Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling and minimization of PMOS NBTI effect for robust nanometer design

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) has become the dominant reliability concern for nanoscale PMOS transistors. In this paper, a predictive model is developed for the degradation of NBTI in both static and dynamic operations. Model scalability and generality are comprehensively verified with experimental data over a wide range of process and bias conditions. By implementing the new model into SPICE for an industrial 90nm technology, key insights are obtained for the development of robust design solutions: (1) the most effective techniques to mitigate the NBTI degradation are VDD tuning, PMOS sizing, and reducing the duty cycle; (2) an optimal VDD exists to minimize the degradation of circuit performance; (3) tuning gate length or the switching frequency has little impact on the NBTI effect; (4) a new switching scenario is identified for worst case timing analysis during NBTI stress
“It's Not an Issue at the Moment”: A Qualitative Study of Mothers About Childhood Obesity

PurposeTo explore childhood obesity through mothers' perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Study Design and MethodsDescriptive qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with primiparous mothers of children aged 0–2 years. The questions focused on nutrition, the context of eating in the family, physical activity, television viewing, and the responsibility of parents as role models. Thematic analysis was used to identify regular patterns of meaning regarding the major issues pertaining to childhood obesity, nutrition, and physical activity. ResultsFive themes were identified: (1) developing eating habits, (2) developing active and sedentary habits, (3) differences between age groups, (4) sources of information, and (5) response to information. Although awareness about the need to provide a nutritious diet and opportunities for children to be active was high among the mothers, this was not always reflected in their behaviors. For many mothers, obesity became a concern only if excessive weight gain occurred. Prevention through establishing good habits early, although considered, was not always actively pursued. Clinical ImplicationsInterventions to prevent overweight and obesity need to focus on equipping parents with the skills to translate their knowledge into behavior and lay the foundations early for their children to develop healthy habits.
Role of Sinomenine on Complete Freund's Adjuvant‐Induced Arthritis in Rats

The investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of sinomenine (Sin) on experimental adjuvant arthritis rats stimulated by Freund's complete adjuvant and explore the corresponding potential molecular mechanism. The content of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, interleukin‐1 beta and interleukin‐6 were detected. Besides, canonical nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) pathway was also assessed to evaluate the antiarthritic potential of sinomenine. Pathological sections of rat paws showed sinomenine and diclofenac sodium significantly alleviated articular cartilage lesion, cellular infiltration, epithelial cell degeneration, synovial tissue vasodilation and congestion. The phosphorylations of inhibitor of kappaB alpha and NF‐κB subunit p65 were downregulated with the treatment of sinomenine in dose dependent manners, as well as proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, it was assumed that sinomenine might be a new therapeutic candidate to treat arthritis. © 2016 IUBMB Life, 68(6):429–435, 2016
Youths in non-military roles in an armed opposition group on the Burmese-Thai border

This thesis examines how and why youths participate in non-military roles in the KNU, an armed opposition group along the Burmese-Thai border which has been in conflict with the Burmese state for over sixty years. It analyses the ways in which the group’s internal youth policies and programmes, as well as external factors influence the construction of a youth category and the particular roles youths take on in the group. It also examines how youth participation redefines youth roles and influences inter-generational relations and hierarchies. Finally, it considers how the KNU’s changing political and strategic goals affect and are in turn affected by youth activities. This thesis addresses three main questions. First, how is ‘youth’ defined and understood in the KNU and why are they so defined? Second, why do youths take on non-military roles in the KNU and what factors influence their career trajectory within the movement? Third, what is the purpose of youth non-military roles in the KNU and how are these roles shaped by the KNU’s political and strategic goals? Whilst most writing on youth and conflict is concerned with the role of youth as armed belligerents, this study focuses on their non military roles. It adopts an actor oriented approach to show the interaction between the micro-level processes influencing youth mobilisation and participation, and wider contextual factors that shape and constrain individual decision making. These include the changing nature of the conflict, processes of state formation, violent non state resistance, and evolving organisational adaptation by the KNU and its leadership, all of which frame youth political action. A fine grained analysis of youth roles and activities provides a lens to examine broader changes in the armed group’s non-military operations and strategies as it adapts to changes in external geopolitical and local conditions and seeks to replace declining black market revenues with external INGO funding. This study aims to contribute to the emerging literature on youths’ engagement in armed opposition groups and the changing operations and political strategies of armed groups from the perspective of the youth cohort.
Decentralized anchor-free localization for wireless ad-hoc sensor networks

