Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low dc power high-gain bandwidth product InAlAs/InGaAs-InP HBT direct-coupled amplifiers

Here we report on a low dc power and voltage operated InAlAs/InGaAs-InP HBT direct-coupled amplifier which achieves a record Gain-Bandwidth-Product per dc power figure-of-merit (GBP/P/sub dc/) of 3.66 GHz/mW. It is a 44% improvement over previous state-of-the-art HBT and BJT amplifiers based on InP, GaAs, or Si-Ge materials. The amplifier consists of a 2-stage direct-coupled design based on low bandgap InAlAs/InGaAs HBTs with f/sub T/'s and f/sub max/'s of 80 GHz and 200 GHz, respectively. Self-biased from a 3 V supply, the amplifier obtains 15.1 dB gain with a 22 GHz bandwidth while consuming only 34.2 mW of dc power. Biased at 5 V and 23.4 mA, a gain of 19.3 dB and a bandwidth of 25 GHz was achieved with a corresponding open circuit transimpedance of 59.5 dB-/spl Omega/ (944 /spl Omega/) and 25 GHz. Effective 50 /spl Omega/ output loaded transimpedance is 52.7 dB-/spl Omega/ with a GHz bandwidth. The effective transimpedance bandwidth-product is 10.3 THz-/spl Omega/ and is 21% higher than the previous record of 8.5 THz-/spl Omega/ for an AlGaAs/GaAs HBT which consumes more than twice the dc power. This work illustrates the high gain-bandwidth and speed performance which InAlAs/InGaAs HBTs can achieve with very little dc power and suggests great potential for future high data rate IC applications such as optical-electronic communications.
Functional Analysis of the Lactococcus lactis galU and galE Genes and Their Impact on Sugar Nucleotide and Exopolysaccharide Biosynthesis

ABSTRACT We studied the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (galU) and UDP-galactose epimerase (galE) genes of Lactococcus lactis MG1363 to investigate their involvement in biosynthesis of UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose, which are precursors of glucose- and galactose-containing exopolysaccharides (EPS) in L. lactis. The lactococcal galU gene was identified by a PCR approach using degenerate primers and was found by Northern blot analysis to be transcribed in a monocistronic RNA. The L. lactis galU gene could complement an Escherichia coli galU mutant, and overexpression of this gene in L. lactis under control of the inducible nisA promoter resulted in a 20-fold increase in GalU activity. Remarkably, this resulted in approximately eightfold increases in the levels of both UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose. This indicated that the endogenous GalE activity is not limiting and that the GalU activity level in wild-type cells controls the biosynthesis of intracellular UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose. The increased GalU activity did not significantly increase NIZO B40 EPS production. Disruption of the galE gene resulted in poor growth, undetectable intracellular levels of UDP-galactose, and elimination of EPS production in strain NIZO B40 when cells were grown in media with glucose as the sole carbon source. Addition of galactose restored wild-type growth in the galE disruption mutant, while the level of EPS production was approximately one-half the wild-type level.
A second-generation current conveyor and its applications

A recent publication [l] introduced the concept of current conveying and an implementation in the form of a circuit building block termed the current conveyor (CC). This block has proven to be useful in many inst.rumentation applications, some of which have already been test)ed and reported [2], [3], while others are still under investigation. This correspondence introduces another new building block embodying the current conveying concept, but with different and more versatile terminal characteristics. This new block is considered to be a secondgeneration current conveyor,1 and h.ence is termed CC II.2 Application of CC II to the areas of active network synthesis and analog computation will be considered.
Caenorhabditis elegans Levamisole Resistance Geneslev-1, unc-29, and unc-38 Encode Functional Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunits

We show that three of the eleven genes of the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans that mediate resistance to the nematocide levamisole and to other cholinergic agonists encode nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits.unc-38 encodes an α subunit while lev-1and unc-29 encode non-α subunits. The nematode nAChR subunits show conservation of many mammalian nAChR sequence features, implying an ancient evolutionary origin of nAChR proteins. Expression in Xenopus oocytes of combinations of these subunits that include the unc-38 α subunit results in levamisole-induced currents that are suppressed by the nAChR antagonists mecamylamine, neosurugatoxin, andd-tubocurarine but not α-bungarotoxin. The mutant phenotypes reveal that unc-38 and unc-29subunits are necessary for nAChR function, whereas thelev-1 subunit is not. An UNC-29–GFP fusion shows that UNC-29 is expressed in body and head muscles. Two dominant mutations oflev-1 result in a single amino acid substitution or addition in or near transmembrane domain 2, a region important to ion channel conductance and desensitization. The identification of viable nAChR mutants in C. elegans provides an advantageous system in which receptor expression and synaptic targeting can be manipulated and studied in vivo.
Deriving the Probabilistic Capacity of General Run-Length Sets Using Generating Functions

