Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preselection Methods to Achieve Very Low BER in SRAM-Based PUFs—A Tutorial

The most prevalent industrial PUFs (physical unclonable functions) utilize SRAM-based designs. Bit stability is one of the fundamental problems in PUF design. PUF circuits, which rely on silicon manufacturing mismatches to produce a random key, are vulnerable to cases where the mismatch is insufficient and noise affects the PUF response, rendering it unstable. This brief provides a tutorial about SRAM-based PUFs stable bits preselection, utilizing an embedded tilt test. This method is more efficient than existing error correction codes in terms of power, area and latency. During the test, external, controlled mismatch, tilts the PUF cells against their manufactured mismatch and cells that retain their response are considered stable. In this tutorial, the preselection method is explained, implementation examples are presented, and a method to further exploit the test to obtain more uncorrelated stable bits from the existing PUF structure is introduced.
2D-MUSIC technique applied to a coherent FMCW MIMO radar

The authors present a 2D-MUSIC processing for the simultaneousestimation of angular and range target positions. A2D spatial smoothing technique is also introduced in orderto cope with the coherent behavior of the received echoes, which may result in a rank deficiency of the signals covariancematrix. The algorithm is analyzed with respect to its application to coherent MIMO arrays. The extended baseline which is synthesised can indeed be used to further increasethe performances of the system. Results of the algorithmare shown for both simulated and experimental data scenarios. In the latter case, the data are collected by an FMCW radar with MIMO functionality that has been designedand realized in cooperation with TNO, the Netherlands.
Effects of Expert- and User-Generated Evaluations on Food Product Choices via a Food Literacy App

With the proliferation of mobile apps to promote healthy diets, it is important to understand the influence of evaluation information presented through these apps on users' decisions. Deriving from information processing concepts, we examine the influence of information cues (authority and social proof cues) obtained via food literacy apps on users’ food product choices. We employ clickstream data from such an app that provides labeling information, expert grades
Does economic Vulnerability affect social cohesion? eViDence

This article explores the relationship between social cohesion and social inequalities in Europe. The analysis is built around two main research questions: Does economic vulnerability exert an impact on the level of social cohesion? Does social class mediate between economic vulnerability and social cohesion? The comparative analysis is based on the welfare regimes perspective. In my opinion, welfare state is relevant because it influences not only the relationship between social class and economic vulnerability, but also the link between social cohesion and economic vulnerability. The empirical analysis, based on data from the “European Quality of Life Survey” collected by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in 2003, shows that economic vulnerability does influence social cohesion and that social class and welfare regime are partially able to attenuate this effect.
Applications of Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Foods

In the 1950s, the production of processed fats and oils from coconut oil was popular in the United States. It became necessary to find uses for the medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that were byproducts of the process, and a production method for medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) was established. At the time of this development, its use as a non-fattening fat was being studied. In the early days MCFAs included fatty acids ranging from hexanoic acid (C6:0) to dodecanoic acid (C12:0), but today their compositions vary among manufacturers and there seems to be no clear definition. MCFAs are more polar than long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) because of their shorter chain length, and their hydrolysis and absorption properties differ greatly. These differences in physical properties have led, since the 1960s, to the use of MCTs to improve various lipid absorption disorders and malnutrition. More than half a century has passed since MCTs were first used in the medical field. It has been reported that they not only have properties as an energy source, but also have various physiological effects, such as effects on fat and protein metabolism. The enhancement of fat oxidation through ingestion of MCTs has led to interest in the study of body fat reduction and improvement of endurance during exercise. Recently, MCTs have also been shown to promote protein anabolism and inhibit catabolism, and applied research has been conducted into the prevention of frailty in the elderly. In addition, a relatively large ingestion of MCTs can be partially converted into ketone bodies, which can be used as a component of “ketone diets” in the dietary treatment of patients with intractable epilepsy, or in the nutritional support of terminally ill cancer patients. The possibility of improving cognitive function in dementia patients and mild cognitive impairment is also being studied. Obesity due to over-nutrition and lack of exercise, and frailty due to under-nutrition and aging, are major health issues in today's society. MCTs have been studied in relation to these concerns. In this paper we will introduce the results of applied research into the use of MCTs by healthy subjects.
What Does the Future Hold for Páramo Plants? A Modelling Approach

