Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wireless-Powered Sensor Networks: How to Realize

In this paper, we study a multi-antenna wireless-powered sensor network (WPSN), in which a power beacon wirelessly transfers electric energy to a sensor node via an electromagnetic wave. We have implemented a real-life multi-antenna WPSN testbed and conducted extensive experiments on the testbed. The key technology for the high-efficiency WPSN is an adaptive energy beamforming scheme that dynamically steers a microwave beam towards a sensor node. We propose a receive power-based channel estimation and energy beamforming algorithm. In addition, an adaptive duty cycle control algorithm is proposed to prevent energy storage of a sensor node from being depleted. The proposed duty cycle control algorithm is designed based on a proportional–integral–derivative controller. These algorithms are all implemented in the multi-antenna WPSN testbed. By experiments, we validate the feasibility of the multi-antenna WPSN, and show the performance of the proposed algorithms.
Antenatal Depression and Maternal-Fetal Attachment

Background: In recent years, attention has been turned to maternal mental health in relation to the mother-child relationship accompanying a widening in focus, i.e. taking into account not only the puerperium, but also the stage of pregnancy. This applies to studies that have revealed a connection between depression and maternal attachment in the postpartum period and late pregnancy. This study, however, was designed to evaluate the maternal-fetal relationship in the first and second trimesters, being the first one to address this issue in these early stages. Sampling and Methods: Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS), the original Antenatal Maternal Attachment Scale (AMAS), and a questionnaire addressing peripheral factors were given to 216 pregnant women (3–6 months of gestation) who visited the Nagoya University Hospital between September 1998 and June 2001. Results: Contrary to reports on the latter stages of pregnancy, no direct association was observed between depression in mothers and maternal-fetal attachment before fetal movement was perceived. Conclusion: However, education, form of employment, planning of pregnancy, and premenstrual mood changes were found to be associated with the ZSDS score (mean: 41.9), while form of employment, feelings regarding pregnancy, and sources of support were extracted as factors associated with the AMAS, which are of interest in terms of the subsequent association between depression and maternal-fetal attachment in the peri- and postnatal periods.
Economic Performance and Political Trust

The relationships among objective macroeconomic outcomes, subjective evaluations, and political trust are widely studied. Yet, these relationships are not as straightforward as they might seem. This chapter first provides an overview of the main theoretical propositions in the literature as well as their critiques. Next, the chapter analyzes empirical analyses of the relationship between economic performance and political trust. While subjective evaluations of the economy are consistently related to political trust across the globe, the effect of objective macroeconomic performance depends on theoretical and methodological specifications. Objective performance indicators determine political trust in longitudinal rather than in cross-sectional analyses, suggesting that citizens’ historical rather than cross-national comparison of the state of their economy lies at the basis of this effect.
Valence detection for image stimulated EEG data

Brain-computer interface (BCI) is an emerging communication technique that decodes the user's intention or emotional state. Emotional states usually affect one's brain activity, so use of such emotional states can enhance BCI performance. Emotional data may implicitly have specific informative patterns depending on stimuli such as facial expression, objects, or scenery. In this work, we analyzed 28 emotional datasets and focused particularly on the effect of the perceptual complexity of stimuli. To classify valence (emotional) states and perceptual complexity, we used multidimensional features consisting of the temporal, spatial, and spectral domains. Among them, significantly informative features were extracted by multivariate and univariate analyses. We found that, although the multivariate feature extraction performed valence classification comparable to the univariate one, it was notably more accurate in the classification of perceptual complexity.
Reducing antennas' influence on wideband indoor channel characterization in the UHF range by means of a Wiener-Filter

In wideband channel measurements, the frequency selective characteristics of the antenna influences the quality of the measured channel. Hence to determine the channel accurately, e.g. for channel modeling, this influence needs to be considered. This paper demonstrates how to reduce the distortion of the antenna elements using a Wiener-filter, leading to a better identification and separation of individual path components of the channel. For this purpose the derived algorithm is exemplary applied to measurement data resulting from an indoor measurement campaign for cognitive Program Making and Special Event (PMSE) applications covering the frequency range from 300 MHz to 3000 MHz.
U.S. Consumer Demand for Restaurant Calorie Information: Targeting Demographic and Behavioral Segments in Labeling Initiatives

