Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety, Dependability and Performance Analysis of Extended AADL Models

This paper presents a component-based modelling approach to system-software co-engineering of real-time embedded systems, in particular aerospace systems. Our method is centred around the standardized Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) modelling framework. We formalize a significant subset of AADL, incorporating its recent Error Model Annex for modelling faults and repairs. The major distinguishing aspects of this component-based approach are the possibility to describe nominal hardware and software operations, hybrid (and timing) aspects, as well as probabilistic faults and their propagation and recovery. Moreover, it supports dynamic (i.e. on-the-fly) reconfiguration of components and inter-component connections. The operational semantics gives a precise interpretation of specifications by providing a mapping onto networks of event-data automata. These networks are then subject to different kinds of formal analysis such as model checking, safety and dependability analysis and performance evaluation. Mature tool support realizes these analyses. The activities reported in this paper are carried out in the context of the correctness, modelling, and performance of aerospace systems, project which is funded by the European Space Agency.
A single adeno‐associated virus (AAV)‐murine factor VIII vector partially corrects the hemophilia A phenotype

Summary. A major obstacle for delivery of factor (F)VIII using adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors is the large size of FVIII cDNA, which is well above the 5 kb packaging limit for AAV. Here we construct a < 5 kb FVIII‐AAV vector using murine FVIII cDNA and a strong liver‐specific albumin promoter. We assessed the efficacy of this vector using three different routes of administration, intraportal, intrasplenic and tail vein injection, in FVIII knockout (FVIII KO) mice. The peak level of FVIII observed was about 8% of normal mouse FVIII activity. Even at 9 months, post vector injection, 14 of 19 mice receiving FVIII‐AAV demonstrated phenotypic correction and roughly 2% FVIII activity. The transgene copy number ranged from 0.001 to 0.1 copies per cell, depending upon the somatic tissue. The potential for germline transmission of AAV was assayed in 34 pups obtained from five pairs of treated, phenotypically corrected adult hemophilic mice. Although the parents harbored the transgene in liver, spleen, and gonads, none of the 34 offspring was positive for the transgene, suggesting that the risk of inadvertent germline transmission is low.
Evaluating the morphology of the left atrial appendage by a transesophageal echocardiographic 3-dimensional printed model

Abstract The novel 3-dimensional printing (3DP) technique has shown its ability to assist personalized cardiac intervention therapy. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of 3D-printed left atrial appendage (LAA) models based on 3D transesophageal echocardiography (3D TEE) data and their application value in treating LAA occlusions. Eighteen patients with transcatheter LAA occlusion, and preprocedure 3D TEE and cardiac computed tomography were enrolled. 3D TEE volumetric data of the LAA were acquired and postprocessed for 3DP. Two types of 3D models of the LAA (ie, hard chamber model and flexible wall model) were printed by a 3D printer. The morphological classification and lobe identification of the LAA were assessed by the 3D chamber model, and LAA dimensions were measured via the 3D wall model. Additionally, a simulation operative rehearsal was performed on the 3D models in cases of challenging LAA morphology for the purpose of understanding the interactions between the device and the model. Three-dimensional TEE volumetric data of the LAA were successfully reprocessed and printed as 3D LAA chamber models and 3D LAA wall models in all patients. The consistency of the morphological classifications of the LAA based on 3D models and cardiac computed tomography was 0.92 (P < .01). The differences between the LAA ostium dimensions and depth measured using the 3D models were not significant from those measured on 3D TEE (P > .05). A simulation occlusion was successfully performed on the 3D model of the 2 challenging cases and compared with the real procedure. The echocardiographic 3DP technique is feasible and accurate in reflecting the spatial morphology of the LAA, which may be promising for the personalized planning of transcatheter LAA occlusion.
Do Technology Spillovers Affect the Corporate Information Environment?

