Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The 2018 GaN power electronics roadmap

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a compound semiconductor that has tremendous potential to facilitate economic growth in a semiconductor industry that is silicon-based and currently faced with diminishing returns of performance versus cost of investment. At a material level, its high electric field strength and electron mobility have already shown tremendous potential for high frequency communications and photonic applications. Advances in growth on commercially viable large area substrates are now at the point where power conversion applications of GaN are at the cusp of commercialisation. The future for building on the work described here in ways driven by specific challenges emerging from entirely new markets and applications is very exciting. This collection of GaN technology developments is therefore not itself a road map but a valuable collection of global state-of-the-art GaN research that will inform the next phase of the technology as market driven requirements evolve. First generation production devices are igniting large new markets and applications that can only be achieved using the advantages of higher speed, low specific resistivity and low saturation switching transistors. Major investments are being made by industrial companies in a wide variety of markets exploring the use of the technology in new circuit topologies, packaging solutions and system architectures that are required to achieve and optimise the system advantages offered by GaN transistors. It is this momentum that will drive priorities for the next stages of device research gathered here.
Quootstrap: Scalable Unsupervised Extraction of Quotation-Speaker Pairs from Large News Corpora via Bootstrapping

We propose Quootstrap, a method for extracting quotations, as well as the names of the speakers who uttered them, from large news corpora. Whereas prior work has addressed this problem primarily with supervised machine learning, our approach follows a fully unsupervised bootstrapping paradigm. It leverages the redundancy present in large news corpora, more precisely, the fact that the same quotation often appears across multiple news articles in slightly different contexts. Starting from a few seed patterns, such as ["Q", said S. ], our method extracts a set of quotation-speaker pairs (Q, S), which are in turn used for discovering new patterns expressing the same quotations; the process is then repeated with the larger pattern set. Our algorithm is highly scalable, which we demonstrate by running it on the large ICWSM 2011 Spinn3r corpus. Validating our results against a crowdsourced ground truth, we obtain 90% precision at 40% recall using a single seed pattern, with significantly higher recall values for more frequently reported (and thus likely more interesting) quotations. Finally, we showcase the usefulness of our algorithm's output for computational social science by analyzing the sentiment expressed in our extracted quotations.
Human Mig chemokine: biochemical and functional characterization

Mig is a chemokine of the CXC subfamily that was discovered by differential screening of a cDNA library prepared from lymphokine- activated macrophages. The mig gene is inducible in macrophages and in other cells in response to interferon (IFN)-gamma. We have transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with cDNA encoding human Mig and we have derived CHO cell lines from which we have purified recombinant human Mig (rHuMig). rHuMig induced the transient elevation of [Ca2+]i in human tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) and in cultured, activated human peripheral blood-derived lymphocytes. No responses were seen in human neutrophils, monocytes, or Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines. rHuMig was chemotactic for TIL by a modified Boyden chamber assay but rHuMig was not chemotactic for neutrophils or monocytes. The CHO cell lines, IFN-gamma-treated human peripheral-blood monocytes, and IFN-gamma-treated cells of the human monocytic cell line THP-1 all secreted multiple and identical HuMig species as revealed by SDS-PAGE. Using the CHO-derived rHuMig, we have shown that the species' heterogeneity is due to proteolytic cleavage at basic carboxy-terminal residues, and that the proteolysis occurs before and not after rHuMig secretion by the CHO cells. The major species of secreted rHuMig ranged from 78 to 103 amino acids in length, the latter corresponding to the full-length secreted protein predicted from the HuMig cDNA. Carboxy-terminal-truncated forms of rHuMig were of lower specific activity compared to full-length rHuMig in the calcium flux assay, and the truncated species did not block the activity of the full- length species. It is likely that HuMig plays a role in T cell trafficking and perhaps in other aspects of the physiology of activated T cells.
Patch-Based LLE With Selective Neighborhood for Node Localization

Received signal strength indicator (RSSI) gives a rough initial measure of the inter-node distances at low cost without the need for additional equipment or complexity. However, the intensity of RSSI varies over different regions of sensing field due to various environmental factors. This necessitates the need for a mechanism to process RSSI locally to degrade the effect of noise. In this paper, a patch-based locally linear embedding (PLLE) is employed, in which nodes in patches of two-hop neighborhood are localized followed by stitching of these localized patches. Neighborhood selection is used to determine an optimal neighborhood of a node for embedding. The neighborhood selection mechanism increases the accuracy of the PLLE. Experimental and simulation results show that the PLLE is able to localize the nodes with acceptable accuracy in a noisy environment. Results also indicate that the PLLE is able to localize sensor nodes more accurately as compared with native centralized LLE and other existing manifold learning techniques.
Current Trends in Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) Research and Development

