Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenges in Large-Area Multi-Wafer SiC Epitaxy for Production Needs

The rapid market development for SiC-devices during the last years can be attributed particularly to the success in supplying high-quality SiC wafers and corresponding epitaxial layers. The device quality could be enhanced and the costs were reduced by enlarging the wafer size as well as by a significant progress in epitaxial growth of active layers by using multi-wafer CVD systems. In this paper we want to give an overview of CVD multi-wafer systems used for SiC growth in the past and today. We present recent results of SiC homoepitaxial growth using our multi-wafer hot-wall CVD system. This equipment exhibits a capacity of 5×3” wafers per run and can be upgraded to a 7×3” or 5×4” setup. By optimizing the process conditions epitaxial layers with excellent crystal quality, purity and homogeneity of doping and thickness have been grown. Issues like reproducibility, drift of parameters and system stability over several runs will be discussed.
Multiobjective Optimization of Industrial Naphtha Cracker for Production of Ethylene and Propylene

Naphtha pyrolysis is one of the important routes for simultaneous production of ethylene and propylene. With recent increase in demand of both ethylene and propylene, understanding of naphtha pyrolysis becomes important for producing with increasing yield of these valuable products. Simultaneous maximization of yield of these two products is mathematically formulated as a multiobjective optimization (MOO) problem. Improved selected scheme is incorporated in the existing multiobjective differential evolution (MODE) algorithm and a new evolutionary algorithm is proposed. Both the evolutionary algorithms [i.e., MODE III and MODE-III with improved selection scheme (MODE III-ISS)] are used for MOO of industrial naphtha cracker unit. Two objectives (maximization of ethylene yield and propylene yield) and decision variables [pressure of the reactor tube (P), temperature of the reactor (T), initial flow rate of naphtha (F 0), and steam to naphtha ratio (SOR)] are considered for MOO study. MODE III and MODE III-ISS algorithms results are compared and presented, which clearly shows that the proposed MODE III-ISS algorithm possesses certain advantages over the MODE III algorithm (such as number of successful selections and percentage convergence with respect to initial number of population points, the quality of the obtained nondominated [ND] solutions).
A two-level syntax-based approach to Arabic-English statistical machine translation

We formulate an original model for statistical machine translation (SMT) inspired by characteristics of the Arabic-English translation task. Our approach incorporates part-of-speech tags and linguistically motivated phrase chunks in a 2-level shallow syntactic model of reordering. We implement and evaluate this model, showing it to have advantageous properties and to be competitive with an existing SMT baseline. We also describe cross-categorial lexical translation coercion, an interesting component and side-effect of our approach. Finally, we discuss the novel implementation of decoding for this model which saves much development work by constructing finite-state machine (FSM) representations of translation probability distributions and using generic FSM operations for search. Algorithmic details, examples and results focus on Arabic, and the paper includes discussion on the issues and challenges of Arabic statistical machine translation.
Efficiency of gratings in the conical diffraction mounting for an EUV time-compensated monochromator

Recent measurements of the absolute diffraction efficiency of plane gratings in the conical diffraction mounting (in which the light approaches the grating in the plane parallel to the direction of the grooves) are presented. Three gratings have been tested at the beamline BEAR (Elettra Synchrotron, Trieste) in the 10-130 nm region, showing a peak efficiency as high as 70%. The aim of these measurements is the use of two gratings in the conical diffraction mounting for the realization of a high-throughput time-compensated monochromator for the spectral selection of high-order harmonic radiation produced by the interaction between an ultrashort laser pulse (less than 100 fs) and a gas jet. The monochromatic and ultrashort pulse at the monochromator exit can be used for the injection of a Free Electron Laser. The theory of the time-compensation with gratings will be briefly resumed, the design of the monochromator will be presented, and the results of the measurements at BEAR will be discussed.
Feature Engineering and Post-Processing for Temporal Expression Recognition Using Conditional Random Fields

We present the results of feature engineering and post-processing experiments conducted on a temporal expression recognition task. The former explores the use of different kinds of tagging schemes and of exploiting a list of core temporal expressions during training. The latter is concerned with the use of this list for post-processing the output of a system based on conditional random fields. We find that the incorporation of knowledge sources both for training and post-processing improves recall, while the use of extended tagging schemes may help to offset the (mildly) negative impact on precision. Each of these approaches addresses a different aspect of the overall recognition performance. Taken separately, the impact on the overall performance is low, but by combining the approaches we achieve both high precision and high recall scores.
Effect of organo-clay on the dielectric relaxation response of silicone rubber

