity across a broad dynamic range using commercially available antibodies targeted to linear and conformational HA epitopes. We derived serum from blood draws taken from 76 young and elderly subjects immediately before and 28±7 days post-vaccination with the 2008/2009 trivalent influenza vaccine and determined the antibody reactivity of these sera to influenza array antigens. Results Using linear regression and correcting for multiple hypothesis testing by the Benjamini and Hochberg method of permutations over 1000 resamplings, we identified antibody reactivity to influenza whole-protein and peptide array features that correlated significantly with age, H1N1, and B-strain post-vaccine titer as assessed through a standard microneutralization assay (p<0.05, q <0.2). Notably, we identified several peptide epitopes that were inversely correlated with regard to age and seasonal H1N1 and B-strain neutralization titer (p<0.05, q <0.2), implicating reactivity to these epitopes in age-related defects in response to H1N1 influenza. We also employed multivariate linear regression with cross-validation to build models based on age and pre-vaccine peptide reactivity that predicted vaccine-induced neutralization of seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 influenza strains with a high level of accuracy (84.7% and 74.0%, respectively). Conclusion Our methods provide powerful tools for rapid and accurate measurement of broad antibody-based immune responses to influenza, and may be useful in measuring response to other vaccines and infectious agents.
Ballistic-hole spectroscopy of interfaces.

A new technique allows direct control and measurement of ballistic-hole transport through interfaces. This novel spectroscopy has been applied to determine the detailed properties of hole transmission through metal-semiconductor interfaces and probe the valence-band structure of subsurface semiconductor heterostructures. The ballistic-hole probe is created by electron-tunneling-microscopy methods and provides high-spatial-resolution capabilities.
Virtual Lesion of Angular Gyrus Disrupts the Relationship between Visuoproprioceptive Weighting and Realignment

Posterior parietal cortex is thought to be involved in multisensory processes such as sensory weighting (how much different modalities are represented in sensory integration) and realignment (recalibrating the estimates given by unisensory inputs relative to each other, e.g., when viewing the hand through prisms). Sensory weighting and realignment are biologically independent but can be correlated such that the lowest-weighted modality realigns most. This is important for movement precision because it results in the brain's estimate of hand position favoring the more reliable (higher-weighted) modality. It is unknown if this interaction is an emergent property of separate neural pathways for weighting and realignment or if it is actively mediated by a common substrate. We applied disruptive TMS to the angular gyrus near the intraparietal sulcus (PGa) before participants performed a task with misaligned visual and proprioceptive information about hand position. Visuoproprioceptive weighting and realignment were unaffected. However, the relationship between weighting and realignment, found in control conditions, was absent after TMS in the angular gyrus location. This suggests that a specific region in the angular gyrus actively mediates the interaction between visuoproprioceptive weighting and realignment and may thus play a role in the decreased movement precision associated with posterior parietal lesions.
Chemical modification of potassium channel gating in frog myelinated nerve by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid.

We investigated the actions of externally applied trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) on the K currents of voltage‐clamped frog myelinated nerve fibres. TNBS treatment irreversibly slowed the tail currents for K channel closing up to 10‐fold. Time constants for the tail currents appear shifted 60‐80 mV in the hyperpolarizing direction following TNBS treatment. The time course of K channel opening was unaffected for depolarizing pulses to potentials positive to ‐20 mV. For smaller pulses to potentials between ‐80 and ‐30 mV the activation time course was slower following TNBS treatment. TNBS had little or no effect on the steady‐state conductance‐voltage relation of K channels determined from tail current amplitude. The instantaneous current‐voltage relation for K channels and potency of block by external TEA were unaffected by TNBS. K tail currents showed fast and slow components both before and after TNBS treatment. Reaction with TNBS caused the fast component to decline in amplitude and the slow component to increase both in magnitude and time constant. The rate of reaction increased with increasing pH. Full expression of altered K channel kinetics depends upon the ionic composition of the external solution. Tail currents were up to 10‐fold slower when measured in 117.5 mM‐K than when measured with 80% of the external K replaced by Na. The differential effects of TNBS on K channel closing and opening were modelled in a three‐state kinetic scheme, with an increase in the energy barrier for closing an open channel following TNBS treatment.
FORMING PLANETESIMALS BY GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY. II. HOW DUST SETTLES TO ITS MARGINALLY STABLE STATE

Dust at the midplane of a circumstellar disk can become gravitationally unstable and fragment into planetesimals if the local dust-to-gas ratio μ0 ≡ ρd/ρg is sufficiently high. We simulate how dust settles in passive disks and ask how high μ0 can become. We implement a hybrid scheme that alternates between a one-dimensional code to settle dust and a three-dimensional shearing box code to test for dynamical stability. This scheme allows us to explore the behavior of small particles having short but non-zero stopping times in gas: 0 < tstop≪ the orbital period. The streaming instability is thereby filtered out. Dust settles until Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instabilities at the top and bottom faces of the dust layer threaten to overturn the entire layer. In this state of marginal stability, μ0 = 2.9 for a disk whose bulk (height-integrated) metallicity Σd/Σg is solar—thus μ0 increases by more than two orders of magnitude from its well-mixed initial value of μ0,init = Σd/Σg = 0.015. For a disk whose bulk metallicity is 4× solar (μ0,init = Σd/Σg = 0.06), the marginally stable state has μ0 = 26.4. These maximum values of μ0, which depend on the background radial pressure gradient, are so large that gravitational instability of small particles is viable in disks whose bulk metallicities are just a few (≲4) times solar. Our result supports earlier studies that assumed that dust settles until the Richardson number Ri is spatially constant. Our simulations are free of this assumption but provide evidence for it within the boundaries of the dust layer, with the proviso that Ri increases with Σd/Σg in the same way that we found in Paper I. Because increasing the dust content decreases the vertical shear and increases stability, the midplane μ0 increases with Σd/Σg in a faster than linear way, so fast that modest enhancements in Σd/Σg can spawn planetesimals directly from small particles.
Incremental Discontinuous Phrase Structure Parsing with the GAP Transition

This article introduces a novel transition system for discontinuous lexicalized constituent parsing called SR-GAP. It is an extension of the shift-reduce algorithm with an additional gap transition. Evaluation on two German treebanks shows that SR-GAP outperforms the previous best transition-based discontinuous parser (Maier, 2015) by a large margin (it is notably twice as accurate on the prediction of discontinuous constituents), and is competitive with the state of the art (Fernández-González and Martins, 2015). As a side contribution, we adapt span features (Hall et al., 2014) to discontinuous parsing.
b-Hydroxy-b-methylbutyrate (HMb) supplementation stimulates skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats via the mTOR pathway

b-Hydroxy-b-methylbutyrate (HMb) supplementation is used to treat cancer, sepsis and exercise-induced muscle damage. However, its effects on animal and human health and the consequences of this treatment in other tissues (e.g., fat and liver) have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of HMb supplementation on skeletal muscle hypertrophy and the expression of proteins involved in insulin signalling. Rats were treated with HMb (320 mg/kg body weight) or saline for one month. The skeletal muscle hypertrophy and insulin signalling were evaluated by western blotting, and hormonal concentrations were evaluated using ELISAs. HMb supplementation induced muscle hypertrophy in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles and increased serum insulin levels, the expression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and phosphorylation of p70S6K in the EDL muscle. Expression of the insulin receptor was increased only in liver. Thus, our results suggest that HMb supplementation can be used to increase muscle mass without adverse health effects.