Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultracapacitor-Based Auxiliary Energy System for an Electric Vehicle: Implementation and Evaluation

In the search for better efficiency, an auxiliary energy system (AES) for electric vehicles (EVs) was designed, implemented, and tested. The system, which is composed of an ultracapacitor bank and a buck-boost converter, was installed in an EV, which is powered by a lead-acid battery pack and a 54-kW brushless dc motor. Two control strategies where developed: one based on heuristics and the other based on an optimization model using neural networks. These strategies were translated to algorithms and implemented in a digital signal processor, and their performance was evaluated in urban driving. The results were incorporated to an economic evaluation of the system, which shows that the reduction in costs would only justify the inclusion of this type of system in a lead-acid battery-powered vehicle if the battery life is extended by 50% or more, which is unlikely. The same results were extrapolated to a case in which the lead-acid batteries are replaced by a fuel cell. In this case, the costs of different power support systems were evaluated, such as ultracapacitors and high-specific-power lithium-based batteries. The results showed a significant cost reduction when AES configurations are included in contrast to a system powered by fuel cells only. Also, the cost reduction was higher when using ultracapacitors for this purpose.
Case management and recidivism of mentally ill persons released from jail.

OBJECTIVE The study tested the hypothesis that case management provided to mentally ill offenders both in jail and after release from jail would reduce their recidivism. METHODS A total of 261 inmates of the Lucas County (Toledo, Ohio) jail who were diagnosed with a mental disorder were tracked for three years after their release. The relationships between recidivism and diagnostic, demographic, and case management variables were examined through event history analysis. RESULTS Recidivism was associated with age, employment, previous arrests, and receipt of community-based case management. Receipt of jail-based case management, although not directly related to recidivism, significantly increased the probability of receiving community-based case management. Receipt of community case management was significantly associated with a lower probability of rearrest and a longer period before rearrest. CONCLUSIONS This study found hopeful signs that expanding access to case management, both inside and outside jail, will help mentally ill people live in their communities and stay out of jail.
Cholesterol reduction in cardiovascular disease. Clinical benefits and possible mechanisms.

The causal role of an elevated serum cholesterol level in the genesis of atherosclerosis and its clinical sequelae, particularly ischemic heart disease, is now well established. The recognition of this role has been the impetus for numerous trials designed to test the hypothesis that a reduction in the cholesterol level will lead to a reduction in morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Most of these studies have indeed demonstrated a reduction in the incidence of ischemic cardiac events, and some have also shown a reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease. Despite this intensive investigation, however, the mechanism (or mechanisms) responsible .
SPA-based task scheduling for hypercubic P2P grid systems

Most of the existing solutions on task scheduling and resource management in grid computing are based on the traditional client/server model, enforcing a homogeneous policy on making decisions and limiting the flexibility, unpredictable reliability and scalability of the system. Thus, we need a well organised system architecture to provide high system availability with resource scheduling scheme for grid environment. In this paper, we integrate grid with P2P on to the hypercube topology with additional neighbourhood links for task scheduling and load balancing, which gives better makespan and balances the load. We propose the SPA-based task scheduling methodology in order to enhance system performance in hypercubic P2P grid (HPGRID). The simulation results show that the SPA-based min-mean scheduling minimises the makespan along with load balancing and guarantees the high system availability in system performance. At last, the min-mean algorithm is compared with min-min and max-min algorithm using SPA, by simulate experimentation, and it shows that the new algorithm has a better quality of system load balancing and the utilisation of system resources.
Pten Loss in Olig2 Expressing Neural Progenitor Cells and Oligodendrocytes Leads to Interneuron Dysplasia and Leukodystrophy

