Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Reliability of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Submitted to On-State Stress Based on Electroluminescence Investigation

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the electroluminescence (EL) and short-term degradation processes related to hot electrons that occur in AlGaN/GaN-based high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) submitted to on-state stress. Based on optical and electrical characterization, we demonstrate that: 1) when biased in on-state, HEMTs emit a luminescence signal, which is uniformly distributed along gate width, and related to intraband transitions of hot electrons; the intensity of the luminescence has bell-shaped dependence on gate voltage; 2) when submitted to on-state stress (with VD = 30 V and several VG levels), HEMTs show a significant degradation, mostly consisting in an increase in on-resistance and in a decrease in drain current; and 3) stress tests carried out at several VG levels (with VD = 30 V) indicate that the degradation rate does not increase monotonically with Vv, as would be expected if temperature and/or power dissipation were the main driving forces for degradation. On the contrary, degradation rate was found to have bell-shaped dependence on VG, similarly to what was found for the intensity of the EL signal. The observed degradation process is ascribed to trapping of negative charge in the gate-drain access region, activated by hot electrons. The degradation mechanism cannot be recovered at room temperature but only through exposure to UV light.
Transfer of time judgments as a function of feedback.

Male college students verbally judged time intervals with or without feedback on the accuracy of their judgments after each trial. Some subjects judged only short intervals (5-10 sec) in both three-block phases, others only long intervals (40-80 sec), and others were switched from short to long intervals or vice versa between phases. Feedback decreased mean absolute error, increasingly so across blocks, and by the fifth block this training transferred for subjects whose range of intervals had changed between phases, more so for a change from long to short intervals than vice versa. These findings and the correlations of absolute error between phases without feedback suggest that different processes may subserve the judgment of short and long intervals.
Prevention of common overuse injuries by the use of shock absorbing insoles

Sedentary individuals, particularly new military recruits, who start a physical training program have a substantial risk of developing an overuse injury of the lower limb. In this study we investigated the effect of neoprene insoles on the incidence of overuse injuries during 9 weeks of basic military training. The experimental group consisted of 237 randomly selected new recruits, while 1151 recruits were the control group. Insoles were given to the experimental group and compliance was monitored. A panel of doctors documented and classi fied all injuries occurring during the 9 week period. A total of 54 (22.8%) and 237 (31.9%) injuries were reported in the experimental and control groups, re spectively. In both groups, the majority of injuries were overuse (experimental group, 90.7%; control group, 86.4%). The mean weekly incidence of total overuse injuries and tibial stress syndrome was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the experimental group. The mean incidence of stress fractures was lower in the experimental group but not significantly so (0.05 < P < 0.1). This study shows that the incidence of total overuse injuries and tibial stress syndrome during 9 weeks of basic military training can be reduced by wearing insoles.
Political Reforms and Public Policies: Evidence from Agricultural Protection

This paper studies the effect of political regime transitions on public policy using a dataset on global agricultural distortions over 50 years (including data from 74 developing and developed countries over the period 1955-2005). We employ both difference-in-differences regressions and semi-parametric matching methods, exploiting the time series and cross-sectional variation in the data. Our semi-parametric estimates show that parametric methods might underestimate the effect of democracy on public policy. In addition, we find that the effect is asymmetric: agricultural protection increases after a country’s transition to democracy of about 9% points, but there is no effect when the political regime shifts from democracy to autocracy. Overall, the evidence supports the redistributive nature of democratic institutions toward the majority and, therefore, it is consistent with the median voter model of political behaviour.
The Coping Strategies Questionnaire: a large sample, item level factor analysis.

