Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Fast-Tracking D-Estimation Method for Single-Phase Signals

The phase, frequency, and amplitude of single-phase voltages are the most important and basic information required for single-phase microgrid connected applications. This paper proposes a new “D-estimation method” for instantly estimating the phase, frequency, and amplitude of frequency-varying single-phase signals in such applications. The D-estimation method has the following attractive features: 1) it is a new filtering method using the D-filters; 2) it involves the use of only filters and can be easily designed; 3) it is inherently stable and robust in hostile envelopments caused by a frequency variation, a phase jump, amplitude sag/swell, harmonic distortion, and/or contaminated noise; 4) even in the hostile envelopments, good instant estimates of the phase, frequency, and amplitude can be obtained; 5) it is simple, but can exhibit fast-tracking performance comparable to the “robust PLL method. ” This paper presents the D-estimation method together with the design rules in detail; the usefulness of the method is verified by performing extensive numerical experiments.
Misalignment of Real Exchange Rate with its Equilibrium Path: Case of Pakistan

This study estimates the effects of fundamental factors on real exchange rate, determines the path of equilibrium real exchange rate on the basis of sustainable levels of fundamentals and identifies the sources of misalignment. It is found that the real exchange rate has remained historically overvalued in Pakistan. The major factors behind it have been capital inflows and public expenditures.
Progressive Anomia with Preserved Oral Spelling and Automatic Speech

We report a patient, Newton, with a progressive classical anomia resulting from focal degeneration of the left hemisphere. In naming tasks Newton spelt aloud picture names that he could not retrieve, indicating a dissociation between orthography and phonology. Unusually, his writing and letter-pointing performance were impaired and spelling was achieved only through alphabet recitation. A study of automatic speech tasks demonstrated strikingly preserved naming performance on automatic compared to nominative tasks. We argue that automatic tasks provide phonological cues that facilitate phonological activation. With progression of disease Newton has shown increasing difficulty reading and repeating words, which we interpret in terms of a progressive elevation in the threshold for activation of phonology. Phonological cueing of picture names has yielded superior naming than word reading and even repetition, a finding consistent with the notion that task characteristics influence likelihood of phonological activation and naming success, but contrary to the notion that there exist separate task-specific output systems. We conclude that Newton exhibits a unique pattern of deficits, which have theoretical relevance for the debate on the relationship between phonology and orthography, the role of automatic speech and the relationship between naming, reading and repetition.
Clustering-based algorithm for connectivity maintenance in Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks

Among recent advances in wireless communication technologies' field, Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) have drawn the attention of both academic and industry researchers due to their potential applications including driving safety, entertainment, emergency applications, and content sharing. VANET networks are characterized by their high mobile topology changes. Clustering is one of the control schemes used to make this global topology less dynamic. It allows the formation of dynamic virtual backbone used to organize the medium access, to support quality of service and to simplify routing. Mainly, nodes are organized into clusters with at least one cluster head (CH) node that is responsible for the coordination tasks of its cluster. In this sight, our paper introduces a clustering mechanism based for connectivity maintenance in VANET. The proposed solution is experimentally evaluated using NS2 simulator.
Serotonin reduces inhibition via 5-HT1A receptors in area CA1 of rat hippocampal slices in vitro

We studied the effects of serotonin (5-HT) on intrinsic and synaptic responses of hippocampal CA1 cells. The effects were partially mimicked by the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, and prevented by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, NAN-190. Polysynaptic fast and slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were reduced in amplitude by 60–70% following application of both 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT. Monosynaptic fast IPSPs were reduced by 60% and slow IPSPs by 90% following application of both drugs. Since there is a temporal overlap of fast and slow IPSPs, the reduction in fast IPSPs could have arisen indirectly from the larger effect of 5-HT on slow IPSPs. To overcome this problem we blocked the slow IPSPs with new, potent GABA-B antagonists, but still observed a similar reduction in the fast IPSP with 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT. However, the reductions in the fast IPSPs could also have arisen from the 5-HT-induced total conductance increases. Using single-electrode voltage clamp and intracellular K+ channel blockers we still observed similar changes. 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT had no effect upon GABA-A-mediated currents evoked by iontophoretic GABA application to the dendrites or the soma of CA1 pyramidal cells, Putative inhibitory internuerons were hyperpolarized by 5-HT and their evoked EPSPs strongly reduced by 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT. Our data indicate that 5-HT modulates fast and slow synaptic inhibition of principal cells using presynaptic mechanisms involving the inhibition of inhibitory interneurons.
A Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacogenetic Study of Efavirenz in Children: Dosing Guidelines can Result in Subtherapeutic Concentrations

