Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A 12 Bit 1.6 GS/s BiCMOS 2×2 Hierarchical Time-Interleaved Pipeline ADC

This paper describes a 12 bit 1.6 GS/s pipeline ADC realized in a 0.18 μm complementary BiCMOS SiGe process. The ADC consists of a four-way time-interleaved hierarchical structure and a master-slave T&H to improve the dynamic performance of the individual sub-ADCs and to reduce both the converter error rate and the complexity of the required interleaving background calibration algorithms. It achieves an SFDR of 79 dBc and 66 dBc at low and high frequency inputs, respectively and an error rate of less than 10-9, and has a power consumption of 1.15 W for the core ADC.
VenueMusic: A Venue-Aware Music Recommender System

Users' music preferences can be greatly influenced by their location and environment nearby. In this demonstration, we present an intelligent music recommender system, called VenueMusic, to automatically identify suitable music for various popular venues in our daily lives. VenueMusic enjoys a set of nice features: i) music concept sequence generation scheme and Location-aware Topic Model (LTM) are proposed to map the characteristics of venues and music into a latent semantic space, where suitability of music for a venue can be directly measured, ii) a smart interface enabling user to smoothly interact with VenueMusic, and iii) high quality music playlist. The demonstration will show several interesting use-cases of VenueMusic, and illustrate its superiority on recommending music based on where user presents.
Treatment of Neuroblastoma Meningeal Carcinomatosis with Intrathecal Application of α-Emitting Atomic Nanogenerators Targeting Disialo-Ganglioside GD2

Labeling of specific antibodies with bifunctional chelated Actinium-225 (225Ac; an α generator) allows the formation of new, highly potent and selective α-emitting anticancer drugs. We synthesized and evaluated a radioimmunoconjugate based on 3F8, an IgG3 antibody that specifically binds to ganglioside GD2, which is overexpressed by many neuroectodermal tumors including neuroblastoma. The 225Ac-1,4,7,10-tetra-azacylododecane (DOTA)-3F8 construct was evaluated for radiochemical purity and sterility, immunoreactivity, cytotoxicity in vitro, induction of apoptosis on GD2-positive cells, as well as for pharmacological biodistribution and metabolism of the 225Ac generator and its daughters in a nude mouse xenograft model of neuroblastoma. The 225Ac-3F8 showed an IC50 of 3 Bq/ml (80 pCi/ml) on the neuroblastoma cell line, NMB7, in vitro. Apoptosis of these cells was not observed. Biodistribution in mice showed specific targeting of a subcutaneous tumor; there was redistribution of the 225Ac daughter nuclides mainly from blood to kidneys and to small intestine. Toxicity was examined in cynomolgus monkeys. Monkeys injected with 1 to 3 doses of intrathecal 225Ac-3F8 radioimmunoconjugate (80 to 150 kBq/kg total dose) did not show signs of toxicity based on blood chemistry, complete blood counts, or by clinical evaluations. Therapeutic efficacy of intrathecal 225Ac-3F8 was studied in a nude rat xenograft model of meningeal carcinomatosis. The 225Ac-3F8 treatment improved survival 2-fold from 16 to 34 days (P = 0.01). In conclusion, in vivo α generators targeted by 3F8 warrant additional study as a possible new approach to the treatment of carcinomatous meningitis.
Connections of the bullfrog striatum: Efferent projections

Autoradiographic and degeneration techniques were used to describe striatal efferents in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was then placed in the major terminal fields to reveal the striatal cells responsible for these projections. Except for the small ventral eminence of the lateral pallium immediately adjacent to the dorsal striatum, no pallial region receives a striatal projection. Most striatal efferents descend in the lateral forebrain bundle (LFB), passing through the anterior entopedun‐cular nucleus, where one large fascicle decussates in the anterior commissure and innervates the contralateral anterior entopeduncular nucleus and caudal ventral striatum. A smaller fascicle exits the LFB to terminate in the ipsilateral lateral amygdala. The remaining efferents continue caudal in the LFB through the posterior entopeduncular nucleus, with sparse projections to the ventral thalamus, the adjacent preoptic areas, and the posterior tuberculum leaving the bundle at various points. At pretectal levels, some efferents leave the LFB to run dorsally, through the caudal pole of the central thalamic nucleus and into the posterior division of the lateral nucleus and the lateral portion of the posterior thalamic nucleus. Efferents also continue caudal, through the superficial tegmental cell groups (nucleus profundus mesencephali and superficial isthmal reticular nucleus) before turning dorsomedially into the ventral anterodorsal, lateral anteroventral, and rostral pole of the posterodorsal tegmental fields. A small superficial projection continues to isthmal levels but cannot be traced beyond. Tegmental HRP injections retrogradely fill cells in the dorsal and ventral striatum as well as nucleus accumbens and the anterior entopeduncular nucleus. Pretectal HRP injections fill cells only in the caudal ventral striatum and anterior entopeduncular nucleus. Anterior entopeduncular nucleus HRP injections fill numerous cells in all striatal divisions, but some of this filling may be due to interrupted fibers of passage. Thus the anuran striatum, which receives its major input from thalamic nuclei relaying tectal and toral input, can in turn influence the midbrain roof via several disynaptic pathways: through the anterior entopeduncular nucleus, pretectum, and tegmentum, all of which project directly to the tectum and torus (Wilczynski and Northcutt, ′77; Wilczynski, ′81). Additional trisynaptic routes through the anterior entopeduncular nucleus and its pretectal and tegmental connections parallel the striatal routes.
The Impact of Tobacco Smoke Exposure on Wheezing and Overweight in 4–6-Year-Old Children

