Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment by gliding arc of epoxy resin: preliminary analysis of surface modifications

Treatments with atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma are easy to implement and inexpensive. Among them gliding arc (GlidArc) remains rarely used in surface treatment of polymers. However, it offers economic and flexible way to treat quickly large areas. In addition the choice of carrier gas makes it possible to bring the active species and other radicals allowing different types of grafting and functionalization of the treated surfaces, for example in order to apply for anti-biofouling prevention. This preliminary work includes analysis of the surface of epoxy resins by infrared spectroscopy: the different affected chemical bonds were studied depending on the duration of treatment. The degree of oxidation (the C/O ratio) is obtained by X-ray microanalysis and contact angle analysis have been performed to determinate the wettability properties of the treated surface. A spectroscopic study of the plasma allows to determine the possible active species in the different zones of the discharge.
Adaptive channel allocation for cellular communication systems

Frequency reuse is a key property of cellular mobile communication systems. The frequency spectrum can be more effectively exploited if the allocation of the available channels to cells takes into account the traffic distribution. Dynamic channel allocation (DCA) algorithms adapt continuously to the traffic changes. In this paper both static and dynamic algorithms are proposed and studied. The optimization criterion used is the maximization of the total traffic volume, which is accommodated by the mobile system.
Effect of frequency on the failure of articular cartilage

Articular cartilage in synovial joints can become damaged due to mechanical loading, trauma or wear and tear. The initiation and progression of damage in cartilage may lead to degenerative changes of the joint. However, links between mechanical loading and the initiation/progression of damage in cartilage remain poorly understood. In this thesis, the damaging effects of loading frequencies representative of normal (1 Hz), above normal (10Hz) and rapid heel-strikes (100Hz) on cartilage/cartilage-on-bone were assessed and compared to test the hypothesis that failure can be influenced by frequency. Bovine cartilage was used as a model for human cartilage. Materials testing machines were used to apply sinusoidally varying loads at different frequencies and altered maximum forces under different loading types. A metal indenter was used to apply cyclic loading on cartilage-on-bone specimens to produce failure on the surface of cartilage-on-bone specimens in compression. Fatigue failure of cartilage-on-bone specimens were determined using cyclic three-point bending. Propagation of an initial crack across the area of cartilage specimens with respect to increasing number of loading cycles were measured and compared under tension. The results from this thesis indicated that failure increases significantly (p < 0.05) in cartilage-on-bone specimens with increasing the loading frequency under compression and bending. Strain experienced by the cartilage specimens at higher frequency, e.g. 100 Hz, caused a greater crack growth under tension. The results from this work have many potential implications in the early onset of osteoarthritis. This is because rapid heel-strike rise times have been implicated in the early onset of osteoarthritis.
Reduction of Complexity for Nonbinary LDPC Decoders With Compressed Messages

In this brief, a method for compressing the messages between check nodes and variable nodes is proposed. This method is named compressed nonbinary message passing (CNBMP). CNBMP reduces the number of messages exchanged between one check node and the connected variable nodes from dc x q to 5 × q, and its application has a high impact on the performance of the decoder: the storage and routing areas are reduced and the throughput is increased. Unlike other methods, CNBMP does not introduce any approximation or modification in the information and the processed operations are exactly the same as those of the original decoders; hence, no performance degradation is introduced. To demonstrate its advantages, an architecture applying this CNBMP to the Trellis Min-Max algorithm was derived showing that most of the storage resources were also reduced from dc × q to 5 × q. This architecture was implemented for a (837 726) nonbinary low-density parity-check code using a 90-nm CMOS technology reaching a throughput of 981 Mb/s with an area of 10.67 mm2, which is 3.9 more efficient than the best solution found in the literature.
Development of novel design and control approaches for integrated crystallization operation and systems

Yang, Yang. Ph.D., Purdue University, December 2016. Development of Novel Design and Control Approaches for Integrated Crystallization Operation and Systems. Major Professor: Zoltan K. Nagy. Crystallization is an important separation and purification technique for a wide variety of solid products in pharmaceutical, food and fine chemical industries. The production of more than 90% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) involves crystallization. Therefore, it is crucial to design and control pharmaceutical crystallization processes so that the desired process requirement and product critical quality attributes (CQAs), including process yield, crystal purity, crystal size distribution (CSD), crystal shape and polymorphic form can be obtained. Studies about cooling or antisolvent only batch crystallization of pure APIs have been extensively reported in the literature in the last century. But design and control of more complex and integrated crystallization operation and systems require further development to meet the needs of improved CQAs, simplified process design and automated process control in pharmaceutical manufacturing. This dissertation focuses on the development of novel design and control approaches for three different types of integrated crystallization operation and systems: (1) combined cooling/antisolvent crystallization (CCAC) systems; (2) integrated crystallization and wet milling operation; (3) crystallization systems in the presence of impurities. The design and
Influence of Addition of Carboxyl Functionalized MWCNTs on Performance of Neat and Carbon Fiber Reinforced EPON 862

