Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A voltage-controlled capacitance offset calibration technique for high resolution dynamic comparator

This paper presents a high resolution and wide range offset calibration technique for high resolution comparators. The proposed calibration technique significant reduces the calibration capacitance from conventional 2n binary-scaled capacitors array to a small voltage-controlled capacitor. Furthermore, it utilizes inherent system clock to perform calibration and does not require extra clock phase. After proposed calibration, simulation result shows an offset of conventional dynamic comparators being reduced from 35mV to 350μV (one sigma) operating at 1GHz in 65nm CMOS technology with only 20μW power in calibration.
Author Identification using Stylometric Features

In this work we present a strategy for author identification for documents written in Portuguese. It takes into account a writer-independent model which reduces the pattern recognition problem to a single model and two classes, hence, makes it possible to build robust system even when few genuine samples per writer are available. We also introduce a stylometric feature set, which is based on the conjunctions of the Portuguese language. Experiments on a database composed of short articles from 10 different authors and Support Vector Machine (SVM) as classifier demonstrate that the proposed strategy can produced results comparable to the literature.
Cooperative relaying scheme with space time code for multihop communications among single antenna terminals

In mobile multihop communications, the diversity technique is important since the channel between mobile terminals may suffer from the effects of fading and the routes between terminals are normally created through several hops. Space-time coding using multiple transmit antennas is an effective countermeasure for fading. For terminals which have only one antenna, due to the size/cost limitations, user cooperation has been introduced as a diversity technique. In this paper, a space-time coded cooperative relaying scheme for a multihop communications scenario, in cases where the number of hops is more than two, is proposed in order to combat the effects of fading among single antenna terminals, without bandwidth expansion. The scheme utilizes a space-time code for cooperative relaying and is developed in both frequency-flat and frequency-selective fading channels. By computer simulations, it is shown that the proposed scheme provides diversity gain and more improvement of frame error rate as the number of hops increases. Furthermore, the effects of an error correcting code and co-channel interference are shown.
Immunoglobulin classes of neutralizing antibody formed after human inoculation with soluble adenoviral antigens.

Three volunteers were experimentally infected with adenoviral types 1 or 4, and six were inoculated with purified preparations of type 1 or type 4 soluble hexon and fiber antigens. Neutralizing antibodies and immunoglobulins were assayed after fractionation of serum by gel filtration, revealing generally similar patterns of antibody formation in men given infectious virus or soluble antigens. Antibody activity was first detected in the immunoglobulin pools one to three weeks after inoculation. In 7 of the 9 men, neutralizing antibodies were present in both the IgM and IgG pools at this time. No serum samples were assayed earlier than 1 week after inoculation. IgM antibodies were found no later than 4 weeks after administration of soluble antigens, but were found up to 14 weeks after inoculation in two of the experimentally infected men. IgG antibodies persisted as long as the volunteers were followed, up to 50 weeks in one man. This persistence was also true for the heterologous responses studied. Antibody titers were low in the experimentally infected volunteers, and neutralizing activity appeared in their immunoglobulin pools a week later than in pools from subjects given soluble antigen preparations of the corresponding serotype. Serum neutralizing antibodies of the IgA-globulin class were demonstrated in two volunteers, 2 and 3 weeks after inoculation of type 4 adenoviral soluble antigens. None could be detected in a volunteer who had been infected experimentally.
New horizon for the therapeutic modality of exercise on neuropsychiatric disorders

