Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Results of Accelerated Aging Tests in Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors

The introduction of fully electric vehicles (FEVs) into the mainstream has raised concerns about the reliability of their electronic components such as IGBT. The great variability in IGBT failure times caused by the very different operating conditions experienced and the stochasticity of their degradation processes suggests the adoption of condition-based maintenance approaches. Thus, the development of methods for assessing their healthy state and predicting their remaining useful life (RUL) is of key importance. In this paper, we investigate the results of performing accelerated aging tests. Our objective is to discuss the design and the results of accelerated aging tests performed on three different IGBT types within the electrical powertrain health monitoring for increased safety (HEMIS) of FEVs European Community project. During the tests, several electric signals were measured in different operating conditions. The results show that the case temperature (TC), the collector current (IC), and the collector-emitter voltage (VCE) are the failure precursor parameters that can be used for the development of a prognostic and health monitoring (PHM) system for FEV IGBTs and other medium-power switching supplies.
An Improved Repetitive Control Scheme for Grid-Connected Inverter With Frequency-Adaptive Capability

The power quality of grid-connected inverters has drawn a lot of attention with the increased application of distributed power generation systems. The repetitive control technique is widely adopted in these systems, due to its excellent tracking performance and low output total harmonic distortion (THD). However, in an actual system, the ratio of the sampling frequency to the grid frequency cannot always maintain an integer, and then, the resonant frequencies of the repetitive control technique will deviate from the real grid fundamental and harmonic frequencies. This will degrade the performance of the system, particularly when the grid frequency varies. Even if the ratio is a fixed integer, the auxiliary function for stabilization in the conventional repetitive control technique will also increase the steady-state tracking error and THD of the system. In this paper, an improved repetitive control scheme with a special designed finite impulse response (FIR) filter is proposed. The FIR filter cascaded with a traditional delay function can approximate the ideal repetitive control function of any ratio. The proposed scheme varies the FIR filter according to varied grid frequency and maintains its resonant frequencies matching the grid fundamental and harmonic ones. Finally, the simulation and experimental results show that the improved repetitive control scheme can effectively reduce the tracking error and compensate harmonics of the inverter systems.
Low back pain and disability in older women: independent association with difficulty but not inability to perform daily activities.

BACKGROUND Low back pain is a highly prevalent chronic condition, yet little is known about the disabling effects of this common problem in older adults. This study examines the relationship between the presence and severity of low back pain and disability in older women. METHODS The study population was 1,002 disabled older women participating in a population-based prospective study of disablement. Key outcome measures of disability included level of difficulty and inability to perform the following daily activities: light housework, shopping, walking one-quarter mile, climbing stairs, lifting, and activities of daily living (ADLs). RESULTS Forty-two percent of participants reported they had low back pain for at least one month in the year before baseline. The prevalence of severe back pain decreased markedly with age (10% of those > or = 85 yr versus 23% in each of the two younger 10 yr age groups). After multivariate adjustments, women with severe back pain were 3 to 4 times more likely than other women to have a lot of difficulty with light housework or shopping. There was also an increased likelihood of difficulty with mobility tasks and basic ADLs among those with severe back pain. No associations were found between back pain and being unable to perform any of the daily activities studied, indicating possible differences in disablement processes leading to functional difficulties versus functional incapacity. CONCLUSIONS There was a strong association between back pain and functional difficulties in older women, pointing to the need for further research using longitudinal methods.
Involvement of the Mitochondrial Pathway in Cold Storage and Rewarming‐Associated Apoptosis of Human Renal Proximal Tubular Cells

The cellular and molecular mechanisms of cold storage‐ATN are not well characterized. In our earlier studies, cold storage caused necrosis of human proximal tubular epithelial (RPTE) cells, whereas apoptosis was prominent during rewarming. An intriguing finding was the pronounced swelling of the mitochondria in the cold, which promoted us to further characterize its role in rewarming‐associated apoptosis. Human proximal tubular epithelial cells were cold stored in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution for 48 h followed by 24 h of rewarming in regular cell culture medium. During the cold storage, there was no significant change in the Bcl‐2 to Bax protein ratio, mitochondrial location of cytochrome C or caspse‐3 activity. However, during rewarming, the Bcl‐2 to Bax ratio increased, cytochrome C was translocated to cytosol, and caspase‐3 was activated: events and timing were consistent with the occurrence of apoptosis during rewarming. In a time‐course experiment, mitochondrial swelling was discernable by electron microscopy as early as at 2 h. Cold storage of isolated‐mitochondria for 2 h was attended by an increase in the opening of the permeability transition pores (PTP), suggesting PTP opening as an early mechanism for mitochondrial swelling. Addition of antioxidants (deferoxamine or 2‐methyaminochroman) to the storage solution suppressed mitochondrial pore opening and swelling, Bcl‐2 to Bax ratio increase, cytochrome C translocation, caspase‐3 activation as well as rewarming‐induced apoptosis. Our data demonstrate for the first time that apoptosis following cold storage and rewarming of human renal tubular cells is accompanied by specific mitochondrial events, and that these events and apoptosis can be suppressed by adding antioxidants to the cold storage solution.
Functional Early Endosomes Are Required for Maturation of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Molecules in Human B Lymphoblastoid Cells*