This paper proposes algorithms for establishing connectivity and location estimation in wireless sensor networks. The algorithms exploit the information flow while coping with distributed signal processing and the requirements of network scalability. Once the estimation procedure and communication protocol are performed, sensor clusters can be merged to establish a single global coordinate system without GPS sensors using only distance information. In order to adjust the sensor positions, the refinement schemes are applied to reduce the estimation error such that the propagation error can be suppressed. This paper outlines the technical foundations of the localization techniques and presents the tradeoffs in algorithm design. The feasibility of the proposed schemes is shown to be effective under certain assumptions and the analysis is supported by simulation and numerical studies.
Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects using umbrella devices

There is only limited experience of interventional closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSDs), particularly on the long‐term follow‐up. This is a report on our long‐term results after transcatheter closure of pmVSDs using the Cardioseal, Starflex, or Rashkind devices. Patients: Between 1993 and 2005, we performed interventional occlusions of pmVSDs in 18 patients. The size of the defect ranged between 4 and 8.5 mm, Qp/Qs was calculated between 1.3 and 2.2. Except for two, the patients had no other structural heart defect. In the early days, we used the Rashkind PDA occluder (17 mm) in seven, followed by the Cardioseal device (17 mm) in nine, and the 23 mm Starflex device in two patients. Results: Interventional closure of the defects was performed successfully in all patients without any complication during the procedure. Fluoroscopy times were 11.8–53.7 min (median 28.65 min). We achieved a complete closure in 13 patients, three patients with recently implanted devices still show minimal shunting. In two patients the occluder had to be removed surgically because of embolization into the pulmonary artery and significant residual shunting resulting in severe hemolysis in the second patient. In long‐ (mean 10.7 years) and short‐term (mean 0.85 years) follow‐up we have not observed any hemolysis, arrhythmias, device dislocations, or device‐related aortic or tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of small pmVSDs using non‐selfcentering devices can be performed successfully. Long‐term follow‐up investigations show encouraging results. Complications like device‐embolization and significant residual shunting occur in the presence of large defects and/or concomitant malformations. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Deterministic Random Walks for Rapidly Mixing Chains

The rotor-router model is a deterministic process analogous to a simple random walk on a graph. This paper is concerned with a generalized model, functional-router model, which imitates a Markov chain possibly containing irrational transition probabilities. We investigate the discrepancy of the number of tokens at a single vertex between the functional-router model and its corresponding Markov chain, and give an upper bound in terms of the mixing time of the Markov chain.
Fältdatasystem för skogliga fältförsök

Denna rapport beskriver ett Internet-baserat system anpassat for att hantera trad-data fran skogliga faltforsok. Systemet har konstruerats for att uppfylla ett flertal krav. Systemet erbjuder saker langtidslagring av skogliga faltforsoksdata, tillganglighet overallt och nar som helst utan behov av jourhavande administrator, datorstod vid revision av faltforsok, samt tillhandahaller sammanstallningar av tillstandet pa forsoksytor vid olika revisioner (statistikkort) och digitala dataset for statistiska analyser. I systemet ingar ett skraddarsytt datorprogram att anvandas i handdatorer for utomhusbruk vid revision av skogliga faltforsok. Rapporten inkluderar en detaljerad beskrivning av hur insamlad faltdata bearbetas for olika presentationer over skogstillstandet pa skogliga forsoksytor.
Tracing of rays through heterogeneous media; an accurate and efficient procedure

We present an accurate and computationally efficient method for tracing rays through a medium of heterogeneous velocity. Efficiency is obtained through approximations, while accuracy is maintained by using higher-order terms in the approximations when necessary. The method was developed as part of a general seismic inversion technique for traveltime information where the medium is discretized into rectangular cells, each of which is characterized by a velocity gradient. However, as a stand-alone tool for forward modeling this method may be applied to other cell geometries and the velocity field need not be a linear function of position in each cell. We use path length as the independent variable rather than position or orientation. The position, orientation, and traveltime of the ray are algebraic expressions of path length, so that trigonometric functions are avoided. If either position or orientation is used as the independent variable, trigonometric expressions invariably arise in evaluating the dependent variables. Such transcendental functions are computationally inefficient in large problems.
Heat flow in the state of washington and thermal conditions in the Cascade Range