Background Our main objectives were to study the population pharmacokinetics of efavirenz and to explore the adequacy of dosing guidelines. Methods A total of 33 HIV-1-infected patients were recruited from the Emma Children's Hospital (Amsterdam, the Netherlands). Gender, age, drug formulation, the presence of the c.516G>T polymorphism in the CYP2B6 gene and the quantitation of liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase at baseline were collected. A non-linear mixed effect pharmacokinetic model was developed. Results CYP2B6 genotype and drug formulation significantly influenced efavirenz pharmacokinetics. Clearance was 29.7% lower in children carrying the CYP2B6-516-G/T genotype compared with children carrying the G/G genotype. Relative bioavailiability of the oral liquid compared with tablets or capsules was 46.6%. Children carrying the CYP2B6-516-G/G genotype had a 50–70% probability of developing a subtherapeutic trough level of efavirenz and only 1–3% probability of developing a trough level >4 mg/l. To reduce the probability of developing a subtherapeutic trough concentration, we propose to give an adult efavirenz dose to children weighing ≥25 kg and to allometrically scale doses for other weight levels a priori. The dose of the oral solution should be twice the dose of capsules. Conclusions Population pharmacokinetics of efavirenz in children were adequately described. Current dosing guidelines can result in subtherapeutic concentrations in children carrying the CYP2B6-516-G/G genotype and with the liquid formulation. A priori dose adaptations in the paediatric population seem feasible and need prospective validation.
Fourier Transform-Based Modified Phasor Estimation Method Immune to the Effect of the DC Offsets

This paper proposes a Fourier transform-based modified phasor estimation method to eliminate the adverse influence of the exponentially decaying dc offsets when discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used to calculate the phasor of the fundamental frequency component in a relaying signal. By subtracting the result of odd-sample-set DFT from the result of even-sample-set DFT, the information of dc offsets can be obtained. Two dc offsets in a secondary relaying signal are treated as one dc offset which is piecewise approximated in one cycle data window. The effect of the dc offsets can be eliminated by the approximated dc offset. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by using computer-simulated signals and Electromagnetic Transients Program-generated signals. The algorithm is also tested on a hardware board with TMS320C32 microprocessor. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can estimate the accurate phasor of the fundamental frequency component regardless of not only the primary decaying dc offset but also the secondary decaying dc offset caused by CT circuit itself including its burden.
Population growth, saving, interest rates and stagnation: Discussing the Eggertsson-Mehrotra model

Post Keynesian stagnation theory argues that slower population growth dampens consumption and investment. A New Keynesian OLG model derives an unemployment equilibrium due to a negative natural rate in a three-generations credit contract framework. Besides deleveraging or rising inequality, also a shrinking population is a triggering factor. In all cases, a saving surplus drives real interest rates down. In other OLG settings however, with bonds as stores of value, slower population growth, on the contrary, causes a lack of saving and thus rising rates. Moreover, the recent fall in market interest rates was brought about by monetary factors.
Optimal mismatched filter bank design for MIMO radar via convex optimization

In this paper, a mismatched filter bank is designed for suppressing the autocorrelation peak sidelobe level (PSL) and the peak cross-correlation level (PCCL) of an orthogonal polyphase sequence set applied in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system. The mismatched filter bank is obtained by minimizing a weighted maximum of the PSL and PCCL on the basis of the convex optimization. Compared with the iteratively reweighted least squares (IRLS) method, the proposed convex method can get the optimal mismatched filter bank with the minimum PSL and PCCL, and can also control the system signal-to-noise ratio loss (SNRL). Numerical examples show that the optimal mismatched filter bank at the cost of a slight SNRL can achieve a good improvement of the PSL and a moderate improvement of the PCCL, if the filter length P and the weighting factor w between the PSL and PCCL are appropriately chosen.
Cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate in rat steatotic liver transplantation

Numerous steatotic livers are discarded as unsuitable for transplantation (TR) because of their poor tolerance of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate (cAMP)–elevating agents protect against I/R injury both in nonsteatotic livers that have been removed from non–heart‐beating donors and subjected to warm ischemia or cold ischemia (CIS) and in perfused, isolated livers. Ischemic preconditioning (PC), which is based on brief periods of I/R, protects steatotic liver grafts, but the mechanism that is responsible is poorly understood. This study examines the role of cAMP in the vulnerability shown by steatotic livers to TR‐associated I/R injury and the benefits of PC in this situation. Steatotic livers with or without PC were transplanted into Zucker rats. The hepatic levels of cAMP were measured and altered pharmacologically. Our results indicate that the cAMP levels in the nonsteatotic liver grafts were similar to those found in a sham group. However, high cAMP levels were observed in steatotic liver grafts. The blockage of cAMP generation by adenylate cyclase inhibitor pre‐treatment or PC had the following results: reduced hepatic injury and increased survival of steatotic graft recipients; greater preservation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced lactate accumulation throughout CI. This blockade of cAMP by a nitric oxide–dependent mechanism protected steatotic liver grafts against oxidative stress and microvascular disorders after reperfusion. In conclusion, cAMP blocking–based strategies could protect patients against the inherent risk of steatotic liver failure after TR. Liver Transpl 17:1099–1099, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.
The sortilin cytoplasmic tail conveys Golgi–endosome transport and binds the VHS domain of the GGA2 sorting protein

