Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amorphous Indium–Gallium–Oxide UV Photodetectors

We report the fabrication of amorphous (In<sub>x</sub>Ga<sub>1-x</sub>)<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors on glass substrate by co-sputtering. It was found that, we could change the cutoff wavelength of the fabricated photodetectors by changing the RF sputtering power of the In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> target. With 5 V applied bias, it was found that the measured dark currents were 2 × 10<sup>-12</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>-11</sup>, and 2.3 × 10<sup>-11</sup> A for sample A prepared with 40 W In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sputtering power, sample B prepared with 50 W In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sputtering power, and sample C prepared with 60 W In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sputtering power, respectively. It was also found that the UV-to-visible rejection ratios were 3 × 10<sup>3</sup>, 5 × 10<sup>3</sup>, and 1.5 × 10<sup>4</sup> for samples A, B, and C, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that the response speeds of the fabricated devices were good.
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Sirtuin 1 Protects Against DNA Damage and Inhibits Atherosclerosis

Background— Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in human atherosclerosis manifest extensive DNA damage and activation of the DNA damage response, a pathway that coordinates cell cycle arrest and DNA repair, or can trigger apoptosis or cell senescence. Sirtuin 1 deacetylase (SIRT1) regulates cell ageing and energy metabolism and regulates the DNA damage response through multiple targets. However, the direct role of SIRT1 in atherosclerosis and how SIRT1 in VSMCs might regulate atherosclerosis are unknown. Methods and Results— SIRT1 expression was reduced in human atherosclerotic plaques and VSMCs both derived from plaques and undergoing replicative senescence. SIRT1 inhibition reduced DNA repair and induced apoptosis, in part, through reduced activation of the repair protein Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome-1 but not p53. Fat feeding reduced SIRT1 and induced DNA damage in VSMCs. VSMCs from mice expressing inactive truncated SIRT1 (&Dgr;ex4) showed increased oxidized low-density lipoprotein–induced DNA damage and senescence. ApoE−/− mice expressing SIRT1&Dgr;ex4 only in smooth muscle cells demonstrated increased DNA damage response activation and apoptosis, increased atherosclerosis, reduced relative fibrous cap thickness, and medial degeneration. Conclusions— SIRT1 is reduced in human atherosclerosis and is a critical regulator of the DNA damage response and survival in VSMCs. VSMC SIRT1 protects against DNA damage, medial degeneration, and atherosclerosis.
Foliar Nitrogen Responses to the Environmental Gradient Matrix of the Adirondack Park, New York

Maps derived from remote sensing of canopy nitrogen (N) provide a potential avenue to make spatially explicit, regional-scale predictions of the vital forest ecosystem services that are coupled to the cycling of N and carbon. Yet, to fully use canopy N maps in this capacity, it is necessary to understand how canopy species with differing resource strategies will adjust foliar N in response to environmental variability. In this study, we relate a regional survey of foliar N data from a diverse set of forest tree species in the Adirondack Park, New York, to a holistic matrix of environmental gradients thought to control spatial variability of foliar N. Stepwise multiple regression models developed for each species indicate that neighboring species and abiotic gradients of resource availability play a lesser role, and anthropogenic influences (caused by historic disturbances and atmospheric N deposition) are the strongest drivers of spatial variability in foliar N. Moreover, we find that the plasticity of the total foliar N response to measured environmental variability is strongly related to two indexes of a species’ resource strategy—leaf mass per area and shade tolerance. Collectively, these results (1) further demonstrate the utility of an environmental gradient matrix approach to studying complex ecosystems; (2) emphasize the potentially dominant role of humans in controlling future nutrient cycling, even within this “forever wild” forest ecosystem; and (3) suggest that spatially explicit measurements of foliar N, environmental gradients, and plant resource strategies might provide a pathway to map and forecast ecosystem services at regional scales.
Grad-CAM: Why did you say that?

We propose a technique for making Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based models more transparent by visualizing input regions that are 'important' for predictions -- or visual explanations. Our approach, called Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM), uses class-specific gradient information to localize important regions. These localizations are combined with existing pixel-space visualizations to create a novel high-resolution and class-discriminative visualization called Guided Grad-CAM. These methods help better understand CNN-based models, including image captioning and visual question answering (VQA) models. We evaluate our visual explanations by measuring their ability to discriminate between classes, to inspire trust in humans, and their correlation with occlusion maps. Grad-CAM provides a new way to understand CNN-based models. We have released code, an online demo hosted on CloudCV, and a full version of this extended abstract.
when Is a Book Review Really Something Else? A Response to the Review of adolescents, Crime, and the Media: A Critical Analysis