Heat flow data for the state of Washington are presented and discussed. The heat flow in the Okanogan Highland averages 75 mW m−2, and the gradient averages 25°C km−1. The heat flow in the Columbia Basin averages 62 mW m−2, and the mean gradient is 41°C km−1. Both of these provinces are interpreted to have a mantle heat flow of about 55–60 mW m−2, the same value as in the Basin and Range province to the south and the intermountain region of Canada to the north. These areas comprise the high heat flow, back arc region of the Cordillera. In the coastal provinces and the western part of the southern Washington Cascade Range the heat flow is below normal and averages 40 mW m−2 with an average gradient of 26°C km−1. This low heat flow is related to the absorption of heat by the subducting slab, part of the Juan de Fuca plate, that is beneath the Pacific Northwest. Thus the low heat flow area represents the outer arc part of the subduction zone. Within the volcanic arc, the Cascade Range, the heat flow pattern is complicated. The heat flow is best characterized in the southern Washington Cascade Range. The heat flow there averages 75 mW m−2 and the gradient averages 45°C km−1. The heat flow peaks at over 80 mW m−2 along the axial region that coincides with the Indian Heaven, Mount Adams, and Goat Rocks centers of Quaternary volcanism. As is the case in northern Oregon and southern British Columbia, the western edge of the region of high heat flow has a half width of 10 km, implying a heat source no deeper than about 10 km. In the northern Washington Cascade Range the data are too sparse to determine the average heat flow. There are two saddles in the heat flow pattern in Washington, along the Columbia River and in central Washington. The origin for the contrasting heat flow may be segmentation of the heat source or some more local effect. The heat flow of the Cascade Range is well characterized in several locations, and the pattern is similar at all localities. The most striking feature is the 10 km half width of the western side of the high heat flow region where it abuts the low heat flow outer arc region. The axial heat flow ranges from about 80 to greater than 100 mW m−2. The midcrustal temperatures are interpreted to range from about 400°C to 800°C. The source of these high temperatures is interpreted to be a long-lived midcrustal zone of magma residence that is characteristic of the Cascade Range regardless of erustal type, rate of volcanism, or composition of volcanism. For example, in southern Washington the region of high heat flow spans the width of the Quaternary zone of volcanism with Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams at the west and east edges, respectively. On the other hand, most of the Oregon stratovolcanoes are near the center of anomalous region.
Simultaneous observations of nitrate and peroxy radicals in the marine boundary layer

This paper describes the most extensive set of simultaneous measurements of the concentrations of nitrate (NO3) and peroxy (sum of HO2 + RO2, R = alkyl and acyl) radicals to date. The measurements were made in the coastal marine boundary layer over the North Sea, at the Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory on the North Norfolk coast during the spring and autumn of 1994. In spring the average nighttime concentration of NO3 measured by differential optical absorption spectroscopy, was about 10 parts per trillion (ppt) (maximum 25 ppt). The corresponding peroxy radical concentration, measured by the chemical amplifier technique, averaged about 2 ppt (maximum 6 ppt), although this is likely to be an underestimate of the total radical concentration. There is a significant positive correlation between the two sets of radicals, which has not been reported previously. A box model of the marine boundary layer is used to show that this correlation arises from the processing of reactive organic species by NO3. During spring the relatively long lifetime of NO3 (up to 18 min) at night is controlled by reaction with dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and the model predicts significant production of HNO3, methyl tiomethylen (CH3SCH2O2) and other peroxy radicals, HCHO, and eventually sulfate. A nighttime production rate for the hydroxyl (OH) of about 2 x 10(4) molecules cm(-3) s(-1) is estimated. During one night in autumn the NO3 lifetime of about 3 min is too short to be explained by reaction with unsaturated hydrocarbons, but is satisfactorily accounted for by the heterogeneous loss of N2O5 on deliquesced aerosols in relatively polluted conditions.
Myosin Light Chain Kinase (MLCK) Gene Influences Exercise Induced Muscle Damage during a Competitive Marathon

Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) phosphorylates the regulatory light chain (RLC) of myosin producing increases in force development during skeletal muscle contraction. It has been suggested that MLCK gene polymorphisms might alter RLC phosphorylation thereby decreasing the ability to produce force and to resist strain during voluntary muscle contractions. Thus, the genetic variations in the MLCK gene might predispose some individuals to higher values of muscle damage during exercise, especially during endurance competitions. The aim of this investigation was to determine the influence of MLCK genetic variants on exercise-induced muscle damage produced during a marathon. Sixty-seven experienced runners competed in a marathon race. The MLCK genotype (C37885A) of these marathoners was determined. Before and after the race, a sample of venous blood was obtained to assess changes in serum myoglobin concentrations and leg muscle power changes were measured during a countermovement jump. Self-reported leg muscle pain and fatigue were determined by questionnaires. A total of 59 marathoners (88.1%) were CC homozygotes and 8 marathoners (11.9%) were CA heterozygotes. The two groups of participants completed the race with a similar time (228 ± 33 vs 234 ± 39 min; P = 0.30) and similar self-reported values for fatigue (15 ± 2 vs 16 ± 2 A.U.; P = 0.21) and lower-limb muscle pain (6.2 ± 1.7 vs 6.6 ± 1.8 cm; P = 0.29). However, CC marathoners presented higher serum myoglobin concentrations (739 ± 792 vs 348 ± 144 μg·mL-1; P = 0.03) and greater pre-to-post- race leg muscle power reduction (-32.7 ± 15.7 vs -21.2 ± 21.6%; P = 0.05) than CA marathoners. CA heterozygotes for MLCK C37885A might present higher exercise-induced muscle damage after a marathon competition than CC counterparts.
Development of an ATI-NDVI method for estimation of soil moisture from MODIS data

