Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Switching-Based Phase Noise Model for CMOS Ring Oscillators Based on Multiple Thresholds Crossing

For a ring oscillator with an arbitrary voltage swing, core transistors in delay cells typically move between saturation and triode region This can result in the overall timing jitter being dominated by timing jitter accumulated within a particular region. Based on multiple thresholds crossing concept, a new and more accurate way of handling such region change is developed. Specifically any crossing between two such regions, prior to the actual crossing of the threshold that triggers the next stage delay cell, is treated as an internal threshold crossing. The timing jitter is then the sum (in the rms sense) of the timing jitter accumulated across multiple thresholds crossing. The model agrees to within 2 dB with measurements, on differential pair based (both replica bias and physical resistor load) and current starved inverter based ring oscillators, fabricated in CMOS. Design insights from the model show that, for a differential pair ring oscillator that is originally designed with a given voltage swing such that the input transistors can be in triode, if voltage swing is reduced so that input transistors just do not go into triode, phase noise can be improved. A 7-dB phase noise improvement on an example design using a replica bias differential ring oscillator, based on this insight, is demonstrated.
Performance Persistence in Anomaly Returns: Evidence from Frontier Markets

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore the performance persistence of frontier market equity anomalies. To this end, I replicate 140 anomalies in the cross-section of returns in a sample of 23 frontier markets. I demonstrate a robust and strong performance persistence in the anomaly returns. The return persistence is driven by two independent components related to past short- and long-term returns. These components reflect short-term momentum and cross-sectional variation in long-term anomaly returns, respectively. Combining the two components forms an efficient anomaly selection strategy.
Excitotoxin Lesions in Primates as a Model for Huntington's Disease: Histopathologic and Neurochemical Characterization

Excitotoxin lesions induced by quinolinic acid (QA) were made unilaterally in the caudate nucleus and putamen of 12 rhesus monkeys. Both acute (2-3 weeks) and chronic (4-6 months) effects were evaluated. Excitotoxin striatal lesions were characterized by a central zone of intense astrogliosis and marked neuronal depletion, which was surrounded by a transition zone in which there was partial neuronal sparing throughout the entire lesioned side. Immunocytochemical and enzyme histochemical markers for both large and medium-sized aspiny- and spiny-striatal neurons clearly demonstrated a selective pattern of neuronal vulnerability to the excitotoxic effects of QA within lesioned striata. Medium-sized spiny neurons containing calbindin Dk28, enkephalin, and substance P were disproportionately lost, while aspiny neuronal subpopulations containing NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) and choline acetyltransferase activity (ChAT) were relatively spared. Combined labeling by NADPH-d enzyme histochemistry and Nissl staining, as well as NADPH-d histochemistry and calbindin Dk28 immunocytochemistry, demonstrated significant increases in the ratio of aspiny to spiny neurons within the lesioned striata. Neurochemical measurements confirmed a loss of GABA and substance P-like immunoreactivity yet no significant depletion of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity, neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity, or ChAT were seen. The striatal patch-matrix pattern persisted, as demonstrated by acetylcholinesterase activity. The pattern was altered, however, in the chronic animals, such that the matrix zone was significantly reduced, while the total area of patches remained within normal limits. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed axon sparing lesions with neuronal loss and astrogliosis. Pretreatment of 3 monkeys with MK-801, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, blocked striatal QA neurotoxicity. The present results provide an experimental primate model which closely resembles the neuropathologic and neurochemical features of Huntington's disease. These findings further strengthen the possibility that an NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxic process plays a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
Requested behavior driven control of product definition

Product lifecycle management (PLM) systems have been gained application at leading areas of industry. By now, they integrate all engineering activities. Product definition in these systems relies upon advanced object modeling and virtual prototyping. However, large models with thousands of strongly related objects brought new problem of thinking and seeing in extensive information structures. New methods are demanded mainly to establish better organized knowledge based parallel interactions by high number of engineers. Fortunately, recent developments in product modeling introduced rules, reactions, function structures, and other active knowledge carriers in product models in order to establish situation and event based product definition. These techniques serve storage and repeated application of engineering knowledge and offer good connection for enhanced knowledge based communication between model generation processes and group work environment in the future. The authors of this paper established a new methodology for enhanced knowledge based connection of human interactions with current product modeling. They utilized their former results and realized coordinated interacting human intent based and product behavior driven adaptive product object definition. The proposed new control of product definition is supported by extended context definition. In this paper, the authors introduce the new product definition methodology and discuss key issues including principle of their Coordinated Request based Product Modeling (CRPM), connection of CRPM to the currently prevailing Classical Product Modeling (CPM), new representations in product behavior related structures, and a new method for the definition of coordinated contextual structure of objectives (SOB) and behaviors (SBE). The proposed modeling is considered as API communicated extension to the CPM modeling in current industrial PLM systems.
Genetic Relationships between Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus mitis: Characterization of “Atypical” Pneumococci and Organisms Allied to S. mitis HarboringS. pneumoniae Virulence Factor-Encoding Genes

