Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Soft-Switching Boost Converter with a Coupled Inductor for Automotive Applications

In this paper, a novel topology of a non-isolated boost converter with zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) capabilities is presented. In order to realize ZVS conditions, the auxiliary circuit only consists of a coupled inductor and a diode, which operates with a zero-current-switching (ZCS) condition. Due to ZVS, the reverse recovery problem of MOSFET anti-parallel body diodes can be resolved, and the voltage and current stresses on the switch components are also reduced. The detailed operating analysis of the proposed converter and the design method of the main circuit are also presented. With the aim to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed boost converter, the simulation results are also given.
Diversity-Multiplexing Trade-off for coordinated relayed uplink and direct downlink transmissions

There are two basic principles used in wireless network coding to design throughput-efficient schemes: (1) aggregation of communication flows and (2) interference is embraced and subsequently cancelled or mitigated. These principles inspire design of Coordinated Direct/Relay (CDR) schemes, where each basic transmission involves two flows to a direct and a relayed user. Considering a scenario with relayed uplink and direct downlink, we analyze the Diversity-Multiplexing Tradeoff (DMT) calculating either the exact value or both upper/lower bounds. The CDR scheme is shown to have a higher diversity gain than the reference scheme at any multiplexing gain.
Six-Sigma™ implementation: Resource-Based View perspective

This study identifies and prioritizes enabling factors based on the different objectives of Six-Sigma™ implementation. Four categories of enabling factors were identified from the lens of Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. Interviews with twenty-three Six-Sigma™ experts were carried out to answer the proposed research questions. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is then applied to prioritize the relative importance of the enabling factors (different types of resources needed) based on three expected outcomes of Six-Sigma™ implementation project. The results show that ‘soft diamension’ of resources is more important than the ‘hard dimension’ when financial benefits and company image are considered as the key expected outcome. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by evaluating and prioritizing enabling factors reflecting by grounded theory and expected outcomes at firm level from experts' experience.
System Performance Analysis of Synchronous Hybrid Direct Sequence-Slow Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum Multiple Access Communications System Using Support Vector Machines

System performance of noncoherent synchronous hybrid direct sequence (DS) slow frequency hopping (SFH) spread spectrum multiple access communication system employing differential phase shift keying modulation (DPSK) in terms of maximum number of simultaneous users is analyzed. Calculation of system capacity is an iterative process as DS code length, number of hopping frequencies, signal to noise ratio and acceptable bit error rate directly affect the total number of simultaneous users in the system. A scheme is presented using Least Square (LS) Support Vector Machines (SVM) for the analysis of the system capacity performance. Proposed scheme reduces the repetitive calculations, accelerates the analysis process and its accuracy is comparable to the results of conventional techniques.
Network Compression: Memory-assisted universal coding of sources with correlated parameters

The existence of significant amount of correlation in the network traffic has stimulated the development of innetwork traffic reduction techniques since end-to-end universal compression solutions would not perform well over Internet packets due to the finite-length nature of data. Recently, we proposed a memory-assisted universal compression technique that holds a significant promise for reducing the amount of traffic in the networks. The idea is based on the observation that if a finite-length sequence from a server (source) is to be compressed and transmitted over the network, the associated universal code entails a substantial overhead. On the other hand, intermediate nodes can reduce the transmission overhead by memorizing the source statistics when forwarding the sequences from the previous communications with the server. In this paper, we extend this idea to the scenario where multiple servers are present in the network by proposing distributed network compression via memory. We consider two spatially separated sources with correlated unknown source parameters. We wish to study the universal compression of a sequence of length n from one of the sources provided that the decoder has access to (i.e., memorized) a sequence of length m from the other source. In this setup, the correlation does not arise from symbol-by-symbol dependency of two outputs from the two sources (as in Slepian-Wolf setup). Instead, the two sequences are correlated because they are originated from the two sources with unknown correlated parameters. The finite-length nature of the compression problem at hand requires considering a notion of almost lossless source coding, where coding incurs an error probability pe(n) that vanishes as sequence length n grows to infinity. We obtain bounds on the redundancy of almost lossless codes when the decoder has access to a random memory of length m as a function of the sequence length n and the permissible error probability pe(n). Our results demonstrate that distributed network compression via memory has the potential to significantly improve over conventional end-to-end compression when sufficiently large memory from previous communications is available to the decoder.
Alogliptin benzoate for management of type 2 diabetes

