Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature and Voltage Estimation Using Ring-Oscillator-Based Monitor for Field Test

Field test is performed in diverse environments, in which temperature varies across a wide range. As temperature affects a circuit delay greatly, accurate temperature monitors are required. They should be placed at various locations on a chip including hot spots. This paper proposes a flexible ring-oscillator-based monitor that accurately measures voltage as well as temperature at the same time. The measurement accuracy was confirmed by circuit simulation for 180 nm, 90 nm and 45 nm technologies. An experiment using test chips with 180 nm technology shows its feasibility.
Simulation-based evaluation of OSEM reconstruction bias on low activity PET data for the HRRT scanner

The ECAT High-Resolution Research Tomograph is a dedicated human brain positron emission tomography scanner. Due to gaps between its detector heads, 3D Ordinary Poisson OSEM algorithm is the reconstruction algorithm used in practice. For very low count statistics, it has been shown by several HRRT users groups that this algorithm converges to a biased solution. Unbiased quantification of low-activity regions is essential to measure accurately receptor-ligand kinetic parameters in brain receptor studies with reference tissue models. Using our simulation tool, we propose here to evaluate potential bias due to low-count statistics introduced by 3D OP-OSEM on binding potential (BPND). We also compare OP-OS NEG-ML, a scaled gradient ascent algorithm with an accelerate rate of convergence for low activity values. For simulated [11C]-PE2I dynamic data (1 hour acquisition, frame durations ranging from 1 to 5 minutes), we observe that 3D OP-OSEM and OP-OS NEG-ML converge to the same activity for the specific region, and also to the same BPND. We show using simulated cylinder phantom that the observed bias for this specific protocol is mainly due to the partial volume effect. This does not prevent the existence of a low count statistics bias with OP-OSEM for other protocols.
Confabulations on Episodic and Semantic Memory Questions Are Associated With Different Neurologic Backgrounds in Alzheimer Disease

BackgroundThe neurologic background of confabulations with reference to delusions or cognitive functions has not been clarified in Alzheimer disease (AD). MethodsConfabulations of 41 AD patients and 12 healthy controls were studied using the Modified Confabulation Battery. The mini-mental state examination and Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument were used for cognitive evaluations. Cerebral atrophy was assessed by voxel-based–morphometry of magnetic resonance imaging and the correlations with confabulations were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping 2. For the relations with delusion, the AD patients were divided into the delusion and nondelusion groups. The single photon emission computed tomography was performed to evaluate cerebral blood flow and the group difference was analyzed by statistical nonparametric mapping 3. ResultsThe AD patients exhibited more confabulations on episodic memory questions compared with semantic questions. The semantic confabulation scores correlated with mini-mental state examination and most Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument domains scores, and correlated with atrophy in the anterior cingulate, bilateral medial temporal, and right middle temporal gyrus. The delusion group exhibited more episodic confabulations and had lower prefrontal blood flow than the nondelusion group. ConclusionsDifferent mechanisms are involved in confabulations between semantic and episodic memories in AD. Episodic confabulation is affected by delusion related to frontal dysfunction, and semantic confabulation is associated with cognitive dysfunction.
Fair resource allocation for device-to-device communications in wireless cellular networks

In this paper, we consider the fair resource allocation problem for device-to-device (D2D) communications in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)-based wireless cellular networks. In particular, we propose a two-phase solution approach where resource allocation for cellular downlink and uplink flows with max-min fairness is performed in the first phase and resource allocation for D2D flows with rate protection for cellular flows is conducted in the second phase. We present both optimal formulations and low-complexity algorithms to solve the corresponding problems in the two phases. We also analyze the complexity of both solutions. Finally, we present numerical results to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithms in exploiting the spatial spectrum opportunities for D2D communications.
Staphylococcus aureus isolates from blood and anterior nares induce similar innate immune responses in endothelial cells