Aim. To investigate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy, second-hand tobacco smoke (STS) exposure, education level, and preschool children's wheezing and overweight. Methods. This cohort study used data of the KANC cohort—1,489 4–6-year-old children from Kaunas city, Lithuania. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to study the influence of prenatal and postnatal STS exposure on the prevalence of wheezing and overweight, controlling for potential confounders. Results. Children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy had a slightly increased prevalence of wheezing and overweight. Postnatal exposure to STS was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of wheezing and overweight in children born to mothers with lower education levels (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.04–4.35 and 3.57; 95% CI 1.76–7.21, accordingly). Conclusions. The present study findings suggest that both maternal smoking during pregnancy and STS increase the risk of childhood wheezing and overweight, whereas lower maternal education might have a synergetic effect. Targeted interventions must to take this into account and address household smoking.
Are energy-dense foods really cheaper? Reexamining the relation between food price and energy density.

BACKGROUND The inverse relation between energy density (kcal/g) and energy cost (price/kcal) has been interpreted to suggest that produce (fruit, vegetables) is more expensive than snacks (cookies, chips). OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to show the methodologic weakness of comparing energy density with energy cost. DESIGN The relation between energy density and energy cost was replicated in a random-number data set. Additionally, observational data were collected for produce and snacks from an online supermarket. Variables included total energy (kcal), total weight (g), total number of servings, serving size (g/serving), and energy density (kcal/g). Price measures included energy cost ($/kcal), total price ($), unit price ($/g), and serving price ($/serving). Two-tailed t tests were used to compare price measures by food category. Relations between energy density and price measures within food categories were examined with the use of Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS The relation between energy density and energy cost was shown to be driven by the algebraic properties of these variables. Food category was strongly correlated with both energy density and food price measures. Energy cost was higher for produce than for snacks. However, total price and unit price were lower for produce. Serving price and serving size were greater for produce than for snacks. Within food categories, energy density was uncorrelated with most measures of food price, except for a weak positive correlation with serving price within the produce category. CONCLUSION The findings suggest the relation between energy density and food price is confounded by food category and depends on which measure of price is used.
ADAMTS4 and Oxidative/Antioxidative Status in Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

ABSTRACT Aim: To determine the function of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS4), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and aryl esterase (ARES) in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and to investigate the association with premature rupture of membranes (PROMs). Material and Methods: 58 pregnant women were included in this prospective study which comprised 29 PPROM patients as the study group and 29 patients, having healthy amniotic membranes, as the control group. ADAMTS4, TAS, TOS, and ARES levels were studied in the amniotic membrane homogenates of the patients. Results: ADAMTS4, TAS TOS, and ARES levels of amniotic membrane lysates were significantly different between PPROM and control groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008 and p = 0.002, respectively). Increased amniotic membrane ADAMTS4 (OR: 1.051 95% CI 1.006–1.098, p = 0.024) and TOS (OR: 12.777 95% CI 1.595–102.323, p = 0.016) were found to be significantly associated with the increased risk of PPROM. Conclusion: ADAMTS4, TOS, and ARES levels were higher and TAS level was lower in PPROM patients than the normal healthy control group which had healthy amniotic membranes at term. As a result, ADAMTS4 may have a role in the pathogenesis by causing increased oxidative and inflammatory environment in PPROM.
Efficient link-level error resilience in 3D NoCs