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules are targeted together with their invariant chain (Ii) chaperone from the secretory pathway to the endocytic pathway. Within the endosome/lysosome system, Ii must be degraded to enable peptide capture by MHC class II molecules. It remains controversial exactly which route or routes MHC class II/Ii complexes take to reach the sites of Ii processing and peptide loading. We have asked whether early endosomes are required for successful maturation of MHC class II molecules by using an in situ peroxidase/diaminobenzidine compartment ablation technique. Cells whose early endosomes were selectively ablated using transferrin-horseradish peroxidase conjugates fail to mature their newly synthesized MHC class II molecules. We show that whereas transport of secretory Ig through the secretory pathway is virtually normal in the ablated cells, newly synthesized MHC class II/Ii complexes never reach compartments capable of processing Ii. These results strongly suggest that the transport of the bulk of newly synthesized MHC class II molecules through early endosomes is obligatory and that direct input into later endosomes/lysosomes does not take place.
The Capacity to Restore Steady Gait After a Step Modification Is Reduced in People With Poststroke Foot Drop Using an Ankle-Foot Orthosis

Background A reduced capacity to modify gait to the environment may contribute to the risk of falls in people with poststroke foot drop using an ankle-foot orthosis. Objective This study aimed to quantify their capacity to restore steady gait after a step modification. Design This was a cross-sectional, observational study. Methods Nineteen people in the chronic phase (>6 months) after stroke (mean age=55.0 years, SD=10.1) and 20 people of similar age (mean age=54.6 years, SD=12.0) who were able-bodied were included. Participants were instructed to avoid obstacles that were suddenly released in front of the paretic leg (stroke group) or left leg (control group) while walking on a treadmill. Outcomes were success rates of obstacle avoidance as well as post-crossing step length, step duration, hip flexion angle at foot-strike, and peak hip extension of the steps measured within 10 seconds following obstacle release. Results Success rates of obstacle avoidance were lower for people poststroke. Moreover, their first post-crossing step length and duration (ie, the nonparetic step) deviated more from steady gait than those of people in the control group (ie, the right step), with lower values for people poststroke. Similar deviations were observed for post-crossing hip flexion and extension excursions. Limitations People poststroke were relatively mildly impaired and used an ankle-foot orthosis, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other populations poststroke. Conclusions People with poststroke foot drop using an ankle-foot orthosis had reduced gait adaptability, as evidenced by lower success rates of obstacle avoidance as well as an impaired capacity to restore steady gait after crossing an obstacle. The latter finding unveils their difficulty in incorporating step modifications in ongoing gait.
Florida International University - University ofMiami TRECVID 2019

This paper presents the framework and results from the team “Florida International University-University of Miami (FIU-UM)” in the TRECVID 2019 Ad-hoc Video Search (AVS) [1] task. We submitted 7 fully automatic runs as follows. • run1: unweighted concept fusion + arithmetic mean + weighted W2VV score integration • run2: weighted concept fusion + geometric mean + W2VV score with threshold integration • run3: weighted concept fusion + geometric mean + weighted W2VV score integration • run4: weighted concept fusion + geometric mean • run5: unweighted concept fusion + geometric mean + W2VV score with threshold integration • run6: unweighted concept fusion + geometric mean • novelty run: weighted concept fusion + crawling concepts with description + geometric mean Our framework includes the following processing steps: (1) automatically parsing the query and generating a concept tree, (2) generation of CNN features from keyframes, (3) generation of concept scores from multiple pre-trained models for image classification, object, scene, and action detection, (4) just-in-time concept learning for keywords not found in the concept bank, (5) word to visual vector (W2VV) image-text matching scores, and (6) integration of the scores based on the concept tree. The performance results show that our fourth run (run4), which includes our best-weighted combination scores and geometric mean, outperforms all the other runs. This year, the FIU-UM team achieved the highest novelty score among all the teams. The submission details are listed as follows. • Class: F (fully automatic runs) • Training type: E (used only training data collected automatically, using only the official query textual description) • Team ID: FIU-UM (Florida International University University of Miami) • Year: 2019
Light-Induced Lysis and Carotenogenesis in Myxococcus xanthus