A brain–computer interface (BCI), sometimes called a direct neural interface or a brain–machine interface, detects and interprets brain signals and uses the results to communicate a user’s intent (Wolpaw, Birbaumer, McFarland, Pfurtscheller, & Vaughan, 2002). Because these systems directly translate brain activity into action, without depending on peripheral nerves and muscles, a major goal of BCI research has been to establish BCI technology as an assistive device to be used by people with severe motor disabilities. BCIs have shown encouraging possibilities in providing people, including those who cannot use their muscles but are cognitively intact, with alternative methods for interacting with the outside world (Nam, Lee, & Johnson, 2010; Schalk, McFarland, Hinterberger, Birbaumer, & Wolpaw, 2004). Despite long interest in the possibility to control devices directly using brain signals (e.g., Fetz & Finocchio, 1971; Vidal, 1973, 1977), it has only been in the past 20 years that sustained research has begun, and only in the past 10 years that a recognizable field of BCI research, populated by a rapidly growing number of research groups with increasing number of publications, has developed. Early BCI efforts have been developed from the field of clinical neurophysiology in humans (using mostly scalp-recorded electroencephalography [EEG]) and basic neuroscience investigations in animals (using mostly single-neuron recordings). Thus, initial efforts began with expertise in neuroscience, neurophysiology, and psychology. In parallel with the establishment of dedicated BCI research groups throughout the 1990s, these groups began to also seek specialists in signal processing, machine learning, and software engineering. This relatively narrow focus on the technical aspects of BCI research and development served the field well in its initial stages of method development. As the field has begun to mature, its scope has expanded to focus on application of BCI technology to the needs of people with disabilities—recent efforts are now
Multi-axial Stress Creep Testing Methods for High Temperature Materials

Multi-axial creep testing methods are generalized,and then the method of how to evaluate the creep life of high temperature components based on creep testing data is presented.Introduction is made to the commonly-used multi-axial creep testing methods of thin walled tube testing,circumferentially notched bar testing,circumferentially notched tube testing,component stimulating testing,perforated biaxial plate testing,cruciform biaxial plate testing and compact tension testing.Characteristics and applications of these testing methods are discussed.The multi-axial creep testing code of ESIS P10-02 for circumferentially notched bar is analyzed,and then the approach of how to predict the creep rupture life of high temperature components according to their representative stresses,skeletal point stresses and failure modes is presented.
Investigation of Thermal Behavior of an Oil-Directed Cooled Transformer Winding

In this contribution, the oil speed in horizontal channels of an oil-directed cooled winding is investigated by experimental and numerical methods. The presented winding model offers insight into the horizontal cooling channels perpendicular to the main oil-flow direction. To visualize oil flow, tracing particles were added to the cooling oil and illuminated by high-power light-emitting diodes. The particle velocities were then determined by taking photographs with a defined exposure time. The design of the sophisticated winding model is described in the contribution. In addition to the experimental results, this contribution presents a comparison with respective numerical results from 2-D and 3-D computational fluid dynamics calculations. Finally, numerical results from the winding model concerning the oil-flow distribution inside the winding at various operating conditions are presented. The investigation indicated a strong nonuniform oil-flow distribution on the horizontal channels. The presented results give a deep insight into the oil flow and temperature behavior of windings, enabling the designer to optimize the cooling of the power transformer windings.
Biodegradable Polymeric Materials in Degradable Electronic Devices

Biodegradable electronics have great potential to reduce the environmental footprint of devices and enable advanced health monitoring and therapeutic technologies. Complex biodegradable electronics require biodegradable substrates, insulators, conductors, and semiconductors, all of which comprise the fundamental building blocks of devices. This review will survey recent trends in the strategies used to fabricate biodegradable forms of each of these components. Polymers that can disintegrate without full chemical breakdown (type I), as well as those that can be recycled into monomeric and oligomeric building blocks (type II), will be discussed. Type I degradation is typically achieved with engineering and material science based strategies, whereas type II degradation often requires deliberate synthetic approaches. Notably, unconventional degradable linkages capable of maintaining long-range conjugation have been relatively unexplored, yet may enable fully biodegradable conductors and semiconductors with uncompromised electrical properties. While substantial progress has been made in developing degradable device components, the electrical and mechanical properties of these materials must be improved before fully degradable complex electronics can be realized.
Implementing a sustainability balanced scorecard 'dashboard' approach to assess organisational legitimacy