To evaluate the possibility to distinguish virulent from non‐virulent isolates, gene expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) induced by invasive and colonizing isolates of Staphylococcus aureus was compared. Gene expression in HUVEC was analyzed by microarray analysis after 4 h of infection with Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from healthy nasal carriers (n = 5) and from blood of septic patients (n = 5), to explore possible differences between the groups of bacteria in interaction with HUVEC. All isolates were spa‐typed to disclose strain relatedness. Moreover, the isolates were characterized with DNA microarray to determine the presence of virulence genes and to investigate the potential genes of importance in HUVEC interaction. The expression of 41 genes was up‐regulated, and four were down‐regulated in HUVEC by all isolates. Most of the up‐regulated genes encode cytokines, chemokines, interferon‐induced proteins, proteins regulating apoptosis and cell proliferation. There was no difference in the gene expression pattern between HUVEC infected with invasive or colonizing isolates. Furthermore, there was no difference in the presence of bacterial virulence genes between the two groups. In conclusion, our data indicate that S. aureus isolates induce comparable expression patterns in HUVEC, irrespective of invasiveness or presence of virulence genes.
Transient receptor potential‐like channels mediate metabotropic glutamate receptor EPSCs in rat dopamine neurones

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels form cationic channels activated by diverse factors including mechanical stimuli, changes in osmolarity, pH and temperature, as well as the exogenous irritant, capsaicin. Metabotropic glutamate receptors have also recently been linked to TRP channel activation in neurones of the substantia nigra, hippocampus and cerebellum, suggesting a novel role for such channels in synaptic communication via endogenous neurotransmitters. We tested this for dopamine neurones in rat brain slices by characterizing the current–voltage relationship and pharmacology of EPSCs mediated by group I metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 (mGluR1). Slow inward currents (273 ± 35 pA peak amplitude, 381 ± 25 ms latency, holding potential (Vh) =−73 mV) representing evoked mGluR1 EPSCs were isolated in the presence of antagonists of AMPA, NMDA, GABAA, GABAB, muscarinic and glycine receptors. CPCCOEt (100 μm), an mGluR1 antagonist, blocked the residual EPSC in all recordings. mGluR1‐activated EPSCs reversed polarity near −10 mV, consistent with the involvement of a cationic channel. Extracellular application of the non‐selective TRP channel blockers SKF 96365, flufenamic acid and ruthenium red caused reversible inhibition of mGluR1‐activated EPSCs. These characteristics parallel those of mGluR1 activation with an agonist and indicate the involvement of a TRP‐like channel in mGluR1‐mediated EPSCs.
Testing of semichronically implanted retinal prosthesis by suprachoroidal-transretinal stimulation in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE To examine the safety and effectiveness of a retinal prosthesis that is implanted semichronically in two patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP). METHODS Two eyes of two patients with advanced RP had a retinal prosthesis implanted in a sclera pocket of one eye. The visual acuity of both eyes before the implantation was bare light perception. Phosphenes were elicited by suprachoroidal-transretinal stimulation (STS). The internal devices of the STS were implanted under the skin on the temporal side of the head, and the 49 electrode-array was implanted in the scleral pocket of one eye. Biphasic electrical pulses (duration, 0.5 ms; frequency, 20 Hz) were delivered through nine active electrodes. The threshold current was determined by currents ≤1 mA. Behavioral tasks were used to determine the functioning of the prosthesis. RESULTS The surgery was completed without a retinal detachment and retinal/vitreous hemorrhage. The implanted STS system remained functional for the 4-week test period. Phosphenes were elicited by currents delivered through six electrodes in Patient 1 and through four electrodes in Patient 2. The success of discriminating two bars was better than the chance level in both patients. In Patient 2, the success of a grasping task was better than the chance level, and the success rate of identifying a white bar on a touch panel increased with repeated testing. CONCLUSIONS Semichronic implantation of a microelectrode-STS system showed that it was safe and remained functional for at least 4 weeks in two patients with advanced RP. (www.umin.ac.jp/ctr number, R000002690.).
The influence of silicon nitride layer parameters on the implied Voc of CZ silicon wafers after annealing

