Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DC-50GHz wideband phase-compensated 90nm-CMOS active balun design

This manuscript explores the output phase imbalance observed in the common-gate common-source transistors, and gives a mathematical formulation in determining the length of the compensation transmission line. To demonstrate the validity of this wideband phase-compensation technique, a DC-50GHz active balun is designed using commercial 90nm-CMOS process and then measured, where the phase imbalance is less than 5o while the magnitude imbalance is within 1dB. All ports are well-matched and positive gain has been sustained up to 50GHz; the output-referred 1dB compression point is around 3dBm. With 3 V and 32.5mA drain bias, the total power consumption is 97.5mW. To our knowledge, this is the widest active balun ever designed with such tight output phase requirement.
A direct torque and reactive power control approach for doubly fed induction generator in wind turbine applications

This paper focuses on a new direct torque and reactive power control approach for doubly fed induction generators for wind turbines. In order to design the rotor side controller and study the transient behavior, equations which directly describe the dynamics of the torque and reactive power in a doubly fed induction generator are proposed in this paper. Relying on these equations, controllers using internal model control are discussed to guarantee the transient behaviors of the torque and reactive power. These controllers are designed based on stator flux orientation but can also be implemented in a stationary reference frame, where the full order model of the doubly fed induction generator is considered. The stability and robustness of the proposed control approach are demonstrated in the paper. The proposed control approach is implemented and validated in Matlab/Simulink. The simulation results demonstrate different transient dynamics with different transient compensations and the robustness of the proposed direct control approach.
Accounting and the Influence of Numbers, Economics, Religion and History

History guides and shapes thinking in a particular phenomenon, evaluation of accounting thoughts has help in no small manner. Accounting theories which is the bed rock of accounting practice were also trace from the available works on history of accounting. This paper therefore seeks to review the history of accounting thoughts with respect to religion, numbers and economics using metal analysis methods. This study concluded that the place of numbers, religion and economics cannot be underestimated in functionality of accounting and accounting though. The higher institutions of learning, professional bodies and practicing accountants are encouraged to take the seriously the study of accounting history and development and the use of forensic accounting techniques is recommended for the prevention and detection of fraudulent accounting numbers.
Knowledge discovery in simulation data — A case study for a backhoe assembly line

Discrete event simulation is an established and popular technology for investigating the dynamic behavior of complex manufacturing and logistics systems. Besides conventional simulation studies that focus on single model aspects answering project specific analysis questions, new methods of broad scale experiment design and system analysis emerge alongside new developments of computational power and data processing. This enables to investigate the bandwidth of possible system behavior in a more in-depth way. In this work we applied our previously developed methodology of knowledge discovery in simulation data onto an industrial case study for a backhoe loader manufacturing facility.
Baseband analog front-end and digital back-end for reconfigurable multi-standard terminals

Multimedia applications are driving wireless network operators to add high-speed data services such as EDGE (E-GPRS), WCDMA (UMTS) and WLAN (IEEE 802.11a,b,g) to the existing network. This creates the need for multi-mode cellular handsets that support a wide range of communication standards, each with a different RF frequency, signal bandwidth, modulation scheme, etc. This in turn generates several design challenges for the analog and digital building blocks of the physical layer. In addition to the above mentioned protocols, mobile devices often include Bluetooth, GPS, FM-radio and TV services that can work concurrently with data and voice communication. Multi-mode, multi-band, and multi-standard mobile terminals must satisfy all these different requirements. Sharing and/or switching transceiver building blocks in these handsets is mandatory in order to extend battery life and/or to reduce cost. Only adaptive circuits that are able to reconfigure themselves within the handover time can meet the design requirements of a single receiver or transmitter covering all the different standards while ensuring seamless inter-operability. This paper presents analog and digital base-band circuits that are able to support GSM (with EDGE), WCDMA (UMTS), WLAN and Bluetooth using reconfigurable building blocks. The blocks can trade off power consumption for performance on the fly, depending on the standard to be supported and the required QoS (Quality of Service) level.
Energy efficiency measures in China: A three-stage DEA analysis

This paper measures energy efficiency of 30 regions in China during 2010-2014 by using the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. The results indict that environmental factors and random error both have significant impacts on energy efficiency. After eliminating these influences, the results present that the energy efficiency in developed regions is almost higher than that in undeveloped or resource-rich regions and low scale technical efficiency is the main constraining factor in inefficient regions. Based on the efficiency characteristics, this paper divides all regions into four types and provide differential energy strategies.
Malignant Phyllodes Tumor of the Breast: Treatment and Prognosis

