Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Red Blood Cell Flow in the Fetal Scalp during Hypoxemia in the Chronic Sheep Experiment. A Laser Doppler Flow Study

ABSTRACT. Reliable monitoring of arterial blood gas values in the fetal scalp microcirculation requires an unimpaired local skin blood flow. Previous studies have shown that in the fetus blood flow to “nonvital” organs and tissues is reduced during hypoxemia. However, data on fetal scalp blood flow during hypoxemia have not been reported. Therefore, the influence of hypoxemia on scalp blood flow was studied in four chronically catheterized fetal lambs of 125-135 days of gestation. Red blood cell flow in the fetal scalp was continuously measured by the laser Doppler method during nine experiments. Reducing the oxygen saturation of fetal carotid arterial blood from an average control value of 52 to 21% for 20 min resulted in an average decrease of the laser Doppler flow index of 7%. In vitro studies revealed that more than half of the observed decrease in laser Doppler flow index could be attributed to enhanced absorption of light from the HeNelaser caused by the deoxygenation of oxyhemoglobin itself. In the first 20 min after hypoxia, fetal scalp blood flow remained below the prehypoxic value. It is concluded that moderate hypoxemia causes only a small decrease in fetal scalp blood flow, certainly when compared to the dramatic fall in scalp blood flow that has been observed when local or circular pressure is exerted onto the fetal scalp.
BOSCH PROCESS CHARACTERIZATION FOR DONUT TSV ’ S

In a continuous quest for cost reduction, the semiconductor industry continues to pursue device scaling techniques. However as scaling becomes more complex and expensive, alternative techniques for cost reduction are being investigated. Progress in 3D packaging (3D-SIC, 3D-SoC) and Interposer technologies have the promise to offer reduced costs and smaller form factors. One of the key features for all of these packaging technologies is Through Silicon Vias (TSV). In this paper we discuss processing a TSV-Last version of Donut TSV’s (DTSV) which are defined by etching a annulus or donut shaped trench in the thinned silicon device wafer using a Bosch etch process. The donut trench is then filled with a polymer that acts as liner and stress buffer. Next, the core of the donut is removed by a self-aligned silicon etching process and filled with electroplated Copper. There are several challenges arising from the behavior of the Bosch process used to define the donut trench. The first is that the process is sensitive to excessive lateral etching of Si at the PMD (pre-metal dielectric) interface (notching). In order to minimize this effect, the main etching step should stop just before reaching the PMD and the etch should be completed by a soft etch, which produces less defined TSV profiles, is slower than the main etching step and should thus be kept as short as possible. Some over etching is required to account for silicon thickness variation and etch non-uniformity across the wafer. The second challenge of the Bosch process is Aspect Ratio Dependent Etching (ARDE). For the DTSV’s, the aspect ratio is very high and the obtained etch depth will be sensitive to CD variations. The width of the ring in the donut is aggressively small for advanced packaging lithography and tight process control will be required. In this study the Bosch etch and lithography are characterized and the requirements on the lithography performance are determined. Experimental process windows and lithography modeling are presented on the optimization required to maintain the required CD control. Finally, the optimal etching times for the Bosch process are deduced.
Lessons from the Implementation of the Maryland Kids First Act

This research was conducted under a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) through its State Health Access Reform Evaluation (SHARE) program. SHARE supports rigorous research on health reform issues at a state level, with a focus on state‐level implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other efforts designed to increase coverage and access. The program operates out of the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC), an RWJF‐funded research center in the Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. Information is available at www.shadac. org/share.
Involvement of CLOCK:BMAL1 heterodimer in serum-responsive mPer1 induction

A rapid induction of mouse period1 (mPer1) gene expression is supposed to be critical in the clock gene regulation, especially in the phase resetting of the clock, but its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Based on the previous finding that the process does not involve de novo synthesis of proteins, we postulated the involvement of CLOCK:BMAL1 heterodimer, a positive regulator of circadian oscillator, in the rapid induction of mPer1 transcription. To test this hypothesis, we utilized CLOCK&Dgr;19, a dominant-negative mutant, to suppress the function of CLOCK:BMAL1 in vitro. Serum-evoked rapid increases of mPer1 mRNA expression and promoter activity were significantly blunted when CLOCK:BMAL1 function was interfered with. Furthermore, DNA binding activity of CLOCK:BMAL1 heterodimer to five E-boxes of mPer1 promoter markedly increased shortly after serum shock. Taken together, these results suggest that CLOCK:BMAL1 heterodimer is not only a core component of negative feedback loop driving circadian oscillator, but also involved in the rapid induction of mPer1 during phase resetting of the clock.
Angiotensin II Receptor Types 1A, 1B, and 2 in Murine Neuroblastoma Neuro‐2a Cells

