Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic equalization of logic delays in feedback-based successive approximation TDCs

The paper is focused on a development of a feedback-based architecture for successive-approximation time-to-digital converter (SA-TDC). The adoption of the feedback-based rather than feedforward architecture for the n-bit SA-TDCs is inspired by the classic successive approximation voltage-to-digital converter and motivated by a possible reduction of the number of time comparators from n to one. Nevertheless, existing developments of the feedback-based SA-TDC are characterized by much longer conversion time than that for feedforward SA-TDCs. In the paper, a concept of the feedback-based SA-TDC with dynamic equalization of logic propagation delays in the feedback loops is presented. The use of this technique allows to maintain the conversion time of the feedback-based SA-TDC the same as for the feedforward SA-TDC with just a single time comparator.
Consensus measure of rankings

A ranking is an ordered sequence of items, in which an item with higher ranking score is more preferred than the items with lower ranking scores. In many information systems, rankings are widely used to represent the preferences over a set of items or candidates. The consensus measure of rankings is the problem of how to evaluate the degree to which the rankings agree. The consensus measure can be used to evaluate rankings in many information systems, as quite often there is not ground truth available for evaluation. This paper introduces a novel approach for consensus measure of rankings by using graph representation, in which the vertices or nodes are the items and the edges are the relationship of items in the rankings. Such representation leads to various algorithms for consensus measure in terms of different aspects of rankings, including the number of common patterns, the number of common patterns with fixed length and the length of the longest common patterns. The proposed measure can be adopted for various types of rankings, such as full rankings, partial rankings and rankings with ties. This paper demonstrates how the proposed approaches can be used to evaluate the quality of rank aggregation and the quality of top-$k$ rankings from Google and Bing search engines.
Adaptive supersampling in shooting and bouncing ray method for efficient and accurate scattering prediction of electrically large objects

This paper present a new technique for determination of illuminated region in the shooting and bouncing ray (SBR) method. The ray tracing part of SBR method consumes the most of computational resources if multiple reflection effects are considered. In order to reduce the computational burden, a combination of backward ray tracing and forward ray tracing method is used for tracking the incident and reflected rays, respectively. The basic idea is to use an adaptive super-sampling technique in forward tracing process. In this technique, extra reflected rays are traced forwards through each illuminated patch to precisely determine the illuminated area by reflected rays. The number of these extra rays are adaptively obtained according to the incident angle and the geometrical properties of reflected ray, which results in significant reduction of ray intersection tests. The simulation results confirm the proper accuracy and efficiency of the presented method.
Infinite Paths in the Situation Calculus: Axiomatization and Properties

The situation calculus has proved to be a very popular formalism for modeling and reasoning about dynamic systems. This otherwise elegant and refined language however lacks a natural way of dealing with "infinite future histories". To this end, in this paper we introduce a new sort ranging over infinite paths in the situation calculus and propose an axiomatization for infinite paths. We thus obtain a convenient way of specifying several kinds of notions that involve infinite futures such as temporal properties of non-terminating executions of agents or programs and mental attitudes such as desires and intentions. We prove the correctness of the axiomatization and show that our formalization has some intuitively desirable properties.
Information Sharing Using an Electronic Marketplace

The intelligence failures preceding the September 11 terrorist attacks highlight critical shortcomings with the sharing of information between government organizations. Fixing these problems involves overcoming technological and cultural barriers, fostering openness while not endangering privacy and security. We describe an approach to information sharing using an electronic marketplace, similar in some respects to eBay, that facilitates and incentivizes cooperation while minimizing exposure to abuses of privacy and security. To investigate the properties of this approach, we have devised a game, Find the Ring, that centers on an electronic marketplace for information sharing among the players. We analyze this game theoretically and describe the results of experiments run using software agents as players
Multivariate power flow analyses for smart grid applications utilizing Mosaik

Mosaik is a co-simulation framework enabling automatic simulations of Smart Grids using simulation tools. This paper gives insights into the communication between Mosaik and several simulation tools and explains its realization. A interface for DIgSILENT PowerFactory and Matlab is implemented. The source code is made available for further implementation by other researchers. A case study demonstrates the usability of the co-simulation framework and illustrates the diversity of its capabilities. A residential low voltage grid is implemented in PowerFactory. The data for the loads are generated by several load curve simulation tools. The load data depends on the grid state and therefore a recursive procedure has to be implemented. Doing such simulations manually requires the tedious data adjustment and transfer between the simulation tools. With Mosaik the whole process is much faster, but also the error rate can be minimized by the automation.
Using Deep Learning and Satellite Imagery to Quantify the Impact of the Built Environment on Neighborhood Crime Rates