Surgery remains the mainstay of the treatment in patients with malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast (MPTB); however, the extent of surgery (breast conserving surgery [BCS] versus mastectomy) and the role of adjuvant radiotherapy have been controversial. We report a single institution's experience with MPTB. We discuss controversial therapeutic aspects of this rare tumor. Seventy patients with MPTB treated primarily with surgery were evaluated. The mean age was 50 years (21–76), and the mean size of the tumor was 6 cm. Thirty‐four (48.6%) patients were treated with total mastectomy, and 36 (51.4%) were treated with BCS (lumpectomy or wide local excision). Microscopic surgical margins were free of tumor in all cases. In 64 (91.4%) patients, margins were ≥1 cm. Remaining 6 (8.6%) patients treated with BCS margins were <1 cm and subsequently radiotherapy was performed. Among 70 patients, 58 (82.9%) had no evidence of disease (NED) after 5 years. The extent of surgery was not significantly related to the 5‐year NED survival rates (82.4% in patients who underwent mastectomy and 83.3% in patients who underwent BCS only or BCS with adjuvant irradiation). The 5‐year NED survival rates in BCS (tumor‐free margin ≥1 cm) and BCS with irradiation (tumor‐free margin <1 cm) groups were identical (83.3%). Our data support the potential use of BCS in patients with MPTB. Mastectomy is indicated only if tumor‐free margins cannot be obtained by BCS. Adjuvant radiotherapy may be considered if tumor‐free margins are <1 cm.
Political Independence, Accountability, and the Quality of Regulatory Decision-Making

Recent decades have seen a considerable increase in delegation to independent regulatory agencies, which has been justified by reference to the superior performance of these bodies relative to government departments. Yet, the hypothesis that more independent regulators do better work has hardly been tested. We examine the link using a comprehensive measure of the quality of work carried out by competition authorities in 30 Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries, and new data on the design of these organizations. We find that formal independence has a positive and significant effect on quality. Contrary to expectations, though, formal political accountability does not boost regulatory quality, and there is no evidence that it increases the effect of independence by reducing the risk of slacking. The quality of work is also enhanced by increased staffing, more extensive regulatory powers, and spillover effects of a more capable bureaucratic system.
Current prevalence of HTLV‐1 in Japan as determined by screening of blood donors

Human T‐cell leukemia virus type‐1 (HTLV‐1), a major source of adult T‐cell leukemia and related diseases, is endemic to southwestern Japan. Mother‐to‐infant transmission via breast milk is an important route of infection, and establishing programs to prevent such transmission requires exact figures on the HTLV‐1 prevalence rate and the number of carriers. Therefore, the seroprevalence of HTLV‐1 among 1,196,321 Japanese first‐time blood donors from 2006 to 2007 was investigated. A total of 3,787 of such donors were confirmed to be positive for anti‐HTLV‐1 antibody. By applying a fitness curve to the age ranges outside the blood donor age range, the present number of HTLV‐1 carriers covering ages from 0 to 99 years was estimated to be at least 1.08 million in Japan; this value was 10% lower than that reported in 1988. The adjusted overall prevalence rates were estimated to be 0.66% and 1.02% in men and women, respectively. The peak in carrier numbers was found among individuals in their 70s, which is a shift from the previous peak observed in the 1988 database among individuals in their 50s. Carriers were distributed not only in the endemic southwestern region of Japan, but throughout the country, particularly in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area. By applying population projections, it was calculated that the carrier number will decrease by half in the next two decades; however, the carrier population will age over that interval, meaning that the age of patients with adult T‐cell leukemia will also be higher. J. Med. Virol. 84:327–335, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular approaches in the diagnosis of sepsis in neutropenic patients with haematological malignances.

