Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lasers in Manufacturing Conference 2015 Laser-Induced Subsurface Modification of Silicon Wafers

In addition to the processing of transparent dielectric materials, pulsed lasers can be used to produce subsurface modifications inside silicon by employing nearto mid-infrared light. An application of these modifications is laser-induced subsurface separation, which is a method to separate wafers into individual dies. We investigated the subsurface modification process using a combination of numerical simulations and experiments. Different wavelengths, pulse durations and pulse energies were tested. We found that subsurface melting of silicon followed by rapid resolidification is the primary material modification mechanism. Lattice defects and transformations to both amorphous silicon and pressure-induced high density silicon phases occurred as a result of the laser irradiation. Silicon, subsurface, wafer dicing, laser-material interaction, electron microscopy.
MODELISATIONS DE L'EMISSION NON-THERMIQUE DES BLAZARS DU TeV PAR UNE DISTRIBUTION RELATIVISTE QUASI-MAXWELLIENNE

La comprehension des mecanismes d'emission et de variabilite au coeur des blazars emetteurs au TeV reste une question ouverte au sein de la communaute de l'astrophysique des hautes energies. Le rayonnement extreme de ces objets permet de sonder les regions les plus proches du trou noir afin de poser des contraintes sur les mecanismes d'acceleration des particules emissives. Nous considerons ici une distribution en energie de ces particules sous la forme d'une quasi-maxwellienne relativiste. Ce type de distribution est justifie dans le cadre de l'acceleration stochastique de particules de type interaction ondes MHD/plasmas. Ce manuscrit decrit la mise en oeuvre de cette distribution particuliere dans le cadre de deux approches de modelisation differentes, la premiere dite homogene ou la zone d'emission est supposee spherique et la seconde dite inhomogene decrit le rayonnement d'un jet stratifie, et ce dans le cadre du " twoflow model ". Dans le deux cas, afin de rendre compte du caractere transitoire des periodes d'eruption, l'approche est menee de maniere dependante du temps et le processus de creation de paires par photo-annihilation joue un role primordial. Nous avons de plus pris en compte l'attenuation du signal gamma par les photons du fond cosmique infrarouge lors de leur parcours vers l'observateur. Nous nous sommes de plus attache a poser des contraintes sur la dynamique d'ensemble des jets a partir d'arguments statistiques simples; nous avons mis en evidence pourquoi les modeles homogenes en general, ne sont pas appropries pour la deduction des vitesses d'ensemble de ces sources bien qu'ils reproduisent remarquablement leurs caracteristiques spectrale.
An Efficient O(1) Contrast Enhancement Algorithm Using Parallel Column Histograms

Display devices play image files, of which contrast enhancement methods are usually employed to bring out visual details to achieve better visual quality. However, applied to high resolution images, the contrast enhancement method entails high computation costs mostly due to histogram computations. Therefore, this letter proposes a parallel histogram calculation algorithm using the column histograms and difference histograms to reduce histogram computations. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is effective for histogram-based image contrast enhancement. key words: contrast enhancement, parallel histogram construction, constant time
Edge-fed patch antennas with reduced spurious radiation

In this paper, a technique to reduce the spurious feed radiation from edge-fed patch antennas by using a dual thickness substrate is presented. A thin microwave substrate is employed for the feed network, and then a transition is made to a thick substrate for the patch antenna element. The new feeding procedure allows the feed network and antenna elements to be optimized independently. Measured results on a single element prototype exhibit a reduction in the level of cross-polarized fields and decreased pattern distortion whilst preserving a reasonable impedance bandwidth. The technique is also proven to be beneficial in an array environment, as an extensive transmission line feed network is required. We present the theoretical and experimental results of a 1 /spl times/ 8 edge-fed patch array that utilizes the dual thickness substrate configuration. Significant improvement in the radiation patterns and gain are observed for the new array compared to a standard edge-fed patch array.
The efficacy of outpatient and community-based aphasia group interventions: A systematic review