OBJECTIVE The Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), a measure of coping in chronic pain patients, was subjected to item-level exploratory factor analysis. SUBJECTS A sample of 965 chronic pain patients were used in the analysis. RESULTS Principal components analysis using a varimax rotation procedure identified nine factors that accounted for 54.5% of the variance. Of these nine factors, the first five represent subscales of the original CSQ subscales. The catastrophizing subscale replicated with significant loadings for all six original items, and ignoring sensations replicated with five of six items. Factors representing reinterpreting pain sensations, coping self-statements, and diverting attention subscales also appeared. The items from the praying and hoping subscale split into separate praying and hoping factors (factors 6 and 8). When reliability coefficients were calculated, factors 7 through 9 had unacceptably low internal consistency and thus were not considered stable factors. Correlations between factors 1 through 6 and other measures of psychological and physical functioning were calculated in the construct validation portion of this study. Previously found relationships were replicated in that the correlations between CSQ factor scores and measures of pain, depression, and disability were in the same direction in this data set as those previously reported.
X-ray emission microanalysis of proteins and sulphur in rat plantar epidermis.

SUMMARY The distributions of proteins and protein-bound sulphur have been studied by X-ray emission microanalysis in the plantar epidermis of six albino rats. Plantar skin was fixed in 10% formaldehyde for 24 h and 5-/4 paraffin sections obtained. Discrete and continuous measurements of the relative concentrations (mass/unit area) of proteins and sulphur were made along lines of scan perpendicular to the skin surface. The concentrations of proteins and sulphur almost double from the stratum basale across the stratum spinosum. There is a sharp twofold increase in their concentrations across the stratum granulosum to the stratum corneum where they become constant. The sulphur: protein ratio is constant across all layers of the epidermis. Rough estimates of cell volumes give a ratio of 1:9:7-5 for the cells of the strata basale, granulosum and corneum respectively. Cell volume changes cannot be responsible for the changes in concentration so it is concluded that epidermal cells synthesize and accumulate proteins throughout their migration to the stratum corneum. The observations are regarded as circumstantial evidence for the incorporation of keratohyalin granules into cornified cells.
Ropinirole diminishes myoclonus and improves writing and postural balance in an ULD patient

Recently, Mollenhauer and Trenkwalder, in an extensive and critical review of CSF biomarkers in the differential diagnosis of movement disorders, stated that differences of total tau (TT) between PD and PDD are only marginal, but elevated in both dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), whereas CSF Ab-42 in PD (no dementia) is normal or only slightly decreased, and regularly decreased in both DLB and MSA. These data can be confirmed by personal studies in a small cohort of patients, in whom both CSF Ab-42 and total tau protein were measured. The sample included (1) 10 patients who fulfilled the UK Parkinson Brain Bank criteria for clinically definite PD (8 males, 2 females aged 46–76, mean 63.2 6 7.8 years), all Hoehn & Yahr stages III or IV, none being demented; (2) 12 patients (6 males, 8 females, aged 71–88, mean 77.9 6 8.3 years) with the clinical diagnosis of secondary parkinsonism related to vascular encephalopathy or suspected vascular parkinsonism; (3) 3 patients with atypical parkinsonism fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of MSA-P (2 males, 1 female aged 53– 70, mean 61.3 6 7.1 years); (4) 2 males (age 63 and 84, mean 73.5 years) fulfilling the criteria of probable DLB. The control group consisted of 17 age-matched patients without neurologic or psychiatric disorders (mean age 60.7 6 1.5 years), while 27 patients (mean age 68.7 6 2.1 years) were diagnosed probable Alzheimer disease (AD) according to the NINCDSADRDA criteria. Examination of lumbar CS was performed using ELISA methods for Ab-42 and TT immunoreactivity (Innogenetics, Belgium)—for methods see Ref. 7. The results are summarized in Table 1. In both PD patients without dementia and in those with vascular pseudoparkinsonism, both CSF Ab-42 and TT levels were only insignificantly increased, but significantly differed from those in AD. The mild increase of CSF Ab-42 is at variance to the findings by others (see 1), as were our findings in a small group of patients with atypical parkinsonism (MSA-P), indicating increased CSF Ab-42 without considerable changes in TT immunoreactivity. These levels considerably differed from the 2 demented patients with DLB, where Ab-42 was mildly decreased and TT-IR was significantly—around twofold—increased versus controls and PD patients (P < 0.01). This suggested additional AD-related changes, although CSF levels of both Ab-42 and TT differed significantly from those in AD. The latter findings are in accordance with those by others, who either reported decreased Ab-42 and normal tau levels in DLB or normal Ab-42 and decreased phosphorylated tau (see 1). In conclusion, considering the variability in Ab-42 and TT levels in CSF in various types of movement disorders, further prospective clinico-pathological correlative studies using modern proteomics are needed to further elucidate the validity and to increase the sensitivity and specificity of CSF markers in movement disorders.
A new compound graph layout algorithm for visualizing biochemical networks

