Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal and transverse magnetoelectric voltage coefficients of magnetostrictive/ piezoelectric laminate composite: experiments

Magnetostrictive Terfenol-D (Tb/sub x/Dy/sub 1-x/Fe/sub 2/) and piezoelectric (Pb(Zr/sub 1-x/Ti/sub x/)O/sub 3/) magnetoelectric (ME) laminate composites have been investigated experimentally for various modes of operation: longitudinal magnetized/longitudinal polarized (L-L mode), transverse magnetized/longitudinal polarized (T-L mode), and transverse magnetized/transverse polarized (T-T mode) ME modes. We report their experimentally determined performance characteristics based on our previously developed equivalent circuits for these various modes. Predicted and experimental results are in agreement that the L-L mode laminates have enhanced ME effects, and that, under low or zero magnetic bias, the L-L mode ME voltage coefficients are up to a factor of 5-20/spl times/ higher than those of the T-L mode or T-T mode laminates. The maximum ME voltage coefficient of the L-L mode laminates is over 86 mV/Oe under a bias of 500 Oe.
Limited long‐term naive CD4+ T cell reconstitution in patients experiencing viral load rebounds during HAART

Long‐term (3.5 years) immune reconstitution in relation to viral load response was determined. Plasma HIV‐1 RNA was suppressed in 40 patients (full responders) up to 42 months, and 17 patients achieved partial response. The measurements of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte subsets (CD45RA, CD45RACD62L, CD45RO, CD28, CD38) were carried out by flow cytometry. Full responders had a significant increase of CD4+ and all CD4+ T subsets both up to 6 and from 6 to 42 months, while the increase for partial responders was only up to 6 months. By 6 months, higher slopes were observed in full versus partial responders in the % of CD28 on CD4+ and the % of CD4+ memory subset and in both naïve and memory CD4+ subsets from 6 to 42 months. The percentage of CD8+ and its subsets was decreased significantly in full responders both up to 6 and from 6 to 42 months (except for an increase in the CD8+CD45RA+ CD62L+ cells), while in partial responders this decrease was only up to 6 months. Lower slopes were observed in full versus partial responders from 6 to 42 months in the percentages of CD8+, CD8+CD45RO+, CD8+CD28−, and CD8+CD38+ T cells. In conclusion, full responders have a stronger long‐term naive CD4+ T cell subset reconstitution than partial responders. J. Med. Virol. 73:235–243, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Conditional Value-at-Risk Approximation to Value-at-Risk Constrained Programs: A Remedy via Monte Carlo

We study optimization problems with value-at-risk (VaR) constraints. Because it lacks subadditivity, VaR is not a coherent risk measure and does not necessarily preserve the convexity. Thus, the problems we consider are typically not provably convex. As such, the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) approximation is often used to handle such problems. Even though the CVaR approximation is known as the best convex conservative approximation, it sometimes leads to solutions with poor performance. In this paper, we investigate the CVaR approximation from a different perspective and demonstrate what is lost in this approximation. We then show that the lost part of this approximation can be remedied using a sequential convex approximation approach, in which each iteration only requires solving a CVaR-like approximation via certain Monte Carlo techniques. We show that the solution found by this approach generally makes the VaR constraints binding and is guaranteed to be better than the solution found by the CVaR approximation and moreover is empirically often globally optimal for the target problem. The numerical experiments show the effectiveness of our approach.
Experimental study on liquid film thickness of annular flow in microchannels.