INTRODUCTION Sepsis is a major cause of significant morbidity and mortality in neutropenic patients. Blood culture remains the gold standard in the microbiological diagnosis of bacterial or fungal bloodstream infections, but it has clear limits of rapidity and sensitivity. The objective of the study was to compare the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with automated blood cultures (BC) method in detection in whole blood of pathogens in febrile neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies. METHODS A total of 166 consecutive febrile neutropenic patients were enrolled. Blood samples for cultures and SeptiFast testing were obtained at the onset of fever, before the implementation of empirical antibiotic therapy. RESULTS Forty (24.1%) samples out of the 166 blood samples tested, were positive by at least one method. Twenty-three (13.9%) samples were positive by blood culture and 38 (22.9%) by multiplex real-time PCR. The analysis of concordance evidenced a low correlation between the two methods (n = 21; 52.5%), mainly due to samples found negative by culture but positive with the Septi-Fast assay. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of RT-PCR were 91.3%, 88.1%, 55.3%, and 98.4%, respectively, compared with BC. DISCUSSION Multiplex real-time PCR assay improved detection of the most bacteria associated with febrile neutropenia episodes. Further studies are needed to assess the real advantages and clinical benefits that molecular biology tests can add in diagnosis of sepsis.
Potential role of soluble ST2 protein in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome recurrence following kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND Corticosteroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) recurs rapidly after transplantation in 30% to 50% of transplant recipients, suggesting the presence of 1 or more circulating factors that alter the glomerular filtration barrier. We investigated the possible role in INS recurrence of soluble ST2 (sST2) protein, a marker of T helper type 2 (T(H)2) cells and a factor predicted to be regulated by the transcription factor c-Maf; involvement of sST2 protein would be consistent with the observation that both T(H)2 cells and c-Maf appear to be activated during INS relapse. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective observational study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Patients with biopsy-proven corticosteroid-resistant INS who had undergone kidney transplantation between September 1983 and April 2007 (n = 71). A control group consisting of proteinuric transplant recipients with kidney failure unrelated to INS (n = 34). PREDICTOR Patients who developed INS recurrence after transplantation (n = 31) were compared with those in whom INS did not recur (n = 40) and the control group. Recurrence of INS was defined as urine protein excretion greater than 2 g/d immediately after transplantation that persisted at greater than 1 g/d despite treatment or a kidney graft biopsy showing minimal change glomerulonephritis or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS Urine protein excretion in the 3 groups was 5.0 g/d (range, 1.3 to 10.5), 0.14 g/d (range, 0 to 0.46), and 4.3 g/d (range, 3 to 6.2). The sST2 protein was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively in patient sera, and its activity was tested in vitro on a mouse podocyte cell line and in vivo in rats. RESULTS sST2 protein levels were significantly increased after transplantation in patients with INS recurrence compared with the 2 other groups (617.5 versus 23 pg/mL; P < 0.001 and 158.5 pg/mL; P < 0.01 respectively). However, patients with recurrence expressed a normal sST2 isoform, and the sST2 protein was unable to induce podocyte injury in vitro or trigger proteinuria in rats. LIMITATIONS Pretransplantation and posttransplantation sera do not always represent paired samples. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that sST2 protein is a marker of INS recurrence that does not seem to be involved in the development of INS.
Eosinophil as antigen‐presenting cell: activation of T cell clones and T cell hybridoma by eosinophils after antigen processing

We have studied the role of murine eosinophils as antigen‐presenting cells (APC). Eosinophils have several characteristics that support the hypothesis of its function as potential APC: they have phagocytic capacity, express adhesion molecules and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens and can produce and release interleukin‐1 (IL‐1).
A Deep Learning approach to modeling competitiveness in spoken conversations

The motivation behind the research on overlapping speech has always been dominated by the need to model human-machine interaction for dialog systems and conversation analysis. To have more complex insights of the interlocutors' intentions behind the interaction, we need to understand the type of overlaps. Overlapping speech signals the interlocutor's intention to grab the floor. This act could be a competitive or non-competitive act, which either signals a problem or indicates assistance in communication. In this paper, we present a Deep Learning approach to modeling competitiveness in overlapping speech using acoustic and lexical features and their combination. We compare a fully-connected feed-forward neural network to the Support Vector Machine (SVM) models on real call center human-human conversations. We have observed that feature combination with DNN (significantly) outperforms SVM models, both the individual feature baselines and the feature combination model by 4% and 2% respectively.
Genesis of the strand‐biased signature in somatic hypermutation of rearranged immunoglobulin variable genes

The history and current development of the reverse transcriptase model of somatic hypermutation (RT‐model) is reviewed with particular reference to the genesis of strand‐biased mutation signatures in rearranged immunoglobulin variable genes (V(D)J). The recent disagreement in the field as to whether strand bias really exists or not has been critically analysed and the confusion traced to the putative presence, in some mutated V(D)J sequence collections, of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐recombinant artefacts. Recent analysis of somatic hypermutation in xeroderma pigmentosum variant patients, by the group of PJ Gearhart and others, has established that the Y‐family translesion DNA repair enzyme, DNA polymerase η (eta), is responsible for the striking A‐T targeted strand‐bias mutation signature seen in all mouse and human collections of somatically mutated V(D)J sequences. This evidence, together with our own recent demonstration that human DNA polymerase η is a reverse transcriptase, leads to the conclusion that the strand‐biased A‐T mutation signature is caused either by: (i) error‐prone DNA‐dependent DNA repair synthesis by pol‐η of single‐strand nicks preferentially in the non‐transcribed strand; and/or (ii) by error‐prone cDNA synthesis of the transcribed strand by pol‐η using the pre‐mRNA as the copying template, primed by the nicked transcribed DNA strand, followed by replacement of the original transcribed strand by cDNA. Analysis of the total mutation pattern also suggests that the major transitions observed in SHM (A→G, C→T and G→A) can be explained by known RNA editing mechanisms active on pre‐mRNA which are then written into cDNA during synthesis of the transcribed strand by error‐prone cellular reverse transcriptases such as pol‐η.
Leadership, Stakeholders and Learner Performance in Four Western Cape Schools