Dielectric elastomers are light weight, low-cost, highly deformable and fast response smart materials capable of converting electrical energy into mechanical work or vice versa. Silicone rubber is a well-known dielectric elastomer which is used as actuator, and in order to enhance the efficiency of this smart material, compounding of silicone rubber with various fillers can be carried out. The effect of organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nano-clay on improvement of dielectric properties, actuation stress and its relaxation response was considered in this study. OMMT was dispersed in room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber, and a composite film was cast. Using an in-house actuation set-up, it was shown that the actuation stress for a given electric field intensity is higher for composites than that for pristine silicone rubber. Also, the time-dependent actuation response of the samples was evaluated, and it was shown that the characteristic relaxation time of the actuation stress for composites is less than for the pristine rubber as a result of OMMT addition.
A Fast-Conducting, Stochastic Integrative Mode for Neocortical Neurons InVivo

During activated states, neocortical neurons receive intense synaptic background activity that induces large-amplitude membrane potential fluctuations and a strong conductance in the membrane. However, little is known about the integrative properties of neurons during such high-conductance states. Here we investigated the integrative properties of neocortical pyramidal neurons under in vivo conditions simulated by computational models. We show that the presence of high-conductance fluctuations induces a stochastic state in which active dendrites are fast conducting and have a different dynamics of initiation and forward-propagation of Na+-dependent spikes. Synaptic efficacy, quantified as the probability that a synaptic input specifically evokes a somatic spike, was approximately independent of the dendritic location of the synapse. Synaptic inputs evoked precisely timed responses (milliseconds), which also showed a reduced location dependence. This scheme was found to apply to a broad range of kinetics and density distributions of voltage-dependent conductances, as well as to different dendritic morphologies. Synaptic efficacies were, however, modulable by the balance of excitation and inhibition in background activity, for all synapses at once. Thus, models predict that the intense synaptic activity in vivo can confer advantageous computational properties to neocortical neurons: they can be set to an integrative mode that is stochastic, fast conducting, and optimized to process synaptic inputs at high temporal resolution independently of their position in the dendrites. Some of these predictions can be tested experimentally.
Ix-cubes: iceberg cubes for data warehousing and olap on xml data

With increasing amount of data being stored in XML format, OLAP queries over these data become important. OLAP queries have been well studied in the relational database systems. However, the evaluation of OLAP queries over XML data is not a trivial extension of the relational solutions, especially when a schema is not available. In this paper, we introduce the IX-cube (Iceberg XML cube) over XML data to tackle the problem. We extend OLAP operations to XML data. We also develop efficient approaches to IX-Cube computation and OLAP query evaluation using IX-cubes.
Web Search Engines

This review looks briefly at the history of World Wide Web search engine development, considers the current state of affairs, and reflects on the future. Networked discovery tools have evolved along with Internet resource availability. World Wide Web search engines display some complexity in their variety, content, resource acquisition strategies, and in the array of tools they deploy to assist users. A small but growing body of evaluation literature, much of it not systematic in nature, indicates that performance effectiveness is difficult to assess in this setting. Significant improvements in general-content search engine retrieval and ranking performance may not be possible, and are probably not worth the effort, although search engine providers have introduced some rudimentary attempts at personalization, summarization, and query expansion. The shift to distributed search across multitype database systems could extend general networked discovery and retrieval to include smaller resource collections with rich metadata and navigation tools. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Proteomes of Host Cell Membranes Modified by Intracellular Activities of Salmonella enterica*

Intracellular pathogens need to establish a growth-stimulating host niche for survival and replication. A unique feature of the gastrointestinal pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is the creation of extensive membrane networks within its host. An understanding of the origin and function of these membranes is crucial for the development of new treatment strategies. However, the characterization of this compartment is very challenging, and only fragmentary knowledge of its composition and biogenesis exists. Here, we describe a new proteome-based approach to enrich and characterize Salmonella-modified membranes. Using a Salmonella mutant strain that does not form this unique membrane network as a reference, we identified a high-confidence set of host proteins associated with Salmonella-modified membranes. This comprehensive analysis allowed us to reconstruct the interactions of Salmonella with host membranes. For example, we noted that Salmonella redirects endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane trafficking to its intracellular niche, a finding that has not been described for Salmonella previously. Our system-wide approach therefore has the potential to rapidly close gaps in our knowledge of the infection process of intracellular pathogens and demonstrates a hitherto unrecognized complexity in the formation of Salmonella host niches.
Activation of an Arabidopsis Resistance Protein Is Specified by the in Planta Association of Its Leucine-Rich Repeat Domain with the Cognate Oomycete Effector[W][OA]

