Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a Broadband Polarization-Reconfigurable Fabry–Perot Resonator Antenna

In this letter, a broadband polarization-reconfigurable Fabry–Perot (FP) resonator antenna is presented for WLAN/WiMAX applications. The open air-filled FP cavity is constructed by a partially reflective surface (PRS) layer directly placed over a fully reflective ground plane. A two-element patch array is employed to serve as a feeder. To achieve polarization reconfigurability, the feeding antenna is designed to have the capability of switching between horizontal linear polarization (HP) and vertical linear polarization (VP) by controlling the <sc>on/off</sc> states of four pairs of p-i-n diodes. By combining the frequency resonances of the FP cavity and the feeding antenna, the proposed FP resonator antenna obtains broadband performance. Furthermore, the proposed antenna achieves a broadband 3 dB gain bandwidth by designing the PRS layer to have a reflection phase with positive slope over as wide a frequency band as possible. The proposed antenna was fabricated and experimentally characterized. Measurements demonstrate that it achieves a −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 21<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $\%$</tex-math></inline-formula> ranging from 2.2 to 2.72 GHz, which can well cover WLAN/WiMAX band of operation. The 3 dB gain bandwidths of 12.5<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\%$</tex-math></inline-formula> and 14.6<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\%$</tex-math></inline-formula> are obtained with peak realized gains of 15.1 and 14.8 dBi for the HP and VP, respectively.
Warpages of ACF-bonded COG packages induced from manufacturing and thermal cycling

As the application of the COG (chip on glass) with ACF (anisotropic conductive film) to the LCDs (liquid crystal displayers), the problems with the warpage of COG packages, interfacial delamination, and increasing contact resistance of bumps, during or after thermal and moisture loading, are major reliability issues encountered in the industry. The goal in the present study is to investigate the effect of the parameters, such as bonding pressure and temperature during manufacturing, thermal and moisture expansion of the ACF and its fillets, and thermal cycling (from room temperature to 85/spl deg/C), on the warpages of the ACF-bonded COG packages. The full-field Twyman-Green interferometry is used for measuring the warpages of the COG packages due to the fabrication with the various bonding pressure and temperature, and during thermal cycling. 3D finite element models are used for calculating the warpage in terms of such parameters and those results are compared with experimental observations in order to understand the mechanics.
Thinking issues: Strategies for answering examination questions: how do novice programmers build a theory of the program?

There is nothing like the practice of teaching to give insight into CS Ed research questions. As a research field CS Ed research is one of the more productively practice linked, and seems to iterate through cycles of practice informing research and research informing practice. This semester has been an interesting experience for me as I have been a member of our introductory programming (CS1) teaching team. Normally my undergraduate teaching is at the other end of our degree supervising final year capstone projects. However in the BRACElet project [8] our work has been investigating the process of acquiring programming knowledge, with an initial focus on introductory courses. Thus I have felt at times a bit divorced from the issues and challenges faced by educators at the grass roots. We held a tutorial the other day prior to the end of semester examination for the CS1 course, and I was working through a few exercises with the class and considering strategies for answering the types of questions students might expect in the examination. The question below occasioned some discussion in class and I managed to tie myself up in knots, as I outlined what I simplistically thought was a useful strategy of using a trace table to help in understanding the purpose of the code. The rationale for a trace table was to reduce the complexity of the problem by making the abstract more concrete [3]. This was consistent with Hazzan [3] who has proposed that students have an attained level of abstraction ability to which they naturally revert as a coping strategy when answering questions which demand higher levels of abstract thought. Such strategies can serve to reduce the level of complexity in the task. The selection of a concrete set of sample data to run through the program was the realisation of that strategy. This question was an example of an “explain in plain English” question [9, 10] intended to elicit a student’s understanding of a piece of code.
Structured exercise training programme versus hypocaloric hyperproteic diet in obese polycystic ovary syndrome patients with anovulatory infertility: a 24-week pilot study.

