Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capacitance and Conductance for an MOS System in Inversion, with Oxide Capacitance and Minority Carrier Lifetime Extractions

Experimental observations for the In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) system in inversion indicate that the measured capacitance (C) and conductance (G or G<sub>m</sub>), are uniquely related through two functions of the alternating current angular frequency (ω). The peak value of the first function (G/ω) is equal to the peak value of the second function (-dC/dlog<sub>e</sub>(ω) ≡ -ωdC/dω). Moreover, these peak values occur at the same angular frequency (ω<sub>m</sub>), that is, the transition frequency. The experimental observations are confirmed by physics-based simulations, and applying the equivalent circuit model for the MOS system in inversion, the functional relationship is also demonstrated mathematically and shown to be generally true for any MOS system in inversion. The functional relationship permits the discrimination between high interface state densities and genuine surface inversion. The two function peak values are found to be equal to C<sub>ox</sub><sup>2</sup>/(2(C<sub>ox</sub> + C<sub>D</sub>)) where C<sub>ox</sub> is the oxide capacitance per unit area and C<sub>D</sub> is the semiconductor depletion capacitance in inversion. The equal peak values of the functions, and their observed symmetry relation about ω<sub>m</sub> on a logarithmic ω plot, opens a new route to experimentally determining C<sub>ox</sub>. Finally, knowing ω<sub>m</sub> permits the extraction of the minority carrier generation lifetime in the bulk of the In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As layer.
Spectrum of SCN1A mutations in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy

Objectives: SCN1A mutations were recently reported in several patients with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI). The authors analyzed SCN1A mutations in 93 patients with SMEI and made genotype-phenotype correlation to clarify the role of this gene in the etiology of SMEI. Methods: All patients fulfilled the criteria for SMEI. The authors analyzed all patients for SCN1A mutations using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography. If a patient’s chromatogram was abnormal, the authors sequenced the gene in the patient and both parents. Results: SCN1A mutations were identified in 33 patients (35%). Most mutations were de novo, but were inherited in three patients. Parents carrying the inherited mutations had either no symptoms or a milder form of epilepsy. A greater frequency of unilateral motor seizures was the only clinical difference between patients with SCN1A mutations and those without. Truncating mutations were more frequently associated with such seizures than were missense mutations. The percentage of cases with family history of epilepsy was significantly higher in patients with SCN1A mutations. Conclusions: Unilateral motor seizures may be a specific clinical characteristic of SMEI caused by SCN1A mutations. Ten percent of SCN1A mutations are inherited from an asymptomatic or mildly affected parent, suggesting that SMEI is genetically heterogeneous. The increased frequency of familial epilepsy indicates that other genetic factors may contribute to this disorder.
Androgen Receptors, Sex Behavior, and Aggression

Androgens are intricately involved in reproductive and aggressive behaviors, but the role of the androgen receptor in mediating these behaviors is less defined. Further, activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can influence each other at the level of the androgen receptor. Knowledge of the mechanisms for androgens’ effects on behaviors through the androgen receptor will guide future studies in elucidating male reproductive and aggressive behavior repertoires.
Anti-Malarial Drug Artesunate Attenuates Experimental Allergic Asthma via Inhibition of the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway

Background Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway is linked to the development of asthma. Anti-malarial drug artesunate is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, the principal active component of a medicinal plant Artemisia annua, and has been shown to inhibit PI3K/Akt activity. We hypothesized that artesunate may attenuate allergic asthma via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Methodology/Principal Findings Female BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) developed airway inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was assessed for total and differential cell counts, and cytokine and chemokine levels. Lung tissues were examined for cell infiltration and mucus hypersecretion, and the expression of inflammatory biomarkers. Airway hyperresponsiveness was monitored by direct airway resistance analysis. Artesunate dose-dependently inhibited OVA-induced increases in total and eosinophil counts, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and eotaxin levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. It attenuated OVA-induced lung tissue eosinophilia and airway mucus production, mRNA expression of E-selectin, IL-17, IL-33 and Muc5ac in lung tissues, and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. In normal human bronchial epithelial cells, artesunate blocked epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream substrates tuberin, p70S6 kinase and 4E-binding protein 1, and transactivation of NF-κB. Similarly, artesunate blocked the phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream substrates in lung tissues from OVA-challenged mice. Anti-inflammatory effect of artesunate was further confirmed in a house dust mite mouse asthma model. Conclusion/Significance Artesunate ameliorates experimental allergic airway inflammation probably via negative regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway and the downstream NF-κB activity. These findings provide a novel therapeutic value for artesunate in the treatment of allergic asthma.
Virtual clay: a real-time sculpting system with haptic toolkits