Purpose. To identify different segments of U.S. consumers based on food choices, exercise patterns, and desire for restaurant calorie labeling. Design. Using a stratified (by region) random sample of the U.S. population, trained interviewers collected data for this cross-sectional study through telephone surveys. Setting. Center for Rural Studies U.S. national health survey. Subjects. The final sample included 580 responses (22% response rate); data were weighted to be representative of age and gender characteristics of the U.S. population. Measures. Self-reported behaviors related to food choices, exercise patterns, desire for calorie information in restaurants, and sample demographics. Analysis. Clusters were identified using Schwartz Bayesian criteria. Impacts of demographic characteristics on cluster membership were analyzed using bivariate tests of association and multinomial logit regression. Results. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters based on respondents' food choices, activity levels, and desire for restaurant labeling. Two clusters, comprising three quarters of the sample, desired calorie labeling in restaurants. The remaining cluster opposed restaurant labeling. Demographic variables significantly predicting cluster membership included region of residence (p < .10), income (p < .05), gender (p < .01), and age (p < .10). Conclusions. Though limited by a low response and potential self-reporting bias in the phone survey, this study suggests that several groups are likely to benefit from restaurant calorie labeling. Specific demographic clusters could be targeted through labeling initiatives.
Policymaking in the Context of Contestations: GM Technology Debate in India

This article deals with the current conflicting discourses on the GM technology in India. To analyse the discourse, the article adopts the theory of advocacy coalition framework (ACF) and co-dynamic model taken from Sabatier & Weible (2007) and Millstone (2014), respectively. With the help of ACF and co-dynamic model, an attempt is made to understand the shaping up of the theory of various arguments on GM technology in Indian context. The theory and the model deal with the conflict of interest of stakeholders and the primary reason for the conflict. Besides that the article deals with the reports-presented by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) appointed by the Supreme Court and the Parliamentary Standing Committee appointed by the Indian Parliament to show that the available information on GM techno-logy is contested among scientists. The article argues that the relevance of the theory and model increases for policy participants to analyse and address various concerns coming from the civil society groups about GM technology on production, biodiversity, environment, health and ownership right related issues.
Static and electrically actuated shaped MEMS mirrors

A novel digitally-actuated shaped micromirror for on-off optical switch applications is described. Reflective static spherical mirrors were designed and fabricated using conventional surface micromachining and the MultiPoly process, a technique for depositing multilayers of LPCVD polysilicon in order to control the overall stress and stress gradient. The resulting mirrors were measured to have radii of curvature of approximately 9 mm in agreement with design predictions. Based upon these static mirrors, an actuatable micromirror (diameter=500 /spl mu/m, static radius curvature=6.4 mm) was designed for snap action. This mirror was simulated using an electromechanical coupled-field model and fabricated using the MultiPoly process. Its performance was measured dynamically using an interferometer. A curved-to-flat digital actuation of the mirror was successfully achieved with a pull-in voltage of 38 V.
Requirement of the Acquired Immune System in Successful Cancer Chemotherapy With cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum (II) in a Syngeneic Mouse Tumor Transplantation Model

We examined the involvement of acquired immune response in the therapeutic effect of systemic tumor chemotherapy with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cis-DDP) using a mouse syngeneic cancer transplantation model. The therapeutic effect observed in BALB/c mice was negligible in athymic BALB/c mice. The therapeutic effect became obvious when athymic mice were immunologically reconstituted with splenocytes containing CD4+ T cells of BALB/c mice. The BALB/c mice in which tumor chemotherapy was successful exhibited cell line-specific tumor immunity to the second tumor transplantation. Splenocytes of these mice exhibited cell line-specific cytotoxicity. After systemic cis-DDP treatment, an increase in apoptotic cells and macrophage infiltration was observed in the tumor mass. In the same lesion, an increase in the levels of high-mobility group box protein and its intracellular translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm were observed. In a chase study on the infiltrated macrophage with labeled tumor cells, the translocation of tumor cell components to regional lymph nodes was observed after the chemotherapy. The peripheral monocytosis induced by administrations of monocyte colony-stimulating factor augmented the therapeutic efficacy of cis-DDP treatment. These indicate that the phagocytosis of apoptotic tumor cells exhibiting the adjuvant protein by infiltrated macrophages and the subsequent antigen presentation by the macrophages to T cells take place, and that the acquired immune response to the tumor cells as the consequence plays an essential role in the therapeutic effect of cis-DDP.
Mode-Locking of VECSELs by Crossed-Polarization Gain Modulation

