Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recovery of Cu and Sn from the Bioleaching Solution of Electronic Scrap

A study for recovering of copper and lead from electronic scraps has been carried out using a combination of bioleaching and solvent extraction. It was found that the citric acid generated by Aspergillus niger could be an imporant leaching agent acting in the solubilization of copper, iron, lead and tin from the electronic scrap. Copper could be selectively extracted by 10% LIX84 from the leaching solution and it recoved 99.9% of metallic copper by electrowinning process. Tin and iron were extracted from the remaining solution by 10% Alamine336 and stripped by NaCl solution. Finally, tin could be recovered as a metallic precipitates from the mixed solution of tin and iron by cementation with iron powder.
Breakdown mechanisms in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs: An overview

This paper reviews the physical mechanisms responsible for breakdown current in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Through a critical comparison between experimental data and previously published results we describe the following mechanisms, which can be responsible for the increase in drain current at high drain voltage levels, in the off-state: (i) source–drain breakdown, due to punch-through effects and/or to a poor depletion of the buffer; (ii) vertical (drain-bulk) breakdown, which can be particularly prominent when the devices are grown on a silicon substrate; (iii) breakdown of the gate–drain junction, due either to surface conduction mechanisms or to conduction through the (reverse-biased) Schottky junction at the gate; (iv) impact ionization triggered by hot electrons, that may induce an increase in drain current due to the lowering of the barrier for the injection of electrons from the source.
A cascade ranking model for efficient ranked retrieval

There is a fundamental tradeoff between effectiveness and efficiency when designing retrieval models for large-scale document collections. Effectiveness tends to derive from sophisticated ranking functions, such as those constructed using learning to rank, while efficiency gains tend to arise from improvements in query evaluation and caching strategies. Given their inherently disjoint nature, it is difficult to jointly optimize effectiveness and efficiency in end-to-end systems. To address this problem, we formulate and develop a novel cascade ranking model, which unlike previous approaches, can simultaneously improve both top k ranked effectiveness and retrieval efficiency. The model constructs a cascade of increasingly complex ranking functions that progressively prunes and refines the set of candidate documents to minimize retrieval latency and maximize result set quality. We present a novel boosting algorithm for learning such cascades to directly optimize the tradeoff between effectiveness and efficiency. Experimental results show that our cascades are faster and return higher quality results than comparable ranking models.
MCC inhibits beta‐catenin transcriptional activity by sequestering DBC1 in the cytoplasm

The mutated in colorectal cancer (MCC) is a multifunctional gene showing loss of expression in colorectal and liver cancers. MCC mutations can drive colon carcinogenesis in the mouse and in vitro experiments suggest that loss of MCC function promotes cancer through several important cellular pathways. In particular, the MCC protein is known to regulate beta‐catenin (β‐cat) signaling, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Here we show that the β‐cat repressor function of MCC is strongly impaired by the presence of a disease‐associated mutation. We also identify deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) as a new MCC interacting partner and regulator of β‐cat signaling. RNA interference experiments show that DBC1 promotes β‐cat transcriptional activity and that the presence of DBC1 is required for MCC‐mediated β‐cat repression. In contrast to all other DBC1 interacting partners, MCC does not interact through the DBC1 Leucine Zipper domain but with a glutamic‐acid rich region located between the Nudix and EF‐hand domains. Furthermore, MCC overexpression relocalizes DBC1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and reduces β‐cat K49 acetylation. Treatment of cells with the SIRT1 inhibitor Nicotinamide reverses MCC‐induced deacetylation of β‐cat K49. These data suggest that the cytoplasmic MCC–DBC1 interaction sequesters DBC1 away from the nucleus, thereby removing a brake on DBC1 nuclear targets, such as SIRT1. This study provides new mechanistic insights into the DBC1–MCC axis as a new APC independent β‐cat inhibitory pathway.
Silicones with improved thermal conductivity for thermal management in electronic packaging

The design, use, and application of thermal compounds in popular electronic packages are described. Typical properties of silicones are addressed, including the differences between thermally conductive silicone greases, gels, and adhesives. Recent trends in electronic-packaging thermal-management techniques are also covered. Specific attention is given to multi-chip modules utilizing thermal compounds for heat removal through the top of the flip chip. The key properties of highly thermally conductive materials are highlighted. These areas include the selection of filler type, filler packing, and total filler loading. The properties of a thermal compound developed for flip-chip application are explained in detail, and attention is given to how the above areas have been optimized in this product. It is concluded that the proper selection and use of thermally conductive silicones, as presently described, can greatly enhance the performance of many electronic packages. <<ETX>>
Author Correction.

