Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
POWER SEMICONDUCTORS How 600 V GaN Transistors Improve Power Supply Efficiency and Density

High performance power supplies today are already very efficient. For at least two years, “Titanium” efficiency server power supplies have been announced with greater than 96 percent overall energy efficiency at half load (per 80 PLUS®* standards). These power supplies achieve this high efficiency level using today’s available technology including high performance Si FETs and SiC Schottky diodes. So what comes next? With several companies announcing the availability of GaN on Si 600-650 V transistors, how will these new devices take power supplies to even higher levels of efficiency, and density? Eric Persson, Executive Director GaN Applications and Marketing, International Rectifier, an Infineon Technologies Company, El Segundo, USA
AMAZONIAN PLANT EXTRACT BIRM REVERSES CHRONIC NEUROPATHIC PAIN IN RAT SCIATIC NERVE CHRONIC CONSTRICTION INJURY MODEL

Neuropathic pain condition remains poorly managed by currently available therapeutics. There is therefore a dire need for development of efficacious therapeutics with minimal side effects. BIRM (Biological Immune Response Modulator), an extract of Amazonian plant Solanum dulcamara, consumed as a dietary supplement by natives in Ecuador, is considered as a natural remedy for a number of ailments (AIDS and Cancer, among others). The aim of the current study was to test the efficacy of BIRM in in vivo neuropathic pain model to elucidate its anti-neuroinflammatory potential. Rats subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) were divided into CCI-control, CCI-Gabapentin and CCI-BIRM groups along with a normal control group. BIRM was administered orally (4 ml/kg, daily) to animals of CCI-BIRM group from day 14 post surgery till day 28. Repeated oral administration of BIRM inhibited CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. It also inhibited CCI-induced activation of microglial cells and upregulation of COX-2 and TNF-α in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord. These data indicate that the marketed formulation BIRM, has anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties in neuropathic rats and can serve as an adjuvant to standard therapy or as a stand-alone therapeutic agent for the treatment of neuropathic pain disorders.
Adiabatic quantum estimation

In this paper, we address the adiabatic technique for quantum estimation of the azimuthal orientation of a magnetic field. Exactly solving a model consisting of a two-qubit system, where one of which is driven by a static magnetic field while the other is coupled with the magnetic field rotating adiabatically, we obtain the analytical expression of the quantum Fisher information (QFI). We investigate how the two-qubit system can be used to probe the azimuthal direction of the field and analyze the roles of the intensities of the magnetic fields, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, spin-spin coupling coefficient, and the polar orientation of the rotating field on the precision of the estimation. Moreover, we discuss how the azimuthal direction of the rotating field can be estimated using only the qubit not affected by that field and investigate the conditions under which this strategy is more efficient than use of the qubit locally interacting with the adiabatically rotating field. Surprisingly, in the one-qubit scenario, it was found that an increase in spin-spin coupling may suppress the QFI, and hence estimating the direction of the magnetic field becomes more inaccurate.
Online self-access learning: A work in progress

Abstract Autonomy and self-learning are ongoing challenges for universities generally, and for their language centres specifically when it comes to language learning and acquisition. The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia has always paid attention to both fostering autonomy in its learners and developing customized language learning activities. Among all the activities the Language Centre deals with, we include self-access learning, through the establishment of proper laboratories, and traditional-teaching support measures, through the use of Moodle, as means to reach out to several non-attending students with supplementary materials. Although the Language Centre staff has been able to successfully complement teaching activities in class using Moodle, there was also a tendency to keep self-access learning within the physical barriers of its room, thus almost obliging users to go there to find language assistance and materials. However, a natural change in learners’ academic attendance and needs has lately led the Language Centre staff to rethink the whole idea of self-access learning, by having it transcend its walls and find a home online. Exploiting some of Moodle’s characteristic features – i.e. accessibility, flexibility, and customization – in the academic year 2018–2019, a new project will be piloted which will give learners the chance to get in touch with the language adviser via the web in order to receive counselling on language matters, and to find a network of extra services such as: – e-tutored online courses and learning pathways providing support to achieve certain goals;– webinars on specific areas providing learners with methodological tools;– a dedicated space for improving speaking skills (e.g. atelier de conversation). Through these tools the Language Centre hopes to expand its range of self-learning activities so as to meet learners’ new expectations and attitudes.
Editorial introduction

