Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soil-Structure Interaction Effects on the Seismic Response of Low-Rise Eccentrically Braced Frames

The importance of soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects on the seismic response of buildings has been long recognized and has been researched for over 40 years. However, SSI analysis has only been applied in a few building projects because the fixed base condition is considered to provide a conservative estimation for the response of buildings under seismic loads. This assumption of a fixed base condition adopted by practitioners is not always conservative or cost-effective, especially for rigid buildings over soft soils. Additionally, for the case of ductile steel frames with eccentric configurations, the influence of SSI on their seismic performance has not been investigated. In this study, the seismic performance of eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) considering SSI effects is investigated using analytical models. Background information and modern guidelines available to consider SSI in the seismic analysis of buildings are presented and discussed. Following, a 3-story building with EBFs on shallow foundations is analyzed with and without SSI. The beam on Winkler foundation approach is used to model the linear and nonlinear soil-foundation interface behavior, considering linear-elastic, elastic-perfectly plastic, and nonlinear springs. Inter-story drifts, residual drifts, link rotations, and axial load column demands were similar for frames with flexible base and fixed base conditions when elastic and elasticperfectly plastic springs were used. However, when nonlinear springs were used, frames with a flexible base showed a significant reduction in their responses in comparison to those observed for the fixed base condition. As a result, a reduction in frame member sizes was possible and justified through SSI analyses.
Molecular analyses of two poly(A) site-processing factors that determine the recognition and efficiency of cleavage of the pre-mRNA

Poly(A) site processing of a pre-mRNA requires the participation of multiple nuclear factors. Two of these factors recognize specific sequences in the pre-mRNA and form a stable processing complex. Since these initial interactions are likely critical for the recognition of the poly(A) site and the efficiency of poly(A) site use, we have characterized these factors and the nature of their interaction with the pre-mRNA. The AAUAAA specificity factor PF2 is a large, multicomponent complex composed of at least five distinct polypeptides ranging in molecular size from 170 to 42 kDa. The 170-kDa polypeptide appears to mediate interaction with the pre-mRNA. Factor CF1, which provides specificity for the downstream G + U-rich element and stabilizes the PF2 interaction on the RNA, is also a multicomponent complex but is less complex than PF2. CF1 is composed of three polypeptides of molecular sizes 76, 64, and 48 kDa. UV cross-linking assays demonstrate that the 64-kDa polypeptide makes direct contact with the RNA, dependent on the G + U-rich downstream sequence element. Moreover, it is clear that these RNA-protein interactions are influenced by the apparent cooperative interaction involving PF2 and CF1, interactions that contribute to the efficiency of poly(A) site processing.
Sharing FSS satellite C band with secondary small cells and D2D communications

Efficient secondary use of satellite spectrum is studied in this paper. Terrestrial mobile communication system accesses the C band spectrum using low power small cells or device-to-device (D2D) transmission mode. Link budget analysis conducted with a realistic path loss model in an urban environment shows that protection zones are dependent on multiple parameters such as antenna patterns, elevation angles of satellite earth stations and transmission power of terrestrial users. Impact of mentioned parameters as well as e.g., shielding and aggregate interference to the protection distances is analyzed.
Energy Resolution Contributions in Reach-Through Avalanche Photodiodes

Avalanche photodiodes (APD) are used in the muonic helium Lamb shift experiment for detection of 8 keV X-rays. Reach-through APDs from Hamamatsu Photonics have been investigated for X-ray detection as alternative to conventional APDs. In order to evaluate the different contributions to the energy resolution obtained in a reach-through APD, its response to both 8 keV X-rays and visible light pulses was investigated. The intrinsic resolution was estimated by further measurements of the electronic noise contribution and the gain non-uniformity was assessed. The excess noise factor was determined. Results at different temperatures are presented.
Dedicated to Lu Qi-keng on the Occasion of His 80th Birthday Lu Qi-keng Conjectue and Hua Domain

