Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A 5-Gb/s Adaptive Digital CDR Circuit With SSC Capability and Enhanced High-Frequency Jitter Tolerance

A 5-Gb/s digital clock/data recovery (DCDR) circuit with spread-spectrum clocking (SSC) capability and enhanced high-frequency jitter tolerance (JTOL) is presented. To track input data with both the frequency offset and the SSC, an integral gain controller is used to adjust an integral gain of the digital loop filter. It enhances the high-frequency JTOL. This DCDR circuit is fabricated in 40nm CMOS process. Its active area is 0.022mm<sup>2</sup> and the power consumption is 9.9mW from a 1 V supply. With a 5-Gb/s PRBS of 2<sup>7</sup>-1, the measured rms jitter of the retimed data is 9.47ps. For input data with the frequency offset of ±300ppm and SSC of -5000ppm, the measured minimum high-frequency JTOL is equal to 0.55 UI<sub>pp</sub> by using the proposed integral gain controller with a bit error rate (BER) <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ < 10^{-12}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Detection of Fusarium Oxysporum F. SP. Elaeidis Causing Fusarium Wilt of Oil Palm Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp)

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (FOE) a pathogen that causes fusarium wilt disease in oil palm can be detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) but very time consuming. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was used to rapidly detect Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (FOE) in oil palm seedlings. Eight additional Fusarium oxysporum isolates collected from symptomatic oil palm trees (i.e. presumed-FOE as their pathogenicity was not confirmed) and five other non-FOE isolates were sampled from symptomatic mature oil palm trees and tomato respectively to broaden the scope of the research. The identities of FOE, presumed-FOE and non-FOE were established via sequencing. LAMP primers designed for detecting FOE or presumed-FOE were based on partial sequences of Secreted In Xylem (SIX8) and P-450 cytochrome. The earliest detection time for SIX8 and P-450 cytochrome primers were 4:00 mins and 6:45 mins respectively with both recording late time for detection at 26:30 mins. Annealing derivative curves were used for assessing the level of specificity for both SIX8 and P-450 cytochrome, but none of the LAMP primers could distinguish between FOE, presumed-FOE and non-FOE.
Analyzing Human Movements - Introducing A Framework To Extract And Evaluate Biomechanical Data

This study discusses possible sources of discrepancy between findings of previous human motion studies and presents a framework that seeks to address these issues. Motion analysis systems are widely employed to identify movement deficiencies - e.g. patterns that potentially increase the risk of injury or inhibit performance. However, findings across studies are often conflicting in respect to what a movement deficiency is or the magnitude of the relationship to a specific injury. To test the information content of movement data, a framework was build to differentiate between movements performed by a control (NORM) and abnormal (IMP-L and IMP-C) cohort using solely movement data. Movement data was recorded during jumping, hopping and change of direction exercises and was mathematically decomposed into subject scores. Subjects scores were then used to identify the most appropriate machine learning technique, which was subsequently utilized to create a prediction model that classified if a movement was performed by: IMP-L, IMP-C or NORM. The Monte Carlo method was used to obtain a measure of expected accuracy for each step within the analysis. Findings demonstrate that even the worst classification model outperformed the best guess observed and that not all members of the NORM group represent a NORM pattern as they were repeatedly classified as IMP-L or IMP-C. This highlights that some NORM limbs share movement characteristics with the abnormal group and consequently should not be considered when describing NORM.
Comparison of Thermal Performance for Two Types of ETFP
System under Various Operation Schemes