Although the automatic generation of graph drawings has been addressed for many years, no generic algorithms exists. This kind of algorithm can adapt its behavior in order to represent information according to the specific semantics of application domains. In this paper we present the Constrained Simple Compound Graph Layout (CSCGL) algorithm in which users can introduce knowledge about how to draw graphs in a specific domain related to biochemical networks. We show how we implemented the CSCGL algorithm in the Visual BioMaze framework, a generic viewer of graphs.
Role of Multivoxel Intermediate TE 2D CSI MR Spectroscopy and 2D Echoplanar Diffusion Imaging in Grading of Primary Glial Brain Tumours.

INTRODUCTION Preoperative tumour grading is imperative owing to difference in invasive, aggressive tendencies of different grades of glial tumours implying varied prognosis, therapeutic options. Histopathological examination has inherent sampling errors. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) can provide non invasive information about internal mileu hence, aiding in tumour grading by adding to information provided by conventional MRI sequences. AIM To evaluate the role of multivoxel intermediate TE 2D CSI MRS and 2D echoplanar diffusion imaging in grading of primary glial brain tumours. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective study was conducted in Department of Radiology, Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College and Research Centre, Uttar Pradesh, India, from April 2015 to August 2016 after obtaining necessary approvals from Institutional Ethical Committee and written informed consent from all participants on histopathological proven cases of glial brain tumours that underwent multivoxel MRS using intermediate TE 2D chemical shift imaging and DWI using 2D echoplanar imaging. Tumour grade calculated on MRI using MRS and DWI was compared with histopathological grading. Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated for each parameter and statistical significance was evaluated using two tailed Pearson test. RESULTS Choline: N Acetyl aspartate (Cho: NAA) and Choline: creatinine (Cho: Cr) ratios from MRS as well as Apparent Diffusion Coffecient (ADC) values from DWI were significantly higher with increasing severity of tumour grade. Accuracy of 58.6% was obtained with DWI while it was 83% with MRS. MRS and DWI used together provided 88.4% accuracy. All parameters evaluated showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION Both DWI as well as MRS were found to have statistically significant roles in grading of glial brain tumours. MRS was found to be more useful than DWI.
Site-specific recombination in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and systematic assembly of a 400kb transgene array in mammalian cells using the integrase of Streptomyces phage ϕBT1

We have established the integrase of the Streptomyces phage ϕBT1 as a tool for eukaryotic genome manipulation. We show that the ϕBT1 integrase promotes efficient reciprocal and conservative site-specific recombination in vertebrate cells and in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, thus establishing the utility of this protein for genome manipulation in a wide range of eukaryotes. We show that the ϕBT1 integrase can be used in conjunction with Cre recombinase to promote the iterative integration of transgenic DNA. We describe five cycles of iterative integration of a candidate mouse centromeric sequence 80 kb in length into a human mini-chromosome within a human-Chinese hamster hybrid cell line. These results establish the generality of the iterative site-specific integration technique.
Do prothrombotic factors influence clinical phenotype of severe haemophilia? A review of the literature