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, a new class of oral hypoglycemic agents, augment glucose-dependent insulin secretion and suppress glucagon levels through enhancement of the action of endogenous incretin by inhibiting DPP-4, an incretin-degrading enzyme. DPP-4 inhibitors are generally well tolerated because of their low risk of hypoglycemia and other adverse events. Moreover, with their potential to improve beta cell function, a core defect of type 2 diabetes, DPP-4 inhibitors are becoming a major component of treatment of type 2 diabetes. Alogliptin benzoate is a newly developed, highly selective DPP-4 inhibitor which has been approved in many countries throughout the world. Once-daily administration of alogliptin as either monotherapy or combination therapy with other oral antidiabetic drugs or insulin has a potent glucose-lowering effect which is similar to that of other DPP-4 inhibitors, with a low risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain. The cardiovascular safety of this drug has been confirmed in a recent randomized controlled trial. This review summarizes the efficacy and safety of alogliptin, and discusses the role of DPP-4 inhibitors in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Personal exposure to airborne particles and metals: results from the Particle TEAM study in Riverside, California.

The PTEAM Study was the first large-scale probability-based study of personal exposure to particles. Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Air Resources Board of California, it was carried out by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and the Harvard University School of Public Health (HSPH). HSPH designed and constructed a 4-lpm, battery-operated personal monitor for inhalable particles (PM10) that could be worn comfortably for up to 14 hours by persons from 10 to 70 years old. The monitor was worn for two consecutive 12-hour periods (day and night) during the fall of 1990 by 178 participants representing 139,000 nonsmoking residents of Riverside, California. Nearly identical monitors were employed to collect concurrent indoor and outdoor samples. The monitors were equipped with a different sampling nozzle to collect fine particles (PM2.5). Population-weighted daytime personal PM10 exposures averaged 150 +/- 9 (SE) micrograms/m3, compared to concurrent indoor and outdoor concentrations of 95 +/- 6 micrograms/m3. This suggested the existence of excess mass near the person, a "personal cloud" that appeared related to personal activities. Fourteen of 15 prevalent elements also were evaluated in the personal samples. The two major indoor sources of indoor particles were smoking and cooking; even in these homes, however, more than half of the indoor particles came from outdoors, and a substantial portion of the indoor particles were of undetermined indoor origin. Outdoor concentrations near the homes were well correlated with outdoor concentrations at the central site, supporting the idea of using the central site as an indicator of of ambient concentrations over a wider area. Indoor concentrations were only weakly correlated with outdoor concentrations, however, and personal exposures were even more poorly correlated with outdoor concentrations. Elemental profiles were obtained for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) (major contributions from potassium and chlorine) and cooking emissions (aluminum, iron, calcium, and chlorine). These profiles can be used in future source apportionment studies.
From the Cover: Ethanol enhances α4β3δ and α6β3δ γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors at low concentrations known to affect humans

γ-Aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABARs) have long been implicated in mediating ethanol (EtOH) actions, but so far most of the reported recombinant GABAR combinations have shown EtOH responses only at fairly high concentrations (≥60 mM). We show that GABARs containing the δ-subunit, which are highly sensitive to γ-aminobutyric acid, slowly inactivating, and thought to be located outside of synapses, are enhanced by EtOH at concentrations that are reached with moderate, social EtOH consumption. Reproducible ethanol enhancements occur at 3 mM, a concentration six times lower than the legal blood-alcohol intoxication (driving) limit in most states (0.08% wt/vol or 17.4 mM). GABARs responsive to these low EtOH concentrations require the GABAR δ-subunit, which is thought to be associated exclusively with α4- and α6-subunits in vivo, and the β3-subunit, which has recently been shown to be essential for the in vivo anesthetic actions of etomidate and propofol. GABARs containing β2-instead of β3-subunits in α4βδ- and α6βδ-receptor combinations are almost 10 times less sensitive to EtOH, with threshold enhancement at 30 mM. GABARs containing γ2-instead of δ-subunits with α4β and α6β are three times less sensitive to EtOH, with threshold responses at 100 mM, a concentration not usually reached with social EtOH consumption. These combined findings suggest that “extrasynaptic” δ-subunit-containing GABARs, but not their “synaptic” γ-subunit-containing counterparts, are primary targets for EtOH.
The Development of Scales to Assess Knowledge and Attitudes about Genital Herpes

The Herpes Attitudes Scale (HAS) and the Herpes Knowledge Scale (HKS) were developed as research instruments to investigate knowledge and attitudes among college students about herpes. The HAS is a 40‐item Likert‐type scale with an internal consistency reliability coefficient of . 91, based on a sample of 148 students. The HKS is a 54‐item true‐false test with a reliability coefficient of . 88, with the same sample. Content validity of both scales was evaluated by a panel of judges knowledgeable about herpes and/or instrument construction. Since the scales are designed to detect unfavorable attitudes and general misconceptions about herpes, they can function in research applications and as both needs assessment and evaluative tools in herpes education programs.
Lactulose breath test results in patients with persistent abdominal symptoms following Giardia lamblia infection

