Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Small antenna for aerobatic aircraft

In the paper, we describe the design and simulation of a small bow-tie slot antenna with a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed. The antenna was designed for wireless communication between the aerobatic aircraft and a ground base station in the WIFI frequency band 5.150÷5.875 GHz (modified IEEE 802.11a). We developed a fractal-like concept which enabled us to design an electrically small antenna with reduced dimensions and an improved radiation pattern. The antenna was designed considering a single-layer technology. For the fabrication, we used a dielectric substrate (FR4).
Marketing undergraduates' attitudes towards query-based instructional machines as a possible learning medium

Six hundred and seventy-one undergraduates completed a questionnaire concerning their reactions to the idea that parts of their degree programmes might be delivered via Query Based Instructional Machines. The latter are commonplace in museums and other cultural attractions. They are menu-driven and operate on the touch-screen principle, thus allowing the user to browse through whichever aspects of a subject the person finds most interesting. Cognitive, affective and conative responses were measured and related to students' personal characteristics, degree programme, year of study, level of academic attainment, psychological involvement with a course, and innate tendencies vis-a-vis need for cognition, curiosity, and change leadership. The sample comprised students on three categories of degree programme: marketing, computing, or humanities. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was completed using aggregated responses as dependent variables, degree type as the fixed factor (grouping variable), and personal characteristics and inclinations as covariates. There were a number of significant differences between the responses of the marketing students and students in the other groups.
Test set embedding in a built-in self-test environment

The authors describe a built-in self-test (BIST) technique where the on-chip test pattern generator is a binary counter with associated XOR gates. A precomputed set of tests (obtained through some test generation scheme) is required for this approach. A subset of this set of tests forms the basis for the synthesis of the binary counter and accompanying (combinational) logic using linear algebraic techniques. Simulation of this BIST technique on various benchmark circuits has given good results in terms of both coverage and hardware size. <<ETX>>
A Low-Complexity Detection Algorithm for Uplink NOMA System Based on Gaussian Approximation

LDS-OFDM and SCMA are two examples of non orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), which is considered to be a promising technology for next generation wireless communications due to its larger capacity region compared with orthogonal multiple access (OMA). Iterative receiver structure is used in these two systems to get better performance than the noniterative receiver, but a direct implementation of iterative receiver with conventional message passing algorithm has a prohibitive computational complexity, especially when the system uses high order modulation. In this paper, Gaussian approximation is used to solve this problem, and can reduce the complexity of detector effectively. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed Gaussian approximation based iterative receiver offers significant performance gains over the traditional non-iterative receiver structure. Even compared with the computationally intractable message passing based iterative receiver, the performance does not degrade much. This means that the proposed method offers a tradeoff between performance and complexity, and is a good candidate for future use in LDS-OFDM and SCMA systems.
Shear elasticity probe for soft tissues with 1-D transient elastography

Important tissue parameters such as elasticity can be deduced from the study of the propagation of low frequency shear waves. A new method for measuring the shear velocity in soft tissues is presented in this paper. Unlike conventional transient elastography in which the ultrasonic transducer and the low frequency vibrator are two separated parts, the new method relies on a probe that associates the vibrator and the transducer, which is built on the axis of the vibrator. This setup is easy to use. The low frequency shear wave is driven by the transducer itself that acts as a piston while it is used in pulse echo mode to acquire ultrasonic lines. The results obtained with the new method are in good agreement with those obtained with the conventional one.
GaN HFET for W-band Power Applications

In this paper we report high frequency GaN power device and measured power performance of the first W-band (75 GHz-110 GHz) MMIC fabricated in GaN material system. The first W-band GaN MMIC with 150 mum of output gate periphery produces 316 mW of continuous wave output power (power density =2.1 W/m) at a frequency of 80.5 GHz and has associated power gain of 17.5 dB. By comparison the reported state of the art for other solid state technologies in W-band is 427 mW measured in a pulsed mode on an InP HEMT MMIC with 1600 mum of output periphery (power density = 0.26 W/mm). The reported result demonstrates tremendous superiority of GaN device technology for power applications at frequencies greater than 75 GHz
Economic evaluations on centralisation of specialised healthcare services: a systematic review of methods

