Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The quick discrete Fourier transform

This paper will look at an approach that uses symmetric properties of the basis function to remove redundancies in the calculation of discrete Fourier transform (DFT). We will develop an algorithm, called the quick Fourier transform (QFT), that will reduce the number of floating point operations necessary to compute the DFT by a factor of two or four over direct methods or Goertzel's method for prime lengths. Further by applying the idea to the calculation of a DFT of length-2/sup M/, we construct a new O(N log N) algorithm. The algorithm can be easily modified to compute the DFT with only a subset of input points, and it will significantly reduce the number of operations when the data are real. The simple structure of the algorithm and the fact that it is well suited for DFTs on real data should lead to efficient implementations and to a wide range of applications. <<ETX>>
Paediatric multiple sclerosis: a qualitative study of families’ diagnosis experiences

Objective To examine children's and parents’ experiences of obtaining a diagnosis of paediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and identify potential facilitators and barriers to early diagnosis. Design Qualitative, semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face in home settings with 31 parents and 21 children and adolescents (8–17 years old) with a clinical diagnosis of MS. Participants were recruited from 16 NHS Trusts and four MS voluntary organisations in the UK. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed using the constant comparative method. Results Time to diagnosis ranged from 1 to 96 months (median 11.5, mean 23.3, SD 27.3). The findings suggest that delayed presentation to healthcare services, generalists’ assumptions about the nature of reported symptoms, lack of awareness of paediatric MS and delayed referral to specialists in paediatric MS were barriers to early investigation and accurate diagnosis. Children, adolescents and parents felt that their concerns about the child's health were not always taken seriously during medical consultations and that clinicians could be reluctant to diagnose MS in childhood. This created additional uncertainty about the child's condition and long-term prognosis. Conclusions Obtaining a diagnosis of paediatric MS can be a challenging and lengthy process with potentially adverse implications for the health of children/adolescents. Valuing families’ knowledge and experience of their child's health, performing a thorough medical examination early in the disease course and organising prompt referrals may aid the early investigation and diagnosis of this disease. In view of the diagnostic challenges, children/adolescents with suspected MS would benefit from early referrals to specialists in paediatric MS.
Simulation and verification of macroscopic isotropy of hollow alginate-based microfibers

Abstract A simulation of tensile strength of various alginate-based hollow microfibers using FEA analysis has been conducted with the hypothesis of macroscopic isotropy and linear elastic-plastic behavior. Results of student t-tests indicated that there was no significant difference between the experimental and simulated tensile strengths (p = 0.37, α = 0.05), while there was a significant reduction in elasticity as a result of chitosan coating (p = 0.024, α = 0.05). The hypothesis of macroscopic isotropy was verified by highly correlated (R2 ≥ 0.92) theoretical and experimental elongation at break measurements, findings that could be extended to the failure analysis of alginate microfibers used in regenerative medicine.
Why do many firms still miss the competitive advantage of virtual teams?

Organizations that embrace a virtual team organizational model involving distributed remote teamwork may develop an effective competitive advantage. Technologies allowing virtual team-members to seamlessly work together are widely available, and the operational issues related to their proper management have been extensively studied. However, there are still many organizations that fail to exploit this model or to capitalize on it fully. The goal of this study is to identify the critical factors holding them back. The hypothesis was that getting co-located team members to collaborate with their remote colleagues in earnest required them first to understand the strategic significance of the model for the organization and then to sign on to developing it as a core competency. Also, distributed remote teamwork may address issues related to organizational changes. The research methodology involved the comparative analysis of two organizations, one in which the model was widely adopted, the other in which it was not; the researcher spent over two years embedded in each organization in similar roles. The study showed that, in the successful case, the model was ingrained into the organization's `genes', while, in the other case, it was simply viewed as a tactical technical enabler. Recommendations on how to train teams to overcome these obstacles are proposed.
Characterization and Expression of the Mouse Lumican Gene*

Lumican is one of the major keratan sulfate proteoglycans (KSPG) in vertebrate corneas. We previously cloned the murine lumican cDNA. This study determines the structure of murine lumican gene (Lum) and its expression during mouse embryonic developments. The mouse lumican gene was isolated from a bacterial artificial chromosome mouse genomic DNA library and characterized by polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization. The lumican gene spans 6.9 kilobase pairs of mouse genome. The gene consists of three exons and two introns. Exon 1 constitutes 88 bases (b) of untranslated sequence. Exon 2 is 883 b and contains most of the coding sequence of lumican mRNA, and exon 3 has 152 b of coding sequence and 659 b of 3′ noncoding sequence. The mouse lumican gene has a TATCA element, a presumptive TATA box, which locates 27 b 5′-upstream from the transcription initiation site. Northern hybridization and in situ hybridization indicate that in early stages of embryonic development, day 7 post coitus the embryo expresses little or no lumican. Thereafter, different levels of lumican mRNA can be detected in various organ systems, such as cornea stroma, dermis, cartilage, heart, lung, and kidney. The cornea and heart are the two tissues that have the highest expression in adult. Immunoblotting studies found that KSPG core proteins became abundant in the cornea and sclera by postnatal day 10 but that sulfated KSPG could not be detected until after the eyes open. These results indicate that lumican is widely distributed in most interstitial connective tissues. The modification of lumican with keratan sulfates in cornea is concurrent with eye opening and may contribute to corneal transparency.
Novel trench-etched double-diffused SiC MOS (TED MOS) for overcoming tradeoff between RonA and Qgd

