Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling of Distributed RLC Interconnect and Transmission Line via Closed Forms and Recursive Algorithms

This paper presents the closed forms of the state-space models and the recursive algorithms of the transfer function models for fast and accurate modeling of the distributed RLC interconnect and transmission lines, which may be evenly or unevenly distributed. Considered models include the distributed RLC interconnect lines with or without external source and load connection. The effective closed forms and recursive algorithms do not involve any matrix inverse, LU matrix factorization, or matrix multiplication, thus reducing the computation complexity dramatically. Especially, the computation complexity of the closed forms for any evenly or unevenly distributed RLC interconnect line circuits is only O(1) or O(m), respectively, in sense of the scalar multiplication times, where m ¿ N of the system order. The features of new recursive algorithms are two recursive s-polynomials and the low computation complexity. Examples illustrate the new methods in both time and frequency domains. Comparing with the PSpice, the new methods can dramatically reduce the runtime of the time responses and the Bode plots by 25% - 98.5% in the examples. The results can be applied to the RLC interconnect analysis and model reduction as a key to new approach.
Optimal and robust saturated control for a Clock Generator

Fine-grain Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) is becoming a requirement for Globally-Asynchronous Locally-Synchronous (GALS) architectures. However, the area overhead of adding voltage and frequency control engines in each voltage/ frequency island must be taken into account to optimize the circuit. This paper focuses on the control for the frequency actuator. An optimal and robust saturated control law, with a minimum hardware implementation area is proposed for a Clock Generator, taking into account the delay introduced by the sensor. This controller is designed with Lyapunov-Krasovskii theory that ensures asymptotic stability, disturbance rejection as well as system robustness with respect to delay presence and parameter uncertainties. The closed-loop system presents a regional stabilization due to the actuator saturation. An estimation of a maximum attraction domain is provided. The performance achieved with this controller are shown in simulation.
Smoking and Depression: A Co-morbidity

Substance use disorders and psychiatric disorders co-occur frequently. The prevalence of smoking increases dose-dependently with the number of psychiatric diagnoses. The aim of this article is to review the relationship between smoking and depression. A PubMed literature search limited to the last 10 years was conducted with the terms smoking and depression. Some earlier papers that exerted an impact on future studies were also included. Results strongly show that depression (defined as depressive mood, major depressive disorder, or negative affect) increases the risk of smoking and that smoking increases the risk of depression. The relationship between depression and smoking cessation is less evident, as some clinical and epidemiological studies have indicated an effect of depression on ability to quit whereas other studies have not. Research has also strongly suggested that commonality in genetic and environmental factors underlies the co-morbidity of smoking and depression, although the specific mechanisms remain to be identified. The relationship between depression and smoking is firmly established. Reciprocal relationships between depression and smoking cessation are strongly suggested, but this clinically and theoretically significant link needs further clarification.
Molecular Dissection of the Centrosome Overduplication Pathway in S-Phase-Arrested Cells

ABSTRACT Cancer cells frequently exhibit overduplicated centrosomes that lead to formation of multipolar spindles, chromosome missegregation, and aneuploidy. However, the molecular events involved in centrosome overduplication remain largely unknown. Experimentally, centrosome overduplication is observed in p53-deficient cells arrested in S phase with hydroxyurea. Using this assay, we have identified distinct roles for Cdk2, microtubules, dynein, and Hsp90 in the overduplication of functional centrosomes in mammalian cells and show that Cdk2 is also required for the generation of centriolar satellites. Moreover, we demonstrate that nuclear export is required for centriolar satellite formation and centrosome overduplication, with export inhibitors causing a Cdk-dependent accumulation of nuclear centrin granules. Hence, we propose that centrosome precursors may arise in the nucleus, providing a novel mechanistic explanation for how nuclear Cdk2 can promote centrosome overduplication in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, this study defines a molecular pathway that may be targeted to prevent centrosome overduplication in S-phase-arrested cancer cells.
Identification of Novel Genes in Arabidopsis Involved in Secondary Cell Wall Formation Using Expression Profiling and Reverse Genetics