In this paper we systematically develop a novel, interactive sculpting framework founded upon subdivision solids and physics-based modeling. In contrast with popular subdivision surfaces, subdivision solids have the unique advantage offering both the boundary representation and the interior material of a solid object. We unify the geometry of subdivision solids with the principle of physicsbased models and formulate dynamic subdivision solids. Dynamic subdivision solids respond to applied forces in a natural and predictive manner and give the user the illusion of manipulating semielastic virtual clay. We have developed a real-time sculpting system that provides the user with a wide array of intuitive sculpting toolkits. The flexibility of the subdivision solid approach allows users to easily modify the topology of sculpted objects, while the inherent physical properties are exploited to provide a natural interface for direct, force-based deformation. More importantly, our sculpting system is equipped with natural, haptic-based interaction to provide the user with a realistic sculpting experience. CR Categories: I.3. 5 [Computer Graphics]: Physics-based modeling; I.3. 3 [Computer Graphics]: Modeling packages; I.3. 6 [Computer Graphics]: Interaction techniques; H.5. 2 [User Interfaces]: Haptic I/O; I.3. 7 [Computer Graphics]: Virtual reality; I.3. 7 [Computer Graphics]: Animation.
Burden on Oncologists When Communicating the Discontinuation of Anticancer Treatment

Objective Communicating the discontinuation of anticancer treatment to patients is a difficult task. The primary aim of this study was to clarify the level of oncologist-reported burden when communicating about discontinuation of an anticancer treatment. The secondary aims were (i) to identify the sources of burden contributing to their levels and (ii) to explore the useful strategies to alleviate their burden. Methods A multicenter nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted on 620 oncologists across Japan (response rate, 67%). Results High levels of perceived burden were reported by 47% of respondents, and 17% reported that they sometimes, often or always wanted to stop oncology work because of this burden. There was a significant association between high levels of burden and: a feeling that breaking bad news would deprive the patient of hope; concern that the patient's family would blame the oncologist; concern that the patient may lose self-control; and a feeling that there was not enough time to break the bad news. Strategies perceived to be useful by oncologists included training in how to effectively communicate to patients discontinuation of anticancer treatment, a reduction in total workload to allow sufficient time to break bad news, and development of a multidisciplinary model to facilitate cooperation with other professionals and facilities. Conclusions Many oncologists reported high levels of burden relating to communication of discontinuation of anticancer treatment. A specific communication skills training program, sufficient time for communication and development of a multidisciplinary model could help alleviate the burden on oncologists.
Design of Millimeter-Wave Resonant Cavity and Filter Using 3-D Substrate-Integrated Circular Waveguide

In this letter, a millimeter-wave filter constructed by 3-D substrate-integrated circular waveguide (SICW) resonant cavity is numerically and experimentally investigated. The 3-D SICW with the sidewall structure of via fences and circular pads is fully integrated in a low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate. The fundamental mode (quasi-TE111 mode) of 3-D SICW cavity and the TE130, TE140 modes of overmoded substrate-integrated waveguide cavity are adopted to form the fourth order bandpass filter. Compared with the traditional planar structures, the spatial configuration can enhance the microwave performance of the device and brings more flexibility for the system design. The measurements of the fabricated filter show that the insertion loss is less than 1.9 dB at 174 GHz and the relative bandwidth is about 13.8%, which is in good agreement with electromagnetic simulations.
Exploring the Economic Rationale for Protecting Geographical Indicators in Agriculture

