Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of Low Dropout Voltage Regulator

This paper is a review paper on Low Dropout (LDO) Voltage Regulator. Various techniques that have been proposed to improve performance parameters of LDO are studied and their performance is compared with the proposed Low Dropout (LDO) voltage regulator using Bulk Modulation Technique. The proposed LDO regulator is able to delivers up to 5 mA of load current while providing 1 V (~1.5% load regulation) drawing 99.0 μA from a 1.2 V supply. It has been observed that the proposed circuit offers better stability as well as 75% improvement in the load current delivery and recovery time of 0.16 μs for no-load to full-load transition. The proposed LDO is implemented in a standard 0.13-μm CMOS process.
Using context and preferences to implement self‐adapting pervasive computing applications

Applications that exploit contextual information in order to adapt their behaviour to dynamically changing operating environments and user requirements are increasingly being explored as part of the vision of pervasive or ubiquitous computing. Despite recent advances in infrastructure to support these applications through the acquisition, interpretation and dissemination of context data from sensors, they remain prohibitively difficult to develop and have made little penetration beyond the laboratory. This situation persists largely due to a lack of appropriately high‐level abstractions for describing, reasoning about and exploiting context information as a basis for adaptation. In this paper, we present our efforts to address this challenge, focusing on our novel approach involving the use of preference information as a basis for making flexible adaptation decisions. We also discuss our experiences in applying our conceptual and software frameworks for context and preference modelling to a case study involving the development of an adaptive communication application. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The NInA Framework - Using Gesture to Improve Interaction and Collaboration in Geographical Information Systems

Nowadays, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have expanded their functionalities including larger interactive displays exploration of spatiotemporal data with several views. These systems maintain a traditional navigation method based on keyboard and mouse, interaction devices not well suited for large screens nor for collaborative work. This paper aims at showing the applicability of new devices to fill the usability gap for the scenario of large screens presentation, interaction and collaboration. New gesture-based devices have been proposed and adopted in games and medical applications, for example. This paper presents the NInA Framework, which allows an integration of natural user interface (NUI) on GIS, with the advantage of being expandable, as new demands are posed to that systems. The validation process of our NInA Kinect-based framework was made through user experiments involving specialists and non-specialists in TerrainViewer, a geographical information system, as well as experts and non-experts in the Kinect technology. The results showed that a NUI approach demands a short learning time, with just a couple of interactions and instructions, and the user is ready to go. Moreover, the users demonstrated greater satisfaction, leading to their productivity
The closely related ermB-ermAM genes from Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis (pAM beta 1), and Streptococcus agalactiae (pIP501) are flanked by variants of a directly repeated sequence

The Clostridium perfringens macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance gene, ermBP, was sequenced and shown to be identical to the ermB-ermAM gene from the promiscuous Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pAM beta 1 and to have at least 98% nucleotide sequence identity to other ermB-ermAM genes. Flanking the ermBP structural gene were almost identical directly repeated 1,341-bp sequences (DR1 and DR2). These repeats potentially encoded a 298 (or 284)-amino-acid protein that had sequence similarity to chromosomal and plasmid partitioning proteins. The pAM beta 1 and Streptococcus agalactiae (pIP501) erm determinants appeared to have DR2 but had similar internal 973- or 956-bp deletions in DR1, respectively. Some of the other ermB-ermAM class determinants had small portions of DR1, but none had complete copies. It is postulated that the C. perfringens ermBP determinant was derived from an enterococcal or streptococcal determinant that had complete copies of both DR1 and DR2.
The Spot-the-Word test: a robust estimate of verbal intelligence based on lexical decision.

The development of a test aimed at estimating premorbid intelligence is described. The test, Spot-the-Word, involves presenting the subject with pairs of items comprising one word and one non-word, and requiring the subject to identify the word. Data show that performance correlates highly with verbal intelligence as estimated by Mill Hill Vocabulary score and by performance on the National Adult Reading Test (NART). Performance does not decline with age, in contrast to an associated test of verbal recognition memory. A second study attempted to test the effect of intellectual deterioration due to age on Spot-the-Word performance. Elderly subjects who had high vocabulary scores scored well on the Spot-the-Word regardless of whether fluid intelligence as measured by the AH4 test was well preserved, or was low, implying intellectual deterioration. A final study collected normative data on a sample of 224 subjects stratified by age and socio-economic status, with each subject performing two parallel forms of the test, A and B, together with the NART. Correlation between the two forms was . 884, while correlation with NART was . 831 for Form A and . 859 for Form B, suggesting adequate reliability and validity. It is concluded that the test provides a potentially useful additional method of estimating premorbid intelligence.
Electromagnetic characteristics of frequency selective fabric composites

Frequency selective fabric composites that transmit microwaves in certain frequency bands are proposed. The composites consist of carbon fibres and low-loss dielectric fibres that together build periodic patterns. Unlike existing metallic frequency selective surfaces, the frequency selective fabric composite with additional load-carrying capability showed an amount of transmission near a resonance frequency.
Diet, muscle glycogen and physical performance.

