Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Characteristics of a MEMS Quadrupole Mass Filter With Square Electrodes: Experimental and Simulated Results

Size reduction in quadrupole mass spectrometers (QMSs) is an ongoing requirement driven by the needs of space exploration, portable, and covert monitoring applications. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology provides a method of achieving this size reduction. A quadrupole mass filter (QMF) is one component of a QMS and is suitable for microfabrication. MEMS manufacturing techniques are more suitable to the production of rectilinear electrodes, instead of the more widely used circular electrodes. Present understanding of the performance characteristics of rectilinear electrodes and the dependence of these characteristics on electrode geometry are not well documented. In this paper, we report on the performance characteristics of a square-electrode QMF. Both the predicted performances obtained by computer simulation and experimental data are presented for operation in stability zone 1 (0.236, 0.706) and zone 3 (3.16, 3.23). A comparison between these results and the simulated data for equivalent devices constructed using hyperbolic and circular electrodes for operation in zone 1 is also made. This comparison demonstrates that, although the field produced by square electrodes is far from the “ideal,” it is still possible to achieve useful filtering action. Our results also show that, for operation in zone 3, performance comparable with that of hyperbolic and circular electrodes operating in zone 1 is achievable.
ArmSleeve: A Patient Monitoring System to Support Occupational Therapists in Stroke Rehabilitation

This paper describes the design of "ArmSleeve", a patient monitoring system to support occupational therapists in their upper limb rehabilitation work with stroke patients. Occupational therapists can provide rehabilitation in clinics, but they have limited insights into how much their patients use their affected arm and hand in daily life, which is critical for effective recovery to occur. Our work addresses this problem through three interrelated studies: (1) interviews with therapists to examine their current rehabilitation practices; (2) the design of the "ArmSleeve Sensor" to monitor a patient's upper limb movement; and (3) the design and evaluation of the "ArmSleeve Dashboard" to visualize this information for therapists. The findings show the importance of collecting objective data to assess exercise and activities outside therapy, but also a lack of contextual information to interpret this data. We discuss considerations for how to address this issue through patient engagement as well as considerations for designing wearable sensor technology that is usable in everyday life.
Proteome and Membrane Fatty Acid Analyses on Oligotropha carboxidovorans OM5 Grown under Chemolithoautotrophic and Heterotrophic Conditions

Oligotropha carboxidovorans OM5 T. (DSM 1227, ATCC 49405) is a chemolithoautotrophic bacterium able to utilize CO and H2 to derive energy for fixation of CO2. Thus, it is capable of growth using syngas, which is a mixture of varying amounts of CO and H2 generated by organic waste gasification. O. carboxidovorans is capable also of heterotrophic growth in standard bacteriologic media. Here we characterize how the O. carboxidovorans proteome adapts to different lifestyles of chemolithoautotrophy and heterotrophy. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis of O. carboxidovorans grown with acetate or with syngas showed that the bacterium changes membrane fatty acid composition. Quantitative shotgun proteomic analysis of O. carboxidovorans grown in the presence of acetate and syngas showed production of proteins encoded on the megaplasmid for assimilating CO and H2 as well as proteins encoded on the chromosome that might have contributed to fatty acid and acetate metabolism. We found that adaptation to chemolithoautotrophic growth involved adaptations in cell envelope, oxidative homeostasis, and metabolic pathways such as glyoxylate shunt and amino acid/cofactor biosynthetic enzymes.
An 8 Bit 4 GS/s 120 mW CMOS ADC

A time-interleaved ADC employs four pipelined time-interleaved channels along with a new timing mismatch detection algorithm and a high-resolution variable delay line. The digital background calibration technique suppresses the interchannel timing mismatches, achieving an SNDR of 44.4 dB and a figure of merit of 219 fJ/conversion-step in 65 nm CMOS technology.
Highly Conserved Regions of Influenza A Virus Polymerase Gene Segments Are Critical for Efficient Viral RNA Packaging