Abstract This paper examines the evidence for community and outpatient aphasia groups using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. A systematic search of the literature using eight electronic databases was completed; 29 studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Level of evidence and methodological quality was assessed and effect sizes calculated where possible. Evidence favouring community and outpatient groups centred on four level ii and level iii-i studies that examined the efficacy of highly structured group activities for improving specific linguistic processes with five medium–large effect sizes calculated. Medium and large effect sizes were also calculated on a level iii-i study examining number of friendships and community access. No effect sizes were available for level ii or level iii studies examining communication activity and participation. Overall, the results indicate that community and outpatient group participation can improve specific linguistic processes. There is also some evidence that group participation can benefit social networks and community access. However, there is limited evidence demonstrating improvement in functional communication as a consequence of group participation. The current evidence is not comprehensive. Further well-designed studies, particularly examining activity and participation, and contextual factors are required to advance community and outpatient aphasia group practice and participation.
Continuous granulation with a twin-screw extruder: Impact of material throughput

Agglomeration behavior of a twin-screw extruder at different material throughputs was investigated. Water insoluble dicalcium phosphate and the binder povidone were agglomerated with demineralized water with five different screw configurations using conveying-, kneading- or combing mixer elements. Increasing material throughput mainly had an effect on the particle size of granules. Due to a higher filling degree of the barrel, the particle size was higher at increased material throughput. Granule porosity was generally influenced by screw element type. With a higher element dispersivity granule porosity and friability decreased. Compression of the different granule batches led to comparable tablet properties. A simple scale up in order to increase batch size can be realized by increasing either production time at given material throughput or material throughput.
Experience Alters Perceptions of Educational Technology Acceptance among Adolescents

With the increase in the use of technology in education, it is important to understand why some implementations of one-to-one computing programs have been successful where others have failed. A questionnaire containing measures for the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM: Davis, 1989) was distributed to a high school in the rural Midwest to determine how the students’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use ratings of iPads change with experience across their high school careers. A multivariate analysis of variance showed that both ratings for perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use changed with experience.
Pathomorphological Changes in Various Organs of Experimentally Induced Salmonellosis in Mice

In the study, a total of 36 BALB/C mice divided into twelve equal groups were used. Eleven groups were administered 50 μl of inocula containing 107 CFU prepared from eleven isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium, administering one isolate in each group. One group was kept as negative control and each mouse in this group was given 0.5 ml of normal saline per os. The study was conducted for 15 days during which symptoms viz., ruffled feathers, hunched posture, etc., exhibited by the mice were observed and deaths were recorded. At necropsy, gross lesions of moderate to severe focal hepatic necrosis characteristic of Salmonella infection were observed. In some cases, brain and spleen were congested. No significant gross lesions were observed in heart, lung and kidney. Salmonella was isolated from liver, spleen and brain of mice that died1st to 4th day post- exposure. Surviving mice were sacrificed on 14th day post- exposure, three of these had necrotic foci on the liver and Salmonella was isolated from all of these mice.
Structural studies of a thermophilic esterase from a new Planctomycetes species, Thermogutta terrifontis

Thermogutta terrifontis esterase (TtEst), a carboxyl esterase identified in the novel thermophilic bacterium T. terrifontis from the phylum Planctomycetes, has been cloned and over‐expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme has been characterized biochemically and shown to have activity towards small p‐nitrophenyl (pNP) carboxylic esters, with optimal activity for pNP‐propionate. The enzyme retained 95% activity after incubation for 1 h at 80 °C. The crystal structures of the native TtEst and its complexes with the substrate analogue d‐malate and the product acetate have been determined to high resolution. The bound ligands have allowed the identification of the carboxyl and alcohol binding pockets in the enzyme active site. Comparison of TtEst with structurally related enzymes provides insight into how differences in their catalytic activity can be rationalized based upon the properties of the amino acid residues in their active site pockets. The mutant enzymes L37A and L251A have been constructed to extend the substrate range of TtEst towards the larger butyrate and valerate pNP‐esters. These mutant enzymes have also shown a significant increase in activity towards acetate and propionate pNP esters. A crystal structure of the L37A mutant was determined with the butyrate product bound in the carboxyl pocket of the active site. The mutant structure shows an expansion of the pocket that binds the substrate carboxyl group, which is consistent with the observed increase in activity towards pNP‐butyrate.
Privacy and Access Control Issues in Financial Enterprise Content Management

