Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Boron Activation and Diffusion in Pre-Amorphised Silicon and Silicon- On-insulator.

For the next generation of electronic products, transistors need to be reduced in size and are required to be highly activated with ultra shallow source / drain extension regions. For p-type dopant implants, a promising fabrication approach is the use of pre-amorphising implants (PAIs). This reduces boron channelling and increases electrical activation due to solid-phase epitaxial re-growth. For technology nodes of 45 nm and beyond, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is seen as the substrate of choice. Therefore the behaviour of dopants in these substrates needs to be studied to assess whether their electrical and diffusive properties differ from those observed in bulk silicon (Si). Besides forming an amorphous layer, PAIs generate an interstitial-rich region just below the former amorphous / crystalline interface, which on annealing develop into so-called 'end of range' (EOR) defects. These evolve during prolonged annealing, releasing interstitial Si atoms that interact with the boron implant. This causes undesired effects, such as transient enhanced diffusion (TED) and boron-interstitial cluster (BIC) formation, the latter manifested as electrical deactivation. The main aims of this work are to investigate the silicon / buried oxide interface in SOI as a sink for Si interstitials and then to tailor the implant conditions to reduce BICs and TED. The research used a series of processing conditions and analytical techniques to study the electrical and structural properties of the samples, with support from Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that optimised PAI (32 keV 1x10 15 Ge cm-2) in SOI can produce junctions with little de-activation and reduced TED. Optimised PAI in SOI with a 500 eV 2x10 15 B cm-2 implant led to an reduction in deactivation by a factor of six, from 480 omega/ in bulk Si to 80 omega/ in SOI. This produced stable sheet resistance values ~800 Omega/ over a range of anneal temperatures (700 - 1000 C). At peak electrical B deactivation (850 C), junction depth in SOI was reduced by a factor of 1. 5x from 42. 5 nm in bulk Si to 27. 5 nm in SOI at a B concentration of 1x10 18 cm-3. The mechanisms responsible for these improvements in SOI are (1) the buried oxide interface acting as an efficient interstitial sink, with a near zero value for recombination length. (2) The as-implanted excess interstitial population being reduced by trapping in the buried oxide. The methods described in this thesis are fully compatible with current industrial processes without the need for additional new equipment or process steps at extra costs, making it an attractive alternative and complement to current techniques.
Trunk segment numbers and sequential segmentation in myriapods

Summary Sequential segmentation from a posterior “proliferative zone” is considered to be the primitive mechanism of segmentation in arthropods. Several studies of embryonic and post‐embryonic development and gene expression suggest that this occurs in all major arthropod taxa. Sequential segmentation is often associated with the idea of posterior production of body units that accumulate along the main body axis. However, the precise mechanism of sequential segmentation has not been identified yet, and, while searching for the genetic circuitry able to generate a first periodic pattern in the embryo, we can at least outline the distinctive role in segmentation of a proliferative zone. A perusal of myriapod segmentation patterns suggests that these patterns result from multi‐layered developmental processes, where gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms interact in a nonstrictly hierarchical way. The posterior zone is possibly a zone of periodic signal production, but, in general, the resulting segmental pattern is not completely attributable to the activity of the signal generator. In this sense, a posterior proliferative zone would be more a “segmental organizer” than a “segment generator. ”
A randomized trial of glutamine and antioxidants in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND Critically ill patients have considerable oxidative stress. Glutamine and antioxidant supplementation may offer therapeutic benefit, although current data are conflicting. METHODS In this blinded 2-by-2 factorial trial, we randomly assigned 1223 critically ill adults in 40 intensive care units (ICUs) in Canada, the United States, and Europe who had multiorgan failure and were receiving mechanical ventilation to receive supplements of glutamine, antioxidants, both, or placebo. Supplements were started within 24 hours after admission to the ICU and were provided both intravenously and enterally. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Because of the interim-analysis plan, a P value of less than 0.044 at the final analysis was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS There was a trend toward increased mortality at 28 days among patients who received glutamine as compared with those who did not receive glutamine (32.4% vs. 27.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00 to 1.64; P=0.05). In-hospital mortality and mortality at 6 months were significantly higher among those who received glutamine than among those who did not. Glutamine had no effect on rates of organ failure or infectious complications. Antioxidants had no effect on 28-day mortality (30.8%, vs. 28.8% with no antioxidants; adjusted odds ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.40; P=0.48) or any other secondary end point. There were no differences among the groups with respect to serious adverse events (P=0.83). CONCLUSIONS Early provision of glutamine or antioxidants did not improve clinical outcomes, and glutamine was associated with an increase in mortality among critically ill patients with multiorgan failure. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00133978.).
Testing Fama–French’s new five-factor asset pricing model: evidence from robust instruments

