Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of the Spatially Varying Earthquake Ground Motion on Random Hydrodynamic Pressures

In this paper, the effects of the spatially varying earthquake ground motion on random hydrodynamic pressures are investigated considering dam-reservoir-foundation interaction by Lagrangian approach. For this purpose, variable-number-nodes two-dimensional fluid finite elements based on the Lagrangian approach is programmed in FORTRAN language and incorporated into a general-purpose computer program SVEM, which is used for stochastic dynamic analysis of solid systems under spatially varying earthquake ground motion. The spatial variability of ground motion is taken into account with the incoherence, wave-passage and site response effects. As the effect of the wave-passage is investigated by using wave velocities of 1000 m/s, 1500 m/s and 2000 m/s, the incoherence effect is examined by considering the Harichandran-Vanmarcke and Luco Wong coherency models. The changing of the soil conditions from firm to soft soil types are selected for considering the site-response effect where the foundation supports are constructed. The effects of transient response and the water compressibility on hydrodynamic pressures are also investigated. The ground motion is described by filtered white noise and applied to each support point of the two dimensional finite element model of the dam-reservoir-foundation system in horizontal direction. It is observed that the spatially varying earthquake ground motion affects the mean of maximum values of random hydrodynamic pressures considerably.
Recency Effects for Meaning and Form in Word Selection

Three experiments examined the contribution of phonological availability in selecting words as predicted by interactive activation models of word production. Homophonous words such as week and weak permitted a word's phonological form to be activated on priming trials without selection of its meaning or lemma. Recent production of a homophone failed to significantly increase production of its twin as a sentence completion. However, speakers were significantly more likely to complete a sentence with a recently read or generated unambiguous word. This increase in response probability was unaffected by word frequency. The results constrain the degree to which experience and phonological availability may affect word selection in spoken language production.
Predictors of lung function test severity and outcome in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease

Systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) is the leading cause of death in SSc. In this study, we aimed to describe the baseline severity and evolution of forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in patients with SSc-ILD and to assess the baseline clinical, biological and high-resolution CT scan (HRCT) predictors of this evolution. Baseline and serial FVC and DLCO were collected in 75 SSc-ILD patients followed during 6.4±4.2 years (n = 557 individual data). FVC and DLCO evolution was modelled using a linear mixed model with random effect. During follow-up, FVC was stable while DLCO significantly decreased (-1.5±0.3%/year (p<0.0001). Baseline NYHA functional class III/IV, extensive SSc-ILD on HRCT and DLCO<80% were associated with a lower baseline FVC. Absence of digital ulcers extensive SSc-ILD, and FVC<80% and were associated with a lower baseline DLCO. Presence or history of digital ulcers and presence of pulmonary hypertension at baseline or during follow-up were associated with a faster decline of DLCO overtime. Neither age, gender, subtype of SSc nor specificity of autoantibodies were associated with baseline severity or outcome of lung function tests. In this SSc-ILD population, FVC was therefore stable while DLCO significantly declined over time. ILD extension was associated with baseline FVC and DLCO but not with their evolution. Presence or history of digital ulcers and pulmonary hypertension were predictors of a faster decline of DLCO over time.
How Information Management Capability Influences Firm Performance

How do information technology capabilities contribute to firm performance? This study develops a conceptual model linking IT-enabled information management capability with three important organizational capabilities (customer management capability, process management capability, and performance management capability). We argue that these three capabilities mediate the relationship between information management capability and firm performance. We use a rare archival data set from a conglomerate business group that had adopted a model of performance excellence for organizational transformation based on the Baldrige criteria. This data set contains actual scores from high quality assessments of firms and intraorganizational units of the conglomerate, and hence provides unobtrusive measures of the key constructs to validate our conceptual model. We find that information management capability plays an important role in developing other firm capabilities for customer management, process management, and performance management. In turn, these capabilities favorably influence customer, financial, human resources, and organizational effectiveness measures of firm performance. Among key managerial implications, senior leaders must focus on creating necessary conditions for developing IT infrastructure and information management capability because they play a foundational role in building other capabilities for improved firm performance. The Baldrige model also needs some changes to more explicitly acknowledge the role and importance of information management capability so that senior leaders know where to begin in their journey toward business excellence.
Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Strain Transfer Rate in Coated Fiber Bragg Grating Strain Sensors

Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have seen significant development in recent years, especially in the aerospace industry for structural health monitoring due to their versatility and measurement capability. Improvement in sensor's reliability and accuracy, however, continue to be two parameters critical to the eventual implementation of this technology in high value targets and can be enhanced by the effect of both mechanical and optical characteristics of the fiber. This thesis presents an evaluation of the strain transfer capability of different coated FBG strain sensors (i.e. Gold, Polyamide and Acrylic) bonded to metallic host structures. A theoretical relationship for the strain transfer rate from the host structure to the fiber core has been developed. This relationship considers the strain transfer loss through the layers of the system based on their material properties and their geometry. In addition, a simulated analysis using finite element modeling has been developed. Parametric analysis of both the analytical and simulation models revealed the impact of coating material selection, coating thickness selection, and bonding condition on the strain transfer loss. Results illustrate that metallic fiber coatings (i.e. Gold) are more suitable for improved strain transfer than their polymeric counterparts. Additionally a set of experiments were conducted using Acrylic coated FBG sensor bonded to an Aluminium sample to validate the results from theory and the simulation. The strain on the FBG sensor was measured and compared with a calibrated strain gauge mounted on the host structure to characterize the strain transfer loss. The experimental results were compared with the results for the same configuration of the sensor and its host structure, from the theory and simulation and were found to be in good agreement.
Fluctuating asymmetry, sociosexuality, and intrasexual competitive tactics.

Heterosexual men and women were told they were competing with another same-sex individual for a date with an attractive opposite-sex interviewer. After answering 6 questions, participants were asked to tell the competitor why the interviewer should choose them over the competitor. Participants' videotaped behavior was coded for different behavioral tactics. Men who were more symmetrical and who had a more unrestricted sociosexual orientation were more likely to use direct competition tactics than were less symmetrical and restricted men. Restricted men accentuated their positive personal qualities, presenting themselves as "nice guys. " Structural equation modeling revealed that fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was directly associated with the use of direct competition tactics. However, the link between FA and presenting oneself as a nice guy was mediated through sociosexuality. No effects were found for women.
Resveratrol Protects Cortical Neurons against Microglia‐mediated Neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation is closely associated with the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. The hallmark of neuroinflammation is considered to be microglial activation. Therefore, inhibition of microglial activation might hold a promising therapy for neurological disorders. Resveratrol, a natural non‐flavonoid polyphenol found in grapes and red wine, has been recognized as a bioactive agent with potential benefit for health. Several lines of evidence show that resveratrol could exert neuroprotection against ischemia, seizure, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying its beneficial neuroprotective effects are poorly defined. Here, by using rat primary cortical neuron‐glia cultures, results showed that resveratrol attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced cortical neurotoxicity. Further studies revealed that microglia were responsible for resveratrol‐mediated neuroprotection. Resveratrol significantly inhibited LPS‐induced microglial activation and subsequent production of multiple pro‐inflammatory and cytotoxic factors such as tumor necrosis factor‐α, nitric oxide, and interleukin‐1β. Collectively, resveratrol produced neuroprotection against microglia‐induced neurotoxicity. Thus, resveratrol might represent a potential benefit for the treatment of inflammation‐related neurological disorders. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What Is an Opinion About? Exploring Political Standpoints Using Opinion Scoring Model

In this paper, we propose a generative model to automatically discover the hidden associations between topics words and opinion words. By applying those discovered hidden associations, we construct the opinion scoring models to extract statements which best express opinionists’ standpoints on certain topics. For experiments, we apply our model to the political area. First, we visualize the similarities and dissimilarities between Republican and Democratic senators with respect to various topics. Second, we compare the performance of the opinion scoring models with 14 kinds of methods to find the best ones. We find that sentences extracted by our opinion scoring models can effectively express opinionists’ standpoints.
Memory Networks

Abstract: We describe a new class of learning models called memory networks. Memory networks reason with inference components combined with a long-term memory component; they learn how to use these jointly. The long-term memory can be read and written to, with the goal of using it for prediction. We investigate these models in the context of question answering (QA) where the long-term memory effectively acts as a (dynamic) knowledge base, and the output is a textual response. We evaluate them on a large-scale QA task, and a smaller, but more complex, toy task generated from a simulated world. In the latter, we show the reasoning power of such models by chaining multiple supporting sentences to answer questions that require understanding the intension of verbs.
Biological Monitoring for Depleted Uranium Exposure in U.S. Veterans

