Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenges for including characteristic current as a design parameter in optimization of IPM machines

The magnet flux linkage to ¿-axis inductance is defined as characteristic current, which is a key factor to determine the Constant Power Speed Range (CPSR) and flux weakening performance of Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) machines. Therefore, it is critical to predict the accurate value of the characteristic current when considered as an objective or constraint in an optimization process of IPM machines. This paper closely investigates the sensitivity of characteristic current to the variation of magnet flux linkage and inductances due to saturation. A new method is proposed to estimate the characteristic current precisely by considering the variation of direct axis flux linkage under the saturation condition. A systematic procedure is also provided to implement the proposed method in a multi-objective optimization process which can concurrently consider the Finite Element (FE) simulation effort to minimize computational costs. It is also shown that the proposed method can be employed in a design optimization of an IPM machine with the characteristic current smaller, equal or larger than 1pu. Two case studies are considered in this paper to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method in a design optimization of IPM machines. Results of the experimental tests provide confidence on the accuracy of proposed method and FE results.
Free Thyroxine and Free Thyroxine Index In Women Taking Oral Contraceptives

This study compares the accuracy of the free thyroxine index and free serum thyroxine radioassay in evaluating the metabolic status of 36 euthyroid women, 17 of whom were taking oral contraceptive drugs. Results indicate that the free thyroxine index does not uniformly compensate for estrogen-induced elevations in total serum thyroxine concentrations and that the free serum thyroxine is the test of choice in assessing the functional thyroid status of women taking oral contraceptive drugs.
Multi-user quantum key distribution with entangled photons from an AlGaAs chip

In view of real-world applications of quantum information technologies, the combination of miniature quantum resources with existing fibre networks is a crucial issue. Among such resources, on-chip entangled photon sources play a central role for applications spanning quantum communications, computing and metrology. Here, we use a semiconductor source of entangled photons operating at room temperature in conjunction with standard telecom components to demonstrate multi-user quantum key distribution, a core protocol for securing communications in quantum networks. The source consists of an AlGaAs chip-emitting polarisation entangled photon pairs over a large bandwidth in the main telecom band around 1550 nm without the use of any off-chip compensation or interferometric scheme; the photon pairs are directly launched into a dense wavelength division multiplexer (DWDM) and secret keys are distributed between several pairs of users communicating through different channels. We achieve a visibility measured after the DWDM of 87% and show long-distance key distribution using a 50-km standard telecom fibre link between two network users. These results illustrate a promising route to practical, resource-efficient implementations adapted to quantum network infrastructures.
Suitability of hair type for dermatophytes perforation and differential diagnosis of T. mentagrophytes from T. verrucosum

Most of the dermatophyte species have the ability to perforate hair structure and consume its contents of keratin through secretion of keratinase enzyme. Two clinical isolated species of dermatophytes were diagnosed as Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. granulosum and Trichophyton verrucosum. To determine the perforation ability, the isolated fungi were incubated with the hair of four different animals (rabbit, rat, cow and cat) and human hairs with three different colours (black, albino and bleached yellow) for different periods. Variable perforating ability of T. mentagrophytes was shown in rat hair and all types of human hair after 15 days, while other mammalian hairs exhibited resistance to this fungal activity. On the other hand, T. verrucosum was revealed a slow perforating ability, which needed a long time (60 days) for most of tested hairs. Perforation of human black hair could be considered a diagnostic test for differentiation between T. mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum. In conclusion, the treated or untreated human hair was considered more suitable to use as a source of keratin for the growth of dermatophytes than animal hairs. The human black hair was a best type of hair to use in the perforating test for differentiation between T. mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum.
Properties of normal and non-inactivating single cardiac Na+ channels