Understanding the effects of climate change on tropicalpine biota remains a scientific challenge today. The Andean páramo is the largest and most diverse tropicalpine biogeographical region in the world, and also one of the most threatened as it is prone to accelerated environmental changes. My goal was to predict changes in the distribution ranges of the diverse and highly endemic páramo flora on the mid-term (50 years). First, I predicted distribution changes in páramo plant species under novel climates and considering dispersal constraints. Second, I looked for consensus areas of species losses vs. gains in the páramo, expecting to identify a gradient of increasing relative richness with elevation over time. Last, I evaluated the behavior of plant species regarding their climatic refugia since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to establish if they likely remain or transcend them. Based on VegParamo vegetation data and CHELSA bioclimatic information, I performed species distribution models for a 664 species pool, that were then contrasted between the present, future (2070) and past (LGM). About 8.3% of the entire species pool (55 species) were predicted to be extirpated from the páramo by 2070, including 22 species endemics. On average, páramo plants gained 15.52% of additional distribution by 2070 (18.81% for endemics). Models predicted the most area gains for the northern páramos of Colombia and Venezuela, and the highest losses for the eastern Ecuadorian and Peruvian mountains. Moreover, area gains were more pronounced at high elevations, suggesting a future accelerated colonization process toward the northern Andean summits. Finally, only 21.41% of the species’ 2070 distribution coincided with their LGM (19.75% for endemics), and the largest climatic refugia since the LGM were found in southern Ecuador and Peru. This study is pioneer in predicting future distribution shifts for páramo plant species overall and provides solid bases to support climate change research and adaptation strategies in the tropical Andes.
To Have the Best Interest at Heart: Analyzing the Match Between Laypersons’ Interests and Publication Activity in Psychology

There is a growing public interest in science and, by extension, in psychology, and human behavior. Yet, detailed investigations on whether academic psychological research activity matches lay interests are still scarce. In addition, while lay-friendly communication of research findings becomes continually more important, it is unclear which subfields of psychological research are particularly interesting to laypeople. To address these research gaps, we carried out an explorative study of psychological literature included in two large reference databases, one with a German (PSYNDEX) and one with an international (PsycInfo) scope. The years of 2018–2020 were scanned for articles belonging to one of 20 topic areas assessed as most interesting by lay participants in a previous study. We determined and compared the share of empirical research and research syntheses for each topic area and database and computed rank correlations between lay interest and academic publication volume. Results suggest a positive relationship between lay interest and academic publication activity specifically for research syntheses. Additionally, topic areas associated with clinical psychology offered a large share of research syntheses, while other topic areas such as “Psychodynamics” or “Industrial & Organizational Psychology” encompassed a smaller share of syntheses. Finally, we outline perspectives for long-term monitoring of psychology-related lay interests. Thus, the present study connects academic activity with the public interest in psychology by identifying and quantifying research syntheses for topics garnering the most lay interest.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the LpSAPK Family Genes in Perennial Ryegrass Highlight LpSAPK9 as an Active Regulator of Drought Stress

SAPK/SnRK2 family genes play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the LpSAPK genes in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The results showed that there are 10 LpSAPKs in perennial ryegrass that could be classified into three groups with similar genic (exon–intron) structures to their orthologous genes in Arabidopsis and other grass species. Ka/Ks analysis suggested that the LpSAPKs and their orthologs were under purifying selection to maintain their conserved function during evolution. Nine out of ten LpSAPKs were localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus with the exception of LpSAPK5 which was only observed in the cytoplasm. Most LpSAPKs were responsive to various abiotic stress and hormonal (ABA, cytokinin, and ethylene) treatments but were downregulated in leaves and upregulated in roots, suggesting that there were unknown cis elements in promoters of these genes or unidentified post-transcriptional mechanism responsible for the tissue-dependent stress-regulated expression of these LpSAPKs. Furthermore, LpSAPK9 was identified as a candidate positive regulator in drought tolerance using a yeast ectopic expression system, and LpSAPK9 showed contrasting expression changes in drought-sensitive and -tolerant ryegrass varieties, suggesting that expression levels of LpSAPK9 were related to ryegrass drought tolerance. These results will facilitate further functional analysis of LpSAPKs for molecular breeding of ryegrass and other related grass species.
OX40 Expression in Eosinophils Aggravates OVA-Induced Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis

Background & Aims Eosinophils are the main inflammatory effector cells that damage gastrointestinal tissue in eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs). Activation of the OX40 pathway aggravates allergic diseases, such as asthma, but it is not clear whether OX40 is expressed in eosinophils to regulate inflammation in EGIDs. In this study, we assessed the expression and effect of OX40 on eosinophils in WT and Ox40-/- eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) mice. Methods Eosinophil infiltration, ovalbumin (OVA)-specific Ig production, OX40 expression and inflammatory factor levels in the intestine and bone marrow (BM) were investigated to evaluate inflammation. Results We confirmed that OVA-challenged mice produced high levels of Ox40, Mbp, Ccl11, Il5, Il4, Il13, and Il6 mRNA and a low level of Ifng mRNA in the intestine. Increased eosinophils were observed in intestinal and lymph tissues, accompanied by significantly upregulated OX40 and Type 2 cytokine production in eosinophils of EGE mice. Ox40 deficiency ameliorated OVA-induced inflammation, eosinophil infiltration, and cytokine production in the intestine. Consistently, Ox40-/ - eosinophils exhibited decreased proliferation and proinflammatory function. The stimulation of the agonistic anti-OX40 antibody, OX86, promoted the effect of OX40 on eosinophils. The present study also showed that Ox40 deficiency dampened the Traf2/6-related NF-κB signaling pathway in eosinophils. Conclusions OX40 may play a critical role in the progress of OVA-induced EGE by promoting the maturation and function of eosinophils via the Traf2/6-related NF-κB signaling pathway.
Evolution of an Apomixis-Specific Allele Class in Supernumerary Chromatin of Apomictic Boechera

Asexual reproduction through seeds in plants (i.e., apomixis) is a heritable trait, and apomixis- linked loci have been identified in multiple species. However, direct identification of genomic elements is typically hindered as apomixis-linked loci and are commonly found in recombination-suppressed and repetitive regions. Heterochromatinized elements, such as B chromosomes and other supernumerary chromosomal DNA fragments have long been known to be associated with asexuality in both plants and animals and are prime candidate regions for the evolution of multiple apomixis factors controlling the individual elements of apomixis. Here, we examined molecular evolution, gene regulation, and chromosomal location of a male apomeiosis factor (UPG2), a long noncoding RNA gene, in sexual and apomictic Boechera with and without male apomeiosis (i.e., balanced and unbalanced apomicts). We revealed the origin of the gene in the apomixis genome on an apomixis-specific, supernumerary heterochromatic Boechera chromosome (Boe1). The UPG2 is active in the tapetum at male meiosis. We found allele classes specific to apomictic and sexual Boechera accessions and a third class that shares the features of both and points to a convergent transition state. Sex alleles are found only in some of the sexual accessions and have higher nucleotide divergence and lower transcriptional activity compared to apo alleles. These data demonstrate selective pressure to maintain the function of UPG2 for unreduced pollen formation in apomicts as the occasional transmission of the allele from unbalanced apomicts into sexual organisms that lead to pseudogenization and functional decay of copies in sexual organisms.
Frequency and Management of Adverse Drug Reactions Among Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients: Analysis From a Prospective Study

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) management is often linked with a higher rate of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) needing effective and timely management of these ADRs, which, if left untreated, may result in a higher rate of loss to follow-up of drug-resistant patients. Study objective: The study was aimed at prospectively identifying the nature, frequency, suspected drugs, and management approaches for ADRs along with risk factors of ADRs occurrence among DR-TB patients at Nishtar Medical University, Hospital, Multan, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: The prospective study included all the DR-TB patients enrolled for treatment from January 2016 to May 2017 at the study site. Patients were evaluated for the treatment-induced ADRs as per standard criteria of the National Tuberculosis Program, Pakistan. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the independent variables associated with the occurrence of ADRs. Results: Out of 271 DR-TB patients included in the final analysis, it was observed that 55 patients (20.3%) experienced at least three ADRs. A total of 50 (18.5%) patients experienced zero adverse effects, while 15 (5.5%), 33 (12.2%), and 53 (19.6%) patients experienced one, two, and four ADRs, respectively. Gastrointestinal disturbances (66.7%), nervous system disorders (59.4%), and electrolyte disturbances (55.7%) remained the highest reported ADRs during therapy, followed by arthralgia (49.1%), ototoxicity (24%), pruritic reactions/rash (12.9%), dyspnoea (12.5%), and tinnitus (8.8%). Pulmonary cavitation at the baseline visit (p-value 0.001, OR 3.419; 95% CI (1.694–6.902) was significantly associated with the occurrence of ADRs among DR-TB patients. Conclusion: The frequency of ADRs was high among the study cohort; however, these were managed effectively. Patients with recognized risk factors for ADRs occurrence need continuous clinical management efforts.
Can the Authenticity of Organic Products be Proved by Secondary Plant Substances