The passivation potential of PECVD SiNx deposited on undiffused p-type Si surfaces is investigated. The influence of post-deposition annealing temperature and the film parameters (refractive index and thickness) on the implied Voc of textured, commercial grade, p-type CZ wafers was studied. Improvement in the implied Voc values of SiNx passivated CZ wafers was observed for two different SiNx films for all annealing temperatures in the range of 600–820°C. Excellent implied VOC values above 700 mV achieved on these wafers indicate that this process can be potentially used as rear passivation for various commercial cell technologies. Initial results on the use of this process in the fabrication of the new Double Sided Laser Doped solar cells structure demonstrate this potential.
Analytical Performance of a Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Tissue-based 634-probe Prognostic Assay for Predicting Outcome of Patients With Stage II Colon Cancer

A formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue-based prognostic assay to assess the risk for recurrence in stage II colon cancer has recently been clinically validated. This study describes the analytical performance and quality control measures of the assay. The reportable range was determined to be [−1.129, 1.414] in risk score units. The accuracy was evaluated with a split sample comparison within the production lab and between the production lab and a reference lab. The concordance between the replicates within the production lab was 79% (95% confidence interval, 64%-91%). There was no evidence of bias, and the concordance was 78% (95% confidence interval, 61%-90%) between the labs. The lab-to-lab concordance was further evaluated by simulating risk scores from the full reportable range. The simulation suggested a higher concordance. The sensitivity study demonstrated that the percentage of tumor tissue did not impact the risk score and that RNA concentration of 9.5 ng/&mgr;L was a conservative determination of the analyte lower limit of quantification. From the precision study, the repeatability and reproducibility estimates were 0.1267 and 0.0548 in risk score units, respectively. Furthermore, multifaceted quality control measures were implemented, such as proper tissue processing steps, high-risk and low-risk controls, nontemplate control, and a gene expression–based classifier to evaluate the cDNA amplification kit, a key reagent in the assay. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the strong analytical performance of the assay and further supports its use as an objective standardized prognostic test for stage II colon cancer.
Disentangling the Developmental Trajectories of Letter Position and Letter Identity Coding Using Masked Priming

Masked transposed-letter (TL) priming effects have been used to index letter position processing over the course of reading development. Whereas some studies have reported an increase in TL priming over development, others have reported a decrease. These findings have led to the development of 2 somewhat contradictory accounts of letter position development: the lexical tuning hypothesis and the multiple-route model. One factor that may be contributing to these discrepancies is the use of baseline primes that substitute letters in the target word, which may confound the effect of changes in letter position processing over development with those of letter identity. The present study included an identity prime (e.g., listen—LISTEN), in addition to the standard two-substituted-letter (2SL; e.g., lidfen—LISTEN) and all-letter-different (ALD; e.g., rodfup—LISTEN) baselines, to remove the potential confound between letter position and letter identity information in determining the effect of the TL prime. Priming effects were measured in a lexical decision task administered to children aged 7–12 and a group of university students. Using inverse transformed response times, targets preceded by a TL prime were responded to significantly faster than those preceded by 2SL and ALD primes, and priming remained stable across development. In contrast, targets preceded by a TL prime were responded to significantly slower than those preceded by an ID prime, and this reaction-time cost increased significantly over development, with adults showing the largest cost. These findings are consistent with a lexical tuning account of letter position development, and are inconsistent with the multiple-route model.
Obesity‐induced renal impairment is exacerbated in interleukin‐6‐knockout mice

