Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Threshold energy of neutron-induced single event upset as a critical factor

The physical modeling of neutron-induced SEU (single event upset) is usually described by high energy neutrons above a few tens MeV. In JESD89 it is assumed that the sensitivity of the concerned device to neutrons with energies less than 10 MeV is low enough to be ignored. The scaling of semiconductor devices can cause their higher susceptibility even to neutrons of several MeV, where the flux of terrestrial neutron is relatively high enough to affect SER (soft error rate) -estimation from data acquired by accelerated test. Although the information on the threshold energy of neutron-induced SEU becomes more important, the definition of the threshold energy of neutron-induced SEU is not still an obscure issue. This work focuses on importance of the threshold energy of neutron-induced SEU. It is demonstrated how the threshold energy of neutron-induced SEU affects SER-estimation by accelerated test with (quasi-) mono energy neutrons.
Rehabilitation of Traumatic Injuries: Use of the Delphi Method to Identify Topics for Evidence-Based Review

Burns SP, Rivara FP, Johansen JM, Thompson DC: Rehabilitation of traumatic injuries: Use of the Delphi method to identify topics for evidence-based review. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2003;82:410–414. Evidence-based reviews of research literature are useful in determining the efficacy of specific clinical practices, but the review process is frequently time-consuming and costly. The purpose of this study was to identify important research questions in rehabilitation that are appropriate for evidence-based reviews. The focus of this study was rehabilitation after traumatic injuries. Topics were identified using the Delphi method, which utilized a panel of 24 researchers and clinicians with expertise in rehabilitation of traumatic injuries. The experts identified 71 topics, predominantly in the areas of spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. The most commonly suggested intervention topics involved assessment of pharmacologic agents, the timing or intensity of interventions, or specific nonpharmacologic therapies and exercises. Topics were ranked by mean importance score. Ten of 24 questions in the top tertile were considered to have some or a substantial amount of available research and thus may be appropriate for structured evidence-based reviews. Similar methods could be used to identify appropriate topics in other areas of rehabilitation.
The fog phone

To provide some background, we invite you to the Southwestern Aït Baamrane region in Morocco. A spigot is broken and leaking in the 105-degree heat, water quickly soaking into the dusty soil before it can be reclaimed. Water is a critically scarce resource in this region. Thankfully, the water system is being tested and the problem is quickly addressed. A similar leak in a neighboring village went on for two weeks—no one wanted to report the leak in case he or she was held responsible for the damage. Furthermore, no woman could have called the man on Mt. Boutmezguida who manages the water source, a series of fog curtains. It is culturally taboo for unrelated men and women to engage with one another, and cellphones are Over the past five years, Interactions has brought HCI for development (HCID) into focus with contributions from authors such as Kentaro Toyama, Gitau. This work continues to espouse participatory, user-centered design paradigms to effectively remove barriers to technology access and use. In particular, HCID research focuses on meeting the distinctive needs of users and creating opportunities for empowerment in infrastructure-challenged regions. Here, we focus on rural Berber communities in Morocco. The outcomes of our research suggest it could be generalized to other low-literacy communities, as well as to communities where gender roles prohibit unrelated men and women from communicating. O Insights → Primarily oral cultures with low literacy levels cannot participate in many text-based community development applications created " for " them. → Gender persists " online, " requiring creative mechanisms to support male-female communication in regions where gender norms restrict it. → Display, direction, and culture must all be considered when making language decisions in mixed-language environments.
Identity and diversity of coral endosymbionts (zooxanthellae) from three Palauan reefs with contrasting bleaching, temperature and shading histories

The potential of corals to associate with more temperature‐tolerant strains of algae (zooxanthellae, Symbiodinium) can have important implications for the future of coral reefs in an era of global climate change. In this study, the genetic identity and diversity of zooxanthellae was investigated at three reefs with contrasting histories of bleaching mortality, water temperature and shading, in the Republic of Palau (Micronesia). Single‐stranded conformation polymorphism and sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1 region was used for genotyping. A chronically warm but partly shaded coral reef in a marine lake that is hydrographically well connected to the surrounding waters harboured only two single‐stranded conformation polymorphism profiles (i.e. zooxanthella communities). It consisted only of Symbiodinium D in all 13 nonporitid species and two Porites species investigated, with the remaining five Porites harbouring C•. Despite the high temperature in this lake (> 0.5° above ambient), this reef did not suffer coral mortality during the (1998) bleaching event, however, no bleaching‐sensitive coral families and genera occur in the coral community. This setting contrasts strongly with two other reefs with generally lower temperatures, in which 10 and 12 zooxanthella communities with moderate to low proportions of clade D zooxanthellae were found. The data indicate that whole coral assemblages, when growing in elevated seawater temperatures and at reduced irradiance, can be composed of colonies associated with the more thermo‐tolerant clade D zooxanthellae. Future increases in seawater temperature might, therefore, result in an increasing prevalence of Symbiodinium phylotype D in scleractinian corals, possibly associated with a loss of diversity in both zooxanthellae and corals.
Test and Design-for-Testability Solutions for 3D Integrated Circuits

