Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a subsynchronous damping controller using a dynamic phasor-based model of TCSC

In this paper, a dynamic phasor-based continuous-time model of thyristor-controlled series capacitor (TCSC) has been used to obtain the phase-response characteristic of a system, analytically. This in-turn enables the usage of the well-known phase compensation technique to design a supplementary subsynchronous damping controller (SSDC). It is found that at higher series compensation levels, the design depends on the quiescent firing angles of the TCSC. Through case studies it is shown that the method offers a reliable and systematic approach to design SSDC with ease. All results are validated using detailed time-domain simulations in PSCAD/EMTDC.
Pretreatment prediction of virological response to peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients using viral and host factors

The interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and T‐helper type 1 and type 2 (Th1/Th2) ratio were analyzed along with other host and viral factors for their ability to predict the response of patients with chronic hepatitis C to pegylated interferon alpha‐2b (Peg‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy. A total of 120 chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1 HCV and high baseline viral loads who were to undergo combination therapy scheduled for 48 weeks were enrolled. Sustained virologic response (SVR) was achieved in 54 (45%) of the 120 patients. The pretreatment factors significantly associated with SVR by logistic regression analysis were ISDR mutant [odds ratio (OR) = 86.0, P = 0.0008], Th1/Th2 ratio ≤ 15.5 (OR = 9.6, P = 0.0021), body weight 59 kg, and neutrophil count 2,300/μL. A logistic regression model to estimate SVR before combination therapy was constructed using these four factors. Patients fell into three groups when plotted according to estimated and actual SVR rates: actual SVR rate was 91% (32/35) in the high sensitivity group, 41% (15/37) in the intermediate sensitivity group, and 15% (7/48) in the low sensitivity group. Rapid or early virological responses were seen in 80% of patients with high sensitivity and who achieved SVR but were found in only 40% of patients with intermediate or low sensitivity. Null‐ and very late virological responses were quite rare in the high sensitivity group. In conclusion, a logistic regression model that includes the sequence of ISDR of the HCV, Th1/Th2 ratio, body weight, and neutrophil count can be useful for accurately predicting actual SVR rate before combination therapy. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;48:1753‐1760.)
Pronociceptive Actions of Dynorphin Maintain Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Whereas tissue injury increases spinal dynorphin expression, the functional relevance of this upregulation to persistent pain is unknown. Here, mice lacking the prodynorphin gene were studied for sensitivity to non-noxious and noxious stimuli, before and after induction of experimental neuropathic pain. Prodynorphin knock-out (KO) mice had normal responses to acute non-noxious stimuli and a mild increased sensitivity to some noxious stimuli. After spinal nerve ligation (SNL), both wild-type (WT) and KO mice demonstrated decreased thresholds to innocuous mechanical and to noxious thermal stimuli, indicating that dynorphin is not required for initiation of neuropathic pain. However, whereas neuropathic pain was sustained in WT mice, KO mice showed a return to baselines by post-SNL day 10. In WT mice, SNL upregulated lumbar dynorphin content on day 10, but not day 2, after injury. Intrathecal dynorphin antiserum reversed neuropathic pain in WT mice at post-SNL day 10 (when dynorphin was upregulated) but not on post-SNL day 2; intrathecal MK-801 reversed SNL-pain at both times. Opioid (μ, δ, and κ) receptor density and G-protein activation were not different between WT and KO mice and were unchanged by SNL injury. The observations suggest (1) an early, dynorphin-independent phase of neuropathic pain and a later dynorphin-dependent stage, (2) that upregulated spinal dynorphin is pronociceptive and required for the maintenance of persistent neuropathic pain, and (3) that processes required for the initiation and the maintenance of the neuropathic pain state are distinct. Identification of mechanisms that maintain neuropathic pain appears important for strategies to treat neuropathic pain.
Onset of Cholinergic Efferent Synaptic Function in Sensory Hair Cells of the Rat Cochlea