The market for organic produce is growing since consumers lost confidence in conventional food products in view of food scandals in the EU. There is thus an urgent need for suitable methods that can be used to demonstrate the authenticity of organic produce. In addition, consumers expect health benefits from organic products. For that the question of secondary plant compounds has been intensively discussed. Whether produce from organic farming results in higher content of health-related substances has been examined in several studies but no clear evidence was found. Secondary plant compounds may also be used in authentication of organic products. In this literature review various factors which may influence the content of carotenoids and polyphenols as two important classes of secondary metabolites in carrots are evaluated. For polyphenols in carrots there is a lack of studies apart from the influence of the variety. It has been shown that variety and environmental factors, like climate and soil, have greater influence on the carotenoid content than cultivation related factors such as fertilization and weed control. In organic farming, more intensive attempts are required to select location- and production-related varieties. Without inclusion of these factors, which are not covered in the EU regulations, an authenticity test of organic produce using secondary plant compounds seems not possible. Further research is needed on basis of large data sets to test, whether the use of multivariate statistical methods could be a practical approach to the routine analysis.
Obese Individuals With and Without Phlegm-Dampness Constitution Show Different Gut Microbial Composition Associated With Risk of Metabolic Disorders

Background Obesity is conventionally considered a risk factor for multiple metabolic diseases, such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, not every obese patient will progress to metabolic disease. Phlegm-dampness constitution (PDC), one of the nine TCM constitutions, is considered a high-risk factor for obesity and its complications. Alterations in the gut microbiota have been shown to drive the development and progression of obesity and metabolic disease, however, key microbial changes in obese patients with PDC have a higher risk for metabolic disorders remain elusive. Methods We carried out fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing in the present study, including 30 obese subjects with PDC (PDC), 30 individuals without PDC (non-PDC), and 30 healthy controls with balanced constitution (BC). Metagenomic functional prediction of bacterial taxa was achieved using PICRUSt. Results Obese individuals with PDC had higher BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and altered composition of their gut microbiota compared to non-PDC obese individuals. At the phylum level, the gut microbiota was characterized by increased abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased levels of Firmicutes and Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. At the genus level, Faecalibacterium, producing short-chain fatty acid, achieving anti-inflammatory effects and strengthening intestinal barrier functions, was depleted in the PDC group, instead, Prevotella was enriched. Most PDC-associated bacteria had a stronger correlation with clinical indicators of metabolic disorders rather than more severe obesity. The PICRUSt analysis demonstrated 70 significantly different microbiome community functions between the two groups, which were mainly involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, such as promoting Arachidonic acid metabolism, mineral absorption, and Lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, reducing Arginine and proline metabolism, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis, and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, a disease classifier based on microbiota was constructed to accurately discriminate PDC individuals from all obese people. Conclusion Our study shows that obese individuals with PDC can be distinguished from non-PDC obese individuals based on gut microbial characteristics. The composition of the gut microbiome altered in obese with PDC may be responsible for their high risk of metabolic diseases.
Cramér-Rao Lower Bounds for Battery Estimation

To secure safety, reliability and performance of an electri- fied vehicle, it is important to monitor the State of Charge (SoC) of its battery. Today, there are no sensors that can measure SoC directly. Instead, it is usually estimated with an algorithmic filter. Since batteries are nonlinear, all feasible filters are only able to approximate the posterior densities which, in other words, means that their perfor- mances will be more or less suboptimal (Sarkka, 2013). To be able to evaluate the performance of a filter, it is of great value to know how well a parameter or a state can be estimated. It can then be decided if it is worth spending time on tuning the filter, or implementing a more advanced filter. Furthermore, analyzing the achievable accuracy can be a way to better understand the application. One suitable measure for benchmarking the performance is the Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB), which is a lower bound on the Mean Square Error (MSE) of any estimator. In this paper we adopt a method to numerically determine the posterior CRLBs with a Monte Carlo-based algorithm. The posterior CRLBs are calculated for combined esti- mation of the states and the parameters of a commonly used equivalent circuit model. It is investigated how the posterior CRLBs depend on the amplitude and the fre- quency of the current. Furthermore, the posterior CRLBs are computed for a commercially available lithium- ion battery using data from laboratory experiments, and the results are compared to the MSEs of an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). It is shown that the MSEs of the EKF are close to the posterior CRLBs, which means that the EKF seems to be a good observer for this application.