Recent decades have witnessed extraordinary gains the world over in enhancing access to education – but there has been much less progress in improving educational outcomes. To better understand and address this disconnect, the University of Manchester-based and DFID-supported Effective States and Inclusive Development global comparative research programme has supported a range of studies on the politics and governance of basic education in Bangladesh, Ghana and South Africa. This paper is one of a series which explores the politics and governance of basic education in South Africa at national, provincial (Western Cape and Eastern Cape), district and school levels. Annex A provides an overview of the overall research design and hypotheses for the full set of papers. The focus of this paper is on some micro-level governance and political economy determinants of performance over time in four schools in the Cape Town metropolitan area. Sections I and II describe the paper’s analytical and empirical approach. Sections III-V detail the school-specific results. Section VI suggests some implications of the analysis.
Unfavourable endothelial and inflammatory state in erectile dysfunction patients with or without coronary artery disease.

AIMS Erectile dysfunction (ED) confers an independent cardiovascular risk. We investigated the role of low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in ED patients with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated 141 men (age 58.8 years) for ED and CAD through a rigourous investigation (including coronary angiography to reveal occult CAD). Blood levels of inflammatory (hsCRP, IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha) and endothelial-prothrombotic markers/mediators (vWF, tPA, PAI-1, and fibrinogen) were significantly increased in ED patients and correlated negatively with sexual performance. ED was associated with higher levels of these substances (except for IL-6) on top of CAD alone. For most substances, the unfavourable impact of ED alone was not significantly different than the impact of CAD alone. In multivariable models, these markers/mediators predicted independently ED presence. In our population, the negative predictive value of the combination of fibrinogen <225 mg/dL with IL-6 <1.24 pg/mL for excluding ED was 91.7% (95% CI: 61.5-99.8). CONCLUSION ED is associated with increased inflammatory and endothelial-prothrombotic activation in men with or without CAD. ED confers an incremental unfavourable impact on the circulating levels of these markers/mediators when combined with CAD. These findings have implications for increased cardiovascular risk in ED patients.
Extracellular Chaperones

The maintenance of the levels and correct folding state of proteins (proteostasis) is a fundamental prerequisite for life. Life has evolved complex mechanisms to maintain proteostasis and many of these that operate inside cells are now well understood. The same cannot yet be said of corresponding processes in extracellular fluids of the human body, where inappropriate protein aggregation is known to underpin many serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, type II diabetes and prion diseases. Recent research has uncovered a growing family of abundant extracellular chaperones in body fluids which appear to selectively bind to exposed regions of hydrophobicity on misfolded proteins to inhibit their toxicity and prevent them from aggregating to form insoluble deposits. These extracellular chaperones are also implicated in clearing the soluble, stabilized misfolded proteins from body fluids via receptor-mediated endocytosis for subsequent lysosomal degradation. Recent work also raises the possibility that extracellular chaperones may play roles in modulating the immune response. Future work will better define the in vivo functions of extracellular chaperones in proteostasis and immunology and pave the way for the development of new treatments for serious diseases.
SCAT2 and SCAT3 scores at baseline and after sports-related mild brain injury/concussion: qualitative synthesis with weighted means

Objective Identify all Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT2/3) studies, compare baseline and postconcussion results. Design Systematic review (qualitative synthesis, weighted means). Data sources 18 databases, 9 grey literature resources searched for SCAT2/3 data; 9150 articles identified, titles/abstracts assessed/data-entry independently by two reviewers. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Any studies reporting partial/complete SCAT2/3 data. Results 21 studies with data (partial/complete data 16 SCAT2 (4087 athletes); 5 SCAT3 (891). Newcastle-Ottawa risk-of-bias scale: studies with maximum possible score of 4, 85% scored 3 or 4; studies with maximum possible score of 6, 75% scored 5 or 6. SCAT2 high schoolers: weighted mean score for symptoms 18.46 (22=no symptoms), Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) 26.14, Standardised Assessment of Concussion (SAC) 26.00 and SCAT2 total 88.63. Collegiate/adults weighted means: symptoms 20.09, BESS 25.54, SAC 27.51 and total SCAT2 91.20. Between-study and within-study variability similar to those of the high schoolers. Limited variability between genders. Only 2 studies report baseline and postconcussion scores and 9 partial scores, but data are too limited to provide weighted average scores. Conclusions Group mean baseline SCAT scores for high school and collegiate athletes are similar, with minimal gender differences; baseline symptoms show more variability than other components. There are minimal data for elementary students and professionals, no data for adult non-collegiate athletes. Two studies provide preconcussion and postconcussion scores. No data on minimal significant clinical differences to guide players/coaches in withdrawing from a game in progress and deciding when recovery is complete and play can be resumed. The SCAT needs supplementing with clinical and neuropsychological return-to-play assessments.