In the developing mammalian cochlea, the sensory hair cells receive efferent innervation originating in the superior olivary complex. This input is mediated by α9/α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and is inhibitory due to the subsequent activation of calcium-dependent SK2 potassium channels. We examined the acquisition of this cholinergic efferent input using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from inner hair cells (IHCs) in acutely excised apical turns of the rat cochlea from embryonic day 21 to postnatal day 8 (P8). Responses to 1 mm acetylcholine (ACh) were detected from P0 on in almost every IHC. The ACh-activated current amplitude increased with age and demonstrated the same pharmacology as α9-containing nAChRs. Interestingly, at P0, the ACh response was not coupled to SK2 channels, so that the initial cholinergic response was excitatory and could trigger action potentials in IHCs. Coupling to SK current was detected earliest at P1 in a subset of IHCs and by P3 in every IHC studied. Clustered nAChRs and SK2 channels were found on IHCs from P1 on using Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated α-bungarotoxin and SK2 immunohistochemistry. The number of nAChRs clusters increased with age to 16 per IHC at P8. Cholinergic efferent synaptic currents first appeared in a subset of IHCs at P1 and by P3 in every IHC studied, contemporaneously with ACh-evoked SK currents, suggesting that SK2 channels may be necessary at onset of synaptic function. An analogous pattern of development was observed for the efferent synapses that form later (P6–P8) on outer hair cells in the basal cochlea.
Handbook of Normative Data for Neuropsychological Assessment

PART 1: BACKGROUND 1. Introduction 2. Use of methodological concepts in neuropsychology practice 3. Statistical and psychometric issues PART 2: TESTS OF ATTENTION AND CONCENTRATION: VISUAL AND AUDITORY 4. Trailmaking test 5. Color Trails test 6. Stroop test 7. Auditory Consonant Trigrams 8. Paced Auditory Serial Addition test 9. Cancellation tests PART 3: LANGUAGE 10. Boston Naming test 11. Verbal Fluency test PART 4: PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION: VISUOSPATIAL AND TACTILE 12. Rey-Osterrieth Complex figure 13. Hooper Visual Organization test 14. Visual Form Discrimination test 15. Judgement of Line Orientation 16. Design Fluency tests 17. Tactual Performance test PART 5: VERBAL AND VISUAL LEARNING AND MEMORY 18. Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-R, WMS-III, and WMS-IIIA) 19. List-Learning tests 20. Benton Visual Retention test PART 6: MOTOR FUNCTIONS 21. Finger Tapping tests 22. Grip Strength test (Hand Dynamometer) 23. Grooved Pegboard test PART 7: CONCEPT FORMATION AND REASONING 24. Category test 25. Wisconsin Card Sorting test
Mechanical fatigue assessment of SAC305 solder joints under harmonic vibrations

Vibration-induced solder joint fatigue is a main reliability concern for aerospace and military industries whose electronic equipment used in the field is required to remain functional under such loading. Due to the RoHS directive which eventually will prevent lead from being utilized in electronic systems, there is a need for a better understanding of lead-free mechanical behavior under vibration conditions. This study reports the durability of Sn3.0Ag0. 5Cu (SAC305) solder joints subjected to harmonic solicitations at three specific temperatures (-55°C, 20°C and 105°C). A test assembly is designed and consists in a single daisy-chained 1152 I/O ball grid array (FBGA1152) package assembled on a flame retardant (FR-4) printed circuit board (PCB). The vibration levels are imposed by a controlled deflection at the center of the board at its natural frequency. The electric continuity is monitored to determine the number of cycles to failure of each sample. Mode shape measurements with a scanning vibrometer are also conducted and correlated with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to ensure accurate calculation of stress within the critical solder balls at the corners of the component. The failed specimens are then cross-sectioned in order to determine failure modes. A comparison of SAC305 durability with SnPb36Ag2 solder is given, along with a set of lifetime measurements for two complementary assemblies: 68 I/O Leadless Chip Carrier (LCC68) and 324 I/O Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA324). It turns out that SAC305 outperforms SnPb36Ag2 and the effect of temperature on the mechanical durability of SAC305 appears to be minor. Failure analysis points out different failure modes such as ductile and brittle cracks at the interface between the solder bulk and the component, along with pad cratering-induced copper trace failures. FEA calculations provide data to estimate the high cycle fatigue (HCF) behavior of SAC305 solder under harmonic vibrations.
An Adaptive Kalman Filter for ECG Signal Enhancement

