gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
TSV-aware analytical placement for 3D IC designs (2011)

Through-silicon vias (TSVs) are required for transmitting signals among different dies for the three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC) technology. The significant silicon areas occupied by TSVs bring critical challenges for 3D IC placement. Unlike most published 3D placement works that only minimize the number of TSVs during placement due to the limitations in their techniques, this paper proposes a new 3D cell placement algorithm which can additionally consider the sizes of TSVs and the physical positions for TSV insertion during placement. The algorithm consists of three stages: (1) 3D analytical global placement with density optimization and whitespace reservation for TSVs, (2) TSV insertion and TSV-aware legalization, and (3) layer-by-layer detailed placement. In particular, the global placement is based on a novel weighted-average wirelength model, giving the first model in the literature that can outperform the well-known log-sum-exp wirelength model theoretically and empirically. Further, 3D routing can easily be accomplished by traditional 2D routers since the physical positions of TSVs are determined during placement. Compared with state-of-the-art 3D cell placement works, our algorithm can achieve the best routed wirelength, TSV counts, and total silicon area, in shortest running time.
Sora (2010)

This paper presents Sora, a fully programmable software radio platform on commodity PC architectures. Sora combines the performance and fidelity of hardware software-defined radio (SDR) platforms with the programmability and flexibility of general-purpose processor (GPP) SDR platforms. Sora uses both hardware and software techniques to address the challenges of using PC architectures for high-speed SDR. The Sora hardware components consist of a radio front-end for reception and transmission, and a radio control board for high-throughput, low-latency data transfer between radio and host memories. Sora makes extensive use of features of contemporary processor architectures to accelerate wireless protocol processing and satisfy protocol timing requirements, including using dedicated CPU cores, large low-latency caches to store lookup tables, and SIMD processor extensions for highly efficient physical layer processing on GPPs. Using the Sora platform, we have developed a few demonstration wireless systems, including SoftWiFi, an 802.11a/b/g implementation that seamlessly interoperates with commercial 802.11 NICs at all modulation rates, and SoftLTE, a 3GPP LTE uplink PHY implementation that supports up to 43.8Mbps data rate.
Electronic musical instrument with frequency modulation of a tone signal with an audible frequency signal (1980)

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S100B Protein concentration in milk‐formulas for preterm and term infants Correlation with industrial preparation procedures (2008)

Human milk S100B protein possesses important neurotrophic properties. However, in some conditions human milk is substituted by milk formulas. The aims of the present study were: to assess S100B concentrations in milk formulas, to verify any differences in S100B levels between preterm and term infant formulas and to evaluate the impact of industrial preparation at predetermined phases on S100B content. Two different set of samples were tested: (i) commercial preterm (n = 36) and term (n = 36) infant milk formulas; ii) milk preterm (n = 10) and term infant (n = 10) formulas sampled at the following predetermined industrial preparation time points: skimmed cow milk (Time 0); after protein sources supplementation (Time 1); after pasteurization (Time 2); after spray-drying (Time 3). Our results showed that S100B concentration in preterm formulas were higher than in term ones (p < 0.01). In addition, S100B concentrations during industrial preparation showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) at Time 1 followed by a slight decrease (p > 0.05) at Time 2, whereas a significant (p < 0.001) dip was observed at Time 3. In conclusion, S100B showed a sufficient thermostability to resist pasteurization but not spry-drying. New feeding strategies in preterm and term infants are therefore warranted in order to preserve S100B protein during industrial preparation.
EasyToon (2008)

In this demo, we present a family photo album based cartoon personalization system, EasyToon. Using the family photo album as the candidate pool, a personalized cartoon image is obtained in two main steps. First, the best face candidate is selected from the album interactively. Then a personalized cartoon image is automatically synthesized by lending the selected face into the target cartoon image. By integrating state of the art computer vision and graphics technologies and effective UI design EasyToon can generate a personalized cartoon storyboard easily and quickly.
Cardiac C-arm CT: 4D non-model based heart motion estimation and its application (2007)

The combination of real-time fluoroscopy and 3D cardiac imaging on the same C-arm system is a promising technique that might improve therapy planning, guiding, and monitoring in the interventional suite. In principal, to reconstruct a 3D image of the beating heart at a particular cardiac phase, a complete set of X-ray projection data representing that phase is required. One approximate approach is the retrospectively ECG-gated FDK reconstruction (RG-FDK). From the acquired data set of N<sub>s</sub> multiple C-arm sweeps, those projection images which are acquired closest in time to the desired cardiac phase are retrospectively selected. However, this approach uses only 1/ <i>N</i><sub>s</sub> of the obtained data. Our goal is to utilize data from other cardiac phases as well. In order to minimize blurring and motion artifacts, cardiac motion has to be compensated for, which can be achieved using a temporally dependent spatial 3D warping of the filtered-backprojections. In this work we investigate the computation of the 4D heart motion based on prior reconstructions of several cardiac phases using RG-FDK. A 4D motion estimation framework is presented using standard fast non-rigid registration. A smooth 4D motion vector field (MVF) represents the relative deformation compared to a reference cardiac phase. A 4D deformation regridding by adaptive supersampling allows selecting any reference phase independently of the set of phases used in the RG-FDK for a motion corrected reconstruction. Initial promising results from in vivo experiments are shown. The subjects individual 4D cardiac MVF could be computed from only three RG-FDK image volumes. In addition, all acquired projection data were motion corrected and subsequently used for image reconstruction to improve the signal-to-noise ratio compared to RG-FDK.
The effect of L-carnitine on growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing pigs (1994)