Technology spillovers across firms affect corporate innovation, productivity, and value, according to prior research, so information about technology spillovers should matter to investors. We argue that technology spillovers increase the complexity and uncertainty of value relevant information about the firm, which makes information processing more costly, discourages it, and thereby increases information asymmetry between insiders and outsiders. We find that not only does information asymmetry increase, but so does avoidance by sophisticated market participants, uncertainty, and insider trading. We also find that investors do not misestimate short-term earnings, but they underestimate long-term earnings, consistent with the higher future stock returns that we also find.
Pho85, a multifunctional cyclin‐dependent protein kinase in budding yeast

Pho85 is a multifunctional cyclin‐dependent kinase (Cdk) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that has emerged as an important model for the role of Cdks in both cell cycle control and other processes. Pho85 is targeted to its substrates by 10 different cyclins or Pcls. Three of these Pcls have specific roles in G1 phase of the cell cycle, both in regulating G1‐specific gene expression and in controlling polarized growth. Many known substrates of the G1 forms of Pho85 are also phosphorylated by the homologous Cdk Cln–Cdc28, suggesting parallel or overlapping roles. Most of the remaining Pcls function in signalling: Pho85 is generally active when environmental conditions are satisfactory, phosphorylating proteins involved in transcription and other regulatory events to keep the stress response and inappropriate activities turned off. Recently, genetic screens for synthetic lethality and synthetic dosage lethality, and proteomic screens for in vitro Pho85 substrates, have revealed more details about how Pho85 functions to regulate a variety of cellular processes.
Presence of genes for beta-lactamases of two different classes on a single plasmid from a clinical isolate of Serratia marcescens.

The majority of /3-lactam antibiotics have become increasingly ineffective therapeutic agents due to the rapid development of resistant strains^. Mechanismsresponsible for the development of resistance to /Mactams include (i) hydrolysis by /3-lactamases, (ii) creation of nonhydrolytic barriers by /? -lactamases, (iii) reduction in affinity of target proteins, and (iv) reduction in permeability2). For Gramnegative enteric bacteria, the emergence of resistance to broad-spectrum penicillins and jS-lactamase-stable cephalosporins occurs frequently3). The complexity of (3lactamase epidemiology has greatly increased with the emergence of extended-spectrum /3-lactamases (ESBLs) derived from plasmid-encoded TEM and SHV-type enzymes4). These /J-lactamases show greater specificity for /3-lactam antibiotics. /3-Lactamases are divided by their substrates into classes A, B, C and D. Whenan isolate produces two different classes of /3-lactamases, the genes coding for each /3lactamase are located separately on a plasmid and on a chromosome. For example, plasmid-encoded class A enzymes and chromosome-encoded class C enzymes are produced in Gram-negative bacteria. On the other hand, plasmid-encoded class B enzymes have been reported from Japan5). However, there are no reports of plasmids carrying the genes of two different classes of /Mactamases, such as class A and class B or class A and class D. pp.1135 1139
Improving fMRI reliability in presurgical mapping for brain tumours

Purpose Functional MRI (fMRI) is becoming increasingly integrated into clinical practice for presurgical mapping. Current efforts are focused on validating data quality, with reliability being a major factor. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of a recently developed approach that uses receiver operating characteristic-reliability (ROC-r) to: (1) identify reliable versus unreliable data sets; (2) automatically select processing options to enhance data quality; and (3) automatically select individualised thresholds for activation maps. Methods Presurgical fMRI was conducted in 16 patients undergoing surgical treatment for brain tumours. Within-session test–retest fMRI was conducted, and ROC-reliability of the patient group was compared to a previous healthy control cohort. Individually optimised preprocessing pipelines were determined to improve reliability. Spatial correspondence was assessed by comparing the fMRI results to intraoperative cortical stimulation mapping, in terms of the distance to the nearest active fMRI voxel. Results The average ROC-r reliability for the patients was 0.58±0.03, as compared to 0.72±0.02 in healthy controls. For the patient group, this increased significantly to 0.65±0.02 by adopting optimised preprocessing pipelines. Co-localisation of the fMRI maps with cortical stimulation was significantly better for more reliable versus less reliable data sets (8.3±0.9 vs 29±3 mm, respectively). Conclusions We demonstrated ROC-r analysis for identifying reliable fMRI data sets, choosing optimal postprocessing pipelines, and selecting patient-specific thresholds. Data sets with higher reliability also showed closer spatial correspondence to cortical stimulation. ROC-r can thus identify poor fMRI data at time of scanning, allowing for repeat scans when necessary. ROC-r analysis provides optimised and automated fMRI processing for improved presurgical mapping.
Primary structure of fox (Vulpes vulpes) proinsulin based on sequence studies of pancreatic peptides and cDNA

