Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integrated programmable analog front-end architecture for physiological signal acquisition

A versatile front-end capable of acquiring a wide range of physiological signals, thus reusing the same design and hardware in different contexts, is a valuable goal both for biomedical research and medical devices. In this work we present such an “all-terrain” programmable integrated front-end architecture and the trade-offs associated to its design. A low noise preamplifier is implemented using a novel architecture based on a differential-difference amplifier which applies gm-C techniques for fixing the cut-off frequencies. Moreover, this architecture is extended to be applied to the other stages of the front-end. The main design trade-offs (noise-power, gain-power, noise-gain and linearity-gain) of the front-end architecture are discussed and their impacts in the design of the processing chain in terms of assignment of gain, noise, linearity and programmability to each stage are shown. The front-end is designed in a 0. 5μm CMOS process. The gain is programmable between 57dB and 99dB, the high cut-off frequency is programmable between 116Hz and 5.2kHz, the low cut-off frequency is 18Hz, the maximum power consumption of the front-end is 11. 2μA and its maximum equivalent input-referred noise voltage is 1. 87μVrms.
HLA and interleukin 1 gene polymorphisms in primary biliary cirrhosis: associations with disease progression and disease susceptibility

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Twin and family studies suggest that there is a genetic component to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) but the genetic associations which have been described are weak with marked variations between centres. PBC is heterogeneous and genetic associations with disease progression may be obscured when the PBC population is analysed only as a whole and not subdivided. METHODS We have investigated two candidate gene loci in 164 well characterised patients, 88 (54%) of whom had advanced disease. RESULTS There was an increased frequency of the HLA DRB1*0801-DQA1*0401-DQB1*0402 haplotype in patients who had progressed to late stage disease (23% v 2% of controls; p=0000044; odds ratio (OR) 15.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.52–68.4) but not in those with early stage disease (4%v 2%). Patients had a higher frequency of the IL-1B*1,1 genotype and lower frequencies of the IL-1B*1,2 and*2,2 genotypes (p=0.00078; OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.38–4.06), and higher frequency of theIL-1RN*1,1 genotype and lower frequency of theIL-1RN*1,2 genotype (p=0.0011; OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.34–3.89). The difference in the IL-1B*1,1genotype distribution was most marked in patients with early stage disease (77% v 43% of controls; p=0.000003; OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.31–10) but theIL-1RN genotype distribution was similar in patients with early and late stage disease. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate a complex relationship between immunoregulatory genes and PBC. While the IL-1 genes are markers of both disease susceptibility and progression, HLA genes appear to be principally associated with disease progression.
Requirements for eIF4A and eIF2 during translation of Sindbis virus subgenomic mRNA in vertebrate and invertebrate host cells

We have examined the requirements for the initiation factors (eIFs) eIF4A and eIF2 to translate Sindbis virus (SV) subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) in the natural hosts of SV: vertebrate and arthropod cells. Notably, this viral mRNA does not utilize eIF4A in SV‐infected mammalian cells. However, eIF4A is required to translate this mRNA in transfected cells. Therefore, SV sgmRNA exhibits a dual mechanism for translation with respect to the use of eIF4A. Interestingly, SV genomic mRNA requires eIF4A for translation during the early phase of infection. In sharp contrast to what is observed in mammalian cells, active eIF2 is necessary to translate SV sgmRNA in mosquito cells. However, eIF4A is not necessary for SV sgmRNA translation in this cell line. In the SV sgmRNA coding region, proximal to the initiation codon is a hairpin structure that confers eIF2 independence only in mammalian cells infected by SV. Strikingly, this structure does not provide independence for eIF4A neither in mammalian nor in mosquito cells. These findings provide the first evidence of different eIF requirements for translation of SV sgmRNA in vertebrate and invertebrate cells. These observations can help to understand the interaction of SV with its host cells.
Rapid detection of the cisAB allele consisting of a chimera of normal A and B alleles by PCR‐RFLPs

Summary. DNA samples were analysed from Japanese individuals with the very rare ABO variant phenotype, cisAB (A2B3), which is characterized by the apparent inheritance of both A and B genes on one chromosome. The nature of the bases present at nucleotide positions (nps) 261, 526, 703, 796 and 803 is important for the specificity of the alleles at the ABO locus and the DNA from the cis AB donors was analysed by polymerase chain reaction ‐ restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) to determine which nucleotides are present at these positions.
On Combining Triads and Unrelated Subjects Data in Candidate Gene Studies: An Application to Data on Testicular Cancer

