Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Active Gate Driving Technique for a 1200 V SiC MOSFET to Minimize Detrimental Effects of Parasitic Inductance in the Converter Layout

1200 V SiC <sc>mosfet</sc> is a suitable replacement for Si insulated gate bipolar transistors due to its improved switching behavior. However, high <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$di/dt$</tex-math> </inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$dv/dt$</tex-math></inline-formula> of SiC <sc>mosfet </sc> cause very high voltage overshoot and oscillations due to the presence of parasitic inductance in the converter layout and parasitic capacitance of the load. These undesired switching responses increase switching loss and give rise to electromagnetic interference related issues. Therefore, it is important to minimize these adverse effects in order to extract maximum benefits from SiC <sc>mosfet</sc>. This paper proposes an active gate driving technique for SiC <sc>mosfet</sc> to improve its overall switching performance in the presence of a moderately higher amount of parasitic inductance in the converter layout. It is achieved by controlling the device <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$di/dt$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$dv/dt$ </tex-math></inline-formula> independently in four stages, with appropriate values of gate resistances for both turn- <sc>on</sc> and turn-<sc>off</sc> switching transient. The developed active gate driver is tested in a double-pulse test bed and a two-level voltage source inverter driving an induction motor load.
Varying k-Lipschitz Constraint for Generative Adversarial Networks

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are powerful generative models, but suffer from training instability. The recent proposed Wasserstein GAN with gradient penalty (WGAN-GP) makes progress toward stable training. Gradient penalty acts as the role of enforcing a Lipschitz constraint. Further investigation on gradient penalty shows that gradient penalty may impose restriction on the capacity of discriminator. As a replacement, we introduce varying k-Lipschitz constraint. Proposed varying k-Lipschitz constraint witness better image quality and significantly improved training speed when testing on GAN architecture. Besides, we introduce an effective convergence measure, which correlates well with image quality.
An Introduction to the Theory of Statistics

1 probability 2 Random variables, distribution functions, and expectation 3 Special parametric families of univariate distributions 4 Joint and conditional distributions, stochastic independence, more expectation 5 Distributions of functions of random variables 6 Sampling and sampling distributions 7 Parametric point estimation 8 Parametric interval estimation 9 Tests of hypotheses 10 Linear models 11 Nonparametric method Appendix A Mathematical Addendum Appendix B tabular summary of parametric families of distributions Appendix C References and related reading Appendix D Tables
Designing multivalent proteins based on natural killer cell receptors and their ligands as immunotherapy for cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: Natural killer (NK) cells are an important component of the innate immune system that play a key role in host immunity against cancer. NK cell recognition and activation is based on cell surface receptors recognizing specific ligands that are expressed on many types of tumor cells. Some of these receptors are capable of activating NK cell function while other receptors inhibit NK cell function. Therapeutic approaches to treat cancer have been developed based on preventing NK cell inhibition or using NK cell receptors and their ligands to activate NK cells or T cells to destroy tumor cells. Areas covered: This article describes the various strategies for targeting NK cell receptors and NK cell receptor ligands using multivalent proteins to activate immunity against cancer. Expert opinion: NK cell receptors work in synergy to activate NK cell effector responses. Effective anti-cancer strategies will need to not only kill tumor cells but must also lead to the destruction of the tumor microenvironment. Immunotherapy based on NK cells and their receptors has the capacity to accomplish this through triggering lymphocyte cytotoxicity and cytokine production.
Guided Systematic Random LDPC for Distributed Storage System

There is a surging interest in applying erasure codes into distributed storage systems to ensure certain level of reliability because of its spatial efficiency compared with replication-based storage systems. The Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes has been a popular alternative compared with Reed-Solomon (R-S) codes. It has been shown that LDPC codes have lower computational cost and repair network traffic compared with R-S based solutions. In this paper, a detailed study on the relation between the reliability, repair traffic and spatial efficiency is provided. The lower bound on the length of the LDPC codes will be derived to achieve predefined reliability and repair traffic. A new algorithm to construct a guided system random LDPC codes is proposed to generate LDPC codes to achieve pre-defined reliability and repair traffic.
The Fear Avoidance Model predicts short-term pain and disability following lumbar disc surgery

