Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of additional Wolf-Rayet stars in the starburst cluster Westerlund 1 with SOAR

Context. The young starburst cluster Westerlund 1 is one of the most massive clusters in the Local Group, harboring a huge population of massive stars. Aims. We searched for additional Wolf-Rayet stars in Westerlund 1. Methods. The targets were selected based on 1 μ m narrow-band imaging of the cluster carried out at OPD/LNA (Brazil), and then confirmed as Wolf-Rayet stars by K -band spectroscopy performed at the 4.1 m SOAR telescope (Chile). Results. We report the detection of 3 additional Wolf-Rayet stars in Westerlund 1. Together with previous works, this increases the population of Wolf-Rayet stars detected in the cluster to 22 members. Moreover, a K -band spectrum of the Luminous Blue Variable W243, which apparently implies a higher temperature than that derived from optical spectra taken in 2003, is presented for the first time. The WC9 star WR-F was also observed, showing clear evidence of dust emission in the K -band.
Accounting for Graded Petforrnance within a Discrete Search Fmmework

This article presents a process account of some typicality effects and related similarity-dependent accuracy and response time phenomena that arise in the context of supervised concept acquisition. We describe Symbolic Concept Acquisition (SCA), a computational system that acquires and activates category prediction rules. In contrast to gradient representations, SCA performs by probing for prediction rules in a series of discrete steps. For learning new rules, it acquires generol rules but then incrementally learns more specific ones. In describing SCA, we emphasize its functionality in terms of accuracy and efficiency and motivate its design within the set of symbolic mechanisms and memory structures defined by the Soar architecture (Laird, Newell, 8 Rosenbloom, 1987). For replicating human behavior, we first show how SCA exhibits some typicality effects in the course of learning responding faster and more accurately to more typical test examples. Then, using data from human experiments, we evaluate SCA’s qualitative predictions an accuracy and response time on individual dataset instances. We show how SCA’s predictions correlate with human data across three experimental conditions concerning the effect of instruction on learning strategy.
LNA-LO Co-design Considerations for Low Intermediate Frequency Receivers in 401-406 MHz MedRadio Spectrum for Healthcare Applications

This work proposes low noise amplifier (LNA) and local oscillator (LO) co-design considerations for low intermediate frequency (IF) receivers (RX) in the Medical Device Radiocommunication (MedRadio) band (401-406 MHz), which is used for biomedical applications. Supported with the analysis, proposed considerations are the experimental outcomes of measurements and characterization of fabricated ICs, which are not directly available in any of the previously published works. A phenomenon of IF shift with respect to received RF power level is explained for a practical RX system by presenting a detailed model for the parasitics of packaged integrated circuits (ICs) and printed circuit board (PCB). A general equation for the lower bound of IF (f_IFmin) is derived for a given maximum input RF power (P_inmax) in the presence of parasitic capacitances, which ensures a fixed IF. Measurement results of a low IF RX (Design1) show that f_IFmin is 1.96 MHz for Pinmax of -35 dBm and total parasitic capacitances of 1.7 pF, which matches with the proposed analytical model. A low IF RX (Design2) was also fabricated in 180 nm mixed mode CMOS technology by using the proposed considerations. The measurement results of Design2 show that problem of IF shift was completely removed and the IF remains fixed at 1.2 MHz even when the Pinmax is much more than -35 dBm.
Macro Financial Determinants of the Great Financial Crisis: Implications for Financial Regulation

By analysing the macro financial determinants of the Great Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 on 83 countries, we find that the probability of suffering the crisis in 2008 was larger for countries having higher levels of credit deposit ratio whereas it was lower for countries having higher levels of: i) net interest margin, ii) concentration in the banking sector, iii) restrictions to bank activities, iv) private monitoring. Our findings contribute to the ongoing discussion that can help policymakers calibrate new regulation, by achieving a reasonable trade-off between financial stability and economic growth.
Optimizing the Management of Reference Prediction Table for Prefetching and Prepromotion

