Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AIDS Related Kaposi’s Sarcoma: A 20-Year Experience in a Clinic from the South-East of Romania

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) was peculiarly described in the first notified cases of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as an opportunistic condition. However, the medical progress and the development of active antiretroviral therapy allowed the control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, although the features of KS have changed throughout the past decades. The purpose of our study is to assess the epidemiological and clinical features of AIDS related KS in Romanian patients. A retrospective follow-up study was achieved in a single infectious diseases’ clinic from Galati—Romania, between 2001 and 2021. Referring to 290 new HIV diagnosed cases from our clinic retained in care, the prevalence of KS was 3.4%. The main characteristics of patients with KS are a median age of 33, a predominance of males, prevalent severe systemic forms of diseases, frequent association of past or concomitant tuberculosis, and context of immune reconstruction syndrome. The mortality rate was 70%. KS has occurred in patients with delayed HIV diagnoses and inadequate adherence to therapy. Early recognition of both infections, the close monitoring of latent or symptomatic tuberculosis, improving the antiretroviral adherence and raising the access to oncologic procedures in Romanian HIV patients could improve their prognosis related to KS.
Contextualising English generalist day centres for older people: operational characteristics and typical days. Findings from case study research

Reports of Covid-19 pandemic related day centre closures impacting negatively on their attenders and family carers have fuelled a resurgence of interest in these services. The absence of detailed descriptions of this common, but often ‘invisible’, preventive service from the literature limits the evidence base since outcomes data without context are less meaningful. This descriptive article aims to demystify these diverse and multi-faceted settings by painting a rich, contemporary, pre-Covid pandemic picture of four purposively selected English day centres for older people using data from diary notes made during 56 full-day visits, documentation provided by centre managers, and interviews with 23 centre managers, staff and volunteers. The article aims to further understanding of these settings for potential collaborators and social care and health professionals, particularly in the context of rising social prescribing initiatives in England with their focus on linking older people to asset-based community resources. We provide baseline data for conversations concerning optimisation of such services in the post-pandemic recovery period and beyond: how buildings may be regarded as valuable community assets with potential, and how other parts of the health and care system may better interact with day services to improve older people’s, carers’ and others’ health and wellbeing, and to benefit of staff working elsewhere in health and care.
Operation of microfabricated harmonic and ordinary side-drive motors

A variable-capacitance harmonic side-drive motor is presented and the operation of this motor and ordinary variable-capacitance side-drive motors without the need for air-levitation assist is reported. Native oxide formation on motor polysilicon surfaces, resulting from the clamping of the rotor to the shield beneath it, is identified as the cause of motor operational failure. With proper release and testing directed at minimizing this oxide formation, the motors can be readily operated. Operational characteristics of the micromotors, including the role of rotor electric shielding, speed, and frictional effects, are studied. For the side-drive motors, measurements of stopping and starting voltages indicate that the drive torque required to sustain motor operation is 5-7 pN-m, while that required to initiate motor operation after a 30 second rest is nearly twice as high. <<ETX>>
Labor Market Dynamics When Ideas are Harder to Find

This paper evaluates the impact of slowing economic growth on labor market dynamism and misallocation. It provides a model of endogenous growth via imitation in a frictional labor market. The framework accounts for rich data on worker job-to-job transitions as well as stochastic and lifecycle properties of firm growth and job reallocation. High productivity entrants gradually replace obsolescing incumbents by poaching their workers, a process that is intermediated via a frictional labor market. When the likelihood of entrants imitating technologies in the tail of the distribution falls (ideas are harder to find), so does growth. Consistent with US data over the past 30 years, firm entry, incumbents’ employment response to productivity shocks, and job-to-job transitions decline, while the share of old firms increases. With lower imitation, however, there is less misallocation, because the slower aggregate rate of obsolescence induces productive firms to invest more in costly hiring and grow faster to their optimal size. terms of both the extensive margin of entry and intensive margin of vacancy creation by incumbents. Hence higher g , would lead to lower unemployment. An interesting avenue for future research would be understanding the strength of this capitalization effect in models like ours where ﬁrms, rather than matches, are the relevant unit. Individual job matches are relatively short-lived (4-5 years), which leads to a weak capitalization effect in existing work (Pissarides and Vallanti, 2007), whereas the average age of a ﬁrm in the is closer to 20 years.
Characterization of instability in amorphous silicon thin‐film transistors

