Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of breakdown in ultrathin gate dielectrics in nanoscale MOSFETs

Progressive breakdown has been found to provide an extra post-breakdown reliability margin for devices with ultrathin gate oxide. It is primarily constituted by two major regions, which are digital and analog breakdown. In this project, the progressive breakdown in the ultrathin gate oxide is thoroughly characterized and studied using different novel approaches. A K-cyc1e multiple-stage constant-voltage stress has been employed to study the behaviors of the gate leakage current (Ig) at different stages of the progressive breakdown under various conditions. A critical gate voltage (Veril) is found to demarcate the evolution of Ig during the progressive breakdown. For a gate voltage (Vg ) smaller than Veril, the digital breakdown dominates for which I g digitally fluctuates with no apparent net increase. For Vg larger than Vo«; Ig rapidly evolves into a stable high leakage state, indicating that the analog breakdown starts to prevail. The transition of the digital breakdown into the analog breakdown is irreversible. This transition can rarely occur if Vg does not exceed Veril• This brings a significant impact on the degradation rate of Ig (d/gldt) at nominal operating voltages (Vop ) . We show that the extrapolation of dIg/dt from a high Vg to Vop can be largely overestimated, implying that the lifetime prediction of gate oxide is overly pessimistic. Additionally, Veril is found to decrease with decreasing gate oxide thickness (Tox). However, it is found that Vo« saturates for Tox smaller than 1.6 nm, meaning that the presence of the digital breakdown in prolonging the progressive breakdown is preserved. Besides Veril, the magnitude of Ig acts as another important factor in determining the transition of the digital breakdown into the analog breakdown. ii ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library
A Network-Based Approach to Glioma Surgery: Insights from Functional Neurosurgery

Simple Summary This manuscript details the literature and discussion around revolutionizing the neurosurgeon’s approach to surgery for brain tumors by conceptualizing these tumors as entities within functional networks. We hope that the work detailed herein will aid in establishing neurosurgical paradigms to optimize planning for brain tumor surgery to improve functional outcomes for all patients. Abstract The evaluation and manipulation of structural and functional networks, which has been integral to advancing functional neurosurgery, is beginning to transcend classical subspecialty boundaries. Notably, its application in neuro-oncologic surgery has stimulated an exciting paradigm shift from the traditional localizationist approach, which is lacking in nuance and optimization. This manuscript reviews the existing literature and explores how structural and functional connectivity analyses have been leveraged to revolutionize and individualize pre-operative tumor evaluation and surgical planning. We describe how this novel approach may improve cognitive and neurologic preservation after surgery and attenuate tumor spread. Furthermore, we demonstrate how connectivity analysis combined with neuromodulation techniques can be employed to induce post-operative neuroplasticity and personalize neurorehabilitation. While the landscape of functional neuro-oncology is still evolving and requires further study to encourage more widespread adoption, this functional approach can transform the practice of neuro-oncologic surgery and improve the care and outcomes of patients with intra-axial tumors.
Title: Radioiodine therapy in patient of differentiated thyroid cancer with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis: case report with review of literature.

Surgical resection followed by radioactive-iodine ( 131 I) therapy constitutes a standard treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). 131 I is normally excreted through kidneys and treatment of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis requires special attention for dosage of 131 I, timing of dialysis and radiation safety. We present a case of a post-thyroidectomy patient with ESRD on haemodialysis who required radioactive iodine ablation with review of literature.
A review of soft manipulator research, applications, and opportunities

Soft manipulator is a kind of special manipulator that uses soft material or flexible structure to perform manipulation task under the specific drive mode inspired by the soft tissue. It is developing gradually as an important component of the soft robot. In this paper, the typical design cases of the soft manipulators as well as the related research teams are firstly investigated. The characteristics of different drive modes are compared and analyzed. Based on these investigations, the enabling technologies are systematically summarized in five aspects, such as kinematic and dynamic modeling, motion control, shape detection, dynamic tactile perception, and stiffening method. Currently, the research on soft manipulator has initially formed a technical system, although it is still in the primary stage. With the development of the soft manipulator, its overall technology maturity will be gradually improved. Currently, the applications of the soft manipulator lie mainly in the fields of the ground rescue, the underwater grabbing, the medical operation, the assist maintenance, the man–machine interaction, the space manipulation and so on. The application fields, such as origami soft manipulator, biomimetic soft microrobots, self‐healing soft robot, space soft manipulator and so on, emerge new opportunities and challenges for the soft manipulators.
Seismic Response of a Four-Story Miniature Building with Replaceable Plastic Hinges

