Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Three-phase three-level LC-type parallel resonant DC/DC converter with variable frequency control

For high power applications, a novel three-phase three-level parallel resonant dc/dc converter with variable frequency control strategy was proposed in this paper. The main advantages of this converter are listed as follows. The converter has a simple topology with only six power switches. The voltage stress on power switches is only half of the input voltage, and the three-phase configuration reduces the current stress on power switches effectively. Meanwhile, the output current ripple frequency is six times as the switching frequency, which is much higher compared with single phase converter, resulting in a reduced filter requirement. The parallel resonant tank is introduced to increase the range of soft-switching for switches. In this paper, the operation principle of the converter was analyzed, and the equivalent model and voltage gain characteristics of the converter were obtained according to fundamental harmonic approach. The parameters were designed under the condition that the switching frequency is lower than or equal to the resonant frequency. To validate the feasibility of the proposed converter, a prototype of 440V~590V input and 54V/20A output has been fabricated and tested in the lab, and experimental results were provided to verify the theoretical analysis and the performance of the proposed converter.
Catalytic isoforms Tpk1 and Tpk2 of Candida albicans PKA have non‐redundant roles in stress response and glycogen storage

Candida albicans cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) is coded by two catalytic subunits (TPK1 and TPK2) and one regulatory subunit (BCY1). In this organism the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway mediates basic cellular processes, such as the yeast‐to‐hyphae transition and cell cycle regulation. In the present study, we investigated the role of C. albicans PKA in response to saline, heat and oxidative stresses as well as in glycogen storage. To fine‐tune the analysis, we performed the studies on several C. albicans PKA mutants having heterozygous or homozygous deletions of TPK1 and/or TPK2 in a different BCY1 genetic background. We observed that tpk1Δ/tpk1Δ strains developed a lower tolerance to saline exposure, heat shock and oxidative stress, while wild‐type and tpk2Δ/tpk2Δ mutants were resistant to these stresses, indicating that both isoforms play different roles in the stress response pathway. We also found that regardless of the TPK background, heterozygous and homozygous BCY1 mutants were highly sensitive to heat treatment. Surprisingly, we observed that those strains devoid of one or both TPK1 alleles were defective in glycogen storage, while strains lacking Tpk2 accumulated higher levels of the polysaccharide, indicating that Tpk1 and Tpk2 have opposite roles in carbohydrate metabolism. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Soft Syntactic Constraints for Hierarchical Phrase-Based Translation Using Latent Syntactic Distributions

In this paper, we present a novel approach to enhance hierarchical phrase-based machine translation systems with linguistically motivated syntactic features. Rather than directly using treebank categories as in previous studies, we learn a set of linguistically-guided latent syntactic categories automatically from a source-side parsed, word-aligned parallel corpus, based on the hierarchical structure among phrase pairs as well as the syntactic structure of the source side. In our model, each X nonterminal in a SCFG rule is decorated with a real-valued feature vector computed based on its distribution of latent syntactic categories. These feature vectors are utilized at decoding time to measure the similarity between the syntactic analysis of the source side and the syntax of the SCFG rules that are applied to derive translations. Our approach maintains the advantages of hierarchical phrase-based translation systems while at the same time naturally incorporates soft syntactic constraints.
Continuous Quadrupole Magnetic Separation of Islets during Digestion Improves Purified Porcine Islet Viability

