Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards a nanofabricated vacuum cold-emitting triode

A technique to fabricate a vacuum cold-cathode nanoelectronic diode with a remarkably low 2-V turn-on voltage was recently presented. A three-terminal device based on the same technology is here designed and fabricated, to implement a vacuum nano-triode. The attempt was partially successful as the excessively large gate radius does not allow effective current control. Nonetheless, the obtained experimental results still disclose fundamental behaviors improving both the art and knowledge in the field. Specifically, it is found that: 1) thermionic field emission is ascertained both from a metal tip and from a silicon tip with a nearly 2-V turn-on voltage; 2) the gate current is negligible and the cathode current is efficiently collected by the anode, 3) emission is quite insensitive to temperature and the device can work also at high temperatures, observed up to 300 °C in a reliable manner. Finally, the unexpected bidirectional conduction can open a new scenario for the implementation of triac-like vacuum nanodevices.
Modeling the hemodynamic response to dopamine in acute heat failure

A descriptive incremental nonlinear single-input-multiple-output (SIMO) model of the hemodynamic response (cardiac output (CO) and mean aortic pressure (MAP)) to the inotropic drug dopamine in acute ischemic heart failure is constructed to facilitate the design of closed-loop control systems. The structure of the CO component of the model is a first-order system with a sigmoidal relationship. The MAP component is a first-order system with a threshold. Parameter identification is performed on data collected during positive step (drug on) and negative step (drug off) testing using multiple levels (206 mcg/kg/min) of infusion of dopamine in a canine model of acute ischemic heart failure. Parameter estimation utilized a least-squares objective function and a linearized form of the step response of the model in the time domain. This study in dogs suggests the response to dopamine of a heart in failure is fundamentally different from that of a heart not in failure. Assuming that canine preparations approximate human systems, it is reasonable to conclude that a closed-loop controller for the delivery of dopamine using this model will have greater success in eventual human applications than those based on models of healthy canine hearts. <<ETX>>
A Defect-Centric Analysis of the Temperature Dependence of the Channel Hot Carrier Degradation in nMOSFETs

The defect-centric distribution is used to study the temperature dependence of channel hot carrier (CHC) degradation in deeply scaled nMOSFETs. We analyze the temperature dependence in terms of the defect-centric parameters. The total number of traps is observed to increase with temperature, whereas the average threshold voltage shift produced by a single charged defect, i.e., $\eta$, is confirmed to be independent of the temperature, as previously shown for bias temperature instability. By using the defect-centric analysis, we estimate the activation energy of the threshold voltage shift and that of the number of charged traps per device, which are directly linked to the CHC degradation.
Nasal colonization and bacterial contamination of mobile phones carried by medical staff in the operating room

Background Mobile phones (MPs) have been an essential part of the lives of healthcare professionals and have improved communication, collaboration, and sharing of information. Nonetheless, the widespread use of MPs in hospitals has raised concerns of nosocomial infections, especially in areas requiring the highest hygienic standards such as operating rooms (ORs). This study evaluated the incidence of bacterial contamination of the MPs carried by medical staff working in the OR and determined its association with bacterial colonization of this personnel. Methods This is an observational cohort study. Medical staffs working in the OR were asked to take bacterial cultures from their MPs, anterior nares, and dominant hands. To identify the relation between MP contamination and bacterial colonization of the medical staff, genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) was done via Staphylococcus protein A gene (spa) typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results A total of 216 swab samples taken from 72 medical-staff members were analyzed. The culture-positive rate was 98.1% (212/216). In 59 (27.3%) samples, the bacteria were possible clinical pathogens. The anterior nares were the most common site of colonization by clinical pathogens (58.3%, 42/72), followed by MPs (13.9%, 10/72) and the dominant hand (9.7%, 7/72). SA was the most commonly isolated clinical pathogen and was found in 43 (19.9%) samples. In 66 (94.3%) of the 70 staff members for whom bacteria were detected on their MPs, the same bacteria were detected in nares or hand. Among 31 medical staff who were carriers of SA in the anterior nares or dominant hand, 8 (25.8%) were found to have SA on their MPs, and genotyping confirmed the same SA strain in 7 (87.5%) of them. Conclusion A high rate of bacterial nasal colonization and MPs contamination were found among the OR medical staff. An MP may be a reservoir for pathogen contamination in the OR.
Enhanced brain responsiveness during active emotional face processing in obsessive compulsive disorder

