Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extended Composite Right/Left-Handed Transmission Line and Dual-Band Reactance Transformation

An extended composite right/left-handed transmission line is introduced, and its dual-band bandpass filter characteristics are explored. Novel reactance transformations, derived from this transmission line, are formulated to transform a low-pass prototype filter into a dual-band bandpass filter with arbitrary dual pass bands, well-defined in-band attenuation ripples, and high out-of-band rejection. The physical insight into such a dual-band bandpass filter is provided with a dispersion analysis. The transformations are verified by simulated results for dual-band bandpass filters.
Compiler Assisted Runtime Task Scheduling on a Reconfigurable Computer

Multitasking reconfigurable computers with one or more reconfigurable processors are being used increasingly during the past few years. One of the major challenges in such systems is the scheduling and allocation of the tasks on the reconfigurable fabric. In this paper we present a two level scheduling mechanism for tightly coupled reconfigurable architecture machines. To overcome the complexity of identifying kernels at runtime, we use the compiler support. The compiler provides the runtime system with a configuration call graph which will be used as a viable source of information for the scheduling algorithm. We combine the configuration call graphs from all running applications and extract the distance to the next call and frequency of calls in future for each kernel from this graph. We base our scheduling decisions on these two parameters. Evaluation results show that the proposed method is very promising and it has the potential to be considered for future research.
Evaluations of tactile displays of physiological monitoring

Physiological monitoring devices are used in the operating room (OR) to identify abnormal changes. They are currently detected by the anesthesiologist from direct observation of visual displays or by auditory cues. In an effort to improve OR safety, we explored the use of an alternative sensory modality, touch, to effectively and accurately convey patients' physiological information. To be accepted [1] such devices need to fulfill five criteria: learnability, errors, efficiency, memorability and satisfaction. We designed and compared various tactile displays in respect to some of these criteria.
New structures of polyphase claw-pole machines

New structures of motor magnetic circuit can be realized by use of the soft magnetic composites (SMC). This paper presents new claw-pole motors with a polyphase winding and a standard cylindrical rotor which are using these isotropic materials. A division of the stator magnetic circuit in 3 parts and the use of a centralized winding with a small number of coils simplify the production process, the mechanical assembly and the winding realization. With these special stator geometries, the electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal functions are integrated in the same stator parts. This integration is much better than in a classical 2D structure using a laminated material. There is no end-winding and the copper volume can be minimized. The size of the additional parts which are necessary for the bearing housings and the mechanical fixation of the rotor are reduced. These structures can be equipped with an integrated cooling system, with efficient air convection or water circulation. This paper describes the design approach of these original structures. It demonstrates that such 3D structures can be derived from their equivalent 2D structures with a concentrated winding. The concept and the design approach are validated by the realization and the comparative experimental tests of two prototypes with a 3D and its equivalent 2D structure.
The Impact of Port Infrastructure on Port Handling Capacity in China

Port handling capacity is a key indicator of the development of port economy. There are numerous factors that influencing port handling capacity, the port infrastructure and development play a prominent role among which. In this paper, to examine what are the factors and how they influence the port handling capacity in China, we employed panel data from China’s 14 ports between 1997 and 2006. The results suggest that port infrastructure do affect port handling capacity in China, on which the development of port infrastructures has a long-run effect in particular. Furthermore, quay length, integrated port traffic capacity and number of port berths for 10,000 ton-class or larger ships, increase port handling capacity by 12%, 50% and 91% respectively, while the influence of number of port berths is limited and not significant. Keywordsport infrastructure; port handling capacity; unit root tests; cointegration test
Research on resilience: An integrative review

The contributors to this volume have provided a wealth of information on children facing different life adversities, and in this concluding chapter we provide a distillation of two sets of themes. The first encompasses conceptual and methodological issues in studies of resilience – which, as defined in this book, is a process or phenomenon reflecting positive child adjustment despite conditions of risk. Since its inception a few decades ago, various commentaries have led to refinements in the research on resilience, yet several important issues have remained either unclear or controversial. The introductory chapter of this volume provides a succinct summary of this field at its initiation. In this chapter, we draw from the cutting-edge research presented throughout this book to clarify critical issues in studying resilience, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the contributions of future work on this construct. In turn, we consider (a) distinctions between the risk and resilience paradigms; (b) approaches to measuring adversity and competence; and (c) various concerns about protective and vulnerability factors, including the differences between them, issues about the specificity of effects, and the types of issues most usefully examined in future studies. Contrasting with the focus on empirical research in the first half of this chapter, the second half is focused on applied issues. At the heart of much resilience research is the desire to uncover salient protective and vulnerability processes that, if targeted in interventions, would substantially improve at-risk children's odds of doing well in life.
Title: the Italian Family in times of Crisis