Therapeutic modulation of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/PTEN signaling is currently being explored for multiple neurological indications including brain tumors and seizure disorders associated with cortical malformations. The effects of PI3K/PTEN signaling are highly cell context dependent but the function of this pathway in specific subsets of neural stem/progenitor cells generating oligodendroglial lineage cells has not been fully studied. To address this, we created Olig2‐cre:Ptenfl/fl mice that showed a unique pattern of Pten loss and PI3K activation in Olig2‐lineage cells. Olig2‐cre:Ptenfl/fl animals progressively developed central nervous system white matter hypermyelination by 3 weeks of age leading to later onset leukodystrophy, chronic neurodegeneration, and death by 9 months. In contrast, during immediate postnatal development, oligodendroglia were unaffected but abnormal and accelerated differentiation of lateral subventricular zone stem cells produced calretinin‐positive interneuron dysplasia. Neural stem cells isolated from Olig2‐cre:Ptenfl/fl mice also exhibited accelerated differentiation and proliferation into calretinin‐positive interneurons and oligodendrocytes indicating such effects are cell autonomous. Opposition of the pathway by treatment of human primary neural progenitor cells (NPCs) with the PI3K inhibitor, NVP‐BKM120, blocked in vitro differentiation of neurons and oligodendroglia indicating PI3K/PTEN effects on NPCs can be bidirectional. In summary, our results suggest Pten is a developmental rheostat regulating interneuron and oligodendroglial differentiation and support testing of PI3K modulating drugs as treatment for developmental and myelination disorders. However, such agents may need to be administered at ages that minimize potential effects on early stem/progenitor cell development. Stem Cells 2014;32:313–326
Globalization and Business Cycle Synchronization : Evidence from the United States

This paper empirically investigates the impact of globalization on the business cycle comovement of individual US states with the rest of the national economy and with the rest of world. Regressions with panel data over the period 1990-2005 provide strong evidence in support of the conventional wisdom that rising global integration over time, through either trade or foreign direct investment flows, raises a state economy’s business cycle correlation with the world economy. Openness promotes greater business cycle synchronization within regional US economies than with the rest of the world. This finding reflects the impact of international borders on trade and investment flows.
Bidirectional DAB DC-DC converter with hysteresis current mode control

A new modulation strategy with Hysteresis Current Mode Control for Bidirectional Dual Active Bridge (DAB) is proposed in the paper. A simulation model for Buck and Boost mode of operation is developed and implemented in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The value of the calculated leakage inductance is verified using COMSOL program. The proposed Hysteresis Current Mode Control allows combining the advantages of Current Fed Bidirectional Converter and Bidirectional DAB.
Influence of dietary supplementation with (L)-carnitine on metabolic rate, fatty acid oxidation, body condition, and weight loss in overweight cats.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of dietary supplementation with l-carnitine on metabolic rate, fatty acid oxidation, weight loss, and lean body mass (LBM) in overweight cats undergoing rapid weight reduction. ANIMALS 32 healthy adult neutered colony-housed cats. PROCEDURES Cats fattened through unrestricted ingestion of an energy-dense diet for 6 months were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed a weight reduction diet supplemented with 0 (control), 50, 100, or 150 μg of carnitine/g of diet (unrestricted for 1 month, then restricted). Measurements included resting energy expenditure, respiratory quotient, daily energy expenditure, LBM, and fatty acid oxidation. Following weight loss, cats were allowed unrestricted feeding of the energy-dense diet to investigate weight gain after test diet cessation. RESULTS Median weekly weight loss in all groups was ≥ 1.3%, with no difference among groups in overall or cumulative percentage weight loss. During restricted feeding, the resting energy expenditure-to-LBM ratio was significantly higher in cats that received l-carnitine than in those that received the control diet. Respiratory quotient was significantly lower in each cat that received l-carnitine on day 42, compared with the value before the diet began, and in all cats that received l-carnitine, compared with the control group throughout restricted feeding. A significant increase in palmitate flux rate in cats fed the diet with 150 μg of carnitine/g relative to the flux rate in the control group on day 42 corresponded to significantly increased stoichiometric fat oxidation in the l-carnitine diet group (> 62% vs 14% for the control group). Weight gain (as high as 28%) was evident within 35 days after unrestricted feeding was reintroduced. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dietary l-carnitine supplementation appeared to have a metabolic effect in overweight cats undergoing rapid weight loss that facilitated fatty acid oxidation.
Long-Term Survival of Corneal Allografts Is Dependent on Intact CD1d-Reactive NKT Cells1

