Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wideband noise cancelling balun LNA with feedback biasing

In this paper we present a balun low noise amplifier (LNA) in which the noise figure (NF) and power consumption are reduced by using a feedback biasing structure. The circuit is based on a conventional wideband balun LNA with noise cancellation. We propose to replace the typical current source of the CG stage by a transistor that establishes a feedback loop in that stage. This adds a degree of freedom which can be used to vary the CG transistor's transconductance, making it different from the typical value of 20 mS. Thus. we can increase the ratio between the gm of the CG and CS stages, which reduces the LNA NF, area, and power consumption, when compared with conventional circuits. Simulation results, with 65 nm CMOS transistors at 1.2 V supply, show that the LNA bandwidth is 3.4 GHz, the voltage gain is 21.8 dB, and the NF is less than 2.5 dB, with IIP3 above -5 dBm. The power dissipation is 4.3 mW. Another design, concerning linearity, has 18.6 dB voltage gain, NF below 2.9 dB and IIP3 above +3 dBm, over a 5 GHz bandwidth, with power consumption of 8.5 mW.
Routing and Scheduling with Time Windows: Models and Algorithms for Tramp Sea Cargos and Rail Car-Blocks

This thesis introduces a new model formulation to solve routing and scheduling problems, with the main applications in answering routing and scheduling problems faced by a sea-cargo shipping company and a railroad company. For the work in sea-cargo routing and scheduling, we focus our methodology on the tramp shipping operation. Tramp shipping is a demand-driven type of shipping operation, which does not have fixed schedules. The schedules are based on the pickup and download locations of profitable service requests. The problem is that given a set of products distributed among a set of ports, with each product having pickup and download time windows and a destination port, find the schedule for a fleet of ships that maximizes profit for a specified time horizon. The problem is modeled as a Mixed Integer Non-Linear Program and reformulated as a Mixed Integer Linear Program. Three heuristic methods, along with computational results, are presented. We also exploit the special structure enjoyed by our model and introduce an upper-bounding problem to the model. With a little modification, the model is readily extendable to reflect soft time windows and inter-ship cargo-transfers. The other part of our work is the work in train routing and scheduling. A typical train shipment consists of a set of cars having the common origin and destination. To reduce the handling of individual shipments as they travel, shipments are grouped into blocks. The problem is that given a set of blocks to be carried from origins to destinations, construct the most cost effective train routes and schedules and determine block-to-train assignments, such that the number of block transfers (block swaps) between trains, the number of trains used, and some other cost measures are minimized. The same modeling technique, with extra precedence requirements, is used. Computational results are presented.
Quick-glance and in-depth exploration of a tabletop map for visually impaired people

Interactive tactile maps provide visually impaired people with accessible geographic information. However, when these maps are presented on large tabletops, tactile exploration without sight is long and tedious due to the size of the surface. In this paper we present a novel approach to speed up the process of exploring tabletop maps in the absence of vision. Our approach mimics the visual processing of a map and consists in two steps. First, the Quick-Glance step allows creating a global mental representation of the map by using mid-air gestures. Second, the In-Depth step allows users to reach Points of Interest with appropriate hand guidance onto the map. In this paper we present the design and development of a prototype combining a smartwatch and a tactile surface for Quick-Glance and In-Depth interactive exploration of a map.
Run time write detection in SRAM

Data reliability of Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell is a major issue in deep submicron CMOS technology. In this paper, 8T SRAM cell has been proposed to implement a write failure detection scheme read after write. The cell has also been investigated with the conventional 6T SRAM cell for data stability, performance, write & read power, and area. The proposed cell demonstrates higher data stability specifically during read operation as the cell has high read SNM. The simulations have been carried out on 45nm technology node across the process voltage temperature (PVT) variations.
Measures of Effect Based on the Sufficient Causes Model. 1. Risks and Rates of Disease Associated with a Single Causative Agent

The sufficient causes model of disease occurrence leads to a specific conception of how the risk of disease resulting from exposure to an agent combines with background risks. From this conception, one can derive a method for quantifying in populations the respective effects of the agent and background, using either rates or risks. This method differs from the usual difference or ratio measures of effect by taking into account the probability that the sufficient cause of disease involving the agent of interest and that not involving it will both occur during the observation period. The method leads to: (1) measures of the risks or rates of completion of sufficient causes involving or not involving the agent of interest; (2) a measure of the proportion of cases preventable by removing or blocking the agent, based on observed risks of disease. This proportion varies as a function of the duration of exposure; (3) a measure of the proportion of cases caused by the agent, based on observed rates of disease. This proportion is constant over time, if the rates are; (4) a causal interpretation of a constant rate ratio, when the rates vary over time.
Learning to navigate the healthcare system in a new country: a qualitative study