Objective To systematically review and appraise the quality of economic evaluations assessing centralisation of specialised healthcare services. Methods A systematic review to identify economic evaluations on centralisation of any specialised healthcare service. Full economic evaluations comparing costs and consequences of centralisation of any specialised healthcare service were eligible for inclusion. Methodological characteristics of included studies were appraised using checklists adapted from recommended guidelines. Results A total of 64 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Two studies were conducted in the UK. Most of the studies used volume of activity as a proxy measure of centralisation. The methods used to assess centralisation were heterogeneous. Studies differed in terms of study design used and aspect of centralisation they considered. There were major limitations in studies. Only 12 studies reported the study perspective. Charges which are not true representation of costs were used by 17 studies to assess cost outcomes. Only 10 reported the detailed breakdown of the cost components used in their analysis. Discounting was necessary in 14 studies but was reported only in 7 studies. Sensitivity analyses were included by less than one-third of the studies. The applicability of the identified studies to a setting other than the one they were conducted in is questionable, given variations in the organisation of services and healthcare costs. Centralisation as a concept has also been variably and narrowly defined as activity of specific services which may not reflect the wider aspects of centralisation. Conclusions Confounded and biased information coming from studies without standardised methods may mislead decision-makers towards making wrong decisions on centralisation. It is important to improve the methodology and reporting of economic evaluations in order to provide more robust and transferable evidence. Wider aspects of healthcare centralisation should be considered in the estimates of costs and health outcomes.
Controlling electron transfer at the microbe–mineral interface

Remarkably, many bacteria live and thrive in the earth’s subsurface by respiring extracellular insoluble minerals. Okamato et al. (1) in PNAS report how this process may be accelerated by the presence of flavins that bind as cofactors to electron transport proteins on the cell surface that are key to extracellular mineral respiration.
Dysregulated Zn2+ homeostasis impairs cardiac type-2 ryanodine receptor and mitsugumin 23 functions, leading to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leakage

Aberrant Zn2+ homeostasis is associated with dysregulated intracellular Ca2+ release, resulting in chronic heart failure. In the failing heart a small population of cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyR2) displays sub-conductance-state gating leading to Ca2+ leakage from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) stores, which impairs cardiac contractility. Previous evidence suggests contribution of RyR2-independent Ca2+ leakage through an uncharacterized mechanism. We sought to examine the role of Zn2+ in shaping intracellular Ca2+ release in cardiac muscle. Cardiac SR vesicles prepared from sheep or mouse ventricular tissue were incorporated into phospholipid bilayers under voltage-clamp conditions, and the direct action of Zn2+ on RyR2 channel function was examined. Under diastolic conditions, the addition of pathophysiological concentrations of Zn2+ (≥2 nm) caused dysregulated RyR2-channel openings. Our data also revealed that RyR2 channels are not the only SR Ca2+-permeable channels regulated by Zn2+. Elevating the cytosolic Zn2+ concentration to 1 nm increased the activity of the transmembrane protein mitsugumin 23 (MG23). The current amplitude of the MG23 full-open state was consistent with that previously reported for RyR2 sub-conductance gating, suggesting that in heart failure in which Zn2+ levels are elevated, RyR2 channels do not gate in a sub-conductance state, but rather MG23-gating becomes more apparent. We also show that in H9C2 cells exposed to ischemic conditions, intracellular Zn2+ levels are elevated, coinciding with increased MG23 expression. In conclusion, these data suggest that dysregulated Zn2+ homeostasis alters the function of both RyR2 and MG23 and that both ion channels play a key role in diastolic SR Ca2+ leakage.
Sleep disturbance and serum ferritin levels associate with high impulsivity and impulse control disorders in male Parkinson's Disease patients