Forward genetic screens have led to the isolation of several genes involved in secondary cell wall formation. A variety of evidence, however, suggests that the list of genes identified is not exhaustive. To address this problem, microarray data have been generated from tissue undergoing secondary cell wall formation and used to identify genes that exhibit a similar expression pattern to the secondary cell wall–specific cellulose synthase genes IRREGULAR XYLEM1 (IRX1) and IRX3. Cross-referencing this analysis with publicly available microarray data resulted in the selection of 16 genes for reverse genetic analysis. Lines containing an insertion in seven of these genes exhibited a clear irx phenotype characteristic of a secondary cell wall defect. Only one line, containing an insertion in a member of the COBRA gene family, exhibited a large decrease in cellulose content. Five of the genes identified as being essential for secondary cell wall biosynthesis have not been previously characterized. These genes are likely to define entirely novel processes in secondary cell wall formation and illustrate the success of combining expression data with reverse genetics to address gene function.
Supermodular mean squared error minimization for sensor scheduling in optimal Kalman Filtering

We consider the problem of scheduling a set of sensors to observe the state of a discrete-time linear system subject to a limited energy budget. Our goal is to devise a sensor schedule that minimizes the mean squared error (MSE) of an optimal estimator (i.e., the Kalman Filter). Both the minimum-MSE and the minimum-cardinality optimal sensor scheduling problems are inherently combinatorial, and computationally intractable. We remedy the combinatorial complexity by using a greedy heuristic; the greedy heuristic is guaranteed to return near-optimal solutions when minimizing supermodular objectives. While it is known that the MSE is not supermodular (with counterexamples available in literature), we provide conditions on the prior information matrix and on the observation matrix under which supermodularity holds. More specifically, we require the prior information matrix to be a strictly-diagonally-dominant M-matrix (plus an extra technical requirement on its inverse). Empirical results confirm that random M-matrices lead to supermodular problems, while this is not the case for generic prior information matrices. M-matrices naturally arise in estimation problems over networks and we provide a practical application of our findings to an energy-constrained multi robot localization problem.
Distribution and Hepatocellular Carcinoma–Related Viral Properties of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes in Mainland China: A Community-Based Study

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, replication status, and mutations have been associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim was to study the distribution and HCC-related viral properties of HBV genotypes/subgenotypes in Mainland China. Methods: A multistage cluster probability sampling method was applied to select 81,775 participants between 1 and 59 years at 160 national disease surveillance points. We examined hepatitis B surface antigen, HBV genotypes and subgenotypes, hepatitis B e antigen, viral load, and mutations in the PreS and core promoter regions of HBV genome. Results: HBV subgenotypes B2 (27.3%), C1 (10.7%), and C2 (58.0%) were predominant. Genotype D (D1, 80.8%) was frequent in the Uygur. We identified a new subgenotype, C9, mainly in Tibetans. Compositions of subgenotypes B2 and C1 and genotype mixture increased from the North to Central South, which was consistently associated with the increasing prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen. Hepatitis B e antigen positivity and viral loads were higher in the young with genotype B and declined more rapidly with increasing age than those with genotype C. In contrast to G1896A, PreS deletion, T31C, T1753V, and A1762T/G1764A were more frequent in subgenotype C2 than in subgenotype B2. A1762T/G1764A, T1753V, C1653T, and G1896A, except PreS deletion, consecutively increased with increasing age. Conclusion: HBV subgenotypes B2, C1, and C2 are endemic in Mainland China. HBV genotype C exhibits less replication activity in the young and harbors higher frequencies of the HCC-associated mutations than genotype B. Impact: These basic data could help evaluate the association of HBV variations with HCC. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(3); 777–86
Active Galactic Nuclei in the CNOC2 Field Galaxy Redshift Survey