Islet transplantation (ITx) is an emerging and promising therapy for patients with uncontrolled type 1 diabetes. The islet isolation and purification processes require exposure to extended cold ischemia, warm-enzymatic digestion, mechanical agitation, and use of damaging chemicals for density gradient separation (DG), all of which reduce viable islet yield. In this paper, we describe initial proof-of-concept studies exploring quadrupole magnetic separation (QMS) of islets as an alternative to DG to reduce exposure to these harsh conditions. Three porcine pancreata were split into two parts, the splenic lobe (SPL) and the combined connecting/duodenal lobes (CDL), for paired digestions and purifications. Islets in the SPL were preferentially labeled using magnetic microparticles (MMPs) that lodge within the islet microvasculature when infused into the pancreas and were continuously separated from the exocrine tissue by QMS during the collection phase of the digestion process. Unlabeled islets from the CDL were purified by conventional DG. Islets purified by QMS exhibited significantly improved viability (measured by oxygen consumption rate per DNA, p < 0.03) and better morphology relative to control islets. Islet purification by QMS can reduce the detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to toxic enzymes and density gradient solutions and substantially improve islet viability after isolation.
Liver Enzyme Alterations in HCV-Monoinfected and HCV/HIV-Coinfected Patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in developed countries and co-infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is frequent in individuals with history of injecting drug use (IDU). We aimed to analyze liver transaminases in HCV monoinfected and HCV/HIV co-infected patients to assess the effect of HIV infection on liver enzyme elevations. We studied 429 current IDUs admitted to substance abuse treatment (82.5% males). Serum samples for liver tests, HIV infection and viral hepatitis serologies were obtained at admission. Results: Median age was 30 years (IQR:27-34), median duration of IDU was 10 years (IQR:5-14), 52% of patients were HCV/HIV co-infected, 40.8% were HCV monoinfected, and 7.2% were HCV and HIV- seronegatives. Elevated AST was associated with male gender and lower CD8+ cell count in the HCV monoinfected patients, and with age and lower cholesterol in the HCV/HIV coinfected subjects. ALT elevation was associated with younger age, higher body mass index and male gender in the monoinfected patients, and with higher CD4+ cell counts and lower cholesterol in the co-infected group. Male sex was strongly associated with elevated ALT and AST transaminase in the monoinfected but not in dual-infected subjects. These data suggest that the effect of gender on liver enzymes may be lost in patients with HIV infection. The overall differences observed between groups regarding liver enzyme elevations are of clinical relevance in the management of IDUs with chronic hepatitis C.
The Challenges of Combining Social and Commercial Enterprise

Readers of this journal, even avid fans of Norman Bowie's work, might be tempted to pass up his University-Business Partnerships: An Assessment, assuming that it addresses a specialized topic of interest only to a narrow audience of university administrators, corporate research directors, and public policy makers. This would be a mistake. To be sure, those most directly involved in these alliances should find this volume a valuable resource. It combines a lively, thought-provoking monograph by Bowie with an extensive set of readings that includes comments by prominent university officials, critical observers, and business participants. However, Bowie's book engages important issues beyond its specific brief and should interest a much broader audience. By allowing us to compare the nonprofit organizations most of us work for to the corporations we study, University-Business Partnerships contains important insights about the norms that characterize these different institutions, their roles in society, and the feasibility of mixing commercial methods with sociai objectives. It provokes readers to ask: "What do the problems with these alliances say about the nature of business, the incentives it creates, and the values it embodies? What would be lost and what gained if universities adopted a more commercial structure? What limits should be set on the expanding domain of business practices? " These questiotis are especially important during a time in which the business is seen as the model of efficiency and innovation. Bowie's book also should be studied for its method, since it provides an instructive example of what might be called "integrative applied ethics. " Bowie effectively weaves together ethical issues, history, and economic analysis to construct a comprehensive and empirically grounded survey. Even in his selection of readings, Bowie has chosen accessible, practical materials rather than
Emotion and the Structure of Narrative Film: Film As An Emotion Machine

Contents: Preface. Introduction. The Psychological Functions of Film Viewing. Film and Emotion: Theoretical Background. The Structure of Interest. Thematic Structures and Interest. Character Structure, Empathy, and Interest. The Psychological Affect Structure of the Feature Film. Conclusion: The Feature Film as an Emotion Machine.
NEURAL NETWORK DEMODULATOR FOR QUADRATURE AMPLITUDE MODULATION ( QAM )

Artificial neural network (ANN) is one of the most advanced technology fields, which allows machines to learn from examples in a manner similar to the human brain learning. ANNs applied to many scientific fields such as function approximation, data processing, classification, signal processing and much more. The main problem in communication field is the effect of noise into the signal. In this paper an artificial neural network demodulator (ANND) to demodulate quadrature amplitude modulating signal (QAM) is proposed. This project attempts to develop communication systems by developing neural networks and machine learning. This paper will help giving contribution to reduce the bit error rate (BER), optimize the quality of received data, reducing the effect of noise on data communications, optimization of the signal demodulator quality, increasing the quality of communication systems, speed up the process of neural network demodulator, developing the signal recovery and demodulating techniques. The artificial neural network, random data, noise, QAM modulator and demodulator are all simulated by GNU Octave software on this paper.
A New Probabilistic Kernel Factor Analysis for Multisensory Data Fusion: Application to Tool Condition Monitoring

The features extracted from multisensory measurements can be used to characterize machinery conditions. However, the nonlinearity and uncertainty presented in machinery degradation process pose challenges on feature selection and fusion in machinery condition monitoring. To alleviate these issues, this paper presents a new probabilistic nonlinear feature selection and fusion method, named probabilistic kernel factor analysis (PKFA). First, the mathematical structure of the PKFA is formulated incorporating kernel techniques on the basis of conventional factor analysis (FA). Next, a PKFA-based machining tool condition monitoring model with support vector regression is presented. The effectiveness of the scheme is experimentally verified on a machining tool testbed. The experimental results show that the proposed PKFA method provides more accurate tool condition prediction than using all initially extracted features and other feature selection techniques (e.g., kernel principal component analysis and conventional FA), and thus confirms its utility as an effective tool for machining tool condition assessment.
Mediating Analysis Approaches