The central theme of this issue of Economics and Business Review is the contribution made by Prof. Michael Porter of Harvard University to the development of economic sciences and the honorary doctorate awarded to him by the Poznań University of Economics and Business.1 Advancements in world research on strategy and competitiveness have been indelibly marked by the work of Prof. Michael Porter. It is based on several conceptual pillars which, over time, have become part of the canonical economic, managerial, business and administrative knowledge. The first of these pillars is competitive strategy theory, which consists of such concepts as the Five Forces model and the main types of competitive strategy (Porter, 1979, 1980). It seems that the creation of this theory was helped by Porter and Caves’s joint work on entry, exit and mobility barriers (Caves & Porter, 1977). Another of Porter’s significant accomplishments is competitive advantage theory, which covers, among other categories, the value-added chain and value system (1985). The third pillar of Porter’s work is his analysis of the foundations of the competitive advantage of nations, formulated as Porter’s diamond model (1990). In Porter’s comprehensive competitiveness theory an extremely important part is played by the category of clusters, which is another key component of his contribution to economic knowledge (Porter, 1998). The final pillar is the idea of shared value, which, to put it simply, consists of conducting a business activity that simultaneously solves major social problems (Porter & Kramer, 2011). Subjective as this list may seem it is worth noting that Porter’s contribution to world-wide research has been accumulated over several decades with its pillars forming a coherent system of interrelated categories and theorems. Subject to evolution the system is being systematically expanded. In fact it is Porter himself (2008) that proposed a comprehensive and updated approach to his work. Analysing the subsequent stages of Porter’s work we can see that he started with economics and moved on to management, finally to bridge the gaps between them using building materials such as elements of economics, organisation and management, technology and ethics. Prof. Porter’s work is unique in that it consists of studies focusing on the company as a whole, on its particular components (e.g., its activities), on medium-range systems (industries, sectors, clusters, and networks) and on national economies or even groups of countries. As far as microeconomic issues
Mental health, substance use and HIV risk behaviors among HIV-positive adults who experienced homelessness in the United States – Medical Monitoring Project, 2009–2015

ABSTRACT Homelessness is a challenge to retention in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. We describe the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of HIV-positive adults who reported recent homelessness. The Medical Monitoring Project is a complex sample survey of HIV-positive adults receiving medical care in the United States. We used weighted interview and medical record data collected from June 2009 to May 2015 to estimate the prevalence of depression, substance use, and HIV risk behaviors among adults experiencing recent homelessness. From 2009 to 2015, 8.3% of HIV-positive adults experienced recent homelessness. Homeless adults were more likely than housed adults to have major depression, to binge drink, use non-injection drugs, use injection drugs, and smoke. Over 60% of homeless adults were sexually active during the past year, with homeless adults reporting more condomless sex with an HIV-negative or unknown status sex partner than housed adults. Programs attempting to improve the health outcomes of HIV-positive homeless persons and reduce ongoing HIV transmission can focus on providing basic needs, such as housing, and ancillary services, such as mental health counseling or substance abuse treatment and counseling.
Mesenchymal stem cells have significant anti-infective effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis vascular graft infections.

OBJECTIVES This study aims to evaluate the effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) implantation on vascular graft infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) and compare with antibiotic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Healthy adult 56 Wistar rats (age, over 5 months; weighing, 300-350 g) were divided into eight groups. Group 1 was defined as the control group and group 2 was defined as the infected control group. Groups 3 and 4 were defined as Dacron grafted and MRSE infected groups, treated with tigecycline and MSCs, respectively. Groups 5 and 6 were performed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft and infected with MRSE. These groups were also administered tigecycline and MSC treatment, respectively. Groups 7 and 8 were infected with MRSE without graft administration and were also performed tigecycline and MSC treatment, respectively. Grafts and soft tissue specimens were collected at 13 days postoperatively. Colony counts of peri-graft tissue were performed. All samples were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the markers that determine stem cell activity. RESULTS The overall success of the treatments was assessed by the number of rats with MRSE recurrence, regardless of graft used. The difference between the untreated group 2, tigecycline groups (3, 5 and 7) and MSCs groups (4, 6 and 8) were statistically significant. Success of MSC and tigecycline treatments was similar in Dacron, PTFE, and non-grafted groups. There was a resistance of MRSE infection in Dacron groups to MSC and tigecycline treatments. This was considered to be indicative of the susceptibility of the Dacron grafts to infection. However, there was no significant difference between group 2 and Dacron groups in terms of bacterial colonization. ELISA results were significant in three cytokines. CONCLUSION Mesenchymal stem cells can be considered as an alternative treatment option on its own or part of a combination therapy for control of vascular graft infections.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: an enigma for both the clinician and the immunologist

