Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Estimation and Correction of Mismatch Errors in Time-Interleaved ADCs

We present a novel method for the estimation and correction of mismatch errors in time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters. The estimation of the mismatch errors requires a training signal, but it is efficient, accurate, and effective while keeping low the complexity of the associated algorithm, when compared with other works in the literature. The compensation strategy uses the estimated parameters for offset and gain mismatch error correction, and implements a low-complexity (similar to that of a finite-impulse response filter) Lagrange interpolation filter to correct errors due to timing mismatch, which depends on the dynamics of the input signal. The proposed compensation strategy achieves almost ideal behavior over a wide bandwidth, i.e., only 12% of oversampling is required for an almost complete cancelation of distortion. The method has been tested under severe mismatch conditions (up to 10% timing mismatch and 5% gain and offset mismatch), showing an improvement of over 6 bits in the effective number of bits and 50 dB in the spurious-free dynamic range. In addition, when compared with the available techniques, no limitation on the number of channel converters is introduced since the compensator effectively cancels the distortion even in the presence of large mismatches.
Trade Potential in Southern Cone Countries

A trade gravity model is used to calculate the bilateral export potential of Southern Cone countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and identify patterns of weak performance across destinations and productive sectors. After controlling for key trade fundamentals and country and time effects, we find that exports to large advanced economies like the United States and the European Union fall short of expected levels. Potential trade with the rest of Latin America shows a high degree of heterogeneity across sectors and countries. Exports within the Southern Cone are generally above the predicted value, but there is still space for higher flows, particularly regarding Chile-MERCOSUR relations.
Human cystic echinococcosis: contributions to the natural history of the disease

In areas where human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is endemic, the results of ultrasonographic or X-ray examinations have revealed a surprisingly high prevalence of abdominal cysts in asymptomatic individuals. The results of preliminary studies indicate that the ratio of liver infection:lung infection (LI:LU) is much higher in the asymptomatic individuals (9:1 or 7:1) than is usual among symptomatic cases of liver CE (2:1). This difference may indicate that, compared with lung cysts, liver cysts rarely cause morbidity, perhaps because they grow at a slower rate than those in the lungs. In an attempt to explore this possibility, the published results of ultrasonographic and radiological surveys on general populations and the records of autopsies and hospital-based investigations of symptomatic cases of liver CE were reviewed. In general populations, the overall prevalence of cysts in the liver (2.5%) was found to be much higher than that of cysts in the lungs (0.3%), giving a LI:LU ratio of 8.3:1. In the symptomatic cases, however, LI:LU ratios were only 2.5:1 (based on hospital records) or 4.1:1 (based on autopsy records). In addition, the estimated mean growth rate of the cysts in 53 surgical cases of CE from the province of Río Negro in Argentina was found to be significantly higher than that of the cysts in 89 asymptomatic cases detected during ultrasonographic surveys in the same area.
Orientational sampling and rigid‐body minimization in molecular docking

The biological activities of proteins depends on specific molecular recognition and binding. Computational methods for predicting binding modes can facilitate the discovery and design of ligands and yeild information on the factors governing complementarity. The DOCK suite of programs has been applied to several systems; here, the degree of orientational sampling required to reproduce and identify known binding modes, with and without rigid‐body energy minimization, is investigated for four complexes. There is a tradeoff between sampling and minimization. The known binding modes can be identified with intensive sampling alone (10,000 to 20,000 orientations generated per system) or with moderate sampling combined with minimization. Optimization improves energies significantly, particularly when steric clashes are present, and brings many orientations closer to the experimentally observed position. Whether or not minimization is performed, however, sampling must be sufficient to find at least one structure in the vicinity of the presumed true binding mode. Hybrid approaches combining docking and minimization are promising and will become more viable with the use of faster algorithms and the judicious selection of fewer orientations for minimization. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pannexin 3 is a novel target for Runx2, expressed by osteoblasts and mature growth plate chondrocytes