The first part I talk about the motivation for Lu Qi-Keng conjecture and the results about the presence or absence of zeroes of the Bergman kernel function of a bounded domain in C. The second part I summarize the main results on Hua domains, such as the explicit Bergman kernel function, comparison theorem for the invariant metrics, explicit complete EinsteinKähler metrics, the equivalence between the Einstein-Kähler metric and the Bergman metric etc. I. Lu Qi-Keng Conjecture Lu Qi-Keng conjecture comes on a problem in Lu’s paper ”The Kähler manifolds with constant curvature”[1]. That paper is written by Chinese and published in Acta Mathematica Sinica, 1966,16:269-281. Which was the last one before the culture revolution. Fortunately that paper was chosen to be translated in English and published in ”Chinese Mathematics”(1966,8: 283-298). Therefore that paper was known in the world. That problem is called Lu Qi-Keng conjecture firstly in 1969 by M.Skwarczynski in his paper ”The invariant distance in the theory of pseudoconformal transformations and the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture”[2]. Since then, there are many mathematicians to research the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture, for example, Harold P.Boas, Emil J. Straube. In 1979, R.E. Greene and H.Wu expatiated the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture in their monograph ”Function theory on manifolds which posses a pole”(published by Springer Verlag, Lecture Notes in Mathematics 699). 1982 S.G. Krantz expatiated the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture in his monograph ”Function Theory of Complex Variables”(John Wiley Sons,P.53). In 1993, M.Jarnicki and P.Pflug expatiated the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture in their monograph ”Invariant Distances and Metrics in Complex Analysis” (Walter de Gruyter, P.184). H.P.Boas gave a lecture titled ”Lu Qi-keng’s Problem” in International Conference KSCV3 in 1998, which is published in 2000[3]. In his excellent survey summarizes the various results and methods on the Lu Qi-Keng conjecture since 1969 and six open problems are stated. He said: ”It is a difficult to determine whether the Bergman kernel function of a specific domain has zeroes or not. If the kernel function is presented as an infinite series, then locating the zeroes may be of the same order of difficulty as proving the Riemann hypothesis; and even if the series can be summed in closed form, determining whether or not 0 is in the range may be hard. ” Lu Qi-Keng agrees to organize an International Workshop on ”Zeroes of the Bergman kernel function” in the next year, which will be sponsored by the Academy 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. 32H10, 32F15.
An Interactive System to Learn Functional Logic Programs

The problem of learning functional logic programs from positive examples is addressed. We describe a system, called FILP, which asks existential queries to the user, and is able to learn multiple predicates and recursive clauses. We prove that the learned descriptions are correct in the sense that they are consistent with the given examples. Moreover, a correct solution is always found if it exists.
Interaction of human stefin B in the prefibrillar oligomeric form with membranes

Protein aggregation is central to most neurodegenerative diseases, as shown by familial case studies and by animal models. A modified ‘amyloid cascade’ hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease states that prefibrillar oligomers, also called amyloid‐β‐derived diffusible ligands or globular oligomers, are the responsible toxic agent. It has been proposed that these oligomeric species, as shown for amyloid‐β, β2‐microglobulin or prion fragments, exert toxicity by forming pores in membranes, initiating a cascade of detrimental events for the cell. Interaction of granular aggregates and globular oligomers of an amyloidogenic protein, human stefin B, with model lipid membranes and monolayers was studied. Prefibrillar oligomers/aggregates of stefin B are shown to cause concentration‐dependent membrane leaking, in contrast to the homologous stefin A. Prefibrillar oligomers/aggregates of stefin B also increase the surface pressure at an air–water interface, i.e. they have amphipathic character and are surface seeking. In addition, they show stronger interaction with 1,2‐dioleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine and 1,2‐dioleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐[phospho‐rac‐(1‐glycerol)] monolayers than native stefin A or nonaggregated stefin B. Prefibrillar aggregates interact predominantly with acidic phospholipids, such as dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol or dipalmitoylphosphatidylserine, as shown by calcein release experiments and surface plasmon resonance. The same preparations are toxic to neuroblastoma cells, as determined by the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2H‐tetrazolium assay, again in contrast to the homologue stefin A, which does not aggregate under any of the conditions studied. This study is aimed to contribute to the general model of cellular toxicity induced by prefibrillar oligomers of amyloidogenic proteins, not necessarily involved in pathology.
Noninvasive evaluation of local myocardial thickening and its color-coded imaging