Impulse control disorders (ICDs) occur in a subset of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients on dopaminergic medications however there are currently no reliable markers to identify patients at risk. Sleep disturbances are more common in patients with an ICD. Serum ferritin levels have been associated with PD disease stage and progression, but have not previously been associated with impulsivity levels. The objective of this study was to determine if serum ferritin levels and sleep disturbance are associated with high traits of impulsivity and ICD in a cohort of PD patients attending a movement disorders clinic. This study assessed impulsiveness in 87 PD patients using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Severity of sleep disturbance was determined using the sleep-related items of the MDS-UPDRS. Serum ferritin, iron and transferrin levels were measured in patients, as well as 36 age-matched healthy controls. Serum ferritin levels were significantly elevated in male PD patients in the high impulsivity group compared to patients in the low ( p =.022) and normal range groups ( p =.024) and showed a linear increase across the three groups. Sleep disturbance also demonstrated a linear trend, which was most severe in the high impulsivity group ( p =.030). A subgroup of 11 male PD patients who fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for an ICD had significantly higher ferritin levels and more severe sleep disturbance when compared with the remaining male PD cohort. Serum ferritin levels and sleep disturbance severity are highlighted as potential markers for abnormal impulsivity and ICD in PD patients.
In vitro activation of ammonia monooxygenase from Nitrosomonas europaea by copper

The effect of copper on the in vivo and in vitro activity of ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) from the nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea was investigated. The addition of CuCl2 to cell extracts resulted in 5- to 15-fold stimulation of ammonia-dependent O2 consumption, ammonia-dependent nitrite production, and hydrazine-dependent ethane oxidation. AMO activity was further stimulated in vitro by the presence of stabilizing agents, including serum albumins, spermine, or MgCl2. In contrast, the addition of CuCl2 and stabilizing agents to whole-cell suspensions did not result in any stimulation of AMO activity. The use of the AMO-specific suicide substrate acetylene revealed two populations of AMO in cell extracts. The low, copper-independent (residual) AMO activity was completely inactivated by acetylene in the absence of exogenously added copper. In contrast, the copper-dependent (activable) AMO activity was protected against acetylene inactivation in the absence of copper. However, in the presence of copper both populations of AMO were inactivated by acetylene. [14C]acetylene labelling of the 27-kDa polypeptide of AMO revealed the same extent of label incorporation in both whole cells and optimally copper-stimulated cell extracts. In the absence of copper, the label incorporation in cell extracts was proportional to the level of residual AMO activity. Other metal ions tested, including Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, and Ag+, were ineffective at stimulating AMO activity or facilitating the incorporation of 14C label from [14C]acetylene into the 27-kDa polypeptide. On the basis of these results, we propose that loss of AMO activity upon lysis of N. europaea results from the loss of copper from AMO, generating a catalytically inactive, yet stable and activable, form of the enzyme.
Purine Biosynthesis. Big in Cell Division, Even Bigger in Nitrogen Assimilation

Synthesis of the purine ring is a central metabolic function of all cells. The products, AMP and GMP, provide purine bases for DNA and RNA, as well as for a number of essential coenzymes (NAD, NADP, FAD, and coenzyme A) and signaling molecules (e.g. cAMP; Fig. [1][1]). ATP serves as the energy
A Two-Component covRS Regulatory System Regulates Expression of Fructosyltransferase and a Novel Extracellular Carbohydrate in Streptococcus mutans