BACKGROUND Lifestyle modifications are successfully employed to treat obese and overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aims of the current pilot study were (i) to compare the efficacy on reproductive functions of a structured exercise training (SET) programme with a diet programme in obese PCOS patients and (ii) to study their clinical, hormonal and metabolic effects to elucidate potentially different mechanisms of action. METHODS Forty obese PCOS patients with anovulatory infertility underwent a SET programme (SET group, n = 20) and a hypocaloric hyperproteic diet (diet group, n = 20). Clinical, hormonal and metabolic data were assessed at baseline, and at 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Primary endpoint was cumulative pregnancy rate. RESULTS The two groups had similar demographic, anthropometric and biochemical parameters. After intervention, a significant improvement in menstrual cycles and fertility was noted in both groups, with no differences between groups. The frequency of menses and the ovulation rate were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the SET group than in diet group but the increased cumulative pregnancy rate was not significant. Body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, insulin resistance indexes and serum levels of sex hormone-binding globulin, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate changed significantly (P < 0.05) from baseline and were significantly different (P < 0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Both SET and diet interventions improve fertility in obese PCOS patients with anovulatory infertility. We hypothesize that in both interventions an improvement in insulin sensitivity is the pivotal factor involved in the restoration of ovarian function but potentially acting through different mechanisms.
Evaluation of a prototype integrated robotic and virtual mirror therapy system for stroke rehabilitation

Stroke affects up to 2% of the population, with an increasing number of patients surviving the event and requiring rehabilitation, placing increasing demand on medical systems. As a result, there is an emergent area of research investigating the use of robotics as a means to aid in stroke patients' rehabilitation. Projects such as the MIT Manus have provided evidence of the efficacy of robotic rehabilitation for stroke patients, but further research is required to provide ongoing improvements to this approach. Concurrent enquiry has shown mirror therapy, originally applied to treat phantom pain syndrome in amputees, to be potentially efficacious in stroke rehabilitation. A prototype robotic rehabilitation system was developed to investigate the integration of these two approaches to stroke rehabilitation as a more eclectic approach. The operation of the prototype was verified, however further development is required to produce a system suitable for patient trials.
Fusion power production from TFTR plasmas fueled with deuterium and tritium.

Peak fusion power production of 6.2 ± 0.4 MW has been achieved in TFTR plasmas heated by deuterium and tritium neutral beams at a total power of 29.5 MW. These plasmas have an inferred central fusion alpha particle density of 1.2 x 1017 m ₋3 without the appearance of either disruptive magnetohydrodynamics events or detectable changes in Alfven wave activity. The measured loss rate of energetic alpha particles agreed with the approximately 5% losses expected from alpha particles which are born on unconfined orbits.
Best practices for use of stable isotope mixing models in food-web studies

Stable isotope mixing models are increasingly used to quantify consumer diets, but may be misused and misinter- preted. We address major challenges to their effective application. Mixing models have increased rapidly in sophistication. Current models estimate probability distributions of source contributions, have user-friendly interfaces, and incorporate com- plexities such as variability in isotope signatures, discrimination factors, hierarchical variance structure, covariates, and con- centration dependence. For proper implementation of mixing models, we offer the following suggestions. First, mixing models can only be as good as the study and data. Studies should have clear questions, be informed by knowledge of the system, and have strong sampling designs to effectively characterize isotope variability of consumers and resources on proper spatio-temporal scales. Second, studies should use models appropriate for the question and recognize their assumptions and limitations. Decisions about source grouping or incorporation of concentration dependence can influence results. Third, studies should be careful about interpretation of model outputs. Mixing models generally estimate proportions of assimilated resources with substantial uncertainty distributions. Last, common sense, such as graphing data before analyzing, is essential to maximize usefulness of these tools. We hope these suggestions for effective implementation of stable isotope mixing models will aid continued development and application of this field.
An N‐factor Gaussian model of oil futures prices

This article studies the ability of an N‐factor Gaussian model to explain the stochastic behavior of oil futures prices when estimated with the use of all available price information, as opposed to traditional approaches of aggregating data for a set of maturities. A Kalman filter estimation procedure that allows for a time‐dependent number of daily observations is used to calibrate the model. When applied to all daily oil futures price transactions from 1992 to 2001, the model performs very well, requiring at least three factors to explain the term structure of futures prices, but four factors to fit the volatility term structure. The model also performs very well for daily copper futures transactions from 1992 to 2001 and for out‐of‐sample daily oil futures transactions from 2002 to 2004. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 26:243–268, 2006
Experimental evaluation of topological parameters determining protein-folding rates

Recent work suggests that structural topology plays a key role in determining protein-folding rates and pathways. The refolding rates of small proteins that fold without intermediates are found to correlate with simple structural parameters such as relative contact order, long-range order, or the fraction of short-range contacts. To test and evaluate the role of structural topology experimentally, a set of circular permutants of the ribosomal protein S6 from Thermus thermophilus was analyzed. Despite a wide range of relative contact order, the permuted proteins all fold with similar rates. These results suggest that alternative topological parameters may better describe the role of topology in protein-folding rates.
Prognostic significance of the CD10+CD19+CD34+ B-progenitor immunophenotype in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a report from the Children's Cancer Group.

