Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the local temperature of conductive filaments in resistive switching materials

The resistive switching effect in metal oxides and other dielectric materials is among the leading future non-volatile memory technologies. Resistive switching is widely ascribed to the formation and rupture of conductive filaments in the oxide, which are generated by temperature-enhanced nano-scale ion migration or other thermal effects. In spite of the central role of the local filament temperature on the switching effect, as well as on the conduction and reliability physics, no measurement methods of the filament temperature are yet available. In this work, we report on a method for evaluating the conducting filament temperature, using a metal–insulator–semiconductor bipolar transistor structure. The filament temperature is obtained by analyzing the thermal excitation rate of electrons from the filament Fermi level into the conduction band of a p-type semiconductor electrode. Measurements were carried out to obtain the conductive filament temperature in hafnia at varying ambient temperatures in the range of 3–300 K. Significant Joule heating of the filament was observed across the entire measured ambient temperature range. The extracted temperatures provide physical insight into the resistive switching effect.
Current evidence for osteoarthritis treatments

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and the leading cause of chronic disability among older people. The burden of the disease is expected to rise with an aging population and the increasing prevalence of obesity. Despite this, there is as yet no cure for OA. However, in recent years, a number of potential therapeutic advances have been made, in part due to improved understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. This review provides the current evidence for symptomatic management of OA including nonpharmacological, pharmacological and surgical approaches. The current state of evidence for disease-modifying therapy in OA is also reviewed.
T Cell Receptor Engagement Leads to the Recruitment of IBP, a Novel Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor, to the Immunological Synapse*

Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is crucial to the formation and function of the immunological synapse. Rho GTPases are critical mediators of cytoskeletal reorganization, and their activity at the synapse is likely to be stringently regulated. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) belonging to the Dbl family of proteins represent one major class of proteins that regulate the activity of Rho GTPases. Here we demonstrate that IBP, a homologue of SWAP-70, is a novel GEF for Rac1 and Cdc42 in T lymphocytes, which is recruited to the immunological synapse upon engagement of the antigen receptor. Mutational analysis supports a model whereby IBP is inactive in unstimulated cells. Upon engagement of the T cell receptor, its GEF activity is enhanced by tyrosine phosphorylation, as well as by binding newly generated phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. Although it is known that T cell receptor engagement leads to the recruitment of Vav to the immunological synapse, these findings indicate that other GEFs, such as IBP, also relocalize to this intercellular region. The recruitment and activation of distinct classes of GEFs may allow for precise control of Rho GTPase function at the crucial interface between T cells and antigen presenting cells.
Mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy – current options for treatment

Purpose. To report on the present option for management of tendinopathy of the main body of the Achilles tendon. Background. Tendinopathy of the main body of tendo Achillis affects athletic and sedentary patients. Mechanical loading is thought to be a major causative factor. However, the exact mechanical loading conditions which cause tendinopathy are poorly defined. Repetitive mechanical loading induces a non-inflammatory pathology, and repetitive microtrauma ultimately exceeds the healing response. The management of Achilles tendinopathy is primarily conservative. Although many non-operative options are available, few have been tested under controlled conditions. This review article specifically focuses on eccentric training, and on shock wave therapy. Surgical intervention can be successful in refractory cases. However, surgery does not usually completely eliminate symptoms and complications are not rare. Conclusions. Further studies are needed to discern the optimal non-operative and surgical management of midsubstance Achilles tendinopathy.
Leukemic stem cell persistence in chronic myeloid leukemia patients in deep molecular response induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the impact of therapy discontinuation

During the last decade, the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy has modified the natural history of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) allowing an increase of the overall and disease-free survival, especially in patients in whom molecular residual disease becomes undetectable. However, it has been demonstrated that BCR-ABL1- expressing leukemic stem cells (LSCs) persist in patients in deep molecular response. It has also been shown that the discontinuation of Imatinib leads to a molecular relapse in the majority of cases. To determine a possible relationship between these two phenomena, we have evaluated by clonogenic and long-term culture initiating cell (LTC-IC) assays, the presence of BCR-ABL1-expressing LSCs in marrow samples from 21 patients in deep molecular response for three years after TKI therapy (mean duration seven years). LSCs were detected in 4/21 patients. Discontinuation of TKI therapy in 13/21 patients led to a rapid molecular relapse in five patients (4 without detectable LSCs and one with detectable LSCs). No relapse occurred in the eight patients still on TKI therapy, whether LSCs were detectable or not. Thus, this study demonstrates for the first time the in vivo efficiency of TKIs, both in the progenitor and the LSC compartments. It also confirms the persistence of leukemic stem cells in patients in deep molecular response, certainly at the origin of relapses. Finally, it emphasizes the difficulty of detecting residual LSCs due to their rarity and their low BCR-ABL1 mRNA expression.
Adjustment Issues of International Students Enrolled in American Colleges and Universities: A Review of the Literature