Insulin and C‐peptide were extracted and purified from fox (Vulpes vulpes) pancreas using gel filtration, ion‐exchange chromatography and HPLC. Chromatographic data for the insulin, as well as for its oxidized and carboxymethylated chains proved it to be identical to that of polar fox (Alopex lagopus) and dog. The sequence analysis of a peptide which was assumed to be the corresponding C‐peptide revealed that it comprises 23 amino acid residues and is identical to the C‐peptide fragment isolated from dog pancreas; it differs from polar fox C‐peptide by a single substitution (Asp→Glu). mRNA was isolated from pancreatic tissue and cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription. A polymerase chain reaction was performed using gene‐specific primers to obtain a DNA fragment corresponding to part of fox proinsulin. DNA sequencing revealed 100% identity to dog proinsulin at the protein level, although some amino acids were encoded by different codons. The total sequence of proinsulin was deduced from these results. Copyright © 2000 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of Oxygen Saturation During Impression Taking Before and After Presurgical Orthopedic Therapy in Babies With Cleft Lip and Palate

Aim: The objective of this study was to (1) evaluate the oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels during intraoral and extraoral impression taking and (2) compare the SpO2 levels during impression taking before and after presurgical orthopedic therapy (POT) of infants with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Patients and Methods: In our study, 31 babies with CLP before (mean age 7.6 ± 3.2 days) and after (mean age 108.3 ± 24.2 days) POT were monitored, and SpO2 levels were measured under operating conditions before any intervention (T1), after oxygenation (T2), during taking intraoral (T3), and extraoral (T4) impressions with oxygen support and immediately before the discharge from the operating room (T5). Results: In both groups, statistically significant differences in SpO2 measurements at T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 stages were found (P < .01). For the pre‐POT measurements, increases in SpO2 levels from T1 to T2 and T4 to T5 (P < .05) and decreases from T2 to T3 and T3 to T4 (P < .01) were noted. Similarly, SpO2 levels decreased significantly from the intraoral (T3) to extraoral (T4) post‐POT impression periods (P < .01). Comparisons of pre‐ and post‐POT measurements revealed that the SpO2 level of each time period was higher at the post‐POT impression taking except for stages T2 and T5 (P < .01). Conclusion: The SpO2 values were low at the onset of POT in infants with CLP before any intervention. Oxygen saturation levels may decrease particularly during extraoral impression taking in infants with CLP despite the supplemental oxygen. SpO2 measurements were higher during post‐POT intraoral and extraoral impression taking when compared with pre‐POT measurements.
A Compact Filtering Antenna With Flat Gain Response Within the Passband

A compact filtering antenna is designed for the modern wireless communication systems in this letter. First, a two-pole Butterworth bandpass filter is designed. Then, by substituting the second port and resonator with fan-shaped patch antenna (traditional antenna) with defected ground structure (DGS), a filtering antenna is formed. Compared to the traditional antenna, the filtering antenna obtains the flatter gain response within the passband, good selectivity at the passband edge, and the wider bandwidth. Measured results show that the filtering antenna can operate at 2.4 GHz and has a 460-MHz bandwidth and a 2.3-dBi peak gain within the passband. Moreover, a radiation zero occurs at 3 GHz.
Who Forgoes Screening in Online Markets and Why? Evidence from Airbnb