For the noninvasive diagnosis of heart disease based on the acoustic characteristics of the heart muscle, we have developed a new method for accurately tracking the movement of the heart wall. By this method, a velocity signal of the heart wall with a small amplitude of less than 10 /spl mu/m on the motion resulting from a heartbeat with large amplitude of 10 mm can be successfully detected with sufficient reproducibility in the frequency range up to several hundred Hertz continuously for periods of about 10 heartbeats. In this paper, the method is applied to multiple points preset in the left ventricular (LV) wall along the ultrasonic beam so that the spatial (depth) distributions of the velocity at these points are simultaneously obtained. The motion of the heart wall is divided into the following two components: parallel global motion of the heart wall and the change in myocardial layer thickening at each depth across the LV wall during myocardial contraction/relaxation. The latter component is superimposed on the M (motion) mode image using a color code to map contraction as red and expansion as blue. By preliminary human studies, the principle of the method proposed in this paper is verified and the frequency band of the components generated by thickening and/or thinning in the myocardium is identified. This new approach offers potential for research on noninvasive acoustical diagnosis of myocardial local motility, that is, the myocardial layer function at each depth in the ventricular wall.
Leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium induces E-selectin linkage to the actin cytoskeleton

We have examined functions of the cytoplasmic domain of E-selectin, an inducible endothelial transmembrane protein, especially its ability to associate with the cytoskeleton during leukocyte adhesion. Confocal microscopy of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) visualized clustering of E-selectin molecules in the vicinity of leukocyte-endothelial cell attachment sites. A detergent based extraction and Western blotting procedure demonstrated an association of E-selectin with the insoluble (cytoskeletal) fraction of endothelial monolayers that correlated with adhesion of leukocytes via an E-selectin-dependent mechanism. A mutant form of E-selectin lacking the cytoplasmic domain (tailless E-selectin) was expressed in COS-7 cell and supported leukocyte attachment (in a nonstatic adhesion assay) in a fashion similar to the native E-selectin molecule, but failed to become associated with the cytoskeletal fraction. To identify the cytoskeletal components that associate with the cytoplasmic domain of E-selectin, paramagnetic beads coated with the adhesion-blocking anti-E-selectin monoclonal antibody H18/7 were incubated with IL-1 beta-activated HUVEC, and then subjected to detergent extraction and magnetic separation. Certain actin-associated proteins, including alpha-actinin, vinculin, filamin, paxillin, as well as focal adhesion kinase (FAK), were copurified by this procedure, however talin was not. When a mechanical stress was applied to H18/7- coated ferromagnetic beads bound to the surface of IL-1 beta-activated HUVEC, using a magnetical twisting cytometer, the observed resistance to the applied stress was inhibited by cytochalasin D, thus demonstrating transmembrane cytoskeletal mechanical linkage. COS-7 cells transfected with the tailless E-selectin failed to show resistance to the twisting stress. Taken together, these data indicate that leukocyte adhesion to cytokine-activated HUVEC induces transmembrane cytoskeletal linkage of E-selectin through its cytoplasmic domain, a process which may have important implications for cell-cell signaling as well as mechanical anchoring during leukocyte- endothelial adhesive interactions.
Polymorphisms in the galanin gene are associated with symptom-severity in female patients suffering from panic disorder.