Summary There is considerable variability in bleeding patterns of severe haemophilia (<1% factor VIII). Knowledge of the contribution of thrombophilic factors in these patterns may improve individually tailored treatment strategies. We reviewed the literature regarding the relation between prothrombotic factors and clinical phenotype of severe haemophilia. Medline and EMBASE were searched for relevant articles. 9369 articles published between 1963 and September 2003 were screened and seven relevant papers were retrieved. Each of these reported on a different combination of thrombophilic factors. Presence of the factor V Leiden mutation appears to decrease the severity of severe haemophilia most consistently. Findings on other thrombophilic factors were inconclusive. There is a clear need for additional research on potential determinants of phenotypes of severe haemophilia before such knowledge can be translated into individual care for severe haemophilia patients with confidence.
Relationship between serum total IgE and disease severity in patients with allergic asthma in Spain.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association between serum total IgE levels and disease severity in adult patients with persistent allergic asthma and to explore the main predictors of IgE levels. METHODS We performed a multicenter, retrospective, observational study including adult patients diagnosed ≥ 1 year previously with persistent allergic asthma who were positive to ≥ 1 allergen. Patients also had serum total IgE and spirometry results available from the previous 12 months. Inclusion was stratified by asthma severity according to the GEMA 2009 criteria. RESULTS We included 383 patients with allergic asthma (129 mild, 82 moderate, and 172 severe). Mean (SD) age was 38 (15), 46 (16), and 45 (15) years, respectively (P < 0.001). Serum total IgE levels varied markedly (coefficient of variation, 147%). No association was observed with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) or asthma severity: mean (SD)/median (IQR) of 403 (616)/214 (108-409), 361 (516)/204 (126-361), and 473 (676)/211 (98-545) IU/mL in the mild, moderate, and severe subgroups, respectively (P = .951). The severe subgroup had a higher percentage of patients with > 400 IU/mL (36% vs 26.4% [mild] and 18.3% [moderate], P = .010). In a multivariate multiple regression model, the independent predictors of higher IgE were younger age (P = .004), sensitization to ≥ 2 allergens (P = .009), male gender (P = .025), and family history of asthma (P = .122). CONCLUSION Serum total IgE levels in adult patients with persistent allergic asthma were high (two-thirds with levels > 150 IU/mL) and extremely variable. We did not find a significant association between serum total IgE levels and asthma severity or airflow limitation, except for a higher percentage of patients with IgE > 400 IU/mL in the severe subgroup.
A high precision resolver-to-DC converter

A newly developed resolver converter, providing a pseudolinear voltage proportional to the shaft angle, is presented. This converter is based on a new concept involving the absolute values of the demodulated sine and cosine resolver signals together with a dedicated linearization technique. The converter enables instantaneous determination of the mechanical angle with a theoretical error of nonlinearity below 0.011/spl deg/ over the 360/spl deg/ range. The practical performance of this converter is compared to that of a 10/sup 5/ pulses per revolution optical encoder arrangement. The theory of operation, computer simulation, full circuit details, and experimental results are given.
The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy on shoulder function in subacromial impingement syndrome

Purpose. To investigate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in addition to exercise programme on shoulder function in subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS). Method. Sixty-seven patients with SAIS were randomly assigned to either a group that received laser (n = 34) or a group that received placebo Laser (n = 26). Pain, functional assessment, disability and muscle strength of shoulder were assessed before and after a 3-week rehabilitation programme. Besides Laser or placebo Laser, superficial cold and progressive exercise programme were administered to both groups, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks. A progressive exercise programme that was done daily twice under supervision in clinic and at home was given to the patients. Results. After the treatment, all outcome measurements had shown significant improvement except muscle strength in both the groups. When the parameters of the improvement were compared, there were no significant differences between the two groups after treatment. Conclusion. We concluded that there is no fundamental difference between LLLT and placebo LLLT when they are supplementing an exercise programme for rehabilitation of patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.
Detection of TEM and SHV Genes in Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) Producing E. Coli and Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolated From a Tertiary Care Cancer Hospital

