Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Auto-Regulated Blood Flow in the Cerebral-Vasculature

The Circle of Willis (CoW) is a ring-like arterial structure located in the base of the brain, responsible for the distribution of oxygenated blood throughout the cerebral mass. Among the general population, approximately 50% have a complete CoW, and among a multitude of possible anatomical variations, vessels absent from the CoW are common. Certain conditions such as a build up of atherosclerotic plaque on the arterial wall can result in ischaemic damage and stroke-like symptoms. A 3D computer model has been developed based on the results of MRA scans of 3 patients' cerebral-vasculature incorporating a numerical algorithm to simulate the body's autoregulation mechanism. The intention of the present study was to investigate different anatomical states, including different vessels missing from the circle whilst occluding the main afferent arteries such as the Internal Carotid and Basilar Arteries.
Setting operating policies for supply hubs

This paper deals with the joint optimisation of operations at the supply hub for the hub vendor and the upstream supplier. Different operating conditions are considered, namely, backordering, minimum and maximum specified inventory levels. Some analytical insights on better managing suppliers operating under a vendor managed inventory program are presented. Essentially, we show that the penalty cost imposed on over-and under stocking, and the min-max policy for hub inventory reside in the power of the hub operator while the order cost of dispatching and production reside with the supplier. A numerical example and an algorithm are included to highlight this result.
Economic evaluation and health‐related quality of life

Health‐related quality of life (HRQL) is concerned with the opportunities that a person's health status affords, the constraints that it places upon the person and the value that a person places on his or her health status. The rationale for measuring HRQL falls into three categories: discrimination, evaluation, and prediction. Measures have to meet generally accepted psychometric criteria such as acceptability, reliability/reproducibility, responsiveness, validity, interpretability, and usefulness. HRQL instruments have been designed for self‐administration or administration by interviews and some have been adapted to multiple cultural/linguistic needs. For adolescents and young adults with cancer several instruments are available. Overall HRQL is compromised, to varying degrees, in such survivors by comparison with peers in the general population; and the burden of morbidity is greatest after brain and bone tumors. As there is a burden of treatment‐related morbidity and as the number of survivors within the health care system is growing, the economic dimension of care and cure has to be taken into consideration. Economic evaluation affords a comparison of the costs and consequences (effects) of relevant therapeutic alternatives. The future research activities with respect to HRQL have to consider these new dimensions of care. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008:50:1112–1115. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Essays in the economics of education : graduate specialisation, training and labour market outcomes in the context of disparities in local economic performance in the UK

Spatial disparities in economic performance are amongst the most pervasive and persistent characteristics of modern economies. In the UK and across the EU, minimising regional inequalities is an objective of government policy. Yet analysis of how local differences in unemployment, earnings and industrial structure affect individual agents is not straightforward. Individual heterogeneity and sorting behaviour make separating the effects of agent attributes and regional characteristics difficult – a problem which is only compounded by the potential impact of unobserved individual heterogeneity. This thesis seeks to disentangle the effects of agent attributes – both observed and unobserved – from the effects of local labour markets in three individual level decisions made by graduates in the UK. The chapters examine (a) how agents choose which degree subject to study at university, (b) the determinants of postgraduate participation and (c) the likelihood of a graduate finding employment after completion. In this way, this thesis examines micro-level choices which affect the aggregate supply of skilled labour in the UK. The methodology I adopt permits conclusions to be drawn about how individual behaviour varies across observably different groups and offers insights into how local economic performance can shape the supply of skilled labour. I conclude that while agent attributes – including gender, ethnicity and prior academic attainment – are the most important determinants of an individual’s academic choices, economic circumstances have a significant, if smaller role to play. The results have several public policy implications, ranging from the impact of educational inequalities to the funding arrangements for postgraduate study in the UK.
High performance recurrent neural network implementations in technologies beyond CMOS

With Moores Law saturating, efforts are being directed towards finding worthy alternatives for CMOS technology. Several promising technologies viz. Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor (CNFET), Tunnel FETs, Silicon Nanowires, etc. have been put forward over the recent past. This paper explores CNFET-based implementations of non-linear-feedback neural networks to solve a variety of computational problems. Specific examples include circuits for solving systems of simultaneous linear equations, linear programming and graph coloring. All the circuits have an associated transcendental energy function that ensures fast convergence to the solution. HSPICE simulation results are presented for various chosen sets of problems and are found to agree with the theoretical solutions.
HEMOGLOBIN POLYMORPHISMS IN DEER MICE (PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS): PHYSIOLOGY OF BETA‐GLOBIN VARIANTS AND ALPHA‐GLOBIN RECOMBINANTS