Since discovery of the possibility that neuronal precursors cells can differentiate into neurons (Reynolds and Weiss, 1992), neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb (Tarozzo et al., 1995) and hippocampus (Eriksson et al., 1998) of the adult mammals has been confirmed. The hippocampus plays a major role in spatial learning and memory in animals as well as humans. Neurogenesis in the hippocampus occurs throughout postnatal life, and is influenced by environment and behavior factors. Many studies have focused on the modulating factors of the neurogenesis. Enriched environment, learning, electroconvulsive therapy, anti-depressive agents, acupuncture, and exercise have been suggested as the increasing factor for neurogenesis. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is considered to be composed of several development stages: proliferation, differentiation, migration, targeting and synaptic integration, and various characteristic neuronal markers are expressed during the specific stages. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is closely implicated with hippocampal functions and decreased hippocampal neurogenesis is associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Exercise is known to have many beneficial effects on health, such as increasing of cardiovascular function, prevention of chronic diseases, and decreasing of body fat. Exercise improves learning ability and memory function, protects against neurodegenerative diseases, delays age-related cognitive decline, and alleviates symptoms of the developmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Many studies have suggested the possibility that exercise can be a therapeutic modality for brain diseases. Neurogenesis induced by exercise is reported to be necessary in the hippocampal-dependent learning process. Suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis may contribute to cognitive dysfunction in aging, dementia, epilepsy, and other brain inflammatory conditions. The fact that exercise increases neurogenesis has enabled new research on the role of exercise. Most widely studied effect of exercise is on the depression. In our studies, treadmill exercise enhanced neurogenesis with increment of serotonin expression, which resulted in improvement of depressive symptoms (Baek et al., 2012). Treadmill exercise alleviated aging-induced memory impairment by enhancing neurogenesis (Kim et al., 2010). Kim et al. (2013) reported that exercise also accelerated maturation of neurons under the brain inflammatory conditions. These therapeutic efficacies of treadmill exercise can be ascribed to the enhancing effect of exercise on neurogenesis. Thus, the enhancing effect of exercise on neurogenesis may open new horizon for the treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders.
Siblings as Confidants: Emotional Understanding, Relationship Warmth, and Sibling Self‐Disclosure

Associations among (a) self-disclosures between early adolescent siblings, (b) emotional understanding, and (c) relationship warmth were investigated. Grade 5–6 children (M age = 11.5 years) were interviewed concerning the incidence of disclosures to closest-in-age siblings (20 = older, 20 = younger), feelings regarding disclosing (or not), and sibling relationship quality. Warmth was measured with the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Furman & Buhrmester, 1985) and emotional understanding was assessed with the Hypothetical Relationships Picture Task (adapted from Schneider, 1989, & Aquan-Assee, 1992). Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated self-disclosure was positively associated with feeling good about sharing and negatively associated with reports of not trusting or not receiving emotional support from their sibling. Sibling relationship warmth was a key characteristic associated with both emotional understanding and self-disclosure; female target children demonstrated greater emotional understanding. Warmth, but not emotional understanding, was associated with self-disclosure. Findings are discussed in light of the importance of links between affective relationships and children’s social-emotional understanding.
A Novel Mammalian Iron-regulated Protein Involved in Intracellular Iron Metabolism*

We have isolated and characterized a novel iron-regulated gene that is homologous to the divalent metal transporter 1 family of metal transporters. This gene, termed metal transporter protein (mtp1), is expressed in tissues involved in body iron homeostasis including the developing and mature reticuloendothelial system, the duodenum, and the pregnant uterus. MTP1 is also expressed in muscle and central nervous system cells in the embryo. At the subcellular level, MTP1 is localized to the basolateral membrane of the duodenal epithelial cell and a cytoplasmic compartment of reticuloendothelial system cells. Overexpression of MTP1 in tissue culture cells results in intracellular iron depletion. In the adult mouse, MTP1 expression in the liver and duodenum are reciprocally regulated. Iron deficiency induces MTP1 expression in the duodenum but down-regulates expression in the liver. These data indicate that MTP1 is an iron-regulated membrane-spanning protein that is involved in intracellular iron metabolism.
Entwicklung effektiver Abrufhemmung bei Grundschulkindern

Zusammenfassung. Studien mit der Listenmethode des “Directed Forgetting“-Paradigmas zeigen Probleme von Schulanfangern mit der Abrufhemmung. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde jeweils 120 Erst- und Viertklasslern zunachst eine von zwei Lernlisten dargeboten. Anschliesend erhielten sie entweder einen allgemeinen Behaltenshinweis oder einen Vergessenshinweis unter einer von vier Bedingungen, die sich aus der Kombination der beiden Faktoren “Vergessensmotivierung“ und “Vermittlung von Vergessenseinsicht“ ergeben. Es folgte die Darbietung der zweiten Liste, bevor die Kinder zum Reproduzieren beider Listen aufgefordert wurden. Im Unterschied zur einschlagigen Literatur fand sich auch fur Erstklassler bereits unter der einfachen Vergessensaufforderung der anhand verschiedener Kriterien bewertete “Directed Forgetting“-Effekt (schlechteres Erinnern der mit Vergessenshinweis versehenen Items). Unabhangig vom Alter der Grundschulkinder zeigte sich ein deutlicher Einfluss der Einsichtsvermittlung auf das Ausmas dieses.
Parasite infection and host group size: a meta-analytical review

