Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of humidity on reliability of plastic packages

Polymers are widely used in microelectronics packaging as e.g. adhesives or encapsulants. Low cost and mass production capabilities are the main advantages of these materials. But like all polymers they cannot provide a hermetical sealing due to their permeability properties. The susceptibility to diffusion of liquids and gases through the polymer and along the interfaces is a drawback for polymers in general, as water or other media inside a microelectronic package might lead to softening and to a decreasing adhesive strength and resulting delaminations close to solder bumps or wire bonds. These delaminations are reducing package reliability by corrupting the package structural integrity and provoking corrosion at the revealed metal interconnects. In addition the absorption of humidity causes a volume increase of the polymer, i.e. swelling, which can also lead to extra package stress which might be especially critical for sensor packages. Also mechanical, thermo-mechanical and electrical properties could be influenced by the absorbed water. Different methods for characterization of humidity absorption, diffusion, permeation, swelling and property changes with respect to microelectronics application have been developed and applied for material characterization and evaluation. The pros and cons of these different approaches are presented and discussed along testing results with relevant examples. The results of the measurement allow supporting miniaturized microsystems packaging by system design concerning packaging concept, geometrical layout as well as material selection and modeling of the package with focus on diffusion, swelling or material degradation and therewith are forecast on the later reliability of the overall system.
Analysis of the dynamic Bacillus subtilis Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphoproteome implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes

The physiological role of proteins phosphorylated on serine/threonine/tyrosine (Ser/Thr/Tyr) residues or the identity of the corresponding kinases and phosphatases is generally poorly understood in bacteria. As a first step in analysing the importance of such phosphorylation, we sought to establish the nature of the Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphoproteome in Bacillus subtilis, using in vivo labelling with [32P]‐orthophosphate, one‐unit pH 2‐DE, combined with MS. Highly reproducible 2‐D profiles of phosphoproteins were obtained with early stationary‐phase cells. The 2‐D profiles contained at least 80 clearly labelled spots in the pH range 4–7. Forty‐six spots were analysed by MS (confirmed in most cases by LC‐MS/MS), identifying a total of 29 different proteins, with 19 identified for the first time as bacterial phosphoproteins. These phosphoproteins are implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes, including carbon and energy metabolism, transport, stress and development. Significant changes to the profiles were obtained as a result of cold, heat or osmotic shock, demonstrating that, in stationary‐phase cells, the phosphoproteome is dynamic. An initial comparative study indicated that at least 25 [32P]‐labelled spots were also stained by Pro‐Q Diamond, with apparently six additional phosphoproteins uniquely detected by Pro‐Q.
Bragg grating-assisted optical triplexer using two silicon nanowire-based directional couplers

A triplexer based on silicon nanophotonic wire structure consisting of two Bragg grating-assisted directional couplers is proposed. The device has low loss, low crosstalk, and a footprint of only 210 ×40 µm. The 1-dB bandwidth for the three channels located at 1310, 1490 and 1550 nm are 110, 20, and 20 nm, respectively.
Further studies of shoulder and neck pain and exposures in customer service work with low biomechanical demands

The aim of the study was to establish insight into work exposures that cause shoulder and neck pain among occupational groups that have low biomechanical exposure and experience work stress from client/customer contact, among other exposures. Four occupational groups were studied, in health care (n = 20), retail (n = 22), banking (n = 26), and university secretaries (n = 26), a total of 94 volunteers. Thirty-nine were classified as pain-afflicted in the shoulder and neck, while 55 were pain-free. The subjects' perceptions of biomechanical and psychosocial exposures were established by use of quantitative questionnaires and by explorative interviews with open-ended questions, covering the same themes. Heart rate and trapezius EMG were recorded over a full workday and the following leisure period. Trapezius median and static activity during work were 3.3% and 0.3% EMGmax, only marginally higher than trapezius activity in the leisure period (2.7% and 0.2% EMGmax). The quantitative questionnaire did not identify any variable that correlated with shoulder and neck pain except perceived general tension. The interviews established that the interaction with clients or customers was an important source of work stress. Such stress appeared to be a complex entity not easily characterized by established psychosocial questionnaires. The physiological variables were at most weakly elevated in periods with high stress as compared to periods with low stress. The authors caution against relying on standardized quantitative questionnaires and/or physiological recordings to characterize work stress in occupations with emotional stress through client/customer service work.
Novel hybrid CNN-SVM model for recognition of functional magnetic resonance images