Leukemic cells from most patients with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) appear to originate from normal B-lymphocyte precursors. The earliest B-cell progenitors coexpress the antigens CD10, CD19, or CD34 on their cell surfaces. In a large cohort of 2028 children with ALL, we compared treatment outcomes of a subset of B-lineage ALL patients with CD10+CD19+CD34+ immature B-progenitor leukemia (BPL) to the treatment outcomes of the remaining CD19+ B-lineage ALL patients. Pediatric B-lineage ALL cases enrolled on risk-adjusted ALL treatment protocols of the Children's Cancer Group were immunophenotypically classified as BPL or non-BPL. Patients were stratified further into age groups of > or = 1 year and <12 months. Event-free survival (EFS) outcomes were calculated by standard life table methods. BPL patients in both age groups generally had more favorable presenting characteristics than non-BPL controls. Within the age group of > or = 1 year, BPL patients had a slightly better EFS outcome than non-BPL patients, with 3-year estimates of 83.9% (SD = 1.1%) vs. 78.8% (SD = 1.8%), respectively (P = 0.10). Infants with BPL, representing one-fifth of the total infant patient population, had a significantly better EFS outcome than infants with non-BPL (three-year EFS: 82.4%, SD = 9.2% vs. 34.4%, SD = 5.9%, P = 0.006). In univariate analyses, the relative hazard rate (RHR) was 3.73 for non-BPL vs BPL and this marked difference in EFS outcome was maintained at 5 years of follow-up. The favorable prognostic influence of the BPL immunophenotype for infants remained significant in multivariate analyses with an RHR of 2.72 for non-BPL vs BPL (P = 0.05). CD10+CD19+CD34+ immature B-progenitor immunophenotype is associated with favorable characteristics for children with ALL and identifies a subset of infants who achieve favorable EFS outcomes.
Self-organized neighborhood restructuring in social fabric

A self-organized system emerges as the result of interactions between its components. Such interactions are not organized centrally but in a distributed manner. In this paper, a new neighborhood restructuring is proposed in socially motivated algorithms based on the concept of self-organization. We propose an algorithm where the individuals increase/decrease their neighborhood size to emerge an irregular and dynamic topology based on their local awareness. The performance of our proposed approach is measured based on the IEEE-CEC2015 optimization benchmark. Compared to the best-known results of standard social fabric algorithm, our proposed method showed a better performance on a diverse landscape of numerical optimization problems.
Sendai Virus Targets Inflammatory Responses, as Well as the Interferon-Induced Antiviral State, in a Multifaceted Manner

ABSTRACT We have used cDNA arrays to compare the activation of various cellular genes in response to infection with Sendai viruses (SeV) that contain specific mutations. Three groups of cellular genes activated by mutant SeV infection, but not by wild-type SeV, were identified in this way. While some of these genes are well known interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes, others, such as those for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8, are not directly induced by IFN. The gene for beta IFN (IFN-β), which is critical for initiating an antiviral response, was also specifically activated in mutant SeV infections. The SeV-induced activation of IFN-β was found to depend on IFN regulatory factor 3, and the activation of all three cellular genes was independent of IFN signaling. Mutations that disrupt four distinct elements in the SeV genome (the leader RNA, two regions of the C protein, and the V protein) all lead to enhanced levels of IFN-β mRNA, and at least three of these viral genes also appear to be involved in preventing activation of IL-8. Our results suggest that SeV targets the inflammatory and adaptive immune responses as well as the IFN-induced intracellular antiviral state by using a multifaceted approach.
Monolithic Integration of CMOS VLSI and Carbon Nanotubes for Hybrid Nanotechnology Applications