Abstract Objectives. The abnormal processing of emotional stimuli is common to a variety of psychiatric disorders. Specifically, patients with prominent anxiety symptoms generally overreact to emotional cues, which has been linked to increased amygdala activation. However, in OCD, enhanced responses are predominantly obtained using disease-specific stimuli and preferentially involve frontostriatal systems. Methods. We assessed 21 OCD patients and 21 healthy controls with fMRI during an emotional face-processing paradigm involving active response generation to test for alterations in both brain activation and task-induced functional connectivity of the frontal cortex, the amygdala and the fusiform face area. Results. OCD patients showed significantly greater activation of “face-processing” regions including the amygdala, fusiform gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The reciprocal connectivity between face-processing regions was enhanced in OCD. Importantly, we detected significant correlations between patients’ clinical symptom severity and both task-related region activation and network functional connectivity. Conclusions. The results suggest that OCD patients may show enhanced brain responsiveness during emotional face-processing when tasks involve active response generation. Our findings diverge from previously described alterations in anxiety disorders, as patients showed enhanced amygdala-prefrontal connectivity as opposed to negative reciprocal interaction. This pattern would appear to be disorder-specific and was significantly related to obsessive-compulsive symptom severity.
Correcting for Exposure Misclassification Using an Alloyed Gold Standard

&NA; Validation studies are increasingly employed to estimate and correct for exposure misclassification in epidemiologic studies. Often, however, the reference procedure used for validation is less than perfect. This phenomenon may lead to biased estimates of misclassification rates and hence of “corrected” measures of associations. In particular, it has been demonstrated that basic matrix correction procedures to correct for presumably nondifferential exposure misclassification may yield strongly misleading results in the case of an imperfect gold standard. The problem arises because apparent misclassification (misclassification with respect to an alloyed gold standard) is often differential even if true misclassification (misclassification with respect to true exposure status) is nondifferential. Therefore, correction procedures for differential rather than nondifferential misclassification should be employed in the presence of an alloyed gold standard.
Cellphones as reservoirs of nosocomial pathogens.

Cellphones are increasingly used by the health care personnels for communication. When put in the vibratory mode, these can be used even in noise restricted areas such as ICU’s, post operative wards, OT’s etc. However, cellphones which are seldom cleaned and often touched during or after the examination of patients without handwashing , can harbour various potential pathogens and become an exogenous source of nosocomial infections among hospitalized patients.
A 10Gb/s burst-mode/continuous-mode laser driver with current-mode extinction-ratio compensation circuit

A burst/continuous-mode laser driver for 10Gb/s Ethernet PONs is implemented in a 0.18mum CMOS process. With a dual-loop current-mode control circuit, the driver automatically compensates the extinction ratio of the laser output. Under burst-mode operation, the laser turn on/off time is <3ns
Diurnal variations of blood pressure and microalbuminuria in essential hypertension.

Microalbuminuria has been shown in approximately 40% of patients with essential hypertension. Previous studies have failed to demonstrate any consistent relationship between microalbuminuria and levels of office blood pressure. Because average ambulatory blood pressure correlates with incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality better than office blood pressure, we have studied whether levels of urinary albumin excretion correlate with average diurnal, nocturnal, or 24-h blood pressure better than with office blood pressure. Sixty-three patients with essential hypertension and 21 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Twenty-four hypertensive patients failed to show the normal nighttime fall in blood pressure of at least 10/5 mm Hg and were defined as "nondippers"; the remaining were defined as "dippers. " Office blood pressure was not different between dippers and nondippers. However, nighttime systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly greater in nondippers than in dippers. The median urinary albumin excretion in nondippers (42 mg/24 h) was significantly greater (P < .001) than in dippers (17.5 mg/24 h), and in normal subjects (8.6 mg/24 h). A significant correlation was present between nighttime systolic and diastolic blood pressure and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and between 24-h systolic blood pressure and UAE in all hypertensive patients; in addition, a significant correlation was present between 24-h diastolic and nighttime diastolic blood pressure and UAE in nondippers. The increased amount of UAE in nondipper hypertensive patients suggests the presence of greater renal damage than in dippers.
Identification of an Amino Acid Transporter Associated with the Cystinuria-related Type II Membrane Glycoprotein*

We identified an amino acid transporter that is associated with the cystinuria-related type II membrane glycoprotein, rBAT (related to b0,+ amino acid transporter). The transporter designated BAT1 (b0,+-type amino acid transporter 1) from rat kidney was found to be structurally related to recently identified amino acid transporters for system L, system y+L, and system x−C, which are linked, via a disulfide bond, to the other type II membrane glycoprotein, 4F2hc (4F2 heavy chain). In the nonreducing condition, a 125-kDa band, which seems to correspond to the heterodimeric complex of BAT1 and rBAT, was detected in rat kidney with anti-BAT1 antibody. The band was shifted to 41 kDa in the reducing condition, confirming that BAT1 and rBAT are linked via a disulfide bond. The BAT1 and rBAT proteins were shown to be colocalized in the apical membrane of the renal proximal tubules where massive cystine transport had been proposed. When expressed in COS-7 cells with rBAT, but not with 4F2hc, BAT1 exhibited a Na+-independent transport of cystine as well as basic and neutral amino acids with the properties of system b0,+. The results from the present investigation were used to establish a family of amino acid transporters associated with type II membrane glycoproteins.
Assessment of circadian rhythms throughout the menstrual cycle of female rhesus monkeys