This paper proposes a novel hybrid model that integrates the synergy of two superior classifiers for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recognition, namely, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and support vector machines (SVMs), both of which have proven results in the field of image recognition. In the proposed model, the CNN functions as a trainable feature extractor and the SVM functions as a recognizer. This hybrid model extracts features from raw images and generates predictions for fMRI recognition. We conducted experiments on Haxby's 2001 fMRI dataset. Comparisons with Haxby's study using the same database indicated that the proposed fusion achieved superior recognition accuracy of 99.5% compared to the Haxby's approach. Further, when the CNN was used as a feature extractor, the SVM classifier was demonstrated to be the best combining counterpart, providing the best synergy effect in terms of accuracy. This is compared with other classifiers based on learning algorithms such as decision tree, neural network, K-nearest neighbor, random forest, and AdaBoost.
Three-dimensional model on thermal response of skin subject to laser heating

A three-dimensional (3D) multilayer model based on the skin physical structure is developed to investigate the transient thermal response of human skin subject to laser heating. The temperature distribution of the skin is modeled by the bioheat transfer equation, and the influence of laser heating is expressed as a source term where the strength of the source is a product of a Gaussian shaped incident irradiance, an exponentially shaped axial attenuation, and a time function. The water evaporation and diffusion is included in the model by adding two terms regarding the heat loss due to the evaporation and diffusion, where the rate of water evaporation is determined based on the theory of laminar boundary layer. Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) in laser therapy is studied, as well as its effect on the skin thermal response. The time-dependent equation is discretized using the finite difference method with the Crank–Nicholson scheme and the stability of the numerical method is analyzed. The large sparse linear system resulted from discretizing the governing partial differential equation is solved by a GMRES solver and the expected simulation results are obtained.
Utilization of starch and synthesis of a combined amylase/αα‐glucosidase by the human colonic anaerobe Bacteroides ovatus

Bacteroides ovatus preferentially utilized starch and pectin when grown on a mixture of polysaccharides in batch culture, indicating that these carbohydrates are important substrates for the bacterium in the human large intestine. Further studies on starch breakdown showed that continuous cultures grew on the polysaccharide when it provided the sole carbohydrate source, to yield a single hydrolytic product at low dilution rates (D = 0·04 h−1), with an estimated molecular mass of 13 kDa. In contrast, two major types of oligomeric products were formed at higher dilution rates (D = 0·44 h−1), with approximate molecular weights of 11 and 140 kDa. Analysis of cell‐associated starch‐degrading enzymes produced by Bact. ovatus using ion exchange chromatography and HPLC gel‐filtration showed that amylase and α‐glucosidase activities eluted in the same fractions. The single peak containing amylase and α‐glucosidase activities obtained by HPLC gel‐filtration chromatography corresponded to a molecular mass of approximately 140 kDa, and activity staining of gels for α‐glucosidase activity after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, gave an estimated molecular mass of 70 kDa, indicating this enzyme to be a dimer. After renaturation, the 70 kDa band was cut from the gels and solubilized. The extract hydrolysed gelatinized starch and p‐nitrophenyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranoside.
Design and implementation of user-level remote memory extension library

The increase of memory capacity has not kept up with the continuous increase of large memory applications. Therefore, approaches to utilize remote memory like a local memory has been considered as a cost effective way to run large memory application in the cluster environment where computing nodes are connected via high speed network. For the users of HPC cluster to run large memory application without administrator's support, we suggest a user-level remote memory extension method. We designed and implemented a remote memory library model which extends the virtual address space of the large memory application process to remote memory. It includes user-level API and page fault handling mechanism, temporal page pool management and remote page prefetching algorithm. We also developed a performance test program to show if the user-level remote memory extension library works well. From the experimental test, we found that user-level remote memory extension library works well for applications with sequential access pattern.
The Impact of Developmental Visuospatial Learning Difficulties on British Sign Language