The earth to fluid pipe (ETFP) system has been widely applied to various energy engineering. The numerical model of the heat transfer process in the ETFP system with a shallow-buried horizontal or a deep-buried vertical U-shape pipe adopted in practical engineering was established and the model distinctions were pointed out. The comparison of the thermal performance between the two types of ETFP system under various schemes was conducted on the basis of numerical prediction. The results showed that the thermal parameters of the ETFP system with a shallow-buried horizontal pipe were influenced by the inlet velocity and ground temperature obviously. The variation of the fluid temperature was smooth and the thermal influence zone was limited under the fixed conditions. The proper intermittent operation scheme reduced 53.1% outlet fluid temperature rising. By contrast, the fluid temperature in the ETFP system with a deep-buried vertical U-shape pipe varied dramatically with the operation conditions. The intermittent operation scheme with a relatively short interval led to a less temperature fluctuation of soil around the pipe. The intermittent scheme is beneficial to the recovery of the thermal condition of soil around the U-shape pipe. These results indicated a stark difference in thermal performance between the two types of system. The study can provide guidance for the selection and operation of ETFP system in practical heat exchange engineering.
Cloud-Point Extraction and Spectrophotometric Determination of Nifedipine in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

A simple, sensitive and eco-friendly cloud point extraction (CPE) technique was suggested for spectrophotometric assay of nifedipine (NIF) in pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The red colored product results from oxidative coupling reaction between reduced NIF and 4-aminoantipyrine (4AAP) was extracted using non-ionic surfactant (TritonX-114) and then determined at maximum wavelength 554 nm using visible spectrophotometer. All the factors that affected the efficiency of extraction such as concentrations of reagents and surfactant, time of extraction and temperature were studied. Using resultant optimum conditions, the linearity range of calibration curve was 0.8-45 μg/mL (r = 0.9976). The detection and quantification limits were of 0.395 and 1.317 μg/mL respectively with relative standard deviation best than 2%. The method was applied for assay of NIF in pharmaceutical dosage forms with percentage recovery of 99.18% and preconcentration factor about 20. The molar ratio of the result product was studied by mole ratio method using equimolar concentration of reactants indicated that the complex formed between the reduced NIF and 4AAP was 1:1 respectively. Suggested CPE method was successfully applied for the estimated of NIF in pharmaceutical tablets. The results obtained are compared with UV method (standard method) and the results indicated insignificant difference between two methods.
Bacillus licheniformis-Fermented Products Improve Growth Performance and Intestinal Gut Morphology in Broilers under Clostridium perfringens Challenge

Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens has reemerged as a severe poultry disease worldwide since the ban on the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed. Probiotics are considered alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. Bacillus species are the most common microorganisms used as probiotics in the feed industry. The current study investigated the growth and surfactin levels of Bacillus licheniformis in solid-state fermentation using different substrates and evaluated the effects of B. licheniformis-fermented products on growth performance and intestinal morphology in broilers exposed to C. perfringens. The highest viable biomass and surfactin concentration of B. licheniformis-fermented products was observed at 2% molasses and 20% soybean meal supplementation during fermentation (P<0.05). B. licheniformis-fermented product-derived surfactin inhibited the growth of C. perfringens in vitro in a dose dependent manner (P<0.05). B. licheniformis-fermented product supplementation (2 g/kg) significantly improved the body weight and average daily gain weight of broilers challenged with C. perfringens (P<0.05). B. licheniformis-fermented products significantly alleviated necrotic lesions and ameliorated intestinal morphology in broilers exposed to C. perfringens (P<0.05). Collectively, these observations demonstrate that B. licheniformis-fermented products improve growth performance and gut morphology in broilers under C. perfringens challenge. B. licheniformis-fermented products may have the potential to be used as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters for preventive treatments against C. perfringens in broilers.
Groundwater as a source of dissolved organic matter to coastal waters: Insights from radon and CDOM observations in 12 shallow coastal systems