Many studies were carried out to investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of two-phase flow in microchannels because of its advantage in improving heat exchange performance, it has been well revealed that liquid film thickness and flow pattern play important roles in determining the heat transfer characteristics. However, these data is still limited to understanding properties of two-phase flow in microchannels because both the effect of tube size, geometry and physical property of working fluids have be taken into account. In this study, visual observation of flow pattern by using a high-speed camera and direct measurement of liquid film thickness by using a laser displacement meter for annular flow inside microchannels with inner diameter of 0.5 mm, 1 mm and 2 mm were conducted. 5 fluids with different surface tension and viscosity (water, ethanol, FC72, KF-96L-0.65cs, KF-96L-2cs) were selected to investigate the effect of physical properties on the flow pattern and liquid film thickness. Experimental results were compared with numerical simulation model results to provide better understanding of two phase flow and heat transfer characteristics at various tube scales and working fluid physical properties.
GTP-based load model and virtualization gain for a mobile network's GGSN

Multiple outages in major mobile networks have been reported in the recent past. In fixed and datacenter networks such capacity problems are solved by scaling out, i.e. purchasing additional hardware. In mobile networks this is not as easily possible as network components are usually sold as sealed middleboxes. With the advances in server performance and SDN it has been suggested to virtualize these boxes. This also opens up opportunities to dimension according to current load and save energy by switching off parts of the infrastructure. Such suggestions immediately raise questions on the cost of virtualization. To answer this, we introduce models for both a traditional as well as a virtualized GGSN. In addition, we provide distributions for the load experienced at the GGSN based on network measurements. With this at hand, we study the influence of different dimensioning parameters on important performance metrics, with special consideration for the impact of provisioning new instances for the virtual GGSN.
On the current dependence of low-frequency noise in bipolar transistors

The bias dependent characteristics of the base input flicker noise or 1/f noise current generator in bipolar transistors is examined. A simple technique is presented for the determination of the flicker noise magnitude at selected low frequencies with varying collector bias current. The results indicate that the bias dependence of the flicker noise is intimately rated to that of the input conductance parameter gπin the common-emitter configuration. Practical methods are given for the determination of the bias-independent noise parameter ρ0, which, in conjunction with the small-signal network parameters, fully characterize the device noise performance at low frequencies, ρ0, is an equivalent noise resistance representing the open-circuit flicker noise voltage at the base terminal at 1 Hz. Results of noise figure measurements on several representative commercially available devices are compared with those calculated with a knowledge of ρ0.
Bacterial shell contamination in the egg handling chains of different housing systems for laying hens.

The bacterial eggshell contamination of shell eggs in different commercial housing systems; two conventional cages, one organic aviary system and one barn production, were compared. The total counts of aerobic bacteria and the total counts of Gramnegative bacteria on the shell were used to detect key points where contamination occurred and to study the progress of contamination in the egg handling chains. The key points in the chain were those where eggs accumulated on a short conveyor belt, initial shell contamination in the alternative housing systems and extra nest-boxes placed on the ground. The high bacterial load of floor eggs (> 6.3 log CFU total aerobic flora/eggshell) explains why they cannot be used as shell eggs. On average higher initial shell contamination with total counts of aerobic bacteria was found for eggs from the alternative housing systems compared to the conventional systems; respectively 5.46 compared to 5.08 log CFU/eggshell. However, initial contamination with total counts of Gram-negative bacteria on the shells was less in the alternative systems: 3.31 compared to 3.85 log CFU/eggshell. Initial bacterial shell contamination tended to correlate positively with the concentration of bacteria in the air of the poultry houses. Storing shell eggs, whether temporarily refrigerated or not, for 9 d or more, resulted in a decrease in bacterial eggshell contamination for both bacterial variables.
Low-Profile Directive Millimeter-Wave Antennas Using Free-Formed Three-Dimensional (3-D) Electromagnetic Bandgap Structures

We present design methodologies for directive millimeter-wave antennas using free-formed three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures. Dispersion characteristics of 3-D EBGs have been computed by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and the designed EBGs have been fabricated by using the extrusion free-forming technique. The fabricated EBG structures have been measured and integrated with a waveguide feed to form a Fabry-Perot cavity antenna. The prototype antenna demonstrated 10deg to 14deg beamwidths with measured gain of 13 dBi. The woodpile EBG antenna achieved a narrow beamwidth without resorting to complex arrays or bulky reflectors, which would make the antenna well-suited for millimeter-wave broadband mobile communications, imaging and space applications.
Responses of wild C4 and C3 grass (Poaceae) species to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration: a meta‐analytic test of current theories and perceptions