This article is a review of the literature concerning the adjustment issues experienced by international students enrolled in American colleges and universities. Convergent findings indicated that English fluency, social support, length of stay in the U.S., perceived discrimination or prejudice, establishing relationships with Americans, and homesickness were the most significant variables related to the adjustment of international students. Limitations in the literature and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Hormonal regulation of human corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression: implications for the stress response and immune/inflammatory reaction.

EXPERIMENTAL support for the hypothesis that ACTH secretion is controlled by hypothalamic factors (1) was obtained in 1955 (2, 3). In 1981, a 41-amino acid C-terminal amidated peptide from ovine hypothalami stimulating pituitary ACTH release was identified in vitro and characterized (4). The biologically active form of this peptide, designated corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and also frequently referred to as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), was synthesized and found to have potent ACTH-releasing actions in vivo (5). CRH is the only known permissive factor for the anterior pituitary release of ACTH in man (5, 6). It acts in synergy with arginine vasopressin (AVP) and, perhaps, other factors to regulate pituitary ACTH secretion and ultimately the activity of the pituitary-adrenal axis (7–9). Since its discovery, it has become evident that the role of CRH is much wider than initially thought. Coordination of the behavioral and physical components of the stress response and regulation of the immu.
Numerical simulation of wire-to-cylinder negative corona discharge in dry air

The steady radial distribution of chemical species in a negative corona discharge is predicted with the help of a physico-chemical model that includes both elementary plasma processes and chemical reactions among neutral and charged species. Corona discharge is generated in dry air using a wire-to-cylinder coaxial electrode system. The current-voltage characteristic of the corona current is used as the input data in the numerical model. The computed ozone density is compared with the experimental concentration determined by ultraviolet spectroscopy.
Two highly efficient second-order algorithms for training feedforward networks

We present two highly efficient second-order algorithms for the training of multilayer feedforward neural networks. The algorithms are based on iterations of the form employed in the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method for nonlinear least squares problems with the inclusion of an additional adaptive momentum term arising from the formulation of the training task as a constrained optimization problem. Their implementation requires minimal additional computations compared to a standard LM iteration. Simulations of large scale classical neural-network benchmarks are presented which reveal the power of the two methods to obtain solutions in difficult problems, whereas other standard second-order techniques (including LM) fail to converge.
Preorthographical constraints on visual word recognition: Evidence from a case study of developmental surface dyslexia

We investigated the visual word recognition ability of M.T. , a young boy with surface dyslexia, by means of a paradigm that measures performance as a function of the eye fixation position within the word, known as the “viewing-position effect” paradigm. In well-achieving readers, the viewing-position effect is mainly determined by factors affecting letter visibility and by lexical constraints on word recognition. We further quantified M.T. 's sensory limitations on letter visibility by computing visual-span profiles—that is, the number of letters recognizable at a glance. Finally, in an ideal-observer's perspective, M.T. 's performance was compared with a parameter-free model combining M.T. 's letter visibility data with a simple lexical matching rule. The results showed that M.T. did not use the whole visual information available on letter identities to recognize words and that preorthographical factors constrained his word recognition performance. The results can be best accounted for by a reduction of the number of letters processed in parallel.
Are we making the grade? Practices and reported efficacy measures of primate conservation education programs

Conservation education is often employed alongside primate conservation efforts with the aim of changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward non‐human primates. Recommended best‐use practices include longevity, use of program incentives, collaboration among educators, and adaptive program assessment, among others. This study surveys primate conservation education programs (PCEPs) to assess the frequency of suggested best‐use practices, and to investigate impacts on program efficacy. Online surveys were collected from PCEPs in 2013–2014 (N = 43). The majority of programs reported lengths of 5–10 years, with participant involvement ranging widely from a day to several years. Non‐economic and economic incentives were distributed by approximately half of all programs, with programs that provided economic incentives reporting positive participant attitude changes more frequently than those that did not (P = 0.03). While >70% of PCEPs consulted with community leaders, local teachers, and research scientists, only 45.9% collaborated with other conservation educators and only 27% collaborated with cultural experts such as cultural anthropologists. Programs that collaborated with other conservation educators were more likely to report reductions in threats to primates, specifically to bushmeat hunting and capture of primates for the pet trade (P = 0.07). Formal program evaluations were employed by 72.1% of all programs, with the majority of programs using surveys to assess changes to participant attitudes and knowledge. Formal evaluations of participant behavior, community attitudes and behaviors, and threats to primate populations were less common. While results indicate that PCEPs follow many suggested best‐use practices, program impacts may be enhanced by greater discussion of economic incentivization, increased collaboration between conservation educators, and improved commitment to adaptive evaluation of changes to behaviors in addition to attitudes and knowledge. Am. J. Primatol. 77:434–448, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is the best option of treatment being offered to patients with multiple coronary artery diseases ?

