Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-adaptive testing to determine sample size for flash memory solutions

Embedded system testing, especially long-term reliability testing, of flash memory solutions such as embedded multi-media card, secure digital card and solid-state drive involves strategic decision making related to test sample size to achieve high test coverage. The test sample size is the number of flash memory devices used in a test. Earlier, there were physical limitations on the testing period and the number of test devices that could be used. Hence, decisions regarding the sample size depended on the experience of human testers owing to the absence of well-defined standards. Moreover, a lack of understanding of the importance of the sample size resulted in field defects due to unexpected user scenarios. In worst cases, users finally detected these defects after several years. In this paper, we propose that a large number of potential field defects can be detected if an adequately large test sample size is used to target weak features during long-term reliability testing of flash memory solutions. In general, a larger test sample size yields better results. However, owing to the limited availability of physical resources, there is a limit on the test sample size that can be used. In this paper, we address this problem by proposing a self-adaptive reliability testing scheme to decide the sample size for effective long-term reliability testing.
Evaluation of purine nucleoside phosphorylase release as a measure of hepatic endothelial cell injury

With emerging data that endothelial cell (EC) injury is the limiting factor in liver preservation and hepatic function, a simple and reliable biochemical technique for monitoring EC injury is needed. Measurement of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) release into the circulation from perfused liver has been proposed as such a method. However, our experiments with perfused rat liver did not display a clear or direct relationship between PNP release and endothelial cell injury. Therefore, we re‐examined the suitability of using PNP as a measure of nonparenchymal injury by measuring its distribution in purified populations of hepatocytes, ECs, and Kupffer cells (KCs) and correlating cell injury and enzyme release in short‐term cultures at 37±C of each cell type. Purified cells were incubated (4 × 106 cells/mL) in oxygen or nitrogen saturated Wisconsin solution or Krebs buffer for 6 hours, with cell viability and PNP release assayed every 2 hours. ECs had the lowest specific activity (27 ± 9 U/mg protein; mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]) compared with both hepatocytes (115 ± 15) and KCs (66 ± 18). Despite a decrement in EC and KC viability over time in each incubation solution, there was poor correlation between time of incubation and PNP release (r = 0.01 to 0.22), and between cell viability and PNP release (r = 0.01 to 0.16). In contrast, PNP release from incubated hepatocytes correlated with the length of incubation (r = 0.57 to 0.78) as well as cell injury (r = 0.63 to 0.77) in all four test solutions. This data suggest that PNP release is unlikely to specifically reflect EC injury in the intact liver. (Hepatology 1995;21:174–179).
Short latency ocular-following responses in man

Abstract The ocular-following responses elicited by brief unexpected movements of the visual scene were studied in human subjects. Response latencies varied with the type of stimulus and decreased systematically with increasing stimulus speed but, unlike those of monkeys, were not solely determined by the temporal frequency generated by sine-wave stimuli. Minimum latencies (70–75 ms) were considerably shorter than those reported for other visually driven eye movements. The magnitude of the responses to sine-wave stimuli changed markedly with stimulus speed and only slightly with spatial frequency over the ranges used. When normalized with respect to spatial frequency, all responses shared the same dependence on temporal frequency (band-pass characteristics with a peak at 16 Hz), indicating that temporal frequency, rather than speed per se, was the limiting factor over the entire range examined. This suggests that the underlying motion detectors respond to the local changes in luminance associated with the motion of the scene. Movements of the scene in the immediate wake of a saccadic eye movement were on average twice as effective as movements 600 ms later: post-saccadic enhancement. Less enhancement was seen in the wake of saccade-like shifts of the scene, which themselves elicited weak ocular following, something not seen in the wake of real saccades. We suggest that there are central mechanisms that, on the one hand, prevent the ocular-following system from tracking the visual disturbances created by saccades but, on the other, promote tracking of any subsequent disturbance and thereby help to suppress post-saccadic drift. Partitioning the visual scene into central and peripheral regions revealed that motion in the periphery can exert a weak modulatory influence on ocular-following responses resulting from motion at the center. We suggest that this may help the moving observer to stabilize his/her eyes on nearby stationary objects.
Studies on the Kinetics of Melatonin and N‐Acetylserotonin in the Rat at Mid‐Light and Mid‐Dark