The ongoing trend of ECG monitoring techniques to become more ambulatory and less obtrusive generally comes at the expense of decreased signal quality. To enhance this quality, consecutive ECG complexes can be averaged triggered on the heartbeat, exploiting the quasi-periodicity of the ECG. However, this averaging constitutes a tradeoff between improvement of the SNR and loss of clinically relevant physiological signal dynamics. Using a Bayesian framework, in this paper, a sequential averaging filter is developed that, in essence, adaptively varies the number of complexes included in the averaging based on the characteristics of the ECG signal. The filter has the form of an adaptive Kalman filter. The adaptive estimation of the process and measurement noise covariances is performed by maximizing the Bayesian evidence function of the sequential ECG estimation and by exploiting the spatial correlation between several simultaneously recorded ECG signals, respectively. The noise covariance estimates thus obtained render the filter capable of ascribing more weight to newly arriving data when these data contain morphological variability, and of reducing this weight in cases of no morphological variability. The filter is evaluated by applying it to a variety of ECG signals. To gauge the relevance of the adaptive noise-covariance estimation, the performance of the filter is compared to that of a Kalman filter with fixed, (a posteriori) optimized noise covariance. This comparison demonstrates that, without using a priori knowledge on signal characteristics, the filter with adaptive noise estimation performs similar to the filter with optimized fixed noise covariance, favoring the adaptive filter in cases where no a priori information is available or where signal characteristics are expected to fluctuate.
Neural correlates of boundary perception

The responses of neurons in areas V1 (17) and V2 (18) of anesthetized and paralyzed rhesus monkeys and cats were recorded while presenting a set of computer-generated visual stimuli that varied in pattern, texture, luminance, and contrast. We find that a class of extrastriate cortical cells in cats and monkeys can signal the presence of boundaries regardless of the cue or cues that define the boundaries. These cue-invariant (CI) cells were rare in area V1 but easily found in V2. CI cortical cells responded more strongly to more salient boundaries regardless of the cue defining the boundaries. Many CI cortical cells responded to illusory contours and exhibited the same degree of orientation and direction selectivity when tested with boundaries defined by different cues. These cells have significant computational power inherent in their receptive fields since they were able to generalize across stimuli and integrate multiple cues simultaneously in order to signal boundaries. Cells in higher order cortical areas such as MT (Albright, 1992), MST (Geesaman & Anderson, 1996), and IT (Sary et al., 1993) have previously been reported to respond in a cue invariant fashion. The present results suggest that the ability to respond to boundaries in a cue-invariant manner originates at relatively early stages of cortical processing.
Modelling the Impact of Temperature-Induced Life History Plasticity and Mate Limitation on the Epidemic Potential of a Marine Ectoparasite