Elementary currents through single cardiac Na+ channels were studied at 19°C in inside-out patches from cultured neonatal rat heart cardiocytes, with the use of the patch clamp technique. The bimodal amplitude histogram suggests two populations of Na+ channels characterized by a normal and a reduced unitary current size. The latter events were extremely rare and could be detected in some patches only. The conductance of the dominating population with the larger current size was close to 13 pS. As analysed between –60 and –30 mV, the open-time distribution followed a single exponential regardless of whether or not apparent substate current events were included in the histogram. The open state is left with a voltage-independent time constant close to 1.4 ms. Channel openings occurring late during the 115 ms duration step depolarization of the membrane have the same lifetime as most openings happening in the first 2 ms. Repetitive channel activity occurred in 0.083% of the records, i. e. a train of sequential, burst-like openings of a single Na+ channel occurred during the whole membrane depolarization, which exhibited a significantly prolonged and potential-dependent mean open time. Chemical modification induced by external application of glutaraldehyde (10–3 mol l–1) or racemic DPI 201-106 (3 x 10–6 mol l–1) caused essentially the same repetitive Na+ channel activity. As studied systematically with DPI, a piperazinyl-indole derivative, the prolonged and highly voltage-sensitive open state increases exponentially on shifting the membrane potential to more positive values. Three voltage-sensitive closed states were detected: one very short-lived, one long and one very long. The cycling frequency between the conductive and the non-conductive state is also a function of membrane potential. DPI-modified cardiac Na+ channels can attain a substate that might result from a loss of Na+ selectivity. It is concluded that spontaneously occurring and chemically induced modified Na+ channel activity relies on the same mechanism, namely failure or elimination of inactivation. Spontaneous failure of inactivation and a loss of Na+ selectivity may characterize properties of channel subpopulations.
Role of αβ and γδ T Cells in the Host Response toSalmonella Infection as Demonstrated in T-Cell-Receptor-Deficient Mice of Defined Ity Genotypes

Salmonella spp. are facultative intracellular bacteria which enter the body through the intestinal tract. We studied the roles of T cells expressing either the a and b chains or the g and d chains of the T-cell receptor (ab T cells or gd T cells, respectively) in the host defense against Salmonella using mice genetically deficient in either ab T cells, gd T cells, or both T-cell subsets. These mutant strains of mice were infected orally or intraperitoneally with Salmonella dublin, and the progression of the disease was monitored by determining bacterial numbers in the feces, gut wall, Peyer’s patches, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. Since susceptibility to Salmonella infection in mice is strongly affected by the alleles at the Ity locus, T-cell-mutant mice with either the Ity-sensitive or Ity-resistant phenotype were tested for resistance to S. dublin infection. We found that even though large numbers of intraepithelial and mucosal ab and gd T cells populate the normal intestine, they have no role in controlling the invasion of S. dublin into the intestine or the subsequent bacterial replication in the Peyer’s patches or gut wall. Furthermore, systemic infections were equally severe for the first 6 days in normal, ab T-cell-deficient, and gd T-cell-deficient mice, and ab but not gd T cells were required for clearance of S. dublin, regardless of the Ity phenotype. However, mice that lacked both T-cell subsets had higher bacterial counts in their livers 15 to 18 days after infection than did ab T-cell-deficient mice, suggesting that gd T cells can contribute to acquired immunity to S. dublin.
A Microworld Approach to Identifying Issues of Human-Automation Systems Design for Supporting Operator's Situation Awareness

This article gives a microworld approach to identify design requirements for better situation awareness. Two experiments were designed and conducted. In the first experiment, behaviors of operators who lost situation awareness were analyzed, and the following two findings were obtained: (a) Automation must provide an operator with feedback information on the control mode, even when it is the operator who changed a control mode. (b) Authority for control may have to be passed from an operator to automation for attaining safety in highly urgent situations. The second experiment was done to investigate how human-interface may affect an operator's situation awareness. It is shown that human-interface must be carefully designed to externalize a mental model of the controlled process.
Nonparaxial propagation of a (1+1)-dimensional Pearcey beam

We introduce a virtual source that generates a family of a Pearcey wave. We derive a closed-form expression for the (1+1)-dimensional Pearcey wave that in the appropriate limit yields the paraxial accelerating and non-diffracting Pearcey beam (PB). From the perturbative series representation of a complex-source-point spherical wave, we derive an infinite series nonparaxial correction expression for PB. The infinite series expression of a PB can provide accuracy up to any order of diffraction angle. From the integral representation of the Pearcey wave, the first three orders of nonparaxial corrections to the paraxial Pearcey beam are derived.
A dimensional classification of autism spectrum disorder by social communication domains.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether "social communication" could be used to assess severity of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder. Social communication refers to the communication of cognitive and emotional information through facial expression, gesture, and prosody and through implicit understanding of pragmatics and of theory of mind. METHOD Subjects were evaluated by raters using the Autism Diagnostic interview-Revised and either the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule or the Pre-Linguistic Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Two investigators independently diagnosed autism, Asperger's disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified in 63 subjects. Items from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised that were judged to represent social communication behaviors were factor-analyzed. RESULTS Three factors were identified: affective reciprocity, joint attention, and theory of mind. Comparing this new classification approach to DSM-IV led to suggestions for possible changes in the latter: (1) Vocabulary and grammar deficiencies in autistic persons should be coded under developmental language disorder, (2) The diagnosis of Asperger's disorder may not be needed. (3) Requiring that all persons with autism spectrum disorder have a symptom from the "restrictive, repetitive, and stereotypic" list may need to be reconsidered. CONCLUSIONS The DSM-IV category of pervasive developmental disorder may be ideal for diagnosing "classic" autism, but it may be inadequate for diagnosing less severe forms of the disorder.
Relevance of nucleic acid amplification techniques for diagnosis of respiratory tract infections in the clinical laboratory