SUMMARY Many studies have identified various host behavioural and ecological traits that are associated with parasite infection, including host gregariousness. By use of meta-analyses, we investigated to what degree parasite prevalence, intensity and species richness are correlated with group size in gregarious species. We predicted that larger groups would have more parasites and higher parasite species richness. We analysed a total of 70 correlations on parasite prevalence, intensity and species richness across different host group sizes. Parasite intensity and prevalence both increased positively with group size, as expected. No significant relationships were found between host group size and parasite species richness, suggesting that larger groups do not harbour more rare or novel parasite species than smaller groups. We further predicted that the mobility of the host (mobile, sedentary) and the mode of parasite transmission (direct, indirect, mobile) would be important predictors of the effects of group sizes on parasite infection. It was found that group size was positively correlated with the prevalence and intensity of directly and indirectly transmitted parasites. However, a negative relationship was observed between group size and mobile parasite intensity, with larger groups having lower parasite intensities. Further, intensities of parasites did not increase with group size of mobile hosts, suggesting that host mobility may negate parasite infection risk. The implications for the evolution and maintenance of sociality in host species are discussed, and future research directions are highlighted.
The Pedicle Latissimus Dorsi Transfer for Reconstruction of the Plexus Brachialis and Brachium

&NA; To reconstruct the area from the brachial plexus to the upper arm, pedicle latissimus dorsi muscle transfer was performed in 16 patients. Nine patients underwent functional bipolar transfer for reconstruction of elbow flexion. The surgical results were satisfactory in 6 patients, but were unsatisfactory in 3 because of an incorrect preoperative assessment of the strength of the latissimus dorsi muscle and an unsuitable length of transferred muscle in 2 patients, and because of progression of spastic paralysis caused by cervical myelopathy in the third patient. Seven patients with skin loss and an unstable scar underwent aesthetic unipolar transfer in which the exposed nerve, neurovascular bundle, bone, and joint were covered by a musculocutaneous flap with good vascularity. The surgical results were successful in all 7 patients. Infection was present before transfer in 4 of the 16 patients, but it was successfully treated by simultaneous radical debridement of the infected wound and latissimus dorsi transfer.
Position fine-tuning of caudal primary motoneurons in the zebrafish spinal cord

In zebrafish embryos, each myotome is typically innervated by three primary motoneurons (PMNs): the caudal primary (CaP), middle primary (MiP) and rostral primary (RoP). PMN axons first exit the spinal cord through a single exit point located at the midpoint of the overlying somite, which is formed beneath the CaP cell body and is pioneered by the CaP axon. However, the placement of CaP cell bodies with respect to corresponding somites is poorly understood. Here, we determined the early events in CaP cell positioning using neuropilin 1a (nrp1a):gfp transgenic embryos in which CaPs were specifically labeled with GFP. CaP cell bodies first exhibit an irregular pattern in presence of newly formed corresponding somites and then migrate to achieve their proper positions by axonogenesis stages. CaPs are generated in excess compared with the number of somites, and two CaPs often overlap at the same position through this process. Next, we showed that CaP cell bodies remain in the initial irregular positions after knockdown of Neuropilin1a, a component of the class III semaphorin receptor. Irregular CaP position frequently results in aberrant double exit points of motor axons, and secondary motor axons form aberrant exit points following CaP axons. Its expression pattern suggests that sema3ab regulates the CaP position. Indeed, irregular CaP positions and exit points are induced by Sema3ab knockdown, whose ectopic expression can alter the position of CaP cell bodies. Results suggest that Semaphorin-Neuropilin signaling plays an important role in position fine-tuning of CaP cell bodies to ensure proper exit points of motor axons.
Functional differentiation of stem cell-derived neurons from different murine backgrounds

Murine stem cell-derived neurons have been used to study a wide variety of neuropsychiatric diseases with a hereditary component, ranging from autism to Alzheimer’s. While a significant amount of data on their molecular biology has been generated, there is little data on the physiology of these cultures. Different mouse strains show clear differences in behavioral and other neurobiologically relevant readouts. We have studied the physiology of early differentiation and network formation in neuronal cultures derived from three different mouse embryonic stem cell lines. We have found largely overlapping patterns with some significant differences in the timing of the functional milestones. Neurons from R1 showed the fastest development of intrinsic excitability, while E14Tg2a and J1 were slower. This was also reflected in an earlier appearance of synaptic activity in R1 cultures, while E14Tg2a and J1 were delayed by up to 2 days. In conclusion, stem cells from all backgrounds could be successfully differentiated into functioning neural networks with similar developmental patterns. Differences in the timing of specific milestones, suggest that control cell lines and time-points should be carefully chosen when investigating genetic alterations that lead to subtle deficits in neuronal function.
Overcoming the Distance