Abstract Objective: Learning to navigate a healthcare system in a new country is a barrier to health care. Understanding more about the specific navigation challenges immigrants experience may be the first step towards improving health information and thus access to care. This study considers the challenges that Thai and Filipino immigrant women encounter when learning to navigate the Norwegian primary healthcare system and the strategies they use. Design: A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis. Setting: Norway. Participants: Fifteen Thai and 15 Filipino immigrant women over the age of 18 who had been living in Norway at least one year. Results: The women took time to understand the role of the general practitioner and some were unaware of their right to an interpreter during consultations. In addition to reliance on family members and friends in their social networks, voluntary and cultural organisations provided valuable tips and advice on how to navigate the Norwegian health system. While some women actively engaged in learning more about the system, they noted a lack of information available in multiple languages. Conclusions: Informal sources play an important role in learning about the health care system. Formal information should be available in different languages in order to better empower immigrant women.
A fuzzy-neural knowledge-based system for job completion time prediction and internal due date assignment in a wafer fabrication plant

To further enhance the performance of job completion time prediction and internal due date assignment in a wafer fab, a fuzzy-neural knowledge-based system is constructed in this study. In the constructed system, multiple experts construct their own fuzzy multiple linear regression models from various viewpoints to predict the completion/cycle time of a job. Each fuzzy multiple linear regression model can be converted into an equivalent non-linear programming problem to be solved. Subsequently, a two-step aggregation mechanism is applied. At the first step, fuzzy intersection is applied to aggregate the fuzzy completion time forecasts into a polygon-shaped fuzzy number, in order to improve the precision of completion time forecasting. The polygon-shaped fuzzy number contains the actual value, and its upper bound determines the internal due date of the job. After that, a back propagation network is constructed to defuzzify the polygon-shaped fuzzy number and to generate a representative/crisp value, so as to enhance the accuracy. A practical example is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. According to experimental results, the proposed methodology improved both the precision and accuracy of job cycle time prediction by 16 and 21%, respectively.
Molecular cloning and functional characterisation of a glucose transporter, CaHGT1, of Candida albicans.

We have cloned the first glucose transporter CaHGT1 (Candida albicans high-affinity glucose transporter) of a pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans. The DNA sequence (GenBank accession number Y16834) analysis revealed an ORF encoding a novel protein of 545 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 60.67 kDa. The putative protein with 12 transmembrane domains has 51% identity with Kluyveromyces lactis high-affinity glucose transporter, HGT1. The protein signatures which are conserved and distinctive of the sugar transporters belonging to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) were also found in CaHgt1p. When heterologously expressed, the ORF functionally complemented a mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RE700A which was deleted in seven hexose transporter genes and thus was unable to grow or transport glucose. The expression of CaHGT1 in C. albicans showed a transcript of 1.6 kb which was enhanced in response to the human steroid hormone progesterone. Interestingly, the transcript levels were also enhanced in the presence of drugs, e.g. cycloheximide, chloramphenicol and benomyl. The results suggest that CaHGT1, which encodes a MFS protein, could be linked to the drug resistance phenomenon in C. albicans.
Diagnose und Behandlung von Eisenmangel und Anämie bei chronisch entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen. Konsensus der österreichischen Arbeitsgruppe für CED

Iron deficiency with and without anaemia is a common burden of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and has considerable impact on their quality of life and the ability to perform. The IBD working group of the Austrian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology developed five consensus statements on the following topics: (i) diagnosis of iron deficiency and (ii) anaemia, (iii) screening of iron deficiency, (iv) treatment of iron deficiency and (v) therapeutic goals. The clinical importance of intravenous iron replacement therapy in IBD with regard to effectiveness and compliance was discussed.
Dimerization drives EGFR endocytosis through two sets of compatible endocytic codes

ABSTRACT We have shown previously that epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) endocytosis is controlled by EGFR dimerization. However, it is not clear how the dimerization drives receptor internalization. We propose that EGFR endocytosis is driven by dimerization, bringing two sets of endocytic codes, one contained in each receptor monomer, in close proximity. Here, we tested this hypothesis by generating specific homo- or hetero-dimers of various receptors and their mutants. We show that ErbB2 and ErbB3 homodimers are endocytosis deficient owing to the lack of endocytic codes. Interestingly, EGFR–ErbB2 or EGFR–ErbB3 heterodimers are also endocytosis deficient. Moreover, the heterodimer of EGFR and the endocytosis-deficient mutant EGFR&Dgr;1005–1017 is also impaired in endocytosis. These results indicate that two sets of endocytic codes are required for receptor endocytosis. We found that an EGFR–PDGFR&bgr; heterodimer is endocytosis deficient, although both EGFR and PDGFR&bgr; homodimers are endocytosis-competent, indicating that two compatible sets of endocytic codes are required. Finally, we found that to mediate the endocytosis of the receptor dimer, the two sets of compatible endocytic codes, one contained in each receptor molecule, have to be spatially coordinated.
Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified--the analysis of the data from the Czech Lymphoma Study Group (CLSG) registry.