The Problem In HRD research, while mediation research is receiving more attention, less is known about to what extent it has been used and what methodological approaches have been adopted by HRD researchers. Also, several critical methodological issues such as the common method variance (CMV) are often indicated by researchers who utilize mediational analysis in their studies. These issues have been known to hinder sound theory-building efforts among HRD researchers. The Solution In addressing the problems, the purpose of this research is to examine the mediation studies conducted in the HRD discipline and to identify the general trends of mediation research and the frequently used analytical approaches supporting theory-building efforts of HRD researchers. The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) journals between 2000 and 2014 were the primary research sample. Also, this study identifies various threats to conducting reliable and valid mediation studies through a thorough review of existing mediation studies from the AHRD journals. The Stakeholders Stakeholders include researchers conducting mediation studies in the HRD discipline currently and in the future, and practitioners who utilize mediation study findings for improving workplace performance. Based on the study findings, statistical and theoretical implications for future HRD research are discussed, and practical recommendations are drawn for HRD practitioners for workplace application.
Mitigating Distributed Service Flooding Attacks with Guided Tour Puzzles

—Various cryptographic puzzle schemes have been proposed as defenses against Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. However, these schemes have two common shortcomings that diminish their effectiveness as a DoS mitigation solution. First, the DoS-resilience that these schemes provide is minimized when there is a large disparity between the computational power of malicious and legitimate clients. Second, the legitimate clients also have to perform the same heavy puzzle computations that do not contribute to any useful work from the clients’ perspective. In this article, we introduce guided tour puzzles (GTP), a novel puzzle scheme that addresses these shortcomings. GTP uses latency — as opposed to computational delay — as a way of forcing a sustainable request arrival rate on clients. Measurement results from a large-scale network test-bed shows that the variation in the puzzle solving times is signiﬁcantly smaller than the puzzle solving time variation of computation-based puzzles. As attackers have much less control over the round-trip delays than they do over the computational power, a latency-based puzzle scheme, such as GTP, provides signiﬁcantly better protection against strong attackers. Meanwhile, we show that GTP minimizes useless computations required for the client computers. We evaluate the effectiveness of guided tour puzzles in a realistic simulation environment using a large-scale Internet topology, and show that GTP provides a strong mitigation of DoS request ﬂooding attacks and puzzle solving attacks.
Transferring information between information systems

This paper discusses the challenges in implementing an interorganisational information system especially in the context of several stakeholders representing different organisations that participate in the development project. When information is transferred between organisations, its quality should be carefully considered. In case of a joint database the role of pruning is emphasised. Our information system project did not follow any strict development theory. Despite that, the output was perceived excellent by the users. Instead of technical approach, we concentrate on the quality of the information that is to be transferred between information systems.
Is patient safety improving? National trends in patient safety indicators: 1998-2007.

CONTEXT Emphasis has been placed on quality and patient safety in medicine; however, little is known about whether quality over time has actually improved in areas such as patient safety indicators (PSIs). OBJECTIVE To determine whether national trends for hospital PSIs have improved from 1998 to 2007. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Using PSI criteria from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, PSIs were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for all eligible inpatient admissions between 1998 and 2007. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate annual percentage changes (APCs) for PSIs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Annual percent change for PSIs. RESULTS From 1998 to 2007, 7.6 million PSI events occurred for over 69 million hospitalizations. A total of 14 PSIs showed statistically significant trends. Seven PSIs had increasing APC: postoperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis (8.94), postoperative physiological or metabolic derangement (7.67), postoperative sepsis (7.17), selected infections due to medical care (4.05), decubitus ulcer (3.05), accidental puncture or laceration (2.64), and postoperative respiratory failure (1.46). Seven PSIs showed decreasing APCs: birth trauma injury to neonate (-17.79), failure to rescue (-6.05), postoperative hip fracture (-5.86), obstetric trauma-vaginal without instrument (-5.69), obstetric trauma-vaginal with instrument (-4.11), iatrogenic pneumothorax (-2.5), and postoperative wound dehiscence (-1.8). CONCLUSION This is the first study to establish national trends of PSIs during the past decade indicating areas for potential quality improvement prioritization. While many factors influence these trends, the results indicate opportunities for either emulation or elimination of current patient safety trends.
Pairwise Preferences Elicitation and Exploitation for Conversational Collaborative Filtering