ABSTRACT Fama and French (FF, 2015) propose a five-factor asset pricing model that captures size, value, profitability and investment patterns. The primary purpose here is to further investigate this new model using an improved GMM-based robust instrumental variables technique. A further purpose is to explore the relationship among the FF factors and the Pástor–Stambaugh (PS, 2003) liquidity factor. We conclude that except for the market factor, all of the factors including liquidity are not significant at even the 5% level using our GMM approach for almost all of the FF 12 sectors.
In vivo free induction decay based 3D multivoxel longitudinal hadamard spectroscopic imaging in the human brain at 3 T

We propose and demonstrate a full 3D longitudinal Hadamard spectroscopic imaging scheme for obtaining chemical shift maps, using adiabatic inversion pulses to encode the spins' positions. The approach offers several advantages over conventional Fourier‐based encoding methods, including a localized point spread function; no aliasing, allowing for volumes of interest smaller than the object being imaged; an option for acquiring noncontiguous voxels; and inherent outer volume rejection. The latter allows for doing away with conventional outer volume suppression schemes, such as point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) and stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM), and acquiring non‐spin‐echo spectra with short acquisition delay times, limited only by the excitation pulse's duration. This, in turn, minimizes T2 decay, maximizes the signal‐to‐noise ratio, and reduces J‐coupling induced signal decay. Results are presented for both a phantom and an in vivo healthy volunteer at 3 T. Magn Reson Med 69:903–911, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Curvature in force/position control

If a rigid body is subject to a set of holonomic constraints then the set of allowed positions and orientations comprise a subspace in the group of rigid body motions. Consideration of the geometry of these constraint subspaces leads us to consider their second fundamental form. This allows us to predict the constraint forces and torques generated by a constrained motion. The result has implications for the control of robots that have constrained end-effectors. A slight modification is proposed to the standard methods of shared control and hybrid control. Effectively this modification accounts for the curvature of the constraint space. Finally, the situation where the constraints are in the form of a physical surface in space is considered. In particular some comments are made regarding the problem of measuring the curvature of the surface using a robot.
Distributed optimization over weighted directed graphs using row stochastic matrix

This paper deals with an optimization problem over a network of agents, in which the cost function is the sum of the individual objectives of the agents. The underlying communication graph is assumed to be directed and the weight matrix to be only row stochastic. A distributed projected subgradient algorithm is presented that allows the agents to solve the problem under the conditions that the network is fixed and the cost functions are convex and Lipschitz continuous.
The Information Content of an Increase in Federal Funds Rate from a Zero Lower Bound Environment

There has been much debate within the FOMC committee on when to raise the target rate from the 0 to 25 basis points range (zero lower bound) and the information conveyed to the financial community. This paper uses a recursive vector autoregressive model to examine the impact of an increase in effective federal funds rate (and shadow rate), from the zero lower bound, on corporate and municipal bond credit default swap (CDS) spreads. Our simulation indicates that on average, a 25 basis point increase in effective federal funds rate (shadow rate) results in a decrease of 59% (24%) in CDS spreads, thereby conveying good news about the economy. This reaction, however, is observed only for investment grade bonds. There are no significant changes in the CDS spreads on below investment grade bonds and buy and hold abnormal stock returns following a rate increase. Further, given that the Federal Reserve is targeting a 2% annual inflation rate, if the current annualized rate is 1.5%, we estimate that a 25 basis point increase in effective rate (shadow rate) would result in an annual inflation rate of 2.2% (1.9%) annual inflation rate. We interpret the rate increase as a weak but positive signal of economic recovery.
Parallel approach to expedite morphological feature extraction of remote sensing images for CBIR system

In this paper, we have proposed a parallel approach to the morphological feature extraction process and demonstrated a good computational speedup. Remote sensing images have a typical property of incrementing constantly and each image being very large. Since the images are acquired constantly and hence added into the database regularly in good numbers, hence there is a need to make the feature extraction work more efficient. Moreover morphological features are good texture descriptors and are extremely compute-intensive as well. It is hence attempted to utilize the power of multi-core architecture and expedite the process of feature extraction. These feature descriptors are tested on UC Merced Land Use Land Cover Data set. Experimentation shows that with the use of parallel programming and architecture speed up of as good as 20X is obtained for CCH and RIT feature sets.
Patterns of treatment modifications among newly treated hypertensive patients: does choice of modification strategy affect likelihood of treatment discontinuation?