To emphasize on linear and nonlinear seismic behavior of building systems in education, a four-story miniature moment-resisting frame steel building was designed, built, and tested in a shaking table at the Structures Laboratory of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. A prominent feature of the building is the incorporation of elements designed to form plastic hinges that can be easily replaced after a test with minimum effort and at a very low cost. This model is mainly aimed at education in undergraduate and graduate structural dynamics/earthquake engineering courses and it has also been used to support research. This article describes in detail the main features of the building, its design, and discusses the response of the building to two input ground motions. Because the use of pushover analyses is becoming an industry standard, the some relevant results will be compared with those predicted by such kind of analyses. This article is written in very simple terms and is aimed at the undergraduate and graduate student, at educators in structural design and at structural engineers involved in seismic design of building structures. This article covers many aspects that are seldom highlighted in building behavior to earthquake excitation and that are not always covered in design codes or guidelines.
Parameters of treated stainless steel surfaces important for resistance to bacterial contamination

Use of materials that are resistant to bacterial contamination could enhance food safety during processing. Common finishing treatments of stainless steel surfaces used for components of poultry processing equipment were tested for resistance to bacterial attachment. Surface characteristics were evaluated to determine factors important for resistance. Disks of stainless steel were steel–ball burnished, glass–beaded, electropolished, acid–dipped, sandblasted, or left untreated. After treatment, the disks were incubated with bacteria from chicken carcass rinses. Bacterial growth during surface exposure was monitored by spectrophotometry, and bacterial counts were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of the surfaces was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), using disks from each of the treatments in the SEM studies. Changes in root mean square (RMS) roughness, center line average, bearing ratio/area, and other measurements corresponded to changes in bacterial contamination. Electropolished stainless steel showed fewer bacteria and biofilm formations than the other surfaces. The elemental composition of the surface was not changed by electropolishing. This article is the first to show that AFM is a rapid method for predicting the potential resistance of a surface to bacterial contamination. These results will aid manufacturers and processors in comparing and selecting finishes that are cost–effective and resistant to contamination.
Dizziness in an avid cyclist: an unusual presentation of a common problem

Abstract Background Presyncope and syncope are common presentations with a wide range of differential diagnoses; when it occurs primarily on exertion, a cardiovascular cause is more likely. Structural abnormalities and primary rhythm disturbances are the usual culprits in these patients. Case summary A 75-year-old gentleman presented with a history of progressive exertional presyncope. His investigations demonstrated normal cardiac structure, function, and rhythm. He underwent an exercise stress test, which demonstrated a significant reduction in peak blood pressure with equivocal electrocardiogram changes and absence of ischaemic symptoms. In view of his age and gender, a computerized tomography coronary angiogram (CTCA) was organized to exclude obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Intriguingly, the CTCA demonstrated a severe proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery stenosis. This stenosis was confirmed to be functionally significant using invasive coronary physiology and was treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. At follow-up, there was no recurrence of exertional presyncope and the patient was continuing to return to his baseline function. Conclusion Presyncope and/or syncope as the sole manifestation of obstructive CAD, in the presence of normal ventricular function and valves, has rarely been reported. Myocardial ischaemia-mediated presyncope and/or syncope may be secondary to numerous mechanisms, which are described in this case report. Revascularization of the functionally significant proximal LAD stenosis resulted in cessation of exertional presyncope in our patient. The long-term outcome of revascularization in patients with presyncope and syncope needs to be further investigated.
A low-voltage design approach for class AB current-mode circuits

An approach for designing analog current-mode circuits with very-low supply voltage requirements is described and applied to the implementation of basic complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) building blocks. The method is based on a biasing circuit exploiting poly resistors and auxiliary differential amplifiers which restricts supply requirements to one threshold voltage plus three saturation voltages. As design examples, a complementary current mirror, a current operational amplifier, and a transconductor are implemented adopting the proposed technique. SPICE simulations using a 0.5-/spl mu/m process are provided which closely confirm the expected overall good performance of these circuits especially in terms of low-voltage capability and speed.
Decolonizing English Language Teaching in Colombia: Epistemological Perspectives and Discursive Alternatives

In times of geocultural subalternization of knowledge and education, English language teaching (ELT) is torn between subalternizing policies and subjectivating practices. Within this context, ELT teacher educators face policies and discourses aimed at framing their teaching practices, professional lives, and research agendas. However, at the same time, they are expected to engage in practices and processes that allow for personal adaptation and social change. Amid this ambivalence, this reflection paper makes a call to decolonize ELT in Colombia. To this effect, this paper reviews some basic epistemological perspectives such as colonialism and decolonial studies. Then, it proposes the decolonization of ELT, along with a grammar of decoloniality based on discursive alternatives about power, knowledge, and being with the potential of bringing about a transformative teacher subjectivation. The main conclusion is that the Colombian ELT community needs to first deconstruct dominant structures and strategies that enact epistemic and cultural dominance of the global north, and then construct alternative discourses and practices that acknowledge and disseminate the singularities of its knowledge and culture.
Down-Looking Airborne Radar Imaging Performance: The Multi-Line and Multi-Frequency