The global economic crisis of 2008 destabilized many nations and their peoples across the world including Italy. Already in possession of a struggling economy, the European debt crisis catalyzed Italy's downward spiral into its most severe recession since World War II. With rampant tax evasion, high levels of unemployment, and weak governmental support, Italians must develop new coping methods to deal with the uncertainty that accompanies their daily lives in the aftermath of the fiscal collapse. In this paper I draw upon scholarly articles and ethnographic research to explore the plight of Italy's socially and economically displaced middle-class. Forced to delay the transition into adulthood, young Italians emigrate to find better work opportunities, and parents employ thrift and sacrifice to provide for their families. This paper contributes to our understanding of how families adapt to unanticipated fiscal disasters, and how economic downturn changes society and culture.
The common ancestor type distribution of a $\Lambda$-Wright-Fisher process with selection and mutation

Using graphical methods based on a `lookdown' and pruned version of the {\em ancestral selection graph}, we obtain a representation of the type distribution of the ancestor in a two-type Wright-Fisher population with mutation and selection, conditional on the overall type frequency in the old population. This extends results from Lenz, Kluth, Baake, and Wakolbinger (Theor. Pop. Biol., 103 (2015), 27-37) to the case of heavy-tailed offspring, directed by a reproduction measure $\Lambda$. The representation is in terms of the equilibrium tail probabilities of the line-counting process $L$ of the graph. We identify a strong pathwise Siegmund dual of $L$, and characterise the equilibrium tail probabilities of $L$ in terms of hitting probabilities of the dual process.
Present Insights on Cardiomyopathy in Diabetic Patients

The pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is partially understood and is likely to be multifactorial, involving metabolic disturbances, hypertension and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN). Therefore, an important need remains to further delineate the basic mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy and to apply them to daily clinical practice. We attempt to detail some of these underlying mechanisms, focusing in the clinical features and management. The novelty of this review is the role of CAN and reduction of blood pressure descent during sleep in the development of DCM. Evidence has suggested that CAN might precede left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes, serving as an early marker for the evaluation of preclinical cardiac abnormalities. Additionally, a prospective study demonstrated that an elevation of nocturnal systolic blood pressure and a loss of nocturnal blood pressure fall might precede the onset of abnormal albuminuria and cardiovascular events in hypertensive normoalbuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, existing microalbuminuria could imply the presence of myocardium abnormalities. Considering that DCM could be asymptomatic for a long period and progress to irreversible cardiac damage, early recognition and treatment of the preclinical cardiac abnormalities are essential to avoid severe cardiovascular outcomes. In this sense, we recommend that all type 2 diabetic patients, especially those with microalbuminuria, should be regularly submitted to CAN tests, Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring and echocardiography, and treated for any abnormalities in these tests in the attempt of reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
An improved Criminisi algorithm based on a new priority function and updating confidence

In the Criminisi algorithm, the unreliability filling order will influence the inpainting quality. Our objective is to discover a method to mend this defect. An improved Criminisi algorithm was proposed by changing the priority and the confidence. We use (1) addition instead of multiplication in the computing of the priority function and the golden section as the weight ratio; and (2) introduce the logistic equation in the confidence update to avoid its rapid decay. Experiments show that our improved algorithm can obtain a better restore effect than that of the original Criminisi algorithm.
Optimal Function Computation in Directed and Undirected Graphs

We consider the problem of information aggregation in sensor networks, where one is interested in computing a function of the sensor measurements. We allow for block processing and study in-network function computation in directed graphs and undirected graphs. We study how the structure of the function affects the encoding strategies and the effect of interactive information exchange. Depending on the application, there could be a designated collector node, or every node might want to compute the function. We begin by considering a directed graph C = (γ. ε) on the sensor nodes, where the goal is to determine the optimal encoders on each edge which achieve function computation at the collector node. Our goal is to characterize the rate region in R|ε|, i.e., the set of points for which there exist feasible encoders with given rates which achieve zero-error computation for asymptotically large block length. We determine the solution for directed trees, specifying the optimal encoder and decoder for each edge. For general directed acyclic graphs, we provide an outer bound on the rate region by finding the disambiguation requirements for each cut, and describe examples where this outer bound is tight. Next, we address the scenario where nodes are connected in an undirected tree network, and every node wishes to compute a given symmetric Boolean function of the sensor data. Undirected edges permit interactive computation, and we therefore study the effect of interaction on the aggregation and communication strategies. We focus on sum-threshold functions and determine the minimum worst case total number of bits to be exchanged on each edge. The optimal strategy involves recursive in-network aggregation which is reminiscent of message passing. In the case of general graphs, we present a cut-set lower bound and an achievable scheme based on aggregation along trees. For complete graphs, we prove that the complexity of this scheme is no more than twice that of the optimal scheme.
The Tomato Cf-5 Disease Resistance Gene and Six Homologs Show Pronounced Allelic Variation in Leucine-Rich Repeat Copy Number