Wild populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) contain hemoglobin polymorphisms at both alpha‐globin (Hba, Hbc) and beta‐globin (Hbd) loci. Population gene frequencies of beta‐globin variants (d0 and d1 haplotypes) are not correlated with altitude, whereas a1c1 alpha‐globin haplotypes are fixed in low‐altitude populations, and a0c0 haplotypes reach near fixation at high altitudes. We examined the effects of alpha‐ and beta‐globin variants on blood oxygen affinity and on aerobic performance, measured as maximum oxygen consumption ( V˙O2max ). Exercise and cold exposure were used to elicit V˙O2max . Experiments were performed at low (340 m) and high (3,800 m) altitude to include the range of oxygen partial pressures encountered by wild deer mice. Beta‐globin variants had little effect on blood oxygen affinity or V˙O2max . Oxygen‐dissociation curves from a0c0 and a1c1 homozygotes and heterozygotes had similar shapes, but the P50 of a0c0 homozygotes was significantly lower than that of other genotypes. Mice carrying a1c1/a1c1 genotypes had the highest V˙O2max at low altitude, but mice with a0c0/a0c0 genotypes had the highest V˙O2max at high altitude. Mice carrying rare recombinant alpha‐globin haplotypes (a0c1) had lower V˙O2max than nonrecombinant genotypes as a whole but in most cases were not significantly different from nonrecombinant heterozygotes (a0c0/a1c1). We conclude that genetic adaptation to different altitudes was important in the evolution of deer mouse alpha‐globin polymorphisms and in the maintenance of linkage disequilibrium in the alpha‐globin loci but was not a significant factor in the evolution of beta‐globin polymorphisms.
A pragmatic approach to the design of self-testing circuits

A tool for interactively finding hard-to-test nodes and assessing the impact of test points on random pattern testability is described. With this tool, a set of test points which bring the fault coverage to almost 100% was found for the hardest ISCAS benchmark. It is shown that observation test points only are not sufficient, and thus controllable test points are required. The added test points yield test sets shorter than those necessary with weighted random test sets. On the basis of these findings, a pragmatic approach to built-in self-test (BIST) is proposed. New CMOS BILBO-like test latches that are self-tested are also proposed. A modified implementation for the force-observe (F-O) test points is proposed, and an evaluation of the relative overhead associated with both the circular scan path and the added test points is presented. <<ETX>>
Modeling, Design and Experimentation of Wearable RFID Sensor Tag

Design of effective wearable tags for UHF RFID applications involving persons is still an open challenge due to the strong interaction of the antenna with the human body which is responsible of impedance detuning and efficiency degradation. A new tag geometry combining folded conductors and tuning slots is here discussed through numerical analysis and extensive experimentation also including the integration of a passive motion detector. The achieved designs, having size comparable with a credit card, may be applied to any part of the body. The measured performance indicates a possible application of these body-worn tags for the continuous tracking of human movements in a conventional room.
Loss-less multilevel crossing of busline waveguide in vertically coupled microring resonator filter

To eliminate the scattering loss at the crossing points of cross grid busline waveguides, a multilevel crossing structure of busline waveguide was introduced into the vertically coupled microring resonator filter. The top surface of each buried waveguide was perfectly planarized by a new fabrication process and clear filter responses were observed for a single ring and a series coupled double ring resonator with multilevel crossing busline waveguides.
Performance analysis for amplify-and-forward relay selection with outdated channel state information

The impact of outdated Channel State Information (CSI) on the performance of relay selections, including the partial relay selection and the best relay selection, is studied, with respect to Amplify-and-Forward (AF) mode cooperative systems. The proposed method is analysed by deriving the asymptotic closed-form expressions for some figures of merit such as the outage probability and the Symbol Error Probability (SEP). Moreover, the validity of the proposed theoretical analysis is proven via simulations. Numerical results prove that the performance of the proposed scheme is impacted considerably by various parameters such as the number of candidate relays and the end-to-end Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). In the presence of cooperative networks with outdated CSI feedback, a performance improvement of more than 3 dB in terms of either outage probability or SEP can be observed by utilizing the Source-to-Destination (S→D) link rather than the method of simply increasing the number of relays.
Value, Structure and Spatial Distribution of Interprovincial Trade in China

This study uses two different datasets to explore the stylized facts of interprovincial trade in China during the recent two decades. One dataset provides the magnitude of bilateral interprovincial goods trade calculated using firms' value-added tax invoices. The other supplies estimates of interprovincial trade using provincial input–output tables. We find that China has both a large value and a high growth rate of interprovincial trade, but there still exists a home bias in internal trade for most provinces. In addition, disaggregation by product shows that the manufacturing sector has the largest share of interprovincial trade and this share continues to grow. Finally, the spatial distribution of trade suggests that all provinces can be clustered into a smaller number of trade areas with large intra-cluster trade. Therefore, China's central government should make more effort to reduce local protection, stimulate domestic demand and coordinate interregional trade among local jurisdictions.
An endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus genome common in inbred mouse strains is located on chromosome 6