Combining data collected from different sources is a cost-effective and time-efficient approach for enhancing the statistical efficiency in estimating weak-to-modest genetic effects or gene-gene or gene-environment interactions. However, combining data across studies becomes complicated when data are collected under different study designs, such as family-based and unrelated individual-based (e.g., population-based case-control design). In this paper, we describe a general method that permits the joint estimation of effects on disease risk of genes, environmental factors, and gene-gene/gene-environment interactions under a hybrid design that includes cases, parents of cases, and unrelated individuals. We provide both asymptotic theory and statistical inference. Extensive simulation experiments demonstrate that the proposed estimation and inferential methods perform well in realistic settings. We illustrate the method by an application to a study of testicular cancer.
TIIE-28 Swaps as Risk-Adjusted Forecasts of Monetary Policy in Mexico

Information extracted from financial derivatives on interest rates is commonly used to forecast movements in interest rates. However, such an extraction generally assumes that agents are risk-neutral, which is not necessarily the case. Accordingly, it might be useful to account for the agents’ risk-aversion when doing these forecasts, which one can implement by adding a risk-correction. In this context, we use TIIE-28 swaps to forecast changes in monetary policy in Mexico, using a set of financial variables to account for the risk-correction. We assess whether models with a risk-correction outperform the TIIE-28 swaps rates, and find that the in-sample explained variability improves when using a risk-correction. Centrally, we document that our main model’s out-of-sample forecasts are similar for short horizons (3-month), and statistically significantly better for longer horizons (9 to 24-month), compared to the direct use of TIIE-28 swaps interest rates.
Pepducin targeting the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 acts as a biased agonist favoring activation of the inhibitory G protein

Significance Pepducins are a class of biologics that allosterically control G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activity, but very little is known about their mode of action. Here, we report that ATI-2341, a pepducin targeting the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), functions as a biased ligand, favoring Gαi activation over Gα13. Moreover, contrary to the natural CXCR4 agonist, stromal cell-derived factor-1α, ATI-2341 does not promote β-arrestin recruitment. In addition to revealing the selective signaling underlying ATI-2341 effects on hematopoietic cell mobilization, the study shows that pepducins are powerful tools offering perspectives for studying GPCR functional selectivity that could impact the development of drugs with fewer side effects. Short lipidated peptide sequences derived from various intracellular loop regions of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are named pepducins and act as allosteric modulators of a number of GPCRs. Recently, a pepducin selectively targeting the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) was found to be an allosteric agonist, active in both cell-based assays and in vivo. However, the precise mechanism of action of this class of ligands remains poorly understood. In particular, given the diversity of signaling effectors that can be engaged by a given receptor, it is not clear whether pepducins can show biased signaling leading to functional selectivity. To explore the ligand-biased potential of pepducins, we assessed the effect of the CXCR4 selective pepducin, ATI-2341, on the ability of the receptor to engage the inhibitory G proteins (Gi1, Gi2 and Gi3), G13, and β-arrestins. Using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensors, we found that, in contrast to the natural CXCR4 ligand, stromal cell-derived factor-1α, which promotes the engagement of the three Gi subtypes, G13 and the two β-arrestins, ATI-2341 leads to the engagement of the Gi subtypes but not G13 or the β-arrestins. Calculation of the transduction ratio for each pathway revealed a strong negative bias of ATI-2341 toward G13 and β-arrestins, revealing functional selectivity for the Gi pathways. The negative bias toward β-arrestins results from the reduced ability of the pepducin to promote GPCR kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the receptor. In addition to revealing ligand-biased signaling of pepducins, these findings shed some light on the mechanism of action of a unique class of allosteric regulators.
0.8-Volt bulk-driven flipped voltage follower

A source follower based voltage buffer that fits in with a low supply voltage is presented. This proposal is based on utilizing the Bulk-Driven Flipped Voltage Follower (BDFVF) and the Quasi-Floating Gate (QFG) technique. The proposed voltage buffer has been designed with a 0.18-μm CMOS technology. The simulated results under the single 0.8-volt power supply environment show that the proposed buffer achieves 9-MHz of -3-dB frequency with a 10-pF load, while the bias current consumption is only 4-μA.
B2B digital marketing strategy: a framework for assessing digital touchpoints and increasing customer loyalty based on Austrian companies from heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry

Research background: Digital marketing has changed the nature of company-to-customer communication. With rising information overload and reduced decision-making time, touchpoints have gained additional importance by yielding customer loyalty. Yet, the existing digital marketing tools have failed to keep pace with these trends. Companies are lacking a simple framework that focuses on a digital marketing strategy built around touchpoints and customer loyalty. This is especially relevant for B2B companies, which due to their specifics are more dependent on customers and less flexible in adapting of new digital trends. Purpose of the article: A B2B business strategy tailored to digital trends demands a re-evaluation of prior understanding of a product portfolio, a company? s internal and external environment. The purpose of the article is to present a framework that helps to undertake the necessary changes and enables the connections with industry. Methods: The suggested model has been drawn from the literature review and extended based on the findings of a multiple case study of Austrian Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry companies. The fieldwork was conducted in early 2017. Findings & Value added: Aspiring to follow trends in digital marketing and to help B2B companies to adapt their strategy to ongoing changes in company-to-customer communication, a new framework has been developed. The framework aims to increase customer loyalty and focuses on channels/touchpoints, assets, skills, audience and customer journey. The model could be beneficial for Chief Marketing Officers (CMO) and other C-levels by offering a simple and reliable tool for improving a company's position in the digital marketplace. Moreover, it enables continuous adjustment of an already existing business strategy.
Performance Evaluation of Wind Power Systems Based on Production Economics Theory