In "Reliable Communication in the Absence of a Common Clock" (Yeung et al., 2009), the authors introduce general run-length sets, which form a class of constrained systems that permit run-lengths from a countably infinite set. For a particular definition of probabilistic capacity, they show that probabilistic capacity is equal to combinatorial capacity. In the present work, it is shown that the same result also holds for Shannon's original definition of probabilistic capacity. The derivation presented here is based on generating functions of constrained systems as developed in "On the Capacity of Constrained Systems" (Boecherer et al., 2010) and provides a unified information-theoretic treatment of general run-length sets.
Breast Cancer Chemoprevention: Old and New Approaches

In 1976, Sporn has defined chemoprevention as “the use of pharmacologic or natural agents that inhibit the development of invasive breast cancer either by blocking the DNA damage that initiates carcinogenesis, or by arresting or reversing the progression of premalignant cells in which such damage has already occurred. ” Although the precise mechanism or mechanisms that promote a breast cancer are not completely established, the success of several recent clinical trials in preventive settings in selected high-risk populations suggests that chemoprevention is a rational and an appealing strategy. Breast cancer chemoprevention has focused heavily on endocrine intervention using selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Achieving much success in this particular setting and new approaches as low-dose administration are actually under investigations in several topics. Unfortunately, these drugs are active in prevention of endocrine responsive lesions only and have no effect in reducing the risk of estrogen-negative breast cancer. Thus, recently new pathways, biomarkers, and agents likely are to be effective in this subgroup of cancers and were put under investigation. Moreover, the identification of new potential molecular targets and the development of agents aimed at these targets within cancer have already had a significant impact on advanced cancer therapy and provide a wealth of opportunities for chemoprevention. This paper will highlight current clinical research in both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer chemoprevention, explaining the biologic effect of the various agents on carcinogenesis and precancerous lesions, and finally presenting an excursus on the state-of-the-art about new molecular targets under investigations in breast cancer settings.
Cation-dependent folding of 3′ cap-independent translation elements facilitates interaction of a 17-nucleotide conserved sequence with eIF4G

The 3′-untranslated regions of many plant viral RNAs contain cap-independent translation elements (CITEs) that drive translation initiation at the 5′-end of the mRNA. The barley yellow dwarf virus-like CITE (BTE) stimulates translation by binding the eIF4G subunit of translation initiation factor eIF4F with high affinity. To understand this interaction, we characterized the dynamic structural properties of the BTE, mapped the eIF4G-binding sites on the BTE and identified a region of eIF4G that is crucial for BTE binding. BTE folding involves cooperative uptake of magnesium ions and is driven primarily by charge neutralization. Footprinting experiments revealed that functional eIF4G fragments protect the highly conserved stem–loop I and a downstream bulge. The BTE forms a functional structure in the absence of protein, and the loop that base pairs the 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) remains solvent-accessible at high eIF4G concentrations. The region in eIF4G between the eIF4E-binding site and the MIF4G region is required for BTE binding and translation. The data support the model in which the eIF4F complex binds directly to the BTE which base pairs simultaneously to the 5′-UTR, allowing eIF4F to recruit the 40S ribosomal subunit to the 5′-end.
A Data Modem for GSM Voice Channel

This paper introduces a novel approach to data communication over the global system for mobile communications (GSM) voice channel. It is based on the concept of ldquosymbolsrdquo-a set of predefined signals with finite bandwidths. Data are encoded into the symbols, and the symbols are voice coded as they were speech, modulated into the GSM signal, sent over the air, GSM demodulated, voice decoded, and converted back to data. The symbols are synthesized by a genetic algorithm with the aim of maintaining separability after passing them through the voice codec. This method enables data transfer over communication networks that do not have dedicated data channels and could also be used in conjunction with other data services to balance the system load between data and voice channels, allowing optimization of system resources. We present the full algorithmic structure of the system, which performs data communications over the GSM voice channel, and we also give the results of the performance tests.
The performance of intellectual capital: Mobilising relationships between intellectual and financial capital in a bank

Purpose - This paper aims to analyse the relationship between intellectual capital and financial capital using a case study. This makes it possible to discuss how intellectual capital is related to value creation with a degree of nuance that is absent from most statistical studies of relationships between human, organisational, relational and financial capital. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses a case study of a firm that invests in intellectual capital in order to develop financial capital. It traces the relationship between intellectual capital elements and financial capital via interviews. This allows the development of a nuanced account of the performance of intellectual capital. This account questions the universality of the linear model typically found in statistical studies. The model makes it possible to show how items of intellectual capital not only interact but also compete. Findings - Relationships between intellectual capital and financial capital are challenging to specify because they are complementary rather than causal. Financial capital is not only an effect but also an important input because the development of intellectual capital takes place through the firm's budgeting processes. Research limitations/implications - The findings suggest future development of accounts of the role and performance (strength) of intellectual capital be developed around imaginative, perhaps recursive and certainly dynamic, statistical models and/or more inclusive case studies of the various elements that influence the development and transformation of intellectual capital. Originality/value - The case study suggests that investments in intellectual capital happen in the context of many other investments. Bounded by the budgeting process, intellectual capital has no separate agenda and therefore, intellectual capital investments compete with other types of investments.
ON SOME VARIATIONS OF EXTREMAL GRAPH PROBLEMS