We present a sample of 47 confirmed and 14 candidate active galactic nuclei (AGNs) discovered in the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology field galaxy redshift survey (CNOC2). The sample consists of 38 objects identified from broad emission lines, eight from narrow [Ne V] emission, and 15 candidates from Fe II or Mg II absorption lines, one of which has been confirmed as a broad-line AGN via infrared spectroscopy. Redshifts of these AGNs range from z = 0.27 to z = 4.67, and the average absolute magnitude is MB ≃ -22.25, below the quasar/Seyfert division at MB = -23. Only two of the AGNs are detected at radio wavelengths. We find that only 0.3%±0.1% of galaxies brighter than ∼M* + 1 at 0.281 < z < 0.685 contain broad-line or [Ne V] AGNs. We find a total surface density of 270–400 AGNs deg-2 to R = 22.09, comparable to previously published estimates. About 20% of these AGNs are classified as resolved or probably resolved in CFHT seeing and might be missed in surveys that target unresolved objects only. The sample includes several unusual objects: one with a very strong double-peaked Mg II emission line, several with unusual emission-line properties, one with an O III λ3133 broad absorption line, at least one with an optical absorption-line spectrum but broad Hα emission in the near-IR. No color selection criteria were involved in selecting this spectroscopically discovered sample. The sample is also unbiased against objects with luminous host galaxies, since the spectroscopy preferentially targeted extended objects. Simple color-color diagram selection criteria can recover ∼81% ± 6% of the CNOC2 AGNs, but several of the most unusual objects would be missing from such a color-selected sample. In the subsample of broad emission line–selected AGNs, the average equivalent widths for Mg II and C III] agree with the predictions of previous studies of the Baldwin effect. However, the average equivalent widths for C IV and Lyα are smaller than predicted by previous studies of the Baldwin effect at lower redshift. This may imply that the slopes of the C IV and Lyα Baldwin effects evolve with redshift, steepening with cosmic time. The broad emission line subsample also shows a higher incidence of associated Mg II λ2798 absorption than in most previous surveys and an incidence of associated C IV λ1549 absorption that may be more similar to that of radio-selected quasar samples than optically selected ones. This may arise from strong absorption being anticorrelated with optical luminosity or becoming less frequent with cosmic time or possibly because our selection method is not biased against objects with resolved spatial structure or reddened by dust associated with the absorbing gas.
In-hand rolling motion planning using independent contact region (ICR) with guaranteed grasp quality margin

In this paper, we propose an in-hand motion planning algorithm for 3D objects under rolling contacts. By assuming the in-hand motion is quasi-static, we apply the concept of independent contact region (ICR) to determine stable boundaries of finger contact points during the in-hand motion. A specified level of grasp quality margin representing the ability to bear external load is guaranteed. The overall scheme contains two motion planning phases: one is the motion planning with fingers simultaneously rolling over the object surface, and the other is the planning associated with switching fingers of contact and non-contact. Simulation/experimental results are provided to show the feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
Dynamic Regulation of Sarcomeric Actin Filaments in Striated Muscle

In striated muscle, the actin cytoskeleton is differentiated into myofibrils. Actin and myosin filaments are organized in sarcomeres and specialized for producing contractile forces. Regular arrangement of actin filaments with uniform length and polarity is critical for the contractile function. However, the mechanisms of assembly and maintenance of sarcomeric actin filaments in striated muscle are not completely understood. Live imaging of actin in striated muscle has revealed that actin subunits within sarcomeric actin filaments are dynamically exchanged without altering overall sarcomeric structures. A number of regulators for actin dynamics have been identified, and malfunction of these regulators often result in disorganization of myofibril structures or muscle diseases. Therefore, proper regulation of actin dynamics in striated muscle is critical for assembly and maintenance of functional myofibrils. Recent studies have suggested that both enhancers of actin dynamics and stabilizers of actin filaments are important for sarcomeric actin organization. Further investigation of the regulatory mechanism of actin dynamics in striated muscle should be a key to understanding how myofibrils develop and operate. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparison of the Linear and Spanwise-Segmented DBD Plasma Actuators on Flow Control Around a NACA0015 Airfoil