There has been substantial research interest in recent years in the relationship between the development of language and cognition, especially where dissociations can be seen between them. Williams syndrome, a rare congenital disorder characterized by a fractionation of higher cortical functions, with relatively preserved language but marked difficulties with visuospatial constructive cognition, has been extensively studied. The case of Heather, who is remarkably similar to the characteristic phenotype of Williams syndrome in physical appearance and cognitive abilities, but who is also congenitally deaf and a user of British Sign Language, provides the first opportunity to explore the consequences of specific visuospatial learning difficulties on the linguistic system when the language used is visuospatial. Heather shows a pattern of impaired drawing ability and visual form discrimination, but preserved ability to discriminate faces. She has a large vocabulary in British Sign Language, and overall presents a picture of relative competence in British Sign Language grammar. However, she shows specific deficits in those areas of British Sign Language which directly rely on spatial representations for linguistic purposes. A number of theories as to the nature of her impairments and those found in Williams syndrome are discussed, using models of the relationship between language and visuospatial cognition based on data from this unique case.
The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in a Frontline Service Setting

The goal of the current study was to test the generalizability of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a frontline service setting. Twenty‐nine patients who presented to treatment clinics with problematic worry were provided CBT for GAD. Among the intent‐to‐treat sample, there were no significant changes in worry or depression from pre‐ to posttreatment. Treatment completers showed significant pre‐ to posttreatment reductions on measures of worry and depression. The magnitude of change was smaller than has been reported in randomized control trials (RCTs). Although the frontline service setting differed from RCT settings in multiple ways, treatment completers nonetheless achieved moderate to large decreases in self‐reported worry and depression.
Isolation and characterization of mouse FM3A cell mutants which are devoid of Newcastle disease virus receptors

A method was developed to select host cell mutants which did not permit the replication of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and 14 isolates of NDV-nonpermissive mutants of mouse FM3A cells were obtained. All these isolates were judged to be deficient in NDV receptors, since their ability to adsorb 3H-labeled NDV virions was markedly decreased. They were tested for genetic complementation in pairs by cell fusion and shown to fall into a single recessive complementation group, which was designated as Had-1. Vesicular stomatitis virus was able to replicate in this mutant to produce infectious progeny, but the glycoprotein of the released virion was abnormal in size, suggesting a defective processing of the asparagine-linked carbohydrate chains in the mutant cell. The Had-1 mutant was resistant to wheat germ agglutinin, but sensitive to a Griffonia simplicifolia lectin, GS-II, which recognizes terminal N-acetylglucosamine residues. The altered sensitivity to these plant lectins compared with that of the parental FM3A cells indicates that sialylated sugar chains on the cell surface are almost absent from the Had-1 cells, thereby rendering the cells NDV receptor deficient.
Limited effect of low frequency magnetic fields on the concentrations of calcium, magnesium and fluoride in saliva.

AIM To assess the influence of low frequency magnetic fields on the contents of calcium, magnesium and fluoride in saliva. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sixty two patients were subjected to magnetic stimulation with low frequency magnetic fields of mean induction 3 microT at the first intervention and 4 microT at the following fourteen ones. Saliva was sampled before magnetic stimulation and after the 5th, 10th and 15th interventions. The contents of calcium and magnesium ions were measured by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. The content of fluoride was determined using an ion-selective electrode. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were found between the calcium concentrations before magnetic stimulation and after 5, 10 and 15 interventions. Statistically significant differences in the magnesium concentrations were observed only between 10th and 15th interventions. No statistically significant differences in fluoride concentrations were found. CONCLUSION Low frequency magnetic fields have no or weak influences on the content of calcium, magnesium and fluoride in saliva.
Detection of novel Fibrobacter populations in landfill sites and determination of their relative abundance via quantitative PCR.