The muscle glycogen content of the quadriceps femoris muscle was determined in 9 healthy subjects with the aid of the needle biopsy technique. The glycogen content could be varied in the individual subjects by instituting different diets after exhaustion of the glycogen store by hard exercise. Thus, the glycogen content after a fat ± protein (P) and a carbohydrate-rich (C) diet varied maximally from 0.6 g/100g muscle to 4.7 g. In all subjects, the glycogen content after the C diet was higher than the normal range for muscle glycogen, determined after the mixed (M) diet. After each diet period, the subjects worked on a bicycle ergometer at a work load corresponding to 75 per cent of their maximal O2 uptake, to complete exhaustion. The average work time was 59, 126 and 189 min after diets P, M and C, and a good correlation was noted between work time and the initial muscle glycogen content. The total carbohydrate utilization during the work periods (54–798 g) was well correlated to the decrease in glycogen content. It is therefore concluded that the glycogen content of the working muscle is a determinant for the capacity to perform long-term heavy exercise. Moreover, it has been shown that the glycogen content and, consequently, the long-term work capacity can be appreciably varied by instituting different diets after glycogen depletion.
Textes des experts Sédation et analgésie en réanimation – Aspects pédiatriques § Sedation and analgesia in the paediatric intensive care unit

Sedation and analgesia are a constant challenging issue in paediatric intensive care units, for ethical reasons among others. Basically, goals and available treatments in that context do not differ from those in adults. For instance, while we propose midazolam as the first choice benzodiazepine, there is no evidence for encouraging the use of one morphinomimetic rather than others in children. On the other hand, numerous paediatric specificities do exist: understanding and expression of pain both different and difficult, presence and involvement of the parents, pain assessment methods, pharmacology, pathologies. It is therefore mandatory to know these specificities to ensure a proper use of evaluation tools and therapeutics. The paucity of strong evidence from the literature does not allow producing definitive consensus guidelines. However, some practices can be highlighted such as the use of written protocol on pain/sedation evaluation and therapeutics adapted to children, literature data and local habits, the training of medical/nursing staff and the constitution of local referring team. A particular attention should be paid to propofol: its use longer than several hours should be strongly discouraged in infants and children due to the risk of Propofol Infusion Syndrome. Further clinical studies should be conducted in an attempt to provide answers to routine, daily issues and questions, for example, how to tailor the level of sedation to the needs of the patient, how to stop it, which drug must be preferred or what place for non-pharmacological approaches. # 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits réservés. Mots-clés : Douleur ; Morphine ; Fentanyl ; Sufentanil
HOW DOES PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY WORK?

Those readers already familiar with the field of photodynamic therapy (PDT)t will consider this title somewhat presumptuous since it implies that the answer to the posed question is known. Indeed, answers to many questions regarding PDT have been found over the past decade, but a comprehensive understanding of all mechanisms involved in PDT tumor destruction has not yet emerged. This paper will attempt to deal with this complex subject by giving a sequential account of the effects occurring during PDT tissue treatment on a cellular and tissue level. Photodynamic therapy is based on the dye-sensitized photooxidation of biological matter in the target tissue (Foote, 1990). This requires the presence of a dye (sensitizer) in the tissue to be treated. Although such sensitizers can be naturally occurring constituents of cells and tissues, in the case of PDT they are introduced into the organism as the first step of treatment. In the second step, the tissuelocalized sensitizer is exposed to light of wavelength appropriate for absorption by the sensitizer. Through various photophysical pathways, also involving molecular oxygen, oxygenated products harmful to cell function arise and eventual tissue destruction results. In keeping with the chronological nature of this review, the subject matter will be divided into the
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 in bipolar disorder: An expression study in peripheral tissues

Abstract Objectives: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) is a member of the family of high-affinity binding proteins (IGFBP1–6) and appears to play a governing role in insulin-like growth factor (IGF) regulation in the central nervous system. This study aimed to investigate the putative involvement of IGFBP2 in mood disorder pathogenesis by measuring its expression levels in patient peripheral tissues. Methods: IGFBP2 protein and mRNA levels were measured in the serum of 93 controls, 41 bipolar disorder (BD) and 43 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and in the skin fibroblasts from 15 controls, 12 BD and 23 MDD patients. Results: The results indicated reduced expression of IGFBP2 in both tissues of BD patients, whereas no difference was found in MDD patients compared with controls. Conclusions: Our findings in peripheral tissues are consistent with previous results in the brain and support a downregulation of IGFBP2 expression that is specific for BD, suggesting a role for this protein in the alterations in neurodevelopment and neuroprotection observed in the disorder. Further studies in independent and larger cohorts are warranted to confirm the involvement of IGFBP2 in BD.
Clustering of lifestyle risk factors in a general adult population.