The tomato Cf-2 and Cf-5 genes confer resistance to Cladosporium fulvum and map to a complex locus on chromosome 6. The Cf-5 gene has been isolated and is predicted to encode a largely extracytoplasmic protein containing 32 leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), resembling the previously isolated Cf-2 gene, which has 38 LRRs. Three haplotypes of this locus from Lycopersicon esculentum, L. pimpinellifolium, and L. esculentum var cerasiforme were compared, and five additional homologs of Cf-5 were sequenced. All share extensive sequence identity, particularly within the C-terminal portions of the predicted proteins. In striking contrast to the Cf-9 gene family, six of seven homologs in the Cf-2/Cf-5 gene family vary in LRR copy number, ranging from 25 to 38 LRRs. Cf-5 and one adjacent homolog differ by only two LRRs. Recombination events that vary the LRR copy number in this region could provide a mechanism for the generation of new specificities for recognition of different ligands. A recombination breakpoint between the Cf-2 and Cf-5 loci was fully characterized and shown to be intragenic.
PERBANDINGAN MODEL ALORITMIK DAN NON ALGORITMIK UNTUK ESTIMASI BIAYA PERANGKAT LUNAK

Pemilihan metode estimasi biaya adalah proses yang sangat penting dalam kesuksesan pelaksanaan suatu proyek perangkat lunak. Hal ini dikarenakan kesesuaian penggunaan metode dengan proyek yang akan dikerjakan dapat menghasilkan estimasi biaya yang akurat dan dapat dipercaya. Estimasi biaya merupakan bagian penting dalam tahap pengembangan perangkat lunak dimana manajer dapat menentukan besarnya biaya, waktu dan usaha yang harus dikeluarkan atas pelaksaaan sebuah proyek. Untuk dapat memilih metode estimasi yang sesuai dengan proyek yang akan dikerjakan diperlukan pemahaman yang jelas tentang metode-metode estimasi biaya yang ada salah satunya mengetahui kelemahan dan kelebihan dari masing-masing metode tersebut. Dalam penelitian ini dikaji dua kelompok besar metode estimasi biaya perangkat lunak yakni model algoritmik dan non algoritmik untuk membandingkan kelebihan dan kekurangan beberapa metode yang sering digunakan dalam kedua kelompok model tersebut, sehingga dapat menjadi rekomendasi bagi para manajer serta pembaca dalam melakukan penelitian tentang estimasi biaya perangkat lunak maupun dalam pemilihan metode estimasi.
Analysis of the erosive effect of different dietary substances and medications

Excessive consumption of acidic drinks and foods contributes to tooth erosion. The aims of the present in vitro study were twofold: (1) to assess the erosive potential of different dietary substances and medications; (2) to determine the chemical properties with an impact on the erosive potential. We selected sixty agents: soft drinks, an energy drink, sports drinks, alcoholic drinks, juice, fruit, mineral water, yogurt, tea, coffee, salad dressing and medications. The erosive potential of the tested agents was quantified as the changes in surface hardness (ΔSH) of enamel specimens within the first 2 min (ΔSH2–0 = SH2 min − SHbaseline) and the second 2 min exposure (ΔSH4–2 = SH4 min − SH2 min). To characterise these agents, various chemical properties, e.g. pH, concentrations of Ca, Pi and F, titratable acidity to pH 7·0 and buffering capacity at the original pH value (β), as well as degree of saturation (pK − pI) with respect to hydroxyapatite (HAP) and fluorapatite (FAP), were determined. Erosive challenge caused a statistically significant reduction in SH for all agents except for coffee, some medications and alcoholic drinks, and non-flavoured mineral waters, teas and yogurts (P < 0·01). By multiple linear regression analysis, 52 % of the variation in ΔSH after 2 min and 61 % after 4 min immersion were explained by pH, β and concentrations of F and Ca (P < 0·05). pH was the variable with the highest impact in multiple regression and bivariate correlation analyses. Furthermore, a high bivariate correlation was also obtained between (pK − pI)HAP, (pK − pI)FAP and ΔSH.
Brief Communication BLOCKADE OF CXZ-ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS MARKEDLY POTENTIATES OF LOCUS COERULEUS NEURONS GLUTAMATE-EVOKED ACTIVITY