The present research tested the effect of perspective taking with a human victim of environmental change on environmental engagement. Participants watched a slideshow portraying a future scenario of a young woman being affected by negative environmental changes. Taking the perspective of this individual increased a set of three behavior indicators (intentions, time spent engaging with information materials, and number of brochures collected) compared with two control groups. The present research provides evidence that perspective taking with other humans can be a powerful trigger of engagement with environmental issues. Thus, perspective taking could be used to engage people with psychologically distant issues such as climate change, for which the full consequences will only become visible at a much later point in time.
Higher Muscle Strength Is Associated with Prolonged Survival in Older Patients with Advanced Cancer.

BACKGROUND Identifying predictors of treatment toxicity and overall survival (OS) is important for selecting patients who will benefit from chemotherapy. In younger patients with cancer, muscle mass and radiodensity are associated with treatment toxicity and OS. In this study, we investigated whether muscle mass, radiodensity, and strength were associated with treatment toxicity and OS in patients with advanced cancer aged 60 years or older. MATERIALS AND METHODS Before starting palliative chemotherapy, muscle mass and radiodensity were assessed using computed tomography scans and muscle strength was assessed using a hydraulic hand grip dynamometer. Treatment toxicity was defined as any toxicity resulting in dose reduction and/or discontinuation of treatment. Multiple logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to study potential associations of muscle mass, radiodensity, and strength with treatment toxicity and OS, respectively. RESULTS The participants were 103 patients, with a mean age of 70 years, with advanced colorectal, prostate, or breast cancer. Muscle parameters were not significantly associated with treatment toxicity. Higher muscle strength was associated with longer OS (hazard ratio 1.03; 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.05). Muscle mass and radiodensity were not significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSION Higher muscle strength at the start of palliative chemotherapy is associated with significantly better OS in older patients with advanced cancer. None of the investigated muscle parameters were related to treatment toxicity. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether muscle strength can be used for treatment decisions in older patients with advanced cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE This study in older patients with advanced cancer showed that adequate muscle strength is associated with longer overall survival. The results of this study imply that muscle strength might be helpful in estimating survival and therefore in identifying older patients who will benefit from anticancer treatment.
Delayed Early Primary Visual Pathway Development in Premature Infants: High Density Electrophysiological Evidence

In the past decades, multiple studies have been interested in developmental patterns of the visual system in healthy infants. During the first year of life, differential maturational changes have been observed between the Magnocellular (P) and the Parvocellular (P) visual pathways. However, few studies investigated P and M system development in infants born prematurely. The aim of the present study was to characterize P and M system maturational differences between healthy preterm and fullterm infants through a critical period of visual maturation: the first year of life. Using a cross-sectional design, high-density electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded in 31 healthy preterms and 41 fullterm infants of 3, 6, or 12 months (corrected age for premature babies). Three visual stimulations varying in contrast and spatial frequency were presented to stimulate preferentially the M pathway, the P pathway, or both systems simultaneously during EEG recordings. Results from early visual evoked potentials in response to the stimulation that activates simultaneously both systems revealed longer N1 latencies and smaller P1 amplitudes in preterm infants compared to fullterms. Moreover, preterms showed longer N1 and P1 latencies in response to stimuli assessing the M pathway at 3 months. No differences between preterms and fullterms were found when using the preferential P system stimulation. In order to identify the cerebral generator of each visual response, distributed source analyses were computed in 12-month-old infants using LORETA. Source analysis demonstrated an activation of the parietal dorsal region in fullterm infants, in response to the preferential M pathway, which was not seen in the preterms. Overall, these findings suggest that the Magnocellular pathway development is affected in premature infants. Although our VEP results suggest that premature children overcome, at least partially, the visual developmental delay with time, source analyses reveal abnormal brain activation of the Magnocellular pathway at 12 months of age.
Predicting protein - protein interfaces as clusters of Optimal Docking Area points

Desolvation property is used here to predict protein-protein binding sites exploiting the fact that lower-valued 'optimal docking area' ODA (Fernandez-Recio et al., 2005) points form cluster at the interface. The proposed method involves two steps; clustering the ODA points and representing ODA points by average ODA values. On 51 nonredundant proteins, results show the success rate improved considerably. Considering only significant ODA, the previous ODA method has obtained a success rate of 65% with overall success rate of 39%. The proposed method improved the overall success rate to 61%. Further, comparable results were found for X-ray and NMR structures.