Part 1: Media Depictions of Crime. - Chapter 1: Introduction: Crime and the Media. - Chapter 2: A History of Violence in the Media. - Chapter 3: Media Portrayals of Crime and Youth. - Chapter 4: Adolescents in the News Media. - Chapter 5: The "CSI Effect". - Part 2: Research on Media as a Cause of Crime. - Chapter 6: Television Violence. - Chapter 7: Video Games. - Chapter 8: Other Media. - Chapter 9: Pornography. - Chapter 10: Public Policy, Censorship and 1st Amendment Issues.
Detecting architecture instabilities with concern traces: An exploratory study

Sustaining architecture stability in incremental software development is an important aim for software engineers. Traceability mechanisms can be used to assess and predict architecture stability based on recorded information of early software artefacts. However, there is little empirical knowledge on whether traceability of stakeholders' concerns can assist the identification of architecture instabilities. This paper reports on a first exploratory study that analyses the effectiveness of concern traces for architecture stability assessment. We investigate to what extent properties of concern traces, such as their shapes, are correlated with architectural instabilities. Our analysis is based on eight releases implementing two versions of a software product line for handling mobile media.
European Neuroscience Association Pre‐ and post‐synaptic muscarinic receptors in thin slices of rat adrenal gland

The effects of activation of muscarinic receptors on chromaffin cells and splanchnic nerve terminals were studied in a rat adrenal slice preparation. In chromaffin cells, muscarine induced a transient hyperpolarization followed by a depolarization associated with cell spiking. The hyperpolarization was blocked by charybdotoxin (1 μm) and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA, 1 mm), but was not affected by 200 μm Cd2+ or removal of external Ca2+, consistent with activation of BK channels. This would follow internal Ca2+ mobilization, as shown by Ca2+ imaging with fura‐2 on isolated chromaffin cells in culture. Under voltage‐clamp, outward BK currents were insensitive to MT3 toxin, a specific muscarinic m4 receptor antagonist. In contrast, muscarine‐induced depolarization was due to a m4 receptor‐mediated inward current blocked by MT3 toxin. This current was permeable to cations and was associated with Ca2+ entry and subsequently, Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release. Finally, both muscarine (25 μm) and oxotremorine (10 μm) decreased the amplitude and frequency of KCl‐evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents, without affecting quantal size, consistent with a presynaptic inhibitory effect. Taken together, our data suggest that activation of m4 and probably m3 muscarinic receptors results in a strong, long‐lasting excitation of chromaffin cells, as well as an uncoupling of synaptic inputs onto these cells.
A 20-GHz phase-locked loop for 40Gb/s serializing transmitter in 0.13/spl mu/m CMOS

A 20GHz phase-locked loop with 4.9ps/sub pp//0.65ps/sub rms/ jitter and -101.2dBc/Hz phase noise at 1MHz offset is presented. A half-duty sampled-feedforward loop filter that simply replaces the resistor with a switch and an inverter suppresses the reference spur down to -44.0dBc. A design iteration procedure is outlined that minimizes the phase noise of a negative-g/sub m/ oscillator with a coupled-microstrip resonator. Static frequency dividers made of pulsed latches operate faster than a flip-flop based divider and achieve near 2:1 frequency range. The PLL fabricated in 0.13/spl mu/m CMOS operates from 17.6GHz to 19.4GHz and dissipates 480mW.
Suicidality in children and adolescents: a review

Suicide and suicide attempts by children and adolescents continue to be a major public health problem in the United States. Major risk factors include a previous suicide attempt, a mood disorder, a family history of suicide, a parental psychiatric disorder, and a history of sexual abuse. Genetic vulnerability appears to be a factor as well. Efforts to prevent subsequent attempts at suicide have not generally been successful, and many children and adolescents are not receiving treatment for the mood disorders and other psychiatric conditions that are risk factors. Evaluation of suicide risk should be carried out through multiple informants, not simply the adolescent or the parents, although a thorough clinical interview of the adolescent is essential.
Influence of Resistance Training Frequency on Muscular Adaptations in Well-Trained Men

Abstract Schoenfeld, BJ, Ratamess, NA, Peterson, MD, Contreras, B, and Tiryaki-Sonmez, G. Influence of resistance training frequency on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. J Strength Cond Res 29(7): 1821–1829, 2015—The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training muscle groups 1 day per week using a split-body routine (SPLIT) vs. 3 days per week using a total-body routine (TOTAL) on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. Subjects were 20 male volunteers (height = 1.76 ± 0.05 m; body mass = 78.0 ± 10.7 kg; age = 23.5 ± 2.9 years) recruited from a university population. Participants were pair matched according to baseline strength and then randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 experimental groups: a SPLIT, where multiple exercises were performed for a specific muscle group in a session with 2–3 muscle groups trained per session (n = 10) or a TOTAL, where 1 exercise was performed per muscle group in a session with all muscle groups trained in each session (n = 10). Subjects were tested pre- and poststudy for 1 repetition maximum strength in the bench press and squat, and muscle thickness (MT) of forearm flexors, forearm extensors, and vastus lateralis. Results showed significantly greater increases in forearm flexor MT for TOTAL compared with SPLIT. No significant differences were noted in maximal strength measures. The findings suggest a potentially superior hypertrophic benefit to higher weekly resistance training frequencies.
Fourier principles for emotion-based human figure animation