C4 plants contribute ≈ 20% of global gross primary productivity, and uncertainties regarding their responses to rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may limit predictions of future global change impacts on C4‐dominated ecosystems. These uncertainties have not yet been considered rigorously due to expectations of C4 low responsiveness based on photosynthetic theory and early experiments. We carried out a literature review (1980–97) and meta‐analysis in order to identify emerging patterns of C4 grass responses to elevated CO2, as compared with those of C3 grasses. The focus was on nondomesticated Poaceae alone, to the exclusion of C4 dicotyledonous and C4 crop species. This provides a clear test, controlled for genotypic variability at family level, of differences between the CO2‐responsiveness of these functional types. Eleven responses were considered, ranging from physiological behaviour at the leaf level to carbon allocation patterns at the whole plant level. Results were also assessed in the context of environmental stress conditions (light, temperature, water and nutrient stress), and experimental growing conditions (pot size, experimental duration and fumigation method).
“New” Mainstream SLA Theory: Expanded and Enriched

How have the ideas raised by Firth and Wagner (1997) influenced the construction of second language acquisition (SLA) theories? In this article, we take the position that prior to and since 1997, there was and has been a notable increase in SLA research and theory that prioritizes sociocultural and contextual factors in addition to acknowledging individual agency and multifaceted identities. This article focuses on 4 major influences on a growing body of SLA research: sociocultural theory of mind, situated learning, poststructural theories, and dialogism. We highlight aspects of these perspectives that have been used in SLA theory, and provide examples of research that illustrate the richness and complexity of constructs such as languaging, legitimate peripheral participation, subjectivity, and heteroglossia. These perspectives and constructs address Firth and Wagner's call for a reconceptualization of SLA by offering alternative understandings of language and language learning.
A Survey of the Information Fusion in MMHCI

In this paper, some projects or programs, which are concerned with the information fusion in multimodal human-computer interaction (MMHCI), are present. According to the state of the art, all kinds of information fusion algorithms and frameworks are listed out, and these algorithms are divided into data fusion, feature fusion and decision fusion. At the same time, the corresponding examples are described. At the end of the paper, the development of information fusion in MMHCI is described.
Characteristics of initiation and early events for muscle development in the Xenopus limb bud

In Xenopus laevis, limb buds start to develop at a later point of the larval stage, prior to metamorphosis. This onset of limb development in Xenopus is totally different from that in amniotes such as birds and mammals, in which limb buds emerge at an early stage of embryogenesis, in parallel with other organogenesis. We investigated limb myogenesis in Xenopus, focusing on myogenic gene expression, myogenic ability of limb bud cells in the early stage, and the origin of myogenic precursor cells in the limb bud. The Xenopus early limb bud contains myoD/cardiac actin‐positive and pax3/pax7‐negative cells. Interestingly, results of transplantation experiments have revealed that this early limb bud contains myogenic precursor cells. In order to know the contribution of myogenic cells in somites to myogenic precursor cells in the early limb bud, we used a Cre‐LoxP system for tracing over a long period. The results of fate tracing for myogenic cells in somites of the Xenopus embryo suggested that early‐specified myogenic cells in somites do not contribute to limb muscle in Xenopus. Taken together, the results suggest that limb muscle development in Xenopus has characteristics of initiation and early events distinct from those of other vertebrate clades. Developmental Dynamics 234:846–857, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ethnobotanical Factors Influencing the Use and Management of Wild Edible Plants in Agricultural Environments in Benin

This study investigates how the socioeconomic status of local people interacts with cultural, botanical, and economic features of wild edible plants to shape the floristic richness and management options of these resources. We interviewed husbands and their wives in 60 households from three ethnic groups in central Benin. We found that ethnicity affected the composition of managed species at the community level. Within communities, the richness and composition of species managed by households were shaped by the age of heads of households and land ownership by women. Within households, gender affected the richness of managed species and a gender specialization for specific groups of species was observed. The intensity of management practices used by locals depended on the level of knowledge they had on the species’ propagation and seed conservation combined with their use importance. In any case, they tended to adopt the most intensive strategies to secure the most important resources.
Temporal evolution of thoracocentesis-induced changes in spirometry and respiratory muscle pressures