The built environment has been postulated to have an impact on neighborhood crime rates, however, measures of the built environment can be subjective and differ across studies leading to varying observations on its association with crime rates. Here, we illustrate an accurate and straightforward approach to quantify the impact of the built environment on neighborhood crime rates from high-resolution satellite imagery. Using geo-referenced crime reports and satellite images for three United States cities, we demonstrate how image features consistently identified using a convolutional neural network can explain up to 82% of the variation in neighborhood crime rates. Our results suggest the built environment is a strong predictor of crime rates, and this can lead to structural interventions shown to reduce crime incidence in urban settings.
Command-Shaping Techniques for Electrostatic MEMS Actuation: Analysis and Simulation

Precision positioning of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures using electrostatic actuation has been widely used for optical and radio-frequency MEMS. How to achieve fast switching without exciting excessive residual vibration or structural impact is an important issue for these applications. This paper presents the analysis and simulation of applying command-shaping techniques for controlling MEMS electrostatic actuation. According to the nature of application fields, electrostatic actuators are classified into three categories: 1) lateral linear actuation; 2) vertical nonlinear actuation; and 3) pull-in actuation. Their corresponding linear or nonlinear command-shaping schemes are developed and presented. Both lumped element and continuous models of typical MEMS electrostatic actuated structures are simulated using Simulink and the finite-element method, and results indicate that the shaped command would yield a much superior response than that by the unshaped commands. Essential sensitivity studies are also conducted to examine the robustness of these shaping schemes, and results shows that within a certain level of parameter variation, these shapers are robust enough to retain the performance.
ITCH Deficiency Protects From Diet-Induced Obesity

Classically activated macrophages (M1) secrete proinflammatory cytokine and are predominant in obese adipose tissue. M2 macrophages, prevalent in lean adipose tissue, are induced by IL-13 and IL-4, mainly secreted by Th2 lymphocytes, and produce the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. ITCH is a ubiquitously expressed E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in T-cell differentiation and in a wide range of inflammatory pathways. ITCH downregulation in lymphocytes causes aberrant Th2 differentiation. To investigate the role of Th2/M2 polarization in obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance, we compared wild-type and Itch−/− mice in a context of diet-induced obesity (high-fat diet [HFD]). When subjected to HFD, Itch−/− mice did not show an increase in body weight or insulin resistance; calorimetric analysis suggested an accelerated metabolism. The molecular analysis of metabolically active tissue revealed increased levels of M2 markers and genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. Histological examination of livers from Itch−/− mice suggested that ITCH deficiency protects mice from obesity-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We also found a negative correlation between ITCH and M2 marker expression in human adipose tissues. Taken together, our data indicate that ITCH E3 ubiquitin ligase deficiency protects from the metabolic disorder caused by obesity.
Understanding Synthetic Aperture Radar Images

Introduction. Principles of SAR Image Formation. Image Defects and their Correction. Fundamental Properties of SAR Images. Data Models. RCS Reconstruction Filters. RCS Classification and Segmentation. Texture Exploitation. Correlated Textures. Information in Multi-Channel SAR. Analysis Techniques for Multi-Dimensional Images. Target Information. Image Classification.
Fully relaxed point defects in crystalline silicon.

We have studied intrinsic point defects in crystalline silicon via a tight-binding molecular-dynamics scheme. The intrinsic defects studied in this work are the vacancy, the interstitial, the divacancy, the split divacancy, and the vacancy-interstitial complex. Fully relaxed geometries, gap states, and formation energies are investigated. It is shown that the relaxation effects cannot be neglected, in particular, in the peak position of band-gap states
1 Information Systems Research in the Nonprofit Context : A New Frontier 1

Nonprofit organizations have become an important part of the U.S. economy, but Information Systems (IS) research in the nonprofit context has been limited so far. In this paper we argue that the nonprofit sector presents a unique context for IS research and call for more research efforts at this new frontier. In particular, we discuss the differences between nonprofit, private, and public contexts for IS deployment and usage and explore what the differences imply for IS research in nonprofit organizations. On the basis of these discussions, we identify a few challenges and opportunities that warrantee greater research attention.
Caffeine Use and Alexithymia in University Students