BACKGROUND Galanin (GAL) is a neuropeptide, which is expressed primarily in limbic nuclei in the brain and mediates miscellaneous physiological processes and behaviors. In animal studies, both the application of GAL and antagonism of its receptors have been shown to affect anxiety-like and depression-related behavior. In humans, intravenous administration of the neuropeptide galanin has been reported to have fast antidepressant efficacy. Furthermore, GAL is involved in hypothalamic-hypophysiotropic signalling and cosecreted with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), possibly acting as a mediator of estrogen action. METHODS In this study six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the gene coding for GAL were analyzed for possible associations with diagnosis and severity of symptoms in 121 male and female patients suffering from panic disorder (PD). RESULTS Our results suggest an association between genetic variations in the GAL-gene and severity of PD-symptoms in female patients. The most pronounced effects could be observed for two haplotypes containing the closely linked, non-protein-coding SNPs rs948854 and rs4432027. Both polymorphisms are located within CpG-dinucleotides in the promoter region of GAL and thus might be involved in epigenetic regulation of the GAL-gene. LIMITATIONS A relatively small patient sample was analyzed in this study, the herein presented results need to be validated in independent studies. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study underline the potential of further genetic research concerning GAL and a possible role of this neuropeptide in the pathogenesis of female PD. In this regard, GAL and its receptors appear to be a promising target for pharmacological therapy of anxiety and affective disorders.
Biaxial Fiber Bragg Grating Accelerometer Using Axial and Transverse Forces

We demonstrate the first biaxial fiber Bragg grating (FBG) accelerometer using axial and transverse forces. An inertial object is fixed at the middle of two FBGs inscribed in one fiber. The difference between the resonant wavelengths of the two FBGs can distinguish the acceleration in the axial direction, while being insensitive in the transverse direction. The average of the resonant wavelengths of the two FBGs can distinguish the acceleration in the transverse direction, while being insensitive in the axial direction. In the experiments, when the transverse direction was vertical, the crest-to-trough sensitivity at 5 Hz and resonant frequency of the average were 0.545 nm/g and 34.42 Hz, respectively. When the axial direction was vertical, those of the difference were 0.0454 nm/g and 900 Hz, respectively. For each FBG, the crest-to-trough sensitivity at 5 Hz and resonant frequency in the transverse/vertical direction were 24 and 1/26 times those in the axial/vertical direction, respectively.
Multilevel Hypergraph Partitioning: Application In Vlsi Domain

In this paper, we present a new hypergraph partitioning algorithmthat is based on the multilevel paradigm. In the multilevel paradigm,a sequence of successively coarser hypergraphs is constructed. Abisection of the smallest hypergraph is computed and it is used toobtain a bisection of the original hypergraph by successively projectingand refining the bisection to the next level finer hypergraph.We evaluate the performance both in terms of the size of the hyper-edgecut on the bisection as well as run time on a number of VLSIcircuits. Our experiments show that our multilevel hypergraph partitioningalgorithm produces high quality partitioning in relativelysmall amount of time. The quality of the partitionings produced byour scheme are on the average 4% to 23% better than those producedby other state-of-the-art schemes. Furthermore, our partitioning algorithmissignificantly faster, often requiring 4 to 15 times less timethan that required by the other schemes. Our multilevel hypergraphpartitioning algorithm scales very well for large hypergraphs. Hypergraphswith over 100,000 vertices can be bisected in a few minuteson today's workstations. Also, on the large hypergraphs, ourscheme outperforms other schemes (in hyperedge cut) quite consistentlywith larger margins (9% to 30%).
Illusionary Self-Motion Perception in Zebrafish

Zebrafish mutant belladonna (bel) carries a mutation in the lhx2 gene (encoding a Lim domain homeobox transcription factor) that results in a defect in retinotectal axon pathfinding, which can lead to uncrossed optic nerves failing to form an optic chiasm. Here, we report on a novel swimming behavior of the bel mutants, best described as looping. Together with two previously reported oculomotor instabilities that have been related to achiasmatic bel mutants, reversed optokinetic response (OKR) and congenital nystagmus (CN, involuntary conjugate oscillations of both eyes), looping opens a door to study the influence of visual input and eye movements on postural balance. Our result shows that looping correlates perfectly with reversed OKR and CN and is vision-dependent and contrast sensitive. CN precedes looping and the direction of the CN slow phase is predictive of the looping direction, but is absent during looping. Therefore, looping may be triggered by CN in bel. Moreover, looping in wild-type fish can also be evoked by whole-field motion, suggesting that looping in a bel mutant larvae is a result of self-motion perception. In contrary to previous hypotheses, our findings indicate that postural control in vertebrates relies on both direct visual input (afference signal) and eye-movement-related signals (efference copy or reafference signal).
Weak localization in monolayer and bilayer graphene