Sortilin belongs to a growing family of multiligand type‐1 receptors with homology to the yeast receptor Vps10p. Based on structural features and sortilin's intracellular predominance, we have proposed it to be a sorting receptor for ligands in the synthetic pathway as well as on the cell membrane. To test this hypothesis we examine here the cellular trafficking of chimeric receptors containing constructs of the sortilin tail. We report that sorting signals conforming to YXXΦ and dileucine motifs mediate rapid endocytosis of sortilin chimeras, which subsequently travel to the trans‐Golgi network, showing little or no recycling. Furthermore, we found that cation‐independent mannose 6‐phosphate receptor (MPR300)–sortilin chimeras, expressed in mannose 6‐phosphate receptor knockout cells, were almost as efficient as MPR300 itself for transport of newly synthesized β‐hexosaminidase and β‐glucuronidase to lysosomes, and established that the sortilin tail contains potent signals for Golgi–endosome sorting. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting that sortilin is the first example of a mammalian receptor targeted by the recently described GGA family of cytosolic sorting proteins, which condition the Vps10p‐mediated sorting of yeast carboxypeptidase Y.
Isolation of a monoclonal antibody that blocks attachment of the major group of human rhinoviruses

Reciprocal competition binding assays have previously demonstrated that 20 of 24 human rhinovirus serotypes tested compete for a single cellular receptor. These studies suggested that the vast majority of rhinovirus serotypes utilize a single cellular receptor. With HeLa cells as an immunogen, a mouse monoclonal antibody was isolated which had the precise specificity predicted by the competition binding study. The receptor antibody was shown to protect HeLa cells from infection by 78 of 88 human rhinovirus serotypes assayed. In addition, the receptor antibody protects HeLa cells from infection by three coxsackievirus A serotypes. The receptor antibody was unable to protect cells from infection by a wide range of other RNA and DNA viruses. Using the receptor antibody and human rhinovirus type 15, we determined that the cellular receptor utilized by the vast number of human rhinovirus serotypes is present only on cells of human origin, with the exception of chimpanzee-derived cells. The receptor antibody has a strong affinity for the cellular receptor as evidenced by its rapid binding kinetics and ability to displace previously bound human rhinovirus virions from receptors. No viral variants were identified which could bypass the receptor blockage.
Investigation of Air/Ground Reflection and Antenna Beamwidth for Compressive Sensing SFCW GPR Migration Imaging

For stepped frequency continuous wave ground penetrating radar (SFCW GPR), the image of buried targets is usually reconstructed by a combination of point-like scatters whose number is much smaller than that of pixels of target space image. The intrinsic sparseness of target space offers a migration imaging method to make the high-quality image of underground region based on compressive sensing (CS) theory. In this paper, the effects of air/ground interface and antenna beamwidth on CS-based SFCW GPR migration imaging are presented and analyzed. It is shown that the presence of the strong air/ground interface reflection and finite antenna beamwidth usually challenges the robust CS migration imaging algorithm in practice. To overcome this problem in the context of CS migration imaging, an improved CS migration imaging method for SFCW GPR system is proposed in this paper. Experimental results show that the approach is robust to deliver a high-quality image of underground region.
Proteogenomics and systems biology: quest for the ultimate missing parts

This review describes how intimately proteogenomics and system biology are imbricated. Quantitative cell-wide monitoring of cellular processes and the analysis of this information is the basis for systems biology. Establishing the most comprehensive protein-parts list is an essential prerequisite prior to analysis of the cell-wide dynamics of proteins, their post-translational modifications, their complex network interactions and interpretation of these data as a whole. High-quality genome annotation is, thus, a crucial basis. Proteogenomics consists of high-throughput identification and characterization of proteins by extra-large shotgun MS/MS approaches and the integration of these data with genomic data. Discovery of the remaining unannotated genes, defining translational start sites, listing signal peptide processing events and post-translational modifications, are tasks that can currently be carried out at a full-genomic scale as soon as the genomic sequence is available. Proteomics is increasingly being used at the primary stage of genome annotation and such an approach may become standard in the near future for genome projects. Advantageously, the same experimental proteomic datasets may be used to characterize the specific metabolic traits of the organism under study. Undoubtedly, comparative genomics will experience a renaissance taking into account this new dimension. Synthetic biology aimed at re-engineering living systems will also benefit from these significant progresses.
Thermal stability determinants of chicken egg‐white lysozyme core mutants: Hydrophobicity, packing volume, and conserved buried water molecules