ABSTRACT The oral streptococcal group (mitis phylogenetic group) currently consists of nine recognized species, although the group has been traditionally difficult to classify, with frequent changes in nomenclature over the years. The pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae), an important human pathogen, is traditionally distinguished from the most closely related oral streptococcal speciesStreptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis on the basis of three differentiating characteristics: optochin susceptibility, bile solubility, and agglutination with antipneumococcal polysaccharide capsule antibodies. However, there are many reports in the literature of pneumococci lacking one or more of these defining characteristics. Sometimes called “atypical” pneumococci, these isolates can be the source of considerable confusion in the clinical laboratory. Little is known to date about the genetic relationships of such organisms with classical S. pneumoniae isolates. Here we describe these relationships based on sequence analysis of housekeeping genes in comparison with previously characterized isolates of S. pneumoniae,S. mitis, and S. oralis. While most pneumococci were found to represent a closely related group these studies identified a subgroup of atypical pneumococcal isolates (bile insoluble and/or “acapsular”) distinct from, though most closely related to, the “typical” pneumococcal isolates. However, a large proportion of isolates, found to be atypical on the basis of capsule reaction alone, did group with typical pneumococci, suggesting that they have either lost capsule production or represent as-yet-unrecognized capsular types. In contrast to typical S. pneumoniae, isolates phenotypically identified as S. mitis and S. oralis, which included isolates previously characterized in taxonomic studies, were genetically diverse. While most of the S. oralis isolates did fall into a well-separated group, S. mitis isolates did not cluster into a well-separated group. During the course of these studies we also identified a number of potentially important pathogenic isolates, which were frequently associated with respiratory disease, that phenotypically and genetically are most closely related to S. mitis but which harbor genes encoding the virulence determinants pneumolysin and autolysin classically associated with S. pneumoniae.
Effects of osmotically driven cell volume changes on diffusion‐weighted imaging of the rat optic nerve

The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the rat optic nerve was measured In vitro, using magnetic resonance imaging, to determine the effects of changes in cellular volume fraction on the diffusion of tissue water. Nerve ADC was determined under conditions of cell membrane depolarization and (i) increased intracellular volume, (ii) decreased intracellular volume, and (iii) negligible volume change. Depolarization alone had little affect on ADC, whereas volume changes produced strong, reversible effects. Increased cell volume decreased ADC and vice versa. These results are consistent with the view that changes in the extracellular space are the major source of ADC changes in brain tissue.
An exploratory study of the impact of digital learning tools on student engagement, self-efficacy and ownership of learning

The modern education landscape is seeing an ever-increasing infusion of technology in schools and classrooms. As teachers and administrators sift through the saturated market of digital learning tools, they might question whether or not these trendy and often flashy tools will have any positive effects on their learners. This exploratory case study seeks to understand the impact that various digital learning tools have had on students who are enrolled in classes whose teachers use various forms of technology. More specifically, through the use of an online survey tool consisting of Likert scale and open-ended questions, this study was designed to better understand the impact of digital learning tools on student engagement, self-efficacy, and ownership of learning at one high school in British Columbia. An analysis of participant responses suggests that learner engagement and self-efficacy are positively impacted by the use of these tools. However, ownership of learning seems not to be directly affected by the use of technology in the classroom. Ultimately, the responses collected and their analysis could help educators at the participating school to make informed decisions when implementing new technology, and it might inspire other schools or districts to look closely at the effect that these tools are having on their specific demographics.
Corporate image no longer leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty: a Malaysian perspective