The influence of groundwater and pore‐water exchange on dissolved organic matter (DOM) dynamics in coastal surface waters remains poorly understood. Here, we combine bottom up (i.e., groundwater‐derived flux estimates) and top down (i.e., water column response) evidence to assess whether groundwater exchange drives DOM dynamics in shallow coastal waters. We rely on automated chromophoric DOM (CDOM, a proxy for DOM) and radon (222Rn, groundwater proxy) measurements over tidal time scales in 12 shallow systems, including tidal freshwater wetlands, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, coastal lakes, a saltmarsh, and a residential canal estate. Groundwater‐derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes ranged from 2 ± 2 mmol m−2 d−1 in a coral reef to 1941 ± 1325 mmol m−2 d−1 in a mangrove tidal creek. These groundwater fluxes replaced surface water DOC inventories on time scales ranging from ~ 0.5 d to several weeks. Systems with short replacement times displayed positive correlations between radon and CDOM in surface waters. Groundwater exchange diluted surface water DOC in four systems. Using multiple lines of evidence, we interpreted groundwater to be an important source of DOM to surface waters in 4 out of the 12 systems, including an offshore coral reef lagoon with low surface water DOC concentrations. Groundwater discharge was a negligible source of DOM in systems with high surface water DOC and CDOM concentrations such as tidal freshwater wetlands and coastal lakes. This investigation highlights the high variability in groundwater‐derived DOC fluxes and responses in the water column, and demonstrates that submarine groundwater discharge and advective pore‐water exchange should be considered in coastal carbon budgets.
Numerical Modelling of Non-Linearities in MEMS Resonators

Numerical modelling of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) resonators is still attracting increasing interest from the sensors community especially when the nonlinear regime is activated. Here, the dynamic response of two different types of double-ended tuning fork MEMS resonators is studied both in the linear and nonlinear regimes. A one Degree Of Freedom (1 dof) model able to predict the frequency response of the device is proposed. Geometric and electrostatic nonlinearities are simulated through Finite Elements and Integral Equations, respectively. The total dissipation of the resonator is computed by taking into account both the thermoelastic and the nonlinear fluid contributions. Experimental measurements performed on resonators fabricated in polysilicon and single crystal silicon validate the proposed model showing a very good agreement with theoretical predictions. [2020-0240]
Use of Physiological Parameters for Screening Drought Tolerant Barley Genotypes

With the aim of understanding and identifying the traits which can be used as the suitable criteria for quick screening of the water deficit tolerant barley genotypes, an experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications was conducted during two years to evaluate the biochemical responses of 20 barley genotypes to full irrigation and terminal water stress in the field condition. Results showed large genetic differences among barley genotypes in response to water deficit, which could be utilized in breeding programs. Proline, sucrose, glucose, fructose, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), auxin, gibberellin and abscisic acid (ABA) content were significantly affected by different irrigation conditions and genotypes. Water deficit significantly increased proline, carbohydrates accumulation and activities of CAT, SOD, GPX and ABA concentration in the barley genotypes. However, indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) contents decreased under the terminal water stress. Cluster analysis showed that genotypes 11, 18 and 19 had higher values of proline, fructose, glucose, IAA, GA3, GPX, CAT and SOD. These genotypes could be considered as drought tolerant genotypes which can tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions as compared to other genotypes through overproduction of some osmolytes, effective phyto-hormone signaling and better antioxidant enzymes activity for scavenging reactive oxygen species and consequently enhanced potential for production of higher grain yield. Thus, it seems that biochemical and phyto-hormonal responses could be introduced as desirable and suitable indicators for screening genotypes with better potential under water deficit stress condition.
Consumption Insurance Over the Business Cycle

How do business cycle fluctuations affect the ability of households to smooth consumption against idiosyncratic shocks? To answer this question, we first document that, in U.S.\ micro-data, individual consumption reacts more to income changes in booms. Standard incomplete markets models, in contrast, where individuals borrow and save to smooth consumption, predict a lower sensitivity of consumption to individual income changes during times of high output. This motivates us to consider an alternative environment where financial frictions are endogenous and arise from lack of contract enforcement, whose business cycle properties have so far not been studied. We show analytically that this model is consistent with a wide variety of cyclical patterns of insurance. In a quantitative application with unemployment risk, we show that the response of individual consumption to job losses differs strongly between times of high and low output, and identify the conditions under which it is procyclical, as in the data.
Enhancing formative assessment practices in undergraduate courses by means of online workshops