ABSTRACT The genome of the influenza A virus is composed of eight different segments of negative-sense RNA. These eight segments are incorporated into budding virions in an equimolar ratio through a mechanism that is not fully understood. Two different models have been proposed for packaging the viral ribonucleoproteins into newly assembling virus particles: the random-incorporation model and the selective-incorporation model. In the last few years, increasing evidence from many different laboratories that supports the selective-incorporation model has been accumulated. In particular, different groups have shown that some large viral RNA regions within the coding sequences at both the 5′ and 3′ ends of almost every segment are sufficient for packaging foreign RNA sequences. If the packaging regions are crucial for the viability of the virus, we would expect them to be conserved. Using large-scale analysis of influenza A virus sequences, we developed a method of identifying conserved RNA regions whose conservation cannot be explained by population structure or amino acid conservation. Interestingly, the conserved sequences are located within the regions identified as important for efficient packaging. By utilizing influenza virus reverse genetics, we have rescued mutant viruses containing synonymous mutations within these highly conserved regions. Packaging of viral RNAs in these viruses was analyzed by reverse transcription using a universal primer and quantitative PCR for individual segments. Employing this approach, we have identified regions in the polymerase gene segments that, if mutated, result in reductions of more than 90% in the packaging of that particular polymerase viral RNA. Reductions in the level of packaging of a polymerase viral RNA frequently resulted in reductions of other viral RNAs as well, and the results form a pattern of hierarchy of segment interactions. This work provides further evidence for a selective packaging mechanism for influenza A viruses, demonstrating that these highly conserved regions are important for efficient packaging.
The sensitive period for language acquisition: The role of age related differences in cognitive and neural function

The aim of this research is to better understand why children consistently surpass adults in their ultimate attainment of language--the sensitive period for language acquisition. I propose the Nested Cognitive and Neural Asynchronies theory to explain this phenomenon. This theory first asserts that an expert neural system for language processing is built in a nested manner, with commitments made first to aspects of language that are learned early. Once built, this system--though expert in processing one's native language--is ineffective in processing other languages, particularly those that differ in these early‐learned aspects of language (such as sound structure). Second, asynchronies in the development of neural substrates supporting learning are thought to contribute to sensitive period phenomena. One consequence of the vast differences in the maturation of various substrates important for learning is that children end up with an abundance of implicit learning mechanisms relative to explicit. Since much of language learning is likely to occur via these implicit mechanisms, the result is that children might simply be better built to learn language.The experiments reported here support this theory. The first study shows that languages that differ from one's native language in the most basic properties (i.e., sounds) are 1) more difficult to learn and 2) represented with distinct neural circuits. The second study demonstrates that the neural circuits recruited by children for a necessary component of explicit learning change substantially over the course of development, suggesting that the neural circuits deployed for learning in children differ greatly from those in adults. The third study shows that explicit learning can be detrimental for learning certain aspects of language. Moreover, when the primary substrate associated with this learning--the prefrontal cortex--is taken offline, this detriment of explicit learning is ameliorated, thereby showing that child-adult learning differences are related to neural maturation. Together, this collection of studies aims not to catalogue sensitive period phenomena in humans but rather to explain why the sensitive period for language exists.
N-ras Mutation Detection by Pyrosequencing in Adult Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at a Single Institution

Background N-ras mutations are one of the most commonly detected abnormalities of myeloid origin. N-ras mutations result in a constitutively active N-ras protein that induces uncontrolled cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis. We analyzed N-ras mutations in adult patients with AML at a particular institution and compared pyrosequencing analysis with a direct sequencing method for the detection of N-ras mutations. Methods We analyzed 90 bone marrow samples from 83 AML patients. We detected N-ras mutations in codons 12, 13, and 61 using the pyrosequencing method and subsequently confirmed all data by direct sequencing. Using these methods, we screened the N-ras mutation quantitatively and determined the incidence and characteristic of N-ras mutation. Results The incidence of N-ras mutation was 7.2% in adult AML patients. The patients with N-ras mutations showed significant higher hemoglobin levels (P=0.022) and an increased incidence of FLT3 mutations (P=0.003). We observed 3 cases with N-ras mutations in codon 12 (3.6%), 2 cases in codon 13 (2.4%), and 1 case in codon 61 (1.2%). All the mutations disappeared during chemotherapy. Conclusions There is a low incidence (7.2%) of N-ras mutations in AML patients compared with other populations. Similar data is obtained by both pyrosequencing and direct sequencing. This study showed the correlation between the N-ras mutation and the therapeutic response. However, pyrosequencing provides quantitative data and is useful for monitoring therapeutic responses.
Capacitation-Associated Glycocomponents of Mammalian Sperm

Mammalian fertilization is a series of events that are mostly carbohydrate mediated. The male gamete glycocomponents are extensively synthesized and modified during sperm development and sperm transport in the reproductive tracts. Freshly ejaculated mammalian sperm are required to undergo capacitation, which takes place in the female reproductive system, in order to become fully fertilizable. Several lines of evidence reveal changes in glycosylated sperm constituents during capacitation. Although the contributions of these molecular changes to capacitation are not completely understood, the presence, rearrangement, and/or modification of these sperm glycocomponents have been demonstrated to be important for fertilization. The following review summarizes mammalian sperm glycoconstituents, with emphasis on their molecular changes during capacitation.
A Sub-Atomic Subdivision Approach