The research and development of recommender systems is dominated by models of user's preferences learned from ratings for items. However, ratings have several disadvantages, which we discuss, and in order to address these issues we analyse another way to articulate preferences, i.e., as pairwise comparisons: item A is preferred to item B. We have developed a recommendation technology that, combining ratings and pairwise preferences, can generate better recommendations than a state of the art solution uniquely based on ratings.
Switching characteristics of bias circuits of RF power amplifiers for TD-LTE systems

The RF power amplifiers(PAs) for TDD (Time Division Duplex) systems only turn on in the transmission time slots, which can be realized by the switching control circuits in the bias circuits of the RF PAs. The switching status of the switching control circuit is determined by the envelope detection results of the input RF signals of the RF PA. Therefore, the switching speed of the bias circuits is critical for the performance of the TDD PA. In this paper, the switching characteristics of the bias circuits will be discussed. Then a high speed switching control circuit for Doherty power amplifiers for TD-LTE systems is proposed so as to construct a high quality TDD bias circuit. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed switching control circuit can effectively improve the speed of the switching speed and satisfy the requirements of the RF power amplifiers in a TD-LTE system.
Evaluation Techniques for Storage Hierarchies

The design of efficient storage hierarchies generally involves the repeated running of "typical" program address traces through a simulated storage system while various hierarchy design parameters are adjusted. This paper describes a new and efficient method of determining, in one pass of an address trace, performance measures for a large class of demand-paged, multilevel storage systems utilizing a variety of mapping schemes and replacement algorithms. The technique depends on an algorithm classification, called "stack algorithms," examples of which are "least frequently used," "least recently used," "optimal," and "random replacement" algorithms. The techniques yield the exact access frequency to each storage device, which can be used to estimate the overall performance of actual storage hierarchies.
Utilizing Extra-Sentential Context for Parsing

Syntactic consistency is the preference to reuse a syntactic construction shortly after its appearance in a discourse. We present an analysis of the WSJ portion of the Penn Tree-bank, and show that syntactic consistency is pervasive across productions with various left-hand side nonterminals. Then, we implement a reranking constituent parser that makes use of extra-sentential context in its feature set. Using a linear-chain conditional random field, we improve parsing accuracy over the generative baseline parser on the Penn Treebank WSJ corpus, rivalling a similar model that does not make use of context. We show that the context-aware and the context-ignorant rerankers perform well on different subsets of the evaluation data, suggesting a combined approach would provide further improvement. We also compare parses made by models, and suggest that context can be useful for parsing by capturing structural dependencies between sentences as opposed to lexically governed dependencies.
The influence of obesity on the effects of spirulina supplementation in the human metabolic response of Korean elderly

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Spirulina, a blue-green alga, is widely produced and commercialized as a dietary supplement with bio- and immune-modulatory functions. We have previously shown that spirulina had favorable effects on lipid profiles, immune functions, and antioxidant capacity in healthy Korean elderly. Despite favorable effect of spirulina supplementation, some sub-populations have shown a poor response to supplementation. Obesity is a factor related to poor-response. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the immuno-modulation, antioxidant capacity, and lipid-lowering effect of spirulina in obese and non-obese Korean elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS The subjects were 78 elderly aged 60-87 years. In a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled study, subjects were fed either placebo or spirulina daily, at 8 g for 12 weeks. Subjects were divided into the non-obese group and the obese group based on body mass index (BMI) criteria for Asians suggested by the International Obesity Task Force: BMI < 25 kg/m2 (non-obese) and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (obese). RESULTS In the non-obese group, spirulina supplementation showed a significant lowering effect on plasma concentration of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, a significant increase in interleukin (IL)-2 concentration (P < 0.01) and a significant increment (P < 0.05) in IL-2/IL-6 ratio, and a significant increase in total antioxidant status level and a significant decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level. However, these effects were not observed in the obese group. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrated that blood lipid lowering and immune and antioxidant improving response for spirulina supplement was affected by obesity in Korean elderly.
Metodologia de Pesquisa em Desenvolvimento Humano: Velhas Questões Revisitadas

Este artigo visa a discutir questoes metodologicas do campo de estudo do desenvolvimento humano, levando em consideracao perspectivas e tendencias atuais nesta area. Na medida em que psicologos do desenvolvimento enfrentam novos desafios e este campo de conhecimento evolui, novos paradigmas surgem, oferecendo subsidios teoricos e metodologicos para pratica profissional e de pesquisa de psicologos e profissionais de areas afins. Esse texto tenta assim sistematizar questoes que aparecem apenas de forma dispersa na literatura brasileira.