We analyze in detail an approach for inducing passive mode-locking (ML) in vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) without using any saturable absorber but directly exploiting the lightwave polarization degree of freedom. Part of the VECSEL output, which is forced to be linearly polarized, is reinjected into the optical amplifier after a delay time and rotating its polarization state by 90deg. In the active medium, both polarizations interact via cross-gain modulation. A comprehensive time-domain model including polarization and carrier spin dynamics is derived from fundamental principles. The model is used to evaluate the feasibility and robustness of the ML scheme. We obtain mode-locked pulses of ~ 10-ps duration at repetition rates up to 20 GHz. The reinjection delay time defines resonance conditions where the maximum power and shortest pulsewidth are obtained. Stable fundamental ML is surrounded by regimes of harmonic and incomplete ML. A transition leading from self-pulsation to ML is obtained for sufficiently long reinjection delay times.
Functional Promoter Haplotypes of Interleukin-18 Condition Susceptibility to Severe Malarial Anemia and Childhood Mortality

ABSTRACT Severe malarial anemia (SMA) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children residing in regions where Plasmodium falciparum transmission is holoendemic. Although largely unexplored in children with SMA, interleukin-18 (IL-18) is important for regulating innate and acquired immunity in inflammatory and infectious diseases. As such, we selected two functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-18 promoter (−137G→C [rs187238] and −607C→A [rs1946518]) whose haplotypes encompass significant genetic variation due to the presence of strong linkage disequilibrium among these variants. The relationship between the genotypes/haplotypes, SMA (hemoglobin [Hb], <5.0 g/dl], and longitudinal clinical outcomes were then investigated in Kenyan children (n = 719). Multivariate logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender, sickle cell trait, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, HIV-1, and bacteremia revealed that carriage of the −607AA genotype was associated with protection against SMA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.440 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 0.21 to 0.90], P = 0.031) in children with acute infection. In contrast, carriers of the −137G/−607C (GC) haplotype had increased susceptibility to SMA (OR = 2.050 [95% CI = 1.04 to 4.05], P = 0.039). Measurement of IL-18 gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes demonstrated that elevated IL-18 transcripts were associated with reduced hemoglobin concentrations (ρ = −0.293, P = 0.010) and that carriers of the “susceptible” GC haplotype had elevated IL-18 transcripts (P = 0.026). Longitudinal investigation of clinical outcomes over a 3-year follow-up period revealed that carriers of the rare CC haplotype (∼1% frequency) had 5.76 times higher mortality than noncarriers (P = 0.001). Results presented here demonstrate that IL-18 promoter haplotypes that condition elevated IL-18 gene products during acute infection are associated with increased risk of SMA. Furthermore, carriage of the rare CC haplotype significantly increases the risk of childhood mortality.
Tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and paclitaxel have cooperative in vivo effects against glioblastoma multiforme cells

Tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in conjunction with microtubule-targeting agents may be a promising novel anticancer treatment strategy. In vitro studies have suggested that relatively low concentrations of TRAIL enhance the lethality of paclitaxel (Taxol) against human cancer cells. The increased efficacy may be due to the triggering of caspase activation, resulting in mitotic checkpoint abrogation and catastrophe. We show here that wild-type p53 protects cells from caspase-dependent death induced by this therapeutic combination in vitro. We have now also developed an imaging-based model system to test the in vivo efficacy of combined TRAIL and Taxol, in which tumor growth and treatment response can be monitored noninvasively and in real-time. We further utilize bioluminescence, F18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, and microscale computed tomography imaging to confirm the effects of combined treatment on tumors. These studies together provide the first in vivo confirmation that combined TRAIL plus paclitaxel results in better tumor control compared with either TRAIL or paclitaxel alone, and with no discernable increased normal tissue toxicity in the mouse. Interestingly, the in vivo antitumor response elicited by combined treatment was not affected by the p53 status of the tumor cells. These preclinical observations together suggest the therapeutic potential of combining TRAIL plus paclitaxel in cancer treatment, and support further preclinical and future clinical testing. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12):3285–95]
In Vitro Excystation of Paragonimus heterotremus Metacercariae

In vitro excystation studies were carried out on the metacercariae cysts of Paragonimus heterotremus obtained from naturally infected crabs Potamon spp. The effects of elastase, trypsin, trypsin-dog bile, trypsin-bile salt, and dithiothreitol (DTT) were examined. The trypsin-dog bile medium stimulated maximum excystation. Of the media that contained 1 mM DTT, the optimum conditions for the excystation were shown to be pH 9, temperature of 39–40 C, and osmolarity of 250–350 mOsm. The DTT acceleration was antagonized by all of the following 6 protease inhibitors: leupeptin (0.5–4 μg/ml), l-trans-epoxysuccinyl leucylamido (4-guanidine) butane (1–8 μM), N-tosyl-l-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (0.1–0.4 mM), Nα-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (25–200 μg/ml), iodoacetic acid (0.5–4 mM), and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (1–4 mM). These results suggest that a number of extrinsic and intrinsic factors may modulate excystation.
A novel reconfigurable operator based IC design methodology for multimedia processing