This paper describes the method for modeling human figure locomotions with emotions. Fourier expansions of experimental data of actual human behaviors serve as a basis from which the method can interpolate or extrapolate the human locomotions. This means, for instance, that transition from a walk to a run is smoothly and realistically performed by the method. Moreover an individual's character or mood, appearing during the human behaviors, is also extracted by the method. For example, the method gets "briskness" from the experimental data for a "normal" walk and a "brisk" walk. Then the "brisk" run is generated by the method, using another Fourier expansion of the measured data of running. The superposition of these human behaviors is shown as an efficient technique for generating rich variations of human locomotions. In addition, step-length, speed, and hip position during the locomotions are also modeled, and then interactively controlled to get a desired animation. Abstract
Pre-Existing Vector Immunity Does Not Prevent Replication Deficient Adenovirus from Inducing Efficient CD8 T-Cell Memory and Recall Responses

Adenoviral vectors have shown a great potential for vaccine development due to their inherent ability to induce potent and protective CD8 T-cell responses. However, a critical issue regarding the use of these vectors is the existence of inhibitory immunity against the most commonly used Ad5 vector in a large part of the human population. We have recently developed an improved adenoviral vaccine vector system in which the vector expresses the transgene tethered to the MHC class II associated invariant chain (Ii). To further evaluate the potential of this system, the concept of pre-existing inhibitory immunity to adenoviral vectors was revisited to investigate whether the inhibition previously seen with the Ad5 vector also applied to the optimized vector system. We found this to be the case, and antibodies dominated as the mechanism underlying inhibitory vector immunity. However, presence of CD8 T cells directed against epitopes in the adenoviral vector seemed to correlate with repression of the induced response in re-vaccinated B-cell deficient mice. More importantly, despite a repressed primary effector CD8 T-cell response in Ad5-immune animals subjected to vaccination, memory T cells were generated that provided the foundation for an efficient recall response and protection upon subsequent viral challenge. Furthermore, the transgene specific response could be efficiently boosted by homologous re-immunization. Taken together, these studies indicate that adenoviral vectors can be used to induce efficient CD8 T-cell memory even in individuals with pre-existing vector immunity.
Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor during the normal menstrual cycle.

BACKGROUND The purpose of the study was to investigate whether cycle-related variations in circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) levels would increase the metastatic potential at specific times during the menstrual cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS VEGF levels in serum and whole blood were evaluated during the normal menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. Determination of the menstrual phase was based on hormonal measurements. RESULTS A total of 46 samples were taken of six menstrual cycles. Serum VEGF was inversely related with progesterone levels (r = -0.6, p = 0.012). Throughout the menstrual cycle the serum VEGF decreased indicating that the lowest VEGF level occurs during the secretory phase, which is compatible with the inverse relationship between serum progesterone and VEGF. CONCLUSION These findings, however, do not suggest that individual VEGF levels can direct the optimal timing of surgical intervention in breast cancer.
Angiotensin II Enhances Interleukin-18 Mediated Inflammatory Gene Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: A Novel Cross-Talk in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) express functional interleukin-18 receptors (IL-18Rs), composed of &agr; and &bgr; subunits. These subunits are elevated in VSMCs of atherosclerotic plaques and can be induced by inflammatory agents in cultured VSMC. Because both IL-18 and Angiotensin II (Ang II) are implicated in atherosclerosis, our objective was to analyze the role of IL-18 signaling and potential cross-talk with Ang II in VSMC. We observed that IL-18 activated Src kinase, protein kinase C, p38 and JNK MAPKs, Akt kinase, transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1, and induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in VSMC. Pretreatment of VSMC with Ang II enhanced IL-18-induced NF-kB activation and cytokine gene expression. Interestingly, Ang II directly increased mRNA and cell surface protein levels of the IL-18R&agr; subunit. Functional relevance in an organ culture model was demonstrated by the observation that incubation of intact mouse aortas ex vivo with Ang II also significantly increased IL-18R&agr; expression. Furthermore, Ang II significantly stimulated transcription from a minimal IL-18R&agr; promoter containing putative binding sites for STAT and AP-1. Ang II also increased in vivo recruitment of STAT-3 on the IL-18R&agr; promoter. Finally, dominant negative STAT-3 mutant blocked Ang II-induced IL-18R&agr; promoter activation in CHO cells overexpressing AT1a receptor and IL-18R&agr; mRNA expression in HVSMC. Thus, Ang II enhances IL-18 induced inflammatory genes by increasing IL-18R&agr; expression. These results illustrate a novel mechanism wherein Ang II- mediated increases in inflammatory genes and proatherogenic effects in the vasculature are enhanced by a vicious loop and cross-talk with the IL-18 signaling pathway.
Obese patients after gastric bypass surgery have lower brain-hedonic responses to food than after gastric banding

