Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mixed-Signal-Controlled Flyback-Transformer-Based Buck Converter With Improved Dynamic Performance and Transient Energy Recycling

This paper introduces a practical modification of the buck converter and a complementary controller that are well suited for point of load applications with highly dynamic loads. The presented flyback-transformer-based buck (FTBB) converter has faster transient response than the conventional buck, allowing for a reduction in the output capacitance without penalty in the size of the magnetic core. During heavy-to-light load transients, the FTBB converter also recycles excess energy stored in the magnetic component, providing a useful energy savings mechanism. In this modification, the conventional buck inductor is replaced with the primary winding of the flyback transformer, an extra switch, and a set of small auxiliary switches on the secondary side. During heavy-to-light load transients, the inductor current is steered away from the output capacitor to the input port, achieving both energy recycling and savings due to reduced voltage overshoots. The light-to-heavy transient response is improved by reducing the equivalent inductance of the primary transformer winding to its leakage value. A mixed-signal current-programmed mode controller regulates operation of the converter. The controller provides minimum output voltage deviation and ensures seamless transitions between different operating modes. The performance of the FTBB converter is verified with a 6-to-1-V, 3-W, 390-kHz experimental prototype. In comparison with an equivalent buck converter, the experimental system has about three times smaller maximum output voltage deviation, allowing for the same output capacitor reduction and, for frequently changing loads, about 7% decrease in power losses.
Partial volume estimation and segmentation of brain tissue based on diffusion tensor MRI.

PURPOSE Brain tissue segmentation based on diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) data has been attempted by previous researchers. Due to inherent low spatial resolution of DT-MRI data, conventional methods suffered from partial volume averaging among the different types of tissues, which may result in inaccurate segmentation results. The purpose was to develop a new brain tissue segmentation method for DT-MRI data in which effect of the partial volume averaging is taken into account. METHODS The method estimates the partial volume fractions of white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within each voxel using a maximum a posteriori probability principle, based on five DT parameters (three eigenvalues, apparent diffusion coefficient, and fractional anisotropy). The authors evaluated the performance of the proposed method quantitatively by using digital phantom data. Moreover, the authors applied the method to real DT-MRI data of the human brain, and compared the results with those of a conventional segmentation method. RESULTS In the digital phantom experiments, the root mean square error in term of partial volume fraction with the method for WM, GM, and CSF were 0.137, 0.049, and 0.085, respectively. The volume overlap measures between the segmentation results and the ground truth of the digital phantom were more than 0.9 in all three tissue types, while those between the results by the conventional method and the ground truth ranged between 0.550 and 0.854. In visual comparisons for real DT-MRI, WM/GM/CSF regions estimated by the method were more similar to the corresponding regions depicted in the structural image than those estimated by the conventional method. CONCLUSIONS The results of the digital phantom experiment and real DT-MRI data demonstrated that the method improved accuracy in estimation and segmentation of brain tissue on DT-MRI data over the conventional method. This method may be useful in evaluating the cortical and subcortical diffusivity in neurological diseases.
Cloud VR system with immersive interfaces to collect human gaze-controls and interpersonal-behaviors

In this study, we present a cloud VR system with immersive interfaces for collecting human gaze-controls and interpersonal-behaviors. Human beings can log in to a VR space and naturally communicate with each other and a robot by using immersive interfaces. An HMD (Head Mounted Display) device and a Kinect sensor provide immersive visualization and motion control, respectively. If users have these devices, they can attend experiments with human-robot interactions in the VR space from around the world. Human gaze-controls and interpersonal-behaviors are collected to database while human beings and a robot interact with each other. The proposed VR system enables to collect huge number of human gaze-controls and interpersonal-behaviors by using immersive interfaces. Application experiments to learn object attributes from human beings and to observe greetings by two persons demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed VR system to collect human gaze-controls and interpersonal-behaviors.
Performance-Based instrument to assess functional capacity in dementia: The Texas Functional Living Scale.