We demonstrate quantitative experimental evidence for a weak localization correction to the conductivity in monolayer and bilayer graphene systems. We show how inter- and intra-valley elastic scattering control the correction in small magnetic fields in a way which is unique to graphene. A clear difference in the forms of the correction is observed in the two systems, which shows the importance of the interplay between the elastic scattering mechanisms and how they can be distinguished. Our observation of the correction at zero-net carrier concentration in both systems is clear evidence of the inhomogeneity engendered into the graphene layers by disorder.
Model of Jupiter's Current Sheet With a Piecewise Current Density

We develop a new empirical model of Jupiter's equatorial current sheet or magnetodisk, constructed by combining successful elements from several previous models. The new model employs a disk‐like current of constant north‐south thickness in which the current density is piecewise dependent on the distance ρ from Jupiter's dipole axis, proportional to ρ−1 at distances between ∼7 and ∼30 RJ and again at distances between ∼50 and ∼95 RJ, and to be continuous in value but proportional to ρ−2 at distances between. For this reason we term the model the Piecewise Current Disk model. The model also takes into account the curvature of the magnetodisk with distance and azimuth due to finite radial propagation speed and solar wind effects. It is taken to be applicable in the radial distance range between ∼5 and ∼60 RJ. Optimized parameters have been determined for Juno magnetic field data obtained on Perijove‐01, with the model showing overall the lowest root‐mean‐square deviation from the data compared with similarly optimized earlier models.
How Inexpensive Does an Alcohol Intervention in Kenya Need to be in Order to Deliver Favorable Value by Reducing HIV-Related Morbidity and Mortality?

HIV remains a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality with 100000 new infections and an estimated 62000 deaths in 2011. At the same time unhealthy alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for HIV acquisition and progression. Kenya has one of the highest rates of unhealthy alcohol use worldwide and as many as 13% of new HIV infections in Kenya may be attributable to unhealthy alcohol use. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions addressing unhealthy alcohol consumption in Kenya show promising results increasing abstinence by 45% and decreasing risky sex. However alcohol remains conspicuously absent from programming in HIV and substance abuse. In low-resource settings the benefits of scaling up an effective intervention must be balanced against the opportunity costs of using those resources to scale up alternative interventions with potential benefit (for example increasingly eligibility for first-line antiretroviral therapy). Accordingly the researchers used a published validated computer simulation of the HIV epidemic in Kenya incorporating HIV transmission and disease progression to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the alcohol intervention reported by Papas et al. Given the uncertainty surrounding costs of scale-up they varied costing assumption over a wide range to identify the threshold at which its incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) descended below those of alternative resource uses (e.g. when an alcohol intervention brought more “health” than alternative resource uses). [excerpt]
Synthesis and structure-activity study of protease inhibitors. IV. Amidinonaphthols and related acyl derivatives.

Various amidinonaphthols and their acyl derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activities against trypsin, plasmin, kallikrein, thrombin, Clr and Cls, as well as against in vitro complement-mediated hemolysis. 6-Amidino-2-naphthyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (74, FUT-175) was found to have potent inhibitory activities, particularly against trypsin (IC50 : 0.02 μM), Clr (IC50 : 0.1 μM) and Cls (IC50 : 0.02 μM), and to be highly effective in inhibiting the complement-mediated hemolysis (IC50 : 0.03μM). FUT-175, furthermore, showed considerable effectiveness in the systemic Forssman shock reaction, in which involvement of the complement system as the pathogenetic factor is well established.