Aim: Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is secreted from adipose tissue and thought to contribute to obesity‐related disorders. The aim of this study was to assess if IL‐6‐knockout (IL‐6‐/‐) mice would develop obesity‐induced renal impairment.
Evaluation of MP4OX for prevention of perioperative hypotension in patients undergoing primary hip arthroplasty with spinal anesthesia: a randomized, double-blind, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND MP4OX (oxygenated polyethylene glycol-modified hemoglobin) is an oxygen therapeutic agent with potential applications in clinical settings where targeted delivery of oxygen to ischemic tissues is required. The primary goal of this study was to investigate MP4OX for preventing hypotensive episodes. An additional goal was to establish the safety profile of MP4OX in a large surgical population. METHODS Patients (n = 367) from 18 active study sites in six countries, undergoing elective primary hip arthroplasty with spinal anesthesia, were randomized to receive MP4OX or hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4. Patients received a 250-ml dose at induction of spinal anesthesia and a second 250-ml dose if the protocol-specified trigger (predefined decrease in systolic blood pressure) was reached. The primary end point was the proportion of patients who developed one or more hypotensive episodes. RESULTS The proportion of patients with one or more hypotensive episodes was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) in the MP4OX group (66.1%) versus controls receiving hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (90.2%). More MP4OX-treated patients experienced adverse events compared with controls (72.7% vs. 61.4%; P = 0.026). Transient elevations in laboratory values (e.g., alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lipase, and troponin concentrations) occurred more frequently in the MP4OX group. There were no significant differences in the incidence of serious adverse events or in the composite morbidity and ischemia outcome end points, but nausea and hypertension were reported more often in MP4OX-treated patients. CONCLUSION MP4OX significantly reduced the incidence of hypotensive episodes in patients undergoing hip arthroplasty, but the adverse event profile does not support use in routine low-risk surgical patients for the indication evaluated in this study.
A comparative study of amyloid-beta (1-42) as a cofactor for plasminogen activation by vampire bat plasminogen activator and recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator

Summary The activity of both human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and the PA from the saliva of the vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, (DSPA) is critically dependent on the presence of a cofactor. The most efficient cofactor for both PAs is fibrin, but fibrinogen and amyloid beta peptides also have cofactor activities for human t-PA. Compared to t-PA, DSPA has a more stringent requirement for fibrin as a cofactor. The present study was undertaken to compare cofactor activities of amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ1-42) for plasminogen activation by DSPA-α1 or by t-PA. The two PAs were incubated with different concentrations of glu-plasminogen, a chromogenic substrate for plasmin and 100 µg mL-1 of Aβ1-42, fibrinogen or fibrin as cofactor. Using the kinetic parameters directly determined from the chromogenic substrate conversion curves, we derived the relative efficacies of DSPA or t-PA in the presence of cofactor at the physiological plasminogen concentration of 2 µM. In the presence of fibrin, the activity of DSPA was comparable to that of t-PA and 23,270-fold higher than its activity without cofactor, whereas fibrin induced only a 248-fold increase in t-PA activity. The activity of DSPA with Aβ1-42 or fibrinogen as cofactor was 485-fold lower than its activity in the presence of fibrin, while for t-PA this difference was only 26-fold. The much lower activity of DSPA as compared to t-PA with Aβ1-42 or fibrinogen might lead to fewer side effects when used for the thrombolytic therapy of stroke.
Accurate Delineation of Glioma Infiltration by Advanced PET/MR Neuro-Imaging (FRONTIER Study): A Diagnostic Study Protocol.