Instability mechanism of amorphous silicon‐silicon nitride thin‐film transistors (TFTs) is examined. By investigating double‐layer insulator TFTs, it is demonstrated that the instability is caused by an electrical charge stored at the interface between amorphous silicon and silicon nitride. The amount of stored charge at the interface (Q) does not depend on either drain voltage or drain current. Study on TFTs with several insulator thicknesses has shown that Q strongly depends on the band bending in the amorphous silicon that is related to the gate electric field (E) through the gate insulator. The Q‐E relationship is found to be a more general expression of the dependence of threshold voltage shift on gate voltage, and is incorporated into a formula suitable for examining the interface quality.
Experimental investigation of fatigue in a cantilever energy harvesting beam

Over the last decade, cantilever energy harvesters gained immense popularity owing to the simplicity of the design and piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) using the cantilever design has undergone considerable evolution. The major drawback of a vibrating cantilever beam is its vulnerability to fatigue over a period of time. This article brings forth an experimental investigation into the phenomenon of fatigue of a PEH cantilever beam. As there has been very little literature reported in this area, an effort has been made to scrutinize the damage due to fatigue in a linear vibrating cantilever PEH beam consisting of an aluminum substrate with a piezoelectric macro-fiber composite (MFC) patch attached near the root of the beam and a tip mass attached to the beam. The beam was subjected to transverse vibrations and the behavior of the open circuit voltage was recorded with passing time. Moreover, electro-mechanical admittance readings were obtained periodically using the same MFC patch as a Structural health monitoring (SHM) sensor to assess the health of the PEH beam. The results show that with passing time the PEH beam underwent fatigue in both the substrate and MFC, which is observed in a complimentary trend in the voltage and admittance readings. The claim is further supported using the variation of root mean square deviation (RMSD) of the real part of admittance (conductance) readings. Thus, this study concludes that the fatigue issue should be addressed in the design of PEH for long term vibration energy harvesting.
Integrated Multi-Omics Investigations of Metalloproteinases in Colon Cancer: Focus on MMP2 and MMP9

Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops by genetic and epigenetic alterations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying metastatic dissemination remain unclear and could benefit from multi-omics investigations of specific protein families. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved in ECM remodeling and the processing of bioactive molecules. Increased MMP expression promotes the hallmarks of tumor progression, including angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, and is correlated with a shortened survival. Nevertheless, the collective role and the possible coordination of MMP members in CRC are poorly investigated. Here, we performed a multi-omics analysis of MMP expression in CRC using data mining and experimental investigations. Several databases were used to deeply mine different expressions between tumor and normal tissues, the genetic and epigenetic alterations, the prognostic value as well as the interrelationships with tumor immune-infiltrating cells (TIICs). A special focus was placed on to MMP2 and MMP9: their expression was correlated with immune markers and the interaction network of co-expressed genes disclosed their implication in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune response. Finally, the activity levels of MMP2 and MMP9 in a cohort of colon cancer samples, including tissues and the corresponding sera, was also investigated by zymography. Our findings suggested that MMPs could have a high potency, as they are targeted in colon cancer, and might serve as novel biomarkers, especially for their involvement in the immune response. However, further studies are needed to explore the detailed biological functions and molecular mechanisms of MMPs in CRC, also in consideration of their expression and different regulation in several tissues.
An Investigation of Illinois State Assessment System High School Scoring Patterns

Executive Summary This study investigates the origins of an apparent divergence of WorkKeys Reading, a component of the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE), from other components of the assessment. The issue was noted by a group of schools and districts concerned with the scoring patterns of the 2006 and 2007 cohorts of students. They noticed that students in 2007 scored much lower on WorkKeys Reading than the 2006 cohort, while 2007 students scored higher on all other components of the PSAE. The group was particularly concerned by an increase in ACT Reading, another PSAE component. ACT produces concordance tables linking ACT Reading with WorkKeys Reading, making the divergence seem unlikely. The full population of student-level data was provided by ACT and the Illinois State Board of Education (approximately 130,000 cases per year). As a first step, the divergence was verified at the state level. This step confirmed that schools and districts noting the divergence had not mistakenly interpreted their data. It also helped ensure that the divergence was not isolated to only a few schools or districts. Finally, because the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation (2002) requires that schools report percent proficient, it was necessary to verify that the divergence represented a mean shift in student scores rather than a statistical artifact created by the calculation of percent proficient. All of these potential explanations for the divergence were quickly discarded by simply calculating the means and standard deviations for each PSAE component test. WorkKeys Reading means, for the state student population, did indeed decline, while all other components The magnitude of the decline for WorkKeys Reading was calculated using effect size statistics (Cohen's D) (Cohen, 1988) in order to compare the change scores across components. WorkKeys Reading declined by approximately 0.15 standard deviations from 2006 to 2007. The other PSAE components improvements ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 standard deviations. Compared to other states' assessments that are also used as part of NCLB, the decline in WorkKeys Reading scores for a single year represents a dramatic and anomalous change. The next step in investigating the decline was to determine if one part of the WorkKeys Reading scale was more or less impacted than the other. This can occur if the test items change and no longer represent each part of the scale in the same way. For instance, if fewer items strongly discriminate toward the upper end of the …
Si/SiGe epitaxial-base transistors. I. Materials, physics, and circuits