In this paper, linear and spanwise-segmented plasma actuator implementations as well as base airfoil with no plasma cases are presented. These approaches are used to control the flow around a NACA0015 airfoil. The experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel at Reynolds number of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3.6 \times 10^{4}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. The plasma actuators mounted on the leading edge of the airfoil at chord position of 0.1 (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$x/C$ </tex-math></inline-formula>). The electrical parameters used for the plasma generating device are set to constant values of 6-kV<sub>pp</sub> applied voltage and 3.5-kHz excitation frequency. It is observed that the use of spanwise-segmented plasma actuators converts the 2-D flow structure around the airfoil into 3-D forcing flow structure. The change of the wake region width of the airfoil is visualized by using the smoke-wire method. The flow visualization is performed at attack angles of 0°, 5°, 10°, and 15°. In addition, necessary measurements are also made to determine drag and lift forces. A comparative study on the drag and lift forces for the NACA0015 airfoil is performed. As a part of the conclusions, linear and spanwise-segmented plasma actuator implementations as well as base airfoil with no plasma cases are compared and related results on flow control are presented.
How Marketplace Performances Produce Interdependent Status Games and Contested Forms of Symbolic Capital

Consumer researchers have commonly analyzed marketplace performances as liminal events structured by context-specific role playing, norms of reciprocity, and cocreative collaborations. As a consequence, this literature remains theoretically mute on questions related to the sociological disparities that arise when marketplace performances forge relationships between affluent consumers and underclass service workers: a circumstance becoming increasingly commonplace owing to trends in the service-oriented global economy. To redress this gap, we analyze how such sociocultural differences are manifested and mediated in the provisions of skilled marketplace performances. Building upon Bourdieu's logic of field analysis, our resulting theoretical framework illuminates a network of structural relations that reconfigures the asymmetrical distribution of class-based resources between these class factions. Rather than being cooperative endeavors conducive to the formation of commercial friendships, we show that these class-stratified marketplace performances produce interdependent status games, subtly manifested power struggles, and contested forms of symbolic capital.
vCOM: virtual commerce in a collaborative 3D world

Existing electronic commerce applications only provide the user with a relatively simple browser-based interface to access products. Buyers, however, are not provided with the same shopping experience, as they would have in an actual store or shopping mall. With the creation of a virtual shopping mall, simulations of most of the actual shopping environments and user interactions can be achieved. The virtual mall brings together the services and inventories of various vendors. Users can either navigate through the vendors, adding items into a virtual shopping cart, or perform intelligent searches through "user and vendor agents". The electronic mall prototype also allows the user to communicate with an "intelligent assistant" (IA) using simple voice commands. This assistant interacts with the shopper using voice synthesis and helps him or her use the interface to navigate efficiently in the mall. Real-time interactions among entities in the virtual environment are implemented over the Run Time Infrastructure of the High Level Architecture (RTI/HLA), an OMG and IEEE standard for distributed simulations and modeling developed by the US Department of Defense.
Review of the use of alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists in hypertension.

The discovery of alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists with selectivity for the post-synaptic alpha 1-adrenoceptor has yielded a group of antihypertensive agents of high specificity in blocking sympathetic impulses to resistance and capacitance vessels. This group differs from the previously-developed alpha-adrenoceptor blockers, phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine, in that they do not block the pre-synaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors which modulate the release of neurotransmitter, and therefore do not cause as much reflex activation of the sympathetic nervous system. These differences have important clinical implications in regard to the antihypertensive efficacy of prazosin and its congeners, and to their use in combination with beta-blockers. Evidence that there are structural similarities between alpha-adrenoceptors and serotonin receptors is supported by the finding that ketanserin, developed for its 5HT2-receptor blocking property, exerts at least part of its antihypertensive action through alpha 1-adrenoceptor blockade. The most important limiting factor in the clinical application of prazosin is the postural hypotension and tachycardia associated with initial dosing. It is of some academic interest that these first-dose effects may be utilized to predict the long-term efficacy of the drug in individual patients. From a practical viewpoint, they may be largely avoided by starting therapy with small doses and recognising factors, such as a contracted plasma volume, which can sensitize the patient to sudden withdrawal of sympathetic tone. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sterile Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Injections

