Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of HfO2 on Hafnium-Indium-Zinc Oxide HIZO layer metal-insulator-semiconductor structures deposited by RF sputtering

The electrical properties of RF magnetron sputtered HfO<sub>2</sub> layers as dielectric and Hafnium-Indium-Zinc-Oxide HIZO as semiconductor in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures are investigated. The dielectric constant of the HfO<sub>2</sub> layer was around 9 measured at 10 kHz. The critical electric field was higher than 5×10<sup>5</sup> V/cm and the leakage current below 5×10<sup>-9</sup> A/cm<sup>2</sup>. The effective charged density of interface states in the order of 5×10<sup>12</sup> cm<sup>-2</sup>. Flat band shift due to polarization of the dielectric at voltage rage between -5 and 5 V is below 0.5 V. The RF deposited HIZO layer presents higher density of interface and bulk traps than similar layers deposited by other more complex techniques requiring higher processing temperature. However, results indicate that they can still be used in low voltage range amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film transistors AOSTFTs.
A requirement for polymerized actin in DNA double-strand break repair

Nuclear actin is involved in several nuclear processes from chromatin remodeling to transcription. Here we examined the requirement for actin polymerization in DNA double-strand break repair. Double-strand breaks are considered the most dangerous type of DNA lesion. Double-strand break repair consists of a complex set of events that are tightly regulated. Failure at any step can have catastrophic consequences such as genomic instability, oncogenesis or cell death. Many proteins involved in this repair process have been identified and their roles characterized. We discovered that some DNA double-strand break repair factors are capable of associating with polymeric actin in vitro and specifically, that purified Ku70/80 interacts with polymerized actin under these conditions. We find that the disruption of polymeric actin inhibits DNA double strand break repair both in vitro and in vivo. Introduction of nuclear targeted mutant actin that cannot polymerize, or the depolymerization of endogenous actin filaments by the addition of cytochalasin D, alters the retention of Ku80 at sites of DNA damage in live cells. Our results suggest that polymeric actin is required for proper DNA double-strand break repair and may function through the stabilization of the Ku heterodimer at the DNA damage site.
Lowering C-reactive protein with statins after an ischemic stroke avoids mortality and readmissions. A prospective cohort study

Abstract Aims. A hypothetical benefit of statins after an ischemic stroke could be provided by their pleiotropic effects. Our aim is to test if statins are able to avoid mortality and readmissions of patients with ischemic stroke, by lowering their levels of not only LDL-cholesterol but also CRP. Methods. A prospective cohort study was performed. Pre-stroke and post-stroke medications were recorded. Cholesterol and hsCRP levels were measured at admission and 90 days post-stroke. Rankin score and fatality or readmissions were assessed at 90 days and 1 year. We have used robust statistical methods. Results. Of 359 stroke patients, statins were prescribed before stroke onset in 30.6% (110/359) and were begun during hospitalization in an additional 32.3% (116/359). In logistic regression analysis adjusted, statins therapy was independently associated with improved total mortality (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.11–0.86; P < 0.02), improved cardiovascular mortality (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.08–0.98; P < 0.04), and improved total mortality and readmission rates (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.18–0.7; P < 0.003). In the final model, lowering the levels of hsCRP by 0.4mg/dL, a 30% of mortality or readmissions would be avoided. Conclusions. Therapy with statins, either previous or early initiation, after an ischemic stroke, could improve the survival and readmission rates by lowering both cholesterol and hsCRP levels.
Multi-scale analysis of single-point wind signals in outdoor near-surface environments

The odor/gas dispersion in atmospheric boundary layer is dominated by airflow. The analysis of the wind speed/direction properties is helpful for understanding the mechanism of odor/gas dispersion. In this paper, twenty groups of wind speed/direction time series are collected using ultrasonic anemometer. The wind speed statistics (including variance, turbulent intensity, skewness, kurtosis and turbulent kinetic energy) and wind-direction changes on different time scales are analyzed based on multi-resolution wavelet transform. The results indicate that intermittence of wind speed occur on small scales; the variance of wind speed and turbulent kinetic energy first rises and then decays with an increase in time scale; the probability-density distribution of wind speed is almost symmetric on each scale; the consistency and the standard deviation of the wind direction are mainly affected by large scale motion; and the saltation of wind direction is caused by small scale motion. In use of the wind information, it's better to consider the distinct properties on different scales, or extract the information on particular scales to eliminate the disturbance on other scales.
Localization Effect on the Metal Biosorption Capability of Recombinant Mammalian and Fish Metallothioneins in Escherichia coli