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify and determine the contributing factors which influence the contents of a firm‟s sustainability reporting through combined social and environmental accounting and management perspectives. Design/methodology/approach: This paper analyzes the disclosed sustainability indicators of a major Australian financial institution, Westpac, through the application of the research method content analysis. The theoretical framework will be shaped by the consideration of legitimacy theory and the Balanced Scorecard approach. Findings: The results indicate that the four perspectives of a traditional Balanced Scorecard are related to the main sources of influential inputs to Westpac‟s sustainability reporting – existing frameworks, stakeholder engagement mechanism, employee involvement and traditional shareholders‟ financial information needs. It also reinforced the argument that the focus of organisational legitimacy is a key resource of organisation survival. Originality/value: This research contributes to the literature on social and environmental disclosures including the research of Do, Tilt and Tilling (2007) and Baxter, Chua and Strong (2010) which was based on the sustainability management and reporting of Westpac.
Genome-Wide Association Analyses Highlight the Potential for Different Genetic Mechanisms for Litter Size Among Sheep Breeds

Reproduction is an important trait in sheep breeding as well as in other livestock. However, despite its importance the genetic mechanisms of litter size in domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are still poorly understood. To explore genetic mechanisms underlying the variation in litter size, we conducted multiple independent genome-wide association studies in five sheep breeds of high prolificacy (Wadi, Hu, Icelandic, Finnsheep, and Romanov) and one low prolificacy (Texel) using the Ovine Infinium HD BeadChip, respectively. We identified different sets of candidate genes associated with litter size in different breeds: BMPR1B, FBN1, and MMP2 in Wadi; GRIA2, SMAD1, and CTNNB1 in Hu; NCOA1 in Icelandic; INHBB, NF1, FLT1, PTGS2, and PLCB3 in Finnsheep; ESR2 in Romanov and ESR1, GHR, ETS1, MMP15, FLI1, and SPP1 in Texel. Further annotation of genes and bioinformatics analyses revealed that different biological pathways could be involved in the variation in litter size of females: hormone secretion (FSH and LH) in Wadi and Hu, placenta and embryonic lethality in Icelandic, folliculogenesis and LH signaling in Finnsheep, ovulation and preovulatory follicle maturation in Romanov, and estrogen and follicular growth in Texel. Taken together, our results provide new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying the prolificacy trait in sheep and other mammals, suggesting targets for selection where the aim is to increase prolificacy in breeding projects.
The importance of modality specificity in diagnosing central auditory processing disorder.

PURPOSE This article argues for the use of modality specificity as a unifying framework by which to conceptualize and diagnose central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). The intent is to generate dialogue and critical discussion in this area of study. METHOD Research in the cognitive, behavioral, and neural sciences that relates to the concept of modality specificity was reviewed and synthesized. RESULTS Modality specificity has a long history as an organizing construct within a diverse collection of mainstream scientific disciplines. The principle of modality specificity was contrasted with the unimodal inclusive framework, which holds that auditory tests alone are sufficient to make the CAPD diagnosis. Evidence from a large body of data demonstrated that the unimodal framework was unable to delineate modality-specific processes from more generalized dysfunction; it lacked discriminant validity and resulted in an incomplete assessment. Consequently, any hypothetical model resulting from incomplete assessments or potential therapies that are based on indeterminate diagnoses are themselves questionable, and caution should be used in their application. CONCLUSIONS Improving specificity of diagnosis is an imperative core issue to the area of CAPD. Without specificity, the concept has little explanatory power. Because of serious flaws in concept and design, the unimodal inclusive framework should be abandoned in favor of a more valid approach that uses modality specificity.
Classification of atrophic mucosal patterns on Blue LASER Imaging for endoscopic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis: A retrospective, observational study