Abstract : A synchronized study has been carried out to investigate the influence of carboxyl functionalized MWCNTs on both quasi static and dynamic mechanical as well as thermal properties of EPON 862 and satin weave carbon/epoxy laminated composites. A combination method of high intensity ultrasonication and magnetic stirring along with a solvent (acetone) was used to incorporate 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 wt% of CNTs into the epoxy matrix which was then mixed with the hardener using a high speed mechanical stirrer. The CNT modified epoxy resin was then used to fabricate satin weave carbon reinforced three phase FRP composites using compression molding at elevated temperature.
Feedback Effects and Asset Prices∗

Feedback effects from asset prices to firm cash flows have been empirically documented. This finding raises a question for asset pricing: How are asset prices determined if price affects the fundamental value, which in turn affects the price? In this environment, by buying assets that others are buying, investors ensure high future cash flows for the firm and subsequent high returns for themselves. Hence, investors have an incentive to coordinate, which may generate self-fulfilling beliefs and multiple equilibria. Using insights from global games, we pin down investors’ beliefs, analyze equilibrium prices, and find strong feedback leads to higher excess volatility. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Codes: G12, E4, C7.
Simple PWM modulator topology with excellent dynamic behavior

This paper proposes a new PWM modulator topology. The modulator is used in switch mode audio power amplifiers, but the topology can be used in a wide range of applications. Due to excellent transient behavior, the modulator is very suited for VRMs or other types of DC-DC or DC-AC applications.
Speech Recognition by Machine, A Review

This paper presents a brief survey on Automatic Speech Recognition and discusses the major themes and advances made in the past 60 years of research, so as to provide a technological perspective and an appreciation of the fundamental progress that has been accomplished in this important area of speech communication. After years of research and development the accuracy of automatic speech recognition remains one of the important research challenges (e.g., variations of the context, speakers, and environment). The design of Speech Recognition system requires careful attentions to the following issues: Definition of various types of speech classes, speech representation, feature extraction techniques, speech classifiers, database and performance evaluation. The problems that are existing in ASR and the various techniques to solve these problems constructed by various research workers have been presented in a chronological order. Hence authors hope that this work shall be a contribution in the area of speech recognition. The objective of this review paper is to summarize and compare some of the well known methods used in various stages of speech recognition system and identify research topic and applications which are at the forefront of this exciting and challenging field.
Transesophageal Echocardiography in Cryptogenic Stroke and Patent Foramen Ovale: Analysis of Putative High-Risk Features From the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism Database

Background—Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with cryptogenic stroke (CS), although the pathogenicity of a discovered PFO in the setting of CS is typically unclear. Transesophageal echocardiography features such as PFO size, associated hypermobile septum, and presence of a right-to-left shunt at rest have all been proposed as markers of risk. The association of these transesophageal echocardiography features with other markers of pathogenicity has not been examined. Methods and Results—We used a recently derived score based on clinical and neuroimaging features to stratify patients with PFO and CS by the probability that their stroke is PFO-attributable. We examined whether high-risk transesophageal echocardiography features are seen more frequently in patients more likely to have had a PFO-attributable stroke (n=637) compared with those less likely to have a PFO-attributable stroke (n=657). Large physiologic shunt size was not more frequently seen among those with probable PFO-attributable strokes (odds ratio [OR], 0.92; P=0.53). The presence of neither a hypermobile septum nor a right-to-left shunt at rest was detected more often in those with a probable PFO-attributable stroke (OR, 0.80; P=0.45; OR, 1.15; P=0.11, respectively). Conclusions—We found no evidence that the proposed transesophageal echocardiography risk markers of large PFO size, hypermobile septum, and presence of right-to-left shunt at rest are associated with clinical features suggesting that a CS is PFO-attributable. Additional tools to describe PFOs may be useful in helping to determine whether an observed PFO is incidental or pathogenically related to CS.
Who is a Modeler?