Due to their scalability and flexibility, Networks-on-Chip are among the most popular communication fabrics for 3D integrated systems. 3D NoCs consist of a mix of inter-die and intra-die links implemented in different technologies. Thus, in order to guarantee correct data transmission through the 3D NoC, link reliability must be ensured. Error resilience techniques have been developed to protect links at the expense of increased area and power consumption, and reduced performance. In this paper, error resilience schemes are implemented for NoC links in stacked 3D integrated systems. We analyze, with respect to area / power overheads and reliability, the impact of inter-die and intra-die link-level error resilience techniques on a 3D NoC router architecture. Our results show that inter-die link protection with correction-based schemes and interleaved single error correction (SEC) codes are more efficient than traditional protection on all links.
Modeling Multi-state Diffusion Process in Complex Networks: Theory and Applications

There is a growing interest to understand the fundamental principles of how epidemic, ideas or information spread over large networks (e.g., the Internet or online social networks). Conventional approach is to use SIS models (or its derivatives). However, these models usually are over-simplified and may not be applicable in realistic situations. In this paper, we propose a generalization of the SIS model by allowing intermediate states between susceptible and infected states. To analyze the diffusion process on large graphs, we use the ``mean-field analysis technique'' to determine which initial condition leads to or prevents information or virus outbreak. Numerical results show our methodology can accurately predict the behavior of the phase-transition process for various large graphs (e.g., complete graphs, random graphs or power-law graphs). We also extend our generalized SIS model to consider the interaction of two competing sources (i.e., competing products or virus-antidote modeling). We present the analytical derivation and show experimentally how different factors, i.e., transmission rates, recovery rates, number of states or initial condition, can affect the phase transition process and the final equilibrium. Our models and methodology can serve as an essential tool in understanding information diffusion in large networks.
Privacy-Preserving Computation with Trusted Computing via Scramble-then-Compute

Abstract We consider privacy-preserving computation of big data using trusted computing primitives with limited private memory. Simply ensuring that the data remains encrypted outside the trusted computing environment is insufficient to preserve data privacy, for data movement observed during computation could leak information. While it is possible to thwart such leakage using generic solution such as ORAM [42], designing efficient privacy-preserving algorithms is challenging. Besides computation efficiency, it is critical to keep trusted code bases lean, for large ones are unwieldy to vet and verify. In this paper, we advocate a simple approach wherein many basic algorithms (e.g., sorting) can be made privacy-preserving by adding a step that securely scrambles the data before feeding it to the original algorithms. We call this approach Scramble-then-Compute (StC), and give a sufficient condition whereby existing external memory algorithms can be made privacy-preserving via StC. This approach facilitates code-reuse, and its simplicity contributes to a smaller trusted code base. It is also general, allowing algorithm designers to leverage an extensive body of known efficient algorithms for better performance. Our experiments show that StC could offer up to 4.1× speedups over known, application-specific alternatives.
Inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by Scutellaria baicalensis.

Scutellaria baicalensis is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine that has been used historically in anti-inflammatory and anticancer therapy. The purpose of this study is to verify its anticancer activity on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in vitro and in vivo and to investigate its effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which converts arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and is highly expressed in HNSCC. Two human HNSCC cell lines (SCC-25 and KB) and a nontumorigenic cell line (HaCaT) were tested in vitro for growth inhibition, proliferation cell nuclear antigen expression, and COX-2 activity and expression after treatment with Scutellaria baicalensis extract. Its effects were compared with those of baicalein (a flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis), indomethacin (a nonselective COX inhibitor), and celecoxib (a selective COX-2 inhibitor). Four nude mice with s.c. inoculation of KB cells were tested for its anticancer activity in vivo by oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis at a dose of 1.5 mg/mouse (75 mg/kg), five times/week for 7 weeks. Scutellaria baicalensis and other agents demonstrated a strong growth inhibition in both tested human HNSCC cell lines. No growth inhibition of HaCaT cells was observed with Scutellaria baicalensis. The IC(50)s were 150 micro g/ml for Scutellaria baicalensis, 25 micro M for celecoxib, and 75 micro M for baicalein and indomethacin. Scutellaria baicalensis, as well as celecoxib and indomethacin, but not baicalein, suppressed proliferation cell nuclear antigen expression and PGE(2) synthesis in both cell types. Scutellaria baicalensis inhibited COX-2 expression, whereas celecoxib inhibited COX-2 activity directly. A 66% reduction in tumor mass was observed in the nude mice. Scutellaria baicalensis selectively and effectively inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo and can be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for HNSCC. Inhibition of PGE(2) synthesis via suppression of COX-2 expression may be responsible for its anticancer activity. Differences in biological effects of Scutellaria baicalensis compared with baicalein suggest the synergistic effects among components in Scutellaria baicalensis.
After a Century of Injustice: Moving Toward Turkish Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Nearly one hundred years have passed since the Armenian genocide, which prefaced and in some ways encouraged the Holocaust – yet the Turkish government continues to deny the genocide and uses political manipulation to prevent its recognition by others. The denial’s history has been one of collaborative repression, but in recent years Turkish voices have joined with Armenians’ in the struggle for recognition; collaborative struggle, particularly in recognition of shared history, may represent the best chance to pressure Turkey to federally recognize the genocide. This paper explores the machinations of the denial and its significance in the twenty-first century, as well as the consequences of the Armenian genocide for its victims and their descendants. As a global perspective drawn from Armenian diaspora studies demonstrates, the genocide remains a significant part of a global consciousness of pan-Armenian identity. This identity remains trapped as a victim of the genocide, just as the denial entraps Turkish identity. Author Bio(s) Ashley Kalagian Blunt completed her Master of Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney, and currently teaches for the University of Winnipeg. She has lived and worked in Canada, South Korea, Peru, Mexico and Australia. Her research interests include genocide, diaspora, intercultural communication, and cultural identity. Email: a.blunt@uwinnipeg.ca This article is available in Peace and Conflict Studies: http://nsuworks.nova. edu/pcs/vol21/iss1/4 Peace and Conflict Studies
Axitinib in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma: design, development, and place in therapy