Objective. Bacterial overgrowth has been implicated in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The objective of this study was to investigate whether post-infectious IBS following Giardia lamblia infection is related to intestinal bacterial overgrowth, as diagnosed by the lactulose breath test (LBT). Material and methods. Seventy-seven patients with persistent gastrointestinal complaints related to a recent outbreak of G. lamblia infection were included in the study. Despite one or several courses of treatment with metronidazole during the previous months, 23 of the patients were still stool positive for G. lamblia, whereas the remaining 54 patients had cleared the infection. All patients and 42 healthy volunteers underwent a LBT with 10 g lactulose, and their customary and post-LBT abdominal symptoms were scored. Results. Ninety-five percent of the patients had IBS. Lactulose-induced hydrogen breath excretion was not significantly different in patients and controls. Customary and post-LBT symptoms were abnormally high in the patients, irrespective of both G. lamblia infection status and LBT results. Furthermore, lactulose challenge replicated the patients’ customary complaints in 70% of the patients. Conclusions. Gastrointestinal complaints in patients with persistent or cleared giardiasis were unrelated to hydrogen breath excretion after lactulose challenge. Post-giardiasis IBS cannot be ascribed to intestinal bacterial overgrowth, as diagnosed by LBT.
The role of ligand flexibility in predicting biological activity: Structure–activity relationships for aryl hydrocarbon, estrogen, and androgen receptor binding affinity

Recent studies indicate that the potency and agonist or antagonist activity of steroid hormone ligands are dependent, in part, on ligand–receptor binding affinity as well as the conformation of the ligand–receptor complex. The binding of ligands to hormone receptors is thought to involve interactions by which shapes of both the receptor and ligand are modified in the formation of the ligand–receptor complex. As a consequence, it is essential to explore the significance of ligand flexibility in the development of screening‐level structure–activity relationships. In this review, examples are provided of techniques used to generate and screen ligand conformers in the development of quantitative structure–activity relationships and active analogue search algorithms. The biological endpoint modeled was binding affinity of natural ligands and xenobiotics to the aryl hydrocarbon, estrogen, and androgen receptors. These approaches may be useful in future studies to evaluate relationships between ligand structure, receptor binding affinity, and, ultimately, transactivational events associated with receptor interactions with DNA response elements and associated proteins. An improved understanding of ligand–receptor interactions in the context of well‐defined effector systems will enhance the development of credible predictive models that can be used to screen large sets of chemicals for potential agonist or antagonistic activity.
Toxic Side Effects of Drugs Used to Treat Chagas’ Disease (American Trypanosomiasis)

Chagas’ disease (American trypanosomiasis) is an endemic parasitic disease in some areas of Latin America. About 16-18 million persons are infected with the aetiological agent of the disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and more than 100 million are living at risk of infection. There are different modes of infection: 1) via blood sucking vector insects infected with T. cruzi, accounting for 80-90% of transmission of the disease; 2) via blood transfusion or congenital transmission, accounting for0.5-8% of transmission; 3) other less common forms of infection, eg, from infected food or drinks or via infected organs used in transplants. The acute phase of the disease can last from weeks to months and typically is asymptomatic or associated with fever and other mild non-specific manifestations. However, life-threatening myocarditis or meningoencephalitis can occur during the acute phase. The death rate for persons in this phase is about 10%. Approximately 10-50% of the survivors develop chronic Chagas’ disease, which is characterized by potentially lethal cardiopathy and megacolon or megaoesophagus. There are two drugs available for the aetiological treatment of Chagas’ disease: nifurtimox (Nfx) and benznidazole (Bz). Nfx is a nitrofurane and Bz is a nitroimidazole compound. The use of these drugs to treat the acute phase of the disease is widely accepted. However, their use in the treatment of the chronic phase is controversial. The undesirable side effects of both drugs are a major drawback in their use, frequently forcing the physician to stop treatment. The most frequent adverse effects observed in the use of Nfx are: anorexia, loss of weight, psychic alterations, excitability, sleepiness, digestive manifestations such as nausea or vomiting, and occasionally intestinal colic and diarrhoea. In the case of Bz, skin manifestations are the most notorious (eg, hypersensitivity, dermatitis with cutaneous eruptions, generalized oedema, fever, lymphoadenopathy, articular and muscular pain), with depression of bone marrow, thrombocytopenic purpura and agranulocytosis being the more severe manifestations. Experimental toxicity studies with Nfx evidenced neurotoxicity, testicular damage, ovarian toxicity, and deleterious effects in adrenal, colon, oesophageal and mammary tissue. In the case of Bz, deleterious effects were observed in adrenals, colon and oesophagus. Bz also inhibits the metabolism of several xenobiotics biotransformed by the cytochrome P450 system and its reactive metabolites react with fetal components in vivo. Both drugs exhibited significant mutagenic effects and were shown to be tumorigenic or carcinogenic in some studies. The toxic side effects of both nitroheterocyclic derivatives require enzymatic reduction of their nitro group. Those processes are fundamentally mediated by cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450. Other enzymes such as xanthine oxidoreductase or aldehyde oxidase may also be involved.
Self-Grading In Large General Education Classes: A Case Study