A set P of graphs is termed hereditary property if and only if it contains all subgraphs of any graph G belonging to P. A graph is said to be maximal with respect to a hereditary property P (shortly P-maximal) whenever it belongs to P and none of its proper supergraphs of the same order has the property P. A graph is P-extremal if it has a the maximum number of edges among all P-maximal graphs of given order. The number of its edges is denoted by ex(n,P). If the number of edges of a P-maximal graph is minimum, then the graph is called P-saturated and its number of edges is denoted by sat(n,P). In this paper, we consider two famous problems of extremal graph theory. We shall translate them into the language of P-maximal graphs and utilize the properties of the lattice of all hereditary properties in order to establish some general bounds and particular results. Particularly, we shall investigate the behaviour of sat(n,P) and ex(n,P) in some interesting intervals of the mentioned lattice.
The Frequency-Response Electroretinogram Distinguishes Cone and Abnormal Rod Function in rd12 Mice

Early studies on Rpe65 knockout mice reported that remaining visual function was attributable to cone function. However, this finding has been challenged more and more as time has passed. Electroretinograms (ERGs) showed that rd12 mice, a spontaneous animal model of RPE65 Leber’s congenital amaurosis, had sizeable photopic responses. Unfortunately, the recorded ERG waveform was difficult to interpret because of a remarkably delayed peak-time, which resembles a rod response more than a cone response. Here, we compare flicker ERGs in animals with normal rod and cone function (C57BL/6J mice), pure rod function (cpfl5 mice), and pure cone function (Rho-/- mice) under different adaptation levels and stimulus intensities. These responses were then compared with those obtained from rd12 mice. Our results showed that normal rods respond to low frequency flicker (5 and 15 Hz) and that normal cones respond to both low and high frequency flicker (5–35 Hz). As was seen in cpfl5 mice, rd12 mice had recordable responses to low frequency flicker (5 and 15Hz), but not to high frequency flicker (25 and 35 Hz). We hypothesize that abnormal rods may be the source of residual vision in rd12 mice, which is proved correct here with double mutant rd12mice. In this study, we show, for the first time, that frequency-response ERGs can effectively distinguish cone- and rod-driven responses in the rd12 mouse. It is another simple and valid method for evaluating the respective contributions of retinal rods and cones.
The Discovery of Time Variability in OH Megamasers

We report the discovery of variability in the OH megamaser in IRAS 21272+2514 at z = 0.15. This is the first OH megamaser observed to vary in time. The variation is broadband, spanning 0.5-1.5 MHz or 100-300 km s-1 in the rest frame, and strong, showing rms modulations of 10%-15% while the largest change in flux density between extremal epochs is 34%. Timescales sampled range from 39 to 821 days, and the characteristic modulation timescale is likely to be less than the shortest time baseline. The source of modulation is currently ambiguous, although we favor interstellar scintillation. Best estimates of the size scales of the 1667 MHz OH line features obtained from refractive interstellar scintillation models constrain variable features to be smaller than 2 pc and quiescent features to be larger than a few parsecs. Compact masers account for roughly 27%-58% of the total OH emission in this source. Accelerations in spectral lines are generally constrained to be less than 3 km s-1 yr-1, but acceleration of this magnitude is suggested in one of the quiescent spectral components and merits further study.
The Term Structure of CDS Spreads and Sovereign Credit Risk

The shape of the term structure of credit default swap spreads is an informative signal about the importance of global and domestic risk factors to the time variation of sovereign credit spreads. Exploiting cross-country heterogeneity among 44 countries, I document that the importance of global and country-specific risk in explaining sovereign credit risk varies with the sign of the slope of the term structure and the duration of its inversion. A model is used to show that global uncertainty shocks determine spread changes when the slope is positive, and that domestic shocks are more important when the slope is negative.
Medically recognized urinary incontinence and risks of hospitalization, nursing home admission and mortality.