Members of the bacterial genus Fibrobacter have long been considered important components of the anaerobic cellulolytic community in the herbivore gut, but their presence and activity in other environments is largely unknown. In this study, a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer set, targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Fibrobacter spp. , was applied to community DNA from five landfill sites followed by temporal thermal gel electrophoresis (TTGE) analysis of cloned amplification products. Phylogenetic analysis of clone sequences indicated the presence of novel clusters closely related to the genus Fibrobacter. There are two named species, Fibrobacter succinogenes and F. intestinalis, and only two of the 58 sequenced clones were identified with them, and both were F. succinogenes. The clone sequences from landfill were recovered in five distinct clusters within the Fibrobacter lineage, and four of these were novel. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays of reverse-transcribed community RNA from landfill leachates and rumen fluid samples indicated that the abundance of Fibrobacter spp. relative to total bacteria varied from 0.2% to 40% in landfill, and 21% to 32% in the rumen, and these data demonstrate that fibrobacters can be a significant component of the microbial community in landfill ecosystems. This is the first evidence for Fibrobacter spp. outside the gut ecosystem, and as the only cultivated representatives of this group are actively cellulolytic, their diversity and abundance points to a possible role in cellulose hydrolysis in landfill, and perhaps other anaerobic environments also.
Separation of factors responsible for change in breathing pattern induced by instrumentation.

Employment of mouthpiece and noseclips (MP + NC) has repeatedly been shown to increase tidal volume (VT), but its effect on respiratory frequency (f) and its subsets is controversial. The mechanisms accounting for this alteration in breathing pattern are poorly understood and may include stimulation of oral or nasal sensory receptors or alteration in the route of breathing. In this study we demonstrated that use of a MP + NC, compared with nonobtrusive measurement with a calibrated respiratory inductive plethysmograph, alters the majority of the volume and time indexes of breathing pattern, with increases in minute ventilation (P less than 0.01), VT (P less than 0.001), inspiratory time (TI, P less than 0.05), expiratory time (TE, P less than 0.05), mean inspiratory flow (P less than 0.05), and mean expiratory flow (P less than 0.05) and a decrease in f(P less than 0.05). Separating the potential mechanisms we found that when the respiratory route was not altered, independent oral stimulation (using an occluded MP) or nasal stimulation (by applying paper clips to the alae nasi) did not change the breathing pattern. In contrast, obligatory oral breathing without additional stimulation of the oral or nasal sensory receptors caused increases in VT (P less than 0.05), TI (P less than 0.05), and TE (P less than 0.01) and a fall in f(P less than 0.05). Heating and humidifying the inspired air did not prevent the alteration in breathing pattern with a MP. Thus change in the respiratory route is the major determinant of the alteration in breathing pattern with a MP + NC. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nitric Oxide Does Not Downregulate Rho-Kinase (ROCK-2) Expression in Rat Coronary Endothelial Cells

Rho kinase (ROCK) and nitric oxide (NO) are important targets in cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we investigated the possible influence of NO on Rho kinase (ROCK-2 isoform) expressions in cultured rat coronary microvascular endothelial cells. The cells were isolated from Wistar rats on a Langendorff system, and were incubated overnight (~16 h) with an NO generator, A-23187 (10−7 to 10-6 M), NO donors, such as sodium nitroprusside (10−7 to 10−6 M), glyceryl trinitrate (10−7 to 10−6 M), 2,2′-(hydroxynitrosohydrazono)bis-ethanimine (10−7 to 10−6 M), and NaNO2 (10−4 to 10−3 M) or a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (2×10−4 M), or two ROCK inhibitors, (+)-(R)-trans-4-(1-aminoethyl)- N-(4-pyridyl) cyclohexanecarboxamide dihydrochloride monohydrate (Y-27632, 10-5 M) and fasudil (10-5 M) in the absence or presence of thrombin (4 U/mL). ROCK-2 and endothelial NOS (eNOS) expressions were detected by Western blotting. Moreover, nitrite/nitrate levels were detected by Griess method in the presence of the ROCK inhibitors. The NO donors and the NO generator had no significant effects on ROCK-2 expression. Y-27632 and fasudil did not alter eNOS expression and NO production. Nitrite/nitrate levels were 4.4 ± 0.32 μM in control and 4.0 ± 0.93 μM and in Y-27632 group. These results demonstrate that prolong NO donation could not suppress the expression of ROCK-2 protein, and the ROCK inhibitor did not change e-NOS expression and NO production in the cultured rat coronary microvascular endothelial cells.
Antinociceptive effects of N‐acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) peptidase inhibitors ZJ‐11, ZJ‐17 and ZJ‐43 in the rat formalin test and in the rat neuropathic pain model