Introduction: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are rapidly evolving group of beta-lactamase enzymes commonly produced by the Gram negative bacteria, these enzymes have been derived from TEM and SHV genes by mutations. This study was done to look for TEM and SHV genes in ESBL positive E.coli and K. pneumoniae isolated from the cancer patients suffering with infections and admitted in a tertiary care cancer hospital. Methods: A total of 156 clinical isolates of E. coli (n=80) and K. pneumonia (n=76) isolated from various clinical samples received in microbiology laboratory over a period of six months from May to October 2012. All the isolates were tested for ESBL production as recommended by the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) by double disc diffusion screening test and by ESBL E-Test. Multiplex PCR was performed specific for TEM and SHV genes. Results: In this study 64.10% (100/156) of the isolates were ESBL producers with highest(65.7%) incidence among K. pneumoniae. All the ESBL positive isolates were selected for multiplex PCR for TEM and SHV genes of which 44% E.coli were positive for TEM gene alone, 4% positive for both TEM and SHV genes, 52% of E. coli were negative for both TEM and SHV genes. In case of K. pneumoniae 76% were positive for both TEM and SHV genes, 20% for SHV gene alone and 4% were positive for TEM gene alone. Conclusion: Our findings showed that majority of E.coli were negative for both TEM and SHV genes probably associated with other genes producing ESBL. Such molecular studies should be done in different regions of India to find the common ESBL enzymes present in that geographical area for epidemiological purposes.
The Dependence of the Superconducting Transition Temperature of Organic Molecular Crystals on Intrinsically Non-Magnetic Disorder: a Signature of either Unconventional Superconductivity or Novel Local Magnetic Moment Formation

We give a theoretical analysis of published experimental studies of the effects of impurities and disorder on the superconducting transition temperature, T_c, of the organic molecular crystals kappa-ET_2X and beta-ET_2X (where ET is bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene and X is an anion eg I_3). The Abrikosov-Gorkov (AG) formula describes the suppression of T_c both by magnetic impurities in singlet superconductors, including s-wave superconductors and by non-magnetic impurities in a non-s-wave superconductor. We show that various sources of disorder lead to the suppression of T_c as described by the AG formula. This is confirmed by the excellent fit to the data, the fact that these materials are in the clean limit and the excellent agreement between the value of the interlayer hopping integral, t_perp, calculated from this fit and the value of t_perp found from angular-dependant magnetoresistance and quantum oscillation experiments. If the disorder is, as seems most likely, non-magnetic then the pairing state cannot be s-wave. We show that the cooling rate dependence of the magnetisation is inconsistent with paramagnetic impurities. Triplet pairing is ruled out by several experiments. If the disorder is non-magnetic then this implies that l>=2, in which case Occam's razor suggests that d-wave pairing is realised. Given the proximity of these materials to an antiferromagnetic Mott transition, it is possible that the disorder leads to the formation of local magnetic moments via some novel mechanism. Thus we conclude that either kappa-ET_2X and beta-ET_2X are d-wave superconductors or else they display a novel mechanism for the formation of localised moments. We suggest systematic experiments to differentiate between these scenarios.
A Fast Exemplar-Based Image Inpainting Method Using Bounding Based on Mean and Standard Deviation of Patch Pixels

This paper proposes an algorithm for exemplar-based image inpainting, which produces the same result as that of Criminisi’s original scheme but at the cost of much smaller computation cost. The idea is to compute mean and standard deviation of every patch in the image, and use the values to decide whether to carry out pixel by pixel comparison or not when searching for the best matching patch. Due to the missing pixels in the target patch, the same pixels in the candidate patch should be omitted when computing the distance between patches. Thus, we first compute the range of mean and standard deviation of a candidate patch with missing pixels, using the average and standard deviation of the entire patch. Then we use the range to determine if the pixel comparison should be conducted. Measurements with well-known images in the inpainting literature show that the algorithm can save significant amount of computation cost, without risking degradation of image quality. key words: image inpainting, exemplar-based, bounding