Background As part of an ongoing medical surveillance program for U.S. veterans exposed to depleted uranium (DU), biological monitoring of urine uranium (U) concentrations is offered to any veteran of the Gulf War and those serving in more recent conflicts (post-Gulf War veterans). Objectives Since a previous report of surveillance findings in 2004, an improved methodology for determination of the isotopic ratio of U in urine (235U:238U) has been developed and allows for more definitive evaluation of DU exposure. This report updates previous findings. Methods Veterans provide a 24-hr urine specimen and complete a DU exposure questionnaire. Specimens are sent to the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center for processing. Uranium concentration and isotopic ratio are measured using ICP-MS at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Results Between January 2003 and June 2008, we received 1,769 urine specimens for U analysis. The mean urine U measure was 0.009 μg U/g creatinine. Mean urine U concentrations for Gulf War and post-Gulf War veterans were 0.008 and 0.009 μg U/g creatinine, respectively. Only 3 of the 1,700 (0.01%) specimens for which we completed isotopic determination showed evidence of DU. Exposure histories confirmed that these three individuals had been involved in “friendly fire” incidents involving DU munitions or armored vehicles. Conclusions No urine U measure with a “depleted” isotopic signature has been detected in U.S. veterans without a history of retained DU embedded fragments from previous injury. These findings suggest that future DU-related health harm is unlikely in veterans without DU fragments.
Zebrafish Bone and General Physiology Are Differently Affected by Hormones or Changes in Gravity

Teleost fish such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) are increasingly used for physiological, genetic and developmental studies. Our understanding of the physiological consequences of altered gravity in an entire organism is still incomplete. We used altered gravity and drug treatment experiments to evaluate their effects specifically on bone formation and more generally on whole genome gene expression. By combining morphometric tools with an objective scoring system for the state of development for each element in the head skeleton and specific gene expression analysis, we confirmed and characterized in detail the decrease or increase of bone formation caused by a 5 day treatment (from 5dpf to 10 dpf) of, respectively parathyroid hormone (PTH) or vitamin D3 (VitD3). Microarray transcriptome analysis after 24 hours treatment reveals a general effect on physiology upon VitD3 treatment, while PTH causes more specifically developmental effects. Hypergravity (3g from 5dpf to 9 dpf) exposure results in a significantly larger head and a significant increase in bone formation for a subset of the cranial bones. Gene expression analysis after 24 hrs at 3g revealed differential expression of genes involved in the development and function of the skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine and cardiovascular systems. Finally, we propose a novel type of experimental approach, the "Reduced Gravity Paradigm", by keeping the developing larvae at 3g hypergravity for the first 5 days before returning them to 1g for one additional day. 5 days exposure to 3g during these early stages also caused increased bone formation, while gene expression analysis revealed a central network of regulatory genes (hes5, sox10, lgals3bp, egr1, edn1, fos, fosb, klf2, gadd45ba and socs3a) whose expression was consistently affected by the transition from hyper- to normal gravity.
Strategies for positive and negative relevance feedback in image retrieval

Relevance feedback has been shown to be a very effective tool for enhancing retrieval results in text retrieval. It has also been increasingly used in content-based image retrieval and very good results have been obtained. However, too much negative feedback may destroy a query as good features get negative weightings. This paper compares a variety of strategies for positive and negative feedback. The performance evaluation of feedback algorithms is a hard problem. To solve this, we obtain judgments from several users and employ an automated feedback scheme. We then evaluate different techniques using the same judgements. Using automated feedback, the ability of a system to adapt to the user's needs can be measured very effectively. Our study highlights the utility of negative feedback, especially over several feedback steps.
Tocopherols and Saponins Derived from Argania spinosa Exert, an Antiproliferative Effect on Human Prostate Cancer

The aim of our study is to evaluate the antiproliferative effect of tocopherols obtained from alimentary virgin argan oil extracted from the endemic argan tree of Morocco and of saponins extracted from argan press cake on three human prostatic cell lines (DU145, LNCaP, and PC3). The results were compared to 2-methoxyestradiol as antiproliferative drug candidates. Cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effects were investigated after cells' treatment with tocopherols and saponins compared to 2-Methoxyoestradiol as the positive control. Tocopherols and saponins extracted from argan tree and 2-methoxyestradiol exhibit a dose-response cytotoxic effect and an antiproliferative action on the tested cell lines. The best antiproliferative effect of tocopherols is obtained with DU145 and LNCaP cell lines (28 μg/ml and 32 μg/ml, respectively, as GI50). The saponins fraction displayed the best antiproliferative effect on the PC3 cell line with 18 μg/ml as GI50. Our results confirm the antiproliferative effect of 2-methoxyestradiol and show for the first time the antiproliferative effect of tocopherols and saponins extracted from the argan tree on hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer cell lines. These data suggest that argan oil is of potential interest in developing new strategies for prostate cancer prevention.
Low energy availability, not stress of exercise, alters LH pulsatility in exercising women.