Abstract Alexithymia refers to difficulties with identifying, describing, and regulating one’s own emotions. This trait dimension has been linked to risky or harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs; however, the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, caffeine, has not been examined previously in relation to alexithymia. The present study assessed 106 male and female university students aged 18-30 years on their caffeine use in relation to several traits, including alexithymia. The 18 participants defined as alexithymic based on their Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) scores reported consuming nearly twice as much caffeine per day as did non-alexithymic or borderline alexithymic participants. They also scored significantly higher than controls on indices of frontal lobe dysfunction as well as anxiety symptoms and sensitivity to punishment. In a hierarchical linear regression model, sensitivity to punishment negatively predicted daily caffeine intake, suggesting caffeine avoidance by trait-anxious individuals. Surprisingly, however, TAS-20 alexithymia scores positively predicted caffeine consumption. Possible reasons for the positive relationship between caffeine use and alexithymia are discussed, concluding that this outcome is tentatively consistent with the hypo-arousal model of alexithymia.
Linking the northern Alps with their foreland: The latest exhumation history resolved by low‐temperature thermochronology

The evolution of the Central Alpine deformation front (Subalpine Molasse) and its undeformed foreland is recently debated because of their role for deciphering the late orogenic evolution of the Alps. Its latest exhumation history is poorly understood due to the lack of late Miocene to Pliocene sediments. We constrain the late Miocene to Pliocene history of this transitional zone with apatite fission track and (U‐Th)/He data. We used laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry for apatite fission track dating and compare this method with previously published and unpublished external detector method fission track data. Two investigated sections across tectonic slices show that the Subalpine Molasse was tectonically active after the onset of folding of the Jura Mountains. This is much younger than hitherto assumed. Thrusting occurred at 10, 8, 6–5 Ma and potentially thereafter. This is contemporaneous with reported exhumation of the External Crystalline Massifs in the central Alps. The Jura Mountains and the Subalpine Molasse used the same detachments as the External Crystalline Massifs and are therefore kinematically coupled. Estimates on the amount of shortening and thrust displacement corroborate this idea. We argue that the tectonic signal is related to active shortening during the late stage of orogenesis.
An SPM8-Based Approach for Attenuation Correction Combining Segmentation and Nonrigid Template Formation: Application to Simultaneous PET/MR Brain Imaging

We present an approach for head MR-based attenuation correction (AC) based on the Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 (SPM8) software, which combines segmentation- and atlas-based features to provide a robust technique to generate attenuation maps (μ maps) from MR data in integrated PET/MR scanners. Methods: Coregistered anatomic MR and CT images of 15 glioblastoma subjects were used to generate the templates. The MR images from these subjects were first segmented into 6 tissue classes (gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, bone, soft tissue, and air), which were then nonrigidly coregistered using a diffeomorphic approach. A similar procedure was used to coregister the anatomic MR data for a new subject to the template. Finally, the CT-like images obtained by applying the inverse transformations were converted to linear attenuation coefficients to be used for AC of PET data. The method was validated on 16 new subjects with brain tumors (n = 12) or mild cognitive impairment (n = 4) who underwent CT and PET/MR scans. The μ maps and corresponding reconstructed PET images were compared with those obtained using the gold standard CT-based approach and the Dixon-based method available on the Biograph mMR scanner. Relative change (RC) images were generated in each case, and voxel- and region-of-interest–based analyses were performed. Results: The leave-one-out cross-validation analysis of the data from the 15 atlas-generation subjects showed small errors in brain linear attenuation coefficients (RC, 1.38% ± 4.52%) compared with the gold standard. Similar results (RC, 1.86% ± 4.06%) were obtained from the analysis of the atlas-validation datasets. The voxel- and region-of-interest–based analysis of the corresponding reconstructed PET images revealed quantification errors of 3.87% ± 5.0% and 2.74% ± 2.28%, respectively. The Dixon-based method performed substantially worse (the mean RC values were 13.0% ± 10.25% and 9.38% ± 4.97%, respectively). Areas closer to the skull showed the largest improvement. Conclusion: We have presented an SPM8-based approach for deriving the head μ map from MR data to be used for PET AC in integrated PET/MR scanners. Its implementation is straightforward and requires only the morphologic data acquired with a single MR sequence. The method is accurate and robust, combining the strengths of both segmentation- and atlas-based approaches while minimizing their drawbacks.
Adapting prosodic chunking algorithm and synthesis system to specific style: the case of dictation

In this paper, we present an approach that allows a TTS-system to dictate texts to primary school pupils, while being in conformity with the prosodic features of this speaking style. The approach relies on the elaboration of a preprocessing prosodic module that avoids developing a specific system for a so limited task. The proposal is based on two distinct elements: (i) the results of a preliminary evaluation that allowed getting feedback from potential users; (ii) a corpus study of 10 dictations annotated or uttered by 13 teachers or speech therapists (10 and 3 respectively). The preliminary evaluation focused on three points: the accuracy of the segmentation procedure, the size of the automatically calculated chunks, and the intelligibility of the synthesized voice. It showed that the chunks were judged too long, and the speaking rate too fast. We thus decided to work on these two issues while analyzing the collected data, and confronting the obtained realizations with the outcome of the speech synthesis system and the chunking algorithm. The results of the analysis lead to propose a module that provides for this speaking style an enriched text that can be treated by the synthesizer to constrain the unit selection and the prosodic realization.
Hybrid power amplifiers - a review