The peptide neurotransmitter N‐acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) acts as an agonist at group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). NAAG is inactivated by extracellular peptidase activity yielding glutamate and N‐acetylaspartate. We recently developed a series of potent NAAG peptidase inhibitors, including ZJ‐11, ZJ‐17 and ZJ‐43. In the present study, we examined the effects of intrathecally administered ZJ‐11 and ZJ‐17 and intravenously administered ZJ‐11 and ZJ‐43 in the rat formalin test (an inflammatory pain model) and in the rat partial sciatic nerve ligation model (a neuropathic pain model). Intrathecal injection of ZJ‐11 or ZJ‐17 or intravenous injection of ZJ‐11 or ZJ‐43 suppressed both phases of the agitation behaviour induced by paw formalin injection. Intrathecal and intravenous injection of ZJ‐11 suppressed the expression of Fos‐like immunoreactivity, induced by paw formalin injection, in laminae I–II in segments L4–L5 of the spinal cord, suggesting an action on sensory spinal transmission. Partial sciatic nerve ligation induced significant mechanical allodynia 7 days after the nerve injury. Intrathecal injection of ZJ‐11 or ZJ‐17 or intravenous administration of ZJ‐11 or ZJ‐43 attenuated the level of mechanical allodynia induced by this nerve ligation. These effects of intrathecally or intravenously administered ZJ compounds in both the formalin test and the partial sciatic nerve ligation model were completely antagonized by pretreatment with LY‐341495, a highly selective group II mGluR antagonist. Thus, elevation of extracellular NAAG, induced by the inhibition of NAAG peptidase, activates group II mGluRs and produces an analgesic effect in neuropathic and inflammatory and pain models. In contrast, peptidase inhibition did not affect the threshold for withdrawal from a noxious mechanical stimulus or from an acute thermal stimulus in the hotplate test.
Murine Frizzled-1 Behaves as an Antagonist of the Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling*

Activation of the Wnt signaling cascade provides key signals during development and in disease. Wnt signals are transduced by seven-transmembrane Frizzleds (Fzs) and the single transmembrane low density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins 5 or 6. In the course of the analysis of genes regulated by bone morphogenetic protein 2 in mesenchymal cells we found a significant induction of murine Frizzled-1 (mFz1) gene expression. Unexpectedly overexpression of mFz1 dramatically repressed the induction of alkaline phosphatase mediated by either bone morphogenetic protein 2 or Wnt3a in these cells. Moreover mFz1 overexpression significantly repressed both β-catenin translocation into the nucleus and T cell factor signaling mediated by Wnt3a. Importantly microinjection of mFz1 transcript in Xenopus embryo inhibited the ability of Wnt1 to induce the expression of the Wnt/β-catenin target gene Siamois in animal cap assay and secondary axis formation in whole embryo. By using chimeric constructs in which N- and C-terminal segments of mFz1 were replaced by the corresponding parts of Xfz3 we demonstrated that the antagonistic activity resides in the cysteine-rich domain of the N-terminal part. The antagonist activity of mFz1 could be prevented by overexpression of Gαq-(305-359), which specifically uncouples Gq-coupled receptors, suggesting that Gαq signaling contributes to the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin pathway by mFz1. This is the first time that a Frizzled receptor has been reported to antagonize Wnt/β-catenin.