(2005). Active ERK1 is dimerized in vivo: bisphosphodimers generate peak kinase activity and monophosphodimers maintain basal ERK1 activity. The authors would like to correct an error that occurred when they composed Fig. 2B. The revised figure panel and legend are shown below. (B) Sea urchin embryos. Active ERK1 was immunoprecipitated during the first mitotic cell cycle at time points that corresponded to maximum (6 min, NEB) and minimum activity (Unfertilized, 30 min) using an anti-dualphosphorylated ERK antibody and detected by western blotting with a second, different anti-dualphosphorylated ERK antibody or with an anti-MEK antibody (NEB sample). Arrows, active ERK1 dimers. Cell extract: whole-cell extracts are rich in ERK1 monomers as a western blot of a 30 minute post-fertilization cell extract detected with anti-ERK antibody demonstrates. It was necessary to load 150 ␮g total cellular protein in order to obtain a detectable band at 91 kDa for comparison with the anti-dualphosphorylated ERK antibody immunoprecipitate. The positions of molecular mass markers are shown. Introduction The MAP kinase signalling pathway is universal and highly conserved throughout evolution (Pouyssegur and Lenormand, 2003). In budding and fission yeast it controls the pheromone-induced mating response (Choi et al. The same pathway is involved in signal transmission to the nucleus upon mitogenic stimulation of somatic cells (for a review, see Wilkinson and Millar, 2000). In oocytes it controls meiosis and cell cycle It is also involved in signal transduction during re-entry into the mitotic cell cycle after fertilization in sea urchin eggs (Philipova et al., 2005a; Philipova et al., 2005b; Philipova and Whitaker, 1998). Protein dimerization has been found to be a common signalling motif during the transduction of extracellular signals. For MAP kinase pathways, it has been indirectly shown that phosphorylation of ERK2 facilitates the formation of dimers in vitro. By using equilibrium sedimentation, Khokhlatchev and colleagues have found that phosphorylated ERK2 sediments in vitro primarily as an 84 kDa species whereas nonphosphorylated ERK2 sediments as a mixture of a lesser amount of the 84 kDa and a greater amount of the 42 kDa species (Khokhlatchev et al., 1998). A model of dimerized kinase has been deduced from the crystal structure of
Identifying the inhibition of TIR proteins involved in TLR signalling as an anti-inflammatory strategy

Abstract Toll/IL1 receptor (TIR) adaptor proteins continue to be an integral part of Toll-like receptors’ (TLR) signalling involved in inflammation. Signalling is likely to be initiated by these TIR adaptors when they are recruited to a TIR–TIR interface formed by TLR dimerization. Among these, myeloid differentiation factor-88 (MyD88), MyD88 adapter-like protein (Mal), TIR domain-containing adaptor protein inducing interferon-β (TRIF) and TRIF-related adaptor molecule (TRAM) play pivotal roles at many steps in the signalling events leading to inflammation. The presence of the conserved BB loop residues in the TIR domain of all these important adaptor proteins make them possible targets for inhibition by synthetic compounds. We have designed compounds based on an already known MyD88 TIR dimerization inhibitor, T6167923, which binds well not only to the original target but also to the TIR domains of Mal, TRIF and TRAM. The designed inhibitors are based on modifications of the bromophenyl-sulphonyl-thiophenyl-piperazine-carboxamide series of compounds. We have further suggested modifications in these high-affinity compounds for efficient absorption inside the body. Further, a pharmacophore model highlighting important structural interaction features has been developed. The screened compounds are better in binding to the TIR proteins then the parent compound and hence are good starting points for multi-TIR inhibition.
Virtual water trade: an assessment of water use efficiency in the international food trade