With the aim of synthesizing high-fidelity voltage waveforms without penalizing the system efficiency, several works have proposed hybrid power amplifiers (HPAs) composed of linear and switching amplifiers, combining the features of each approach. The HPAs can be classified as envelope, parallel and series configurations, depending on how the connection between the linear and switching amplifiers is implemented. This way, through a fair review of literature, this work identifies the features of each configuration and presents the main topologies and control techniques proposed hitherto. Therefore, this paper can be useful for selecting an adequate hybrid arrangement for a given application. Finally, future trends in research in hybrid power amplifiers are also addressed.
A Fully Autonomous Integrated Interface Circuit for Piezoelectric Harvesters

This paper presents a fully autonomous, adaptive pulsed synchronous charge extractor (PSCE) circuit optimized for piezoelectric harvesters (PEHs) which have a wide output voltage range 1.3-20 V. The PSCE chip fabricated in a 0.35 μm CMOS process is supplied exclusively by the buffer capacitor where the harvested energy is stored in. Due to the low power consumption, the chip can handle a minimum PEH output power of 5.7 μW. The system performs a startup from an uncharged buffer capacitor and operates in the adaptive mode at storage buffer voltages from 1.4 V to 5 V. By reducing the series resistance losses, the implementation of an improved switching technique increases the extracted power by up to 20% compared to the formerly presented Synchronous Electric Charge Extraction (SECE) technique and enables the chip efficiency to reach values of up to 85%. Compared to a low-voltage-drop passive full-wave rectifier, the PSCE chip increases the extracted power to 123% when the PEH is driven at resonance and to 206% at off-resonance.
Structural changes in the bovine nematode Haemonchus placei, that may be associated with host immune response

The structure of H. placei adult worms, obtained from calves at 4, 7, 10 or 11–13 weeks after primary infection, has been studied. A reorganization of rough endoplasmic reticuhim in the cytoplasm of the gut cells was seen at 10 weeks and this was followed by marked vacuolation of many of these cells, associated with an increase in lipid production. Increases of lipid were also found in the hypodermis, lateral cords and occasionally muscle cells of worms examined at 11–13 weeks after infection. It is suggested that these changes are the result of the host immune response, because they resemble changes which occur in the rat nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and which are known to be caused by host immunity.
Privacy-enhanced SPKI access control on PKIX and its application to Web server

Access control using PKIX (Public Key Infrastructure with X.509) may cause a privacy problem. It is caused mainly by the fact that a server can know a client's ID. To solve this problem, we proposed a restricted anonymous access control scheme using SPKI (Simple Public Key Infrastructure). It can make a server provide service to an authorized client. It still has another problem: SPKI is not so popular as PKIX. PKIX has many efficient technologies such like SSL (Secure Socket Layer), but SPKI can't directly use these technologies. In this paper our implementation utilizes the slightest extension of PKIX, namely, we use an X.509 Certificate as an Authorization Certificate and PKIX technologies, i.e. SSL. Therefore, our approach can make some proposed SPKI schemes practical and useful. In this paper the proposed scheme is applied to access control of the Web server. The system demonstrates that it succeeds in adding privacy-enhanced access control to SSL mutual authentication. We also describe and discuss the details of implementations.
Effects of Sesquiterpenes Isolated From Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome on Growth, Migration, and Differentiation of B16 Melanoma Cells

The aims of this study were to isolate sesquiterpene compounds from the largehead atractylodes rhizome (LAR) and to investigate their effects on B16 cancer cells. A total of 8 sesquiterpenes from LAR were identified, of which eudesm-4 (15), 7-diene-9α, 11-diol (7) was isolated for the first time. All 8 compounds inhibited growth of B16 cells, and atractylenolide I (AT-I), atractylenolide II (AT-II), and atractylenolactam (ATR) were the most potent, with IC50 values of 76.46, 84.02, and 54.88 μΜ, respectively. Monomer lactone or lactam structures in the 8 compounds appeared to be critical for their antiproliferative activities. In addition, AT-I, AT-II, and ATR could induce cell differentiation and inhibit cell migration. Western blot analysis indicated that 2 of the compounds, AT-I and AT-II, could inactivate ERK, where all 3 inhibited AKT activation, suggesting that Ras/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways are involved in the action mechanisms of the LAR sesquiterpene compounds.