Despite the promise and benefits offered by 3D integration, testing remains a major obstacle that hinders its widespread adoption. Test techniques and design-for-testability (DfT) solutions for 3D ICs are now being studied in the research community, and experts in industry have identified a number of hard problems related to the lack of probe access for wafers, test access in stacked dies, yield enhancement, and new defects arising from unique processing steps. We describe a number of testing and DfT challenges, and present some of the solutions being advocated for these challenges. Techniques highlighted in this paper include: (i) pre-bond testing of TSVs and die logic, including probing and non-invasive test using DfT; (ii) post-bond testing and DfT innovations related to the optimization of die wrappers, test scheduling, and access to dies and inter-die interconnects; (iii) interconnect testing in interposer-based 2.5D ICs; (iv) fault diagnosis and TSV repair; (v) cost modeling and test-flow selection.
Analysis of the shapes of hemocytes of Callista brevisiphonata in vitro (Bivalvia, Veneridae)

Fractal formalism in conjunction with linear methods of image analysis is suitable for the comparative analysis of such “irregular” shapes (from the point of view of classical Euclidean geometry) as flattened amoeboid cells of invertebrates in vitro. Cell morphology of in vitro spreading hemocytes from the bivalve mollusc Callista brevisiphonata was analyzed using correlation, factor and cluster analysis. Four significantly different cell types were identified on the basis of 36 linear and nonlinear parameters. The analysis confirmed the adequacy of the selected methodology for numerical description of the shape and the adequacy of classification of nonlinear shapes of spread hemocytes belonging to the same species. Investigation has practical significance for the description of the morphology of cultured cells, since cell shape is a result of summation of a number of extracellular and intracellular factors. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Synergy between suppressor of Hairless and Notch in regulation of Enhancer of split m gamma and m delta expression

The Notch signaling pathway is known to regulate cell fate decisions in a variety of organisms from worms to humans. Although several components of the pathway have been characterized, the actual mechanism and molecular results of signaling remain elusive. We have examined the role of the Notch signaling pathway in the transcriptional regulation of two Drosophila Enhancer of split [E(spl)] genes, whose gene products have been shown to be downstream players in the pathway. Using a reporter assay system in Drosophila tissue culture cells, we have observed a significant induction of E(spl) m gamma and m delta expression after cotransfection with activated Notch. Characterization of the 5' regulatory regions of these two genes led to the identification of a number of target sites for the Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] protein, a transcription factor activated by Notch signaling. We show that Notch-inducible expression of E(spl) m gamma and m delta both in cultured cells and in vivo is dependent on functional Su(H). Although overexpression of Su(H) augments the level of induction of the reporter genes by activated Notch, Su(H) alone is insufficient to produce high levels of transcriptional activation. Despite the synergy observed between activated Notch and Su(H), the former affects neither the nuclear localization nor the DNA binding activity of the latter.
Improving the toughness and thermal properties of epoxy resin using for electronic packaging by interpenetrating polymer network

A series of Polydimethylsiloxane-Epoxy resin interpenetrating polymer networks (PDMS-ER IPNs) were synthesized with Hydroxyl-terminated Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (Epoxy resin, ER), Toluenediisocyanate (TDI), 1,4- Butanediol and Dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) as catalyst. The reaction completion was confirmed by the disappearance of the characteristic -NCO peak (at 2270cm−1) in the IR spectrum. Cured of PDMS-ER IPN and unmodified ER were investigated by measuring its tensile strength, break elongation, thermo-gravimetric curve, water absorption and the morphology of fractured surfaces. The results show that the PDMS-ER IPN with correct ratios has excellent mechanical properties with better break elongation, tensile strength, bending strength and flexural modulus than the unmodified ER. The toughening effect of the IPN was demonstrated by the SEM micrographs of the fractured surface of the samples. Water absorption tests and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the PDMS-ER IPN exhibited better water resistance and thermal stability than the unmodified ER. The PDMS-ER IPN with high toughness and thermal resistance is suitable for the use of electronic packaging.
Characterization of [3H]Ba 679 BR, a slowly dissociating muscarinic antagonist, in human lung: radioligand binding and autoradiographic mapping.