Reproductive cyclicity has a significant influence on the regulation of circadian rhythms in rodents. Studies have suggested that there are changes in body temperature rhythms between the follicular and luteal phases in human females. This study examined the effects of menstrual cyclicity on physiological and behavioral circadian rhythms in female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), an acknowledged biomedical model. Seven unrestrained subjects were implanted with a biotelemetry transmitter to measure body temperature and heart rate and an accelerometer was used to measure physical activity. Water was available ad libitum and drinking was measured via an electronic circuit attached to a water lixit. A video‐based task system, the Psychomotor Test System, provided environmental enrichment and delivered a pelletized diet. Mean, phase, and amplitude of each rhythm were calculated. Estrogen and progesterone conjugates were assayed and quantified from daily urine samples to identify follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Average circadian variables were then compared between these phases. Heart rate was significantly (P≤0.05) delayed in the luteal phase. Albeit non‐significant, analysis showed a trend toward decreased circadian amplitude of body temperature in the luteal phase. Am. J. Primatol. 70:19–25, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phase Transitions in a Kinetic Flocking Model of Cucker-Smale Type

We consider a collective behavior model in which individuals try to imitate each others' velocity and have a preferred speed. We show that a phase change phenomenon takes place as diffusion decreases, bringing the system from a “disordered” to an “ordered” state. This effect is related to recently noticed phenomena for the diffusive Vicsek model. We also carry out numerical simulations of the system and give further details on the phase transition.
How Does Xenon Produce Anesthesia? A Perspective from Electrophysiological Studies

Currently, two groups of people are interested in xenon as an anesthetic. One group argues that xenon is almost an ideal anesthetic because of its inertness, low blood-gas partition coefficient, and so on. The other group uses xenon as a scientific tool to deepen our understanding of what anesthesia is. In fact, xenon is very attractive in this regard because it is distinctly different from other anesthetics with respect to its chemical and physical properties. In particular, xenon is chemically inert except under extreme conditions; therefore, chemical reactions are unlikely to account for its anesthetic actions. A traditional strategy to elucidate the central nervous system actions of anesthetics involves electrophysiology such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) and evoked potentials. Although previously regarded as special techniques not practical for routine clinical use, they are now becoming popular among clinical anesthesiologists thanks to modern technological advancements. This is especially so with the EEG, in which bispectral index (BIS) analysis has been made practical only after the extremely high-performance computers have become available to conduct a large number of calculations. In this chapter, we present our findings on the electrophysiological effects of xenon. Our goal is to understand not only how xenon works, but also what anesthesia (or, more specifically, unconsciousness) is and how monitors reflect the depth of anesthesia.
Randomized, Controlled Trial of a 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Administered Concomitantly with an Influenza Vaccine in Healthy Adults

ABSTRACT A randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial evaluated the immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability of a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) coadministered with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in pneumococcal vaccine-naive adults. Participants ages 50 to 59 years (n = 1,116) received TIV with PCV13 (group 1) or placebo (group 2) (1:1 randomization); 1 month later, group 1 received placebo and group 2 received PCV13. A hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay for TIV and a standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for pneumococcal serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) were performed and opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) titers (assessed post hoc) were measured at baseline and 1 and 2 months postvaccination. The rises in HAI assay geometric mean titer (GMT) and percentage of participants in groups 1 and 2 with ≥4-fold increases in HAI responses (A/H1N1, 84.0% and 81.2%, respectively; A/H3N2, 71.1% and 69.5%, respectively; and B, 60.6% and 60.3%, respectively) were similar. In group 1, all serotypes met the predefined IgG geometric mean concentration (GMC) ratio noninferiority criterion relative to group 2, but GMCs were lower in group 1 than group 2. When comparing group 1 with group 2, 5 serotypes did not meet the OPA GMT ratio noninferiority criterion, and OPA GMTs were significantly lower for 10 serotypes. PCV13 injection site reactions were similar and mostly mild in both groups. Systemic events were more frequent in group 1 (86.2%) than group 2 (76.7%; P < 0.001); no vaccine-related serious adverse events occurred. Coadministration of PCV13 and TIV was well tolerated but associated with lower PCV13 antibody responses and is of unknown clinical significance. Given the positive immunologic attributes of PCV13, concomitant administration with TIV should be dictated by clinical circumstances.
Mortality and incidence of bladder cancer in benzidine-exposed workers in China.