Financial Enterprise Content Management Systems (FECMS) have been recently deployed not only in intra-enterprises but also over the Internet to interact with customers. As FECMS contains a lot of sensitive and confidential information, there is an urgent need for tackling privacy and access control issues in these systems. In this paper, we proceed with our case study in an international banking enterprise on these issues. The FECMS is based on Web services technologies and we demonstrate the key privacy and access control policies for internal content flow management (such as content editing, approval, and usage) as well as external access control for Web portal and institutional programmatic users. Through the modular design of an integrated FECMS, we illustrate how we can systematically specify privacy and access control policies in each part of the system with the technology of Enterprise Privacy Authorization Language (EPAL).
Role of Shopping Value on Green Image and Store Loyalty Relationship

This study aims at examining the role of shopping value in green image and store loyalty relationship. Convenience sampling using quota sampling was used to collect data of a sample of 565 consumers. Using structural equation modeling, it was found that shopping value mediates the relationship between green image of retailers and store loyalty. The result provides valuable insights to researchers and practitioners, and implications for future research directions and management of the retail industry are discussed. Keywords: Green Image ; Shopping Value ; Store Loyalty ; Consumer Behavior eISSN 2514-7528 © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
A method to speed up VLSI hierarchical physical design in floorplanning

With the rapid increase in size and complexity of VLSI, it is hard to meet speed and quality requirement of IC physical design. In this paper, we present an efficient model for quick floorplanning in VLSI top-down hierarchical physical design flow using the Active-Logic Reduction Technology. The simplified model replaces some original modules in netlist file with filling units which have no logical connections. This method can effectively reduce internal logical units and quickly predict if chip design achieves timing closure after top and blocks implementation with this floorplan so as to quickly judge the floorplan's quality. Most importantly, it can maintain design quality while speeding up design flow. The results of six experiments show that the method can drastically reduce runtime by 6.2 times and memory by 2.8 times on average in VLSI hierarchical physical designs.
Implicit and explicit understanding of ambiguous figures by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can process both interpretations of an ambiguous figure (e.g. rabbit/duck) when told about the ambiguity, however they tend not to do so spontaneously. Here we show that although adolescents with ASD can explicitly experience such ‘reversals’, implicit measures suggest they are conceptually processing the images differently from learning disabled peers. Participants copied the same ambiguous figures under different contextual conditions, both before and after reversal experience. Results suggest that adolescents with ASD are not influenced by contextual information when copying ambiguous drawings, since they produce similar pictures before and after reversal, compared with controls. This research has implications for how individuals with ASD understand multiple representations and supports the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning theory.
Evaluation of serology, 13C-urea breath test, and polymerase chain reaction of stool samples to detect Helicobacter pylori in Bangladeshi children.