Ninety-six crossbred pigs (initially 75 lb BW) were used to investigate the effect of increasing dietary carnitine on growth performance and carcass characteristics in growing-finishing swine. Pigs (48 barrows and 48 gilts) were blocked by weight, ancestry, and sex in a randomized complete block design (two pigs per pen and eight pens per treatment). Dietary carnitine replaced cornstarch in the control diet to achieve added dietary carnitine levels of 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 ppm. Grower (75 to 125 lb) and finisher (125 to 227 lb) diets were formulated to contain 1.0% lysine and .80%, respectively. All diets were corn-soybean meal-based, contained .15% L-lysine HCl and 2.5% soy oil, and were fed in meal form. When the mean weight for pigs in a pen reached 227 lb, one pig per pen was slaughtered to determine carcass characteristics. Dietary carnitine did not influence growth performance during the growing or finishing phases. However, for the overall trial, the mean of all pigs fed dietary carnitine had numerically improved average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (F/G) when compared with pigs fed the control diet. Dietary carnitine reduced average backfat thickness and tenth rib backfat depth and increased longissimus muscle area, with 50 ppm providing the maximum response. These data suggest that 50 ppm L-carnitine fed during the growing-finishing phase had no effect on growth performance but resulted in increased muscle deposition and reduced fat accretion as measured by longissimus muscle area and average and tenth rib backfat depth.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 17, 1994
Bend-insensitive and effectively single-moded all-solid photonic bandgap fibers with heterostructured cladding (2009)

We propose a novel concept of cladding structure in all-solid photonic bandgap fibers. It promises low bending and confinement losses with single-mode operation. The mechanism is based on the new concept of heterostructured cladding.
<title>Semiautomatic dynamic video object marker creation</title> (1998)

In this paper, we propose a method for tracking a video object in an ordered sequence of two-dimensional images, where the outcome is the trajectory of the video object throughout the time sequence of images. This method is designed to run in real-time in a synchronous video collaboration environment, and is used for producing dynamic object annotations for enhanced video content understanding. A dynamic object is one whose location or size in the video frame constantly changes, due to the camera motion, its own motion, or both. We suggest a novel method for finding the trajectory of the object in the intermediate frames given the locations and shapes of the object in two end frames. In addition to the shape and location information of the object, its texture information in the end frames is used to predict the location and its search space in the intermediate frames.
Acoustic heating and thermometry in microfluidic channels (2003)

This paper presents the results of the work performed in establishing closed loop temperature control of fluids in microfluidic channels. Acoustic energy is used to introduce heat into localized regions of the channel. The temperature of the fluid in these regions is determined by using the relationship between the attenuation and speed of sound propagating in the fluid with temperature. The above two operations of heating and temperature measurement when used in unison serve as a very powerful tool in microfluidics. The system requires milli-watts of power for heating and has a temperature measurement accuracy of 0.1 degrees.
Response of dielectric elastomer actuators (2001)

Elastomer films sandwiched between compliant electrodes work as electrostatic actuators when a large electric field is applied over the electrodes. We have analyzed the mechanical and electrical response of actuators to a sinusoidal varying driving voltage. The actuator acts as a capacitor in the electric circuit, but due to very high strains, the capacitance changes during a work cycle. The extension of the actuator is electrostrictive in response, hence it depends on the square of the applied field and oscillates with twice the driving frequency. The response is non-linear. This change in dimension is coupled back into the electric circuit through the capacitance of the film and the current oscillates with the first, third and odd higher-order harmonics. Due to this coupling, measurements of the current allows one to determine the expansion of the actuator, and hence to control the actuator.
A Novel Built-In Self-Authentication Technique to Prevent Inserting Hardware Trojans (2014)