To improve both conduction loss and switching loss, trench-etched double-diffused MOS (TED MOS) is proposed and fabricated. The trench side channels of TED MOS can provide both high channel mobility and wide channel width to decrease on-resistance (RonA). Moreover, TED MOS also achieves low gate-to-drain capacitance because its gates and trenches are completely covered with a P-body. Our results show that the figure of merit (RonA×Qgd) of TED MOS can be reduced by 70% compared to that of a conventional double-diffused MOS.
A GNSS quadrupole antenna with a spatial polarizer for the suppression of low-angle multipath

The article presents a quadrupole antenna with spatial meander-line polarizer to minimize multipath signal reception. The single quadrupole antenna with low axial ratio at grazing angles was considered. Modeling of the spatial meander-line polarizer for the antenna has been presented. Based on characteristics of models the conclusions of applicability in the area of global navigation satellite systems have been made.
Increased tau Phosphorylation in Apolipoprotein E4 Transgenic Mice Is Associated with Activation of Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase

Although apolipoprotein (apo) E4 is present in amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, its pathogenic role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unclear. Neuronal expression of apoE4 or apoE4 fragments in transgenic mice increases tau phosphorylation. To identify the kinase responsible for the increase, we studied transgenic mice expressing human apoE3 or apoE4 in neurons under the control of the neuron-specific enolase promoter. Brain levels of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and phosphorylated (active) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-Erk) increased with age in both groups but were considerably higher in the apoE4 mice. Other candidate kinases, including glycogen synthase kinase 3β and cyclin-dependent kinase-5 and its activators p25 and p35, were not significantly altered. The increases in p-Erk and p-tau were highest in the hippocampus, intermediate in the cortex, and lowest in the cerebellum. In the hippocampus, p-Erk and p-tau accumulated in the hilus and CA3 region of the dentate gyrus, where high levels of zinc are found along mossy fibers. In Neuro-2a cells stably expressing apoE3 or apoE4, treatment with ZnCl2 generated 2-fold more p-Erk and 3-fold more p-tau in the apoE4-expressing cells. Phosphorylation of Erk and tau was reduced by preincubation with the Erk pathway inhibitor U0126. Thus, increased tau phosphorylation in apoE4 transgenic mice was associated with Erk activation and could be modified by zinc, suggesting that apoE4 and zinc act in concert to contribute to the pathogenesis of AD.
Serotyping of Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from common and severe invasive infections in Japan, 1990–5: implication of the T3 serotype strain-expansion in TSLS

To clarify the relationship between the epidemics of severe invasive group A streptococcal infections (streptococcal Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome; TSLS) and common group A streptococcal infections in Japan, we examined the T serotypes of S. pyogenes strains (group A streptococci) isolated from clinical specimens of the streptococcal infections (17999 cases) in the period 1990–5, including the severe infections (TSLS) (29 cases) in the period 1992–5. Characteristic points of the analyses were: (1) dominant serotypes of the infections in these periods were T12, T4, T1, T28 and TB3264, which were consistently isolated; (2) isolates of T3 rapidly increased through 1990 to 1994 while T6 decreased in the period 1990–3; (3) when Japanese area was divided into three parts, T3 serotype tended to spread out from the north-eastern to the south-western area; (4) strains of T3 and T1 serotypes were dominant in the TSLS. Dominant-serotype strains of streptococcal infections did not always induce severe infections and dominance of T3 serotype in the TSLS seemed to be correlated with the increase of T3 in streptococcal infections. These results may indicate that certain clones of S. pyogenes are involved in the pathogenesis of the TSLS.
Transduction of Redox Signaling by Electrophile-Protein Reactions