The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small pontine nucleus with widely distributed efferents that supply the majority of norepinephrine in brain. Evidence from our laboratory has implicated cu2-adrenergic receptors on LC neurons in regulating the magnitude of the bursting response of LC neurons to both sensory stimulation and systemically administered drugs. Sub-stimulation of a2-adrenergic receptors in the LC and the resulting hyper-responsiveness of LC neurons is thought to at least partially mediate depression in an animal model. The present study extends previous work in our laboratory by demonstrating that blockade of a2-adrenergic receptors also markedly augments the bursting response of LC neurons to locally ~ via microiontophoresisapplied glutamate.
Mushroom High-Impedance Metasurfaces for Perfect Absorption at Two Angles of Incidence

In this letter, we study the possibility to achieve perfect absorption of TM-polarized plane electromagnetic waves for two incidence angles at the same frequency. The effect was obtained in a high-impedance surface (HIS) also called a mushroom metasurface due to a combination of two types of dissipation losses inside each unit cell of the HIS, dielectric losses, and resistance of lumped loads. The dual-angle perfect absorption is a narrowband resonance effect. It was shown analytically that one can completely suppress the reflection at two predefined angles of incidence. This result was confirmed by numerical simulations of a practical (realistic and affordable) structure.
Serotonin inhibits outgrowth of goldfish retina and impairs the trophic effect of taurine

The regeneration of explants prepared from goldfish retinas with a prior crush of the optic nerve is stimulated by the sulphur amino acid, taurine. Serotonin has been reported to modify survival, proliferation, and outgrowth of nervous tissue. In the present work we evaluated the effect of serotonin and some serotonergic agonists on the neuritic outgrowth from goldfish retinal explants. Serotonin, its precursor, 5‐hydroxytryptophan, and the 5HT1A receptor agonists, 8‐hydroxy‐2‐(di‐n‐propylamino)tetralin and busprione, inhibited the outgrowth. The blockers of serotonin uptake, imipramine and citalopram, were also inhibitors of neurite sprouting. Imipramine favoured the inhibitory effect of serotonin at 10 days in culture. The concentration of serotonin and its metabolite, 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid, decreased in the retina at 3 and 5 days after the crush of the optic nerve. Serotonin levels started to recover after 5 days post‐lesion, and the metabolite also increased. This indicates that the lesion increases the turnover rate of serotonin and this may be related to its role in regeneration. Serotonin concentration was elevated by the intraocular administration of its precursor, 5‐hydroxytryptophan, indicating that the capacity for synthesis was preserved after the crush, but that it was smaller in the post‐lesioned retinas. The trophic effect of taurine was impaired by a low concentration of serotonin, probably by opposing the final effect on growth via different targets. These results support a role of serotonin in the regeneration of goldfish retina probably through 5HT1A receptors. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Link budget analysis for visible light communication systems

This paper presents the complete link budget analysis of a VLC system. By calculating the transmitter's emitted power, the channel path loss and the receiver's input referred noise, the system SNR and BER performance are derived. Furthermore, a VLC transceiver system is implemented with the analog front-end using discrete components while the baseband in FPGA, and the experimental results demonstrate that the measured BER agrees well with the calculation.
HLA-DQ allele competition in narcolepsy: a comment on Tafti et al. DQB1 locus alone explains most of the risk and protection in narcolepsy with cataplexy in Europe.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Although HLA-DQB1*06:02 is the strongest predisposing genetic factor for narcolepsy, the effect of this gene must be considered alongside that of its polymorphic partner, DQA1. In this paper, we extend an analysis of the effect of HLA-DQB1 on narcolepsy risk published recently by Tafti et al. RESULTS Imputing allelic variation at the level of HLA-DQA1, we show that this locus also has a considerable effect on disease susceptibility. Our data are also compatible with previous findings in multi-ethnic group data sets showing that allele competition effects within the DQ1 group determine the amount of DQ0602 (the DQA1*01:02/DQB1*06:02 heterodimer), and consequently, the risk of developing narcolepsy. We also found an independent predisposing effect of DQB1*03:01 via a currently unknown mechanism. CONCLUSIONS Both DQA1 and DQB1 influence narcolepsy risk.