With the rapid globalization of the semiconductor industry, hardware Trojans have become a significant threat to government agencies and enterprises that require secure and reliable systems for their critical applications. Because of the diversity of hardware Trojans and the randomness associated with process variations, hardware Trojan detection is a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a novel technique, called built-in self-authentication (BISA), which can be used to make hardware Trojan insertion by untrusted Graphic Data System (GDSII) developer and untrusted foundry considerably more difficult and easier to detect. The unused spaces in the circuit layout represent the best opportunity to insert Trojans by these entities. BISA works by eliminating this spare space and filling it with functional filler cells, instead of nonfunctional filler cells. A self-testing procedure generates a digital signature that will be different if any BISA cells are changed because of hardware Trojan insertion. We demonstrate that BISA can be applied to any flat or bottom-up hierarchical design with negligible overhead in terms of area, power, and timing.
Plasma process-induced damage to Josephson tunnel junctions in superconducting integrated circuits (2007)

It has been found that the critical current of Josephson junctions in superconducting integrated circuits may depend on the environment surrounding the junctions and on how a particular junction is connected (wired) to other junctions and circuit elements. This may cause large, pattern-dependent deviations of the junctions' critical currents from design values and ultimately limit the yield and performance of superconducting digital integrated circuits. In particular, we have found a difference in the critical current of grounded and floating junctions, and a dependence of the critical current on the size of metal structures connected to the junction—the 'antenna' effect. Experimental data were obtained for Nb/AlOx/Nb Josephson junctions fabricated on 150 mm wafers by an 11-layer process for superconducting integrated circuits. The results are explained by plasma process-induced damage to ultra-thin tunnel barriers. The most damaging plasma processing fabrication steps are discussed.
Steering Study of Linear Differential Microphone Arrays (2020)

Differential microphone arrays (DMAs) can achieve high directivity and frequency-invariant spatial response with small apertures; they also have a great potential to be used in a wide spectrum of applications for high-fidelity sound acquisition. Although many efforts have been made to address the design of linear DMAs (LDMAs), most developed methods so far only work for the situation where the source of interest is incident from the endfire direction. This paper studies the steering problem of differential beamformers with linear microphone arrays. We present new insights into beam steering of LDMAs and propose a series of steerable differential beamformers. The major contributions of this paper are as follows. 1) A series of ideal functions are defined to describe the ideal, target beampatterns of LDMAs. 2) We prove that first-order differential beamformers with linear microphone arrays are not steerable and their mainlobes can only be at the endfire directions. 3) We deduce the fundamental conditions for designing steerable differential beamformers with LDMAs. 4) We develop a method to design steerable beamformers with LDMAs using null constraints. Simulations and experiments validate the properties of the developed method.
Formant tracking using context-dependent phonemic information (2005)

A new formant-tracking algorithm using phoneme information is proposed. Conventional formant-tracking algorithms obtain formant tracks by analyzing the acoustic speech signal using continuity constraints without any additional information. The formant-tracking error rate of the conventional methods is reportedly in the range of 10%-20%. In this paper, we show that if text or phoneme transcription of speech utterances is available, the error rate can be significantly reduced. The basic idea behind this approach is that given the phoneme identity, formant-tracking algorithms can have a better clue of where to look for formants. The algorithm consists of three phases: 1) analysis, 2) segmentation and alignment, and 3) formant tracking by the Viterbi searching algorithm. In the analysis phase, formant candidates are obtained for each analysis frame by solving the linear prediction polynomial. In the segmentation and alignment phase, the text corresponding to the input speech utterance is converted into a sequence of phoneme symbols. Then, the phoneme sequence is time aligned with the speech utterance. A hidden Markov model (HMM) based automatic segmentation algorithm is used for forced-time alignment. For each phoneme segment, nominal formant frequencies are assigned at the center of each phoneme segment. Then nominal formant tracks for the entire utterance are obtained by interpolating the nominal formant frequencies. In order to compensate for the coarticulation effect, different interpolation methods are used depending on the phonemic context. The interpolation process makes the formant-tracking algorithm robust to possible segmentation errors made by the HMM-based segmentation algorithm. As a result, the proposed formant-tracking algorithm does not require highly accurate alignment/segmentation. Finally, a set of formants is chosen from the formant candidates in such a way that the resulting formant tracks come close to the nominal formant tracks while satisfying the continuity constraints. The algorithm is tested using natural speech utterances and the performance is compared against formant tracks obtained by the conventional method using continuity constraints only. The new algorithm significantly reduces the formant-tracking error rate (5.03% for male and 3.73% for female) over the conventional formant-tracking algorithm (13.00% for male and 15.82% for female).
Endogenous Targets of Transcriptional Gene Silencing in Arabidopsis (2000)

Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) frequently inactivates foreign genes integrated into plant genomes but very likely also suppresses an unknown subset of chromosomal information. Accordingly, RNA analysis of mutants impaired in silencing should uncover endogenous targets of this epigenetic regulation. We compared transcripts from wild-type Arabidopsis carrying a silent transgene with RNA from an isogenic transgene-expressing TGS mutant. Two cDNA clones were identified representing endogenous RNA expressed only in the mutant. The synthesis of these RNAs was found to be released in several mutants affected in TGS, implying that TGS in general and not a particular mutation controls the transcriptional activity of their templates. Detailed analysis revealed that the two clones are part of longer transcripts termed TSI (for transcriptionally silent information). Two major classes of related TSI transcripts were found in a mutant cDNA library. They are synthesized from repeats present in heterochromatic pericentromeric regions of Arabidopsis chromosomes. These repeats share sequence homology with the 3' terminal part of the putative retrotransposon Athila. However, the transcriptional activation does not include the transposon itself and does not promote its movement. There is no evidence for a general release of silencing from retroelements. Thus, foreign genes in plants encounter the epigenetic control normally directed, at least in part, toward a subset of pericentromeric repeats.
A Magnetoresistive Tactile Sensor for Harsh Environment Applications (2016)

A magnetoresistive tactile sensor is reported, which is capable of working in high temperatures up to 140 °C. Hair-like bioinspired structures, known as cilia, made out of permanent magnetic nanocomposite material on top of spin-valve giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors are used for tactile sensing at high temperatures. The magnetic nanocomposite, consisting of iron nanowires incorporated into the polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), is very flexible, biocompatible, has high remanence, and is also resilient to antagonistic sensing ambient. When the cilia come in contact with a surface, they deflect in compliance with the surface topology. This yields a change of the GMR sensor signal, enabling the detection of extremely fine features. The spin-valve is covered with a passivation layer, which enables adequate performance in spite of harsh environmental conditions, as demonstrated in this paper for high temperature.
<title>Test results for an SMA-actuated vortex wake control system</title> (1999)

This paper describes recent test result obtained on a prototype SMA-actuated foil that serves as a key element in a vortex wake control scheme for lifting surfaces. Previous papers have described the theoretical basis and feasibility studies for this scheme - which is based on a novel wake control known as vortex leveraging - as well as prior work on device design, test planning, and fabrication. The critical item in the realization of this scheme is a Smart Vortex Leveraging Tab (SVLT), a device designed to provide perturbations in the vortex system downstream of lifting surfaces at frequencies and amplitudes carefully selected to accelerate overall wake breakup. The paper summarizes the background of the effort, but focuses on the detail design and fabrication techniques used in the construction of a prototype SVLT and the results of water tunnel tests of a near full-scale prototype device.
Shear‐induced orientation of side‐group liquid‐crystalline polymers (1994)

Side group liquid‐crystalline polymers (SG‐LCP) will need to be macroscopically oriented if the applications foreseen for them are to be realized. The first observation of oscillatory‐sheer‐induced alignment of an SG‐LCP melt (the Figure shows a schematic of the rheo‐optical apparatus used) is reported. This discovery widens the potential applications of SG‐LCPs, but also raises fundamental questions regarding the mechanism of flow‐induced alignment. magnified image
Engineering Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrices: Decellularization, Characterization, and Biological Function (2020)

Stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells and pluripotent stem cells, have attracted considerable attention in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine primarily because of their unique ability in self-renewal and multilineage differentiation. However, stem cells also have important secretory functions that form a specialized <i>in vivo</i> microenvironment and direct tissue development and regeneration. Extracellular matrices (ECMs) derived from stem cells retain the functional properties of their native environment and exhibit unique signaling that mediates stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment. Stem cell-derived ECMs (scECMs) also have tunable properties corresponding to their developmental stages, suggesting that their lineage- and developmental specificity can be engineered for a wide range of applications. Hence, there is a growing interest in reconstructing stem cell microenvironment through decellularization and obtaining decellularized matrices that exhibit unique biological properties. This article summarizes recent advances in the use and understanding of scECMs. Moreover, future directions to extend the spectrum of applications of stem-derived ECMs in tissue engineering by comprehensively elucidating and engineering their regulatory function is highlighted. Impact statement Stem cells bear unique potency for multilineage differentiation as well as the capacity to secrete a vast amount of regulatory molecules. At different developmental stages, the extracellular matrices (ECMs) secreted by stem cells regulate their microenvironment and direct tissue development. The decellularization of stem cells effectively preserves ECM functional properties and can provide suitable templates to regulate stem cell fate decision, which can hardly be reproduced using single ECM proteins or synthetic scaffolds. This review highlights the unique regulatory functions of stem cell-derived ECMs, which can serve as novel sources of highly bioactive materials for tissue engineering and cell therapy.
Prognostic utility of autoantibodies to α‐enolase and <scp>H</scp>sp70 for cancer of the gingivo‐buccal complex using immunoproteomics (2012)

Autoantibody response against α-ENO and Hsp70 provides an additional parameter and may be utilized along with nodal involvement and differentiation status for better prognosis of cancer of GBC.