The distribution and disappearance of melatonin and N‐acetylserotonin after intravenous injection were studied at mid‐light and mid‐dark. Male rats were adapted under a photoperiod of 12 h light and 12 h dark cycle for a minimum of 1 week. After the intravenous injection of melatonin (10 μg), N‐acetylserotonin (10 μg), or 3H‐melatonin (76 ng), blood samples were collected at 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 min. The concentrations of indoles in the plasma samples were determined by radioimmunoassay, while the radioactivity of 3H‐melatonin was determined by scintillation counting.
A High Efficiency Dual-Mode Buck Converter IC For Portable Applications

This paper presents the design of a novel wide output current range dual-mode DC to DC step-down (buck) switching regulator/converter. The converter can adaptively switch between pulse-width modulation (PWM) and pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) both with very high conversion efficiency. Soft start operation is designed to eliminate the excess large current at the start up of the regulator. The chip has been fabricated with a TSMC 2P4M 0.35 mu m polycide CMOS process. The range of the operation voltage is from 2.7 V to 5 V, which is suitable for single-cell lithium-ion battery supply applications. The maximum conversion efficiency is 95% at 50 mA load current. Above 85 % conversion efficiency can be reached for load current from 3 to 460 mA.
The synergistic and complementary effects of supply chain justice and integration practices on supply - chain performance : a conceptual framework and research prepositions

In recent years, firms have been using their supply chain integration (SCI) as a competitive weapon in the intensive, globalised competitive arena. The contingent perspective in supply chain management maintains that it is necessary to observe the interaction between SCI practices and supply chain justice. A critical issue to be resolved is whether this fit leads to synergistic and complementary effects on supply chain performance. In order to contribute to this research problem, we analysed supply chain justice instances in order to determine the importance of supply chain justice, as well as highlights complementary role in SCI and its influences on supply chain performance. A conceptual framework has been developed and five propositions established to verify the contents of a theoretical study. Accordingly, balancing the adoption of SCI practices and supply chain justice will lead to the generation of greater benefits relative to the effect of both independent driving forces on supply chain performance. Furthermore, the proposed framework has been analysed in order to examine its applicability in the South African context. The study thereby suggests the empirical research guidelines and the paper concludes with a discussion of future research.
A comparison of the long gamma nail with the sliding hip screw for the treatment of AO/OTA 31-A2 fractures of the proximal part of the femur: a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND Controversy exists with regard to whether to treat AO/OTA 31-A2 fractures of the proximal part of the femur with an intramedullary device or an extramedullary device. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was performed to compare the outcome of treatment of these unstable fractures of the proximal part of the femur with either a sliding hip screw or a long gamma nail. METHODS Two hundred and ten patients presenting with an AO/OTA 31-A2 fracture of the proximal part of the femur were randomized, at the time of admission, to fixation with use of either a long gamma nail or a sliding hip screw. The primary outcome measure was reoperation within the first postoperative year. Secondary measures included mortality, length of hospital stay, transfusion rate, change in mobility and residence, and quality of life as measured with the EuroQol 5D outcome score. RESULTS There was no significant difference between the reoperation rates for the two groups. In total, five patients (three from the long-gamma-nail group and two from the sliding-hip-screw group) underwent revision surgery because of cut-out. Tip-apex distance was found to correlate with the implant cut-out rate. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the EuroQol 5D outcome scores, the mortality rates after correction for the mini-mental score, or any of the secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS When compared with the long gamma nail, the sliding hip screw should remain the gold standard for the treatment of AO/OTA 31-A2 fractures of the proximal part of the femur because it is associated with similar outcomes with less expense.
VALUES OF LARGE GAMES. 6: EVALUATING THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE EXACTLY

