Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeted approaches to the treatment of pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive and incurable disease. Over the past two decades, significant advances have been made in understanding and thus managing this disease. Multiple therapeutic options are currently available and optimizing the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension has become complex. Patients who meet the American College of Chest Physicians criteria for vasoresponsiveness can be safely and effectively treated with high-dose calcium channel blockers but require close follow up to assure durability of response. Patients with World Health Organization (WHO) functional class IV status and those with determinants of high risk for progression and death should be treated with an infused prostanoid agent without delay. These patients should also be referred early after stabilization for transplant evaluation. Patients with WHO functional class II status benefit from early initiation of oral therapies. Those with WHO functional class III status and lower determinants of risk for progression may receive treatment with one or more oral or inhaled agents, though many experts would advise early use of infused prostanoids for these patients as well.
Joint properties of solder capped copper pillars for 3D packaging

Demand for high speed, high density, small size, and multifunctional electronic devices has driven the development of 3D integration. Cu pillar bumps have received great attentions in ultra fine pitch 3D packaging. In this study, Sn-3.5Ag and Sn-58Bi cap bumps were fabricated on Cu pillar for fine pitch bonding of 3D packaging. Sn-Ag and Sn-Bi cap bumps with eutectic composition were fabricated with electroplating. The capped Cu pillars were bonded on the PCB substrate by flip chip bonding with the optimized experimental condition. The bonding interface of Cu-SnAg-Cu was composed of only Cu6Sn5 IMC layers after flip chip bonding. The bonding strength of Cu-SnAg-Cu increased as the cap bump height increased. Bonding strength of Cu-SnBi-Cu bonding suddenly decreased after 200 h aging because of continuous Kirkendall void formation at the interface between Cu3Sn and Cu.
Voltage regulation and stabilization of DC/DC buck converter under constant power loading

The low and medium voltage renewable energy based dc distribution systems are catching increased attention world-wide due to their inherent benefits over ac systems. Higher efficiency, simple control, more suitable for integration of the sources producing dc power, are some of the main benefits of the dc systems. However, these systems are prone to serious stability issues caused by the constant power load (CPL) nature of the point-of-load converters (POLs). This paper deals with the stabilization and voltage regulation of dc/dc buck converter feeding a combination of the constant voltage resistive load (CVL) and CPL in a dc micro-grid application. A sliding mode controller is proposed which ensures supply of constant power demanded by the CPL and tight voltage regulation (error less than 0.1 V) of the output voltage. The effectiveness of the controller is validated through simulation results under different operating conditions. It is shown that the controller is robust to the large changes in supply voltage and the load.
A GRAPH‐BASED APPROACH FOR SEMISUPERVISED CLUSTERING

This paper proposes a graph‐based approach for semisupervised clustering based on pairwise relations among instances. In our approach, the entire data set is represented as an edge‐weighted graph by mapping each data element (instance) as a vertex and connecting the instances by edges with their similarities. In order to reflect pairwise constraints on the clustering process, the graph is modified by contraction as it is known from general graph theory and the graph Laplacian in spectral graph theory. The graph representation enables us to deal with pairwise constraints as well as pairwise similarities over the same unified representation. By exploiting the constraints as well as similarities among instances, the entire data set is projected onto a subspace via the modified graph, and data clustering is conducted over the projected representation. The proposed approach is evaluated over several real‐world data sets. The results are encouraging and show that it is worthwhile to pursue the proposed approach.
Characterization of a Novel, Non-peptidyl Antagonist of the Human Glucagon Receptor*

We have identified a series of potent, orally bioavailable, non-peptidyl, triarylimidazole and triarylpyrrole glucagon receptor antagonists. 2-(4-Pyridyl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(5-bromo-2-propyloxyphenyl)pyrrole (L-168,049), a prototypical member of this series, inhibits binding of labeled glucagon to the human glucagon receptor with an IC50 = 3.7 ± 3.4 nm(n = 7) but does not inhibit binding of labeled glucagon-like peptide to the highly homologous human glucagon-like peptide receptor at concentrations up to 10 μm. The binding affinity of L-168,049 for the human glucagon receptor is decreased 24-fold by the inclusion of divalent cations (5 mm). L-168,049 increases the apparent EC50 for glucagon stimulation of adenylyl cyclase in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the human glucagon receptor and decreases the maximal glucagon stimulation observed, with aK b (concentration of antagonist that shifts the agonist dose-response 2-fold) of 25 nm. These data suggest that L-168,049 is a noncompetitive antagonist of glucagon action. Inclusion of L-168,049 increases the rate of dissociation of labeled glucagon from the receptor 4-fold, confirming that the compound is a noncompetitive glucagon antagonist. In addition, we have identified two putative transmembrane domain residues, phenylalanine 184 in transmembrane domain 2 and tyrosine 239 in transmembrane domain 3, for which substitution by alanine reduces the affinity of L-168,049 46- and 4.5-fold, respectively. These mutations do not alter the binding of labeled glucagon, suggesting that the binding sites for glucagon and L-168,049 are distinct.
A composite athletic tape with hyperelastic material properties improves and maintains ankle support during exercise.

STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory testing using a single-group, prospective, repeated-measures design. OBJECTIVES To compare the material properties of a hyperelastic athletic tape to a conventional tape and to compare the passive ankle support of these tapes before and after exercise. BACKGROUND The near-linear material properties of conventional athletic tape may interfere with ankle motion, resulting in reduced athletic performance. Conventional athletic tape is also known to lose much of its initial support during exercise. It was assumed that a tape constructed of Kevlar fibers embedded in a silicon matrix would possess hyperelastic material properties that would improve ankle support. METHODS A tensile testing machine was used to determine the tensile material properties of 11 samples of conventional and hyperelastic tape. The ankles of 11 young, healthy athletes were taped, one ankle with conventional tape and the other ankle with hyperelastic tape. The passive ankle support of each tape was measured with an instrumented linkage (the ankle flexibility tester) before and after 30 minutes of exercise. RESULTS The composite tape had a significantly higher load to failure than the conventional tape. It had significantly lower initial stiffness and higher late stiffness than conventional tape, thus demonstrating highly hyperelastic behavior. The hyperelastic tape maintained a significantly higher portion of its support during the 30 minutes of exercise than the conventional tape. CONCLUSIONS Composite athletic tape with highly hyperelastic properties can be constructed and maintains a larger portion of its support during short-duration exercises (less than 30 minutes) than conventional athletic tape.
Reflexivity and Minimization of the Impact of Age-Cohort Differences Between Researcher and Research Participants

Reflexivity in research can be defined as (a) the acknowledgment and identification of one’s place and presence in the research, and (b) the process of using these insights to critically examine the entire research process. Many authors implore qualitative researchers to be reflexive. Very few, however, specify how to do this in practice. Furthermore, in discussions of the presence and place of the researcher, the tendency has been to focus on such factors as gender and race or ethnicity with very little attention being given to age or cohort. In this article we seek to redress this deficiency by examining how reflexivity was practiced in a context in which there was a marked difference in age and cohort membership between researcher and research participants. Specifically, we describe the methodological challenges faced by a younger researcher conducting research with older study participants on the lived experience of the body, and how reflexivity was used to adapt the methodology employed so it became more appropriate and productive within this context.
A Successive Linearization Method Approach to Solve Lane-Emden Type of Equations

We propose a new application of the successive linearization method for solving singular initial and boundary value problems of Lane-Emden type. To demonstrate the reliability of the proposed method, a comparison is made with results from existing methods in the literature and with exact analytical solutions. It was found that the method is easy to implement, yields accurate results, and performs better than some numerical methods.
AIS data based identification of systematic collision risk for maritime intelligent transport system

The identification of vessel collision risk for a Maritime Intelligent Transport System (MITS) is crucial for maritime safety and management. This paper considers the identification of the Systematic Collision Risk (SCR) for an MITS based on AIS data, which is obtained by wireless communication among vessels and between vessels and shore-based stations. SCR is modeled as a function of the collision risk of each vessel. A computing method for the SCR of a two-vessel case is proposed. Meanwhile, a hierarchical clustering based simplification algorithm is provided and applied to transform the topology of an MITS, thus simplifying the computing of the SCR. Based on the two-vessel case and transformation, a bottom-to-top weighted fusion method is employed to calculate the SCR for an MITS. Extensive numerical examples of simulative and real AIS data verify the effectiveness of our modeling and computing.
LEUKOCYTE ADHESION AND CELL DEATH FOLLOWING ORTHOTOPIC LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN THE RAT