Clinical laboratories are increasingly receiving requests to perform nucleic acid amplification tests for the detection of a wide variety of infectious agents. In this paper, the efficiency of nucleic acid amplification techniques for the diagnosis of respiratory tract infections is reviewed. In general, these techniques should be applied only for the detection of microorganisms for which available diagnostic techniques are markedly insensitive or nonexistent or when turnaround times for existing tests (e.g., viral culture) are much longer than those expected with amplification. This is the case for rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and hantaviruses causing a pulmonary syndrome, Bordetella pertussis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Coxiella burnetii. For Legionella spp. and fungi, contamination originating from the environment is a limiting factor in interpretation of results, as is the difficulty in differentiating colonization and infection. Detection of these agents in urine or blood by amplification techniques remains to be evaluated. In the clinical setting, there is no need for molecular diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii. At present, amplification methods for Mycobacterium tuberculosis cannot replace the classical diagnostic techniques, due to their lack of sensitivity and the absence of specific internal controls for the detection of inhibitors of the reaction. Also, the results of interlaboratory comparisons are unsatisfactory. Furthermore, isolates are needed for susceptibility studies. Additional work remains to be done on sample preparation methods, comparison between different amplification methods, and analysis of results. The techniques can be useful for the rapid identification of M. tuberculosis in particular circumstances, as well as the rapid detection of most rifampin-resistant isolates. The introduction of diagnostic amplification techniques into a clinical laboratory implies a level of proficiency for excluding false-positive and false-negative results.
Large-scale synthesis of peptides.

Recent advances in the areas of formulation and delivery have rekindled the interest of the pharmaceutical community in peptides as drug candidates, which, in turn, has provided a challenge to the peptide industry to develop efficient methods for the manufacture of relatively complex peptides on scales of up to metric tons per year. This article focuses on chemical synthesis approaches for peptides, and presents an overview of the methods available and in use currently, together with a discussion of scale-up strategies. Examples of the different methods are discussed, together with solutions to some specific problems encountered during scale-up development. Finally, an overview is presented of issues common to all manufacturing methods, i.e., methods used for the large-scale purification and isolation of final bulk products and regulatory considerations to be addressed during scale-up of processes to commercial levels.
Neurotrophin‐3 mediates the autocrine survival of the catecholaminergic CAD CNS neuronal cell line

The mechanisms for neuronal survival in the CNS are not well understood, but are likely to be complex due to possible autocrine and redundant neurotrophic support. Most studies have focused on the nerve growth factor (NGF)/TrkA pathway in peripheral neurons, and little is known regarding the other neurotrophins, particularly neurotrophin‐3 (NT3)/TrkC. Progress has also been hampered by the paucity of homogenous and accessible CNS neuronal experimental models. We now report that the novel catecholaminergic CNS cell line, CAD, is capable of autocrine survival mediated by NT3. The CAD cell is of CNS neuronal origin and can survive and morphologically differentiate in the absence of exogenously provided trophic factors. However, neutralizing reagents against NT3 (the neutralizing TrkC‐IgG fusion protein and anti‐NT3 antibodies), but not those that block the other neurotrophins, inhibited survival of differentiating CAD cells. Moreover, Trk phosphorylation was detected in CAD cells and its inhibition by K252a was correlated with K252a‐induced apoptosis. Finally, endogenous NT3 was detectable in CAD cell extracts by a specific ELISA assay. Thus, CAD cells possess an autocrine survival capability mediated by NT3, and may provide a valuable model system for studying the signaling pathways that mediate the actions of this little understood neurotrophin.
Recommendations and Technical Aspects of 16&agr;-[18F]Fluoro-17&bgr;-Estradiol PET to Image the Estrogen Receptor In Vivo: The Groningen Experience

Abstract The estrogen derivative 16&agr;-18F-fluoro-17&bgr;-estradiol (FES) is a PET tracer that has been used in a variety of preclinical and clinical studies to detect estrogen receptor (ER) expression, mainly in breast cancer, but also for other oncological indications. As a result of the success of these studies and the potential applications of the tracer, FES starts to be implemented in routine clinical practice. However, the number of centers using this tracer is still limited and many nuclear medicine physicians and medical oncologists are still unaware of the possibilities FES PET imaging offers. The aim of this article is therefore to give an overview of the main indications of FES PET in oncology and to provide recommendations on correct use of this imaging technique. This includes precautions that have to be taken for patient preparation, procedures for the acquisition of the scans, the physiological distribution of the tracer, factors that might influence tracer uptake and guidance for image analysis, quantification of tracer uptake, and reporting of the scans.
The AKT inhibitor perifosine in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: a phase II California/Pittsburgh cancer consortium trial.