Abstract. Amid an increasing water scarcity in many parts of the world, virtual water trade as both a policy instrument and practical means to balance the local, national and global water budget has received much attention in recent years. Building upon the knowledge of virtual water accounting in the literature, this study assesses the efficiency of water use embodied in the international food trade from the perspectives of exporting and importing countries and at the global and country levels. The investigation reveals that the virtual water flows primarily from countries of high crop water productivity to countries of low crop water productivity, generating a global saving in water use. Meanwhile, the total virtual water trade is dominated by green virtual water, which constitutes a low opportunity cost of water use as opposed to blue virtual water. A sensitivity analysis, however, suggests high uncertainties in the virtual water accounting and the estimation of the scale of water saving. The study also raises awareness of the limited effect of water scarcity on the global virtual water trade and the negative implications of the global water saving for the water use efficiency and food security in importing countries and the environment in exporting countries. The analysis shows the complexity in evaluating the efficiency gains in the international virtual water trade. The findings of the study, nevertheless, call for a greater emphasis on rainfed agriculture to improve the global food security and environmental sustainability.
Effects of First Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus on Medical Visits and Medication Adherence in Korea

Background: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) conducted a screening test to detect chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in Korea. This study evaluated the effects of health screening for DM on pharmacological treatment. Methods: The data from qualification and the General Health Screening in 2012, the insurance claims of medical institutions from Jan 2009 to Dec 2014, and the diabetic case management program extracted from the NHIS administrative system were used. Total 16068 subjects were included. Visiting rate to medical institution, medication possession ratio and the rate of medication adherence of study subjects were used as the indices. Results: The visiting rates to medical institutions were 39.7%. The percentage who received a prescription for a diabetes mellitus medication from a doctor was 80.9%, the medication possession ratio was 70.8%, and the rate of medication adherence was 57.8%. Conclusion: The visiting rate, medication possession ratio and rate of medication adherence for DM medication were not high. In order to increase the visiting rate, medication possession ratio and rate of medication adherence, NHIS should support environment in which medical institutions and DM patients can do the role of each part.
Efficient operation of anisotropic synchronous machines for wind energy systems

This paper presents an analytical solution for the Maximum-Torque-per-Ampere (MTPA) operation of synchronous machines (SM) with anisotropy and magnetic cross-coupling for the application in wind turbine systems and airborne wind energy systems. For a given reference torque, the analytical MTPA solution provides the optimal stator current references which produce the desired torque while minimizing the stator copper losses. From an implementation point of view, the proposed analytical method is appealing in terms of its fast online computation (compared to classical numerical methods) and its efficiency enhancement of the electrical drive system. The efficiency of the analytical MTPA operation, with and without consideration of cross-coupling, is compared to the conventional method with zero direct current.
Expression and bioactivity of human α-fetoprotein in a Bac-to-Bac system

α-fetoprotein (AFP) is an early serum growth factor in foetal embryonic development and hepatic oncogenesis. A growing number of investigations of AFP as a tumour-specific biomarker have concluded that AFP is an important target for cancer treatment. AFP also plays an immunomodulatory role in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis and thyroiditis. In an effort to support biochemical screening and drug design and discovery, we attempted to express and purify human AFP in a Bac-to-Bac system. Two key factors affecting the expression of recombinant human AFP (R-AFP), namely the infectious baculovirus inoculum volume and the culturing time post-infection, were optimized to maximize the yield. We achieved a high yield of approximately 1.5 mg/l of harvested medium with a 72–96 h incubation period after infection and an inoculum volume ratio of 1:100. We also assessed the role of R-AFP in the proliferation of the human liver cancer cell line Bel 7402, and the results indicated that R-AFP promoted the growth of hepatoma cells. We concluded that this method can produce high yields of R-AFP, which can be used for studies related to AFP.
EFFECTS OF SODIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE-LIME ADMIXTURES ON COHESIVE OKLAHOMA SOILS