Purpose This paper aims to study the factors that influence customer loyalty toward the internet service providers in Malaysia. The five factors used are corporate image, perceived quality, perceived value, price fairness and promotion. The mediating variable of this study is customer satisfaction, while customer loyalty is the study variable. Design/methodology/approach The primary data collection has been done by distributing survey questionnaires to 338 internet users in Malaysia. The data collected have been analyzed with SAS software. Findings The results showed that perceived quality has the strongest influence on customer satisfaction toward internet service providers in Malaysia. However, corporate image has no relationship with customer satisfaction toward internet service providers in Malaysia. Furthermore, customer satisfaction has a significant and positive relationship to customer loyalty toward the internet service providers in Malaysia. Originality/value European Customer Satisfaction Index has been adopted and combined with price fairness and promotion as a new research model that other researchers may look into it further. This research may also serve as a guide to internet service providers as they may learn about the underlying factors that affect the satisfaction and loyalty of customers and which factor has the strongest impact.
Equine anaesthesia-associated mortality: where are we now?

OBJECTIVES To review the literature concerning mortality associated with general anaesthesia in horses and to assess whether there is evidence for a reduction in mortality over the 20 years since the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities (CEPEF). DATABASES USED PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar. Search terms used: horse; pony; equine; anaesthesia; anesthesia; recovery; morbidity, and mortality. CONCLUSIONS The most recent studies, in which isoflurane and sevoflurane have been more commonly used for anaesthesia maintenance, report fewer intraoperative cardiac arrests than older studies in which halothane was favoured. Catastrophic fractures, however, have become the greatest cause of recovery-associated mortality.
Prostate cancer cells differ in testosterone accumulation, dihydrotestosterone conversion, and androgen receptor signaling response to steroid 5α‐reductase inhibitors

Blocking 5α‐reductase‐mediated testosterone conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with finasteride or dutasteride is the driving hypothesis behind two prostate cancer prevention trials. Factors affecting intracellular androgen levels and the androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis need to be examined systematically in order to fully understand the outcome of interventions using these drugs.
From Marginalized Identities to Maximized Impact: The Role of Identity in the Political Attitudes and Behaviors of Transgender Adults

Political attitudes and behaviors have been extensively studied in a variety of populations, with differences between and within populations being attributed to a range of factors. These include socioeconomic factors and individualand group-specific characteristics, such as experiences of marginalization or discrimination. Identity has been shown to be an important factor in influencing political attitudes, such as one‘s level of confidence in participating in political activity, and political behaviors, including voting and participating in political protests. In particular, identity has been an influential factor among minority populations. While scholars have studied lesbian, gay, and bisexual people widely, little is known about the political activity of transgender (―trans‖) people, primarily due to a lack of available data and insufficient sample sizes for reliable analyses. This dissertation undertakes an in-depth examination of the political attitudes and behaviors of trans adults using data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, the largest survey of trans adults ever conducted with 27,715 respondents. This study first examines internal political efficacy, voting and voter registration, and other forms of political participation—such as volunteering or working for a political campaign, making campaign donations, or attending a political protest—to determine differences in these items within the trans population based on demographic characteristics. The study then explores various aspects of trans identity, since identity is known to be an important factor in influencing political engagement. Lastly, the study employs multivariate predictive modeling to analyze the relationship between identity and political attitudes and behaviors. Findings indicate that trans people are generally engaged in political processes at high levels and reveal important
CEA, SCC and NSE levels in exhaled breath condensate—possible markers for early detection of lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death. The sensitive and non-invasive diagnostic tools in the early stage are still poor. We present a pilot study on the early diagnosis of LC by detecting markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). EBC samples were collected from 105 patients with LC and 56 healthy controls. We applied chemiluminescence immunoassay to detect CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) antigen and NSE (neuron specific enolase) in EBC and serum. Concentrations of markers were compared between independent groups and subgroups. A significantly higher concentration level of each marker was found in patients with LC than healthy controls. The areas under curve of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.800, 0.771, 0.659, 0.679, 0.636 and 0.626 for EBC-CEA, serum-CEA, EBC-SCC, serum-SCC, EBC-NSE and serum-NSE, respectively. Markers in EBC had a higher positive rate (PR) and were more specific to histologic types than markers in serum. In addition, multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the association of presenting markers with the stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EBC-CEA showed the best predictive characteristic (p < 0.006) of early-NSCLC. Our study suggested that tumor markers in EBC may have a better diagnostic performance for LC than those in serum. With further investigation on the combination of markers in EBC, detection of EBC could probably be a novel and non-invasive method to detect NSCLC earlier.
Classical Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia due to 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency in Croatia between 1995 and 2006