A detailed review of SiGe epitaxial base technology is presented, which chronicles the progression of research from materials deposition through device and integration demonstrations, culminating in the first SiGe integrated circuit application. In part I of this paper, the requirements and processes for high-quality SiGe film preparation are discussed, with emphasis on fundamental principles. A detailed overview of SiGe HBT device design and implications for circuit applications is then presented. >
Data mining analysis of building simulation performance data

Detailed simulation studies of building performance can result in large data sets, particularly where statistical information on annual energy or environmental performance is required. Key performance indicators such as the number of hours above a certain temperature can easily be extracted. However, it is difficult for users to explore such datasets and understand the underlying reasons why a building performs in a certain way. This is especially true in climate responsive buildings which involve complex interactions of ventilation, solar gains, internal gains and thermal mass, for example. Data mining techniques have traditionally been employed in the financial and marketing sectors to elicit patterns within the data. This paper describes how the different data mining techniques may be employed in helping to analyse building performance data. Clustering is identified as a particular useful analysis technique and its potential is illustrated through a number of case studies.
High accuracy machine automated assembly for opto electronics

One of the major alignment challenges faced by assembly engineers today is the accurate assembly of high-end optoelectronic modules. Silicon optical platform applications, where a laser diode is aligned to a single mode fiber or an optical waveguide, require post-bonding alignments better than 1 micron for optimum device performance. Flip Chip technology has proven its ability to cope with such stringent alignment requirements. Several bonding methods have been investigated, ranging from active alignment of a powered device to various forms of passive self-aligned soldering methods employing one or more mechanical stops. Though these methods have demonstrated some good results, the active alignment method incurs substantial cost of assembly time, while some self-aligning methods carry the disadvantage of requiring additional process steps during chip and substrate fabrication, as well as generating more sporadic alignment results under typical manufacturing variations. A passive alignment approach is proposed, where the mechanical alignment, placement and joining burdens are bourne by a flip chip bonder. Differing substantially from pick and place machines available on the market today, this new flip chip bonder has been specifically aimed at the special requirements of the optoelectronic module market, and is capable of performing in-situ gold-tin eutectic bonding to 1 micron accuracy. The design and application of this bonder to this assembly process is reviewed, with special notice given to optical, thermal and environmental requirements.
Testing the applicability of the Pfankuch Stability Index in characterizing the physical integrity of low-gradient alluvial streams in Minnesota, USA and exploring its utility for Stressor Identification of biological impairments.

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. December 2011. Major: Water Resources Science. Advisors:Dr. Jim Perry, Co-Advisor Professor of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Dr. Leonard Ferrington, Jr., Co-Advisor, Professor of Entomology. 1 computer file (PDF); xii, 261 pages, appendices A-D.
A novel encoder for switching angle control of SRM

In a switched reluctance motor drive, it is important to synchronize the stator phase excitation with the rotor position, because the position of rotor is an essential piece of information. Although high resolution optical encoders or resolvers are used to provide a precise position information, these sensors are expensive. Moreover, in the high-speed region, switching angles are fluctuate back and forth out of the preset value, which is caused by the sampling period of the microprocessor. In this paper, a low cost analog encoder suitable for practical applications is proposed. The control algorithm to generate switching signals using a simple digital logic is presented. The validity of the proposed analog encoder with a proper logic controller is verified from the experiments.
Control of variable speed wind turbines: Dynamic models