We integrate carbon nanotube (CNT) fabrication with standard commercial CMOS very large scale integration on a single substrate suitable for emerging hybrid nanotechnology applications. This cointegration combines the inherent advantages of CMOS and CNTs. These emerging applications include CNT optical, biological, chemical, and gas sensors that require complex CMOS electronics for sensor control, calibration, and signal processing. We demonstrate the successful cointegration on a single chip with a vehicle circuit, a two-transistor cascode megahertz amplifier utilizing both silicon n-channel MOSFET and CNT transistors with a total power consumption of 62.5 muW.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: acquisition and risk of death in patients in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the risk of patients in intensive care units (ICU) of becoming infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and to assess the mortality during a six week follow-up period, compared with patients who developed methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) infection. DESIGN Point prevalence survey. SETTING 1417 ICU in 17 Western European countries. SUBJECTS 10038 patients in ICU who were part in the EPIC (European Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care) Study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of MRSA and MSSA ICU-acquired infections, risk factors, and mortality. RESULTS On the study day 21% of patients had ICU-acquired infections. The most commonly reported pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (30%). Overall, 60% of strains of S. aureus were resistant to methicillin (with a wide intercountry variation). The most commonly reported MRSA infections were pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infections. The most important risk factor for MRSA was the length of stay in the ICU. MRSA infection reduced the chance of survival, particularly when it was found in lower respiratory tract infections: the risk of mortality was three times higher in patients with MRSA than in those with MSSA. CONCLUSION Patients in ICU are at high risk of becoming infected with MRSA. The longer they stay, the higher the risk. Patients with MRSA infections are less likely to survive than those with MSSA.
Uncoupling of Ligand-binding Affinity of the Bacterial Serine Chemoreceptor from Methylation- and Temperature-modulated Signaling States*

The Escherichia coli chemoreceptor Tsr mediates tactic responses to serine, repellents, and changes in temperature. We have previously shown that the serine-sensing ability of Tsr-T156C, which has a unique cysteine in place of threonine at residue 156, is specifically inactivated by thiol-modifying reagents and that l-serine protects the receptor from modification. In this study, we demonstrated the correlation between protective effects of various attractants and their potencies to elicit attractant responses. This indirect binding assay was used to monitor the affinity of the receptor for l-serine under various conditions. It has been demonstrated by in vitro assays that the ligand-binding affinities of Tsr and the related chemoreceptor Tar are unaffected by changes in the methylation state of the receptor. Using the serine protection assay, we re-examined this issue both in vitro and in vivo. The methylation levels of Tsr-T156C did not affect its ligand-binding affinity. We also showed both in vitro and in vivo that the ligand-binding affinity was unaffected by temperature. These results suggest that the structure of the periplasmic domain of the receptor is uncoupled from the signaling states of the cytoplasmic domain. This ligand-binding assay system should be applicable to other receptors.
A quantitative framework For large-scale model estimation and discrimination In systems biology

Using models to simulate and analyze biological networks requires principled approaches to parameter estimation and model discrimination. We use Bayesian and Monte Carlo methods to recover the full probability distributions of free parameters (initial protein concentrations and rate constants) for mass action models of receptor-mediated cell death. The width of the individual parameter distributions is largely determined by non-identifiability but co-variation among parameters, even those that are poorly determined, encodes essential information. Knowledge of joint parameter distributions makes it possible to compute the uncertainty of model-based predictions whereas ignoring it (e.g. by treating parameters as a simple list of values and variances) yields nonsensical predictions. Computing the Bayes factor from joint distributions yields the odds ratio (-20-fold) for competing "direct" and "indirect" apoptosis models having different numbers of parameters. The methods presented in this thesis were then extended to make predictions in eight apoptosis mini-models. Despite topological uncertainty, the simulated predictions can be used to drive experimental design. Our results illustrate how Bayesian approaches to model calibration and discrimination combined with single-cell data represent a generally useful and rigorous approach to discriminating between competing hypotheses in the face of parametric and topological uncertainty. Thesis Supervisor: Peter K. Sorger Title: Otto Krayer Professor of Systems Biology Thesis Supervisor: John N. Tsitsiklis Title: Clarence J. Lebel Professor of Electrical Engineering
Public-private sector wage differentials around the world: Methods and evidence ∗

My intention, in this (rather unambitiously titled) paper, is to present a brief overview of work on the rationale and evidence for the existence of pay premia or penalties associated with working in the public sector. Many studies have found evidence of such premia or penalties (and mostly the former, especially for women) using econometric methods that are not dissimilar to those utilised in measurement of the wage differential associated with trade union status. But whereas economic theory gives a simple rationale for the existence of a union wage differential (i.e. market power), it is harder to find a simple story that can explain why workers in the public sector should earn more (or less) than their counterparts in the private sector. If the rationale for a public sector ‘pay effect’ is that public sector workers are somehow ‘different’ from workers in the private sector – whether as a result of differences in their own productive characteristics or in the nature of the jobs that they undertake – it should be straightforward to net out these differences through additional control variables. In this case, we are left to look for something intrinsic to working in the public sector that ‘explains’ these observed differences. Consideration of these ‘intrinsic differences’ forms the basis of the next section of the paper. Alternatively, of course, there is the possibility that regression estimates that purport