Objectives: Treatment modifications – addition, uptitration, switching, and downtitration – are necessary to address issues such as unattained blood pressure goals, adverse drug events, drug cost, or patient dissatisfaction which lead to treatment discontinuation. This study assessed the patterns of treatment modifications, and compared the rates of treatment modification and time-to-treatment modification across five antihypertensive drug classes (ADCs). Additionally, the association between treatment modification strategies and the likelihood of treatment discontinuation was assessed. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the BlueCross-BlueShield of Texas commercial claims database (2008–2012). Treatment modifications that occurred within 1 year of starting hypertension treatment were identified. Patients who received treatment modifications were followed for 12 months to determine if and when they discontinued treatment. Cox regression models were used to determine the likelihood of treatment modification and treatment discontinuation. Results: About 48.5% of patients received treatment modifications within 1 year of treatment initiation. Rates of treatment modification were significantly different across ADCs; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker users were less likely to receive treatment modifications compared with other ADCs. Mean time-to-treatment modification was more than 100 days for adding and uptitrating, and more than140 days for switching and downtitrating. Patients intensifying treatment by adding medications were about 25% (vs. uptitration) and 50% (vs. switching) less likely to discontinue treatment. Conclusion: Treatment modifications are common among newly treated hypertensive patients, and the rates vary significantly across ADCs. In the real world, treatment modifications occur much later than the 30-day timeline recommended by guidelines. Addition of drugs may be a preferred approach for intensifying treatment of patients at a high risk of treatment discontinuation.
China's example for Meles' Ethiopia: when development 'models' land

The past decade has seen the rapid rise of concepts such as the ‘China Model’ and the ‘Beijing Consensus’, yet more recent trends suggest a waning of their popularity. This article finds that the problem with the literature on the China model lies less with the concept itself than with a tendency to apply the term in an atheoretical and unempirical manner. From 2005 until at least 2012, Ethiopian elites from the upper echelons downwards were indeed engaged in a conscious and voluntary attempt to emulate aspects of China's perceived developmental successes. Drawing on interviews with 46 such elites, as well as on theories of lesson-drawing and cross-societal emulation, the study suggests that China may act as an example to countries seeking to achieve rapid modernisation and to navigate the perilous waters of political and economic globalisation. It is only by historicising and contextualising the ‘China Model’ within the older story of selective incorporation by certain ‘latecomer’ countries, however, that its true influence – and limits – can be understood.
Respiratory viruses in children admitted to hospital intensive care units: Evaluating the CLART® Pneumovir DNA array†, ‡, §

Viruses play a significant part in children's respiratory infections, sometimes leading to hospitalization in cases of severe respiratory distress. The aim of this study was to investigate respiratory infections in children treated in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU). Assays were performed using the CLART® Pneumovir DNA array assay (Genomica, Coslada, Madrid, Spain), which makes it possible to detect 11 genus of respiratory viruses simultaneously. During the winter of 2008–2009, 73 respiratory specimens collected from 53 children under 2 years of age and admitted to an ICU were tested. At least one virus was detected in 78% (57/73) of the samples. The virological diagnosis was based on single infections in 65% (37/57) and on multiple infections in 35% (20/57) of cases. The array assay revealed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 73.6% (42/57) of the samples and rhinovirus in 24.6% (14/57), either on their own or in co‐infections. All viruses identified in single and multiple infections were tested, taking into account clinical features, risk factors, and severity criteria. Children with no risk factors presented more multiple infections, up to 42% of cases, than children with at least one risk factor. RSV seemed to induce severe symptoms by itself as no difference in intubation needs was observed when RSV was detected on its own or in co‐infection. The CLART® Pneumovir DNA array was useful for examining severe viral respiratory infections, when other viruses than those detected by conventional methods could be involved, particularly in an ICU. J. Med. Virol. 83:150–155, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coping With Anxiety

• Reach out to others. Spend time with friends or loved ones. Tell them about your fears, feelings, or uncertainties. • Express your feelings. Do not keep your emotions bottled up. Find a way to experience them that is comfortable for you – talk to someone (friend, family member, counselor, religious leader, professor, etc.), write in a journal, go to a support group. • Focus upon a realistic assessment of your personal situation. Try not to magnify your concerns. • Try to stay organized. Keep a planner so that you know when papers and exams are coming up. Make sure to plan time for yourself away from work, class, and studying. • Cut down on alcohol and caffeine. These can increase symptoms of anxiety. • Take care of your body. Try to eat nutritious meals, get exercise, and get enough sleep. • Identify and minimize stressors. Learn what situations or events cause you the most stress, and how to cope with them. Realize that life can be difficult, and that it is not so much a matter of what events have occurred, but what meaning we give to those events. We can not eliminate stressful events, but we can reckon with them. • Learn stress management and relaxation techniques. Try yoga or meditation to help you focus on being calm. Experiment with muscle relaxation exercises, deep breathing, and mental or guided imagery. • Challenge the critical voice in your head. Anxiety can make you feel like you are not normal or that you are a failure. You might find yourself thinking that other people are able to manage stress, that other people are not as scared as you, or that you are a bad student or person because you cannot handle all of your responsibilities. Realize that these thoughts are coming from the anxiety – not you.
Reduce of the acoustic noise effect from PWM-VSI inverter controlled AC-drives by music and random modulation