Burchard, Robert P. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis), and Martin Dworkin. Light-induced lysis and carotenogenesis in Myxococcus xanthus. J. Bacteriol. 91:535–545. 1966. —Myxococcus xanthus, grown vegetatively in the light, developed an orange carotenoid after the cells entered stationary phase of growth; pigment content increased with age. Cells grown in the dark did not develop carotenoid and could be photolysed by relatively low-intensity light only during stationary phase; rate of photolysis increased with age. Photolysis adhered to the reciprocity law, was temperature-independent and oxygen-dependent, and required the presence of nonspecific, monovalent cations; it was inhibited by one of several divalent cations. Logarithmic-phase cells were photosensitized by 100,000 × g pellet preparations of sonic-treated stationary-phase cells grown in the light and dark. A porphyrin with a Soret band at 408 mμ was isolated from photosensitive cells; logarithmic-phase cells contained about 1/16 the amount of porphyrin of stationary-phase cells. The purified material had spectral and chemical properties of protoporphyrin IX and photosensitized logarithmic-phase cells. Its spectrum was similar to the action spectrum for photolysis. We concluded that protoporphyrin IX is the natural endogenous photosensitizer. Carotenogenesis was stimulated by light in the blue-violet region of the visible spectrum and was inhibited by diphenylamine, resulting in photosensitivity of the cells. Photoprotection by carotenoid was lost in the cold. A mutant which synthesized carotenoid in the light and dark was photosensitive only after growth in diphenylamine. The ecological significance of these phenomena is discussed.
Correct Positioning of Central Venous Catheters using a New Electric Method

Purpose In order to find the correct final position of the tip of a central venous catheter, we have developed a new electric method (the Proximity of Cardiac Motion (PCM) method), designed to work in tandem with the existing ECG-based method. Methods A small, patient-safe, high-frequency current is fed through the catheter (via the saline-filled lumen of the catheter, or a stylet). Simultaneously, the resulting voltage is measured by two electrodes on the frontal thoracic skin. The catheter tip hence functions as a current source inside the vasculature. The cardiac motion produces a variation in the amplitude of the measured voltage in the rhythm of the cardiac cycle, and the strength of this oscillatory variation is proportional to the strength of the incident current field on the heart, which is a rapidly decaying function of the distance between the catheter tip and the cavoatrial junction (CAJ). Hence the strength of this oscillatory variation is a strong indicator for the proximity of the catheter tip with respect to the CAJ. Results The new method has been tested in an animal model, yielding an average final position of the catheter tip of 2.1 cm above the CAJ, with a maximum deviation of 0.5 cm. Conclusions We conclude that the new PCM method can be combined with the existing ECG method, and may potentially have significant added value when the ECG method cannot be applied, for example, in patients with atrial fibrillation or a pacemaker.
Face sketch recognition system: A content based image retrieval approach

Content Based Image Retrieval has been one of the most popular topics in the computer vision literature. CBIR offers the opportunity to research from a huge multimedia database and with appropriate methods the relevant collections of images that have characteristics similar to the case(s) of interest. In the forensic field, CBIR has many possible uses in crime fighting and has also been investigated as a potential image-based search technology. This paper presents a new use of CBIR approach in an important application that can assist law enforcement in solving many complicated crimes. It is matching forensic sketch with digital human face or face sketch recognition system.
Power profile manipulation: a new approach for reducing test application time under power constraints

This paper proposes a power profile manipulation approach which merges two distinct research directions in low power testing: minimization of test power dissipation and test application time reduction under power constraints. It is shown how complementary techniques can be easily combined through this approach to significantly increase test concurrency under power constraints. This is achieved in two steps: in the first step power dissipation is considered a design objective and, consequently, it is minimized; results are further exploited in the second step, when power becomes a design constraint under which the test application time is reduced. A distinctive feature of the proposed power profile manipulation approach is that it can be included in, and consequently improve, any existing power constrained test scheduling algorithm. Extensive experimental results using benchmark circuits, considering test-per-clock, as well as test-per-scan schemes, show that by integrating the proposed power profile manipulation approach into any existing power constrained test scheduling algorithm, savings up to 41 % in test application time are achieved.
Describing the evolution of medication nonadherence from pretransplant until 3 years post‐transplant and determining pretransplant medication nonadherence as risk factor for post‐transplant nonadherence to immunosuppressives: The Swiss Transplant Cohort Study