Abstract In this study, the mouse neuroblastoma cell line Neuro‐2a was analyzed for expression of angiotensin II receptors. Reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) showed that Neuro‐2a cells express mRNA of angiotensin II (AngII) receptor subtypes AT1A, AT1B, and AT2. Analysis of Neuro‐2a cells by Western blotting revealed AT1 and AT2 receptor protein expression. The predominant molecular weights were determined to be 50.4 kDa for the AT1 receptor and 62.4 kDa for the AT2 receptor. Observation of AT1 and AT2 receptor localization within Neuro‐2a cells using immunocytochemistry showed distribution similar to other G‐protein coupled receptors with diffuse distribution in the cytosol, perinuclear enrichment and accumulation of receptors on the outer cellular periphery with extension into the neurites. Furthermore, we observed InsP3 formation following AngII induction that could be abolished in presence of the AT1A receptor antagonist losartan. The results clearly show expression of the AngII receptor types AT1A and AT2 in the Neuro‐2a cell line. We conclude that Neuro‐2a cells represent an interesting model cell line for study of mechanisms that control the interplay between these receptors.
Working Papers 520 August 2014 Probabilistic Transitivity in Sports

We seek to find the statistical model that most accurately describes empirically observed results in sports. The idea of a transitive relation concerning the team strengths is implemented by imposing a set of constraints on the outcome probabilities. We theoretically investigate the resulting optimization problem and draw comparisons to similar problems from the existing literature including the linear ordering problem and the isotonic regression problem. Our optimization problem turns out to be very complicated to solve. We propose a branch and bound algorithm for an exact solution and for larger sets of teams a heuristic method for quickly finding a „good“ solution. Finally we apply the described methods to panel data from soccer, American football and tennis and also use our framework to compare the performance of empirically applied ranking schemes.
The effects of manipulation of visual feedback in virtual reality on cortical activity: A pilot study

It is known that systematic visual distortions using virtual reality technologies, prisms or mirrors, may have therapeutic effects for patients suffering from stroke or body image identity disorders. However, there are few studies which directly investigate neural activity changes during visual feedback manipulation. In the present study we created an experimental setup for investigating the effects of systematic virtual reality-mediated visual feedback manipulation of finger movements on cortical activity. We performed tests with two healthy female subjects who performed a line-tracking task under four conditions manipulating visual feedback of their own hand. To investigate hemodynamic responses in motor areas during the line tracking task we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We predicted that viewing larger or smaller virtual movements of fingers, compared to the real movements, would affect activity in motor areas and thus the hemodynamic response. Our preliminary results showed changes in the hemodynamic responses between stimulation period and baseline. There were indications of possible differences between conditions, and also of adaptation effects within conditions. However these effects were not significant in our preliminary data and we therefore need to collect additional data to draw further conclusions.
The Curricular Approach to Residential Education: Lessons for Student Affairs Practice

Abstract:The curricular approach to student learning beyond the classroom is a strategic way to be proactive with designing, executing, and assessing student learning. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study is to understand the perceptions of one senior administrator in academic affairs, housing employees, and student leaders at one institution where a curricular approach was adopted. Research methods included semi-structured interviews, document analysis, focus groups, and photo elicitation. Findings from the study revealed that participants perceived the following benefits of adopting a curricular approach: improved clarity on the department’s direction, better strategic standards and structures for staff, and an enhanced sense of voice for some staff. Participants perceived the downsides of adopting a curricular approach to be: not all student populations benefitted equally from a one-size-fits-all approach, physical space limitations, and lack of communication and clarity about the curricular approach language.
Transcriptome sequencing and SNP detection in Phoebe chekiangensis

Background Phoebe chekiangensis is a rare tree species that is only distributed in south-eastern China. Although this species is famous for its excellent wood properties, it has not been extensively studied at the molecular level. Results Here, the transcriptome of P. chekiangensis was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology, and 75,647 transcripts with 48,011 unigenes were assembled and annotated. In addition, 162,938 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were predicted and 25 were further validated using the Sanger method. Conclusion The currently available SNP prediction software packages showed low levels of correspondence when compared. The transcriptome and SNPs will contribute to the exploration of P. chekiangensis genetic resources and the understanding of its molecular mechanisms.
Efficacy of supplemental 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol and microbial phytase for young pigs fed phosphorus- or amino acid-deficient corn-soybean meal diets.