BALB/c mice that tolerate the allogeneic grafts develop allogeneic-specific anterior chamber-associated immune deviation. Because CD1d-reactive NKT cells are essential for anterior chamber-associated immune deviation, we postulated that the survival of C57BL/6 (B6) cornea graft in BALB/c mice was also dependent on CD1d-reactive NKT cells. The B6 corneal graft rejection rate in BALB/c vs Jα281 knockout (KO) mice, which lack NKT cells, was measured. While there were no difference in the early phase of rejection, the survival rates at 12 wk after grafting for BALB/c and Jα281 KO mice were 50 and 0%, respectively. Because anti-CD1d mAb abrogated the corneal graft survival in the wild-type mice we concluded that CD1d-reactive NKT cells were essential for graft survival. Moreover, allospecific T regulatory (Tr) cells correlated with acceptance of B6 grafts in BALB/c mice, and the adoptive transfer of these allospecific Tr cells to Jα281 KO mice allowed a 50% survival rate of B6 cornea grafts. In conclusion, CD1d-reactive NKT cells are required for induction of allospecific Tr cells and are essential for survival of corneal allografts. Mechanisms that contribute to cornea graft acceptance may lead to new therapies for improvement in graft survival in high-risk corneas and other transplanted tissues and grafts.
PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway in Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Are We on the Right Track?

Abstract The high recurrence rate and the low overall survival in ovarian cancer suggest that a more specific therapeutic approach in addition to conventional treatment is required. Translational and clinical research is investigating new molecular targets in order to find an alternative way to affect tumor growth and to minimize the overlap of toxicity of antiblastic agents. Given its implication in many cellular activities including regulation of cell growth, motility, survival, proliferation, protein synthesis, autophagy, transcription, as well as angiogenesis, PI3K/AKT/mTOR is one of the most investigated intracellular signaling pathways. A dis-regulation of this pathway has been shown in several tumors, including ovarian cancer. In this setting, mTor proteins represent a potential target for inhibitors, which could ultimately play a pivotal role in counteracting cellular proliferation. Recently, mTor inhibitors have been approved in the treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, mantle cell lymphoma and renal cancer. Clinical trials have assessed the safety of these drugs in ovarian cancer patients. Ongoing phase I and II studies are evaluating the oncologic outcome of mTor inhibitor treatment and its effect in combination with conventional chemotherapy and target agents.
Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MRI for differentiation between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lymphoma at the primary site.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the value of quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (QDCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) in differentiating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from lymphoma. METHODS We retrospectively analysed the data from 102 patients (82 with NPC and 20 with lymphoma) who underwent pre-treatment QDCE-MRI and DW-MRI on a 1.5-T MR unit. QDEC-MRI parameters [influx transfer constant (K(trans)), efflux rate constant (Kep), fractional volume of extravascular extracellular space (Ve) and fractional volume of plasma (fPV)] based on pharmacokinetic model and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were compared between the two nasopharyngeal malignancies. RESULTS The K(trans), Kep, Ve, fPV and ADC values (mean ± standard deviation) for NPC were 0.366 ± 0.155 min(-1), 1.353 ± 0.468 min(-1), 0.292 ± 0.117, 0.027 ± 0.024 and 0.981 ± 0.184 × 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1), respectively. The K(trans), Kep, Ve, fPV and ADC values (mean ± standard deviation) for lymphoma were 0.212 ± 0.059 min(-1), 1.073 ± 0.238 min(-1), 0.213 ± 0.104, 0.008 ± 0.007 and 0.760 ± 0.182 × 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1), respectively. Optimal cut-off values (area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity) for distinguishing the two tumours were as follows: K(trans) = 0.262 min(-1) (0.866, 80.49%, 85.00%), Kep = 1.401 min(-1) (0.681, 43.90%, 100.00%), Ve = 0.211 (0.784, 76.83%, 85.00%), fPV = 0.012 (0.779, 60.98%, 85.00%), ADC = 0.761 × 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) (0.781, 93.90%, 55.00%). CONCLUSIONS QDCE-MRI together with DW-MRI is useful for differentiation between NPC and lymphoma.
The impact of adolescent binge drinking and sustained abstinence on affective state.