Ba 679 BR [7(S)-(1 alpha, 2 beta, 4 beta, 5 alpha, 7 beta)-7-[(hydroxydi(2-thienyl) acetyl)oxy]-9,9-dimethyl-3-oxa-9-azoniatricyclo[3.3. 1.0(2,4)]nonan e bromide] is a new long-acting muscarinic antagonist developed as a bronchodilator drug. In this study, we have evaluated its affinity, its selectively, and the distribution of its binding sites in human lung. [3H]Ba 679 BR binds to a homogeneous population of muscarinic receptors in human lung membranes, with affinities in the subnanomolar concentration range. Like ipratropium bromide, Ba 679 BR showed no selectivity in its interactions with rat cerebrocortical M1 receptors (labeled with [3H]telenzepine) or heart M2 and salivary gland M3 receptors [labeled with [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine ([3H)]. Ba 679 BR displayed 6-20-fold higher affinity, compared with ipratropium bromide. We also studied the rate of Ba 679 BR and ipratropium bromide dissociation from human lung muscarinic receptors, by monitoring [3H]NMS association. Unlike ipratropium bromide (100 nM), which dissociated so quickly that there was little difference in the [3H]NMS association, compared with vehicle-treated membranes, Ba 679 BR (1 nM) had a strong protective effect against [3H]NMS binding ( > 70%) that lasted for 90 min. Kinetic experiments conducted with [3H]Ba 679 BR confirmed the slow dissociation profile of this compound. The dissociation rate constant (k-1) for [3H]Ba 679 BR was 3.29 +/- 0.18 x 10(-3) min-1, corresponding to a half-life of the complex of 212 +/- 11 min. Autoradiographic studies revealed that [3H]Ba 679 BR binding sites were densely distributed in alveolar walls and submucosal glands. These results suggest that the slow dissociation profile of Ba 679 BR from human lung muscarinic receptors might be the underlying mechanism by which this drug achieves its long duration of action observed in functional tests.
Generalizability of clinical trial results for bipolar disorder to community samples: findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

BACKGROUND Research on the generalizability of clinical trial results for bipolar disorder is limited. The present post hoc study sought to quantify the generalizability of clinical trial results in individuals with DSM-IV bipolar disorder to a large representative community sample. METHOD Data were derived from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a large, nationally representative sample of 43,093 adults from the United States population. We applied a standard set of eligibility criteria representative of clinical trials to all adults with DSM-IV bipolar depression (n = 785) or mania (n = 724) in the past 12 months and then to a subsample of participants seeking treatment for bipolar depression (n = 276). Our aim was to determine the proportion of participants with bipolar depression or acute mania who would have been excluded from a clinical trial by typical eligibility criteria. RESULTS We found that more than 5 of 10 participants with bipolar depression (58.17%) or mania (55.75%) would have been excluded by at least 1 eligibility criterion. In the subgroup of participants with bipolar depression who sought treatment, the exclusion rate by at least 1 criterion was higher (63.87%). Having a significant risk of suicide was the criterion excluding the highest percentage of participants in the bipolar depression samples, while having a current DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence was the one leading to the greatest exclusion rate in clinical trials for participants with acute mania. Exclusion rates were higher for participants with bipolar I depression compared with those with bipolar II depression. CONCLUSIONS Traditional clinical trials tend to exclude a majority of individuals with bipolar disorder. Clinical trials should carefully consider the impact of eligibility criteria on the generalizability of their results and explain the rationale for their use. Future trials should weigh the trade-offs between internal validity and the representativeness of the study.
CXCL12 Limits Inflammation by Localizing Mononuclear Infiltrates to the Perivascular Space during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis1

The inflammatory response in the CNS begins with the movement of leukocytes across the blood-brain barrier in a multistep process that requires cells to pass through a perivascular space before entering the parenchyma. The molecular mechanisms that orchestrate this movement are not known. The chemokine CXCL12 is highly expressed throughout the CNS by microendothelial cells under normal conditions, suggesting it might play a role maintaining the blood-brain barrier. We tested this hypothesis in the setting of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) by using AMD3100, a specific antagonist of the CXCL12 receptor CXCR4. We demonstrate that the loss of CXCR4 activation enhances the migration of infiltrating leukocytes into the CNS parenchyma. CXCL12 is expressed at the basolateral surface of CNS endothelial cells in normal spinal cord and at the onset of EAE. This polarity is lost in vessels associated with an extensive parenchymal invasion of mononuclear cells during the peak of disease. Inhibition of CXCR4 activation during the induction of EAE leads to loss of the typical intense perivascular cuffs, which are replaced with widespread white matter infiltration of mononuclear cells, worsening the clinical severity of the disease and increasing inflammation. Taken together, these data suggest a novel anti-inflammatory role for CXCL12 during EAE in that it functions to localize CXCR4-expressing mononuclear cells to the perivascular space, thereby limiting the parenchymal infiltration of autoreactive effector cells.
Mitigation of Terrestrial Radar Interference in L-Band Spaceborne Microwave Radiometers