Background Several studies investigated the effects of thoracocentesis on aspects of respiratory function without generally ensuring absence of coexistent lung pathology or homogeneity in initial size of the effusion. Methods We studied 90 patients aged 61.6±15.9 years (mean±SD) separated into a group A with small-sized or medium-sized effusion (A=56 patients) and a group B with large and massive one (B=34 patients). There was no significant lung lesion or cardiovascular pathology. The basic spirometric parameters and maximal respiratory pressures were recorded on three instances: just before thoracocentesis (T1), 30 min after completion of the procedure (T2) and after 48 hours (T3). Results At T2 vs T1, groups A and B respectively presented significant change (mean±SD) (increase) in forced vital capacity (FVC) of 0.071±0.232 and 0.139±0.224 L, in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 0.127±0.231 and 0.201±0.192 L, in FEV1/FVC of 2.8% and 4.9%, in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of 0.342±0.482 and 0.383±0.425 L/s, in maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) of 0.049±0.037 and 0.049±0.039 kPa and in maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) of 0.040±0.041 kPa only in group A while decrease in MIP with significant change of 0.055±0.051 kPa in group B. At T3 vs T2 in groups A and B, there was significant change (decrease) in FEV1/FVC of 2.7% and 4.6% as well as significant change (increase) in MIP of 0.036±0.046 and 0.115±0.060 and in MEP of 0.049±0.043 and 0.070±0.048 kPa. Conclusions Thoracocentesis is associated with progressive-small relative to the volume of fluid removed-increases in lung volumes. In larger effusions at T2, a transient decrease in MIP is observed presumably due to temporary geometric distortion of the diaphragm immediately after fluid removal.
Biotin and Glutathione Targeting of Solid Nanoparticles to Cross Human Brain Endothelial Cells.

BACKGROUND The blood-brain barrier restricts drug penetration to the central nervous system. Targeted nanocarriers are new potential tools to increase the brain entry of drugs. Ligands of endogenous transporters of the blood-brain barrier can be used as targeting vectors for brain delivery of nanoparticles. OBJECTIVE We tested biotin-labeled solid nanoparticles for the first time and compared to biotinylated glutathione- labeled nanoparticles in brain endothelial cells. METHOD Neutravidin coated fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles were derivatized with biotin and biotinylated glutathione. As a human in vitro blood-brain barrier model hCMEC/D3 brain endothelial cells were used. Cell viability by MTT test, uptake and transfer of the nanoparticles across the endothelial monolayers were measured. The uptake of the nanoparticles was visualized by confocal microscopy. RESULTS The tested nanoparticles caused no change in cell viability. The uptake of biotin- and glutathione-labeled nanoparticles by brain endothelial cells was time-dependent and significantly higher compared to non-labeled nanoparticles. The penetration of the glutathione-labeled nanoparticles across the endothelial monolayer was higher than the biotin-targeted ones. Biotin- and glutathione-targeted nanoparticles were visualized in hCMEC/D3 cells. We verified that hCMEC/D3 express mRNA for sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter (SMVT/SLC5A6) responsible for the blood-brain barrier transport of biotin. CONCLUSION Biotin as a ligand increased the uptake and the transfer of nanoparticles across brain endothelial cells. Biotinylated glutathione could further increase nanoparticle permeability through endothelial monolayers supporting its use as a brain targeting vector.
CTLA4, T cell function, and long term immunity: an interview with Dr. Mark K. Slifka

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4/CD152) is a member of the CD28 family of T cell effector antigens. Current belief, based primarily on results from gene-deleted mice, is that CTLA-4 promotes suppression of T cell proliferation. In this manuscript, Mark Slifka and colleagues compare antiviral responses of unmanipulated virus-specific CTLA-4 and CTLA-4 T cells. The results of this work suggest that the CTLA-4 antigen has no specific role in suppressing T cell proliferation in response to viral stimulation.
Site-directed mutagenesis of the active site cysteine in Klebsiella aerogenes urease.