Abstract : The electoral college is used as an application for the theory of games and the use of the power index. It is a relatively large game and the exact calculation until recently has not been feasible. The results have some sociological, as well as mathematical, interest; they are given for three different cases. Results demonstrate that there is a bias in favor of the large states as against the small of as much as five per cent on a pure mathematical basis solely.
A Study on Human-Capital-Intensive Firms: A Challenge to Traditional Issues

The differences of character between Human-capital-intensive firms and Physical-capital-intensive firms put forward many new issues of firm theories which demands immediate solution and urges for rethinking of issues which have been in consensus under traditional theoretical framework. Basing on the heterogeneity of the human-capital-intensive firms, this paper re-evaluates four traditional problems, including the power in the firm, the competitiveness of the firm, and the value of the firm and the functions of the entrepreneurs.
Aerobic fitness norms for males and females aged 6 to 75 years: a review.

An extensive literature review was performed of studies where VO2max was measured directly in healthy, untrained subjects in the USA, Canada and 7 European countries to establish absolute (L/min) and relative (ml.kg-1.min-1) VO2max norms in males and females aged 6-75 years. Mean norms (L/min) in males show an increase from 1.0 L/min at age 6 years, to 2.0 and 3.4 L/min at ages 12 and 18 years, respectively, after which they decline with age to 3.2, 2.7, and 1.6 L/min for ages 30, 50, and 75 years, respectively. The corresponding values for females aged 6, 12, 18, 30, 50, and 75 years are 0.9, 1.8, 2.2, 1.8, and 1.1 L/min, respectively. Sex differences in relative VO2max are smaller than the above. Mean values for males for the above age groups are 47.5, 50, 48, 35, and 25 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively, with corresponding values for females of 42.5, 44, 41, 28, and 17.5 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively. These norms (L/min) are slightly lower than Robinson's 1938 data on males; they are only 1.5% lower compared with Astrand's adult males norms; but 2.5 to 10% lower than Astrand's norms for adult females. Present norms (ml.kg-1.min-1) for middle aged and older women are 25% lower than the corresponding Astrand's norms.
Prediction of Heart Failure Post Myocardial Infarction: Comparison of Ejection Fraction, Transmitral Filling Parameters, and the Index of Myocardial Performance

Following an acute myocardial infarction (MI), the development of congestive heart failure (CHF) has been associated with a reduced ejection fraction (EF), pseudonormal or restrictive diastolic filling, and an increased index of myocardial performance (IMP). Study Objectives: To determine the comparative predictive value of EF, transmitral filling parameters, and IMP for the development of CHF following a first MI. Design and Setting: A retrospective analysis of consecutive echocardiographic and Doppler studies in patients admitted for their first acute MI from the years 1988 through 1992. We studied 109 patients following their first MI with two‐dimensional and Doppler within 24 hours of MI. We divided patients into those who developed CHF within 15 days (43 patients) and without CHF (66 patients). Results: Patients who developed CHF had greater LV dilatation, lower EF (27.7%± 10.2% vs 45.6%± 13.2%, P < 0.001), higher E/A, shorter deceleration times (DCT; 157 ± 69 msec vs 248 ± 105 msec, P < 0.001), and increased IMP. Utilizing multiple logistic regression, EF (strongest predictor), DCT, and IMP were predictive of CHF. Nineteen patients in the no CHF group developed late CHF and had lower EFs (30.5%± 13.1% vs 50.5%± 9.8%, P < 0.001), higher E/A and shorter DCTs (161 ± 39 msec vs 283 ± 103 msec, P < 0.001). EF, DCT, and E/A were predictive of late CHF in patients without initial CHF. For patients admitted with a first MI, the EF, DCT, and to a lesser extent IMP predicted who would ultimately develop CHF. An EF < 40% or a DCT < 200 msec correctly predicted CHF in 60 of 62 patients. Conclusion: We conclude that the early and ultimate development of CHF following a first MI were associated with an moderately reduced EF < 40%, pseudonormal diastolic filling indices, and an increased IMP. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, November 2003)
SmiWork: An interactive smart mirror platform for workplace health promotion