Temperature is hypothesized to contribute to increased pathogenicity and virulence of many marine diseases. The sea louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is an ectoparasite of salmonids that exhibits strong life-history plasticity in response to temperature; however, the effect of temperature on the epidemiology of this parasite has not been rigorously examined. We used matrix population modelling to examine the influence of temperature on demographic parameters of sea lice parasitizing farmed salmon. Demographically-stochastic population projection matrices were created using parameters from the existing literature on vital rates of sea lice at different fixed temperatures and yearly temperature profiles. In addition, we quantified the effectiveness of a single stage-specific control applied at different times during a year with seasonal temperature changes. We found that the epidemic potential of sea lice increased with temperature due to a decrease in generation time and an increase in the net reproductive rate. In addition, mate limitation constrained population growth more at low temperatures than at high temperatures. Our model predicts that control measures targeting preadults and chalimus are most effective regardless of the temperature. The predictions from this model suggest that temperature can dramatically change vital rates of sea lice and can increase population growth. The results of this study suggest that sea surface temperatures should be considered when choosing salmon farm sites and designing management plans to control sea louse infestations. More broadly, this study demonstrates the utility of matrix population modelling for epidemiological studies.
Constraints on Scalar-Field Dark Energy from the Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey Gravitational Lens Statistics

We use the statistics of strong gravitational lensing based on Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey (CLASS) data to constrain cosmological parameters in a spatially flat, inverse power-law potential energy density scalar-field dark energy cosmological model. The lensing-based constraints are consistent with, but weaker than, those derived from Type Ia supernova redshift-magnitude data, and mildly favor the Einstein cosmological constant limit of this dark energy model.
Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach

This new edition incorporates many insights and strategies the authors have learned while working extensively with teachers to implement the project approach. Since the popular first edition was published in 1989, the authors have continued to help teachers around the world understand the benefits of this approach. Katz and Chard discuss in great detail the philosophical, theoretical, and research bases of project work. The typical phases are presented and detailed suggestions for implementing each one are described. Using specific examples, this book clarifies and articulates the process and benefits of the project approach. These specific examples outline how children's intellectual development is enhanced. Years of working with teachers and young children from preschool to primary age provide the authors with first hand experience for employing the project approach. Helpful guidelines will aid teachers in working with this approach comfortably in order to gain the interset of children and in order for those to grow and florish mentally.
Cariporide enables hemodynamically more effective chest compression by leftward shift of its flow-depth relationship.

When given during closed-chest resuscitation, cariporide (4-isopropyl-methylsulfonylbenzoyl-guanidine methanesulfonate; a selective inhibitor of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform-1) enables generation of viable perfusion pressures with less depth of compression. We hypothesized that this effect results from greater blood flows generated for a given depth of compression. Two series of 14 rats each underwent 10 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation followed by 8 min of chest compression before defibrillation was attempted. Compression depth was adjusted to maintain an aortic diastolic pressure (ADP) between 26 and 28 mmHg in the first series and between 36 and 38 mmHg in the second series. Within each series, rats were randomized to receive cariporide (3 mg/kg) or NaCl (0.9%; control) before chest compression was started. Blood flow was measured using 15-mum fluorescent microspheres. Less depth of compression was required to maintain the target ADP when cariporide was present in both series 1 (13.6 +/- 1.2 vs. 16.6 +/- 1.2 mm; P < 0.001) and series 2 (15.3 +/- 1.0 vs. 18.9 +/- 1.5 mm; P < 0.001). Despite less compression depth, the cardiac index in cariporide-treated rats was comparable to control rats in series 1 (11.1 +/- 0.7 vs. 11.3 +/- 1.4 ml.min(-1). kg(-1); P = not significant) but higher in series 2 (15.5 +/- 2.3 vs. 9.9 +/- 1.4 ml.min(-1). kg(-1); P < 0.05). Increases in compression depth (from series 1 to series 2) increased myocardial, cerebral, and adrenal blood flow in cariporide-treated rats. We conclude that cariporide enhances the efficacy of closed-chest resuscitation by leftward shift of the flow-depth relationship.
Isolated Ventricular Noncompaction Syndrome in a Nigerian Male: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Isolated ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (IVNC) is a rare, morphologically distinct primary genetic cardiomyopathy, which is now gaining prominence as an important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with cardiac failure. We describe a case report of a Nigerian male with facial dysmorphism presenting with cardiac failure. This is followed by a review of the literature with focus on the diagnosis of this condition, which may be difficult especially in non-Caucasian populations.
The future of physical education : building a new pedagogy