BACKGROUND Serologic methods to detect Helicobacter pylori in infants, especially in developing countries, may be limited because of decreased immune response caused by malnutrition. The true prevalence may therefore be underestimated in this age group. Urea breath test is considered to be a good screening method in children but is expensive and therefore is not suitable for screening in developing countries. Simple, inexpensive, and accurate noninvasive methods to detect H. pylori in infants and young children are needed. METHODS Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and immunoblot (IB) serologic analyses, 13C-urea breath test (UBT), and immunomagnetic separation--polymerase chain reaction (IMS-PCR) were performed on stool specimens, to detect H. pylori in 68 children between 4 and 24 months of age (mean, 11.5 months) in an endemic area in Bangladesh and the results compared. RESULTS The occurrence of H. pylori was 57% (n=39) using only UBT, 60% (n=41) using only IMS-PCR, and 78% (n=53) using UBT and IMS-PCR together. The concordance between UBT and IMS-PCR results was 62%. Immunoblot was positive in only 9% (n=6). Results in all 68 children were negative using EIA. DISCUSSION The prevalence of H. pylori infection in this periurban community and age group was high. Only serologic methods seem to be unsatisfactory for screening of H. pylori infection in infants and may not reflect the true prevalence. Immunomagnetic separation-PCR is a simple and rapid method for detection of H. pylori in stool and is an attractive method for analysis of colonization in infants. However, it may reflect a different stage of disease than UBT. Further studies are needed to clarify this.
Template‐Directed DNA Photoligation in Rapid and Selective Detection of RNA Point Mutations

In recent years, DNA ligation has attracted attention to the application of specific detection of DNA or RNA sequences. Direct analysis of RNA sequences can indicate the relative abundance of specific mRNAs in cellular extracts. Although RNA-template-directed chemical ligation and enzymatic ligation have been reported, RNA-template-directed photoligation has not been extensively investigated. Early studies of the enzyme T4 DNA ligase have shown that the enzyme could join oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) hybridized to RNA templates, albeit with a substantially lower efficiency than DNA-templatedirected ligations. Photoligation would require no added reagents to carry out the reaction and would be controllable with space and time by the choice of proper irradiation methods. DNA-template-directed reversible photoligation with 5vinyl-2’-deoxyuridine (U) has already been reported as a tool for DNA manipulations. DNA templated-directed photoligation proceeded through a [2+2] cycloaddition between the double bond of the U side chain and the C5=C6 double bond of thymine. We now report on a highly efficient RNA-templatedirected photoligation of ODNs through 5-carboxyvinyl-2’-deoxyuridine (U). We further demonstrate that the RNA-template-directed photoligation can be extended to solid-state assays. The availability of photoligation also allowed us to detect RNA point mutations. An ODN containing U, ODN1(U) (5’-d(UGCGTG)-3’), was synthesized by using the cyanoethylphosphoramidite of U, according to conventional DNA synthesis. ODN1(U) was characterized by nucleoside composition and MALDI-TOF-MS (calcd 1876.3381 for [M H] ; found 1876.3477). We determined the feasibility of RNA-template-directed photoligation through ODN1(U). When ODN1(U) and ODN(T) (5’-d(TGTGCT)-3’) were irradiated at 366 nm for 30 min in the presence of template RNA(A) (5’-r(CACGCAAGCACA)-3’; Scheme 1), HPLC showed the appearance of a peak relating to ODN(U-T) in 98% yield along with the disappearance of the ODN1(U) and ODN(T) peaks (Figure 1). MALDI-TOF-MS indicates that the isolated ODN(U-T) obtained from HPLC purification was a photoligated product of ODN1(U) and ODN(T) (calcd 3677.51 for [M+H] ; found 3677.82). Also, when ODN1(U) and ODN(T) were irradiated at 366 nm for 30 min in the presence of template ODN(A) (5’-d(CACGCAAGCACA)-3’), we observed a peak corresponding to ODN(U-T) in 74% yield, as determined by HPLC. On the other hand, when an RNA template (5’-r(CACGCAGGCACA)-3’) was used in photoligation, the 3’-terminal C reacted with photoexcited U to produce a photoligated product ODN(U-C) as efficiently as 3’-terminal T. Interestingly, photoligation rates on the RNA template were higher than the corresponding ODN template (Figure 2). We compared the CD spectrum of two hexamers, ODN(T) and ODN1(U), and the template RNA(A) with that of the two hexamers and the template ODN(A) (Figure 3). An A-form duplex shows an intense positive peak around 270 nm, a small nega-
A Novel Combination of Homeobox Genes Is Expressed in Mesenchymal Chorionic Stem/Stromal Cells in First Trimester and Term Pregnancies