“The enduring competitive advantages in a global economy lie increasingly in local things—knowledge, relationships, motivation—that distant rivals cannot match” (Porter, 1998) Abstract The misappropriation of the names of geographical regions such as Parma, Roquefort and Champagne is protected in the European Union by a system of Geographical Indications, and is acknowledged by the World Trade Organization as an important intellectual property right. This article addresses whether there is a case for similar protection in South Africa. The article explores the economic rationale for implementing a system of Geographical Indications by addressing issues such as information asymmetry and the role of reputation; formation of niche markets; monopoly formation, value added and rural development. The economic rationale for protecting Geographical Indications derives mainly from the fact that place of origin may be used as a quality signal, or alternatively, that the resources of the region may be captured as quality attributes. In the first instance the meaning of the geographical name is emphasized in order to reduce information asymmetries. Where place of origin is used as an attribute, resources of the region are used to increase the value of the product. This includes specific resources such as production techniques, varieties and species, but also resources that are general to the region such as landscape, environment and culture. Economic arguments present a strong justification for the introduction of geographical indications in South Africa. At the same time it will afford greater protection to indigenous resources and geographical names which could, through the collective and inclusive nature of the system, directly contribute to rural development.
Building a Model of Infant Social Interaction

Naturalistic observations of infant/caregiver social attention have yielded rich information about human social develop- ment. However, observational data are expensive, laborious, and reliant on fallible human coders. We model interactions between caregivers and infants using a three dimensional sim- ulation environment in order to gain greater insight into the development of infant attention sharing, specifically gaze fol- lowing. Most models of infant cognition have been only ab- stractly linked to the detail of a real life environment and to the perception-and-action physicality of human infants. Our simulation uses human data from videotaped infant/caregiver interactions and a rich 3D environment to model the develop- ment of gaze following. Initial tests suggest that infant gaze following can be learned in our simulation using parameters derived from behavioral data.
Comparative study of shear wave-based elastography techniques in optical coherence tomography

Abstract. We compare five optical coherence elastography techniques able to estimate the shear speed of waves generated by one and two sources of excitation. The first two techniques make use of one piezoelectric actuator in order to produce a continuous shear wave propagation or a tone-burst propagation (TBP) of 400 Hz over a gelatin tissue-mimicking phantom. The remaining techniques utilize a second actuator located on the opposite side of the region of interest in order to create three types of interference patterns: crawling waves, swept crawling waves, and standing waves, depending on the selection of the frequency difference between the two actuators. We evaluated accuracy, contrast to noise ratio, resolution, and acquisition time for each technique during experiments. Numerical simulations were also performed in order to support the experimental findings. Results suggest that in the presence of strong internal reflections, single source methods are more accurate and less variable when compared to the two-actuator methods. In particular, TBP reports the best performance with an accuracy error <4.1%. Finally, the TBP was tested in a fresh chicken tibialis anterior muscle with a localized thermally ablated lesion in order to evaluate its performance in biological tissue.
The autism diagnostic experiences of French parents

This survey focused on French parents’ views of the diagnostic process relating to their child with autism. Data were collected on the age at diagnosis, the time taken to obtain a diagnosis and the difficulties encountered. Questionnaires filled in by the parents (n = 248) and in-depth interviews (n = 43) were analyzed in order to obtain quantitative and qualitative results. The ages of the children ranged from 4 to 45. This approach enabled us to compare the practices of professionals now and in the past. The mean age of diagnosis was 10 ± 8 years from 1960 to 1990, 5 ± 3 years from 1990 to 2005 (3 ± 1 from 2003 to 2005). The results showed that the mean delays between first consultation and diagnosis were reduced. Regarding the way the diagnosis was announced, 63% of the parents of children with autism and 93% of the parents of adults with autism were dissatisfied. We discuss the parents’ reactions and the changes in the diagnostic process.
A Population Accounting Approach to Assess Tourism Contributions to Conservation of IUCN-Redlisted Mammal Species