Screening is considered a necessary mechanism for alleviating information asymmetry but has also raised concerns about increased discrimination in online peer-to-peer market platforms. Paradoxically, providers of goods and services may also voluntarily forgo screening, even though it increases the risks and costs associated with poor matches. We examine who may choose to forgo screening and why, and its impact on their performance outcomes. Our study’s empirical context is the Airbnb platform, wherein the “Instant Book” feature enables hosts to forgo the screening of guests. Utilizing a unique panel dataset of all listings in New York City during August 2015-February 2017, we first explore the antecedents of voluntarily switching to instant booking and then causally identify the impacts of switching. Our study provides evidence of the economic benefits of forgoing screening from increased occupancy even as review ratings decline; these effects are stronger for Black and female hosts. We discuss the strategic and social welfare implications of these findings within the context of current conversations on discrimination and bias in the sharing economy.
Coping With Loss: Mapping Digital Rituals for the Expression of Grief

ABSTRACT Although death has been frequently discussed in health communication, there has been a lack of research on coping with loss. Nevertheless, there are many websites and social network sites that offer suggestions to people as to how to cope with loss, including sites for support, sharing of experiences, and expressing grief. This article provides a theoretical understanding of grief by considering it as an emotional experience in terms of how it is expressed, its consequences, and the confrontation between the offline and online grief experience.
Co-citations as citation endorsements and co-links as link endorsements

Co-citations and co-links have long been used as measures of topical relatedness between documents in various datasets. However, there are some characteristic differences between co-citations in scientific literature and co-links in hypertext due to the underlying difference in the motivations for creating citations and links. While citations are created for formal scholarly communication, links are created for a variety of formal as well as informal purposes. We elaborate on these differences, and propose interpretations of a co-citation as an endorsement of a citation, and a co-link as an endorsement of a link. Such an interpretation is useful for focused or topical surfers to follow citations and links that are pertinent to a topic of interest in scientific literature and the web respectively.
Genotype-by-Sex Interaction in the Regulation of High-Density Lipoprotein: The Framingham Heart Study

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are widely documented as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, there is marked sexual dimorphism in both HDL levels and the prevalence of CVD. However, the extent to which genetic factors contribute to such dimorphism has been largely unexplored. We examined the evidence for genotype-by-sex effects on HDL in a longitudinal sample of 1,562 participants from 330 families in the Framingham Heart Study at three times points corresponding approximately to 1971–1974, 1980–1983, and 1988–1991. Using a variance component method, we conducted a genome scan of HDL at each time point in males and females, separately and combined, and tested for genotype-by-sex interaction at a quantitative trait locus (QTL) at each time point. Consistent findings were noted only for females on chromosome 2 near marker D2S1328, with adjusted LOD scores of 2.6, 2.2, and 2.1 across the three time points, respectively. In males suggestive linkage was detected on chromosome 16 near marker D16S3396 at the second time point and on chromosome 18 near marker D18S851 at the third time point (adjusted LOD=2.2 and 2.4, respectively). Although the heritability of HDL is similar in males and females, sex appears to exert a substantial effect on the QTL-specific variance of HDL. When genotype-by-sex interactions exist and are not modeled, the power to detect linkage is reduced; thus our results may explain in part the paucity of significant linkage findings for HDL.
Enforcing security policies with runtime monitors

Execution monitoring is an approach that seeks to allow an untrusted code to run safely by observing its execution and reacting if need be to prevent a potential violation of a user-supplied security policy. This method has many promising applications, particularly with respect to the safe execution of mobile code. Academic research on monitoring has generally focused on two questions. The first, relates to the set of policies that can be enforced by monitors under various constraints and the conditions under which this set can be extended. The second question deals with the way to inline a monitor into an untrusted or potentially malicious program in order to produce a new instrumented program that provably respects the desired security policy. This study builds on the two strands of research mentioned above and brings new insights to this study. It seeks, in the first place, to increase the scope of monitorable properties by suggesting a new approach of monitor inlining. By drawing on an a priori model of the program’s possible behavior, we develop a monitor that can enforce a strictly larger set of security properties. Furthermore, longstanding research has showed that a monitor that is allowed to transform its input is more powerful than one lacking this ability. Naturally, this ability must be constrained for the enforcement to be meaningful. Otherwise, if the monitor is given too broad a leeway to transform valid and invalid sequences, any property can be enforced, but not in a way that is useful or desirable. In this study, we propose two new enforcement paradigms which capture reasonable restrictions on a monitor’s ability to alter its input. We study the set of properties enforceable if these enforcement paradigms are used and give examples of real-life security policies that can be enforced using our approach.
A semi-deterministic method for predicting indoor cellular coverage in dense urban areas