Pannexins are a class of chordate channel proteins identified by their homology to insect gap junction proteins. The pannexin family consists of three members, Panx1, Panx2, and Panx3, and the role each of these proteins plays in cellular processes is still under investigation. Previous reports of Panx3 expression indicate enrichment in skeletal tissues, so we have further investigated this distribution by surveying the developing mouse embryo with immunofluorescence. High levels of Panx3 were detected in intramembranous craniofacial flat bones, as well as long bones of the appendicular and axial skeleton. This distribution is the result of expression in both osteoblasts and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Furthermore, the Panx3 promoter contains putative binding sites for transcription factors involved in bone formation, and we show that the sequence between bases −275 and −283 is responsive to Runx2 activation. Taken together, our data suggests that Panx3 may serve an important role in bone development, and is a novel target for Runx2‐dependent signaling. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
The cyclin dependent kinase subunit Cks1 is required for infection‐associated development of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Cell cycle regulation is pivotal for proper cell division and cellular differentiation in eukaryotic cells. The central regulators that govern eukaryotic cell cycle progression are cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their partners. Here, we report that Magnaporthe oryzae CKS1 encodes a cyclin-dependent kinase subunit, which plays a significant role in regulation of plant infection. We demonstrate that CKS1 is a functional homolog of CKS1/SUC1 and can physically interact with the CDK protein Cdc28, and Som1, a downstream regulator of the cyclic AMP-dependent Protein Kinase A pathway. CKS1 deletion mutants are severely impaired in hyphal growth, sexual reproduction, melanin pigmentation and conidiogenesis. Cks1 mutants are able to form appressoria from hyphal tips, but these are unable to re-polarize, and rice infection is impaired. CKS1 also affects chitin and glucan synthase activity during cell wall differentiation and fungal hydrophobin function. CKS1, therefore, encodes a conserved CDK-binding partner, essential for appressorium-mediated plant infection by the rice blast fungus.
The Relevance of Circular Economy Practices to the Sustainable Development Goals

This paper identifies the extent to which circular economy (CE) practices are relevant for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results of a literature review and a matching exercise to determine the relationship between CE practices and SDG targets show that CE practices, potentially, can contribute directly to achieving a significant number of SDG targets. The strongest relationships exist between CE practices and the targets of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). The paper also explores synergies that can be created through CE practices among several of the SDG targets. Furthermore, it identifies several potential trade‐offs between targets for decent work, safe working environments, human health and current CE practices relating to recycling of municipal waste, e‐waste and wastewater, and provides suggestions how these can be overcome. The paper concludes that CE practices can be applied as a “toolbox” and specific implementation approaches for achieving a sizeable number of SDG targets. Further empirical research is necessary to determine which specific types of partnerships and means of implementation are required to apply CE practices in the SDG context.
A comparison between latency insertion method and relaxation method in transient thermal analysis

Recent trends in the scaling down of the conventional transistor size and three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit have increased the importance of transient thermal-awareness in IC floor planning. To this end, this paper will compare the performance of two transient thermal analysis simulation methods: the latency insertion method (LIM) and the Gauss-Seidel (GS) method. By simulating an example thermal problem, we can compare and evaluate the performance of these two analysis methods. The simulated results demonstrate a great superiority in analyzing the speed of LIM from the GS method.
The clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients receiving dialysis in France between 1997 and 2002.

BACKGROUND In 1997, 0.38% of dialysis patients in France were infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). No prevalence data were available in France since the widespread introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. METHODS This was a cross-sectional epidemiologic survey. A questionnaire was sent to all French dialysis centers in July 2002. The centers that did not respond were sent 3 additional mailing reminders. Finally, the nonresponding centers were called early in 2004. RESULTS Of the 27,577 patients on hemodialysis and 587 patients on peritoneal dialysis, 190 patients (0.67%) were infected by HIV. HIV-associated nephropathy was the cause of renal failure in 39.8% patients. Mean age was 44.6 +/- 10.9 years, the mean duration of dialysis was 4.9 +/- 5.9 years, the mean known duration of HIV infection was 8.9 +/- 5.6 years. Eighty-two percent of patients received antiretroviral therapy (ART). Fifty-eight percent of ART-treated patients had an undetectable HIV plasma viral load with a median CD4+ T-cell count 303/mm(3). CONCLUSION The prevalence of HIV infection among French dialysis patients was 0.67% in late 2002, a 79% increase since 1997. Possible reasons for this large increase include increased access to dialysis, better general status of HIV dialysis patients, and increasing proportion of patients originating from Africa and the Caribbean. The current efficacy of ART makes renal transplantation a realistic option for these young patients.
Predicting Lung Cancer Prior to Surgical Resection in Patients with Lung Nodules

Background: Existing predictive models for lung cancer focus on improving screening or referral for biopsy in general medical populations. A predictive model calibrated for use during preoperative evaluation of suspicious lung lesions is needed to reduce unnecessary operations for a benign disease. A clinical prediction model (Thoracic Research Evaluation And Treatment [TREAT]) is proposed for this purpose. Methods: We developed and internally validated a clinical prediction model for lung cancer in a prospective cohort evaluated at our institution. Best statistical practices were used to construct, evaluate, and validate the logistic regression model in the presence of missing covariate data using bootstrap and optimism corrected techniques. The TREAT model was externally validated in a retrospectively collected Veteran Affairs population. The discrimination and calibration of the model was estimated and compared with the Mayo Clinic model in both the populations. Results: The TREAT model was developed in 492 patients from Vanderbilt whose lung cancer prevalence was 72% and validated among 226 Veteran Affairs patients with a lung cancer prevalence of 93%. In the development cohort, the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and Brier score were 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–0.92) and 0.12, respectively compared with the AUC 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79–0.98) and Brier score 0.13 in the validation dataset. The TREAT model had significantly higher accuracy (p < 0.001) and better calibration than the Mayo Clinic model (AUC = 0.80; 95% CI, 75–85; Brier score = 0.17). Conclusion: The validated TREAT model had better diagnostic accuracy than the Mayo Clinic model in preoperative assessment of suspicious lung lesions in a population being evaluated for lung resection.
Zebrafish as a Model for Monocarboxyl Transporter 8-Deficiency*