The research in this dissertation addresses the issues in the performance evaluation of wind power systems under commercially operating circumstances. Such an evaluation is critical to a wide range of decisions including operations and maintenance planning, reliability assessment, asset procurement, and system designs. However, accurate evaluation is excessively challenging due to the unknown causal relationship between wind input and power output, the dependency of power output on numerous uncontrollable factors, and the high level of uncertainty observed in power output. While addressing these challenges, we develop a new performance measure based on production economics theories and propose effective methodologies for evaluating the performance of wind power systems. By doing so, this dissertation study aims to improve the practice of performance evaluation in the wind industry. We define an efficiency metric analogous to productive efficiency, which requires estimating a performance benchmark, i.e., the performance referring to 100% efficiency. For the performance benchmark, we develop a stochastic nonparametric estimator maintaining S-shape, the typical shape observed in the wind input-power output relationship. When applying the efficiency metric for comparing performance under different scenarios, other environmental factors need to be controlled for, as their difference could produce a difference in power output. We devise a covariate density matching method that selects subsets of data for which probability densities of the environmental factors are comparable; evaluating only these subsets, then, ensures a fair comparison. We further investigate wake situations in which the operation of a turbine could cause a significant power deficit on its neighboring turbines. In the presence of the performance benchmark introduced earlier, ii we can model the power deficit as a non-negative term subtracted from the benchmark. Based on this model setup, we develop a spline model with a non-negativity constraint imposed for characterizing such a wake effect. When each of the proposed methods is applied to operational wind data, the respective results demonstrate that each of the methods outperforms its competitive alternatives in terms of estimation and/or prediction accuracy. This suggests that the methods can reduce the unaccounted uncertainty in power output and thus provide better insight into the performance of wind power systems.
Right ventricular fatigue developing during endurance exercise: an exercise cardiac magnetic resonance study.

INTRODUCTION Prolonged intense exercise has often been associated with the impairment of right ventricular (RV) function after activity, whereas this is rare for the left ventricle (LV). The effect of prolonged exercise on the heart has not been adequately measured during exercise itself. METHODS We performed real-time cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at rest and during incremental exercise in 14 male endurance athletes (mean ± SD; age = 36 ± 6 yr, BMI = 23.1 ± 1.94 kg·m) 1-3 wk before (baseline) and immediately after a 150-km cycling event (end-of-race) to measure LV and RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (EDV and ESV), ejection fraction (EF), and ventricular-arterial coupling (stroke volume [SV]/ESV). RESULTS End-of-race RV EDV was unchanged from baseline at rest but was significantly increased during near-maximal exercise (235 ± 18 vs 217 ± 24 mL, P < 0.0001). Resting RV ESV was higher end-of-race (100 ± 16 vs 93 ± 15 mL, P = 0.009), which became more appreciable during near-maximal exercise (75 ± 15 vs 60 ± 14 mL, P < 0.0001). RV EF, although unchanged at rest, was significantly decreased during near-maximal exercise (68% ± 5% vs 73% ± 4%, P = 0.001). LV volume measures were similar at baseline and end-of-race. Therefore, the effect of endurance activity on the RV and LV was significantly different (P < 0.0001). Cardiac output increased to similar values at near-maximal exertion before and at the end of the race. However, whereas LV SV/ESV was unchanged, RV SV/ESV was attenuated end-of-race (P = 0.02 for interaction with race setting). CONCLUSIONS Intense endurance exercise does not affect LV volume or function but results in RV dilatation and reduced RV EF, which becomes even more significant during exercise. Alterations in RV ventricular-arterial coupling suggest that this may be an expression of exercise-induced RV contractile impairment rather than changes in autonomic or loading conditions.
Shielding effectiveness of artificial magnetic screens in the VHF band

Performance of artificial planar screens composed of small magnetic elements are investigated through equivalent circuit models and a full-wave approach involving a periodic method-of-moments formulation. The conventional split-ring resonator screen is first studied and next the geometry of the single inclusion is modified in order to reduce the operating frequency of the screen. It is shown how the proposed spiral-resonator screen can operate in the VHF band and that a careful numerical analysis needs to be carried out to accurately predict the selective properties of the screen. Different commercial full-wave software are also used and their limits in the modeling of such microstructured materials are pointed out.
Novel Phosphorylation and Ubiquitination Sites Regulate Reactive Oxygen Species-dependent Degradation of Anti-apoptotic c-FLIP Protein*