Young pigs (5 wk of age and 8 kg) were used to test the efficacy of 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (1 alpha-OH D3) and microbial phytase for improving the utilization of phytate phosphorus (P) and amino acids present in corn-soybean meal (SBM) diets. Phytase supplementation (1,200 units/kg) to a vitamin D3-adequate, P-deficient corn-SBM diet elicited a marked response (P < .05) in weight gain and ash content of fibula, scapula, and metatarsal bones, but dietary addition of 1 alpha-OH D3 (20 micrograms/kg) was without effect. A P- and vitamin D3-adequate, amino acid-deficient corn-SBM diet (15.5% CP) also was supplemented with 1,200 units/kg of phytase to evaluate the efficacy of phytase in improving amino acid utilization. Pigs gained faster (P < .05) and more efficiently (P < .05) when this diet was supplemented with limiting amino acids, and phytase addition also increased (P < .05) weight gain, regardless of whether the diet was deficient or adequate in amino acids. Feed efficiency was improved (P < .05) by phytase addition to the amino acid-deficient diet but not to the amino acid-adequate diet. Pigs fed the low-CP, amino acid-fortified diet gained as fast and as efficiently as those fed a 19.5% CP (1.19% lysine) positive-control diet.
Heterogeneity of response and survival in diffuse histiocytic lymphoma after bacop therapy (bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone)

Diffuse ‘histiocytic’ lymphoma (DHL) is heterogeneous pathologically, consisting of four subtypes within Lukes–Collins; large‐cleaved (LC), large non‐cleaved (LNC), immunoblastic sarcoma of B cells (B‐IBS), and immunoblastic sarcoma of T‐cells (T‐IBS). This heterogeneity is also recognized in the Cooperative Working Formulation on non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Prior studies have suggested clinical heterogeneity of DHL as well, although conclusions were hampered by small numbers, and lack of therapeutic uniformity. We treated 57 patients with advanced DHL, using BACOP: 22 LNC, 16 T‐IBS, 13 B‐IBS, six LC. Complete remission rate for LNC was 64 per cent (14/22); B‐IBS was 54 per cent (7/13); LC was 33 per cent (2/6); T‐IBS was 25 per cent (4/16). (p=0.10). Median survival for LNC was 27.8 months, B‐IBS was 25.9, LC was 14, T‐IBS was 12.0. The survival was significantly shorter for T‐IBS patients when compared to the others (p=0.01). By multi‐variate analysis, histologic subtype (p=0.02), age (p=0.03), and stage (p=0.06) were significant and independent prognostic variables in predicting survival. We conclude that LNC may respond the most favourably to BACOP, whereas alternative regimens appear necessary for patients with T‐IBS.
Impact of through-silicon via technology on energy consumption of 3D-integrated solid-state drive systems

Through-silicon via (TSV) technology is a useful interconnect technique for three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits. With the TSV, a compact and low power system is achievable. In this paper, the impact of TSV on the energy consumption of 3D-integrated solid-state drives (SSDs) is analyzed, including the all NAND flash SSD, hybrid memory-type storage class memory (M-SCM)/NAND flash SSD, and all storage-type SCM (S-SCM) SSD. From the experimental results, 22%, 23%, and 30% energy consumption reductions are obtained for the all NAND flash SSD, hybrid M-SCM/NAND flash SSD, and all S-SCM, respectively, compared with the SSD system without using TSV. Further, the energy consumption reduction increases with the number of chips for all S-SCM SSD. When 8 S-SCM chips are used for the all S-SCM SSD, 75% energy consumption reduction is obtained at 1066 MHz I/O frequency. Moreover, the all NAND flash SSD write throughput saturates at 400 MHz NAND I/O frequency yet the write throughput of all S-SCM SSD increases with the S-SCM I/O frequency beyond 1066 MHz. Therefore, a 1066 MHz SCM I/O frequency is recommended for the all S-SCM SSD and 400 MHz NAND I/O frequency is recommended for all NAND flash SSD.
An 8-Week High-Fat Diet Induces Obesity and Insulin Resistance with Small Changes in the Muscle Transcriptome of C57BL/6J Mice

Background: Skeletal muscle is responsible for most of the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and metabolism. Therefore, it plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance, one of the characteristics of the metabolic syndrome (MS). As the prevalence of the MS is increasing, there is an urgent need for more effective intervention strategies. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed an 8-week low-fat diet (10 kcal%; LFD) or high-fat diet (45 kcal%; HFD). Microarray analysis was performed by using two comparisons: (1) 8-week HFD transcriptome versus 8-week LFD transcriptome and (2) transcriptome of mice sacrificed at the start of the intervention versus 8-week LFD transcriptome and 8-week HFD transcriptome, respectively. Results: Although an 8-week HFD induced obesity and impaired insulin sensitivity, HFD-responsive changes in the muscle transcriptome were relatively small (<1.3-fold). In fact, 8-weeks of aging induced more pronounced changes than an HFD. One comparison revealed the transcriptional downregulation of the mito- gen-activated protein kinase cascade, whereas both comparisons showed the upregulation of fatty acid oxidation, demonstrating that the two comparison strategies are confirmative as well as complementary. Conclusion: We suggest using complementary analysis strategies in the genome-wide search for gene expression changes induced by mild interventions, such as an HFD.
Energy Consumption, CO2 Emissions, Urbanization and Financial Development in Bangladesh: Vector Error Correction Model