Estimation of soil moisture is essential for research of climatology, hydrology, and ecology. The commonly used remotely sensed approach is LST-NDVI (land-surface temperature-normalized difference vegetation index). In this study, the apparent thermal inertia (ATI) is used instead of surface temperature to develop an ATI-NDVI space for estimation of soil moisture. Comparison with ground-based measurements shows a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0378 m3 m−3 between retrieved and measured soil moistures. Validation with time series in situ data indicates the RMSE as 0.0162, 0.0285, 0.0368, and 0.0093 m3 m−3 for forest, shrub, cropland, and grassland, respectively, which is comparable to or even better than the results of previous studies. The proposed method in this study is a remote-sensing approach without elaborate ancillary data except for the percentage of sand in the soil, and it is practical and convenient to be applied to regions with surfaces from bare soil to full vegetation and the entire range of surface moisture contents from wet to dry.
Planet-sized batched dynamic adaptive meshes (P-BDAM)

We describe an efficient technique for out-of-core management and interactive rendering of planet sized textured terrain surfaces. The technique, called planet-sized batched dynamic adaptive meshes (P-BDAM), extends the BDAM approach by using as basic primitive a general triangulation of points on a displaced triangle. The proposed framework introduces several advances with respect to the state of the art: thanks to a batched host-to-graphics communication model, we outperform current adaptive tessellation solutions in terms of rendering speed; we guarantee overall geometric continuity, exploiting programmable graphics hardware to cope with the accuracy issues introduced by single precision floating points; we exploit a compressed out of core representation and speculative prefetching for hiding disk latency during rendering of out-of-core data; we efficiently construct high quality simplified representations with a novel distributed out of core simplification algorithm working on a standard PC network.
A new rapid method for genetic typing of human immunoglobulins.

A passive hemagglutination technique employing isolated γ-globulins and myeloma proteins of known genetic types coated onto human group O cells by CrCl3 method has been developed. Cells thus coated have been successfully used for Gm and Inv typing of human sera. The degree of discrimination between inhibiting and noninhibiting sera is as great as with the conventional method using cells coated with incomplete anti-Rh.
Are guidelines following guidelines? The methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in the peer-reviewed medical literature.

CONTEXT Practice guidelines play an important role in medicine. Methodological principles have been formulated to guide their development. OBJECTIVE To determine whether practice guidelines in peer-reviewed medical literature adhered to established methodological standards for practice guidelines. DESIGN Structured review of guidelines published from 1985 through June 1997 identified by a MEDLINE search. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mean number of standards met based on a 25-item instrument and frequency of adherence. RESULTS We evaluated 279 guidelines, published from 1985 through June 1997, produced by 69 different developers. Mean overall adherence to standards by each guideline was 43.1% (10.77/25). Mean (SD) adherence to methodological standards on guideline development and format was 51.1% (25.3%); on identification and summary of evidence, 33.6% (29.9%); and on the formulation of recommendations, 46% (45%). Mean adherence to standards by each guideline improved from 36.9% (9.2/25) in 1985 to 50.4% (12.6/25) in 1997 (P<.001). However, there was little improvement over time in adherence to standards on identification and summary of evidence from 34.6% prior to 1990 to 36.1 % after 1995 (P = .11). There was no difference in the mean number of standards satisfied by guidelines produced by subspecialty medical societies, general medical societies, or government agencies (P = .55). Guideline length was positively correlated with adherence to methodological standards (P = .001). CONCLUSION Guidelines published in the peer-reviewed medical literature during the past decade do not adhere well to established methodological standards. While all areas of guideline development need improvement, greatest improvement is needed in the identification, evaluation, and synthesis of the scientific evidence.
Gait kinematics improvement as the result of using multi-pad electrode stimulation for treating foot drop

Recovery after stroke is commonly followed by the gait therapy to regain some independence in daily living. Motor weakness, poor motor control and spasticity result in an altered gait pattern and increased energy expenditure during walking. In more than 30% patients some of the gait impairments remain chronic. Ineffective ankle dorsiflexion during swing (foot drop) and failure to achieve heel strike at initial contact are common problems that disturb gait pattern after stroke.