Background: The anti-apoptotic protein c-FLIP inhibits cell death induced by TNF family cytokines, including TRAIL. Results: Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent phosphorylation and ubiquitination of the c-FLIP protein causes its proteasome-mediated degradation, thus sensitizing to TRAIL-induced cell death. Conclusion: ROS-dependent post-translational modifications regulate c-FLIP protein stability. Significance: Understanding how ROS mediate c-FLIP protein degradation may inform therapeutic strategies targeting cell death mechanisms. The cytosolic protein c-FLIP (cellular Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin 1β-converting enzyme inhibitory protein) is an inhibitor of death receptor-mediated apoptosis that is up-regulated in a variety of cancers, contributing to apoptosis resistance. Several compounds found to restore sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL, a TNF family death ligand with promising therapeutic potential, act by targeting c-FLIP ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in c-FLIP protein degradation. However, the mechanism by which ROS post-transcriptionally regulate c-FLIP protein levels is not well understood. We show here that treatment of prostate cancer PPC-1 cells with the superoxide generators menadione, paraquat, or buthionine sulfoximine down-regulates c-FLIP long (c-FLIPL) protein levels, which is prevented by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Furthermore, pretreatment of PPC-1 cells with a ROS scavenger prevented ubiquitination and loss of c-FLIPL protein induced by menadione or paraquat. We identified lysine 167 as a novel ubiquitination site of c-FLIPL important for ROS-dependent degradation. We also identified threonine 166 as a novel phosphorylation site and demonstrate that Thr-166 phosphorylation is required for ROS-induced Lys-167 ubiquitination. The mutation of either Thr-166 or Lys-167 was sufficient to stabilize c-FLIP protein levels in PPC-1, HEK293T, and HeLa cancer cells treated with menadione or paraquat. Accordingly, expression of c-FLIP T166A or K167R mutants protected cells from ROS-mediated sensitization to TRAIL-induced cell death. Our findings reveal novel ROS-dependent post-translational modifications of the c-FLIP protein that regulate its stability, thus impacting sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL.
Neuropsychologic functioning of survivors of childhood medulloblastoma randomized to receive conventional or reduced-dose craniospinal irradiation: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that survivors of medulloblastoma who were younger at diagnosis and those who received standard-dose cranial irradiation (SRT) of 36 Gy would have a lower performance on standardized tests of cognitive function and achievement than children who were older and those treated with reduced-dose cranial irradiation (RRT) of 23.4 Gy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients had been treated on Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) study 8631 for low-risk medulloblastoma that randomized patients to receive RRT or SRT after surgical resection. Those who were alive and free of progressive disease 6.1 to 9.9 years from completion of treatment were eligible for this study. Of the 35 eligible patients, 22 patients (13 SRT, nine RRT) participated in a battery of tests that included intellectual and academic development as well as ratings of health-related quality of life. RESULTS Patients were stratified by treatment group (SRT v RRT) and into younger (Y) and older (O) groups by the median age at diagnosis (8.85 years), which resulted in four groups that we hypothesized would show neuropsychologic test scores in the following order: Y/SRT less than Y/RRT less than O/SRT less than O/RRT. Evidence to support the hypothesized ordering of groups in terms of neuropsychologic toxicity was obtained with regard to Performance Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Full Scale IQ, Attention, Reading, and Arithmetic. CONCLUSION Children treated for medulloblastoma experienced less severe neuropsychologic toxicity when treated with 23.4 Gy instead of 36 Gy cranial irradiation. Older children experienced less toxicity than children who were younger at the time of irradiation.
User-cooperation scheme based on clustering for energy efficiency in cellular networks with D2D communication

In cellular networks, proximity users may directly communicate with each other without going through the base station. That is called Device-to-Device (D2D) communication. It has the advantages of improving the spectral efficiency and the power saving of a user equipment (UE). In D2D communication of cellular networks, multiple UEs work together to improve the overall throughput. We call this strategy user-cooperation. User-cooperation is useful method for multiple UEs using the same contents with the high data rate because they are capable of sharing information each other. However, these contents demand the high transmit power for a UE in uplink channel. Therefore, we study user-cooperation schemes based on clustering to minimize the average power consumption of UEs while guaranteeing the high data rate. In this paper, we develop an optimization problem that finds the optimal radius of the cluster to minimize the average power consumption of UEs. Numerical and simulation results show that user-cooperation of the proposed scheme can reduce a large amount of the average power consumption of a UE.