This paper examines empirical relationship among the variables of financial development, emissions, urbanization, industrial value addition, agricultural value addition and energy consumption in the context of Bangladesh using the data of 1985-2015. Findings of Johansen co-integration test indicates that long run relationship exists among the variables of emissions, financial development, urbanization, industrial value addition, agricultural value addition and energy consumption. Whereas, Granger causality results show that unidirectional causality exists among the variables of emissions to agriculture value addition, emissions to energy consumption, agriculture value addition to financial development, agriculture value edition to industry value addition, financial development to emissions, industry value addition to energy consumption. However, this study fails to establish any relationship between emissions and urbanization, urbanization and energy consumption in short run in the context of Bangladesh. Results of Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) confirm that except financial development all the explanatory variables are statistically insignificant in the short run. However, the error correction term (ECT) is statistically significant and negative sign. This indicates that emission adjusted 37.60% within the year when deviated from equilibrium and the adjustment speed is significant.
Immigrants' Contribution to Innovativeness: Evidence from a Non-Selective Immigration Country

The economic consequences of migration are hotly debated and a main topic of recent populist movements across Europe. We analyze Polish immigration in the context of the 2004 enlargement of the European Union and find a positive and significant spillover effect of the immigrants on the number of local inventors in German counties in 2001-2010. For causal identification, we exploit a historical episode in the Polish migration history to Germany before the fall of the Iron Curtain and construct a shift-share instrument. Our results differ from findings for high-skilled migration to the United States, which is particularly interesting as Polish immigration to Germany was not based on selection by qualification in our period of analysis.
Physical and sport education between Italian academic system and European Research Council structure panel

Italian academic system is structured on 4 hierarchical levels. The basic level for physical and sports education is composed by 2 academic scientific-disciplines: Methods and Teaching of physical and sports activities to aim to research the theories, techniques and methods for general physical education or addressed to particular groups or age classes and to train and practice for different sports activities, the evaluation of performance and athletic aptitudes. The superior levels are academic recruitment field Didactics, special pedagogy and educational research to aim on Education for physical and sports activities, group of academic discipline field of Pedagogy and, finally, discipline area of historical, philosophical, psychological and pedagogical sciences. While European Research Council consisting of 3 areas: Social Sciences and Humanities, Physical Sciences and Engineering and Life Sciences, 25 panels and 333 subpanels. The aim is to research the scientific identity of physical and sports education in the current framework of rules with the identification and comparison between the systems keywords and subpanel ERC 2018. It was being identified by the 2400 keywords of Italian National University Council: Physical training, learning, human movement and sport education, sport pedagogy, motor development and by the ERC subpanels: Health, Cognitive basis of human development and education, Learning. The comparison between them is complex but configurable and emerges a gap for the two different method settings because of the misalignment between them. The effect is that the Italian system has a dichotomy between research and training with consequences for grant and funding abroad such as the European Research Council .
Maintenance of stem cell populations in plants

Flowering plants have the unique ability to produce new organs continuously, for hundreds of years in some species, from stem cell populations maintained at their actively growing tips. The shoot tip is called the shoot apical meristem, and it acts as a self-renewing source of undifferentiated, pluripotent stem cells whose descendents become incorporated into organ and tissue primordia and acquire different fates. Stem cell maintenance is an active process, requiring constant communication between different regions of the shoot apical meristem to coordinate loss of stem cells from the meristem through differentiation with their replacement through cell division. Stem cell research in model plant systems is facilitated by the fact that mutants with altered meristem cell identity or accumulation are viable, allowing dissection of stem cell behavior by using genetic, molecular, and biochemical methods. Such studies have determined that in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana stem cell maintenance information flows via a signal transduction pathway that is established during embryogenesis and maintained throughout the life cycle. Signaling through this pathway results in the generation of a spatial feedback loop, involving both positive and negative interactions, that maintains stem cell homeostasis. Stem cell activity during reproductive development is terminated by a temporal feedback loop involving both stem cell maintenance genes and a phase-specific flower patterning gene. Our current investigations provide additional insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate stem cell activity in higher plants.
Successful Preliminary Walking Experiments on a Transtibial Amputee Fitted with a Powered Prosthesis

This paper presents the results of preliminary walking experiments on a transtibial amputee wearing a powered prosthesis. The prosthesis prototype serves as a proof-of-concept implementation for investigating the potential of pleated pneumatic artificial muscles to power a transtibial prosthesis. The device is equipped with pleated pneumatic artificial muscles, and tethered to a laboratory pressure source. The prosthesis is capable of providing the amputee with 100% of the required push-off torque and it can adapt its joint stiffness to the walking speed. This study supports the hypothesis that a powered transtibial prosthesis with adaptable stiffness might be beneficial to the amputee.