PWM-VSI inverter driven AC-machines emit acoustical noise. The authors present a combined modulation strategy which uses the acoustical noise for playing a melody in combination with random modulation and stator flux oriented asynchronous vector modulation (SFAVM) in order to reduce the effect of the acoustical noise. The relationship between notes and switching frequencies is discussed as well as the duration of a note. A computer program converts notes from a melody to a modulation file which easily can be implemented in a microcontroller. The modulation strategy is tested in a high performance AC-drive system. A test shows it is possible to activate tones in a melody from an AC-machine by varying the switching frequency. The best effects are obtained at two times the switching frequency. Tests also show that tones have optimum effect at lower speed as well as they show that random modulation reduce the acoustic noise effectively. Random modulation uncovers some mechanical resonant frequencies. Finally, it is demonstrated that music modulation is easy to implement and cost a minimum of ROM and can be a new benefit in combination with random and SFAVM modulation for AC-drives in the future. <<ETX>>
Design, control, modeling, and gait analysis in miniature foldable robotics

DESIGN, CONTROL, MODELING, AND GAIT ANALYSIS IN MINIATURE FOLDABLE ROBOTICS Mohammad Askari M.S. in Mechanical Engineering Advisor: Onur Özcan September 2018 Miniature or micro robotic platforms are perfect candidates for accomplishing tasks such as inspection, surveillance, and hazardous environment exploration where conventional macro robots fail to serve. Such applications require these robots to potentially traverse uneven terrain, implying legged locomotion to be suitable for their design. However, despite the recent advances in the nascent field of miniature robotics, the design and capabilities of these robots are very limited as roboticists favor legged morphologies with low degrees of freedom. This limits small robots to work with a single gait set during the design phase, as opposed to legged creatures which benefit from efficient gait modification during locomotion. MinIAQ, a 23 g origami-inspired miniature foldable quadruped with individually actuated legs, is designed to address such limitations. The design of the robot is unique in which a high structural integrity is achieved by transforming a single flexible thin sheet into a rigid mechanical system through folding. MinIAQ’s design novelties help modulate and extend the design standards of origami robots. The actuation independency of MinIAQ enables gait modification and exhibits maneuvering capabilities which is another novel quality for a robot at this scale. The design of the compliant four-bar legs is optimized for better foot trajectory in a newer version of the robot, MinIAQ–II, through dimensional synthesis of mechanisms. The resulting robot demonstrates significant improvements over its predecessor. For characterization and synchronization of the motors, custom encoders are designed to estimate speed and phase of each leg. Accordingly, a closed-loop feedback control algorithm is applied to follow an envisioned gait pattern. Towards understanding these gaits in robots with passive closed-chain legs, a comprehensive mathematical model is developed to describe the 6-DOF rigid body dynamics of MinIAQ. The proposed dynamics employs a nonlinear iii
Assessing data quality in open data: A case study

This article focuses on measuring the data quality extracted from the API www.datos. gov.co in the area of contracts. This platform allows public entities obey law 1712 of 2014 [2] but this does not have a validation system of minimum data quality. Three metrics are taken as a reference: completeness, traceability and compliance. The measuring of the metrics is done with a software called RapidMiner. This software allows to do data mining, in this specific case the processes for the measuring of the data stored are done and thus determine if the platform www.datos. gov.co has problems. For the programming of the prototype spiral methodology [7] is used. Calculations is created in each phase. Within the data found, serious inconsistencies are found within the platform and within the data, recalling the law 1712 of 2014, it says that the public data must be complete, which shows a breach of it.
Modeling and design of an electromagnetic vibration energy harvester and its dedicated energy extraction circuit

This work investigates the design of an electromagnetic generator including its energy extraction and conditioning circuit. The normalized model of an electromagnetic generator points out three dimensionless parameters, characteristic of the generator. The power harvested with the SMFE (Synchronized Magnetic Flux Extraction) circuit is theoretically calculated and compared to the power extracted with a conventional approach. Optimal parameters orders of magnitude are pointed out for each technique, and a literature review shows that existing electromagnetic generators parameters are not suitable to harvest the maximum normalized power. Based on these considerations the design of an electromagnetic generator adapted to the SMFE technique is proposed. The results of the optimization predicts a theoretical harvested power of 19 mW for an external vibration acceleration of 2g, and a resonance frequency of 100 Hz.