Cysteine 319 in the large subunit of Klebsiella aerogenes urease was identified as an essential catalytic residue based on chemical modification studies (Todd, M.J., and Hausinger, R.P. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 24327-24331). Through site-directed mutagenesis, this cysteine has been changed independently to alanine, serine, aspartate, and tyrosine. None of these mutations (C319A, C319S, C319D, and C319Y, respectively) affected the size or level of synthesis of the urease subunits as monitored by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The wild type enzyme and each of the mutant proteins was purified and their properties were compared. The C319Y protein possessed no detectable activity, while activity was reduced in C319A, C319S, and C319D to 48, 4.5, and 0.03% of wild type levels under normal assay conditions. All of the active mutants had a small increase in Km when compared to the wild type value. The active mutants displayed a greatly reduced sensitivity to inactivation by iodoacetamide in comparison to the wild type enzyme, confirming our previous assignment of the essential cysteine to this residue based on active site peptide mapping. In contrast to the wild type enzyme, inactivation of the mutant proteins was not affected by the presence of the competitive inhibitor phosphate, suggesting that the remaining slow rate of iodoacetamide inactivation is due to modification away from the active site. The pH dependence of urease activity was substantially altered in the active mutants with C319S and C319D showing a pH optimum near 5.2, and C319A near 6.7, compared to the pH 7.75 optimum of wild type urease. These data are consistent with Cys-319 facilitating catalysis at neutral and basic pH values by participating as a general acid.
Integrated antennas for hand-held telephones with low absorption

Antennas for hand-held telephones must have high efficiency due to the limited power available, and recent demands call for integrated antennas in hand-held telephones. A full short circuit planar inverted-F antenna (FS-PIFA) is investigated, which concentrates the current near the antenna, and has a relatively higher gain directed away from the user's head thereby reducing the losses in the human body, which is important from the point of view of efficiency and possible health hazards. For design and analysis of the antenna including parts of the human body the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is employed, and measurements of average received power and spatial peak specific absorption rate, SAR, values were performed, to verify simulation results. Measurements of the antenna gain in realistic environments with a person showed a gain about 2 dB less than a half wavelength whip on the same telephone, while the local SAR was typically 0.1-0.2 mW/cm/sup 3/, a factor of ten smaller than present standards and handportables. >
Robust IDA-PBC for underactuated mechanical systems subject to matched disturbances

The problem of robustification of Interconnection and Damping Assignment Passivity-Based Control (IDA-PBC) for underactuated mechanical system vis-à-vis matched, constant, unknown disturbances is addressed in the paper. This is achieved adding an outer-loop controller to the IDA-PBC. Three designs are proposed, with the first one being a simple nonlinear PI, while the second and the third ones are nonlinear PIDs. While all controllers ensure stability of the desired equilibrium in spite of the presence of the disturbances, the inclusion of the derivative term allows us to inject further damping enlarging the class of systems for which asymptotic stability is ensured.
Measuring therapist adherence in psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa: Scale adaptation, psychometric properties, and distinguishing psychotherapies

Abstract An adaptation of the Collaborative Study Psychotherapy Rating Scale (CSPRS) was used to rate therapist adherence to three psychotherapies for anorexia nervosa. One audiotaped psychotherapy session from each of 30 patients was rated independently by two raters. Analysis of the psychometric properties of the instrument revealed good interrater agreement and high internal consistency. For all three therapies, therapists were rated as exhibiting significantly more behaviors appropriate to the therapy to which patients were randomized than the other two therapies, indicating very satisfactory adherence to therapy. The three therapies were clearly distinguishable by raters unaware of therapy condition using the modified CSPRS.