This paper presents the design and implementation of a multi-user smart mirror system conceived to promote wellness and healthier lifestyles in the work environment through persuasive strategies. By means of a RFID reader, the interactive mirror recognises different users through their personal corporate ID card, which allows them to have access to their personalised user-interface. The smart mirror provides workplace's indoor environmental conditions (thermal, humidity and light), personal physical exercise data obtained from wearable devices and general purpose information (e.g. weather and daily news). Additionally, motivational advice related to physical performance is supplied through request by applying speech-based recognition techniques. End-users can also inquire the mirror about their ranking position in a fair-daily competition that gives social recognition to the most-active-user. The implemented mirror has been evaluated in a one-week study conducted in the wild in the workplace premises. The quantitative data gathered throughout the study, as well as the qualitative users' feedback obtained in a post-trial focus group, provided promising findings for the acceptance and convenience of such a persuasive device in the work environment. Furthermore, valuable design-insights were obtained for future iterations of the smart mirror that encourages workers towards healthier lifestyles.
Ribonucleotides and manganese ions improve non-homologous end joining by human Polµ

Human DNA polymerase mu (Polμ), a family X member involved in DNA repair, has both template-directed and terminal transferase (template-independent) activities. In addition to their ability to incorporate untemplated nucleotides, another similarity between Polµ and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is their promiscuity in using ribonucleotides (NTPs), whose physiological significance is presently unknown. As shown here, Polµ can use NTPs instead of deoxynucleotides (dNTPs) during non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) of non-complementary ends, a Polµ-specific task. Moreover, a physiological concentration of Mn2+ ions did benefit Polµ-mediated NHEJ by improving the efficiency and accuracy of nucleotide insertion. Analysis of different mutations in the ‘steric gate’ of the active site indicated that Polµ is taking advantage of an open active site, valid for selecting alternative activating metal ions and nucleotides as substrates. This versatility would allow ad hoc selection of the most appropriate nucleotide/metal ion combination for individual NHEJ events to gain efficiency without a cost in terms of fidelity, thus widening the spectrum of available solutions to position a discontinuous template strand in proper register for connection.
Case 4

A 52-year-old Caucasian female developed recurrent itchy, urticarial lesions (Fig. 1) associated with angioedema and hypereosinophilia for 2 years. These episodes lasted from 2 to 5 days and were usually heralded by feelings of profound general malaise, arthralgia, headache and exhaustion 48 h beforehand. The lesions occurred anywhere on the body except palms and soles. She had visited both America and Egypt in the past. There was no bene®t from cetirizine 20 mg daily, systemic steroids and colchicine. Investigations revealed normal full blood count and blood ®lm apart from a markedly raised circulating eosinophil count up to 5.6 ́ 10 ¤ L (NR 0.04±0.4) associated with a raised IgE > 7000 kU ¤ L. Biochemistry, thyroid function, immunoglobulins, protein electrophoresis, angiotensin converting enzyme, complement C3 and C4 were normal. Antinuclear antibody, ANCA, rheumatoid factor and aspergillus precipitin were negative. A lesional skin biopsy showed many eosinophils within the dermis and subcutis (Fig. 2). There was no evidence of small vessel vasculitis. Chest X-ray, CT scan chest and abdomen and stool examination for ova, cysts and parasites were normal. There was an initial improvement in her symptoms and urticaria after oral albendazole 400 mg per day for 3 days but these ®nally resolved after ivermectin 10 mg given as a single oral dose.
Survival in multiple system atrophy

We here report survival in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) in a large, prospectively studied group of patients with MSA. Eighty‐five of 100 patients were known to have died. Three patients were rediagnosed as having PD. Twenty‐four patients came to autopsy, which showed MSA in 22 and idiopathic Parkinson's disease in 2. The median survival time was 8.6 and 7.3 years for men and women, respectively (hazard ratio for women was 1.49, 95% CI 0.97–2.31, P = 0.07). Except for rediagnosis as PD, no predictive factors for better survival could be identified. These data confirm the relatively poor prognosis of MSA of less than 9 years on average. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Effect of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) tocotrienols on mesenteric adipose tissue deposition and the expression of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme (11β-HSD1) in adrenalectomized rats treated with dexamethasone.