One of the main objectives of scientific work is the analysis of complex phenomena in order to reveal the underlying structures and to explain them by means of elementary rules which are easily understood. In this paper we study how the well-known process of triangle mesh subdivision can be expressed in terms of the simplest mesh modification, namely the vertex split. Although this basic operation is capable of reproducing all common subdivision schemes if applied in the correct manner, we focus on Butterfly subdivision only for the purpose of perspicuity. Our observations lead to an obvious representation of subdivision meshes as selectively refined progressive meshes, making them most applicable to view-dependent level-of-detail rendering.
INDDGO: Integrated Network Decomposition & Dynamic programming for Graph Optimization

It is well-known that dynamic programming algorithms can utilize tree decompositions to provide a way to solve some \emph{NP}-hard problems on graphs where the complexity is polynomial in the number of nodes and edges in the graph, but exponential in the width of the underlying tree decomposition. However, there has been relatively little computational work done to determine the practical utility of such dynamic programming algorithms. We have developed software to construct tree decompositions using various heuristics and have created a fast, memory-efficient dynamic programming implementation for solving maximum weighted independent set. We describe our software and the algorithms we have implemented, focusing on memory saving techniques for the dynamic programming. We compare the running time and memory usage of our implementation with other techniques for solving maximum weighted independent set, including a commercial integer programming solver and a semi-definite programming solver. Our results indicate that it is possible to solve some instances where the underlying decomposition has width much larger than suggested by the literature. For certain types of problems, our dynamic programming code runs several times faster than these other methods.
Two Sides of Emotion: Exploring Positivity and Negativity in Six Basic Emotions across Cultures

We employ a novel paradigm to test whether six basic emotions (sadness, fear, disgust, anger, surprise, and happiness; Ekman, 1992) contain both negativity and positivity, as opposed to consisting of a single continuum between negative and positive. We examined the perceived negativity and positivity of these emotions in terms of their affective and cognitive components among Korean, Chinese, Canadian, and American students. Assessing each emotion at the cognitive and affective levels cross-culturally provides a fairly comprehensive picture of the positivity and negativity of emotions. Affective components were rated as more divergent than cognitive components. Cross-culturally, Americans and Canadians gave higher valence ratings to the salient valence of each emotion, and lower ratings to the non-salient valence of an emotion, compared to Chinese and Koreans. The results suggest that emotions encompass both positivity and negativity, and there were cross-cultural differences in reported emotions. This paradigm complements existing emotion theories, building on past research and allowing for more parsimonious explanations of cross-cultural research on emotion.
High‐resolution longitudinal assessment of flow and permeability in mouse glioma vasculature: Sequential small molecule and SPIO dynamic contrast agent MRI

The poor prognosis associated with malignant glioma is largely attributable to its invasiveness and robust angiogenesis. Angiogenesis involves host–tumor interaction and requires in vivo evaluation. Despite their versatility, few studies have used mouse glioma models with perfusion MRI approaches, and generally lack longitudinal study design. Using a micro‐MRI system (8.5 Tesla), a novel dual bolus‐tracking perfusion MRI strategy was implemented. Using the small molecule contrast agent Magnevist, dynamic contrast enhanced MRI was implemented in the intracranial 4C8 mouse glioma model to determine Ktrans and ve, indices of tumor vascular permeability and cellularity, respectively. Dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI was subsequently implemented to assess both cerebral blood flow and volume, using the macromolecular superparamagnetic iron oxide, Feridex, which circumvented tumor bolus susceptibility curve distortions from first‐pass extravasation. The high‐resolution parametric maps obtained over 4 weeks, indicated a progression of tumor vascularization, permeability, and decreased cellularity with tumor growth. In conclusion, a comprehensive array of key parameters were reliably quantified in a longitudinal mouse glioma study. The syngeneic 4C8 intracerebral mouse tumor model has excellent characteristics for studies of glioma angiogenesis. This approach provides a useful platform for noninvasive and highly diagnostic longitudinal investigations of anti‐angiogenesis strategies in a relevant orthotopic animal model. Magn Reson Med 61:615–625, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Generation of mouse conditional and null alleles of the type III sodium‐dependent phosphate cotransporter PiT‐1

Accelerated vascular calcification occurs in several human diseases including diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In patients with CKD, vascular calcification is highly correlated with elevated serum phosphate levels. In vitro, elevated concentrations of phosphate induced vascular smooth muscle cell matrix mineralization, and the inorganic phosphate transporter‐1 (PiT‐1), was shown to be required. To determine the in vivo role of PiT‐1, mouse conditional and null alleles were generated. Here we show that the conditional allele, PiT‐1flox, which has loxP sites flanking exons 3 and 4, is homozygous viable. Cre‐mediated recombination resulted in a null allele that is homozygous lethal. Examination of early embryonic development revealed that the PiT‐1Δe3,4/Δe3,4 embryos displayed anemia, a defect in yolk sac vasculature, and arrested growth. Thus, conditional and null PiT‐1 mouse alleles have been successfully generated and PiT‐1 has a necessary, nonredundant role in embryonic development. genesis 47:858–863, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Self care and coping