Prefetching and prepromotion are two important techniques for hiding the memory access latency. Reference prediction tables (RPT) plays a significant role in the process of prefetching or prepromoting data with linear memory access patterns. The traditional RPT management, LRU replacement algorithm, can not manage RPT efficiently. This leads to that large RPT has to be used for the considerable performance. The cost brought from the large capacity limits the usage of RPT in real processors. This paper uses bimodal insert policy (BIP) and proposed scalar filter policy (SFP) in the RPT management. Owing to matching the using characteristics of RPT, BIP can reduce the RPT thrashing and SFP can filter the useless scalar instructions in it. After testing 8 NPB benchmarks on a full-system simulator, we find that our approaches improve the RPT hit rate by 53.81% averagely, and increases prefetching and prepromotion operations by 18.85% and 53.55% averagely over the traditional LRU management.
An authentication approach for data sharing in cloud environment for dynamic group

Authentication and data privacy is an important aspect in Cloud computing. In this research work to ensure authentication and data privacy a Group Key Authentication (GKA) protocol is proposed and implemented. This defined protocol provides authentication and data privacy with reasonable authentication time and data reduce data traffic in the Cloud computing and simultaneously increases the Quality of Service (QoS). In addition, this work also aims in providing an access control based on group signatures in cloud based services. To achieve this access control scheme, a dual grand access control mechanism is formulated. This scheme will manage multi-groups and validate the group certificates of users in the cloud environment. Extensive evaluations have been carried out on the analytical model to verify the effectiveness and the correctness of the proposed system.
Augmenting Digital Libraries with Web-Based Visualizations

Digital libraries in their current form are bounded by their ineffcient webpage-based user interface paradigm, and even the most knowledgeable researchers can get lost in the large amount of published material available. A paper and its immediate references are displayed on a single webpage. Unfortunately, it is not readily apparent where the paper be- longs in the greater context of a research field. Our goal was to develop, test, and iteratively improve the effectiveness of a web-based application, PaperCube, designed to augment and enhance a researcher's interaction with digital libraries through the use of interactive visualizations of bibliographic meta data. The visualizations set out to show different levels of detail and aspects of a paper's citation network. A primary concern was to ensure that while switching visualizations, the viewed paper or author remained focused at all times. PaperCube was validated through a user study that showed that it helped users who are trying to explore a field of research. In particular, PaperCube was shown to reduce the "cognitive load" put on a researcher and aid the "discoverability" of new research material.
Acu-TENS and Postexercise Expiratory Flow Volume in Healthy Subjects

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation over acupoints (Acu-TENS) facilitates recovery of resting heart rate after treadmill exercise in healthy subjects. Its effect on postexercise respiratory indices has not been reported. This study investigates the effect of Acu-TENS on forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in healthy subjects after a submaximal exercise. Eleven male subjects were invited to the laboratory twice, two weeks apart, to receive in random order either Acu-TENS or Placebo-TENS (no electrical output from the TENS unit) over bilateral Lieque (LU7) and Dingchuan (EX-B1) for 45 minutes, before undergoing exercise following the Bruce protocol. Exercise duration, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and peak heart rate (PHR) were recorded. Between-group FEV1 and FVC, before, immediately after, at 15, 30, and 45minutes postexercise, were compared. While no between-group differences in PHR, RPE, and FVC were found, Acu-TENS was associated with a longer exercise duration (0.9 min (P = .026)) and a higher percentage increase in FEV1 at 15 and 45 minutes postexercise (3.3 ± 3.7% (P = .013) and 5.1 ± 7.5% (P = .047), resp. ) compared to Placebo-TENS. We concluded that Acu-TENS was associated with a higher postexercise FEV1 and a prolongation of submaximal exercise.
Elliptical point to point trajectory planning using electronic cam motion profiles for high speed industrial pick and place robots