We examined bladder cancer mortality and incidence to 1981 in 1,972 workers employed in benzidine-exposed jobs in Tianjin, Shanghai, and Jilin, China, between 1972 and 1977, and in 1,974 unexposed workers employed during the same time period. In comparison to general population rates, in the benzidine-exposed group the ratio of observed to expected deaths (SMR) was 17.5 (95% C.I.: 7.5-34.5) and the ratio of observed to expected incident cases (SIR) was 25.0 (95% C.I.: 16.9-35.7). No excess was noted in the unexposed group. The 25-fold increase in bladder cancer incidence in the exposed group was related to level of exposure, with the SIR rising from 4.8 for low exposure to 36.2 for medium exposure, and 158.4 for high exposure. Risks were elevated both for producers of benzidine (SIR = 45.7; 95% C.I.: 20.9-86.8) and for users (SIR = 20.9; 95% C.I.: 12.9-32.0) of benzidine dyes. Benzidine-exposed workers who smoked tobacco had a 31-fold risk (95% C.I.: 20.4-46.4), while non-smoking workers had an 11-fold risk (95% C.I.: 3.6-25.8), suggestive of a multiplicative relationship between these two carcinogens.
Drinking to our health: can beverage companies cut calories while maintaining profits?

Carbonated soft drinks and other beverages make up an increasing percentage of energy intake, and there are rising public health concerns about the links between consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages and weight gain, obesity, and other cardiometabolic problems. In response, the food and beverage industry claims to be reformulating products, reducing package or portion sizes and introducing healthier options. Comparative analysis on various changes and their potential effects on public health are needed.
Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition

What do our eyes do when we are focused on internal representations such as during imagination or planning? Evidence from mind wandering research suggests that spontaneous shifts from externally directed cognition (EDC) to internally directed cognition (IDC) involves oculomotor changes indicative of visual disengagement. In the present study, we investigated potential differences in eye behavior between goal-directed forms of IDC and EDC. To this end, we manipulated the focus of attention (internal versus external) in two demanding cognitive tasks (anagram and sentence generation). IDC was associated with fewer and longer fixations and higher variability in pupil diameter and eye vergence compared to EDC, suggesting reduced visual scanning and higher spontaneous eye activity. IDC was further related to longer blinks, lower microsaccade frequency, and a lower angle of eye vergence. These latter changes appear conducive to attenuate visual input and thereby shield ongoing internal processes from external distraction. Together, these findings suggest that IDC is accompanied by characteristic eye behavior that reflects a decoupling of attention from external events and serves gating out visual input.
New Insights into Aging Process with a Focus on Cell Morphology, Autophagy and Role of Macrophages and NFAT

Aging is a multifaceted process and involves cell senescence and apoptosis. Some key processes which may be involved could be the persistantmorphological changes in the cell structure for e.g cell blebbing and the role of physiological stressors. Amongst these are the macrophages which are on the front line of host defense. They possess an array of germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors/sensors (PRRs) that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and which activate downstream effectors/pathways to help mediate innate immune responses and host defense. Innate immune responses include the rapid induction of transcriptional networks that trigger the production of cytokines, chemokines, and cytotoxic molecules and the induction of autophagy. Autophagy is a catabolic process that normally maintains cellular homeostasis in a lysosome-dependent manner, but it also functions as a cytoprotective response that intersects with a variety of general stress-response pathways.This review focusses on the intimately linked molecular mechanisms that help govern the autophagic pathway and cyto-morphological changes alongwith macrophage mediated responses to osmolar changes and the role of transcription factors like the NFAT-5 in the aging process.
A Comparative Study of the Differences in Family Communication among Young Urban Adult Consumers and the Development of their Materialistic Values: A Discriminant Analysis

The study attempts to uncover the characteristics of materialism groups in Malaysia. It assesses the differences between materialism groups, i.e., low and high materialistic groups, using demographic and family communication dimensions. The data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. The sample consisted of 956 respondents. The majority of the respondents were Malays followed by Chinese and Indians. The proportion of female respondents was higher than the male respondents. Most of the respondents were single and in the age group of between 19-29 years old. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare mean scores for the study variables between ‘high’ materialism and ‘low’ materialism groups and significant mean differences were found between ‘high’ and ‘low’ materialism groups in terms of socio-oriented family communication construct. Specifically, it was found that the ‘high’ materialism group has considerably greater ratings on the constructs. Internal consistency reliability assessment using Cronbach coefficient alpha revealed that all the three dimensions had high reliability. A stepwise discriminant analysis performed on two family communication variables found that one variable was significant in differentiating the two materialism groups. The variable was socio-oriented family communication. The implications, significance and limitations of the study are discussed.