BACKGROUND While it is clear that affect is negatively impacted by heavy drinking in adulthood and that it improves with abstinence, little is known about effects of heavy drinking on mood during adolescence. METHODS This study examined negative mood states among 2 groups of 16- to 18-year-old high school students; youth with a history of recent heavy episodic drinking (HED; n = 39) and comparison youth with limited lifetime drinking experience (CON; n = 26). Affect was assessed at 3 time points during a 4- to 6-week period of monitored abstinence using the Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety and Depression; self-reports were obtained with the state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and experience sampling of current affect was assessed via daily text messages sent at randomly determined times in the morning, afternoon, and evening. RESULTS Youth with a recent history of HED reported more negative affect compared with nondrinking youth during early stages of abstinence (days since last HED at assessment 1: M = 6.46; SD = 5.06); however, differences in affect were not observed after 4 to 6 weeks of abstinence. Sex differences were evident, with HED girls reporting greater depression and anxiety than HED male peers. Although not significant, response patterns indicated that boys may experience faster resolution of negative emotional states than girls with sustained abstinence. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that high-dose drinking is associated with elevated negative affect for adolescents and that negative mood states may take longer to resolve for girls than for boys following heavy drinking episodes. Future research clarifying naturally occurring changes in affective response during early and sustained abstinence is necessary for improving programs designed to promote adolescent decision-making and to reduce risk for relapse.
Saturation throughput analysis of an input queueing ATM switch with multiclass bursty traffic

We consider an N/spl times/N non-blocking, space division ATM switch with input cell queueing. At each input, the cell arrival process comprises geometrically distributed bursts of consecutive cells for the various outputs. Motivated by the fact that some input links may be connected to metropolitan area networks, and others directly to B-ISDN terminals, we study the situation where there are two classes of inputs with different values of mean burst length. We show that when inputs contend for an output, giving priority to an input with smaller expected burst length yields a saturation throughput larger than if the reverse priority is given. Further, giving priority to less bursty traffic can give better throughput than if all the inputs were occupied by this less bursty traffic. We derive the asymptotic (as N/spl rarr//spl infin/) saturation throughputs for each priority class. >
Using Lid of pins for packaging of microstrip board for descrambling the ports of eleven antenna for radio telescope applications

This paper presents the packaging solution for the microstrip part of the descrambling section of dual polarized Eleven antenna. The packaging solution is based on using artificial Perfect Magnetic Conductor (PMC) shielding instead of conventional metal shielding. The PMC shielding is realized with a metal pin surface, and these metal pins force the parallel plate cavity modes to vanish within the frequency range of interest, from 5 GHz to 13.5 GHz.
Anaesthetic management of a patient with erythropoietic protoporphyria for ventricular septal defect closure

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is due to a deficiency in ferrochelatase required for haem synthesis. We describe the anaesthetic management of a seven‐year‐old with EPP undergoing closure of a haemodynamically significant ventricular septal defect. Photosensitivity in EPP patients is triggered at wavelengths near 400 nm and light‐excited porphyrins generate free radicals and singlet oxygen that lead to erythrocyte deformity and haemolysis. Stimuli that could trigger a porphyric crisis during anaesthesia and surgery were reduced by avoiding exposure to the sensitive 400 nm spectrum and using light sources covered with yellow acrylate filters in the operating room. Anaesthetic agents not previously associated with porphyric crisis were chosen. Whole blood priming of the extracorporeal circuit was performed to ensure adequate haemoglobin concentrations during the perioperative period.
Alterations in classical and nonclassical HLA expression in recurrent and progressive HPV‐induced usual vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia and implications for immunotherapy