The most recent years have witnessed a great progress in understanding the biology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This has allowed a parallel improvement in the definition of several biological parameters that have been validated as strong and independent prognostic markers now widely used in the setting of clinical trials. Among others, the study of the antigen receptors has been the most proficient, helping to better understand the cellular origin of CLL and especially to indicate the existence of a specific antigenic stimulation in the natural history of the disease. The presence or the absence of somatic mutations in the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) gene sequence are considered the most reliable among the prognostic markers now used. Nevertheless, all this body of knowledge has not resulted in a parallel improvement in the management and treatment of CLL, which remains up to now an incurable disease. Somatic mutations though potent in predicting prognosis at cohort level, correlate with the clinical outcome and other biological prognostic markers in no more than 80% of the affected individuals, thereby hampering a real patient-tailored therapeutic approach. All these reasons make mandatory to further study the biology of the disease and especially the IG receptor that appears to be pivotal in the onset and progression of the disease. This will be instrumental for the identification of the patient who needs a different treatment in terms of strategy and timing, for the design of biology based therapies and for patient-tailored therapeutic approaches.
Manejo nutricional de la enfermedad celíaca

La enfermedad celiaca es una causa importante de malaabsorcion en la ninez. Se caracteriza por una intolerancia total y permanente al gluten que contiene la fraccion proteica del trigo y otros cereales. La patogenia de la enfermedad es multifactorial y tiene un cuadro clinico variado, en el cual predominan los sintomas de malaabsorcion y la desnutricion. La dieta exenta de gluten es la parte mas importante de la terapeutica, ademas de hacer frente a las deficiencias nutricionales. Se hace una revision del manejo dietetico y la educacion nutricional del paciente y sus familiares, con enfasis en los alimentos que pueden contener gluten de forma enmascarada
ToDIGRA Physical and Digital in Games and Play

Whilst no consensus yet exists on how the Internet of Things will be realised, a global infrastructure of networked physical objects that are readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable and controllable is undoubtedly a compelling vision. Although many implementations of the Internet of Things have presented these objects in a largely ambient sensing role, or providing some form of remote access/ control, in this paper we consider the emerging convergence between games and the Internet of Things. This can be seen in a growing number of games that use objects as physical game pieces to enhance the players’ interaction with virtual games. These hybrid physical/ digital objects present game designers with number of interesting challenges as they i) blur the boundaries between toys and games; ii) provide opportunities for freeform physical play outside the virtual game; and iii) create new requirements for interaction design, in that they utilise design techniques from both product design and computer interface design. Whilst in the past the manufacturing costs of such game objects would preclude their use within games from small independent games developers, the advent of low cost 3D printing and open software and hardware platforms, which are the enablers of the Internet of Things, means this is no longer the case. However, in order to maximise this opportunity game designers will need to develop new approaches to the design of their games and in this paper we highlight the design sensibilities required if they are to combine the digital and physical affordances within the design of such objects to produce good player experiences.
Learning analytics performance improvement design (LAPID) in higher education: Framework and concerns

Learning Analytics Dashboards (LAD) promise to disrupt the Higher Education (HE) teaching practice. Current LAD research portrays a near future of e-teaching, empowered with the ability to predict dropouts, to validate timely pedagogical interventions and to close the instructional design loop. These dashboards utilize machine learning, big data technologies, sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and interactive visualization techniques. However, alongside with the desired impact, research is raising significant ethical concerns, context-specific limitations and difficulties to design multipurpose solutions. We revisit the practice of managing by the numbers and the theoretical origins of dashboards within management as a call to reevaluate the “datafication” of learning environments. More specifically, we highlight potential risks of using predictive dashboards as black boxes to instrumentalize and reduce learning and teaching to what we call “teaching by the numbers”. Instead, we suggest guidelines for teachers’ LAD design, that support the visual description of actual learning, based on teachers’ prescriptive pedagogical intent. We conclude with a new user-driven framework for future LAD research that supports a Learning Analytics Performance Improvement Design (LAPID).
Influence of Keybar-slot on Torque Characteristics of Direct-Drive Permanent-Magnet Brushless Machines