Objective To examine the prognostic value of the Fear Avoidance Model (FAM) variables when predicting pain intensity and disability 10-weeks postoperative following lumbar disc surgery. Methods We recruited patients scheduled for first-time, single level lumbar disc surgery. The following aspects of the FAM were assessed at preoperative baseline and after 10 postoperative weeks: numeric pain rating scale (0–10) for leg and back pain intensity separately, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODI), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Multivariate regression models were used to examine the best combination of baseline FAM variables to predict the 10-week leg pain, back pain, and disability. All multivariate models were adjusted for age and sex. Results 60 patients (30 females, mean [SD] age = 40.4 [9.5]) were enrolled. All FAM measures correlated with disability at baseline. Adding FAM variables to each of the stepwise multiple linear regression model explained a significant amount of the variance in disability (Adj. R2 = .38, p < .001), leg pain intensity (Adj. R2 = .25, p = .001), and back pain intensity Adj. R2 = . 32, p < . 001 at 10-weeks). After adjusting for age and gender, BDI and FABQ-work subscale were the only significant predictors added to each of the prediction models for the 10-week clinical outcome (leg pain, back pain, and ODI). Conclusion BDI and FABQ-work subscale variables are associated with baseline pain intensity and disability and predict short-term pain and disability following lumbar disc surgery. Measuring these variables in patients being considered for lumbar disc surgery may improve patient outcome.
Word on the Street

African American men face the highest rates of prostate cancer, yet with no consensus for screening and treatment, making informed health care decisions is difficult. This study aimed to identify approaches to empowering African American men as proactive participants in prostate cancer decision making using an established community–campus partnership employing elements of community-based participatory research methods. Community stakeholders with an interest in, and knowledge about, health care in two local African American communities were recruited and completed key informant interviews (N = 39). Grounded theory coding identified common themes related to prostate cancer knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and responses to them. Common barriers such as gender roles, fear, and fatalism were identified as barriers to work-up and treatment, and both communities’ inadequate and inaccurate prostate cancer information described as the key problem. To build on community strengths, participants said the change must come from inside these communities, not be imposed from the outside. To accomplish this, they suggested reaching men through women, connecting men to doctors they can trust, making men’s cancer education part of broader health education initiatives designed as fun and inexpensive family entertainment events, and having churches bring community members in to speak on their experiences with cancer. This study demonstrated the success of community engagement to identify not only barriers but also local strengths and facilitators to prostate cancer care in two suburban/rural African American communities. Building collaboratively on community strengths may improve prostate cancer care specifically and health care in general.
A Plant Virus Manipulates the Behavior of Its Whitefly Vector to Enhance Its Transmission Efficiency and Spread

Plant viruses can produce direct and plant-mediated indirect effects on their insect vectors, modifying their life cycle, fitness and behavior. Viruses may benefit from such changes leading to enhanced transmission efficiency and spread. In our study, female adults of Bemisia tabaci were subjected to an acquisition access period of 72 h in Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV)-infected and non-infected tomato plants to obtain viruliferous and non-viruliferous whiteflies, respectively. Insects that were exposed to virus-infected plants were checked by PCR to verify their viruliferous status. Results of the Ethovision video tracking bioassays indicated that TYLCV induced an arrestant behavior of B. tabaci, as viruliferous whitefly adults remained motionless for more time and moved slower than non-viruliferous whiteflies after their first contact with eggplant leaf discs. In fact, Electrical Penetration Graphs showed that TYLCV-viruliferous B. tabaci fed more often from phloem sieve elements and made a larger number of phloem contacts (increased number of E1, E2 and sustained E2 per insect, p<0.05) in eggplants than non-viruliferous whiteflies. Furthermore, the duration of the salivation phase in phloem sieve elements (E1) preceding sustained sap ingestion was longer in viruliferous than in non-viruliferous whiteflies (p<0.05). This particular probing behavior is known to significantly enhance the inoculation efficiency of TYLCV by B. tabaci. Our results show evidence that TYLCV directly manipulates the settling, probing and feeding behavior of its vector B. tabaci in a way that enhances virus transmission efficiency and spread. Furthermore, TYLCV-B. tabaci interactions are mutually beneficial to both the virus and its vector because B. tabaci feeds more efficiently after acquisition of TYLCV. This outcome has clear implications in the epidemiology and management of the TYLCV-B. tabaci complex.
Photoconductivity and gas sensing properties of ZnO nanowire devices

ZnO nanowires are excellent candidates as building components for a novel generation of miniaturized electronic circuits, which can be exploited in particular as UV photodetectors and gas sensors. However, the large-scale applicability of ZnO nanowire devices is currently hindered by the limited control over their electrical properties. This thesis addresses in particular three main issues, which are discussed in distinct chapters: 1) the determination of the defect states in such devices and their impact on the below band gap photoconductivity, 2) the origin of the persistent photoconductivity after UV excitation, 3) the impact of doping by ion beam implantation as well as thermal annealing and plasma treatments on the photoconductivity and the detection of hydrogen molecules. 1) The analysis reveals the contribution of interfacial levels located between the nanowire and the gate oxide to the below band gap photoconductivity. Furthermore, in ZnO nanowire based field effect transistors the gate voltage can control the occupation of such defect levels. 2) A quantitative model is proposed, in order to investigate the recombination dynamics of the photogenerated charge carriers. The model is based on the so-called Elovich equation, which describes the adsorption of oxygen molecules on the nanowire surface and the simultaneous trapping of photogenerated electrons. 3) Doping by implantation of aluminum ions induces a drastic enhancement of the persistent photoconductivity, which is caused by the generation of defect levels during the implantation process. Plasma treatments in argon and oxygen atmospheres lead to vanishing hydrogen sensitivity, while thermal annealing in oxygen has a beneficial effect. The optimization of the thermal annealing conditions is also discussed.
An Online Algorithm for Data Collection by Multiple Sinks in Wireless-Sensor Networks