The paper proposes an analytical study regarding airborne radar imaging performances and accounts for a down-looking radar system moving along parallel lines far, in terms of probing wavelength, from the investigated domain and collecting multi-frequency and multi-monostatic data. The imaging problem is formulated in a constant depth plane by exploiting the Born approximation. Hence, a linear inverse scattering problem is faced by considering both the Adjoint and the Truncated Singular Value Decomposition reconstruction schemes. Analytical and simulated results are provided to state how the achievable performances depend on the measurement configuration. These results are of practical usefulness because, in operative conditions, it is unfeasible to plan a flight grid made up by a high number of closely (in terms of probing wavelength) spaced lines. Hence, the understanding of how the availability of under-sampled data affects the radar imaging allows for a trade-off between operative data collection constrains and reliable reconstructions of the scenario under test.
AXL regulates neuregulin1 expression leading to cetuximab resistance in head and neck cancer

Background The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed and an important therapeutic target in Head and Neck cancer (HNC). Cetuximab is currently the only EGFR-targeting agent approved by the FDA for treatment of HNC; however, intrinsic and acquired resistance to cetuximab is a major problem in the clinic. Our lab previously reported that AXL leads to cetuximab resistance via activation of HER3. In this study, we investigate the connection between AXL, HER3, and neuregulin1 (NRG1) gene expression with a focus on understanding how their interdependent signaling promotes resistance to cetuximab in HNC. Methods Plasmid or siRNA transfections and cell-based assays were conducted to test cetuximab sensitivity. Quantitative PCR and immunoblot analysis were used to analyze gene and protein expression levels. Seven HNC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) were evaluated for protein expression levels. Results We found that HER3 expression was necessary but not sufficient for cetuximab resistance without AXL expression. Our results demonstrated that addition of the HER3 ligand NRG1 to cetuximab-sensitive HNC cells leads to cetuximab resistance. Further, AXL-overexpressing cells regulate NRG1 at the level of transcription, thereby promoting cetuximab resistance. Immunoblot analysis revealed that NRG1 expression was relatively high in cetuximab-resistant HNC PDXs compared to cetuximab-sensitive HNC PDXs. Finally, genetic inhibition of NRG1 resensitized AXL-overexpressing cells to cetuximab. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that AXL may signal through HER3 via NRG1 to promote cetuximab resistance and that targeting of NRG1 could have significant clinical implications for HNC therapeutic approaches.
Wearable Sensory Apparatus for Real-Time Feedback in Wearable Robotics

We describe the Wearable Sensory Apparatus (WSA) System, which has been implemented and verified in accordance with the relevant standards. It comprises the Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), real-time wireless data transmission over Ultrawideband (UWB), a Master Unit and several IMU dongles forming the Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN). The WSA is designed for, but is not restricted to, wearable robots. The paper focuses on the topology of the communication network, the WSA hardware, and the organization of the WSA firmware. The experimental evaluation of the WSA incorporates the confirmation of the timing using the supply current WSA profile, measurements related to determining the less error prone position of the master device on the backpack, measurements of the quality of the data transfer in a real environment scenario, measurements in the presence of other microwave signals, and an example of raw IMU signals during human walking. Placement of the master device on the top of the backpack was found to be less error prone, with less than 0.02% packet loss for all the IMU devices placed on different body segments. The packet loss did not change significantly in public buildings or on the street. There was no impact of Wi-Fi bands on the WSA data transfer. The WSA hardware and firmware passed conformance testing in a certified lab. Most importantly, the WSA performed reliably in the laboratory and in clinical tests with exoskeletons and prostheses.
Self-Filtering Strip Waveguides Of S-Type

This paper discusses the behavior of guided modes in the optical-range multilayer strip waveguide with different index cross sections which are possible in this structure including the S-shaped refractive index distribution. The strip has the largest index of refraction. Special attention is paid to the case for which there is a "potential barrier" nearby the strip inside the multilayer structure. The layer nearest to the strip has a smaller refractive index which separates the strip from the outside layer. The dispersion and attenuation characteristics of modes are investigated. The S-type strip waveguide may result from increases in the dissipation factor in the outer (from the strip) layer or quasi-single-mode operation with heating losses of higher order unwanted modes.
A Novel Hybrid Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm using Two-Phase Crossover Approach for Feature Selection and Classification