BACKGROUND The objective of the study was to evaluate the degree of clustering of common lifestyle risk factors in a general adult population and to define subgroups with elevated clustering. METHODS Data on lifestyle risk factors (smoking, low vegetable and fruit consumption, excessive alcohol intake, and low physical activity), sociodemographics, and health perception were collected by questionnaire from 16,789 men and women aged 20 to 59. RESULTS About 20% of the subjects had at least three lifestyle risk factors. Prevalence of risk factors was higher among unemployed, low-educated subjects and those who had experienced health deterioration. All lifestyle risk factors showed significant clustering, except for low physical activity and excessive alcohol consumption. The strongest association was observed for alcohol and smoking (prevalence odds ratio (POR): 2.38; 95% confidence interval: 2.18-2.61). Clustering of smoking and alcohol consumption was strongest among the young subjects (POR: 3.78) and, although moderately, clustering of lifestyle risk factors was elevated in subjects who had experienced a deterioration in health. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that common lifestyle risk factors cluster among adult subjects. The tendency for risk factors to aggregate has important implications for health promotion. Information on high-risk groups will help in planning future preventive strategies.
Neutrophil microparticle production and inflammasome activation by hyperglycemia due to cytoskeletal instability

Microparticles are lipid bilayer–enclosed vesicles produced by cells under oxidative stress. MP production is elevated in patients with diabetes, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesized that raising glucose above the physiological level of 5.5 mm would stimulate leukocytes to produce MPs and activate the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain–containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. We found that when incubated in buffer with up to 20 mm glucose, human and murine neutrophils, but not monocytes, generate progressively more MPs with high interleukin (IL)-1β content. Enhanced MP production required generation of reactive chemical species by mitochondria, NADPH oxidase, and type 2 nitric-oxide synthase (NOS-2) and resulted in S-nitrosylation of actin. Depleting cells of capon (C-terminal PDZ ligand of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase protein), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC), or pro-IL-1β prevented the hyperglycemia-induced enhancement of reactive species production, MP generation, and IL-1β synthesis. Additional components required for these responses included inositol 1,3,5-triphosphate receptors, PKC, and enhancement of filamentous-actin turnover. Numerous proteins become localized to short filamentous actin in response to S-nitrosylation, including vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, focal adhesion kinase, the membrane phospholipid translocation enzymes flippase and floppase, capon, NLRP3, and ASC. We conclude that an interdependent oxidative stress response to hyperglycemia perturbs neutrophil cytoskeletal stability leading to MP production and IL-1β synthesis.
A Bernoulli mean estimate with known relative error distribution

Suppose that X1,X2,… are independent identically distributed Bernoulli random variables with mean p, so ℙ(Xi=1)=p and ℙ(Xi=0)=1−p . Any estimate p^ of p has relative error p^/p−1 . This paper builds a new estimate p^ of p with the remarkable property that the relative error of the estimate does not depend in any way on the value of p. This allows the easy construction of exact confidence intervals for p of any desired level without needing any sort of limit or approximation. In addition, p^ is unbiased. For ∊ and δ in (0, 1), to obtain an estimate where ℙ(|p^/p−1|>ϵ)≤δ , the new algorithm takes on average at most 2ϵ−2p−1ln(2δ−1)(1−(4/3)ϵ)−1 samples. It is also shown that any such algorithm that applies whenever p≤1/2 requires at least (1/5)ϵ−2(1+2ϵ)(1−δ)ln((2−δ)δ−1)p−1 samples on average. The same algorithm can also be applied to estimate the mean of any random variable that falls in [0,1] . The p^ used here employs randomness external to the sample, and has a small (but nonzero) chance of being above 1. It is shown that any nontrivial p^ where the relative error is independent of p must also have these properties. Applications of this methodology include finding exact p‐values and randomized approximation algorithms for # P complete problems. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 50, 173–182, 2017
An accurate two diode model computation for CIS thin film PV module using the hybrid approach