SODIUM CHLORIDE HAS BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS AS A STABILIZING ADMIXTURE IN "SELECT" BASE COURSE MATERIALS. HOWEVER, LITTLE IF ANY INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINEERING. PROPERTIES OF SODIUM CHLORIDE-STABILIZED COHESIVE SOIL HAS BEEN DONE. THIS PAPER DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF SODIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE-LIME ADMIXTURES ON PLASTICITY, COMPACTION, AND STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF 2 HIGH-VOLUME/CHANGE COHESIVE OKLAHOMA SOILS. AFTER REVIEW OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND DISCUSSION OF CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL REACTIONS THAT OCCUR DURING STABILIZATION, EXPERIMENTAL TEST RESULTS ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. SMALL PERCENTAGES OF SODIUM CHLORIDE ADDED TO RAW SOIL WERE FOUND TO HAVE NEGLIGIBLE EFFECTS ON SOIL PLASTICITY WHILE INCREASING COMPACTED DENSITY AND DECREASING OPTIMUM COMPACTION MOISTURE CONTENT. WORKABILITY AND MOISTURE-RETENTION QUALITIES OF THE RAW SOIL WERE ALSO ENHANCED. WHEN SMALL PERCENTAGES OF SODIUM CHLORIDE WERE ADDED TO LIME-MODIFIED SOIL, SIMILAR RESULTS WERE OBTAINED: COMPACTED DENSITY WAS INCREASED, OPTIMUM MOISTURE DECREASED, AND THE WORKABILITY AND MOISTURE-RETENTION PROPERTIES OF THE SALT-LIME MIXTURES WERE ENHANCED CONSIDERABLY OVER THOSE OF LIME-MODIFIED SOIL. IN ADDITION, SALT-LIME TREATMENT PRODUCED STRENGTH GAINS OVER THOSE OBTAINED BY LIME TREATMENT ALONE, BOTH AT THE MAXIMUM COMPACTED DENSITY AND OPTIMUM MOISTURE FOR EACH TREATMENT AND WHEN THE SOILS WERE COMPACTED TO SIMILAR MOISTURE AND DENSITY CONDITIONS. REASONS FOR THE BEHAVIOR OBSERVED ARE PRESENTED. /AUTHOR/
A musculoskeletal model to estimate the relative changes in wrist strength due to interacting wrist and forearm postures

Abstract Wrist rotations about one wrist axis (e.g. flexion/extension) can affect the strength about another wrist axis (e.g. radial/ulnar deviation). This study used a musculoskeletal model of the distal upper extremity, and an optimization approach, to quantify the interaction effects of wrist flexion/extension (FE), radial/ulnar deviation (RUD) and forearm pronation/supination (PS) on wrist strength. Regression equations were developed to predict the relative changes in strength from the neutral posture, so that the changes in strength, due to complex and interacting wrist and forearm rotation postures, can be incorporated within future ergonomics assessments of wrist strength.
Impact of Individual and Neighborhood Factors on Cardiovascular Risk in White Hispanic and Non‐Hispanic Women and Men

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality for adults in the US, regardless of ethnicity. A cross-sectional correlational design was used to describe and compare CVD risk and cardiac mortality in White Hispanic and non-Hispanic women and men. Data from 3,317 individuals (1,523 women and 1,794 men) hospitalized for non-cardiac causes during 2012-2013, and data from the 2010 United States Census were included. The sex-specific 10-year Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FRS-10) was used to estimate long-term risk for major cardiac events. Approximately three-quarters of the sample was White Hispanic. FRS-10 scores were generally low, but a high prevalence of risk factors not included in the standard FRS-10 scoring formula was seen. White Hispanic women had significantly lower estimated CVD risk scores compared to White Hispanic and non-Hispanic men despite higher non-FRS-10 risks. Neighborhood median household income had a significant negative relationship and Hispanic neighborhood concentration had a significant positive relationship with cardiac mortality. Hispanic concentration was the only predictor of estimated CVD risk in a multilevel model. CVD risk assessment tools that are calibrated for ethnic groups and socioeconomic status may be more appropriate for Hispanic individuals than the FRS-10. Neighborhood-level factors should be included in clinical cardiac assessment in addition to individual characteristics and behavioral risks. Researchers should continue to seek additional risk factors that may contribute to or protect against CVD in order to close the gap between estimated CVD risk and actual cardiac mortality for Hispanics in the US. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PAID I DEEP NEURAL NETWORKS FOR MULTIPLE SPEAKER DETECTION AND LOCALIZATION