-Terrestrial radars operating in the 1215-1400 MHz radio-location and navigation spectrum allocation are important for air traffic safety, homeland security, and national defense. For low-frequency observations of soil moisture and ocean salinity, Earth-observing microwave radiometers are allocated Earth-Exploration Satellite Service (EESS) spectrum for operating at 1400-1427 MHz. The proximity of powerful long-range radars to the passive allocation makes observing a challenge. Three aspects of mitigation to RFI are discussed in this paper: survivability, operability, and excisability (SOE). Modeling and simulations of NASA's Hydros and Aquarius radiometers were performed to examine the impacts of radar interference. The results are applied to the three aspects of mitigation SOE and the affects on the radiometer requirements are discussed.
CT angiography: source images and postprocessing techniques in the detection of cerebral aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate CT angiography source images and to assess various postprocessing techniques for cerebral aneurysm detection in daily practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively studied 17 patients who underwent digital subtraction angiography and CT angiography for possible cerebral aneurysms. Four observers assessed CT angiography data for aneurysms, first after viewing source images in cine mode and again after consecutively adding postprocessing techniques in the following order: maximum intensity projection (MIP) of a 2-cm slab without bone editing (slab-MIP), taking 3 min of operator time; MIP with bone editing (edited-MIP), taking 20 min; shaded-surface display (SSD) without bone editing (3 min); and SSD with bone editing (20 min). In addition, the observers stated which postprocessing method they preferred. RESULTS. In nine patients, we found 13 aneurysms, 10 of which were larger than 5 mm in size. Sensitivity for detection of aneurysms on CT angiography was 92% for three observers and 77% for one observer. Specificity was 100% for two observers and 78% for two observers. Using four observers in a pooled analysis, the maximum of positive readings was 52. CT angiography was positive in 46 of these 52 instances: 41 positive readings after source image viewing, five additional positive readings after adding MIP, and no additional positive readings after adding SSD. Overall, MIP was judged superior to SSD and slab-MIP was judged to be better than edited-MIP. CONCLUSION. In this study interactive source image viewing detected most cerebral aneurysms. Additional slab-MIP is an efficient postprocessing technique for display much like that of angiography, for verification of aneurysms found, and for detection of additional aneurysms. These conclusions need to be verified in a larger study group.
FLAGS: A Flexible and Adaptive Association Test for Gene Sets Using Summary Statistics

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been widely used for identifying common variants associated with complex diseases. Despite remarkable success in uncovering many risk variants and providing novel insights into disease biology, genetic variants identified to date fail to explain the vast majority of the heritability for most complex diseases. One explanation is that there are still a large number of common variants that remain to be discovered, but their effect sizes are generally too small to be detected individually. Accordingly, gene set analysis of GWAS, which examines a group of functionally related genes, has been proposed as a complementary approach to single-marker analysis. Here, we propose a flexible and adaptive test for gene sets (FLAGS), using summary statistics. Extensive simulations showed that this method has an appropriate type I error rate and outperforms existing methods with increased power. As a proof of principle, through real data analyses of Crohn’s disease GWAS data and bipolar disorder GWAS meta-analysis results, we demonstrated the superior performance of FLAGS over several state-of-the-art association tests for gene sets. Our method allows for the more powerful application of gene set analysis to complex diseases, which will have broad use given that GWAS summary results are increasingly publicly available.
Hardware-in-the-Loop based SysML for model and control design of interleaved boost converters

This paper outlines the application of the HiLeS-RCP (High Level Specification of Embedded Systems - Rich Client Platform) to model and design controllers of interleaved boost converters using the Systems Modelling Language (SysML). HiLeS-RCP allows the transformation from SysML models to Petri nets for implementation in embedded hardware. As a result, these models based on SysML can be used in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) applications. In addition, the formal transformation from SysML to Petri nets is intended for structural analysis of the designed controllers in order to avoid undesired behaviours after implementation. As a case of study, HiLeS-RCP is used to model and design a supervisory controller for interleaved boost converters. This supervisory controller is implemented in FPGA; furthermore, embedded real time tools are used to evaluate the supervisory controller performance. Finally, experimental results show that the proposed methodology based on SysML and Petri nets is suitable to design controllers for interleaved boost converters.
Molecular Cloning of the Pasteurella haemolytica pomA Gene and Identification of Bovine Antibodies against PomA Surface Domains

ABSTRACT The gene (pomA) encoding PomA, an OmpA-like major outer membrane protein of the bovine respiratory pathogen Pasteurella haemolytica, was cloned, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of PomA has significant identity with the sequences of other OmpA family proteins. Absorption of three different bovine immune sera with whole P. haemolytica cells resulted in a reduction of bovine immunoglobulin G reactivity with recombinant PomA in Western immunoblots, suggesting the presence of antibodies against PomA surface domains.