Data collection by multiple sinks is a fundamental problem in wireless-sensor networks. Existing works focused on designing the optimal offline methods provided that the number and positions of sensors and sinks (or trajectories of mobile sinks) are predetermined. This may not be practical, because although sensors are cheap, sinks are quite expensive in reality. A more practical scenario is that sinks are deployed step by step during the network operation due budget constraints, and we do not know the number, positions, and capacities of sinks a priori. In this paper, we investigate the problem of data collection with multiple sinks, and design a suboptimal online algorithm via a primal-dual approach, requiring very little priori knowledge. We theoretically derive the competitive ratio of the online algorithm, and further improve it by finding the optimal sink location with an approximation ratio. We also analyze the computational complexity of the improved approach. Extensive simulations are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed online algorithm and performance-complexity tradeoff.
Cardiac adenovirus-associated viral Presenilin 1 gene delivery protects the left ventricular function of the heart via regulating RyR2 function in post-ischaemic heart failure

Abstract Post-ischaemic heart failure is a major cause of death worldwide. Reperfusion of infarcted heart tissue after myocardial infarction has been an important medical intervention to improve outcomes. However, disturbances in Ca2+ and redox homeostasis at the cellular level caused by ischaemia/reperfusion remain major clinical challenges. In this study, we investigated the potential of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-9-mediated cardiac expression of a Type-2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2) degradation-associated gene, Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), to combat post-ischaemic heart failure. Adeno-associated viral PSEN1 gene delivery elevated PSEN1 protein expression in a post-infarction rat heart failure model, and this administration normalised the contractile dysfunction of the failing myocardium in vivo and in vitro by reversing myocardial Ca2+ handling and function. Moreover, PSEN1 gene transfer to failing cardiomyocytes reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ leak, thereby restoring the diminished intracellular Ca2+ transients and SR Ca2+ load. Moreover, PSEN1 gene transfer reversed the phosphorylation of RyR2 in failing cardiomyocytes. However, selective autophagy inhibition did not prevent the PSEN1-induced blockade of RyR2 degradation, making the participation of autophagy in PSEN1-associated RyR2 degradation unlikely. Our results established a role of the cardiac expression of PSEN1 with AAV9 vectors as a promising therapeutic approach for post-ischaemic heart failure.
Activation of the plasma membrane Na/H antiporter Salt-Overly-Sensitive 1 (SOS1) by phosphorylation of an auto-inhibitory C-terminal domain

The plasma membrane sodium/proton exchanger Salt-Overly-Sensitive 1 (SOS1) is a critical salt tolerance determinant in plants. The SOS2–SOS3 calcium-dependent protein kinase complex up-regulates SOS1 activity, but the mechanistic details of this crucial event remain unresolved. Here we show that SOS1 is maintained in a resting state by a C-terminal auto-inhibitory domain that is the target of SOS2–SOS3. The auto-inhibitory domain interacts intramolecularly with an adjacent domain of SOS1 that is essential for activity. SOS1 is relieved from auto-inhibition upon phosphorylation of the auto-inhibitory domain by SOS2–SOS3. Mutation of the SOS2 phosphorylation and recognition site impeded the activation of SOS1 in vivo and in vitro. Additional amino acid residues critically important for SOS1 activity and regulation were identified in a genetic screen for hypermorphic alleles.
The CLAVATA receptor FASCIATED EAR2 responds to distinct CLE peptides by signaling through two downstream effectors

Meristems contain groups of indeterminate stem cells, which are maintained by a feedback loop between CLAVATA (CLV) and WUSCHEL (WUS) signaling. CLV signaling involves the secretion of the CLV3 peptide and its perception by a number of Leucine-Rich-Repeat (LRR) receptors, including the receptor-like kinase CLV1 and the receptor-like protein CLV2 coupled with the CORYNE (CRN) pseudokinase. CLV2, and its maize ortholog FASCIATED EAR2 (FEA2) appear to function in signaling by CLV3 and several related CLV3/EMBRYO-SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) peptide ligands. Nevertheless, how signaling specificity is achieved remains unknown. Here we show that FEA2 transmits signaling from two distinct CLE peptides, the maize CLV3 ortholog ZmCLE7 and ZmFON2-LIKE CLE PROTEIN1 (ZmFCP1) through two different candidate downstream effectors, the alpha subunit of the maize heterotrimeric G protein COMPACT PLANT2 (CT2), and ZmCRN. Our data provide a novel framework to understand how diverse signaling peptides can activate different downstream pathways through common receptor proteins.
Eye-Fi: Integrating optical data communication into intraocular lenses