We propose to use neural networks for simultaneous detection and localization of multiple sound sources in human-robot interaction. In contrast to conventional signal processing techniques, neural network-based sound source localization methods require fewer strong assumptions about the environment. Previous neural network-based methods have been focusing on localizing a single sound source, which do not extend to multiple sources in terms of detection and localization. In this paper, we thus propose a likelihood-based encoding of the network output, which naturally allows the detection of an arbitrary number of sources. In addition, we investigate the use of sub-band cross-correlation information as features for better localization in sound mixtures, as well as three different network architectures based on different motivations. Experiments on real data recorded from a robot show that our proposed methods significantly outperform the popular spatial spectrum-based approaches.
Evaluation of Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Profile of Pituitary Macroadenoma: A Prospective Study

Background: Pituitary macroadenoma is a common tumor of middle-aged people. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the investigation of choice for its evaluation. Various parameters regarding the extent, consistency, and contrast uptake can be studied and a noninvasive diagnosis is possible. Aims and Objectives: To study the MRI features and extent of pituitary macroadenomas. Materials and Methods: We studied clinical and MRI features of 33 patients of all age groups and both sexes with pituitary macroadenomas who presented to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana from January 2014 to June 2015. MRI was carried out on MAGNETOM Avanto 18 Channel 1.5 Tesla Machine by Seimens India Ltd. The dedicated sellar protocol consisted of sagittal and coronal T1-weighted image (TI-WI) and T2-WI without intravenous contrast using thin slices (3 mm) and a field of view of <200 mm. Results: On analysis of the 33 cases, we observed that patients of pituitary macroadenoma showed an almost equal sex incidence and average age group of 50–60 years. The common presenting complaints were headache and decreased vision. Superior and inferior extent of the lesion was beyond the defined boundaries of sella in most cases, but the lateral extent was limited, resulting in characteristic “snowman-like” appearance. The imaging characteristics showed solid to predominantly solid consistency, appearing mostly heterogeneously hyperintense on T2-WI, and hypo to isointense on T1-WI with intense postcontrast enhancement. Hemorrhage is less common. Pituitary apoplexy is rare and can result in spontaneous resolution. Conclusions: We conclude that the knowledge of clinical and imaging profile of pituitary macroadenoma can help the radiologists to diagnose these sellar lesions, and hence their therapeutic approach can be defined timely.
Brain responses to disorder‐related visual threat in panic disorder

Panic disorder (PD) patients show aberrant neural responses to threatening stimuli in an extended fear network, but results are only partially comparable, and studies implementing disorder‐related visual scenes are lacking as stimuli. The neural responses and functional connectivity to a newly developed set of disorder‐related, ecologically valid scenes as compared with matched neutral visual scenes, using event‐related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 26 PD patients and 26 healthy controls (HC) were investigated. PD patients versus HC showed hyperactivation in an extended fear network comprising brainstem, insula, thalamus, anterior, and mid‐cingulate cortex and (dorso‐)medial prefrontal cortex for disorder‐related versus neutral scenes. Amygdala differences between groups failed significance. Subjective levels of anxiety significantly correlated with brainstem activation in PD patients. Analysis of functional connectivity by means of beta series correlation revealed no emotion‐specific alterations in connectivity in PD patients versus HC. The results suggest that subjective anxiety evoked by external stimuli is directly related to altered activation in the homeostatic alarm system in PD. With novel disorder‐related stimuli, the study sheds new light on the neural underpinnings of pathological threat processing in PD. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4439–4453, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.