Currently the DSP applications such as multimedia processing raise the demands to IC designers for more flexibility, higher performance and shorter time-to-market. To solve these problems, this paper proposed a novel reconfigurable operator based IC design methodology for multimedia applications. Four kinds of reconfigurable operators and their logic meanings are introduced in this paper as well as the design flow. An archetypal reconfigurable circuit with 4∗4 reconfigurable computing operator, reALU, is implemented in our research using SMIC 0.18um CMOS, achieving the performance 2.4GOPS at 150Mhz at 1.62v. Several algorithms such as SAD and DCT are mapped into the array processor, which show the better performance than the traditional digital signal processors.
Efetividade das declarações de missão institucional: análise das declarações das instituições federais de ensino superior (IFES)

A missão institucional de uma organização, se bem elaborada constitui-se como uma importante ferramenta de apoio à gestão estratégica das instituições. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o status quo da missão institucional das Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior (IFES) brasileiras, a partir dos elementos propostos por Pearce (1982) e Pearce e David (1987). Para tanto a trajetória metodológica adotada divide-se em três partes: Revisão de literatura; Coleta de dados e; análise dos resultados. O estudo assume caráter descritivo com abordagem qualitativa do problema e utilização de fonte secundária de pesquisa. Os resultados evidenciam que, adotados os estudos de Pearce (1982) e Pearce e David (1987), nenhuma das IFES brasileiras possui efetividade integral da missão institucional. Os elementos que foram identificados com maior frequência foram “Referencia ao produto ou serviço” e “Compromisso com o desenvolvimento sustentável (econômico/social/ambiental)”, ao passo que os elementos que se referem a “filosofia e valores da organização” e “imagem da organização” são pouco lembrados nas declarações de missão. Da análise comparativa do status quo da missão das IFES, por região do país, concluí-se que as regiões sul e sudeste concentram as universidades que possuem as missões institucionais mais efetivas e que elementos como referência a corpo funcional e outros stakeholders não são contemplados em nenhuma das instituições.
A true programmable HPF hybrid three-phase rectifier

In this paper is proposed and analyzed a digital hysteresis modulation using a FPGA (field programmable gate array) device and VHDL (hardware description language), applied at a hybrid three-phase rectifier with almost unitary input power factor, composed by parallel SEPIC controlled single-phase rectifiers connected to each leg of a standard 6-pulses uncontrolled diode rectifier. The digital control allows a programmable THD (total harmonic distortion) at the input currents, and it makes possible that the power rating of the switching-mode converters, connected in parallel, can be a small fraction of the total average output power, in order to obtain a compact converter, reduced input current THD and almost unitary input power factor. The proposed digital control, using a FPGA device and VHDL, offers an important flexibility for the associated control technique, in order to obtain a programmable PFC (power factor correction) hybrid three-phase rectifier, in agreement with the international standards (IEC, and IEEE), which impose limits for the THD of the AC (alternate current) line input currents. Finally, the proposed control strategy is verified through experimental results from an implemented prototype.
An Adaptive Quasi-Sliding-Mode Rotor Position Observer-Based Sensorless Control for Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines

Advantages such as parameter insensitivity and high robustness to system structure uncertainty make the sliding-mode observer (SMO) a promising solution for sensorless control of interior permanent magnet synchronous machines (IPMSMs). In practical industry applications, in order to utilize digital controllers and achieve comparable performance under a lower sampling frequency, a discrete-time or quasi-SMO (QSMO) is commonly used. However, because of the saliency of an IPMSM, the magnitude of the extended electromotive force (EMF) will change with load (torque and/or speed) variations, which makes it challenging for the QSMO to estimate the extended EMF accurately. Without proper observer parameters, a phase shift will be observed in the QSMO-estimated rotor position when the load changes. In order to overcome this problem, an adaptive QSMO using an online parameter adaption scheme is proposed to estimate the extended EMF components in an IPMSM, which are then used to estimate the rotor position of the IPMSM. The resulting position estimation has zero phase lags and is highly robust to load variations. The proposed adaptive QSMO is implemented on a 150-kW IPMSM drive system used in heavy-duty, off-road, hybrid electric vehicles. Testing results for ramp torque changes, four-quadrant operations, and complete torque reversals between full motoring and full braking modes are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed sensorless control algorithm.