In this study, we examined the expression of mammalian and fish metallothioneins (MTs) in Escherichia coli as a strategy to enhance metal biosorption efficiency of bacterial biosorbents for lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn). In addition, MT proteins were expressed in either the cytoplasmic or periplasmic compartment of host cells to explore the localization effect on metal biosorption. The results showed that MT expression led to a significant increase (5–210%) in overall biosorption efficiency (ηads), especially for biosorption of Cd. The MT‐driven improvement in metal biosorption relied more on the increase in the biosorption rates (r2, a kinetic property) than on the equilibrium biosorption capacities (qmax, a thermodynamic property), despite a 10–45% and 30–80% increase in qmax of Cd and Zn, respectively. Periplasmic expression of MTs appeared to be more effective in facilitating the metal‐binding ability than the cytoplasmlic MT expression. Notably, disparity of the impacts on biosorption ability was observed for the origin of MT proteins, as human MT (MT1A) was the most effective biosorption stimulator compared to MTs originating from mouse (MT1) and fish (OmMT). Moreover, the overall biosorption efficiency (ηads) of the MT‐expressing recombinant biosorbents was found to be adsorbate‐dependent: the ηads values decreased in the order of Cd > Cu > Zn > Pb.
Recent invasion of the mountain birch Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa above the treeline due to climate change: genetic and ecological study in northern Sweden

Mountain birch, Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa, forms the treeline in northern Sweden. A recent shift in the range of the species associated with an elevation of the treeline is commonly attributed to climate warming. Using microsatellite markers, we explored the genetic structure of populations along an altitudinal gradient close to the treeline. Low genetic differentiation was found between populations, whereas high genetic diversity was maintained within populations. High level of gene flow compensated for possible losses of genetic diversity at higher elevations and dissipated the founding effect of newly established populations above the treeline. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed low spatial genetic structure within populations because of extensive gene flow. At the treeline, significant genetic structure within the juvenile age class at small distances did not persist in the adult age class, indicating recent expansion of young recruits due to the warming of the climate. Finally, seedling performance above the treeline was positively correlated with parameters related to temperature. These data confirm the high migration potential of the species in response to fluctuating environmental conditions and indicate that it is now invading higher altitudes due to the recent warming of the climate.
Embedded media marker: linking multimedia to paper

An Embedded Media Marker (EMM) is a transparent mark printed on a paper document that signifies the availability of additional media associated with that part of the document. Users take a picture of the EMM using a camera phone, and the media associated with that part of the document is displayed on the phone. Unlike bar codes, EMMs are nearly transparent and thus do not interfere with the document appearance. Retrieval of media associated with an EMM is based on image features of the document within the EMM boundary. Unlike other feature-based retrieval methods, the EMM clearly indicates to the user the existence and type of media associated with the document location. A semi-automatic authoring tool is used to place an EMM at a location in a document, in such a way that it encompasses sufficient identification features with minimal disturbance to the original document. We will demonstrate how to create an EMM-enhanced document, and how the EMM enables access to the associated media on a cell phone.
False Recognition Helps to Distinguish Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Amnestic MCI from Patients with Other Kinds of Dementia

Two recent reviews on neuropsychological assessment argue that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by deficits in delayed recall and that this allows differentiating AD from other types of dementia. We attempted to differentiate patients with AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from patients with fronto-subcortical dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus and vascular dementia using a simple picture recognition task. We examined 130 patients, 89 with dementia and 41 with MCI. The combination of the CERAD-NP savings score and the number of false recognitions yielded a sensitivity of 100% for identifying AD patients. Moreover, adding the score for false recognitions to that of delayed recall improved the specificity of the diagnosis from 50% to 90%. After matching the groups on memory performance, the AD group still produced more false recognitions. The results suggest that delayed recall impairment and recognition errors stem from different sources. We also found that the number of false recognitions differs between amnestic and non-amnestic MCI patients. The quality of the differential diagnosis may therefore be enhanced significantly by taking into account both delayed recall and false recognitions provoked by a picture recognition task.
Community-based educational intervention improved the diversity of complementary diets in western Kenya: results from a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective Lack of diversity is a major factor contributing to inadequate nutrient intakes among children during the complementary feeding period in many rural areas in developing countries. This has been attributed to inadequate feeding practices and nutrition knowledge among their caregivers. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of an educational intervention on children’s dietary diversity and nutrition knowledge of caregivers. Design Cluster randomization was applied and twenty matched village pairs were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The nutrition education intervention consisted of four sessions comprising of group trainings and cooking demonstrations that were conducted over a period of 5 months. Setting Households in rural communities in Bondo and Teso South sub-counties, western Kenya. Subjects Caregivers with children aged 6–17 months receiving nutrition education. Results The children’s dietary diversity scores (CDDS) and nutrition knowledge scores of the caregivers improved significantly in the intervention group at endline. The treatment effect on CDDS was positive and significant (P=0·001). The CDDS rate of the children in the intervention group was 27 % larger than it would have been without the treatment effect. The intervention also had a significant effect on the caregivers’ nutrition knowledge scores (incidence rate ratio=2·05; P<0·001). However, the nutrition knowledge of the caregivers did not have a significant effect on CDDS (P=0·731). Conclusions The nutrition education intervention led to improvements in children’s dietary diversity and nutrition knowledge of the caregivers.
Pulmonary , gastrointestinal and urogenital pharmacology Prokinetic e ff ects of neurokinin-2 receptor agonists on the bladder and rectum of rats with acute spinal cord transection