As the speed of industrial pick and place robots continues to increase, new trajectory planning strategies will need to be developed in order to optimise the dynamic characteristics of high speed motion. The use of elliptical pick and place cycles coupled with a Modified Sine cam motion profile is proposed and compared to the traditional rectangular cycle with trapezoidal velocity profile. The elliptical cycle exhibits very smooth, continuous motion curves. Asymmetric acceleration can optionally be specified to reduce peak joint torques and increase maximum pick and place speed.
Research and Performance Analysis of Space-Time Block Codes in MIMO System

The instantaneous SNR (signal to noise ratio) of the receiver of STBC (space-time block codes) over Rayleigh fading channels is illustrated, based on this, the closed impression of STBC's BER (bit error rate) is deduced with M-PSK modulation. Based on the model of STBC in MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) system, the numerical simulation and the analysis are presented.
2-Nitroimidazole (EF5) binding predicts radiation resistance in individual 9L s.c. tumors.

The presence of hypoxic tumor cells is known to be an important cause of radiation treatment resistance in vivo. The ability to predict the presence and extent of hypoxic cells in individual tumors would allow the addition of specific "antihypoxia"-based treatment regimes. Hypoxia can be monitored by measuring the binding of 2-nitroimidazoles. We have tested the hypothesis that binding of EF5, a fluorinated derivative of the 2-nitroimidazole, Etanidazole, can predict radioresistance in individual tumors. Fischer rats bearing 9L s.c. tumors were given injections i.v. with EF5 3 h before irradiation and tumor harvest. Tumor cells were dissociated for flow cytometric analysis and plating efficiency studies. EF5 binding was detected via monoclonal antibodies conjugated to the orange emitting dye, Cy3. In air breathing rats, for a given radiation dose, a large amount of variation in plating efficiency was seen. However, there was minimal variability of the plating efficiency for tumors irradiated in euthanized animals (hypoxic tumors; correlation coefficient for the fitted curve = 0.93) and in cells dissociated from tumors and irradiated in suspension (correlation coefficient for the fitted curve = 0.99), suggesting that varying sensitivity to the cell disaggregation technique was not responsible. In contrast, a good correlation between the relative radiation resistance or hypoxic survival and EF5 binding of "moderately" hypoxic cells in air breathing rats was identified using these techniques. In these 9L s.c. tumors, intertumor variation in oxygenation accounted for most of the range in individual tumor radiation response, and this was found to be independent of tumor size. This study provides evidence for the application of EF5 binding with monoclonal antibody detection as an in vivo predictive assay of individual tumor hypoxia and resultant therapy resistance.
Purification, characterization, and primary structure of Clostridium perfringens lambda-toxin, a thermolysin-like metalloprotease

The lambda-toxin of Clostridium perfringens type B NCIB10691 was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by size exclusion, anion-exchange, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The purified toxin had an apparent molecular mass of 36 kDa, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The toxin possessed casein-hydrolyzing activity, which was inhibited specifically by metal chelators, indicating that the toxin is a metalloprotease. The gene encoding the lambda-toxin (lam), which was shown by Southern analysis to be located on a 70-kb plasmid, was cloned into Escherichia coli cells. Nucleotide and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed that the lam gene encodes a 553-amino-acid protein, which is processed into a mature form, the molecular mass of which was calculated to be 35,722 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature enzyme contains an HEXXH motif characteristic of zinc metalloproteases and is homologous to other known enzymes belonging to the thermolysin family. The purified toxin degraded various biologically important substances, such as collagen, fibronectin, fibrinogen, immunoglobulin A, and the complement C3 component. It caused an increase in vascular permeability and hemorrhagic edema on injection into the dorsal skin of mice. These results suggest that the toxin contributes to the pathogenesis of histolytic infection by lambda-toxin-producing C. perfringens.
Dual-arm robot assembly system for 3C product based on vision guidance