oronary arterial disease (CAD) is currently the most prevalent condition requiring cardiologist care. In spite of the progress in the clinical treatment of this disease over the last few years, there has been a change from clinical or surgical treatment to interventionist treatment, using several forms of angioplasty (PTA) [1]. To decide what is the best treatment method, it is necessary to considerer the strong evidence that singleand two-arterial CAD have similar outcomes, when comparing the clinical, interventionist and surgical treatments, but this is not true in relation to multiple vessel disease. Some facts must be discussed by patients suffering from multiple vessel diseases and a multidisciplinary team formed by a physician, hemodynamicist and surgeon so that a decision can be taken, not based on “cosmetology”, but on proof based on medical evidence. With this in mind, the following aspects must be considered: a) the ischemia-free survival rate without re-interventions based on scientific works and b) the procedure cost over short, medium and long terms. Databases have shown a reduction in the number of coronary artery bypass grafting surgeries (CABG) performed over the last few years with a drop of almost 20% comparing the total number of coronary artery surgeries performed in the USA in 1996 (182,911) and in 2004 (149,680) [2]. Simultaneously, the number of PTAs with or without the use of stents has increased almost geometrically [3]. In spite of having already observed a trend [4,5] in which PTAs have had an increase with subsequent reduction in the number of CABG, in Brazil there has only been a rise in the number of PTAs with the number of CABG remaining stable [6]. The question is: is it possible that this increase is due to criteria based on evidence or simply a tendentious choice? Why are more and more patients with tri-arterial diseases referred for a less effective treatment at a greater cost? CABG is the most studied surgical procedure in medical history and the results have been widely reported over the last 10 and 20 years [7]. The surgery has been successful in reducing ischemia and increasing Is the best option of treatment being offered to patients with multiple coronary artery diseases?
Modular multi-level converter topologies: Present status and key challenges

Modular multilevel converter (MMC) is an emerging technology for various applications including high voltage dc transmission and wind energy conversion systems. Submodule based MMC architecture dominates over other converters topologies, due to various technological as well as economic advantages. This paper presents a comprehensive review of MMC topology and its submodules. Different types of submodule architectures are discussed to provide an overview of evolving technology. Different submodules are grouped in accordance to their output terminal voltage levels. The key issues and challenges are also highlighted.
The Missing Child in A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Indian boy over whom the king and queen of fairies quarrel is the most important of several characters in A Midsummer Night's Dream who do not appear on stage: his parents, who form with him a missing nuclear family; a child god, Cupid; and a female authority figure, the dowager to whose property the lovers Lysander and Hermia flee. In its narrative structure the play presents a healing regression to the early mother and the primary process. However, the regressive movement has disturbing, as well as adaptive, elements; in addition, while the characters are still in the forest, the play's troubled engagement with fathers has not yet been resolved. The burlesque performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe" disarms the attachment to childhood, presenting regressive modes of thought and behavior in absurd form, and thus helps complete a return to the world of the mature ego; the final act also reconstitutes the image of the father. But adult demystification and even a benign fatherly authority also appear limited, and the fairies return, bringing elements of childhood needed for a happy ending. Puck's epilogue suggests what Winnicott calls the infant's transitional experience, with its healing realm of play between dreams and objective reality, between enchantment and demystification. In the fairies' blessing, the missing child appears, still in absent form, as a child to come, a symbol of potentiality. Looming over that symbolic child is the Indian boy of Greek myth, the child god Bacchus. The play ends with a comic vision of a positive future and of amity with the often disturbing regressive elements still alive within adult psyches. Overriding the ironic and dark notes that recent critics have stressed in the play, that comic vision recreates for us a new beginning, including the new beginning of love, in the promise of a wished-for child.
Structural Phosphoprotein M2-1 of the Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Is an RNA Binding Protein