The Arabidopsis disease resistance protein RPP1 recognizes the ATR1 effector protein from Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. This works shows that the molecular basis of recognition is mediated by the in planta association of the LRR domain of the RPP1 protein with the ATR1 effector protein. The in planta association of specific alleles of ATR1 leads to the activation of plant immune responses. Activation of plant immunity relies on recognition of pathogen effectors by several classes of plant resistance proteins. To discover the underlying molecular mechanisms of effector recognition by the Arabidopsis thaliana RECOGNITION OF PERONOSPORA PARASITICA1 (RPP1) resistance protein, we adopted an Agrobacterium tumefaciens–mediated transient protein expression system in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), which allowed us to perform coimmunoprecipitation experiments and mutational analyses. Herein, we demonstrate that RPP1 associates with its cognate effector ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA RECOGNIZED1 (ATR1) in a recognition-specific manner and that this association is a prerequisite step in the induction of the hypersensitive cell death response of host tissue. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain of RPP1 mediates the interaction with ATR1, while the Toll/Interleukin1 Receptor (TIR) domain facilitates the induction of the hypersensitive cell death response. Additionally, we demonstrate that mutations in the TIR and nucleotide binding site domains, which exhibit loss of function for the induction of the hypersensitive response, are still able to associate with the effector in planta. Thus, our data suggest molecular epistasis between signaling activity of the TIR domain and the recognition function of the LRR and allow us to propose a model for ATR1 recognition by RPP1.
Top 10 Research Questions Related to Exercise Deficit Disorder (EDD) in Youth

Exercise deficit disorder (EDD) is a pediatric medical condition characterized by reduced levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) that are below current recommendations and inconsistent with positive health outcomes. At present, a majority of children and adolescents meet the diagnostic criteria for EDD because they are not accumulating minimum thresholds of daily MVPA. The purpose of this article is to highlight 10 important research questions related to EDD in youth. The critical research needs to better define the clinical spectrum of EDD to include an assessment of physical activity behaviors to determine the age or stage of maturation at which EDD first emerges; an examination of the kinesiogenesis of movement skills and physical abilities; and an evaluation of lifestyle factors that can influence the MVPA trajectory in youth. Research questions about interventions and policies to treat EDD include evaluating the education and training of health care providers on the importance of exercise medicine; determining the effectiveness of strategies to identify and treat youth with EDD in clinical practice; developing sensitive, specific, and cost-effective methods to diagnose youth with EDD; and assessing methods to promote health care reimbursement for the treatment of this condition. Without future research to optimize identification, treatment, and management strategies for youth with EDD, new health care concerns with significant biomedical, psychosocial, economic, and political ramifications will continue to emerge.
Body weight status, eating behavior, sensitivity to reward/punishment, and gender: relationships and interdependencies

Behavioral and personality characteristics are factors that may jointly regulate body weight. This study explored the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and self-reported behavioral and personality measures. These measures included eating behavior (based on the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire; Stunkard and Messick, 1985), sensitivity to reward and punishment (based on the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales) (Carver and White, 1994) and self-reported impulsivity (based on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11; Patton et al., 1995). We found an inverted U-shaped relationship between restrained eating and BMI. This relationship was moderated by the level of disinhibited eating. Independent of eating behavior, BIS and BAS responsiveness were associated with BMI in a gender-specific manner with negative relationships for men and positive relationships for women. Together, eating behavior and BIS/BAS responsiveness accounted for a substantial proportion of BMI variance (men: ∼25%, women: ∼32%). A direct relationship between self-reported impulsivity and BMI was not observed. In summary, our results demonstrate a system of linear and non-linear relationships between the investigated factors and BMI. Moreover, body weight status was not only associated with eating behavior (cognitive restraint and disinhibition), but also with personality factors not inherently related to an eating context (BIS/BAS). Importantly, these relationships differ between men and women.
Runx1 and Runx2 cooperate during sternal morphogenesis