We have examined EcoRI-restricted cellular DNA from mouse-hamster somatic cell hybrids. Results of this analysis show that the unit II mouse mammary tumor virus proviral genome is located on mouse chromosome 6. Restriction analysis of cellular DNA from (C3H/OuJ X Czech II) X Czech II backcross mice showed a strong linkage between unit II and Igk. The gene order of these markers on chromosome 6 relative to the Raf and Kirsten murine sarcoma virus ras-2 proto-oncogenes was established.
Community-integrated home-based depression treatment in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Older adults with social isolation, medical comorbidity, and physical impairment are more likely to be depressed but may be less able to seek appropriate care for depression compared with older adults without these characteristics. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of a home-based program of detecting and managing minor depression or dysthymia among older adults. DESIGN AND SETTING Randomized controlled trial with recruitment through community senior service agencies in metropolitan Seattle, Wash, from January 2000 to May 2003. PATIENTS One hundred thirty-eight patients aged 60 years or older with minor depression (51.4%) or dysthymia (48.6%). Patients had a mean of 4.6 (SD, 2.1) chronic medical conditions; 42% of the sample belonged to a racial/ethnic minority, 72% lived alone, 58% had an annual income of less than 10 000 dollars, and 69% received a form of home assistance. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS) intervention (n = 72) or usual care (n = 66). The PEARLS intervention consisted of problem-solving treatment, social and physical activation, and potential recommendations to patients' physicians regarding antidepressant medications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Assessments of depression and quality of life at 12 months compared with baseline. RESULTS At 12 months, compared with the usual care group, patients receiving the PEARLS intervention were more likely to have at least a 50% reduction in depressive symptoms (43% vs 15%; odds ratio [OR], 5.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.01-13.49), to achieve complete remission from depression (36% vs 12%; OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 1.79-13.72), and to have greater health-related quality-of-life improvements in functional well-being (P =.001) and emotional well-being (P =.048). CONCLUSIONS The PEARLS program, a community-integrated, home-based treatment for depression, significantly reduced depressive symptoms and improved health status in chronically medically ill older adults with minor depression and dysthymia.
Economic Reforms and Regional Segmentation in Rural China

YAO S. and L IU J. (1998) Economic reforms and regional segmentation in rural China, Reg. Studies 32, 735-746. Strong growth in agriculture, industries and services in rural China over the last 18 years has been accompanied by increased spatial income inequality. This paper investigates how reforms and rapid economic growth have resulted in such a regional divide. It concludes that government policy and uneven development of non-farm activities are major factors to blame, pointing out that rather than allowing massive migration, creating jobs for people is a better long term strategy to reduce regional inequality. YAO S. et L IU J. (1998) Les reformes economiques et la segmentation regionale dans la Chine rurale, Reg. Studies 32, 735-746. Au cours des dix-huit dernieres annees, la croissance forte de l'agriculture, des industries et des services dans la Chine rurale est allee de pair avec des ecarts de revenu geographiques de plus en plus importants. Cet article examine comment les reformes et l'essor economique ont entra L ne une telle opposition regionale. En guise de conclusion on affirme que la politique du gouvernement et le developpement desequilibre des activites non-agricoles sont des facteurs determinants non-negligeables, et on indique que la creation d'emplois est une meilleure strategie a long terme que ne l'est l'exode rural pour reduire les inegalites regionales. YAO S. und L IU J. (1998) Wirtschaftsformen und regionale Untergliederung in landlichen Gebieten Chinas, Reg. Studies 32, 735-746. In den letzten achtzehn Jahren wurde in den la ¨ndlichen Gebieten Chinas kra ¨ftiges Wachstum in Landwirtschaft, Industrie und Dienstleistungen von zunehmender, ra ¨umlich bestimmter Ungleichheit der Einkommen begleitet. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht, wie Reformen und rasches wirtschaftliches Wachstum zu solch einer regionalen Kluft gefu ¨hrt haben. Er folgert, dass Regierungspolitik und ungleichmassige Entwicklung nicht-landwirtschaftlicher Tatigkeiten als Hauptfaktoren dafu ¨r verantwortlich zu machen sind, indem er darauf hinweist, dass, statt Wanderung im grossen Rahmen zu gestatten, Arbeitsbeschaffung fu ¨r die Bevolkerung auf lange Sicht gesehen eine bessere Strategie zur Behebung regionaler Ungleichheiten ist.
Optimal Economic Load Dispatch Using Genetic Algorithms