We tested two hypotheses about the disruption of luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility in exercising women by assaying LH in blood samples drawn at 10-min intervals over 24 h from nine young, habitually sedentary, regularly menstruating women on days 8, 9, or 10 of two menstrual cycles after 4 days of intense exercise [E = 30 kcal.kg lean body mass (LBM)-1.day-1 at 70% of aerobic capacity]. To test the hypothesis that LH pulsatility is disrupted by low energy availability, we controlled the subjects' dietary energy intakes (I) to set their energy availabilities (A = I - E) at 45 and 10 kcal.kg LBM-1.day-1 during the two trials. To test the hypothesis that LH pulsatility is disrupted by the stress of exercise, we compared the resulting LH pulsatilities to those previously reported in women with similar controlled energy availability who had not exercised. In the exercising women, low energy availability reduced LH pulse frequency by 10% (P < 0.01) during the waking hours and increased LH pulse amplitude by 36% (P = 0.05) during waking and sleeping hours, but this reduction in LH pulse frequency was blunted by 60% (P = 0.03) compared with that in the previously studied nonexercising women whose low energy availability was caused by dietary restriction. The stress of exercise neither reduced LH pulse frequency nor increased LH pulse amplitude (all P > 0.4). During exercise, the proportion of energy derived from carbohydrate oxidation was reduced from 73% while A = 45 kcal.kg LBM-1.day-1 to 49% while A = 10 kcal.kg LBM-1.day-1 (P < 0.0001). These results contradict the hypothesis that LH pulsatility is disrupted by exercise stress and suggest that LH pulsatility in women depends on energy availability.
Seasonal upregulation of fatty acid transporters in flight muscles of migratory white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis)

SUMMARY Endurance flights of birds, some known to last several days, can only be sustained by high rates of fatty acid uptake by flight muscles. Previous research in migratory shorebirds indicates that this is made possible in part by very high concentrations of cytosolic heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), which is substantially upregulated during migratory seasons. We investigated if H-FABP and other components of muscle fatty acid transport also increase during these seasons in a passerine species, the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) and plasma-membrane fatty acid binding protein (FABPpm) are well characterized mammalian proteins that facilitate transport of fatty acid through the muscle membrane, and in this study they were identified for the first time in birds. We used quantitative PCR to measure mRNA of FAT/CD36, FABPpm and H-FABP and immunoblotting to measure protein expression of FABPpm and H-FABP in the pectoralis muscles of sparrows captured in migratory (spring, fall) and non-migratory (winter) seasons. During migratory seasons, mRNA expression of these genes increased 70–1000% above wintering levels, while protein expression of H-FABP and FABPpm increased 43% and 110% above wintering levels. Activities of key metabolic enzymes, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HOAD), carnitine palmitoyl transferase II (CPT II), and citrate synthase (CS) also increased (90–110%) in pectoralis muscles of migrant birds. These results support the hypothesis that enhanced protein-mediated transport of fatty acids from the circulation into muscle is a key component of the changes in muscle biochemistry required for migration in birds.
LTP occludes the interaction between arachidonic acid and ACPD and NGF and ACPD

WE compared the interaction between the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist ACPD and arachidonic acid with the interaction between ACPD and nerve growth factor (NGF) on presynaptic function in hippocampus. ACPD interacted with both NGF and arachidonic acid to increase KCl-stimulated endogenous glutamate release and calcium concentration in synaptosomes prepared from whole hippocampus and synaptosomes prepared from untetanized dentate gyrus. The data indicate that prior induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in perforant path granule cells synapses occluded the interaction between ACPD and both NGF and arachidonic acid, suggesting that these agents may play a role in the generation of LTP in dentate gyrus.
Vicarious calibration of GLI by ground observation data

We conducted vicarious calibration of the Global Imager (GLI) in visible to near-infrared channels over different targets. For calibration over the ocean, we used the normalized water-leaving radiance derived from the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) and the aerosol optical properties (aerosol optical depth, size distribution, and refractive index) obtained through the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). For calibration over land, we used the ground-based measurement data at Railroad Valley Playa. The following GLI characteristics are recognized from the calibration results. First, GLI underestimates the radiance in channels 1, 2, 4, and 5. Next, in the near-infrared channels, there is good agreement between the observed and simulated radiance over bright targets. On the other hand, it is suggested that the GLI overestimates the radiance over dark targets (e.g., on the order of 15% at 4.0 W/m/sup 2///spl mu/m/sr in channels 18 and 19). Furthermore, we evaluated these calibration results over different targets taking into account the difference in the target radiance and in the accuracy between the two results. This combined evaluation of vicarious calibration results suggests the possibility that the GLI-observed radiance has offset radiance versus the simulated radiance.