Over 1,000 mammal species are red-listed by IUCN, as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Conservation of many threatened mammal species, even inside protected areas, depends on costly active day-to-day defence against poaching, bushmeat hunting, invasive species and habitat encroachment. Many parks agencies worldwide now rely heavily on tourism for routine operational funding: >50% in some cases. This puts rare mammals at a new risk, from downturns in tourism driven by external socioeconomic factors. Using the survival of individual animals as a metric or currency of successful conservation, we calculate here what proportions of remaining populations of IUCN-redlisted mammal species are currently supported by funds from tourism. This proportion is ≥5% for over half of the species where relevant data exist, ≥15% for one fifth, and up to 66% in a few cases. Many of these species, especially the most endangered, survive only in one single remaining subpopulation. These proportions are not correlated either with global population sizes or recognition as wildlife tourism icons. Most of the more heavily tourism-dependent species, however, are medium sized (>7.5 kg) or larger. Historically, biological concern over the growth of tourism in protected areas has centered on direct disturbance to wildlife. These results show that conservation of threatened mammal species has become reliant on revenue from tourism to a previously unsuspected degree. On the one hand, this provides new opportunities for conservation funding; but on the other, dependence on such an uncertain source of funding is a new, large and growing threat to red-listed species.
Regional pulmonary blood flow in cystic fibrosis.

The distribution of pulmonary blood flow was studied in 18 children and young adults with cystic fibrosis by pulmonary perfusion scanning. In addition, 10 of these patients also had ventilation scannings.The perfusion and ventilation scans showed good correlation; underventilated areas were uniformly and persistently underperfused and vice versa. The physiologic significance of these results is discussed.Perfusion scannings are easy to perform, even in small children. In this series the perfusion scan appeared to be more sensitive than the chest roentgenogram in detecting the presence and extent of early pulmonary involvement. The potential applications of scanning techniques in cystic fibrosis are discussed.Pulmonary perfusion scanning promises to be a useful technique in the diagnosis and management of cystic fibrosis, provided that these initial results will be confirmed by further and more extensive studies.
Optimal convolution SOR acceleration of waveform relaxation with application to semiconductor device simulation

In this paper we describe a novel generalized SOR (successive overrelaxation) algorithm for accelerating the convergence of the dynamic iteration method known as waveform relaxation. A new convolution SOR algorithm is presented, along with a theorem for determining the optimal convolution SOR parameter. Both analytic and experimental results are given to demonstrate that the convergence of the convolution SOR algorithm is substantially faster than that of the more obvious frequency-independent waveform SOR algorithm. Finally, to demonstrate the general applicability of this new method, it is used to solve the differential-algebraic system generated by spatial discretization of the time-dependent semiconductor device equations.
Eisenhower Box for Prioritising Waiting List of Orthodontic Patients

The demand for orthodontic treatment is increasing greatly in the present days. In a country like India which has a humongous population of 1210 million the management strategies need to be formulated so as to give justice to the deprived. The prioritization should be based on the extent to which the malocclusion handicaps the patient and his motivation to commence the treatment. Eishenhower box, the famous productivity strategy, which was proposed by 34th U.S. president Dwight David Eishenhower is being presented in this article as a tool to deal with the orthodontic OPD. This Eishenhower matrix will act as a decision making tool for prioritizing the orthodontic OPD which will be immensely helpful to busy clinicians specially in government set up, in deciding which case needs to be treated first.
Application of iterative detector and decoder in serial concatenated coded and pre-transformed systems

The iterative detector and decoder (IDD) in the serial concatenated coded and pre-transformed system is studied in this paper. The performance of the IDD in the single-carrier system over flat fading channel and the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system over frequency-selective fading channel are thoroughly evaluated. Numerical results show that in the single-carrier system, IDD with 2 to 3 iterations over flat fading channel achieves performance only about 1dB away from that over the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. Our study also finds that for OFDM system, the IDD provides considerable performance improvement compared to the coded or pre-coded systems, even when the multipath diversity is low. IN the meanwhile, the excellent performance of IDD does not rely on the optimal design of pre-transformation matrix.
Conservatism and the Information Content of Earnings

This study finds that more conservative earnings have lower information content in that higher conditional conservatism decreases the speed with which equity investor disagreement and uncertainty resolve at earnings announcements. We find that a firm-year measure of conditional conservatism we develop is negatively related to the ratio of average daily equity trading volume (return volatility) during the annual earnings announcement window to average daily volume (volatility) during the post-announcement window. In addition, the reduced information content of earnings associated with conditional conservatism manifests as higher expected equity cost of capital and higher dispersion of analysts' forecasts following earnings announcements. We also find positive returns subsequent to the earnings announcement for firms with higher conditional conservatism, particularly firms with positive earnings announcement returns, which is consistent with investors fixating on negatively biased earnings and higher costs of information processing.