Sterile endophthalmitis appears as an infrequent complication of intravitreal injections and seems to develop mainly in the context of the off-label use of drugs that have not been conceived for intravitreous administration. The aetiology of sterile endophthalmitis, independently of the administered drug, remains uncertain and a multifactorial origin cannot be discarded. Sterile inflammation secondary both to intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and to intravitreal bevacizumab share many characteristics such as the acute and painless vision loss present in the big majority of the cases. Dense vitreous opacity is a common factor, while anterior segment inflammation appears to be mild to moderate. In eyes with sterile endophthalmitis, visual acuity improves progressively as the intraocular inflammation reduces without any specific treatment. If by any chance the ophthalmologist is not convinced by the sterile origin of the inflammation, this complication must be treated as an acute endophthalmitis because of the devastating visual prognosis of this intraocular infection in the absence of therapy.
A new class of hyper-bent functions and Kloosterman sums

This paper is devoted to the characterization of hyper-bent functions. Several classes of hyper-bent functions have been studied, such as Charpin and Gong’s ∑ r∈R Tr1 (arx r(2m−1)) and Mesnager’s ∑ r∈R Tr1 (arx r(2m−1)) + Tr1(bx 2n−1 3 ), where R is a set of representations of the cyclotomic cosets modulo 2 + 1 of full size n and ar ∈ F2m . In this paper, we generalize their results and consider a class of Boolean functions of the form ∑ r∈R ∑2 i=0 Tr n 1 (ar,ix r(2−1)+ 2 n−1 3 ) + Tr 1(bx 2n−1 3 ), where n = 2m, m is odd, b ∈ F4, and ar,i ∈ F2n . With the restriction of ar,i ∈ F2m , we present the characterization of hyper-bentness of these functions with character sums. Further, we reformulate this characterization in terms of the number of points on hyper-elliptic curves. For some special cases, with the help of Kloosterman sums and cubic sums, we determine the characterization for some hyper-bent functions including functions with four, six and ten traces terms. Evaluations of Kloosterman sums at three general points are used in the characterization. Actually, our results can generalized to the general case: ar,i ∈ F2n . And we explain this for characterizing binomial, trinomial and quadrinomial hyper-bent functions. Index Terms Bent function, hyper-bent functions, Walsh-Hadamard transform, Dickson polynomial, Kloosterman sums
Association between Glu504Lys Polymorphism of ALDH2 Gene and Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis

Background The association of the aldehyde dehydrogenases-2 (ALDH2) Glu504Lys polymorphism (also named Glu487Lys, or rs671) and cancers has been investigated. This meta-analysis aims to comprehensively assess the influence of this polymorphism on the overall cancer risk. Methods Eligible publications were retrieved according to inclusion/exclusion criteria and the data were analyzed using the Review Manager software (V5.2). Results A meta-analysis based on 51 case-control studies consisting of 16774 cases and 32060 controls was performed to evaluate the association between the ALDH2 Glu504Lys polymorphism and cancer risk. The comparison of genotypes Lys+ (Lys/Lys and Lys/Glu) with Glu/Glu yielded a significant 20% increased cancer risk (OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.03–1.39, P = 0.02, I2 = 92%). Subgroup analysis by cancer type indicated a significantly increased UADT cancer risk (OR = 1.39, 95%CI: 1.11–1.73, P = 0.004, I2 = 94%) in individuals with the Lys+ genotypes. Subgroup analysis by country indicated that individuals from Japan with the Lys+ genotypes had a significant 38% increased cancer risk (OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.12–1.71, P = 0.003, I2 = 93%). Conclusions Our results indicated that the ALDH2 Glu504Lys polymorphism is a susceptible loci associated with overall cancers, especially esophageal cancer and among Japanese population.