This paper proposes an accurate computation for the parameters of the two diode model for the Copper Indium Diselenide (CIS) thin film PV module. The approach is based on a hybrid solution, i.e. by combining the traditional analytical method with the soft computing technique known as the Differential Evolution (DE). In contrast to conventional modelling methods which rely on keeping several parameters constant (in order to make the model manageable), the proposed model computes all parameters simultaneously at a given irradiance and temperature using only the information available in the datasheet. The photocurrent (IPV) and saturation current for the first diode (Io1) are analytically computed while the rest of the parameters are determined using DE. The accuracy of the new computation technique is verified using the experimental data of two CIS thin film modules, namely the Shell ST36 and ST40. Furthermore, its performance was compared against an established two diode model from the literature. In all cases, the new method is found to exhibit superior accuracy. In particular, it performs very well at low irradiance and high temperature conditions.
X-ray diffraction-enhanced imaging of uterine leiomyomas.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the microstructures of a uterine leiomyoma using a synchrotron-based imaging technique. MATERIAL/METHODS The tissues of different regions of a uterine leiomyoma were imaged using X-ray diffraction-enhanced imaging. RESULTS Compared with optical microscopy and conventional X-ray, X-ray diffraction-enhanced imaging can show not only the surface, but also the internal structure of organs or soft tissues with better contrast. Internal hyaline degeneration and the cavum of liquefied uterine leiomyomas are shown very clearly. Some microstructures, such as the myomatous burble, rupture and conglomeration of muscle fiber, and the cavum resulting from red degeneration, can be displayed in X-ray diffraction-enhanced images. These microstructures can show the developmental progress of necrosis in uterine leiomyomas and indicate their potential canceration. CONCLUSIONS X-ray diffraction-enhanced imaging can clearly show internal microstructures of uterine leiomyomas, making the complex procedure of doing this with a large number of pathology slices avoidable.
Realizing an Intelligent FFT-Analyzer using TMS 320 C 40 DSPs Frequency Ghost

“This document was an entry in the TI DSP Challenge 2000, an annual contest organized by TI to encourage students from around the world to find innovative ways to use DSPs. For more information on the TI DSP Challenge 2000, see TI’s World Wide Web site at www.ti. com/sc/dsp_challenge. ” Frequency domain signal analysis is continuously and increasingly spreading due to the increasing number of applications that require more in-depth information on the frequency content of given signals. The reduced complexity and high accuracy of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms [1]-[3] and the high processing capability of modern DSPs allow high-speed high-performance FFT analyzers to be set up. A number of instruments capable of executing an FFT-based spectral analysis are available on the market, with different hardware and software solutions and, consequently, different performance and application fields. However, their firmware is not easy modifiable (except for digitizer software) and this lack in flexibility makes them not easily employable in dedicated applications, such as on-line diagnosis or automatic process control. Moreover, whichever the type of FFTAnalyzer used, it is necessary to define some measurement parameters (e.g. point number, sampling frequency, window). The accuracy, or even the correctness, of the obtained measurements, strongly depends on the values assumed by these parameters. As a consequence, the user has to be an expert to optimally fix these parameters and also to evaluate the effects of eventual setting mistakes. On the other hand, the optimum values of these parameters depend on the harmonic content of the signal to be analyzed and consequently they cannot be a-priori defined without any knowledge about the signal. Here, the realization of a real-time “intelligent” FFT analyzer, based on a two TMS320C40 DSPs by Texas Instruments (TI) architecture [4]-[6], is presented. It is able to analyze signals with an unknown and variable spectral content, without any user intervention in the configuration of the analysis parameters. The acquisition and communication resources of ‘C40 chips are exploited to perform a continuous data acquisition and a parallel distribution of the computational load. A userfriendly interface on a PC displays measurement results with a continuous screen update, and lets user choose among some display options and some utilities. In the following, the realized FFT-Analyzer is described in detail, outlining the instrument autoconfiguration capabilities, the distribution of tasks among the processors, the time performances and the obtained measurement capability.
Postglacial recolonization at a snail's pace (Trochulus villosus): confronting competing refugia hypotheses using model selection

The localization of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) refugia is crucial information to understand a species’ history and predict its reaction to future climate changes. However, many phylogeographical studies often lack sampling designs intensive enough to precisely localize these refugia. The hairy land snail Trochulus villosus has a small range centred on Switzerland, which could be intensively covered by sampling 455 individuals from 52 populations. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI and 16S), we identified two divergent lineages with distinct geographical distributions. Bayesian skyline plots suggested that both lineages expanded at the end of the LGM. To find where the origin populations were located, we applied the principles of ancestral character reconstruction and identified a candidate refugium for each mtDNA lineage: the French Jura and Central Switzerland, both ice‐free during the LGM. Additional refugia, however, could not be excluded, as suggested by the microsatellite analysis of a population subset. Modelling the LGM niche of T. villosus, we showed that suitable climatic conditions were expected in the inferred refugia, but potentially also in the nunataks of the alpine ice shield. In a model selection approach, we compared several alternative recolonization scenarios by estimating the Akaike information criterion for their respective maximum‐likelihood migration rates. The ‘two refugia’ scenario received by far the best support given the distribution of genetic diversity in T. villosus populations. Provided that fine‐scale sampling designs and various analytical approaches are combined, it is possible to refine our necessary understanding of species responses to environmental changes.