The human eye is a compelling host site for wearable health-care electronics. Smart intraocular lenses can be used both to receive external optical data and to convey information to the user, along with monitoring ones health indicators and transmitting the results to a central unit. This is coined as Eye-Fi technology and can be deployed to a lens where commands to an embedded microelectronics chip are modulated either in a simple pattern of eye blinks, or in the light itself. In this paper, we demonstrate an integrated circuit meant to be implanted in an IOL, as a first stage to enable the lens to later perform intraocular health monitoring of the user.
Elastomeric conductive composites based on conducting polymer–modified carbon black

Thermally stable elastomeric composites were prepared via melt processing from poly(styrene-b-ethylene-co-butylene-b-styrene) (SEBS) and conducting polymer-modified carbon black (CPMCB) additives. CPMCB additives represent a novel thermally stable conductive compound made via “in-situ” deposition of polyaniline or polypyrrole on carbon black particles. Incorporating CPMCB is advantageous to the melt processing of composites, as it reduces the melt viscosity in comparison to the use of pure carbon black. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) showed that the composites are thermally stable with no appreciable degradation at temperatures as high as 300°C. In addition, the electrical conductivity of the composites was found to be very stable at high temperatures. Polym. Compos. 25:617–621, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Structural performance of reinforced concrete exterior beam–column joint subjected to combined shear and torsion

This article presents the results of an experimental study conducted in order to investigate the behavior of Type-I beam–column joints, where the beam was subjected to shear stresses due to combined effect of shear force and torsional moment (beam eccentric loading). Eight beam–column joint specimens were constructed and tested up to failure in order to better understand the complicated behavior due to combined loading transmitted from the beam to the column. The studied parameters were the eccentricity of beam load (torsional-moment-to-shear-force ratio Mt/Q), the configuration of beam side and compression reinforcing steel, the existence of the joint reinforcing stirrups, and the beam rigidity. Generally, the shear failure at the beam zone or at the joint panel was noticed to be the governing mode of failure for all tested specimens. The test results highlighted the importance of the configuration of both longitudinal side and compression reinforcing steel of the beam, where the inadequate embedded length of both of them into the joint panel including stirrups decreased the beam ultimate capacity but it kept the failure zone away from the joint panel. Finally, a three-dimensional truss model was presented and analyzed. The results of the three-dimensional model showed good agreement with the experimental findings.
Mitigation of undesirable association behaviors of mobile devices with public WiFi networks

Mobile device operating systems do not allow users to specify their preferred network(s). Therefore, when there are competing WiFi networks to which a mobile device is authorized to connect, the device may associate itself unpredictably with any one of those networks. This unpredictability results in some network services being unavailable if the device connects to the “wrong” network. The device-AP association problem is a challenging one since the protocol stacks on mobile devices and their innate association behaviors are beyond a network operator's control. This paper discusses a highly memory-efficient and processor-frugal AP-side approach to altering these association behaviors. Our approach makes minor alterations to the transition sequences in the IEEE 802.11 state machine in order to impose the desired device-network association behavior. The changes that we propose are backwards compatible with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Our experiments in the real world demonstrate that our approach is very effective and results in the desired association behavior with complete predictability, regardless of the mobile device, its iOS™1 or Android ™2 operating system, or the version of that operating system.
Adolescents’ Functional Numeracy Is Predicted by Their School Entry Number System Knowledge

One in five adults in the United States is functionally innumerate; they do not possess the mathematical competencies needed for many modern jobs. We administered functional numeracy measures used in studies of young adults’ employability and wages to 180 thirteen-year-olds. The adolescents began the study in kindergarten and participated in multiple assessments of intelligence, working memory, mathematical cognition, achievement, and in-class attentive behavior. Their number system knowledge at the beginning of first grade was defined by measures that assessed knowledge of the systematic relations among Arabic numerals and skill at using this knowledge to solve arithmetic problems. Early number system knowledge predicted functional numeracy more than six years later (ß = 0.195, p = .0014) controlling for intelligence, working memory, in-class attentive behavior, mathematical achievement, demographic and other factors, but skill at using counting procedures to solve arithmetic problems did not. In all, we identified specific beginning of schooling numerical knowledge that contributes to individual differences in adolescents’ functional numeracy and demonstrated that performance on mathematical achievement tests underestimates the importance of this early knowledge.