Attachment of electrophilic products of redox reactions to proteins links cell function to changes in metabolic and inflammatory status. Chemically reactive by-products of cellular redox reactions are frequently thought to induce deleterious actions. However, not all redox-mediated modifications are harmful; some have important physiological consequences. Some posttranslational protein modifications that are induced by electrophilic products of redox reactions may modulate physiological signaling pathways that have evolved to act as sensors of oxidative conditions. Additional insight into specific biological targets of electrophiles and the regulation of their reactions can reveal new therapeutic strategies for treating pain, acute and chronic inflammatory injury, and metabolic diseases. This Review with 4 figures, 2 tables, and 148 references describes biologically important electrophiles, methods for detecting proteins modified by these electrophilic compounds and the cellular consequences of this type of posttranslational modification. Over the last 50 years, the posttranslational modification (PTM) of proteins has emerged as a central mechanism for cells to regulate metabolism, growth, differentiation, cell-cell interactions, and immune responses. By influencing protein structure and function, PTM leads to a multiplication of proteome diversity. Redox-dependent PTMs, mediated by environmental and endogenously generated reactive species, induce cell signaling responses and can have toxic effects in organisms. PTMs induced by the electrophilic by-products of redox reactions most frequently occur at protein thiols; other nucleophilic amino acids serve as less favorable targets. Advances in mass spectrometry and affinity-chemistry strategies have improved the detection of electrophile-induced protein modifications both in vitro and in vivo and have revealed a high degree of amino acid and protein selectivity of electrophilic PTM. The identification of biological targets of electrophiles has motivated further study of the functional impact of various PTM reactions on specific signaling pathways and how this might affect organisms.
A Model Predictive Control System for a Hybrid Battery-Ultracapacitor Power Source

A model predictive control system for a hybrid battery-ultracapacitor power source is proposed and experimentally verified in this paper. The main advantage of the proposed system is that the battery current, the battery state of charge, and the ultracapacitor current and voltage are maintained within predefined limits during the operation. In addition, the controller allocates fast current changes to the ultracapacitor while the battery responds mainly to slow current changes which helps to increase the battery lifetime. The presented experimental results verify operation of the proposed system.
Adapted hysteresis current control with switching frequency limitation for switched reluctance machines

Using a conventional hysteresis current control for SRMs, the switching frequency varies dramatically and could exceed the limit of switching devices. This could lead to damages of switching devices and also reduce the reliability of the drive. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an additional adaptation in the conventional hysteresis current control for SRMs in order to keep the switching frequency under the defined value. The proposed method is simple and was implemented using a simple logic circuit. The functionality of the developed current control was verified by experimental results.
Controllable Delegation Model Based on Usage and Trustworthiness

A controllable delegation model which is suitable for opening environment, based on usage and trustworthiness (UTCDM) is provided. The new model integrates the merits of both UCON (usage control model) and trust management(TM). In this paper, weight directed graph is used to describe the delegation relationship. An approach for controlling the depth of delegation focusing on the objects and the rights is discussed in this paper. The goal-directed chain discovery algorithm finds and retrieves credentials. The credentials graph which is searchable can be easily established with trust. The arithmetic of access controlling focusing on the depth and width of the delegation is discussed in the process of delegation. Finally, by giving an example to explain the processing of the system, the arithmetic is discussed in detail.
Application of wide bandgap devices in renewable energy systems - Benefits and challenges

The rapid development of renewable energy systems (RES), especially photovoltaic (PV) energy and wind energy, poses increasing requirements for highpower, low-loss, fast-switching, and reliable semiconductor devices to improve system power capacity, efficiency, power density and reliability. The recent commercialization of wide bandgap (WBG) devices, specifically Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices, provides very promising opportunities for meeting such requirements with their attractive features of high voltage blocking capability, ultra-low switching losses, fast switching speed, and high allowable operating temperatures. This paper analyzed the performance benefits and application challenges of using SiC or GaN devices in both PV and wind energy conversion systems. Solutions to these challenges of using WBG devices in various RES were reviewed and proposed, and the benefits of using such emerging devices were confirmed in simulation based on a 250 kW commercial-scale PV inverter and a 250 kW doubly fed induction generator wind turbine system.
A Multi-Mode Dead Reckoning System for Pedestrian Tracking Using Smartphones

This paper proposes an approach for pedestrian tracking using dead reckoning enhanced with a mode detection using a standard smartphone. The mode represents a specific state of carrying device, and it is automatically detected while a person is walking. This paper presents a new approach, which extends and enhances previous methods by identifying in real-time three typical modes of carrying the device and using the identified mode to enhance tracking accuracy. The way of carrying the device in all modes is unconstrained to offer reliable person-independent tracking. Based on the identification of modes, a lightweight step-based tracking algorithm is developed with a novel step length estimation model. The tracking system is implemented on a commercial off-the-shelf smartphone equipped with a built-in inertial measurement unit with 3-D accelerometer and gyroscope. It achieves real-time tracking and localization performance with an average position accuracy of 98.91%.
Serological and virological surveys of the influenza A viruses in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic penguins