1. Physical Education and Educational Sport: A Philosophical Justification Steven Estes 2. Sport in Culture Anthony Laker 3. Citizenship, Sport and Physical Education Anthony Laker 4. Social Responsibility Through Physical Activity G. S. Don Morris 5. Reflective Practice Goes Public: Reflection, Governmentality and Postmodernity Do 6. The Pedagogy of Motor Skill Learning: Teachers and Students Stephen Silverman 7. Sport Education Peter Hastie 8. Physical Education in the Digital (Postmodern) Era Juan-Miguel Fernandez-Balboa 9. The Future of Physical Education: Is This the 'New Pedagogy'? Anthony Laker
Social Support Functions During a Slowly-Evolving Environmental Disaster: The Case of Amphibole Asbestos Exposure in Libby, Montana

Previous research concluded that victims of rapid-onset natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes) receive and provide high levels of instrumental support. However, different kinds of disasters (natural or human caused [technological, environmental, intentional/terrorism], rapid or slow onset, short or long duration) may create different stressors and thus influence the types of social support most needed and provided. We explored social support functions during an ongoing “slowly-evolving environmental disaster” in Libby, Montana due to widespread exposure to amphibole asbestos. Analyses of focus groups and in-depth interviews focused on the relative salience of support functions (emotional, informational, instrumental, and spiritual) identified as needed or provided. Dominant themes emerged around each function. Results indicated that informational support is particularly salient in this type of disaster. Although not all community members had experienced the disaster’s health consequences (asbestos-related disease [ARD]), all had been affected by the disaster and had informational needs. The nature of those informational needs (e.g., medical vs. financial) varied based on experience with ARD. Experience with ARD was associated with awareness of disaster-related emotional and instrumental support needed or provided. Results have implications for future research on slowly-evolving environmental disasters and institutional and community responses to them.
Heritability of life satisfaction in adults: a twin-family study

Background. Subjective well-being (SWB) can be partitioned into the components life satisfaction and affect. Research on factors influencing these components of well-being has mainly focused on environmental characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of genes and environment to individual differences in life satisfaction in a large sample of Dutch twins and their singleton siblings. Method. Life satisfaction of 5668 subjects registered with The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR) was measured with a Dutch version of the self-reported Satisfaction with Life Scale. An extended twin design was used to obtain correlations in life satisfaction scores for monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins and sibling pairs and to estimate the contribution of genes and environment to the variation in life satisfaction. Results. No differences between males and females were found in the mean level of life satisfaction. Broad-sense heritability was 38%. Non-additive genetic factors explained all or most of the genetic influences. The remaining 62% of the variance in life satisfaction could be attributed to unique environmental factors, both persistent and transitory, plus measurement error. Conclusions. Individual differences in life satisfaction are determined in part by genetic factors that are largely or entirely non-additive in nature.
A Characterization of Areas of Racial Tension among First Year Students: A Focus Group Follow-Up to a Large Survey.

This study examined areas of racial tension and racial attitudes among first-year students at York University in Ontario (Canada). A survey of 1,129 first-year students in 1993-94 indicated that the vast majority believed that visible minority students had been treated equally by professors, staff, and other students. However, the first year was experienced differently by students of Black, East Indian, Chinese, European, and "other" origin. Comparisons did not always favor those of European background: East Indian students reported the greatest number of out-of-class contacts with faculty and staff. While certain outcomes of the first year experience--self-assessments of intellectual development and grade point average--varied by race, these differences could not be attributed to race per se. Focus group discussions conducted with 24 Black students and 33 students of Italian or Portuguese origin found that 23 percent of the Black and 9 percent of the Italian/Portuguese students felt that inside the university they had been treated worse than others because of their origin. Students may have been led to this conclusion because of non-specific feelings of discrimination, classroom experiences with students and professors, and informal experiences with racial overtones. (Contains 14 references.) (MDM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************