ABSTRACT The expression of fructosyltransferase (FTF), the enzyme that synthesizes fructan from sucrose, is regulated in the cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans. However, the exact mechanism of FTF regulation is unknown. In this study, the role of a two-component regulatory system (covRS) in FTF expression was investigated. A CovR-defective mutant of S. mutans NG8 was constructed by homologous recombination. By use of immunoblotting, the mutant was shown to overexpress FTF in the absence of sucrose, while the wild type and a covRS-complemented mutant showed sucrose-inducible FTF expression. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that the ftf transcript levels were increased in the covR mutant, suggesting regulation at the transcriptional level. The covR mutant was also found to overproduce extracellular carbohydrate, and this phenotype was reversed by covRS complementation. Paper chromatographic studies and chemical tests showed that the extracellular carbohydrate contained glucose and glucuronic acid but not fructose. These results suggest that the extracellular carbohydrate was not fructan. The production of a glucose- and glucuronic acid-containing extracellular carbohydrate has not been reported for S. mutans and may be considered novel. In conclusion, the results indicate that the expression of FTF and a glucose- and glucuronic acid-containing carbohydrate was negatively regulated by the covRS two-component regulatory system in S. mutans.
Generating Communication for Array Statement: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

Abstract Array statements as included in Fortran 90 or High Performance Fortran (HPF) are a well-accepted way to specify data parallelism in programs. When generating code for such a data parallel program for a private memory parallel system, the compiler must determine when array elements must be moved from one processor to another. This paper describes a practical method to compute the set of array elements that are to be moved; it covers all the distributions that are included in HPF: block, cyclic, and block-cyclic. This method is the foundation for an efficient protocol for modern private memory parallel systems: for each block of data to be sent, the sender processor computes the local address in the receiver′s address space, and the address is then transmitted together with the data. This strategy increases the communication load but reduces the overhead on the receiving processor. We implemented this optimization in an experimental Fortran compiler, and this paper reports an empirical evaluation on a 64-node private memory iWarp system, using a number of different distributions.
Android Based Fall Detection Alert System using Multi-Sensor

An enhanced fall detection system is proposed for elderly person monitoring that is based on-body sensor operating through consumer home networks. The on-body sensor which consists of accelerometer and cardiotachometer is used in this model. In this proposed system accelerometer measures overall vibration by means of using Signal Magnitude Vector and trunk angle. Here Signal Magnitude Vector is used to calculate the acceleration caused due to movement of the body with respect to xyz axis and trunk angle is used to calculate the posture of the elderly person during fall event. Cardio tachometer is used to measure the pulse rate. A typical fall event ends with the person lying on the ground or leaning on walls, or furniture that will cause a significant change in trunk angle. In this case, it is desirable to consider changes on the trunk angle to detect whether the detected acceleration was due to a fall event. The set values of acceleration and pulse provides accuracy to the system avoiding false detection. By utilizing information gathered from an accelerometer, cardiotachometer and smart sensors, the impacts of falls can be logged and distinguished from normal daily activities. This system is connected to GPS and GSM for communication purpose which is unique. When the fall is detected the GPS locates the exact fall location and GSM modem is used to transmit the message to the mobile phone of caretakers/relatives of the fallen subjects at that time also send their latitude and longitude value by using GPS. This alert message helps to provide immediate assistance and treatment.
Osmotic shock induces the presence of glycocardiolipin in the purple membrane of Halobacterium salinarum Published, JLR Papers in Press, August 16, 2003. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300212-JLR200

In the purple membrane (PM) of Halobacterium salinarum is present a phospholipid dimer consisting of sulfo-triglycosyl-diether (S-TGD-1) esterified to the phosphate group of phosphatidic acid (PA), i.e., S-TGD-1-PA, called glycocardiolipin (GlyC) (Corcelli, A., M. Colella, G. Mascolo, F. P. Fanizzi, and M. Kates. A novel glycolipid and phospholipid in the purple membrane. 2000. Biochemistry. 39: 3318–3326). The GlyC content of whole cells, PM, and other cell fractions of H. salinarum have been analyzed. GlyC is a nonabundant phospholipid in H. salinarum cells, and it represents one of the major phospholipids of isolated PM. In this report, we show that a) GlyC is formed during the isolation of PM, b) GlyC increase in H. salinarum cells is specifically induced by osmotic shock, and c) in correspondence with GlyC increase, a decrease of S-TGD-1 levels occurs. The changes in membrane lipid composition observed during the isolation of PM are due to de novo synthesis of GlyC from S-TGD-1.
Evolution vers un système hydrométéorologique intégré pour la prévision des crues de l'Isère à Moûtiers : prise en compte des aménagements hydroélectrique