The suitability of various neurokinin-2 (NK2) receptor agonists and routes of administration to elicit on-demand voiding of the bladder and bowel, as future therapy for individuals with spinal cord injury, was examined using a rat model. The current study examined the feasibility of alternative routes of administration, which are more practical for clinical use than intravenous (IV) administration. Voiding and isovolumetric cystometry were recorded in anesthetized, acutely spinalized, female rats after IV, subcutaneous (SC), intramuscular (IM), intranasal (IN), or sublingual (SL) administration of [Lys,MeLeu,Nle]-NKA(4−10) (LMN-NKA). Administration of LMN-NKA (1–10 μg/kg IV; 10−300 μg/kg SC or IM; 15–1000 μg/kg IN or 300–1500 μg/kg SL) elicited rapidonset, short-duration, dose-related increases in bladder pressure and voiding with the rank order for time of both onset and duration being IV< IN<SC = IM<SL. The incidence of voiding was dependent on the dose and route, with all routes resulting in a high voiding efficiency (~ 70%). Like LMN-NKA, neurokinin A (NKA 1–100 μg/kg IV) and GR 64349 (0.1–30 μg/kg IV or 1–300 μg/kg SC) produced rapid-onset, short-duration increases in bladder pressure, as well as colorectal pressure. Administration of vehicle never produced bladder or rectal contractions or voiding. Transient hypotension was observed after IV injection of LMN-NKA, which was less pronounced after SC injection. Hypotension was not apparent with GR 64349. In conclusion, selective NK2 receptor agonists, administered through various non-IV routes of administration, may provide a safe, convenient, and efficacious method for inducing voiding.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy as a Sensitive and Selective Technique for the Detection of Folic Acid in Water and Human Serum

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is shown to give linear and sensitive concentration-dependent detection of folic acid using silver nanoparticles created via ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) reduction. Optical detection by SERS overcomes the primary limitation of photodissociation encountered during the application of other shorter wavelength ultraviolet (UV)/near-UV techniques such as fluorescence based microscopy. The SERS approach in water-based samples was demonstrated and optimized using several longer wavelengths of excitation (514.5, 632.8, and 785 nm). Excitation in the green (514.5 nm) was found to achieve the best balance between photodissociation and SERS efficiency. Linear concentration dependence was observed in the range of 0.018 to 1 μM. The importance of folic acid in a clinical setting and the potential applications of this technique in a biological environment are highlighted. We demonstrate the potential to transfer this technique to real biological samples by the detection of folic acid in human serum samples by SERS.
Evaluation of Central Services Professional Learning Teams as of Spring 2010. Eye on Evaluation. E&R Report No. 10.06.

WCPSS first implemented Professional Learning Teams (PLTs), originally called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), in schools several years ago. PLC/PLTs are made up of members who regularly collaborate toward continued improvement in meeting student learning needs. These teams use data, professional experience, and best practice to work towards realizing a shared vision for a better learning environment.
Foot pain and mobility limitations in older adults: the Framingham Foot Study.

BACKGROUND Foot pain is very common in the general population and has been shown to have a detrimental impact on health-related quality of life. This is of particular concern in older people as it may affect activities of daily living and exacerbate problems with balance and gait. The objective of this study is to evaluate the independent relationships between foot pain and mobility limitation in a population of community-dwelling older adults. METHODS Population-based cross-sectional study. Participants (n = 1,544) from the Framingham Foot Study (2002-2008) were assessed for physical performance. Foot pain was documented using the question "On most days, do you have pain, aching, or stiffness in either foot? " Mobility limitation was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery, dichotomized using 1-9 as an indicator of mobility limitation and 10-12 as no mobility limitation. RESULTS Foot pain was reported by 19% of men and 25% of women. After adjusting for age, obesity, smoking status, and depression, foot pain was significantly associated with mobility limitation in both men (odds ratio = 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.14 - 3.50; p = .016) and women (odds ratio = 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.03 - 2.46; p = .037). CONCLUSION In our study of older adults from the Framingham Foot Study, foot pain was associated with an increased odds of having mobility limitation in both men and women. Clinicians should consider assessment of foot pain in general examinations of older adults who are at risk of mobility limitation.
Disruption of the Actin Cytoskeleton Can Complement the Ability of Nef To Enhance Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infectivity