OBJECTIVE The Texas Functional Living Scale (TFLS) is a new performance-based measure of functional abilities with an emphasis on instrumental activities of daily living skills that is brief and weighted toward cognitive tasks. The purpose of this study was to examine its psychometric properties and clinical utility in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and normal elderly individuals. BACKGROUND Measures of daily functional capacities used in patients with dementia often rely upon informant-based behavioral ratings or lengthy assessments of instrumental activities of daily living. Few existing quantitative tools emphasize performance-based cognitively-oriented tasks designed for patients with AD, although there is a need for such measures. METHOD Twenty-two AD patients and 21 healthy controls were administered the TFLS and a measure of global cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination). Additionally, informant-based ratings of daily living skills (Blessed Dementia Rating Scale) and emotional and behavioral status (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia) were obtained from caregivers of the AD patients. All subjects were re-evaluated approximately 1 month later using the same instruments. RESULTS The TFLS showed a strong correlation with the Mini-Mental State Examination (r = 0.92). At 1 month, test-retest reliability was high, and TFLS subscale scores were highly correlated (r > 0.90 for most) with the total score. The TFLS was moderately correlated with informant ratings of functional skills as assessed with the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale but was unrelated to emotional and behavioral symptoms as assessed with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia. CONCLUSIONS The TFLS showed evidence of good reliability, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity with several popular measures of global cognitive status and behavioral functioning. It is a brief and easily administered performance-based measure of daily functional capabilities that is sensitive to level of cognitive impairment and seems applicable in patients with varying degrees of dementia.
Perception of Motion and Position Relative to the Earth: An Overview

Results of the five experiments are consistent with the following generalizations. Canal-mediated turn perception (pitch, roll, or yaw) in earth-horizontal or earth-vertical plane, is suppressed in direct relationship to the magnitude of a linear acceleration vector lying in the plane of a responding canal when the magnitude of the linear vector is constant or increasing and when its direction is either fixed or rotating in the same direction as the concomitant canal signal. Canal-mediated turn perception (pitch, roll, or yaw) is not suppressed by a coplanar linear vector that is counterrotating relative to the canal signal. Change in perceived attitude (pitch, roll, or yaw) is very sluggish in the absence of concordant canal information; attitude change may not be an immediate otolith-mediated perceptual event but a slowly developing perception dependent upon cognitive appreciation of an immediate otolith angular position signal. Otolith phasic neural units, unreinforced by appropriate canal signals, may contribute more to a brief linear velocity component in perception than to rate of attitude change. Otolith-mediated attitude perception within a given earth-vertical plane can be distorted by strong coplanar angular velocity canal information. Once distorted, return to veridical attitude perception can be gradual because, in the absence of complimentary canal or visual information, recovery is dependent upon relatively slow cognitive appreciation of a prevailing otolith position signal. Several attractive hypotheses relating to the dynamics of attitude perception can only be tested by substantially more data on the dynamics of spatial orientation perception. Most of our objectives cannot be achieved without models that yield valid prediction of the dynamics of spatial orientation perception. All of the observations in these experiments were carried out in darkness, or, in the simulated catapult experiment, without external visual reference. Various forms of visual information will change the dynamics of spatial orientation perception. My discussion has been limited to consideration of the vestibular system, as though the canal and otolith systems completely controlled the dynamics of spatial orientation perceptions. Obviously other partners in the dynamics of postural control, including vision, proprioception, and expectation, must be included in this challenging field of research. Dedication to stereotyped ideas about objectivity in the 20th century has hindered advancement of knowledge on the dynamics of spatial orientation perception relative to rate of progress achieved by several scientists of the 18th and 19th centuries, who provided word pictures of perceived motions and tilts along with descriptions of the motions that engendered the pictures. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Formation and Evolution of Dynamic Capabilities——Based on the View of Knowledge Management

Based on the research of knowledge attributes of competences and capabilities,and the knowledge component of dynamic capabilities,it comprehensively uses the concepts of "content-focused" and "process-focused" views about knowledge management and puts forward a concept model for knowledge activities analysis of dynamic capabilities evolution,and then analyzes the knowledge activities and evolution mechanism of dynamic capabilities with this model.From the research,it concludes that knowledge activities are the foundation and source of the formation of dynamic capabilities while its evolution depends on the activities of knowledge management,and the organizational learning mechanism can guarantee its sustained development.
Reexamination of SRAM Cell Write Margin Definitions in View of Predicting the Distribution

Four definitions of static random access memory (SRAM) cell write margins (WMs) were reexamined by analyzing the dependence of the WM on the SRAM cell transistor threshold voltages (Vth's) in order to find a preferable definition. The WM is expected to obey the normal distribution if the differential coefficients of the WM to Vth's are constant over a wide range of Vth variations. This means that the write yield can be easily predicted by a small number of measured samples. Using SPICE in 45-nm technology, we examined which definition had Vth linearity, as well as giving an accurate write limit. The distribution predicted from the linearity was verified by the Monte Carlo simulation. As a result, the definition proposed by Gierczynski was found to be the most suitable definition for predicting the distribution and the write yield.
Spectral analysis of an improved hybrid cascade multilevel converter