A series of 24 mutants was made in the buried core of chicken lysozyme at positions 40, 55, and 91. The midpoint temperature of thermal denaturation transition (Tm) values of these core constructs range from 60.9 to 77.3 °C, extending an earlier, more limited investigation on thermostability. The Tm values of variants containing conservative replacements for the wild type (WT) (Thr 40‐Ile 55‐Ser 91) triplet are linearly correlated with hydrophobicity (r = 0.81) and, to a lesser degree, with combined side‐chain volume (r = 0.75). The X‐ray structures of the S91A (1.9 Å) and I55L/S91T/D101S (1.7 Å) mutants are presented. The former amino acid change is found in duck and mammalian lysozymes, and the latter contains the most thermostable core triplet. A network of four conserved, buried water molecules is associated with the core. It is postulated that these water molecules significantly influence the mutational tolerance at the individual triplet positions. The pH dependence of Tm for the S91D mutant was compared with that of WT enzyme. The pKa of S91D is 1.2 units higher in the native than in the denatured state, corresponding to ΔΔG298 = 1.7 kcal/mol. This is a low value for charge burial and likely reflects the moderating influence of the buried water molecules or a conformational change. Thermal and chemical denaturation and far UV CD spectroscopy were used to characterize the in vitro properties of I55T. This variant, which buries a hydroxyl group, has similar properties to those of the human amyloidogenic variant I56T.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor‐mediated up‐regulation of ATP‐driven xenobiotic efflux transporters at the blood‐brain barrier

Many widespread and persistent organic pollutants, e.g., 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD), activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), causing it to translocate to the cell nucleus, where it transactivates target genes. AhR's ability to target the blood‐brain barrier is essentially unexplored. We show here that exposing isolated rat brain capillaries to 0.05–0.5 nM TCDD roughly doubled transport activity and protein expression of P‐glycoprotein, an ATP‐driven drug efflux pump and a critical determinant of drug entry into the CNS. These effects were abolished by actinomycin D or cycloheximide or by the AhR antagonists resveratrol and α‐naphthoflavone. Brain capillaries from TCDD‐dosed rats (1–5 µg/kg, i.p.) exhibited increased transport activity and protein expression of 3 xenobiotic efflux pumps, P‐glycopro‐tein, multidrug resistance‐associated protein 2, and breast cancer resistance polypeptide, as well as expression of Cyplal and Cyplbl, both AhR target genes. Consistent with increased P‐glycoprotein expression in capillaries from TCDD‐dosed rats, in situ brain perfusion indicated significantly reduced brain accumulation of verapamil, a P‐glycoprotein substrate. These findings suggest a new paradigm for the field of environmental toxicology: toxicants acting through AhR to target xenobiotic efflux transporters at the blood‐brain barrier and thus reduce brain accumulation of CNS‐acting therapeutic drugs. —Wang, X. , Hawkins, B. T. , Miller, D. S. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor‐mediated up‐regulation of ATP‐driven xenobiotic efflux transporters at the blood‐brain barrier. FASEB J. 25, 644–652 (2011). www.fasebj. org
Assessing Sino-Indian Economic Relations in an Interdependence Framework: 1992-2008

Abstract This study situates Sino-Indian economic interaction under the interdependence framework. By mapping conflict behavior in this dyad against the trends in the economic interdependence, we find a discernible shift away from escalation (high-level conflict) towards bargaining (diplomatic contestation). This paper argues that interdependence has only recently emerged in the India-China dyad and that lingering strategic distrust, national security consideration, and protectionist tendency have prevented the deepening of economic interdependence. The findings challenge the direction of interdependence in this dyad normally gleaned from nominal trade data. This paper also highlights key issue-areas that inhibit strategic coupling in the bilateral economic interaction.
Adapting Interaction Analysis to Support Evaluation and Regulation: A Case Study

Interaction analysis has become a basic function in the field of collaborative learning, as a means for supporting both regulation and evaluation of collaborative learning processes. In spite of the fact that these processes rely on the same basic functionalities, there is a lack of proposals or systems that integrate them. The most outstanding difference between the tools that support either of the approaches is that they are oriented to different types of users. Then, an interaction analysis tool able to adapt to different roles would be able to perform both functionalities. This paper presents an experience performed in an authentic learning scenario using interaction analysis for supporting regulation for students and evaluation for teachers adapting its functionality depending on analysis needs of teacher and learners that participate in the activity. A first evaluation carried out shows that the participants assess positively this experience and consider the information received easy to understand, reliable, useful and capable to modify their way of collaboration