BACKGROUND Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified (PTCL-US) is one of the entities from the infrequent family of nodal mature T-cell lymphomas. The clinical course is aggressive, and despite multiagent chemotherapy, the median survival is about 2 years. Published data are limited to retrospective, mostly single-center studies or reviews and usually include more lymphoma subtypes. AIM To evaluate the current treatment modalities, clinical outcome and prognostic factors in unselected, new diagnosed patients with PTCL-US in the population of the central european region (Czech Republic). METHOD Czech Lymphoma Study Group is a national scientific organization which provides an on-line database registry which collects a data about almost all new diagnosed lymphoma patients since year 2000. All diagnostic biopsies were reviewed by a reference pathologist. RESULTS We analyzed 63 patients with new diagnosis of PTCL-US. The median age was 59 years (25-81), chemotherapy (CHT) was administered in 56 of the 63 patients: anthracyclin-based CHT in 51%, intensive CHT in 21% and non-anthracyclin regimen was applied in 13% of the patients. The overall response rate was 74.4%, (CR in 57.4%). After a median follow-up of 19.6 months, 41% of the patients were in CR, 3.4% in PR or stable disease and 55% of the patients died. The estimated survival probability in 3 years was 36%. Clinical stage (IV) and CR achievement were found to be independent survival predictors in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS Although the current treatment modalities are mostly ineffective in PTCL-US, appropriate intensive treatment may lead to prolonged remission but not survival.
Towards Urban Resilience: A Multi-Criteria Analysis of Seismic Vulnerability in Iasi City (Romania)

When relating to hazards such as earthquakes, a primary task of a resilience approach is to evaluate vulnerability in an integrative manner by taking into account the most relevant indicators. Focused on Iasi, one of the major Romanian cities which are exposed to the earthquakes originating in Vrancea area, this study aims to assess seismic vulnerability using a multi-criteria analysis of buildings infrastructure and social vulnerability. Several indicators are taken into account, such as physical (related to the characteristics of buildings and terrain) and social indicators (related to population and economic income), as well as the accessibility from/to emergency services/hospitals. The indicators were processed by standardization (Z score), processed and correlated using the principal components analysis (PCA) and integrated within an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). By summing the weighted values of the standardized indicators, a (integrated) seismic vulnerability index was obtained. It is a pre-assessment of the seismic vulnerability in Iasi City and also a prerequisite for the identification of the necessary prevention measures to be taken in compliance with the identified spatial patterns of vulnerability as a part of a resilient approach.
TLR5-Mediated Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Activation Negatively Regulates Flagellin-Induced Proinflammatory Gene Expression1

Epithelial cells detect motile pathogens via TLR5 ligation of flagellin, resulting in rapid induction of antibacterial/proinflammatory gene expression. Although such flagellin-induced gene expression is quite transient, likely to avoid the negative consequences of inflammation, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms that mediate its shutdown. We hypothesized that, analogous to the case for TLR4, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) might negatively regulate TLR5 signaling. However, because PI3K is an essential positive mediator of some pathways of TLR-mediated gene expression, the opposite hypothesis was also considered. Herein, we observed that flagellin stimulation of epithelial cells indeed induced rapid (<30 min) PI3K activation, as evidenced by Akt phosphorylation, via a TLR5-mediated mechanism. Blockade of PI3K with wortmannin resulted in marked enhancement of flagellin-induced gene expression as assessed by measuring levels of inducible NO synthase, IL-6, and IL-8. Such enhancement of gene expression by PI3K inhibition correlated with prolonged activation of MAPK (p38 and ERK1/2) and was ablated under MAPK inhibition. Such effect of inhibiting PI3K with wortmannin was mimicked by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, and, conversely, a constitutively active PI3K prevented p38 activation in response to flagellin. Last, to test the significance of these results in vivo, we measured flagellin-induced gene expression in PI3K knockout mice. PI3K-null mice displayed increased levels of flagellin-induced serum IL-6, KC (IL-8 homolog), and nitrite as compared with heterozygous littermates. Thus, TLR5’s rapid activation of PI3K serves to limit MAPK signaling, thus limiting proinflammatory gene expression and reducing the potential negative consequences of proinflammatory gene expression.
Implied Remaining Variance in Derivative Pricing

In this note, the authors give a way to calculate a swaption-implied volatility curve in closed form via the well-known quadratic root formula. The closed-form expression has three free parameters, which parsimoniously govern the assumed dynamics of implied volatility under forward swap measure. Preliminary empirical work suggests the curve fits the swaptions market well (although not perfectly). Unlike previous models of stochastic implied volatility, the current model has no implications for the dynamics of instantaneous volatility.
Microsatellite and Mitochondrial Diversity Analysis of Native Pigs of Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot

ABSTRACT Assessment of genetic diversity in indigenous animals is an important and essential task for animal genetic improvement studies as well as conservation decision-making. The genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among geographically and phenotypically distinct three pig breeds/types native to Indo-Burma and Eastern Himalayan global biodiversity hotspots were determined by genotyping with a panel of 22 ISAG recommended microsatellite loci as well as sequencing partial MTRNR1gene. The mean number of alleles per locus, effective number of alleles and observed heterozygosity were found to be 11.27 ± 0.85, 5.29 ± 0.34, and 0.795 ± 0.01, respectively. The moderate FST value (0.115 ± 0.01) indicated a fair degree of genetic differentiation among the native breeds. The Nei’s unbiased genetic identity estimates indicated less genetic distance (0.2909) between Niang Megha and Tenyi Vo pigs than the both individually with Ghoongroo breed. The divergence time was also estimated from the microsatellite analysis. Analysis of MTRNR1gene revealed distinct clustering of native Indian pigs with Chinese pigs over European pigs. The study revealed the abundance of genetic variation within native Indian pigs and their relationships as well as genetic distances.
Inhibitory Effect of Mast Cell-Mediated Immediate-Type Allergic Reactions in Rats by Perilla Frutescens

Abstract We investigated the effect of aqueous extract of Perilla frutescens(Labiatae) (PFAE) on the mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reactions. PFAE(0.05 to 1 g/kg) dose-dependently inhibited systemic allergic reaction induced by compound 48/80 in rats. PFAE(0.1 and 1 g/kg) also significantly inhibited local allergic reaction activated by anti-DNP IgE. When PFAE was pretreated at the same concentrations with systemic allergic reaction test, the plasma histamine levels were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. PFAE(10−3 to 1 mg/ml) dose-dependently inhibited the histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC) activated by compound 48/80 or anti-DNP IgE. The level of cyclic AMP in RPMC, When PFAE(1 mg/ml) was added, transiently and significantly increased about 4-fold compared with that of basal cells. Moreover, PFAE(0.001 and 0.01 mg/ml) had a significant inhibitory effect on anti-DNP IgE-induced tumor necrosis factor-α production. These results indicate that PFAE inhibits mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reactions in vivo and in vitro.
Investigational drugs for treating psoriatic arthritis

Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis occurring in up to 30% of patients with psoriasis and can lead to progressive joint damage and disability. The emergence of ‘biological’ treatments, typified by the TNF inhibitors, has significantly advanced treatment of psoriatic disease over the last two decades and has led to an expanding field of drugs designed to target specific pathways identified in the pathogenesis of the disease. Areas covered: This review article describes current knowledge pertaining to genetic susceptibility and that gleaned from animal models. It discusses putative drug targets and drugs in development, up to Phase II, while acknowledging that many of these drugs are being investigated in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis rather than PsA alone. Expert opinion: Ongoing trials of some of these drugs, such as the JAK inhibitors, appear particularly promising, while the evolution of dual-targeting therapies affords the aspiration of enhanced efficacy, safety and remission. Paramount to the future of drug discovery and development is the affordability of these agents to the healthcare purchaser as well as their accessibility to the patient.
The Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO-13) Scale: Psychometric Properties among Clients in Primary Care in Sweden

ABSTRACT This article describes the results to expand and develop the use of the Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO-13) Scale. Data were collected in primary care before (I) and after intervention (II) among clients with stress-related disorders and musculoskeletal pain. The Cronbach's alpha values of the SDO-13 Scale were 0.80 and 0.88. Convergent validity was assessed against global occupational satisfaction and general health, resulting in rs = –0.65 (p < 0.001) and rs = –0.46 (p < 0.001). The SDO-13 Scale could not discriminate between the primary care sample and a psychiatric sample (p = 0.15), whereas number of current occupations could (p < 0.001). The SDO-13 was not sensitive to change (p = 0.92). Future studies need to explore criterion and construct validity based on more dissimilar samples and more standardized interventions. Applications of these results to practice are discussed.
Chaotic Time Series Prediction Based on Evolving Recurrent Neural Networks

The prediction of future values of a time series generated by a chaotic dynamical system is a challenging task. Recently, the use of recurrent neural networks (RNN) models appears. An evolving neural network (ERNN) is proposed for the prediction of chaotic time series, which estimates the proper parameters of phase space reconstruction and optimizes the structure of recurrent neural networks by evolutionary algorithms. The effectiveness of ERNN is evaluated by using four benchmark chaotic time series data sets: Lorenz series, logistic series, Mackey-Glass series and real-world sun spots series. Our experiments indicate that the prediction performances of ERNN are better than the other methods exiting in the bibliography.