The purpose of these experiments was to employ video microscopy to identify early pathological changes after orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat. Liver transplantation was performed using the cuff technique. Survival was greater than 90% when livers were stored for 1 hr in Ringer's solution prior to transplantation (survival conditions), whereas all rats died following storage of grafts for 4 hr in cold Euro-Collins solution (nonsur-vival conditions). Postoperatively, each recipient animal was anesthetized, the abdomen was opened, and the liver was placed on the stage of an inverted fluorescence microscope equipped with a low-light ISIT video camera. Precautions were taken to prevent the liver surface from drying. The fluorescent dyes fluorescein sodium (1.0 μmol/kg), acridine orange (2.5 μmol/kg), and propidium iodide (1 μmol/kg) were injected intravenously to label hepatocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and the nuclei of irreversibly damaged cells, respectively. In livers from untransplanted rats, movement of labeled leukocytes through the hepatic sinusoids was smooth and rapid (velocity, 500–550 μn/sec) and margination (adhesion) of cells was minimal (less than 1%). After transplantation, however, velocity was diminished 2–3-fold, and margination was increased to 10% of leukocytes in survival groups and to 40% in nonsurvival groups 4 hr postoperatively. In the nonsurvival groups, irreversible cell death detected by propidium iodide fluorescence was minimal 15 min after transplantation—however, massive cell damage was detected 4 hr postoperatively. In addition, serum transaminases and necrosis were higher at 4 hr than 15 min postoperatively. Taken together, these data demonstrate that leukocyte margination increases following orthotopic liver transplantation and is followed rapidly by cell death. These events likely play a role in the mechanism of early graft failure following transplantation.
Recovering portfolio default intensities implied by CDO

We propose a stable non-parametric algorithm for the calibration of pricing models for portfolio credit derivatives: given a set of observations of market spreads for CDO tranches, we construct a risk-neutral default intensity process for the portfolio underlying the CDO which matches these observations, by looking for the risk neutral loss process ’closest’ to a prior loss process, verifying the calibration constraints. We formalize the problem in terms of minimization of relative entropy with respect to the prior under calibration constraints and use convex duality methods to solve the problem: the dual problem is shown to be an intensity control problem, characterized in terms of a Hamilton–Jacobi system of differential equations, for which we present an analytical solution. Given a set of observed CDO tranche spreads, our method allows to construct a default intensity process which leads to tranche spreads consistent with the observations. We illustrate our method on ITRAXX index data: our results reveal strong evidence for the dependence of loss transitions rates on the past number of defaults, thus offering quantitative evidence for contagion effects in the risk–neutral loss process.
On the implementation of audio envelope generators with memristor-based circuits

The Memristor is considered as the fourth fundamental element besides the resistor, the capacitor and the inductor. When Leon Chua first introduced this element, it was just a theoretical idea. Today, after 30 years from Chua's first paper about it, it is possible to buy memristor devices. In this paper, we investigate a way to exploit memristors in a typical audio application: the implementation of envelope generators. It is possible to exploit the delayed switching property of memristors to realize long delays without the need of big capacitors. We present the implementation of a ramp generator by means of a memristor-based circuit. The ramp signal can be used as control signal in an audio device.
Spermatogenesis in mammals: proteomic insights

Spermatogenesis is a highly sophisticated process involved in the transmission of genetic heritage. It includes halving ploidy, repackaging of the chromatin for transport, and the equipment of developing spermatids and eventually spermatozoa with the advanced apparatus (e.g., tightly packed mitochondrial sheat in the mid piece, elongating of the tail, reduction of cytoplasmic volume) to elicit motility once they reach the epididymis. Mammalian spermatogenesis is divided into three phases. In the first the primitive germ cells or spermatogonia undergo a series of mitotic divisions. In the second the spermatocytes undergo two consecutive divisions in meiosis to produce haploid spermatids. In the third the spermatids differentiate into spermatozoa in a process called spermiogenesis. Paracrine, autocrine, juxtacrine, and endocrine pathways all contribute to the regulation of the process. The array of structural elements and chemical factors modulating somatic and germ cell activity is such that the network linking the various cellular activities during spermatogenesis is unimaginably complex. Over the past two decades, advances in genomics have greatly improved our knowledge of spermatogenesis, by identifying numerous genes essential for the development of functional male gametes. Large-scale analyses of testicular function have deepened our insight into normal and pathological spermatogenesis. Progress in genome sequencing and microarray technology have been exploited for genome-wide expression studies, leading to the identification of hundreds of genes differentially expressed within the testis. However, although proteomics has now come of age, the proteomics-based investigation of spermatogenesis remains in its infancy. Here, we review the state-of-the-art of large-scale proteomic analyses of spermatogenesis, from germ cell development during sex determination to spermatogenesis in the adult. Indeed, a few laboratories have undertaken differential protein profiling expression studies and/or systematic analyses of testicular proteomes in entire organs or isolated cells from various species. We consider the pros and cons of proteomics for studying the testicular germ cell gene expression program. Finally, we address the use of protein datasets, through integrative genomics (i.e., combining genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics), bioinformatics, and modelling.
Particle Effect on Breakdown Voltage of Mineral and Ester Based Transformer Oils