OBJECTIVES this study examined the association between medically recognized urinary incontinence and risk of several disease conditions, hospitalization, nursing home admission and mortality. DESIGN review and abstraction of medical records and computerized data bases from 5986 members, aged 65 years and older, of a large health maintenance organization in northern California. RESULTS there was an increased risk of newly recognized urinary incontinence following a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, dementia, stroke, depression and congestive heart failure in both men and women, after adjustment for age and cohort. The risk of hospitalization was 30% higher in women following the diagnosis of incontinence [relative risk (RR) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-1.5] and 50% higher in men (RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3-1.6) after adjustment for age, cohort and co-morbid conditions. The adjusted risk of admission to a nursing facility was 2.0 times greater for incontinent women (95% CI = 1.7-2.4) and 3.2 times greater for incontinent men (95% CI = 2.7-3.8). In contrast, the adjusted risk of mortality was only slightly greater for women (RR = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.99-1.3) and men (RR= 1.2; 95% CI= 1.1-1.4). CONCLUSIONS urinary incontinence increases the risk of hospitalization and substantially increases the risk of admission to a nursing home, independently of age, gender and the presence of other disease conditions, but has little effect on total mortality.
Biofortification of Carrot (Daucus carota L.) with Iodine and Selenium in a Field Experiment

The low content of iodine (I) and selenium (Se) forms available to plants in soil is one of the main causes of their insufficient transfer in the soil-plant-consumer system. Their deficiency occurs in food in the majority of human and farm animal populations around the world. Both elements are classified as beneficial elements. However, plant response to simultaneous fertilization with I and Se has not been investigated in depth. The study (conducted in 2012–2014) included soil fertilization of carrot cv. “Kazan F1” in the following combinations: (1) Control; (2) KI; (3) KIO3; (4) Na2SeO4; (5) Na2SeO3; (6) KI+Na2SeO4; (7) KIO3+Na2SeO4; (8) KI+Na2SeO3; (9) KIO3+Na2SeO3. I and Se were applied twice: before sowing and as top-dressing in a total dose of 5 kg I⋅ha-1 and 1 kg Se⋅ha-1. No negative effects of I and Se fertilization were noted with respect to carrot yield. Higher accumulation and the uptake by leaves and storage roots of I and Se were obtained after the application of KI than KIO3, as well as of Na2SeO4 than Na2SeO3, respectively. Transfer factor values for leaves and roots were about a dozen times higher for Se than for I. Selenomethionine content in carrot was higher after fertilization with Na2SeO4 than with Na2SeO3. However, it was the application of Na2SeO3, KI+Na2SeO3 and KIO3+Na2SeO3 that resulted in greater evenness within the years and a higher share of Se from selenomethionine in total Se in carrot plants. Consumption of 100 g f.w. of carrots fertilized with KI+Na2SeO3 and KIO3+Na2SeO3 can supply approximately or slightly exceed 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for I and Se. Moreover, the molar ratio of I and Se content in carrot fertilized with KI+Na2SeO3 and KIO3+Na2SeO3 was the best among the research plots.
Dynamic Estimation of the Auditory Temporal Response Function From MEG in Competing-Speaker Environments

Objective: A central problem in computational neuroscience is to characterize brain function using neural activity recorded from the brain in response to sensory inputs with statistical confidence. Most of existing estimation techniques, such as those based on reverse correlation, exhibit two main limitations: first, they are unable to produce dynamic estimates of the neural activity at a resolution comparable with that of the recorded data, and second, they often require heavy averaging across time as well as multiple trials in order to construct statistical confidence intervals for a precise interpretation of data. In this paper, we address the above-mentioned issues for estimating auditory temporal response function (TRF) as a parametric computational model for selective auditory attention in competing-speaker environments. Methods: The TRF is a sparse kernel which regresses auditory MEG data with respect to the envelopes of the speech streams. We develop an efficient estimation technique by exploiting the sparsity of the TRF and adopting an $\ell _1$ -regularized least squares estimator which is capable of producing dynamic TRF estimates as well as confidence intervals at sampling resolution from single-trial MEG data. Results: We evaluate the performance of our proposed estimator using evoked MEG responses from the human brain in an auditory attention experiment with two competing speakers. The TRFs are estimated dynamically over time using the proposed technique with multisecond resolution, which is a significant improvement over previous results with a temporal resolution of the order of a minute. Conclusion: Application of our method to MEG data reveals a precise characterization of the modulation of M50 and M100 evoked responses with respect to the attentional state of the subject at multisecond resolution. Significance: Our proposed estimation technique provides a high resolution real-time attention decoding framework in multispeaker environments with potential application in smart hearing aid technology.
Edge-adaptive super-resolution image reconstruction using a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach

In our recent work, the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique has been successfully exploited for performing super-resolution image reconstruction. Despite its powerful performance, it usually suffers from that the reconstructed high-resolution image is too smooth to lose much detail information. To further enhance the edge and detail information in the reconstructed high-resolution image, an edge-adaptive MCMC super-resolution approach is proposed in this paper. Steered by an edge map of the desired high-resolution image, the proposed method can adaptively enhance the edge information at the edge pixel positions while exploiting the conventional MCMC SR at the rest pixel positions. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method.