La prevision des crues de l'Isere en amont de Grenoble est une preoccupation majeure du SPC AN qui souhaite faire evoluer son systeme en integrant une prevision hydrometeorologique, afin de pouvoir etendre les delais d'anticipation. Ce bassin, de regime a dominante nivale integre un important dispositif hydroelectrique modifiant le regime naturel des ecoulements. Le sous-bassin de l'Isere a Moutiers, d'une surface proche du millier de km2, comportant les caracteristiques typiques de l'ensemble du bassin, constitue une zone test ideale qui permettra d'apprehender judicieusement la modelisation hydrologique complete a terme du bassin de l'Isere a Grenoble. Dans le cadre du projet ALCOTRA - RiskNat, le modele RS2 (Dubois et al.,2000) developpe au LCH-EPFL et adapte au contexte Alpin constitue un bon compromis entre une approche qui permet d'integrer les specificites de la zone d'etude et une souplesse de mise en oeuvre, qui sur le plan operationnel, est un atout capital. La complexite du reseau hydraulique en presence a impliquee une modelisation en deux etapes : calibration du modele en conditions naturelles puis integration des ouvrages. A partir de la representation des amenagements dans le modele, plusieurs discretisations spatiales du bassin plus ou moins detaillees ont ete imaginees et testees dans un premier temps. Cela a permis d'analyser l'impact de ces differentes representations des forcages meteorologiques sur les termes du bilan hydrologique simule. Ce contexte de montagne rend particulierement delicat l'estimation du forcage des precipitations. L'impact de 3 champs de precipitation testes en entree du modele sur les simulations de debit a ete analyse et s'est revele bien plus important que celui lie a la discretisation des forcages meteorologiques. Le modele capable de representer le mieux possible la meteorologie du bassin a ete conserve afin d'y representer les amenagements dans un second temps. Une methode simple pour les considerer peut s'averer suffisante, et une relation d'equivalence pour la representation des prises d'eau permet de favoriser la souplesse du modele. Neanmoins, a terme, cet outil doit permettre au SPC de se baser sur une estimation plus juste et plus precise du debit de crue, ce qui exige d'integrer un pas de temps plus fin, i.e. l'horaire, adapte au temps de reponse du bassin. La mise en œuvre de cette prevision horaire est alors plus complexe et requiert une representation plus detaillee des processus hydrometeorologiques et hydrauliques. Une methode de desagregation temporelle pour estimer le forcage des precipitations a ete employee. Des premiers resultats encourageants de modelisation horaire sont presentes.
Incentive effects and pupillary changes in association learning.

Obtained pupillary measurements for 10 undergraduate Ss during a learning task. On a trial, 8 digit-noun pairs were presented aurally for immediate recall. The digit, even or odd, determined the monetary incentive for retaining the pair. The same nouns were paired to the Digits 2-9 for 8 trials, with a different pairing on every trial. High-reward (HR) items were learned more often than low-reward (LR) items, and occasioned larger pupillary dilations following the presentation of the response noun. Within an incentive class, pupil responses at study did not predict recall. The differential pupil response of Ss to HR and LR items corresponded closely to a behavioral index of preference for HR items. (21 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Improved classification of conservation tillage practices using hyperspectral imagery with spatial-spectral features

Classification of conservation tillage practices from hyper-spectral imagery is challenging due to spectral similarity between soils and senescent crop residues. In this paper, a novel classifier using both spectral and spatial information is proposed for hyperspectral image classification. Three steps are included: (1) a feature extraction method using a very simple local averaging filter to produce the joint spectral-spatial features; (2) an efficient local Fisher discriminant analysis projection for dimensionality reduction and class separability enhancement; and (3) the typical k-nearest neighbor classifier for final classification. Experimental results using real hy-perspectral data demonstrate the benefits of the proposed approach, which can outperform other popular classifiers, such as support vector machine with composite kernel.