This paper will present an improved cascade multilevel converter that is the series-connection of a diode-clamp converter and several H-bridge converters with equal dc bus voltage. According to this topology, a hybrid modulation method which incorporates square-wave synthesis in conjunction with unipolar triangle carried-based PWM method is illustrated. By the hybrid control scheme, higher voltage devices and faster devices can operate in synergism. Based on the anatomy of hybrid modulation process in nature, 3-D mathematic model is built. Further, by the double Fourier series expansion and intricate derivation, a rigorous output analytic solution is acquired, which facilitates the evaluation of spectra accurately. The feasibility and the advantages of the topology are validated by the experiment.
Emergence of permanent teeth in Tanzanian children.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate the emergence of permanent teeth among Tanzanian children. METHODS A total of 869 Tanzanian children were recruited from 16 schools in age groups 3.5-5, 6.5-8, 9.5-11 and 15-16 years of whom 428 (49%) were boys and 441 (51%) were girls. The effects of age and gender on the emergence stages of the dentition were determined for the four age groups. RESULTS Girls, but not boys, had some permanent maxillary canines, second premolars and mandibular and maxillary second molars as early as at the age of 6.5-8 years. Permanent teeth of both the first and the second transitional periods were already emerging at the age of 3.5-5 years and 6.5-8 years, respectively. At 3.5-5 years, 9% of the permanent teeth belonging to the first transitional period were already in occlusion. Emergence of incisors and first molars was more advanced in girls than in boys in age groups 3.5-5 and 6.5-8 years. CONCLUSIONS Parallel to earlier reports on different ethnic groups, the results of this study indicate that the permanent teeth of Tanzanian children erupt earlier in girls than in boys, and the mandibular teeth erupt earlier than the corresponding maxillary teeth. The difference between boys and girls was found in both the first and second transitional period. Permanent teeth in Tanzanian children clearly emerge earlier than in Caucasian children.
Detection of NG,NG-dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase in human tissues using a monoclonal antibody.

Two endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis, NG-monomethylarginine (MMA) and NG,NG-dimethylarginine (DMA), are broken down by NG,NG-dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) [EC 3.5. 3.18]. This enzymatic activity is widely distributed in rat tissues, and is correlated with the distribution of free MMA and DMA, and the production of nitric oxide. In this study, immunoblotting analyses with a monoclonal antibody directed towards rat kidney DDAH showed that immunoreactive proteins exist in human pancreas, kidney, and liver. Enzyme activity was definitely detected in these tissues, but the specific activity was lower than that in the corresponding rat tissue. These results are interesting in connection with the idea that the enzyme might play a role as a regulator of nitric oxide generation in human tissues.
Exploring the role of overt vs. covert personalization strategy in privacy calculus

The article presents the results of research on location awareness marketing, using methods such as global positioning systems and cellular triangulation techniques. Trade-offs between privacy and marketing effectiveness are addressed. An overview of related previous studies is provided, along with details of the research protocol, which involved a scenario-based survey involving more than 500 university students. It was found that covert location awareness marketing involved greater privacy risk, but achieved higher levels of personalization.
Supplementary Figure 2

Supplementary Figure 2. (A) Forward and side scatter of splenic lymphocytes. CD8β+ cells were gated on and stained for CD28, CD122 and isotype controls. (B) Forward and side scatter for the IEL and MLN. (C) Sorted CD8 cells were cultured without stimulation or with CD3/CD28 for 3 days and stained for CD8β, CD44 and CD62L antibodies. CFSE staining was analyzed in the CD44low/CD62Lhigh (naive) and CD44high/CD62Llow (activated) populations. SSC C D 28 SSC Is ot yp eC D 28
The economic impact of Norseman Xtreme Triathlon 2013