OBJECTIVES A study was done to investigate the effect of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) tocotrienols on (1) rats mesenteric adipose tissue deposition (2) and 11β-HSD1 enzyme expression in mesenteric adipocyte. There is a necessity to find an inhibitor for the 11β-HSD1 enzyme which enhances the proliferation of mesenteric adipocyte tissue therefore curbing the onset of metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 35 male Spraque Dawley rats were divided into 5 different groups, i.e., a baseline control group (n=7), a sham operated group (n=7) and three experimental adrenalectomised groups (ADR) (n=21). Each of the experimental ADR group was given intramuscular dexamethasone (Dexa) with a dose of 120 μg/kg after 2 weeks post adrenalectomy and were divided into adrenalectomised control (n=7), Glycyrrhizic acid (GCA) treated (dose=120 mg/kg/day; n=7) and Palm Tocotrienol treated (dose=60 mg/kg/day; n=7) groups. These various treatments were given 6 days a week for 8 weeks via gastric gavage (following 2 weeks of adrenalectomy). Data is expressed as mean ± standard error mean (SEM), compared to each other using one-way analysis-of-variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post hoc test and then a t-test. RESULTS The results show that palm tocotrienol tend to slightly increase mesenteric adipose tissue deposition in rats. However, palm tocotrienol was also found to have potential in inhibiting the expression of 11β-HSD1 enzyme in mesenteric adipocytes. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests palm tocotrienol inhibits 11β-HSD1 enzyme expression and activity.
Segmentation of Fingerprint Images Based on Bi-level Combination of Global and Local Processing

Abstract. This paper presents a new approach to segment low quality fingerprint images which are collected by low quality fingerprint readers. Images collected using such readers are easy to collect but difficult to segment. The proposed approach is based on combining global and local processing to achieve segmentation of fingerprint images. On the global level, the fingerprint is located and extracted from the rest of the image by using a global thresholding followed by dilation and edge detection of the largest object in the image. On the local level, fingerprint's foreground and its border image are treated using different fuzzy rules. These rules are based on the mean and variance of the block under consideration. The approach is implemented in three stages: pre-processing, segmentation, and post-processing. Segmentation of 100 images was performed and compared with manual examinations by human experts. The experiments showed that 96% of images under test are correctly segmented. The results from the quality of segmentation test revealed that the average error in block segmentation was 2.84% and the false positive and false negatives were approximately 1.4%. This indicates the high robustness of the proposed approach.
Muscle-specific RING finger 1 is a bona fide ubiquitin ligase that degrades cardiac troponin I

Muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 (MuRF1) is a sarcomere-associated protein that is restricted to cardiac and skeletal muscle. In skeletal muscle, MuRF1 is up-regulated by conditions that provoke atrophy, but its function in the heart is not known. The presence of a RING finger in MuRF1 raises the possibility that it is a component of the ubiquitin–proteasome system of protein deg-radation. We performed a yeast two-hybrid screen to search for interaction partners of MuRF1 in the heart that might be targets of its putative ubiquitin ligase activity. This screen identified troponin I as a MuRF1 partner protein. MuRF1 and troponin I were found to associate both in vitro and in vivo in cultured cardiomyocytes. MuRF1 reduced steady-state troponin I levels when coexpressed in COS-7 cells and increased degradation of endogenous troponin I protein in cardiomyocytes. The degradation of troponin I in cardiomyocytes was associated with the accumulation of ubiquitylated intermediates of troponin I and was proteasome-dependent. In vitro, MuRF1 functioned as a ubiquitin ligase to catalyze ubiquitylation of troponin I through a RING finger-dependent mechanism. In isolated cardiomyocytes, MuRF1 reduced indices of contractility. In cardiomyocytes, these processes may determine the balance between hypertrophic and antihypertrophic signals and the regulation of myocyte contractile responses in the setting of heart failure.