Owing to concern over the environment, there is much interest in renewable sources of electrical power generation, of which one of the most promising is wind power. Wind turbines exploit this energy source to directly generate electrical power. There are essentially two types of windturbines, namely constant speed and variable speed machines. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamics of variable speed wind turbines and determine suitable models to support the control design task. A basic but widely used dynamic representation of variable speed wind turbines and the corresponding models of the control plant dynamics are initially discussed. More detailed, yet still simple models, are derived separately for the rotor aerodynamics, the drive-train dynamics and the power generation unit dynamics before being combined to form the complete model of the wind turbine dynamics. The resulting combined model, in addition to supporting the control design task, enables the extent, to which the basic models adequate represent the wind turbine, to be assessed. It is concluded that the basic models of variable speed wind turbines are not adequate and do not exhibit all the relevant aspects of the dynamics necessary to support the control design.
Active load control techniques for wind turbines.

This report provides an overview on the current state of wind turbine control and introduces a number of active techniques that could be potentially used for control of wind turbine blades. The focus is on research regarding active flow control (AFC) as it applies to wind turbine performance and loads. The techniques and concepts described here are often described as 'smart structures' or 'smart rotor control'. This field is rapidly growing and there are numerous concepts currently being investigated around the world; some concepts already are focused on the wind energy industry and others are intended for use in other fields, but have the potential for wind turbine control. An AFC system can be broken into three categories: controls and sensors, actuators and devices, and the flow phenomena. This report focuses on the research involved with the actuators and devices and the generated flow phenomena caused by each device.
Modeling of noise parameters of MESFETs and MODFETs and their frequency and temperature dependence

A simple wideband noise model of microwave MESFETs (including modulation-doped FETs, high-electron-mobility transistors, etc.) is described and verified at room and cryogenic temperatures. Closed-form expressions for minimum noise temperature, optimum greater impedance, and noise conductance are given in terms of frequency, the elements of FET equivalent circuits, and the equivalent temperatures of intrinsic gate resistance and drain conductance. The model allows prediction of the noise parameters for a broad frequency range from a single frequency measurement of noise parameters. <<ETX>>
Instantaneous feedback control of a single-phase PWM inverter with nonlinear loads by sine wave tracking

The authors propose a novel method for the instantaneous digital control of a PWM (pulse-width modulated) inverter used in an uninterruptible power supply. The output voltage is compared to a sinusoidal reference at each sampling instant to compute in real time through a digital controller the pulse width of the same interval. The closed-loop digital feedback eliminates the steady-state error of the output voltage with a very short computation time. This strategy is verified through computer simulations and provides a very fast compensation of disturbances caused by nonlinear loads, such as rectifiers and triac loads, with low total harmonic distortion and fundamental control. <<ETX>>
A Novel Prototype Discontinuous Inductor Current Mode Operated Three-Phase PFC Power Converter with Four Active Switches

The paper presents an advanced three-phase active PFC power converter with three-phase diode rectifier cascaded four-switch boost chopper. Its operating principle is described in detail as compared with the circuit operations of two conventional three-phase PFC power rectifiers; one switch boost chopper type and two switch boost chopper type. The operating characteristics of four switch boost chopper type three-phase PFC power converter are described from a practical point of view, being compared with those of one switch boost and two switch boost chopper type PFC converter topologies.
Assessing Requirements Process Strengths and Weaknesses: A first step to prioritising requirements process implementation

We have created a software process improvement model that focuses on the requirements phase of software development. Our model takes the maturity characteristics from the SEI's Software Capability Maturity Model (SW-CMM) to help guide practitioners in their requirements activities. However, a lthough our R E CMM (R-CMM) compliments the SW-CMM, we consider that an independent self-contained method for assessing requirements strengths and weaknesses is essential. The report combines a rationale for using an independent assessment method together with an implementation guide. This specialised assessment is designed to raise the profile of requirements within the software development quagmire. The assessment method will highlight where requirements need help in both their organisational and technical processes. The approach we propose is adapted from a tried and tested assessment method developed by a high maturity company (Daskalantonakis 1994). In this report we explain how the assessment method can be tailored to meet individual company needs through a detailed example. The transparency offered by the assessment will help to empower practitioners to influence the state of the requirements process. Once software process improvement managers have a clear idea of the practices involved in requirements engineering they will be better placed to set realistic goals for their improvement. This Technical Report forms part of a wider study that explains the many stages involved in building a specialised software improvement model that focuses on the requirements process.