ac Breakdown voltage tests are usually used for quality check of mineral oils during transformer operation. When studying ester-based oils, previous experimental research including the ones carried out at University of Manchester laboratories, were based on `as-received' oil samples and particle effects were not quantified. Similarly, water effects on oils determined previously were also ambiguous since water can be combined with particles to reduce breakdown voltages. This paper used mineral and ester-based transformer oils, i.e. 10 Gemini X as mineral oil, Midel7131 as synthetic ester-based oil and FR3 as nature ester-based oil, in the forms of "as-received" and `processed', and their AC breakdown strengths were comparatively studied. Weibull distributions of ac breakdown voltages of three oils were discussed. It can be seen from the results that particle effects on ac oil breakdown voltages are dominant for `as-received' mineral oil and the `processed' mineral oil has a distinctly different breakdown characteristic from `as-received' mineral oil in terms of the effect of water contents.
Multivariate analysis of various factors affecting background liver and mediastinal standardized uptake values

Purpose of the Study: Standardized uptake value (SUV) is the most commonly used semi-quantitative PET parameter. Various response assessment criteria grade the tumor uptake relative to liver or mediastinal uptake. However various factors can affect the background SUV values. This prospective study was carried out to assess the variability of liver and mediastinal SUVs normalized to lean body mass (SUL-L, SUL-M), body surface area (SUB-L, SUB-M), and body weight (SUW-L, SUW-M) and their dependence on various factors which can affect SUV values. Materials and Methods: Eighty-eight patients who underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT for various oncological indications were prospectively included in this study. SUVs of liver and mediastinum were calculated by ROIs drawn as suggested by Wahl, et al., in PERCIST 1.0 criteria. Multivariate linear regression analysis was done to assess for the various factors influencing the SUVs of liver and mediastinum. Factors assessed were age, sex, weight, blood glucose level, diabetic status, and uptake period. A P value less than 0.01 was considered significant. Results: SUL-L, SUL-M, SUB-L, SUB-M, SUW-L, SUW-M were not affected significantly by age, sex, blood glucose levels, diabetic status. The uptake period had a statistically significant effect on SUL-L (P = 0.007) and SUW-L (P = 0.008) with a progressive decrease with increasing uptake time. Body weight showed a statistically significant effect on SUW-L (P = 0.001) while SUL-L and SUB-L were not dependent on weight. SUB-L was least dependent on weight (P = 0.851) when compared with SUL-L (P = 0.425). However SUL-L was also not affected statistically significantly by variations in body weight (P = 0.425). Mediastinal SUVs were not significantly affected by any of the factors. Conclusions: As mediastinal SUVs are not affected significantly by any of the factors, it can be considered as background when wide variations occur in uptake times or weight of the patient when comparing two PET/CT studies to evaluate response.
Signal extraction via multitaper spectra of nonstationary data

Some methods for estimating time-frequency distributions and extracting common parts of nonstationary signals using multitaper, or multiple-window, methods are described. These include estimates of the generalized dual frequency spectrum, and a high-resolution spectrogram. The spectrograms have a much higher time resolution than standard spectrograms, and the corresponding time-frequency distributions have a much lower bias than conventional time-frequency distributions. The filter depends explicitly on the signal coherence between different frequencies and rejects stationary noise. These methods are illustrated with a set of bivariate seismic data.
Context Effects in Auditory Implicit Memory

The context effect in implicit memory is the finding that presentation of words in meaningful context reduces or eliminates repetition priming compared to words presented in isolation. Virtually all of the research on the context effect has been conducted in the visual modality but preliminary results raise the question of whether context effects are less likely in auditory priming. Context effects in the auditory modality were systematically examined in five experiments using the auditory implicit tests of word-fragment and word-stem completion. The first three experiments revealed the classical context effect in auditory priming: Words heard in isolation produced substantial priming, whereas there was little priming for the words heard in meaningful passages. Experiments 4 and 5 revealed that a meaningful context is not required for the context effect to be obtained: Words presented in an unrelated audio stream produced less priming than words presented individually and no more priming than words presented in meaningful passages. Although context effects are often explained in terms of the transfer-appropriate processing (TAP) framework, the present results are better explained by Masson and MacLeod's (2000) reduced-individuation hypothesis.