This study provides an empirical examination of the direct economic impact of Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in Eidfjord. Confirming the results of other ex post analyses of sports in general, this study finds statistically significant evidence that Norseman Xtreme Triathlon contribute positively to a host‘s economy. The visitors of the event were surveyed with two different self-administrated questionnaires, developed by the researcher. The main generators of expenditure were found to be: accommodation, food and drinks, entertainment, tourist activities, local traveling and parking. The characteristics of the visitors do effect the expenditure pattern at site, and the preferences for each visitor are important to understand when it comes to length of stay at site, type of accommodation chosen, number of escorts and method of transport. These factors play a major role in the final results. The total, locally relevant, direct expenditure was calculated to be approximately 7 000 000 NOK, and this expenditure can be looked upon as an injection of “new wealth” to the local economy.
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition and arterial endothelial function in adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Aims Arterial endothelial dysfunction is a key early event in atherogenesis, and occurs in asymptomatic adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). As angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been reported to reverse microvascular endothelial dysfunction acutely, we assessed the longer term effect of ACE inhibition on large vessel endothelial physiology in a randomized, crossover double‐blind controlled clinical trial.
Motion and control simulation of a dished autonomous underwater helicopter

This paper presents the motion simulation of an autonomous underwater helicopter (AUH), a new type of underwater vehicle proposed by Zhejiang University. In order to determine whether its controllability meets the design requirements, a singularity-free unit quaternion stable control method is used for simulating the AUH performance in MATLAB, including its force and trajectory under different types of motion. In addition, reliable hydrodynamic coefficients and properties of the AUH were determined by using Fluent, a well-known viscous computational fluid dynamics software. Finally, according to the results of the motion and control simulation, we preliminarily confirm the propeller model and layout of the AUH, and demonstrate that the applied control method meets the stated requirements.
The German Temporary Staffing Industry: Growth, Development, Scandal and Resistance

In Germany the size of the temporary agency workforce has almost doubled between 2002 and 2012 prompted by deregulation and expansion of temporary staffing agency networks. This article examines the growth of the temporary staffing industry in Germany revealing important milestones in the regulatory framework transformation. The article then explores the role of key actors in the development of temporary staffing industry in the Germany labour market, in particular the shifting positions of trade unions in relation to temporary agency work, as well as intervention from the state with re‐regulation in order to mitigate for exploitative affecting temporary agency workers. The findings highlight that while the growth of the German temporary staffing industry has been substantial, and that the state has been an active agent, it has not been without its controversies and challenges, and that features of the industry remain potential barriers for its future development. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
The association between platelet/lymphocyte ratio and coronary artery disease severity

Objective: In this study, we aimed to explore the association between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the severity of atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Clinical and laboratory data of 388 patients who underwent coronary angiography were evaluated retrospectively. Gensini score, which indicates the severity of atherosclerosis, was calculated for all of the patients. Patients with CAD were categorized as mild and severe atherosclerosis, according to their Gensini score. Eighty patients with normal coronary arteries formed the control group. Mean PLR values of the three study groups were compared. Also, PLR value was tested for whether it showed a positive correlation with Gensini score. Results: The mean PLR of the severe atherosclerosis group was significantly higher than that of the mild atherosclerosis and controls groups (p<0.001). Also, PLR was positively correlated with Gensini score in CAD patients. A cut-off value of 111 for PLR predicted severe atherosclerosis with 61% sensitivity and 59% specificity. Pre-procedural PLR level was found to be independently associated with Gensini score, together with WBC, age, and low HDL level, in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Our study suggests that high PLR appears to be additive to conventional risk factors and commonly used biomarkers in predicting severe atherosclerosis.
A Transplantable Sorting Signal That Is Sufficient to Mediate Rapid Recycling of G Protein-coupled Receptors*

The β2-adrenergic receptor and δ opioid receptor represent distinct G protein-coupled receptors that undergo agonist-induced endocytosis via clathrin-coated pits but differ significantly in their postendocytic sorting between recycling and degradative membrane pathways, respectively. Previous results indicate that a distal portion of the carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain of the β2-adrenergic receptor, which engages in PDZ domain-mediated protein interaction, is required for efficient recycling of receptors after agonist-induced endocytosis. Here we demonstrate that a four-residue sequence (DSLL) comprising the core of this protein interaction domain functions as a transplantable endocytic sorting signal that is sufficient to re-route endocytosed δ opioid receptor into a rapid recycling pathway, to inhibit proteolytic down-regulation of receptors, and to mediate receptor-autonomous sorting of mutant receptors from the wild type allele when co-expressed in the same cells. These observations define a transplantable signal mediating rapid recycling of a heterologous G protein-coupled receptor, and they suggest that rapid recycling of certain membrane proteins does not occur by bulk membrane flow but is instead mediated by a specific endocytic sorting mechanism.