BACKGROUND Glioma imaging, used for diagnostics, treatment planning, and follow-up, is currently based on standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities (T1 contrast-enhancement for gadolinium-enhancing gliomas and T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity for nonenhancing gliomas). The diagnostic accuracy of these techniques for the delineation of gliomas is suboptimal. OBJECTIVE To assess the diagnostic accuracy of advanced neuroimaging compared with standard MRI modalities for the detection of diffuse glioma infiltration within the brain. METHODS A monocenter, prospective, diagnostic observational study in adult patients with a newly diagnosed, diffuse infiltrative glioma undergoing resective glioma surgery. Forty patients will be recruited in 3 years. Advanced neuroimaging will be added to the standard preoperative MRI. Serial neuronavigated biopsies in and around the glioma boundaries, obtained immediately preceding resective surgery, will provide histopathologic and molecular characteristics of the regions of interest, enabling comparison with quantitative measurements in the imaging modalities at the same biopsy sites. DISCUSSION In this clinical study, we determine the diagnostic accuracy of advanced imaging in addition to standard MRI to delineate glioma. The results of our study can be valuable for the development of an improved standard imaging protocol for glioma treatment. EXPECTED OUTCOME We hypothesize that a combination of positron emission tomography, MR spectroscopy, and standard MRI will have a superior accuracy for glioma delineation compared with standard MRI alone. In addition, we anticipate that advanced imaging will correlate with the histopathologic and molecular characteristics of glioma. ABBREVIATIONS CHO, [11C-]CholineCRF, case report formsFET, [18F-]Fluoroethyl-tyrosineFLAIR, fluid-attenuated inversion recoveryMETC, Medical Ethical CommitteeMRS, magnetic resonance spectroscopyPET, positron emission tomographyVUmc, VU University Medical Center.
Design of anti-resonance transducer and its abilities for efficient ultrasonic wireless power transmission system

We developed a fundamental testbed and investigated the suitable transducer for the wireless power transmission (WPT). We also had reported experimental results of the transmission efficiency in water by using the commercial transducer (COM) which only designed to match to the acoustic impedance of water by its structure and the electric impedance of the transmitter and receiver by matching networks. In this paper, we investigate the transducer (DEV) for improving the transmission efficiency based on the Mason's equivalent circuit. For deciding a structure and materials of the transducer, we used ANSYS well-known as the multi-physics simulator. In this result, it is confirmed that the transmission efficiency is drastically improved from less than 1% to 60% compared to our previous report. In addition, we manufactured designed transducer, and confirmed the system's efficiency is about 50 % experimentally. This result also suggests that WPT by the acoustic wave be practicable.
Beyond Ending Poverty: The Dynamics of Microfinance in Bangladesh

The recent past has witnessed phenomenal growth in MFIs around the world. Today as many as 200 million people are beneficiaries of microfinance. Given its worldwide attention, microfinance has received serious criticism, including the argument that it is a fad with less-than-expected benefits for the poor. Surely, microfinance is not without any pitfalls. Yet the premise of improving access to financial services for consumption smoothing by the poor has never been a subject of controversy. What has been controversial is whether microfinance can alleviate poverty. That the poor lack an effective and affordable alternative financing mechanism to support income generation does not necessarily mean microfinance is a panacea since it involves entrepreneurial skills, which many poor lack. It is little wonder that studies evaluating the benefits of microfinance have produced conflicting results. Of course, study findings are contextual: They are positive in conducive environments and less so in unfavorable ones. Microfinance must be distinguished from anti-poverty schemes (e.g., conditional cash transfers) because benefits from microfinance-supported activities, which involve participants entrepreneurial skills and ability, take time to realize. This book using household long panel survey of 1991/92-2010/11 from Bangladesh addresses some of criticisms including whether pushing microfinance has made it redundant as a tool for poverty reduction while investigating whether it still matters for the poor after two decades of extensive growth. The book findings confirm the positive effects of continued borrowing from a microfinance program. Despite a manifold increase in microfinance borrowing, loan recovery has not declined and long-term borrowers are not trapped in poverty or debt. Interest rates charged by MFIs are not too high for realizing returns on investment, although the MFIs have scope for lowering them. The book is expected to contribute to the ongoing debate on the cost-effectiveness of microfinance as a tool for inclusive growth and development. It is expected to fill knowledge gaps in understanding the various virtues of microfinance against its portrayal as having drifted from its original poverty-reduction mission.