In a large general education class where students demonstrate their personal creativity, a self-grading system was used during one semester and a conventional teacher-evaluation system was used during the second semester. The purpose was to gauge whether the self-grading system was appropriate. Students adapted well to the procedures used, and they reported feeling more motivated to learn and took more responsibility for their learning. A disadvantage was a tendency for grade inflation to occur.
Investigations into the Mechanism of Action of the New Anticonvulsant Retigabine - Interaction with GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission and with voltage gated ion channels

Summary Retigabine (N-(2-amino-4-(4 -fluorobenzylamino)phenyl) carbamic acid ethyl ester, CAS 150812-12-7,D-23129) is a novel anticonvulsant currently undergoing phase II clinical trials. The compound was shown to possess broad spectrum and potent anticonvulsant properties both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of action of this drug is currently not fully understood. In previous studies a potent opening effect on K+ channels and an increased release of newly synthesized γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of retigabine with GABA, kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) induced currents as well as with voltage gated Na+ and Ca++ channels. Retigabine concentration dependently potentiated GABA induced currents in rat cortical neurones. Significant effects were only seen with concentrations of 10 µmol/l and above. The action of retigabine was not antagonised by flumazenil indicating interaction with other than benzodiazepine binding sites. In comparison with the K+ channel opening effect which can be seen at concentrations as low as 0.1 µmol/l the contribution of this mechanism to the anticonvulsant activity of retigabine may be minor. Inhibitory effects observed on voltage activated Na+ and Ca++ channels as well as on kainate induced currents were only observed at the highest concentration tested (100 µmol/l) and can be considered non specific. No significant interaction with NMDA induced currents was observed.
Male responses to direct verbal sexual initiatives of females

Abstract The use of direct verbal sexual initiative by females and its reported effect on male partners were examined employing a sample of college students. It was found that over one‐half of the females reported directly asking for sex. These women were no more likely to report being rebuffed by their male partners than those not employing direct means. Additionally, females asking directly were found to be generally less conventional, more assertive, more likely to be involved with males who also use explicit means of asking for sex and whom they regarded as able to cope with direct female requests. On the other hand, males tended to report compliance with their female partner's request for sex whether direct or indirect. When sex occasionally did not occur when requested, very few individuals reported the type of approach of self or other as the main reason for noncompliance. Finally, the evidence indicates a generalized belief among the females that males may be “turned off” by female sexual assertiv.
Results of corneal collagen cross-linking in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of keratoconus in pediatric patients. METHODS Epithelium-off CXL using the standard protocol was performed in 15 eyes from 15 patients (age range: 10 to 15 years) with moderate keratoconus in 1 eye and advanced disease in the fellow eye. Principal outcomes included uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), refraction, and topography-derived outcomes of maximum and average keratometry (K). RESULTS Mean uncorrected distance visual acuity improved significantly from 1.00 ± 0.30 (20/200) to 0.72 ± 0.29 (20/100) logMAR (P=.035) and mean CDVA from 0.56 ± 0.21 (20/70) to 0.30 ± 0.15 (20/40) logMAR (P=.003) at the end of 12 months. Mean change in apical K (1.01 ± 2.40 diopters) was also significant (P=.004). No significant complications were noted. CONCLUSIONS Corneal collagen CXL was found to be safe and effective in the first 12 months for keratoconus in children with similar initial efficacy as in adults in terms of improvement in visual and topographic outcomes.
WATER‐REGULATORY BEHAVIOUR IN TERRESTRIAL GASTROPODS

1. Terrestrial snails and slugs are exceedingly susceptible to dehydration due to evaporative water loss from the integument and lung surface, and the deposition of a dilute mucous trail. Active slugs can lose 30–40% of their initial body weight (IBW) within 2 h.