Abstract To evaluate the avian influenza virus (AIV) circulation in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic penguins we carried out a serosurvey on six species from Livingston, Marion and Gough islands. Seropositivity against AIV was performed on serum samples using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and haemagglutination and neuraminidase inhibition assays. Some oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were also assayed to detect influenza virus genomes by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 12.1% (n = 140) penguins were seropositive to AIV. By species, we detected 5% (n = 19) and 11% (n = 18) seroprevalence in sub-Antarctic rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes spp.) from Gough and Marion islands, respectively, 42% (n = 33) seroprevalence in macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chysolophus Brandt), but no positives in the three other species, gentoo (Pygoscelis papua Forster; n = 25) and chinstrap penguins (P. antarctica Forster; n = 16), from Livingston Island and king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller; n = 27) from Marion Island. While seropositivity reflected previous exposure to the AIV, the influenza genome was not detected. Our results indicate that AIV strains have circulated in penguin species in the sub-Antarctic region, but further studies are necessary to determine the precise role that such penguin species play in AIV epidemiology and if this circulation is species (or genus) specific.
In vivo gene delivery to tumor cells by transferrin‐streptavidin‐DNA conjugate

To target disseminated tumors in vivo, transgenes [ β‐galactosidase gene, green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV‐TK)] were conjugated to transferrin (Tf) by a biotin‐streptavidin bridging, which is stoichiometrically controllable, and Tf receptor (Tf‐R) affinity chromatography, which selects Tf conjugates with intact receptor bindings sites from reacting with the linker. Tf‐β ‐galactosidase plasmid conjugate thus constructed was specifically transfected to human erythroleukemia cells (K562) via Tf‐R without the aid of any lysosomotropic agents. The transfection efficiency of the conjugate was superior to those of lipofection (1% staining) and retroviral vector (5%) and slightly lower than that of adenovirus (70%). The high level of expression with our conjugate was confirmed using other tumor cells (M7609, TMK‐1) whereas in normal diploid cells (HEL), which express low levels of Tf‐R, expression was negligible. When GFP gene conjugates were systemically administered through the tail vein to nude mice subcutaneously inoculated with tumor, expression of GFP mRNA was found almost exclusively in tumors and to a much lesser extent in muscles, whereas GFP revealed by fluorescence microscopy was detected only in the former. To exploit a therapeutic applicability of this method, suicide gene therapy using Tf‐HSV‐TK gene conjugate for massively metastasized k562 tumors in severe combined immunedeficient mice was conducted, and a marked prolongation of survival and significant reduction of tumor burden were confirmed. Thus, this method could also be used for gene therapy to disseminated tumors. —Sato, Y. , Yamauchi, N. , Takahashi, M. , Sasaki, K. , Fukaura, F. , Neda, H. , Fujii, S. , Hirayama, M. , Itoh, Y. , Koshita, Y. , Kogawa, K. , Kato, J., Sakamaki, S. , Niitsu, Y. In vivo gene delivery to tumor cells by transferrin‐streptavidin‐DNA conjugate. FASEB J. 14, 2108–2118 (2000)
Enteric neurons synthesize netrins and are essential for the development of the vagal sensory innervation of the fetal gut

During fetal life, vagal sensory fibers establish a reproducible distribution in the gut that includes an association with myenteric ganglia. Previous work has shown that netrin is expressed in the bowel wall and, by acting on its receptor, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), mediates the guidance of vagal sensory axons to the developing gut. Because the highest concentration of netrins in fetal bowel is in the endoderm, we tested the hypothesis that the ingrowth of vagal afferents to the gut would be independent of the presence of enteric neurons, although enteric neurons might influence the internal distribution of these fibers. Surprisingly, experiments indicated that the vagal sensory innervation is intrinsic neuron‐dependent. To examine the vagal innervation in the absence of enteric ganglia, fetal Ret −/− mice were labeled by applying DiI bilaterally to nodose ganglia. In Ret −/− mice, DiI‐labeled vagal sensory axons descended in paraesophageal trunks as far as the proximal stomach, which contains neurons, but did not enter the aganglionic bowel. To determine whether neurons produce netrins, enteric neural‐crest‐derived cells (ENCDCs) were immunoselected from E15 rat gut. Transcripts encoding netrin‐1 and ‐3 were not detected in the ENCDCs, but appeared after they had given rise to neurons. When these neurons were cocultured with cells expressing c‐Myc‐tagged netrin‐1, the neurons displayed netrin‐1, but not c‐Myc, immunoreactivity. Enteric neurons thus synthesize netrins. The extent to which neuronal netrin accounts for the dependence of the vagal sensory innervation on intrinsic neurons, remains to be determined. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 71: 362–373, 2011