Background Atrophic gastritis can be classified according to characteristic mucosal patterns observed by Blue LASER Imaging (BLI) in a medium-range to distant view. Aims To facilitate the endoscopic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (HP)-related gastritis, we investigated whether atrophic mucosal patterns correlated with HP infection based on the image interpretations of three endoscopists blinded to clinical features. Methods This study included 441 patients diagnosed as having atrophic gastritis by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Nishikawa Gastrointestinal Clinic between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016. The presence/absence of HP infection was not taken into consideration. Endoscopy was performed using a Fujifilm EG-L580NW scope. Atrophic mucosal patterns observed by BLI were classified into Spotty, Cracked and Mottled. Image interpretation results were that 89, 122 and 228 patients had the Spotty, Cracked and Mottled patterns, respectively, and 2 patients an undetermined pattern. Further analyses were performed on 439 patients, excluding the 2 with undetermined patterns. Results The numbers of patients testing negative/positive for HP infection in the Spotty, Cracked and Mottled pattern groups were 12/77, 105/17, and 138/90, respectively. The specificity, positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio for endoscopic diagnosis with positive HP infection based on the Spotty pattern were 95.3%, 86.5% and 8.9, respectively. In all patients with the Spotty pattern before HP eradication, the Cracked pattern was observed on subsequent post-eradication endoscopy. Conclusions The Spotty pattern may represent the presence of HP infection, the Cracked pattern, a post-inflammatory change as seen after HP eradication, and the Mottled pattern, intestinal metaplasia.
Experimental Robot Model Adjustments Based on Force–Torque Sensor Information

The computational complexity of humanoid robot balance control is reduced through the application of simplified kinematics and dynamics models. However, these simplifications lead to the introduction of errors that add to other inherent electro-mechanic inaccuracies and affect the robotic system. Linear control systems deal with these inaccuracies if they operate around a specific working point but are less precise if they do not. This work presents a model improvement based on the Linear Inverted Pendulum Model (LIPM) to be applied in a non-linear control system. The aim is to minimize the control error and reduce robot oscillations for multiple working points. The new model, named the Dynamic LIPM (DLIPM), is used to plan the robot behavior with respect to changes in the balance status denoted by the zero moment point (ZMP). Thanks to the use of information from force–torque sensors, an experimental procedure has been applied to characterize the inaccuracies and introduce them into the new model. The experiments consist of balance perturbations similar to those of push-recovery trials, in which step-shaped ZMP variations are produced. The results show that the responses of the robot with respect to balance perturbations are more precise and the mechanical oscillations are reduced without comprising robot dynamics.
Combinatorial Register Allocation and Instruction Scheduling

This article introduces a combinatorial optimization approach to register allocation and instruction scheduling, two central compiler problems. Combinatorial optimization has the potential to solve these problems optimally and to exploit processor-specific features readily. Our approach is the first to leverage this potential in practice: it captures the complete set of program transformations used in state-of-the-art compilers, scales to medium-sized functions of up to 1,000 instructions, and generates executable code. This level of practicality is reached by using constraint programming, a particularly suitable combinatorial optimization technique. Unison, the implementation of our approach, is open source, used in industry, and integrated with the LLVM toolchain. An extensive evaluation confirms that Unison generates better code than LLVM while scaling to medium-sized functions. The evaluation uses systematically selected benchmarks from MediaBench and SPEC CPU2006 and different processor architectures (Hexagon, ARM, MIPS). Mean estimated speedup ranges from 1.1% to 10% and mean code size reduction ranges from 1.3% to 3.8% for the different architectures. A significant part of this improvement is due to the integrated nature of the approach. Executing the generated code on Hexagon confirms that the estimated speedup results in actual speedup. Given a fixed time limit, Unison solves optimally functions of up to 946 instructions, nearly an order of magnitude larger than previous approaches. The results show that our combinatorial approach can be applied in practice to trade compilation time for code quality beyond the usual compiler optimization levels, identify improvement opportunities in heuristic algorithms, and fully exploit processor-specific features.
Quantifying donor-to-donor variation in macrophage responses to the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcosis remains the leading cause of fungal meningitis worldwide, caused primarily by the pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Symptomatic cryptococcal infections typically affect immunocompromised patients. However, environmental exposure to cryptococcal spores is ubiquitous and most healthy individuals are thought to harbor infections from early childhood onwards that are either resolved, or become latent. Since macrophages are a key host cell for cryptococcal infection, we sought to quantify the extent of individual variation in this early phagocyte response within a small cohort of healthy volunteers with no reported immunocompromising conditions. We show that rates of both intracellular fungal proliferation and non-lytic expulsion (vomocytosis) are remarkably variable between individuals. However, we demonstrate that neither gender, in vitro host inflammatory cytokine profiles, nor polymorphisms in several key immune genes are responsible for this variation. Thus the data we present serve to quantify the natural variation in macrophage responses to this important human pathogen and will hopefully provide a useful “benchmark” for the research community.