Although medication nonadherence (MNA) is a major risk factor for poor outcomes, the evolution of MNA from pre‐ to 3 years post‐transplant among the four major organ transplant groups remains unknown. Therefore, this study described this evolution and investigated whether pretransplant MNA predicts post‐transplant immunosuppressive medication nonadherence (IMNA). Adult participants (single transplant, pretransplant and ≤1 post‐transplant assessment, using medications pretransplant) in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (a prospective nation‐wide cohort study) were included. Nonadherence, defined as any deviation from dosing schedule, was assessed using two self‐report questions pretransplant and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months post‐transplant. Nonadherence patterns were modelled using generalized estimating equations. The sample included 1505 patients (average age: 52.5 years (SD: 13.1); 36.3% females; 924 renal, 274 liver, 181 lung, 126 heart). The magnitude and variability of self‐reported MNA decreased significantly from pretransplant to 6 months post‐transplant (OR = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.16–0.27). Post‐transplant IMNA increased continuously from 6 months to 3 years post‐transplant (OR = 2.75; 95% CI: 1.97–3.85). Pretransplant MNA was associated with threefold higher odds of post‐transplant IMNA (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 2.29–4.21). As pretransplant MNA predicted post‐transplant IMNA and a continuous increase in post‐transplant IMNA was observed, early adherence‐supporting interventions are indispensible.
How are curious people viewed and how do they behave in social situations? From the perspectives of self, friends, parents, and unacquainted observers.

OBJECTIVE People who are open and curious orient their lives around an appreciation of novelty and a strong urge to explore, discover, and grow. Researchers have recently shown that being an open, curious person is linked to healthy social outcomes. METHOD To better understand the benefits (and liabilities) of being a curious person, we used a multimethod design of social behavior to assess the perspectives of multiple informants (including self, friends, and parents) and behavior coded from direct observations in unstructured social interactions. RESULTS We found an impressive degree of convergence among self, friend, and parent reports of curiosity, and observer-rated behavioral correlates of curiosity. A curious personality was linked to a wide range of adaptive behaviors, including tolerance of anxiety and uncertainty, positive emotional expressiveness, initiation of humor and playfulness, unconventional thinking, and a nondefensive, noncritical attitude. CONCLUSIONS This characterization of curious people provides insights into mechanisms underlying associated healthy social outcomes.
Extracellular Fibrinogen-binding Protein, Efb, fromStaphylococcus aureus Blocks Platelet Aggregation Due to Its Binding to the α-Chain*

Extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein (Efb) secreted by Staphylococcus aureus has previously been shown to contribute to pathogenesis in a rat wound infection model. Also antibodies against Efb exhibited a protective effect in a mouse mastitis model. The interaction between Efb and fibrinogen is divalent, with one binding site within the N-terminal repeat region in Efb and one at the C terminus. In this study we show that the distal D domain of fibrinogen contains at least one of the binding domains recognized by Efb. Efb stimulates fibrinogen binding to ADP-activated platelets. Furthermore, Efb inhibits ADP-induced, fibrinogen-dependent platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. This implies that Efb modifies platelet function by amplifying a non-functional interaction between fibrinogen and platelets. Efb recognizes the Aα-chain of the D fragment of fibrinogen. The RGD sequence on the Aα-chain is located close to the region recognized by Efb and contains a putative binding site for the platelet integrin GPIIb/IIIa receptor complex involved in platelet aggregation.
Examining the Cultural Validity of Fear Survey Schedule for Children: The Contemporary Fears of Turkish Children and Adolescents

ABSTRACT The authors examined the cultural validity of Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-AM) developed by J. J. Burnham (2005) with Turkish children. The relationships between demographic variables and the level of fear were also tested. Three independent data sets were used. The first data set comprised 676 participants (321 women and 355 men) and was used for examining factor structure and internal reliability of FSSC. The second data set comprised 639 participants (321 women and 318 men) and was used for testing internal reliability and to confirm the factor structure of FSCC. The third data set comprised 355 participants (173 women and 182 men) and used for analyses of test–retest reliability, inter-item reliability, and convergent validity for the scores of FSSC. The sum of the first and second samples (1,315 participants; 642 women and 673 men) was used for testing the relationships between demographic variables and the level of fear. Results indicated that FSSC is a valid and reliable instrument to examine Turkish children's and adolescents’ fears between the ages of 8 and 18 years. The younger, female, children of low-income parents reported a higher level of fear. The findings are discussed in light of the existing literature.
N-Methyl-
 d
 -Aspartate Receptor Blockade during Development Induces Short-Term but Not Long-Term Changes in c-Jun and Parvalbumin Expression in the Rat Cervical Spinal Cord

During postnatal development, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) expression progressively decreases in ventral and deep dorsal horns. This transient expression might play a role in activity-dependent development of segmental circuitry. NMDA-Rs were blocked unilaterally in the lower cervical spinal cord using Elvax implants that released the NMDA-R antagonist MK-801 maximally over a 2-week period from postnatal day 7 (P7) onward. At P14, the ratio of c-Jun immunoreactive motoneurons ipsilateral/contralateral to the implants was significantly increased and the ratio of parvalbumin immunoreactive neurons decreased, compared to control implants. However, at P84, MK-801-treated and control spinal cords appeared the same. Therefore, NMDA-R blockade during development only transiently altered expression of activity-dependent proteins in the spinal cord, unlike lesions to the developing motor cortex, which we have previously shown to have a permanent effect.