Small part assembly has been received more and more attention recently. It is very challenging to automate small part assembly processes because of the part positioning problems, part mating related issues, and part manipulability problems etc. To facilitate the small part assembly processes, dual-arm robots have been developed. They have the advantages of flexibility and collaboration and can be used for small part assembly. In this paper we propose a small part assembly system using a dual-arm robot. In order to identify the part location, vision systems are deployed. The vision system calibration process is described. The small part assembly process is analyzed. An experimental system is constructed and experiments were performed. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed system.
TGFβ2 Induces the Formation of Cross-Linked Actin Networks (CLANs) in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells Through the Smad and Non-Smad Dependent Pathways

Purpose Increased intraocular pressure results from increased aqueous humor (AH) outflow resistance at the trabecular meshwork (TM) due to pathologic changes including the formation of cross-linked actin networks (CLANs). Transforming growth factor β2 (TGFβ2) is elevated in the AH and TM of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and induces POAG-associated TM changes, including CLANs. We determined the role of individual TGFβ2 signaling pathways in CLAN formation. Methods Cultured nonglaucomatous human TM (NTM) cells were treated with control or TGFβ2, with or without the inhibitors of TGFβ receptor, Smad3, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), P38, or Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK). NTM cells were cotreated with TGFβ2 plus inhibitors for 10 days or pretreated with TGFβ2 for 10 days followed by 1-hour inhibitor treatment. NTM cells were immunostained with phalloidin-Alexa-488 and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Data were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA and Dunnett's post hoc test. Results TGFβ2 significantly induced CLAN formation (n = 6 to 12, P < 0.05), which was completely inhibited by TGFβ receptor, Smad3, and ERK inhibitors, as well as completely or partially inhibited by JNK, P38, and ROCK inhibitors, depending on cell strains. One-hour exposure to ROCK inhibitor completely resolved formed CLANs (P < 0.05), whereas TGFβ receptor, Smad3 inhibitor, and ERK inhibitors resulted in partial or complete resolution. The JNK and P38 inhibitors showed partial or no resolution. Among these inhibitors, the ROCK inhibitor was the most disruptive to the actin stress fibers, whereas ERK inhibition showed the least disruption. Conclusions TGFβ2-induced CLANs in NTM cells were prevented and resolved using various pathway inhibitors. Apart from CLAN inhibition, some of these inhibitors also had different effects on actin stress fibers.
An investigation into the use of field methods in the design and evaluation of interactive systems

This paper reports the results of an international web-based survey on the use of field studies in the design and evaluation of interactive systems, which was conducted between December 2006 and February 2007. The results suggest that the advantages and disadvantages of field methods are generally well understood, but guidance is needed in their application and use. Field studies were most frequently used for understanding context, and respondents preferred a more varied approach to method use rather than following a defined methodology such as Contextual Design. Observations were rated as the most effective technique overall, although interviews appeared to be more frequently used. Significant areas of further improvement for field methods were identified as improvements in data collection/analysis tools and improvements in adaptability of methods.
Diagrammatic Semantics for Spatial Prepositions

Attempts to use images as mental models of natural language sentences with spatial prepositions have been hindered by differences in level of detail between propositional and diagrammtic representations. Specifically, when propositional knowledge is modeled with an image, the level of detail of the diagrammatic representation often requires some details to be assumed. Subsequently, it becomes unclear what details in an image are necessary versus arbitrary; this is the Indeterminacy Problem. Previously, a computational model of imagery, ISR, was introduced that can avoid the Indeterminacy Problem by dynamically manipulating images, rather than treating them as static models. This paper reports our attempts to apply ISR in a fairly realistic domain in which spatial prepositions are used to relate the locations of objects in a room. The major difficulty encountered was in modeling the constraints of gravity, and the analysis of this problem exposes a subtle but crucial interaction among various components of ISR. We describe a heuristic solution, and suggest, by similarity to planning, that natural language semantic processors require such heuristics that trade completeness for speed.
Injective Tauberian Operators on L1 and Operators with Dense Range on ℓ∞