In this paper, we report a research study concerning the use of online e-learning platform for enhancing formative assessment strategies through which the students are asked to provide feedback on their peers’ productions and are therefore activated as instructional resources for one another. In playing the assessor role, students are prompted in developing continuous reflections on their learning processes. The activity has been experimented at undergraduate level in two different Universities in Italy, with courses with different mathematical contents. We describe the design of the activity and analyse the first experimental results.
Optimal Selection of Heterogeneous Network Interfaces for High-Speed Rail Communications

Integrating millimeter Wave (mmWave) and long-term evolution (LTE) sub-6 GHz bands to provide wireless services for high-speed rails (HSRs) is a promising solution to balance the ever-rising service demand and operational cost. In this paper, we optimize the network interface selection of the mmWave and LTE interfaces for HSR communications, to minimize the operational cost while satisfying the service requests of passengers. The network interface selection problem is formulated as a finite-horizon discrete-time Markov decision process (MDP) problem. Based on the file requests and associated deadlines of a passenger and the train schedule, we solve the MDP problem ahead-of-time by using dynamic programming (DP) and achieve optimal interface selection for each waypoint along the railways. Further, by exploiting the subadditivity and superadditivity of the considered problem, we reveal that an optimal switch of interfaces is only triggered at the moment when the remaining undelivered data or the elapsed time reaches their specific thresholds. Based on the thresholds, the optimal interface selection can be directly achieved for every waypoint, hence eliminating the need for DP and substantially reducing the computational complexity. The proposed algorithms are evaluated with practical train schedules. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms can substantially reduce the operational cost by 35% in our considered simulation setting, as compared to existing alternatives.
Application of occupancy and booking information to optimize space and energy use in higher education institutions

Building in higher education institutions (HEIs) are characterized as energy intensive Experience from practice showing large discrepancies between predicted and actual energy performance. The deviation can sometimes reach 100%. Explanations often originate from occupant’s behaviour along with building operation. IoT-based smart tools can provide extensive information about building usage to improve the building management, often associates with opportunities, for significant energy saving. The analysis in this study investigate space use based on occupancy and booking information in eight different lecture rooms at Umeå University. The results suggest interventions for significant saving potentials, such as modification of access permission and closing down redundant lecture rooms.
Joint User and Antenna Selection in Massive-MIMO Systems With QoS-Constraints

This article considers a downlink transmission in a multiuser massive multi-input–multi-output (massive-MIMO) system in both the large-scale and small-scale fading environments. While the base station has many antennas, the associated circuit costs require some antennas to be turned off, thus necessitating antenna/RF-chain selection. Furthermore, the users have quality-of-service (QoS) constraints and cannot be served within the specified power budget and also with arbitrarily low signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios. Instead, the base stations seek to schedule only a subset of users for which the QoS-constraints can be met, while the remaining users must be scheduled in other time-frequency slots. The problem is considered under both long and short time-scales. The longer time-scale problem entails solving for the power, user allocation, and number of active antennas to be used over multiple coherence intervals. While the need to select the optimum set of users makes the problem combinatorial, a low-complexity algorithm is proposed that allows us to solve it in polynomial time. For the more computationally intensive per-coherence interval problem, we employ a convex relaxation-based approach in order to obtain an approximate solution. Detailed simulations are carried out to establish that the proposed algorithms outperform standard greedy approaches and are close to optimal for several settings.
Patterns in ocean metabolism: rates, balance and controls