Chondrocyte differentiation is strictly regulated by various transcription factors, including Runx2 and Runx3; however, the physiological role of Runx1 in chondrocyte differentiation remains unknown. To examine the role of Runx1, we generated mesenchymal-cell-specific and chondrocyte-specific Runx1-deficient mice [Prx1 Runx1f/f mice and α1(II) Runx1f/f mice, respectively] to circumvent the embryonic lethality of Runx1-deficient mice. We then mated these mice with Runx2 mutant mice to obtain mesenchymal-cell-specific or chondrocyte-specific Runx1; Runx2 double-mutant mice [Prx1 DKO mice and α1(II) DKO mice, respectively]. Prx1 Runx1f/f mice displayed a delay in sternal development and Prx1 DKO mice completely lacked a sternum. By contrast, α1(II) Runx1f/f mice and α1(II) DKO mice did not show any abnormal sternal morphogenesis or chondrocyte differentiation. Notably, Runx1, Runx2 and the Prx1-Cre transgene were co-expressed specifically in the sternum, which explains the observation that the abnormalities were limited to the sternum. Histologically, mesenchymal cells condensed normally in the prospective sternum of Prx1 DKO mice; however, commitment to the chondrocyte lineage, which follows mesenchymal condensation, was significantly impaired. In situ hybridization analyses demonstrated that the expression of α1(II) collagen (Col2a1 — Mouse Genome Informatics), Sox5 and Sox6 in the prospective sternum of Prx1 DKO mice was severely attenuated, whereas Sox9 expression was unchanged. Molecular analyses revealed that Runx1 and Runx2 induce the expression of Sox5 and Sox6, which leads to the induction of α1(II) collagen expression via the direct regulation of promoter activity. Collectively, these results show that Runx1 and Runx2 cooperatively regulate sternal morphogenesis and the commitment of mesenchymal cells to become chondrocytes through the induction of Sox5 and Sox6.
Effects of Interstitial Impurities on the Low-Temperature Tensile Properties of Tungsten

Abstract : A study was undertaken to determine the effects of the interstitial impurities oxygen and carbon on the mechanical properties of polycrystalline tungsten and high-purity tungsten single crystals. Results of tensile tests showed that additions of both oxygen and carbon to polycrystalline tungsten produced a marked increase in the ductile to brittle transition temperature. Oxygen and carbon produced a much smaller increase in the transition temperature of the single-crystal specimens compared with equivalent amounts of impurities in the polycrystalline specimens. Addition of oxygen to polycrystalline tungsten lowered both the ultimate tensile strength and the yield strength, but had no measurable effect on the strength properties of single-crystal specimens. Carbon additions to both polycrystalline and single-crystal specimens did not affect the ultimate tensile strength; however, a large increase in the yield strength resulted. The results suggest that oxygen embrittlement in tungsten is caused by grain-boundary segregation, while carbon embrittlement results from an interaction between carbon atoms and dislocations within the tungsten lattice.
Efficacy of the New Double-Layer Stent for Unresectable Distal Malignant Biliary Obstruction: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Background and Aims. For distal malignant biliary obstruction in cases with short life expectancy, occlusion of plastic stents (PSs) does not usually occur before death, and the application of such a procedure is considered adequate from the viewpoint of cost-effectiveness. Methods and Setting. A new commercially available DLS with side holes, a conventional DLS, and, uncovered self-expanding metal stents (SEMSs) were retrospectively evaluated in patients with jaundice due to unresectable distal malignant biliary obstruction. Results. A total of 64 patients received endoscopic biliary stenting (23 patients with the new DLS, 24 patients with conventional DLS, and 17 patients with uncovered SEMS) from December 2002 to August 2009. Median patency time was found to be 198 days for the new DLS group and 99 days for the conventional DLS group, revealing a significant difference between devices. There was, however, no significant difference in median patency time between the new DLS and the uncovered SEMS (198 days versus 344 days). Conclusion. The new DLS is efficient and safe and may be considered the first choice for unresectable distal malignant obstruction in cases with short life expectancy.
Event matching technique for multidimensional range predicate

Event matching technique against lots of multidimensional range predicates is important in the many applications. Existing techniques are restricted to the domain that all the predicates are specified by the user. However, generally some predicates can be omitted by the application requirement. If some predicates are omitted, it is impossible to insert predicates to existing indexing scheme. One of alternatives can be naïve sequential matching that all the events are compared with all the predicates one by one and more advanced alternative is intersection of multi 1-d index. To solve this problem, we propose a novel index scheme for multidimensional range predicates that can be omitted by the application requirement.
An optimal parallel algorithm to construct a tree 3-spanner on interval graphs

A spanning tree T is said to be a tree t-spanner of a graph G if the distance between any two vertices in T is at most t times their distance in G. The tree t-spanner has many applications in network and distributed environments. This problem is NP-hard for general graph even for some special classes of graphs. This problem is polynomial solvable for interval graph when t ≥ 3. When t = 2 the exact complexity of the problem still remains open, but, for t = 2 a polynomial time 2-approximation algorithm is available. An O(n + m) time sequential algorithm is available to solve tree 3-spanner problem, where m and n, respectively, represent the number of edges and the number of vertices of the interval graph. Here, a parallel algorithm is designed to solve a tree 3-spanner problem in O(log n) time using O (n/log n) processors on an EREW PRAM. As a byproduct, a parallel algorithm is also designed to find the increasing sequence of numbers of a set of N numbers in O (log N) time using O(N/log N) processors.