ABSTRACT The structural phosphoprotein M2-1 of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) Long strain shows RNA binding capacity in three different assays that detect RNA-protein complexes: cross-linking, gel retardation, and Northern-Western assays. It is able to bind HRSV leader RNA specifically with cooperative kinetics, with an apparentKd of at least 90 nM. It also binds to long RNAs with no sequence specificity. The RNA binding domain has been located between amino acid residues 59 and 85, at the NH2terminus of the protein. This region contains the phosphorylatable amino acid residues threonine 56 and serine 58, whose modification decreases the binding capacity of M2-1 protein to long RNAs.
Nitric Oxide Induces Ca2+-independent Activity of the Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII)*

Background: Ca2+-independent autonomous CaMKII activity and nitric oxide (NO) signaling regulate neuronal function and death. Results: NO generated autonomous CaMKII activity by Ca2+/CaM-dependent S-nitrosylation, and CaMKII inhibition protected from NO-induced neuronal cell death. Conclusion: NO-mediated regulation of CaMKII contributes to its pathological functions. Significance: S-Nitrosylation is a novel path to CaMKII autonomy that connects Ca2+- and NO signaling. Both signaling by nitric oxide (NO) and by the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II α isoform (CaMKIIα) are implicated in two opposing forms of synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory, as well as in excitotoxic/ischemic neuronal cell death. For CaMKIIα, these functions specifically involve also Ca2+-independent autonomous activity, traditionally generated by Thr-286 autophosphorylation. Here, we demonstrate that NO-induced S-nitrosylation of CaMKIIα also directly generated autonomous activity, and that CaMKII inhibition protected from NO-induced neuronal cell death. NO induced S-nitrosylation at Cys-280/289, and mutation of either site abolished autonomy, indicating that simultaneous nitrosylation at both sites was required. Additionally, autonomy was generated only when Ca2+/CaM was present during NO exposure. Thus, generation of this form of CaMKIIα autonomy requires simultaneous signaling by NO and Ca2+. Nitrosylation also significantly reduced subsequent CaMKIIα autophosphorylation specifically at Thr-286, but not at Thr-305. A previously described reduction of CaMKII activity by S-nitrosylation at Cys-6 was also observed here, but only after prolonged (>5 min) exposure to NO donors. These results demonstrate a novel regulation of CaMKII by another second messenger system and indicate its involvement in excitotoxic neuronal cell death.
The respiratory effects of tramadol in children under halothane anaesthesia

In a randomised double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study, the respiratory effects of intravenous tramadol (1 mg or 2 mgkg−1) were compared with intravenous pethidine 1 mgkg−1 under halothane anaesthesia. Children, ASA 1–2 between 2 and 10 years, presenting for inguinal surgery were studied. Once a steady state for halothane was reached, baseline recordings of end‐tidal carbon dioxide, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, tidal volume, minute volume, blood pressure and pulse rate were recorded. Intravenous tramadol 1 mgkg−1 (T1) or 2 mgkg−1 (T2) or pethidine 1 mgkg−1 (PE) or placebo (PL) was then given according to a computer‐generated randomisation. Further sets of recordings were taken at 5‐min intervals for 20 min prior to commencement of surgery. The rate of recovery was assessed according to Aldrete scoring and the time and need for further analgesia were noted. The postoperative pain intensity was scored by means of a five‐point verbal rating scale hourly for 6 h. Eighty‐eight children, 22 per group, were studied. The mean age, weight and height were similar in each group. There was a statistically significant difference between the maximum decrease in respiratory rate and increase in end‐tidal carbon dioxide between group PE and groups T1/T2 (p < 0.001). Thirteen episodes of apnoea occurred in the PE group, 11 requiring naloxone. The mean respiratory rate was lowest 5 min after injection in all groups. There was a slow increase in respiratory rate until incision in groups T1 and T2. Respiratory rate remained almost unchanged in PL until incision. The decreases in respiratory rate were reflected by increases in end‐tidal carbon dioxide, the highest being recorded in the PE group. A lower intensity of pain in the first 2 h was noted in the three opioid groups. During the first 6 h, the proportion of patients requiring a further dose of analgesia was highest in PL and lowest in T2. Tramadol appears safe for use in children.
The effects of organizational innovation on operational performance and other types of innovation

The objective of this study is to examine the interrelationship between four types of innovation capabilities, mainly organizational, product, process and marketing innovation capability and to assess the impact of these innovations capability types on the operational performance of manufacturing SMEs. A survey method was used to collect data involving 124 Indonesian manufacturing SMEs. Structural equation modeling and relevant statistical methods were then used for analysis. It is found that organizational innovation capability is positively associated with product, process, and marketing innovation capabilities. These four types of innovation capability simultaneously are also related to the operational performance. In addition, it is found that organizational innovation capability is indirectly correlated with the improvement in operational performance.