The prediction of cellular RF coverage at street level in urban environment has been addressed in many studies in the past two decades. Nevertheless, the prediction of indoor coverage on upper floors, much less popular within the scientific community, is of even greater interest, as most of the traffic of outdoor cellular base stations actually comes from indoor users.
Isolation of myosin from starfish sperm heads.

Myosin was extracted and partially purified from the head portion of spermatozoa of the starfish, Asterias amurensis. The sperm myosin showed a specific Ca2+-activated ATPase [EC 3.6. 1.3] activity of 0.2 mumoles Pi/min/mg at high ionic strength and pH 6.5. It resembled egg myosin in forming thick filaments, becoming attached to actin filaments. subunit composition, and serological properties.
Millimeter wave, multigigahertz optical modulation by feedforward phase noise compensation of a beat note generated by photomixing of two laser diodes

A technique is described for high frequency (up to 100 GHz), narrowband ( approximately GHz) optical modulation by encoding the millimeter-wave signal onto a beat note produced by photomixing of radiation from two 1.3 mu m DFB lasers. The phase noise on the beat note is compensated by a feedforward technique, using a low-frequency external optical modulator which simultaneously encodes the information to be transmitted. The modulation band can be tuned by varying the lasing frequency of one or both of the lasers. The fundamental performance limit of this technique is investigated, and the transmission of a pulsed RF signal at 40 GHz is demonstrated. <<ETX>>
Native-conflict-avoiding track routing for double patterning technology

Double patterning lithography is extensively used to increase the half-pitch resolution. If there is no enough space to insert a stitch for the un-decomposable pattern, a native conflict is generated. A layout with native conflicts will result in layout modification. The current researches focus on reducing the numbers of stitches and native conflicts in the post-layout or detailed routing stages. In this paper, we propose a track routing algorithm to avoid native conflicts and predict the traces of detailed routing. Experimental results show that the proposed method not only minimizes the number of native conflicts significantly, but also reduces wirelength.
Expression of spoT in Borrelia burgdorferi during Serum Starvation

ABSTRACT Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is transmitted by the tick Ixodes scapularis. A 2.9-kb fragment containing a putative spoT gene was isolated from B. burgdorferi genomic DNA by PCR amplification and cloned into a pBAD24 vector. The cloned gene complemented Escherichia coli mutant strain CF1693, which contains deletions of both the relA and spoT genes. The spoT gene in E. coli encodes a bifunctional enzyme capable of synthesizing and degrading (p)ppGpp, which mediates the stringent response during carbon source starvation. B. burgdorferi has been reported to have a stress response to serum starvation. Thin-layer chromatography was used to detect (p)ppGpp extracted from H332PO4-labeled B. burgdorferi cells starved for serum in RPMI. B. burgdorferi spoT gene expression was characterized during fatty acid starvation. Northern analysis of spoT revealed detectable message at 2.5 min of starvation in RPMI. Expression of spoT during serum starvation increased ∼6-fold during the 30 min that starvation conditions were maintained. Further, expression of spoT decreased when serum was added to serum-starved cells. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) was used to detect spoT mRNA from ∼106 cells starved for serum in RPMI for 2.5 to 30 min or incubated in tick saliva for 15 min. Northern blot analysis suggests that spoT transcript was ∼900 nucleotides in length. RT-PCR amplification of the transcript using several sets of primers confirmed this finding. Additionally, a truncated clone containing only the first 950 bp of the 2,001-bp spoT open reading frame was able to complement E. coli CF1693. The data suggest that B. burgdorferi exhibits a stringent response to serum starvation and during incubation in tick saliva.