Background: Mutations in the thyroid hormone transporter MCT8 are associated with the psychomotor retardation Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS). Results: In zebrafish, as in humans, mct8 is expressed primarily in the nervous system. Elimination of MCT8 causes severe neural impairment. Conclusion: MCT8 is a crucial regulator during zebrafish embryonic development. Significance: Establishment of the first vertebrate model for MCT8 deficiency, which exhibits a neurological phenotype. Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS) is a severe psychomotor retardation characterized by neurological impairment and abnormal thyroid hormone (TH) levels. Mutations in the TH transporter, monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), are associated with AHDS. MCT8 knock-out mice exhibit impaired TH levels; however, they lack neurological defects. Here, the zebrafish mct8 gene and promoter were isolated, and mct8 promoter-driven transgenic lines were used to show that, similar to humans, mct8 is primarily expressed in the nervous and vascular systems. Morpholino-based knockdown and rescue experiments revealed that MCT8 is strictly required for neural development in the brain and spinal cord. This study shows that MCT8 is a crucial regulator during embryonic development and establishes the first vertebrate model for MCT8 deficiency that exhibits a neurological phenotype.
The Effect of Audit Opinion Signature on a Jury's Perception of Negligence

New regulation by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCOAB) and the International Auditing & Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) regarding changes to the way audit opinions are signed has resulted in very different outcomes. The PCAOB requires audit firms to report the audit partner's name on Form AP, which is available on the PCAOB website. The IAASB, on the other hand, requires mandatory disclosure of the audit partner on the audit opinion. Opponents argued that requiring partner signature would increase liability. Based on a scenario depicting fraudulent activity, assessed jury negligence is higher when the partner signs their name to the audit opinion than when they sign their firm's name when measuring both partner and firm negligence. Firm size was assessed but found to be insignificant. Finally, we examined the effect of psychological contract violation theory in relation to the audit opinion signature method, with results suggesting the relationship between signature method and perceived auditor negligence is mediated by trust.
Construction of a plasmid vector for the regulatable high level expression of eukaryotic genes in Escherichia coli: an application to overproduction of chicken lysozyme.

A novel expression vector pKP1500 for synthesizing unfused protein in Escherichia coli was constructed. pKP1500 perserves the tac promoter, the lacZ SD sequence, unique restriction sites (EcoRI, SmaI, BamHI, SalI, PstI and HindIII) and the rrnB terminators of pKK223-3, but the replication origin is replaced with that of pUC9. Construction of this plasmid is based upon the observation that the copy number control of pUC9 is temperature dependent. At 28 degrees C, the copy number of pKP1500 is less than 25 per chromosome, approximately the same copy number as that of pKK223-3, which contains the replication origin of pBR322, whereas at 42 degrees C, the copy number increases about 10 times and reaches up to 230 copies per chromosome. The main advantage of this system is that the temperature-dependent copy control and regulatable expression of the tac promoter make cells carrying pKP1500 derivatives stable against selective pressure by detrimental overproduction of foreign proteins at a low temperature and permits high expression of cloned DNAs at a high temperature. When chicken lysozyme cDNA carrying the initiation codon (ATG) immediately upstream from the Lys1 codon was inserted downstream from the tac promoter and the SD sequence, the pKP1500 derivative produced lysozyme at about 25% of the total cellular proteins. This value is more than 10 times higher than that obtained with the pKK223-3 derivative carrying the same lysozyme cDNA. By comparison, the expression of eukaryotic genes from the tac promoter reported by others has usually been less than a few % of the total cellular protein. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
RUTBC2 Protein, a Rab9A Effector and GTPase-activating Protein for Rab36*