The keybar-slots are inevitable and necessary for the installation of torque motor used for CMG (Control moment gyro) for the satellite This paper investigates the influence of keybar-slot on torque characteristics of direct-drive permanent-magnet brushless DC (PM BLDC) motor. The model and specification are illustrated. Then the keybar-slot effects on torque characteristics are analyzed through finite element analysis (FEA). It shows that high localized magnetic saturation due to stator asymmetry can significantly increase cogging torque and torque ripple. An effective method has been proposed to improve the asymmetry by applying five uniformed distributed keybar-slots in the stator yoke.
Social Capital and Disaster Recovery : Evidence from Sichuan Earthquake in 2008 October 2014

Social capital helps reduce adverse shocks by facilitating access to transfers. This study examines how various measures of social capital are associated with disaster recovery from 2008 Sichuan earthquake. We find that households having a larger Spring Festival network in 2008 do better in housing reconstruction. A larger network significantly increases the amount of government aid received for housing reconstruction. With regards to how Spring Festival network channels more government aid to the household, the results show that a larger network increases the number of people showing up to offer monetary and material support, which is linked to more government aid received. This suggests that Spring Festival network members assist the quake-affected households to apply for and obtain government aid. As for other measures of social capital, connections with government officials and communist party membership do not significantly contribute to disaster recovery. Human capital, measured by the years of schooling of household head, is also not positively correlated with housing reconstruction.
Size and shape controlled synthesis of aqueous silver nanoparticles and a comparative study of their fluorescence and electrochemical responses towards cholesterol

Five samples of aqueous silver nanoparticles (samples A-E) were synthesized by reducing AgNO3 by NaBH4 in the presence of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and sodium citrate. By varying the amount of the stabilizer PVP during synthesis process we get all the five samples of different morphology. We have characterized these samples by TEM, UV-Visible spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence and electrochemical interactions of these samples towards cholesterol have shown that all the samples behave differently towards cholesterol. By comparing their behaviors towards cholesterol it can be concluded that in future sample A whose fluorescence intensity (λex=250 nm; λemi= 220-500 nm; λmax = 341 nm) enhances 4.3 times of its initial value on interaction with cholesterol can be used as a good fluorescence probe and sample C whose redox potential suffers 148 mV –ve shift in presence of cholesterol can be used as a good electrochemical probe for the detection of cholesterol in solution.
Arabic-SOS: Segmentation, Stemming, and Orthography Standardization for Classical and pre-Modern Standard Arabic

While morphological segmentation has always been a hot topic in Arabic, due to the morphological complexity of the language and the orthography, most effort has focused on Modern Standard Arabic. In this paper, we focus on pre-MSA texts. We use the Gradient Boosting algorithm to train a morphological segmenter with a corpus derived from Al-Manar, a late 19th/early 20th century magazine that focused on the Arabic and Islamic heritage. Since most of the cultural heritage Arabic available suffers from substandard orthography, we have trained a machine learner to standardize the text. Our segmentation accuracy reaches 98.47%, and the orthography standardization an F-macro of 0.98 and an F-micro of 0.99. We also produce stemming as a by-product of segmentation.
Evaluating Free Rides in Visualizations of Sets

A consideration for any visualization technique is the added value it brings over other representations of data. A free ride, a concept introduced by Shimojima, occurs in a visualization when it reveals some fact that must be inferred from an alternative representation from which the visualization was derived. This paper presents preliminary results from an empirical evaluation of free rides occurring in visualizations of sets as compared to textual representations. By focusing on Euler, linear and Venn diagrams, our results suggest that more research is needed to establish when free rides are cognitively beneficial.
Correlation of Column Sequences from the Arrays of Sidelnikov Sequences of Different Periods

SUMMARY We show that the non-trivial correlation of two properly chosen column sequences of length q − 1 from the array structure of two Sidelnikov sequences of periods q e − 1 and q d − 1, respectively, is upper-bounded by ( 2 d − 1 ) √ q + 1, if 2 ≤ e < d < 12 ( √ q − 2 √ q + 1 ) . Based on this, we propose a construction by combining properly chosen columns from arrays of size ( q − 1 ) × q e − 1 q − 1 with e = 2 , 3 , . , d . The combining process enlarge the family size while maintaining the upper-bound of maximum non-trivial correlation. We also propose an algorithm for generating the sequence family based on Chinese remainder theorem. The proposed algorithm is more eﬃcient than brute force approach.