ABSTRACT The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protein Nef has been shown to increase the infectivity of HIV at an early point during infection. Since Nef is known to interact with proteins involved in actin cytoskeleton rearrangements, we tested the possibility that Nef may enhance HIV infectivity via a mechanism that involves the actin cytoskeleton. We find that disruption of the actin cytoskeleton complements the Nef infectivity defect. The ability of disruption of the actin cytoskeleton to complement the Nef defect was specific to envelopes that fuse at the cell surface, including a variety of HIV envelopes and the murine leukemia virus amphotropic envelope. In contrast, the infectivity of HIV virions pseudotyped to enter cells via endocytosis, which is known to complement the HIV Nef infectivity defect and can naturally penetrate the cortical actin barrier, was not altered by actin cytoskeleton disruption. The results presented here suggest that Nef functions to allow the HIV genome to penetrate the cortical actin network, a known barrier for intracellular parasitic organisms.
Empirical analysis for public transit networks in Chinese cities

To make a better planning,design and evaluation for the public transport systems,it is necessary to make more profound studies for the structure of urban transit networks.The authors have analyzed statistical parameters including path-length,clustering coefficient and degree distribution of public transport networks in 5 Chinese cities.The structures of these networks approximate to random graphs,which does not exhibit the scale-free property as other countries.Through the analysis about the practical interpretation of those statistical parameters,the authors proposed some possible reasons to generate the structural differences between Chinese and other countries.
Electrical domains and submillimeter signal generation in AlGaN/GaN superlattices

This paper discusses the feasibility of a terahertz-signal source made of an AlGaN/GaN superlattice. The negative differential conductivity, electrical domain formation, current oscillations, and power efficiency of a perspective source are described. The superlattice geometry and conduction band profile, which are distorted by polarization fields, are related to the oscillation frequency and power efficiency of the device. The optimal Al content, superlattice period, and the parameters of the external circuit that favor submillimeter wave generation are determined.
On grey levels in random CAPTCHA generation

A CAPTCHA is an automatically generated test designed to distinguish between humans and computer programs; specifically, they are designed to be easy for humans but difficult for computer programs to pass in order to prevent the abuse of resources by automated bots. They are commonly seen guarding webmail registration forms, online auction sites, and preventing brute force attacks on passwords. In the following, we address the question: How does adding a grey level to random CAPTCHA generation affect the utility of the CAPTCHA? We treat the problem of generating the random CAPTCHA as one of random field simulation: An initial state of background noise is evolved over time using Gibbs sampling and an efficient algorithm for generating correlated random variables. This approach has already been found to yield highly-readable yet difficult-to-crack CAPTCHAs. We detail how the requisite parameters for introducing grey levels are estimated and how we generate the random CAPTCHA. The resulting CAPTCHA will be evaluated in terms of human readability as well as its resistance to automated attacks in the forms of character segmentation and optical character recognition.
L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia in the rat is associated with striatal overexpression of prodynorphin‐ and glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA

Rats sustaining unilateral near‐complete 6‐hydroxydopamine lesions of the mesostriatal dopamine pathway received daily injections of 3,4 dihydroxyphenyl‐l‐alanine (L‐DOPA, 8 mg/kg plus 15 mg/kg benserazide) for 3 weeks. During this period, about 50% of the rats gradually developed abnormal involuntary movements, lasting for 2–3 h following each L‐DOPA dose. Rats were killed 3 days after the last L‐DOPA injection, and sections through the striatum were processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry.
Paternal Lineage Analysis Supports an Armenian Rather Than a Central Asian Genetic Origin of the Hamshenis

Abstract The Hamshenis are an isolated geographic group of Armenians with a strong ethnic identity who, until the early decades of the twentieth century, inhabited the Pontus area on the southern coast of the Black Sea. Scholars hold alternative views on their origin, proposing Eastern Armenia, Western Armenia, and Central Asia, respectively, as their most likely homeland. To ascertain whether genetic data from the nonrecombining portion of the Y chromosome are supportive of any of these suggestions, we screened 82 Armenian males of Hamsheni descent for 12 biallelic and 6 microsatellite Y-chromosomal markers. These data were compared with the corresponding data set from the representative populations of the three candidate regions. Genetic difference between the Hamshenis and other groups is significant and backs up the hypothesis of the Armenian origin of the Hamshenis, indicating central historical Armenia as a homeland of the ancestral population. This inference is further strengthened by the results of admixture analysis, which does not support the Central-Asian hypothesis of the Hamshenis' origin. Genetic diversity values and patterns of genetic distances suggest a high degree of genetic isolation of the Hamshenis consistent with their retention of a distinct and ancient dialect of the Armenian language.