BACKGROUND Perifosine is an oral alkylphospholipid that inhibits cancer cell growth through decreased Akt phosphorylation. We conducted a phase II trial of perifosine in patients with biochemically recurrent, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients had histologically confirmed prostate cancer, previous prostatectomy and/or radiation therapy, and rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) without radiographic evidence of metastasis. Previous androgen deprivation therapy < 9 months in duration (completed >or= 1 year before registration) was allowed. The primary endpoint was PSA response, defined as a decrease by >or= 50% from the pretreatment value. Treatment was composed of a loading dose of perifosine 900 mg orally on day 1, then 100 mg daily starting 24 hours later. RESULTS Of 25 patients, 24 were evaluable for response. After a median follow-up of 8 months, 5 patients (20%) had a reduction in serum PSA levels, but none met criteria for PSA response. Three patients immediately progressed with no response to therapy. Median progression-free survival was 6.64 months (range, 4.53-12.81 months). No change in the PSA doubling time (7 months) was observed before and after treatment initiation. Dose-limiting toxicities (all grade 3) included hyponatremia, arthritis, hyperuricemia, and photophobia. CONCLUSION Although well tolerated, perifosine did not meet prespecified PSA criteria for response as a single agent in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer. However, 20% of patients had evidence of PSA reduction, suggesting modest single-agent clinical activity. The role of perifosine in combination with androgen deprivation or chemotherapy is currently under investigation.
Aberrations in the control of quadriceps muscle force in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the distribution of error in knee joint proprioception, quadriceps force accuracy and steadiness, and muscle strength in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Special attention was paid to eccentric strength. METHODS We compared knee OA patients (n=20: 15 women, 5 men) with age- and sex-matched, symptom-free adults. Knee pain and mobility were assessed with standard tests. Knee joint proprioception was measured with a repositioning test. Quadriceps force accuracy and steadiness were determined during a force target-tracking task. Maximal voluntary quadriceps force was measured during eccentric, isometric, and concentric contractions. RESULTS OA patients had knee pain, needed 67% more time to complete 4 functional tasks, and produced 82% more proprioception errors (all P < 0.05). About 80% of this error was due to overshooting the target and 68% of the overshooting error occurred at 2 of the 5 least flexed knee joint positions. OA patients had 89% more errors in accurately matching target forces during submaximal quadriceps contractions and in the same tasks, OA patients also produced these forces with 155% more variability (all P < 0.05). OA patients had especially weakened ability to produce maximal voluntary eccentric strength. CONCLUSION Quadriceps dysfunction in knee OA includes impaired proprioception, especially in the more extended knee joint positions; impaired ability to accurately and steadily control submaximal force; and impaired eccentric strength. These results have implications for designing exercise and rehabilitation programs for patients with knee OA.
Electromagnetic model of an ironless inductive position sensor

An ironless position sensor is a novel sensing structure which exhibits intrinsic immunity to external magnetic fields, since it is characterized by air-cored supply and sensing windings. This new solution may be of significant interest for applications where external magnetic fields are present. In this paper, an analytical model of the working principle of the sensor is proposed. The effect of the moving coil flux on the overall sensed magnetic flux is described. The modeling of such a sensor acts as a design tool of primary importance in the framework of the synthesis of the device. The model is verified by simulations of a finite element structure of the sensor, expressly prepared for this purpose.
Planar XY-model dynamics in a nematic liquid crystal system.

We have constructed a nematic liquid crystal system that exhibits the dynamics of a two-dimensional XY model. The system consists of liquid crystal material placed between two sapphire windows coated with homeotropic alignment material. By holding the windows at two different temperatures, a thermal gradient can be maintained across the liquid crystal material such that the nematic-to-isotropic interface occurs at the center of the cell in a plane parallel to the two window surfaces. The boundary conditions that the interface and one of the windows impose on the nematic phase force the system's degrees of freedom to be those of the XY model. Comparison between experiment and numerical simulations indicate the system exhibits planar XY-model behavior.