Background: Rab GTPases control membrane traffic, and identification of Rab regulators is incomplete. Results: RUTBC2 binds Rab9A, enhances GTP hydrolysis by Rab34 and Rab36 in vitro, and is a GAP for Rab36 in cells. Conclusion: These data suggest a connection between Rab9A and Rab36 as part of a cascade of membrane traffic steps. Significance: This represents the first assignment of a molecular function for RUTBC2. Rab GTPases regulate vesicle budding, motility, docking, and fusion. In cells, their cycling between active, GTP-bound states and inactive, GDP-bound states is regulated by the action of opposing enzymes called guanine nucleotide exchange factors and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). The substrates for most RabGAPs are unknown, and the potential for cross-talk between different membrane trafficking pathways remains uncharted territory. Rab9A and its effectors regulate recycling of mannose 6-phosphate receptors from late endosomes to the trans Golgi network. We show here that RUTBC2 is a TBC domain-containing protein that binds to Rab9A specifically both in vitro and in cultured cells but is not a GAP for Rab9A. Biochemical screening of Rab protein substrates for RUTBC2 revealed highest GAP activity toward Rab34 and Rab36. In cells, membrane-associated RUTBC2 co-localizes with Rab36, and expression of wild type RUTBC2, but not the catalytically inactive, RUTBC2 R829A mutant, decreases the amount of membrane-associated Rab36 protein. These data show that RUTBC2 can act as a Rab36 GAP in cells and suggest that RUTBC2 links Rab9A function to Rab36 function in the endosomal system.
The deconstruction of ambition: Campus climate, stereotype threat, and the motivational goals of African American students at a selective small liberal arts college

African American students face many challenges when they attend highly selective, predominantly White institutions. Lack of support for or belief in their academic success on the part of White faculty and peers may contribute to a climate in which it becomes increasingly difficult for African American students to be motivated and believe in their ability to excel academically. Studies suggest that an unsupportive racial climate on campus perpetuates "stereotype threat"---the conception that task performance can be affected by a fear of being evaluated on the basis of, or inadvertently perpetuating a stereotype about one's racial group, and a decade of research has concluded that stereotype threat impedes academic performance among African American college students. Yet, the exact nature of how stereotype threat affects academic performance is less understood. One purpose of this study is to investigate more deeply the motivational orientations of African American college students and to examine the impact of negative campus racial climate on the academic experiences of African American students. A further goal, however, is to explore the integration of motivation with the literature on stereotype threat and observe the complex interplay between campus climate, the application and impact of racial stigma, and academic performance among African American college students at a highly selective, predominantly White, small liberal arts institution. Conducted at a selective, predominantly White, liberal arts college in the northeastern U.S., this study uses both survey and interview data to assess campus racial climate as perceived by White students, and capture and discrepancies between reported beliefs and actions; and, ascertain the achievement goal orientation of African American students, as well as their individual perceptions of the existence or application of stereotypes and their sensitivity to personal rejection based on those stereotypes.
Optimization of automated quantification of 123I-IBZM uptake in the striatum applied to parkinsonism.

UNLABELLED Evaluation of therapies for parkinsonism by dopamine receptor SPECT requires a reproducible, optimized quantitation technique. This study presents a new, objective, automated technique for semiquantitative analysis of dopamine receptor density, as applied to the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism. METHODS Dopamine receptor density measured by 123I-iodobenzamide (IBZM) SPECT was retrospectively analyzed in nonidiopathic parkinsonism (NIPS), in Parkinson's disease (PD), and in healthy volunteers (n = 19, 38, and 13, respectively). A mean template was created from coregistered control studies. Registration errors were assessed using studies with simulated binding deficits. Patient studies were registered to the mean template, and striatal binding was calculated from a corresponding map of 3-dimensional regions of interest (ROIs). The striatal binding ratio and deficits determined by voxelwise comparison with the normal template were investigated and tested with various 3-dimensional ROI sizes and positions. Separation of patient groups was determined by tscore after automatically processing all studies. Results were compared with manual ROI analyses. RESULTS The automatic method was completely reproducible in 64 of 70 cases. The best diagnostic discriminator was the minimum binding ratio of the 2 striatal nuclei, with the following values: NIPS, 1.33+/-0.13; PD, 1.50+/-0.12; healthy volunteers, 1.49+/-0.08 (+/-SD). The deficit size from voxelwise analysis was: NIPS, 20.5+/-8.2 mL; PD, 9.5+/-8.3; healthy volunteers, 8.9+/-6.0 (+/-SD). The accuracy, measured by receiver operating characteristic areas, was 0.85+/-0.05, 0.77+/-0.06, and 0.80+/-0.06 (+/-SE) for the optimal predictor (automated) and 2 blinded observers (manual), respectively. CONCLUSION A new 3-dimensional, automated technique has been developed to semiquantitate receptor density that dramatically improves reproducibility. The optimal diagnostic discriminator of parkinsonism determined by the automatic technique has good accuracy compared with the manual technique.
Fair grade allocation to unfair students: an application of the shapley value to solve the free - rider problem

This study applies the Shapley value within the context of class-group based peer assessments by treating it as a cooperative game and giving fairness to each group member to cushion the effect of coalitions. Based on scenario analysis, the Shapley Value method is used to identify the fair marks which should be given/allocated to individuals with in groups where there is uneven participation. Scenarios are presented using two and three student member cases with situations under pinning the free rider problem. The Shapley value concept as applied in this study provides what may be viewed as a contribution consistent mark allocation for group assignments.