Abstract—In a practical power system, the power plants are not located at the same distance from the center of loads and their fuel costs are different. Also, under normal operating conditions, the generation capacity is more than the total load demand and losses. Thus, there are many options for scheduling generation. In an interconnected power system, the objective is to find the real and reactive power scheduling of each power plant in such a way as to minimize the operating cost. This means that the generator’s real and reactive powers are allowed to vary within certain limits so as to meet a particular load demand with minimum fuel cost. This is called optimal power flow problem. In this paper, Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) of real power generation is considered. Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) is the scheduling of generators to minimize total operating cost of generator units subjected to equality constraint of power balance within the minimum and maximum operating limits of the generating units. In this paper, genetic algorithms are considered. ELD solutions are found by solving the conventional load flow equations while at the same time minimizing the fuel costs.
Organizational Role Stress: Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

This research paper explores the usage of Organizational Role Stress Scale (ORS) in assessing the role stress of employees. Data for analyses have been collected from Indian Administrative Officers, Tamil Nadu Cadre. The instrument is empirically tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach as it helps in determining the “goodness of fit” of the predetermined factor model. The construct validity, convergent validity and the content validity of the scale is tested. The findings provide evidence of validity and also the reliability as a measure of role stress.
Post-Operative Delirium Is Associated with Poor Cognitive Outcome and Dementia

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the association between the occurrence of delirium and the cognitive outcome in elderly subjects. Hospital files of 572 patients who underwent hip or knee replacement between 1998 and 2004 were examined. A sample of 90 elderly subjects (31 with evidence of post-operative delirium), non-demented at baseline, was screened for cognitive decline and dementia. Diagnosis of dementia was highly associated with the occurrence of delirium. The relative risk for the diagnosis of dementia among subjects with previous history of delirium, according to the IQcode screening, was 10.5 (95% CI: 3.3–33.2). Such patients had a significantly higher mean IQcode score (3.75) as compared to controls (3.1; p < 0.001). Cognitive functions most affected in these patients were memory, orientation and abstract thinking. We conclude that the occurrence of post-operative delirium in cognitively unimpaired elderly subjects is associated with a worse cognitive outcome and an increased risk of dementia.
Fully digital FPGA-based current controller for switched reluctance machines

A novel fully digital FPGA-based current controller for switched reluctance machines is presented in this paper. The digital current controller provides PWM and hysteresis band modulation in a seamless way and allows complex rotor position based shaping of the phase currents to optimize torque ripple and acoustic behavior. Arbitrary phase current waveforms can be stored in a position-addressed memory. The FPGA based implementation ensures flexible scaling and adaptation to various machine designs and inverter topologies. Experimental results prove the feasibility and performance of the chosen approach.
Evaluating the effect of demand response programs and fuel cost on PHEV owners behavior, a mathematical approach

Environmentally-friendly economy brings huge development opportunity to electric vehicles(EVs). EVs have potential to enhance the functionalities of the power grid. Using EVs, lets us feed power from the vehicle's battery packs back to the grid or to pull power from the grid to recharge the batteries. EVs make social welfare improvement by reducing the customer costs. Important point in using a vehicle to grid (V2G) is to evaluate the behavior of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle( PHEV) owners and estimate their acceptance facing the demand side managements programs(DSM) by emphasis on demand response programs(DRPs). In other words, awareness of PHEV owners' acceptance to different DRPs, brings the opportunity to optimize and implement the best scenario to improve the load profile. In this paper, at first we introduce four most effective factors in the behavior of PHEV owners. After modeling the behavior of PHEV owners based on this four factors, we evaluate the effect of tariff based DRPs (TBPs) on their behavior employing five scenarios.
An assessment of the accuracy of methods for predicting hydrogen positions in protein structures

The addition of hydrogen atoms to models or experimental structures of proteins that contain only non‐hydrogen atoms is a common step in crystallographic structure refinement, in theoretical studies of proteins, and in protein structure prediction. Accurate prediction of the hydrogen positions is essential, since they constitute around half of the atoms in proteins and hence contribute significantly to their energetics. Many computational tools exist for predicting hydrogen positions, although to date no quantitative comparison has been made of their accuracy or efficiency. Here we take advantage of the recent increase in ultra‐high‐resolution X‐ray crystal structures (< 0.9 Å resolution), as well as of a number of relatively high‐resolution neutron diffraction structures (< 1.8 Å resolution), to compare the quality of the predictions generated by a large set of commonly used methods. These include CHARMM, CNS, GROMACS, MCCE, MolProbity, WHAT IF, and X‐PLOR. The hydrogen atoms that lack a rotational degree of freedom are mostly, but not always, accurately predicted. For hydrogens with a rotational degree of freedom, all the methods give much less accurate predictions. The predictions for the hydroxyl hydrogens are analyzed in detail, particularly those buried within the protein, and some explanation is provided for the errors observed. The results provide a means to make informed decisions regarding the choice and implementation of methodologies for placing hydrogens on structures of proteins. They also point to shortcomings in current force fields and suggest the need for improved descriptions of hydrogen bonding energetics. Proteins 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.