Data mining process can be hampered by high dimensional large datasets, so feature selection become a mandatory task in prior for dimensionality reduction of datasets. Main motive of feature selection process is to choose most informative features and use them to maximize the classification accuracy. This work introduces a novel two phase crossover operator with grey wolf algorithm to solve the problem of feature selection. Two phase crossover improves the exploitation part. First phase crossover is used for feature selection and second phase used for adding some more important information and improve the classification accuracy. The KNN classifier improved the classification accuracy which is most famous classifier based on wrapper method. Ten-fold crossover validation is used to defeat the over-fitting problem which is always a milestone in the way of accuracy. Experiments are applied using various datasets and results prove that proposed algorithm outperform and provide better results.
Overexpression screen of interferon-stimulated genes identifies RARRES3 as a restrictor of Toxoplasma gondii infection

Toxoplasma gondii is an important human pathogen infecting an estimated one in three people worldwide. The cytokine interferon gamma (IFNγ) is induced during infection and is critical for restricting T. gondii growth in human cells. Growth restriction is presumed to be due to the induction of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that are upregulated to protect the host from infection. Although there are hundreds of ISGs induced by IFNγ, their individual roles in restricting parasite growth in human cells remain somewhat elusive. To address this deficiency, we screened a library of 414 IFNγ induced ISGs to identify factors that impact T. gondii infection in human cells. In addition to IRF1, which likely acts through the induction of numerous downstream genes, we identified RARRES3 as a single factor that restricts T. gondii infection by inducing premature egress of the parasite in multiple human cell lines. Overall, while we successfully identified a novel IFNγ induced factor restricting T. gondii infection, the limited number of ISGs capable of restricting T. gondii infection when individually expressed suggests that IFNγ-mediated immunity to T. gondii infection is a complex, multifactorial process.
Improved switching frequency variation control of hysteresis controlled voltage source inverter-fed IM drives using current error space vector

A constant switching frequency current error space vector-based hysteresis controller for two-level voltage source inverter-fed induction motor (IM) drives is proposed in this study. The proposed controller is capable of driving the IM in the entire speed range extending to the six-step mode. The proposed controller uses the parabolic boundary, reported earlier, for vector selection in a sector, but uses simple, fast and self-adaptive sector identification logic for sector change detection in the entire modulation range. This new scheme detects the sector change using the change in direction of current error along the axes jA, jB and jC. Most of the previous schemes use an outer boundary for sector change detection. So the current error goes outside the boundary six times during sector change, in one cycle, introducing additional fifth and seventh harmonic components in phase current. This may cause sixth harmonic torque pulsations in the motor and spread in the harmonic spectrum of phase voltage. The proposed new scheme detects the sector change fast and accurately eliminating the chance of introducing additional fifth and seventh harmonic components in phase current and provides harmonic spectrum of phase voltage, which exactly matches with that of constant switching frequency voltage-controlled space vector pulse width modulation (VC-SVPWM)-based two-level inverter-fed drives.
Monitoring of digital transformation risks as a key policy to prevent future financial crises

The digital transformation of finance has been significantly facilitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has become the dominant trend and the driving force of development in the upcoming years. The digital transformation brings not only benefits to financial markets, people, companies, and institutions, but it also results in dramatic changes of the underlying risks. The nature, mechanisms, and scale of financial crises are bound to change substantially. The paper develops a new, forward-looking approach to financial crises research. We build further upon the multidisciplinary research agenda on digital transformation by Verhoef et al. (2021). Achieving a bright digital future requires knowing and managing the adverse effects of digitalisation (Clim, 2019; Dickson, 2019; Gimpel & Schmied, 2019). Our literature search has not found any studies on digital transformation risks as a key policy to prevent future financial crises. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing system of risks monitoring, to analyse changes in risks due to the digital transformation in finance, and to provide policymakers with insights regarding the related evolution of risks. This paper is a policy analysis type of research containing a systematic overview of risk assessment reports at the global and the EU levels.
Individual Charge Equalization Converter with Parallel Primary Winding of Transformer for Series Connected Lithium-Ion Battery Strings in an HEV

In this paper, a charge equalization converter with parallel-connected primary windings of transformers is proposed. The proposed work effectively balances the voltage among Lithium-Ion battery cells despite each battery cell has low voltage gap compared with its state of charge (SOC). The principle of the proposed work is that the equalizing energy from all battery strings moves to the lowest voltage battery through the isolated dc/dc converter controlled by the corresponding solid state relay switch. For this research a prototype of four Lithium-Ion battery cells is optimally designed and implemented, and experimental results show that the proposed method has excellent cell balancing performance.