Part 1 Self-efficacy and self-care: self-efficacy for functional activies scale a measure of power as knowing participation in change the epilepsy self-efficacy scale the insulin management diabetes self-efficacy scale. Part 2 Coping: the Jalowiec coping scale the coping scale of the chronicity impact and coping instrument the women's role strain inventory the Haber level of differentiation of self-scale the SCMP-G - measuring guarding as a self-care management process in chronic illness. Part 3 Social support and quality of life measuring social support: the social support of chronic illness inventory the postpartum support questionnaire the long-term quality of life instrument for female cancer survivors. Part 4 Measuring health behaviours: the multidimensional health behaviour inventory the compliance questionnaire the index of readiness.
Specific Antibody and Interferon-Gamma Responses Associated with Immunopathological Forms of Bovine Paratuberculosis in Slaughtered Friesian Cattle

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection causes a chronic granulomatous inflammatory regional enteritis in ruminants. Cell-mediated immune responses are assumed to be protective and therefore, to be associated with its more delimited lesion types, while humoral responses are mainly associated with diffuse histopathological lesions. However, this duality of immune responses has been recently questioned. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between both types of immunological responses and the type and extension of intestinal lesions and the presence of MAP in bovine tissues. Standard histopathological examinations, two microbiological procedures (culture and real time PCR (rtPCR)), as well as MAP specific antibody and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRA) were performed on tissues and blood of 333 slaughtered Holstein-Friesian animals. Paratuberculous lesions were observed in 176 (52.9%) of the animals and overall MAP detection rates were estimated at 13.5% and 28.5% for tissue culture and rtPCR, respectively. Unlike the relatively constant non-specific IFN-γ release, both the antibody levels and the specific IFN-γ release significantly increased with tissue damage. Delimited immunopathological forms, which accounted for 93.2% of all forms, were mostly related to positive testing in the IGRA (38.4%) whereas diffuse ones (6.8%) were associated with antibody seropositivity (91.7%). However, since the frequency of positive immune responses in both tests increased as the lesions severity increased, polarization of Th1/Th2 responses was less prominent than expected. MAP was detected in the majority of ELISA-positive animals (culture+: 90%, rtPCR+: 85%) but the bacteria was only confirmed in the 36.1% of IGRA-positive animals by any of the two microbiological tests. In terms of diagnosis, the antibody test was a good indicator of advanced tissue damage (diffuse forms), but the IGRA did not associate well with more delimited forms or with MAP detection.
Reversibly texturing active surfaces with spatial and temporal control

Textured surfaces, formed through wrinkling and folding, are observed abundantly in nature. We are especially motivated by the unique capabilities of some species of cuttlefish that camouflage themselves by rapidly switching from smooth to textured skin by expressing protuberances called papillae. Inspired by this, we developed a shape memory alloy–elastomer composite as a platform for reversible surface texture. A shape memory alloy wire embedded in an elastomer is forced to shrink due to Ohmic heating. This shrinkage is used to drive the reversible buckling of a thin stiff film attached to the elastomer surface. The platform is scalable, produces wrinkling patterns in the flip of a switch, operates at voltages under 10 V, and can be operated reversibly over multiple cycles. The amplitude and kinetics of the surface wrinkling are experimentally characterized. The wrinkle patterns appear and disappear in timescales ranging from tens of seconds to as little as a second depending on the voltage actuating the shape memory alloy wire. Finally, this platform can create reversible wrinkle patterns in a spatially reconfigurable fashion, that is, the location of the texture changes can be varied in real time. A two-dimensional shear lag model is developed to establish the important design parameters governing the formation of wrinkles.
“I Mean, We’re Guys”

For young men, the transition to adulthood may be a time of heightened adherence to traditional gender roles and norms of masculinity. However, recent research with young men in gender-specific contexts has indicated that some contexts support a construction of masculinity that is more inclusive. Through a theoretical thematic analysis of interviews with young men in their first week at an all-male trade school, we explored if and how participants talked about gender and its role in their lives, how these discussions of gender may reflect individual gender ideologies, and how these discussions may inform participants’ experiences in particular developmental contexts. The themes we identified included the following: Becoming a man as an active process, experiences of male embodiment of size and strength, intersections of school identity and being a man, students’ perceptions of their all-male school environment and what it means to not have female classmates, and their reflections on the parts of themselves they see as feminine. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research with adolescents and young adults in relation to gender, relationships, and professional development.