L'equilibri entre la produccio primaria bruta (GPP) i la respiracio de la comunitat (CR) en els ecosistemes oceanics ha estat objecte de molta discussio en la comunitat cientifica. L'amplia base d'observacio resultant d'aquests debats ens proporciona l'oportunitat d'aclarir els patrons en l'equilibri metabolic a l'ocea, avaluar la variabilitat regional i global en el metabolisme del plancton i determinar el llindar que separa la produccio primaria bruta de les comunitats heterotrofiques i autotrofiques i la irradiancia llindar necessaria per equilibrar la produccio primaria i la respiracio. S'analitzen tambe els parametres ambientals com ara la llum o la temperatura de l'aigua que juguen un paper important en el control de l'equilibri metabolic de les comunitats planctoniques. Els resultats presentats en aquesta tesi revelen, en resum, importsants patrons d'equilibri metabolic important per a les comunitats planctoniques a traves de l'ocea, els seus tipus i controls
Wafer shape control. Study of the reactivity in Ti/Al dual layers and its effect on the stress

L'objectif de cette these est de maitriser la forme des plaquettes de silicium a la fin du procede de fabrication. La forme d'une plaquette est determinee par l'equilibre mecanique entre la contrainte moyenne dans la multicouche constituant le produit et le substrat de silicium. Nous avons identifie des couches cles dans le procede de fabrication qui peuvent etre utilisees afin de donner aux plaquettes une forme finale acceptable du point de vue de la manipulation automatique sur les equipements de fabrication. En particulier, la contrainte dans les couches dielectriques ainsi que dans les couches de passivation a ete ajustee afin de diminuer le WARP des plaquettes. Les proprietes mecaniques de couches minces d'aluminium ont ete etudiees en fonction de la temperature par des experiences de mesure de courbure in-situ. Nous avons montre que le durcissement des couches d'Al(Si,Cu) observe lors du premier cyclage en temperature est due a un vieillissement a temperature ambiante et ne peut etre expliquee par a une croissance de grains ou par une recristallisation.
Single-cell RNA-seq identifies a reversible epithelial-mesenchymal transition in abnormally specified epithelia of p63 EEC syndrome

Mutations in transcription factor p63 are associated with developmental disorders that manifest defects in stratified epithelia including the epidermis. We established an epidermal commitment model using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and characterized differentiation defects of iPSCs derived from ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, and cleft lip/palate (EEC) syndrome patients carrying p63 mutations. Transcriptome analyses revealed distinct cell fates during epidermal commitment: multipotent simple epithelial, basal stratified epithelial and mature epidermal fates. Differentiation defects of EEC iPSCs caused by mutant p63 occurred during the specification switch from the simple epithelium to the basal stratified epithelial fate. Single-cell transcriptome and pseudotime analyses identified signatures of embryonic epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) associated with the deviated commitment route of EEC iPSCs. Repressing mesodermal activation reversed the EMT and enhanced epidermal commitment. Our findings demonstrate that p63 is required for specification of stratified epithelia, probably by repressing embryonic EMT during epidermal commitment. This study provides insights into disease mechanisms underlying stratified epithelial defects caused by p63 mutations.
Antiinterference Function of Scale-Free Spiking Neural Network Under AC Magnetic Field Stimulation

The complexity and changeability of electromagnetic environment make the deficiency of traditional methods of electromagnetic protection increasingly prominent. The organisms with the regulation of nervous system have advantages of self-adaptive, self-organizing, and self-repairing. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a new thought on electromagnetic protection by drawing from the biological self-adaptive advantage. In this study, two kinds of scale-free spiking neural networks (sfSNNs) with different clustering coefficients are constructed. Then, the antiinterference function of the sfSNNs under the ac magnetic field stimulation is evaluated and compared. Finally, the antiinterference mechanism is analyzed. The experimental results show that both sfSNNs have a certain antiinterference function, and the performance of the sfSNN with high clustering coefficient is better than that with low clustering coefficient in the antiinterference function; the dynamic evolution of neural information processing in the sfSNN is clarified; and the dynamic regulation of synaptic plasticity is the intrinsic factor of the antiinterference function of the sfSNNs. This study lays a theoretical foundation for the electromagnetic protection of electronic system based on adaptive bionic mechanism.