Objectives Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has greater efficacy for weight loss in obese patients than gastric banding (BAND) surgery. We hypothesise that this may result from different effects on food hedonics via physiological changes secondary to distinct gut anatomy manipulations. Design We used functional MRI, eating behaviour and hormonal phenotyping to compare body mass index (BMI)-matched unoperated controls and patients after RYGB and BAND surgery for obesity. Results Obese patients after RYGB had lower brain-hedonic responses to food than patients after BAND surgery. RYGB patients had lower activation than BAND patients in brain reward systems, particularly to high-calorie foods, including the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. This was associated with lower palatability and appeal of high-calorie foods and healthier eating behaviour, including less fat intake, in RYGB compared with BAND patients and/or BMI-matched unoperated controls. These differences were not explicable by differences in hunger or psychological traits between the surgical groups, but anorexigenic plasma gut hormones (GLP-1 and PYY), plasma bile acids and symptoms of dumping syndrome were increased in RYGB patients. Conclusions The identification of these differences in food hedonic responses as a result of altered gut anatomy/physiology provides a novel explanation for the more favourable long-term weight loss seen after RYGB than after BAND surgery, highlighting the importance of the gut–brain axis in the control of reward-based eating behaviour.
An examination of the career development of predominantly African-American male inner-city high school student-athletes

The Student-Athlete Career Situation Inventory (SACSI; Sandstedt, Cox, Marten, Ward, Webber, and Ivey, 2004) to date, is the only career instrument designed to examine the career development of student-athletes. This measure, however, was originally validated on a college student-athlete population. The following study examined the descriptive nature of the SACSI in a predominantly African-American, male, inner-city, low socioeconomic (SES), high school student-athlete group in three geographic regions of the United States. The predictive nature of the factors found in the instrument above and beyond demographics variables including age and highest number of years played in one sport was also investigated. Participants are members of their schools’ respective Play It Smart program. Play It Smart is a high school initiative of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (NFF) that promotes positive youth development through sport. Social Cognitive Career Theory partially informed the study as constructs including career decision-making self-efficacy, locus of control, barriers, and other contextual factors were explored. Data for 178 participants were included in an exploratory factor analysis and a sequential regression analysis. The factor analysis yielded a model structure that included two factors: Career Development Challenges and Career Development Strengths. Thus, a new career development instrument for high school student-athletes was created and named the Career-PLanning for Athlete Needs (C-PLAN). Items on the Challenges factor of the C-PLAN overlapped with items on the Career vs. Sport Identity, Locus of Control, and Barriers factors of the original SACSI. Items on the Strengths factor of the C-PLAN overlapped with five of the six items on the Career Development Self-Efficacy subscale of the SACSI. Others factors slightly tapped on the Strengths subscale of the CPLAN were Career vs. Sport Identity and Sport to Work Relationship. A sequential regression analysis was conducted to investigate the predictive nature of the two factors on the SACSI over and above demographic variables including age and highest number of years played in one sport. Results indicate that age is a significant predictor of career planning attitudes (β=.313, p<.05). Together, the addition of Challenges and Strengths significantly accounted for 27% of the variance in the full model including age and highest number of years played in one sport entered in the second block (total adjusted R=.266, F=17.016, p<.001). Moreover, the addition of Career Development Strengths was also significant (β=.402, p<.05.). A discussion of limitations, strengths, implications, and recommendations for future research and practice is also provided.
Infrastructure support for ad hoc network:when and where?

Currently, there are several attempts to connect ad hoc network with legacy infrastructure network like 802.11 WLAN. This paper is initial work about how we can efficiently use ad hoc network with infrastructure at the view of ad hoc TCP. To design efficient infrastructure support for ad hoc network, we propose mathematical models of TCP over ad hoc network and over hybrid network. Unlikely to previous TCP models for wired network, our models for ad hoc network mainly depends on hop-count, not congestion window size. Based on the new TCP models, we propose a cost-efficient position plan for base stations (BSs) and a route selection algorithm. The proposed position plan of BSs promises cost reduction with small performance trade-off. The route selection algorithm makes the decision on whether we should use infrastructure support or not. Roughly, a n-hop route using infrastructure would be better than n 2 -hop route only using pure ad hoc network. We have evaluated the TCP models and the proposed infrastructure design principals using the Network Simulator2(ns-2).