Aims: To evaluate the incidence, gender, symptoms and age at diagnosis of patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Croatia. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively for all classical CAH patients born or electively aborted following prenatal diagnosis between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2006 and were compared with the data of a previously conducted study evaluating CAH patients discovered between 1964 and 1984. Results: During a 12-year period 34 classical CAH patients were born. There were 20 salt-wasting (SW; 12 female/8 male) and 14 simple-virilizing (SV; 7 female/7 male) patients. If 3 female, electively aborted fetuses were added, there would be a total of 37 CAH patients. With 532,942 live births and 34 CAH patients born over this period, the incidence of classical CAH was estimated at 1:15,574 or 1:14,403 if the 3 electively aborted fetuses were included. The lower incidence of SW boys compared to SW girls (8:12) and similar number of SW and SV boys (8:7) indicate that a substantial proportion of SW boys die unrecognized. Owing to better healthcare, the diagnosis was established significantly earlier in SW and SV girls compared to the period of 1964–1984 (p < 0.003). During 1995–2006, none of the patients died following the diagnosis of CAH and there was no erroneous sex assignment. Conclusion: Despite improvements in healthcare, the diagnosis of CAH in Croatia is still delayed and some of the patients go unrecognized or die. Therefore, the results of our study support the need to introduce newborn screening.
Mucous Cytokine Levels in Chronic Rhinosinusitis-Associated Olfactory Loss.

IMPORTANCE Olfactory loss is a frequent symptom of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), but our understanding of how inflammatory cytokines affect olfaction is limited. OBJECTIVES To examine whether inflammatory cytokines are present in the olfactory cleft and whether they correlate with objective olfaction. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this cross-sectional study, patients with CRS underwent quantitative olfactory testing using the Sniffin Sticks test to calculate a composite threshold discrimination identification (TDI) score from October 21, 2013, to November 12, 2015. Nasal mucus was collected using a sponge placed in the olfactory cleft for 5 minutes, and Cytometric Bead Array was used to measure secreted immunomodulatory products. Correlations between TDI score and secreted mediators were then calculated. Data analysis was performed from October 15, 2015, to December 17, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Composite TDI scores and mean secreted mediator levels in mucus from the olfactory cleft. RESULTS Thirty-four patients were enrolled (mean [SD] age, 57.3 [15.7] years; female, 21 [61.8%]; white, 26 [76.5]). The TDI scores were lower in patients with CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) than in patients with CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) (difference, 8.7; 95% CI, 2.5-15.0; P = .007). Interleukin (IL) 5 levels were inversely correlated with TDI scores in patients with CRSwNP and those with CRSsNP (mean [SE] β estimate, -46.56 [15.11]; P = .005), whereas IL-6, IL-7, and vascular endothelial growth factor A were positively correlated with TDI scores only in the CRSwNP cohort. Subscale olfactory TDI scores followed similar correlations to composite TDI scores. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, inflammatory cytokines were found in mucus collected from the olfactory cleft. Levels of IL-5, in addition to other cytokines, were associated with objective olfactory function. Further inquiry is needed to establish the source of mucous cytokines and establish whether they play a causal role in olfactory loss.
Physical examination and arteriography in patients with penetrating zone II neck wounds.

OBJECTIVE To review the management of patients with penetrating zone II neck wounds to discern the value of physical examination and proximity arteriography for predicting arterial injury. DESIGN A retrospective chart review of 178 patients treated for penetrating wounds to the neck. SETTING A level I trauma facility in Dallas, Tex. PATIENTS All patients seen from 1987 to 1991 with platysma penetration in zone II of the neck. INTERVENTION Physical examination, arteriography, and surgical exploration were used to identify patients with arterial injuries in the neck after penetrating trauma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES To identify the presence or absence of an arterial injury. RESULTS Negative findings on physical examination ruled out an arterial injury in 99% of all patients. Patients with any sign of arterial injury had a 26% incidence of arterial injury confirmed at operation. Of 71 arteriograms in patients without signs or symptoms of arterial injury, only one had an arterial injury requiring operative intervention. CONCLUSIONS Findings on physical examination are good predictors of arterial injury in patients with penetrating neck wounds and can exclude injury in over 99% of patients. Arteriography is a sensitive test but has a very low yield (1.4%). These findings question whether the current practice of mandatory neck exploration or proximity arteriography is necessary for patients without signs or symptoms of injury who have penetrating wounds of the neck.