Abstract. There exist injective Tauberian operators on ${{L}_{1}}\left( 0,\,1 \right)$ that have dense, nonclosed range. This gives injective nonsurjective operators on ${{\ell }_{\infty }}$ that have dense range. Consequently, there are two quasi-complementary noncomplementary subspaces of ${{\ell }_{\infty }}$ that are isometric to ${{\ell }_{\infty }}$ .
Serum Amylase Levels in Relation to Islet β Cell Function in Patients with Early Type 2 Diabetes

Objective The insulin-pancreatic acinar axis may play a major role in pancreatic function. Amylase is an exocrine enzyme that is produced by pancreatic acinar cells, and low serum amylase levels may be associated with endocrine diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes. We hypothesized that low serum amylase levels may be associated with impaired islet β cell function in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the serum amylase levels and islet β cell function in patients with early type 2 diabetes. Methods The cross-sectional study recruited 2327 patients with a mean of 1.71±1.62 years since their diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and all participants were treated with lifestyle intervention alone. Serum amylase levels, the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and metabolic risk factors were examined in all participants. The insulin sensitivity index (Matsuda index, ISIMatsuda) and insulin secretion index (ratio of total area-under-the-insulin-curve to glucose-curve, AUCins/glu) were derived from the OGTT. Integrated islet β cell function was assessed by the Insulin Secretion-Sensitivity Index-2 (ISSI-2) (ISIMatsuda multiplied by AUCins/glu). Results Serum amylase levels in the normal range were significantly correlated with ISIMatsuda, AUCins/glu and ISSI-2 (r = 0.203, 0.246 and 0.413, respectively, p<0.001). The association of the serum amylase levels with ISSI-2 (adjusted r = 0.363, p<0.001) was closer than the association with ISIMatsuda (adjusted r = 0.191, p<0.001) and AUCins/glu (adjusted r = 0.174, p<0.001) after adjusting for the anthropometric indices, time since the diagnosis of diabetes, lipid profiles, uric acid levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate, HbA1c levels, smoking and drinking using the partial correlation test. After adjusting for these metabolic risk factors in the multivariate regression analysis with the amylase levels as the dependent variable, ISSI-2 was the major independent contributor to the serum amylase levels (β = 0.416, t = 21.72, p<0.001). Meanwhile, in a comparison of the groups with the highest and lowest quartiles of serum amylase levels, the mean difference in logISSI-2 was 0.902 (95% CI 0.823 to 0.982), and after adjusting for metabolic risk factors, the mean difference in logISSI-2 was 0.610 (0.537 to 0.683). Conclusions Serum amylase levels in the normal range are positively associated with integrated islet β cell function in patients with early type 2 diabetes, as assessed by ISSI-2.
Uniform methods for semilinear problems with attractive boundary turning points

Two upwind finite dierence schemes are considered for the numerical solution of a class of semilinear convection-diusi on problems with a small perturbation parameter " and an attractive boundary turn- ing point. We show that for both schemes the maximum nodal error is bounded by a special weighted '1-type norm of the truncation error. These results are used to establish "-uniform pointwise convergence on Shishkin meshes.
Novel axial flux interior PM synchronous motor realized with powdered soft magnetic materials

A novel axial flux interior PM (AFIPM) synchronous motor for wheel-motor applications is presented. Due to the new anisotropic rotor structure, the AFIPM motor can deliver constant power with flux weakening operation. The rotor construction is feasible only using powdered soft magnetic materials. The proposed design procedure uses the finite element method (FEM) in addition to the classical electric motor design rules. Complete design data of the prototype under study are presented and the manufacturing stage of the prototype is described too. The computed values of the machine parameters are compared to the values determined on the basis of experimental measurements. Finally the prototype motor characteristics are determined and presented.