Since 2005, the approved first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma consists in tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs). Axitinib is an oral second-generation TKI and a potent VEGFR inhibitor with a half maximal inhibitory concentration for the VEGF family receptors 10-fold lower than other TKIs. Axitinib activity in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients has been studied in various settings and particularly as second-line treatment. In this setting, axitinib with clinically based dose escalation compared to sorafenib has demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival in a randomized Phase III trial leading to US Food and Drug Administration approval. In the first-line setting, axitinib failed to demonstrate improved efficacy over sorafenib, but the field of RCC treatment is rapidly changing with novel TKIs as cabozantinib or the emergence of check point inhibitors as nivolumab and the place of axitinib in therapy is therefore challenged. In this review, we focus on axitinib pharmacological and clinical properties in RCC patients and discuss its place in the treatment of patients with RCC.
ELEVEN-YEAREXPERIENCE WITH ALENDRONATE TREATMENT IN A PREMENOPAUSAL WOMAN WITH OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA TYPE I

We report the 11-year follow-up of a premenopausal woman with osteogenesisimperfecta (OI) who was treated with alendronate. A 41-year-old Japanese premenopausal woman with OI type I who had frequently experienced painful fragility fractures consulted our clinic because of chronic back pain associated with spinal osteoporosis. She had undergone heart surgery (aortic valve replacement) because of aortic regurgitation 5 years before her first consultation with our clinic. After surgery, she began taking warfarin (3 mg/day), and this treatment was continued during our follow-up period. She was treated with alendronate (5 mg/day or 35 mg/week) for 11 years. The patient’s urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen and serum alkaline phosphatase levels decreased, while the bone mineral density of her lumbar spine (L2–L4) increased, as measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The serum calcium and phosphorus levels stayed within the normal ranges. Three non-vertebral fractures occurred at the hip, ankle, and ring finger during the 11-year treatment period, but no adverse effects were observed. Thus, the present case report showed the long-term outcome and safety of alendronate treatment in a premenopausal woman with OI type I.
YSL16 Is a Phloem-Localized Transporter of the Copper-Nicotianamine Complex That Is Responsible for Copper Distribution in Rice[C][W]

Recycling of a nutrient from old tissues to young tissues is an important process for plant growth and development. This work describes a transporter for the Cu-nicotianamine complex, which is required for delivering Cu to the developing young tissues and seeds through phloem transport. Cu is an essential element for plant growth, but the molecular mechanisms of its distribution and redistribution within the plants are unknown. Here, we report that Yellow stripe-like16 (YSL16) is involved in Cu distribution and redistribution in rice (Oryza sativa). Rice YSL16 was expressed in the roots, leaves, and unelongated nodes at the vegetative growth stage and highly expressed in the upper nodes at the reproductive stage. YSL16 was expressed at the phloem of nodes and vascular tissues of leaves. Knockout of this gene resulted in a higher Cu concentration in the older leaves but a lower concentration in the younger leaves at the vegetative stage. At the reproductive stage, a higher Cu concentration was found in the flag leaf and husk, but less Cu was present in the brown rice, resulting in a significant reduction in fertility in the knockout line. Isotope labeling experiments with 65Cu showed that the mutant lost the ability to transport Cu-nicotianamine from older to younger leaves and from the flag leaf to the panicle. Rice YSL16 transported the Cu-nicotianamine complex in yeast. Taken together, our results indicate that Os-YSL16 is a Cu-nicotianamine transporter that is required for delivering Cu to the developing young tissues and seeds through phloem transport.