Human chorionic mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (CMSCs) derived from the placenta are similar to adult tissue-derived MSCs. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of these cells in normal placental development. Transcription factors, particularly members of the homeobox gene family, play crucial roles in maintaining stem cell proliferation and lineage specification in embryonic tissues. In adult tissues and organs, stem cells proliferate at low levels in their niche until they receive cues from the microenvironment to differentiate. The homeobox genes that are expressed in the CMSC niche in placental tissues have not been identified. We used the novel strategy of laser capture microdissection to isolate the stromal component of first trimester villi and excluded the cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast layers that comprise the outer layer of the chorionic villi. Microarray analysis was then used to screen for homeobox genes in the microdissected tissue. Candidate homeobox genes were selected for further RNA analysis. Immunohistochemistry of candidate genes in first trimester placental villous stromal tissue revealed homeobox genes Meis1, myeloid ectropic viral integration site 1 homolog 2 (MEIS2), H2.0-like Drosophila (HLX), transforming growth factor β-induced factor (TGIF), and distal-less homeobox 5 (DLX5) were expressed in the vascular niche where CMSCs have been shown to reside. Expression of MEIS2, HLX, TGIF, and DLX5 was also detected in scattered stromal cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry verified expression of MEIS2, HLX, TGIF, and DLX5 homeobox genes in first trimester and term CMSCs. These data suggest a combination of regulatory homeobox genes is expressed in CMSCs from early placental development to term, which may be required for stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
NUP98‐NSD1 gene fusion and its related gene expression signature are strongly associated with a poor prognosis in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia

The cryptic t(5;11)(q35;p15.5) creates a fusion gene between the NUP98 and NSD1 genes. To ascertain the significance of this gene fusion, we explored its frequency, clinical impact, and gene expression pattern using DNA microarray in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. NUP98‐NSD1 fusion transcripts were detected in 6 (4.8%) of 124 pediatric AML patients. Supervised hierarchical clustering analyses using probe sets that were differentially expressed in these patients detected a characteristic gene expression pattern, including 18 NUP98‐NSD1‐negative patients (NUP98‐NSD1‐like patients). In total, a NUP98‐NSD1‐related gene expression signature (NUP98‐NSD1 signature) was found in 19% (24/124) and in 58% (15/26) of cytogenetically normal cases. Their 4‐year overall survival (OS) and event‐free survival (EFS) were poor (33.3% in NUP98‐NSD1‐positive and 38.9% in NUP98‐NSD1‐like patients) compared with 100 NUP98‐NSD1 signature‐negative patients (4‐year OS: 86.0%, 4‐year EFS: 72.0%). Interestingly, t(7;11)(p15;p15)/NUP98‐HOXA13, t(6;11)(q27;q23)/MLL‐MLLT4 and t(6;9)(p22;q34)/DEK‐NUP214, which are known as poor prognostic markers, were found in NUP98‐NSD1‐like patients. Furthermore, another type of NUP98‐NSD1 fusion transcript was identified by additional RT‐PCR analyses using other primers in a NUP98‐NSD1‐like patient, revealing the significance of this signature to detect NUP98‐NSD1 gene fusions and to identify a new poor prognostic subgroup in AML. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adding Privacy Protection to Distributed Software Systems

Distributed software systems are increasingly found in many aspects of our lives, as can be seen in social media, international online banking, and international commerce (e.g. Internet shopping). This widespread involvement of software in our lives has led to the need to protect privacy, as the use of the software often requires us to input our personal or private information. A first step to protecting privacy is to identify the risks to privacy found in the software system. Once the risks are known, measures can be put in place to mitigate the risks. This is best done at the early stages of software development due to the heavy costs of making changes after the software is deployed. This paper proposes a two-pronged approach, consisting of privacy risk identification followed by risk mitigation, for adding privacy protection to distributed software. The paper illustrates the approach with examples.