Immunotherapy of usual vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (uVIN) is promising; however, many patients still fail to show clinical responses, which could be explained by an immune escape through alterations in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression. Therefore, we analyzed a cohort of patients with a primary (n = 43) and subsequent recurrent uVIN lesion (n = 20), vaccine‐treated uVIN patients (n = 12), patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)‐induced vulvar carcinoma (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 26) for the expression of classical HLA‐class I/II and nonclassical HLA‐E/‐G and MHC class I chain‐related molecule A (MICA). HLA‐class I was downregulated in 70% of uVIN patients, including patients with a clinical response to immunotherapy. Downregulation of HLA‐class I is probably reversible, as only 15% of the uVIN cases displayed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and HLA‐class I could be upregulated in uVIN keratinocyte cultures by interferon γ. HLA‐class I downregulation is more frequently associated with LOH in vulvar carcinomas (25–55.5%). HLA‐class II was found to be focally expressed in 65% of uVIN patients. Of the nonclassical molecules, MICA was downregulated in 80% of uVIN whereas HLA‐E and ‐G were expressed in a minority of cases. Their expression was more prominent in vulvar carcinoma. No differences were found between the alterations observed in paired primary and recurrent uVIN. Importantly, downregulation of HLA‐B/C in primary uVIN lesions was associated with the development of recurrences and progression to cancer. We conclude that downregulation of HLA is frequently observed in premalignant HPV‐induced lesions, including clinical responders to immunotherapy, and is associated with worse clinical outcome. However, in the majority of cases downregulation may still be reversible.
Verb Polarity Frames: a New Resource and its Application in Target-specific Polarity Classification

We discuss target-speciﬁc polarity classi-ﬁcation for German news texts. Novel, verb-speciﬁc features are used in a Simple Logistic Regression model. The polar perspective a verb casts on its grammatical roles is exploited. Also, an additional, largely neglected polarity class is examined: controversial texts. We found that the straightforward deﬁnition of ’con-troversial’ is problematic. More or less balanced polarities in a text are a poor indicator of controversy. Instead, non-polar wording helps more than polarity aggregation. However, our novel features proved useful for the remaining polarity classes.
Implementing Remote Evaluation

Remote evaluation (REV) is a construct for building distributed systems that involves sending executable code from one computer to another computer via a communication network. How REV can reduce communication and improve performance for certain classes of distributed applications is explained. Implementation issues are discussed. REV is incorporated into a high-level programming language by defining its syntax and its semantics. The compile-time and run-time support for REV is discussed in both heterogeneous and homogeneous systems and compared to that needed by a remote procedure call implementation. Sample performance measurements are included. Experience with a prototype REV implementation is summarized. >
The MicroRNA Profile of Prostate Carcinoma Obtained by Deep Sequencing

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of tumor mortality. To characterize the underlying molecular mechanisms, we have compared the microRNA (miRNA) profile of primary prostate cancers and noncancer prostate tissues using deep sequencing. MiRNAs are small noncoding RNAs of 21 to 25 nucleotides that regulate gene expression through the inhibition of protein synthesis. We find that 33 miRNAs were upregulated or downregulated >1.5-fold. The deregulation of selected miRNAs was confirmed by both Northern blotting and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in established prostate cancer cell lines and clinical tissue samples. A computational search indicated the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of the mRNA for myosin VI (MYO6) as a potential target for both miR-143 and miR-145, the expression of which was reduced in the tumor tissues. Upregulation of myosin VI in prostate cancer was previously shown by immunohistochemistry. The level of MYO6 mRNA was significantly induced in all primary tumor tissues compared with the nontumor tissue from the same patient. This finding was matched to the upregulation of myosin VI in established prostate cancer cell lines. In luciferase reporter analysis, we find a significant negative regulatory effect on the MYO6 3′UTR by both miR-143 and miR-145. Mutation of the potential binding sites for miR-143 and miR-145 in the MYO6 3′UTR resulted in a loss of responsiveness to the corresponding miRNA. Our data indicate that miR-143 and miR-145 are involved in the regulation of MYO6 expression and possibly in the development of prostate cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 8(4); 529–38. ©2010 AACR.