Many standard philosophical accounts of scientific practice fail to distinguish between modeling and other types of theory construction. This failure is unfortunate because there are important contrasts among the goals, procedures, and representations employed by modelers and other kinds of theorists. We can see some of these differences intuitively when we reflect on the methods of theorists such as Vito Volterra and Linus Pauling on the one hand, and Charles Darwin and Dimitri Mendeleev on the other. Much of Volterra's and Pauling's work involved modeling; much of Darwin's and Mendeleev's did not. In order to capture this distinction, I consider two examples of theory construction in detail: Volterra's treatment of post-WWI fishery dynamics and Mendeleev's construction of the periodic system. I argue that modeling can be distinguished from other forms of theorizing by the procedures modelers use to represent and to study real-world phenomena: indirect representation and analysis. This differentiation between modelers and non-modelers is one component of the larger project of understanding the practice of modeling, its distinctive features, and the strategies of abstraction and idealization it employs. 1. Introduction2. The essential contrast2.1. Modeling2.2. Abstract direct representation3. Scientific models4. Distinguishing modeling from ADR4.1. The first and second stages of modeling4.2. Third stage of modeling4.3. ADR5. Who is not a modeler? 6. Conclusion: who is a modeler? Introduction The essential contrast2.1. Modeling2.2. Abstract direct representation Modeling Abstract direct representation Scientific models Distinguishing modeling from ADR4.1. The first and second stages of modeling4.2. Third stage of modeling4.3. ADR The first and second stages of modeling Third stage of modeling ADR Who is not a modeler? Conclusion: who is a modeler?
The Analgesic Efficacy of Tramadol is Impaired by Concurrent Administration of Ondansetron

Tramadol has weak opioid properties, and an analgesic effect that is mediated mainly by inhibition of the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) and facilitation of 5-HT release (1,2) at the spinal cord. Because 5-HT3 receptors play a key role in pain transmission at the spinal level (3), the 5-HT3 antagonist ondansetron may decrease the efficacy of tramadol, as suggested in an abstract by Maroof et al. In that study, a small dose of 1 mg/kg tramadol was administered along with ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg or placebo, 15 min before the induction of anesthesia. Early postoperative pain scored differed significantly between the test groups. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the tramadol requirement by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) may be increased when ondansetron is administered for antiemetic prophylaxis.
Scheduling techniques to enable power management

"Shut-down" techniques are effective in reducing the power dissipation of logic circuits. Recently, methods have been developed that identify conditions under which the output of a module in a logic circuit is not used for a given clock cycle. When these conditions are met, input latches for that module are disabled, thus eliminating any switching activity and power dissipation. In this paper, we introduce these power management techniques in behavioral synthesis. We present a scheduling algorithm which maximizes the "shut-down" period of execution units in a system. Given a throughput constraint and the number of execution units available, the algorithm first schedules operations that generate controlling signals and activates only those modules whose result is eventually used. We present results which show that this scheduling technique can save up to 40% in power dissipation.
Effects of amphotericin B and fluconazole on the extracellular and intracellular growth of Candida albicans

The effects of amphotericin B and fluconazole on the extracellular and intracellular growth of Candida albicans were studied. With respect to the extracellular growth of C. albicans, antifungal activity was measured in terms of MICs and minimal fungicidal concentrations as well as by determination of the concentration that effectively killed (greater than 99.9%) C. albicans in the absence or presence (amphotericin B only) of serum. Amphotericin B was highly active in terms of killing, even at an increased inoculum size. In the presence of serum, amphotericin B activity was substantially reduced. For fluconazole, activity was restricted to inhibition of fungal growth, even after the inoculum size was reduced. With respect to the intracellular growth of C. albicans, antifungal activity was measured by using monolayers of murine peritoneal macrophages infected with C. albicans and was measured in terms of inhibition of germ tube formation as well as effective killing (greater than 99%) of C. albicans. Amphotericin B was highly active against C. albicans. At an increased ratio of infection, amphotericin B activity was slightly reduced. Fluconazole had no antifungal activity. Neither a reduction in the ratio of infection nor exposure of C. albicans to fluconazole prior to macrophage ingestion resulted in activity against intracellular C. albicans by fluconazole. Previous exposure of C. albicans to amphotericin B resulted in increased intracellular activity of amphotericin B. The intracellular antifungal activity of the combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B was less than that of amphotericin B alone. Amphotericin B showed fungicidal activity against C. albicans growing both extracellularly and intracellularly, whereas fluconazole inhibited growth only of extracellular C. albicans. A slight antagonistic effect between fluconazole and amphotericin B was found with respect to intracellular as well as extracellular C. albicans.
Amplification of rRNA for assessment of treatment response of pulmonary tuberculosis patients during antimicrobial therapy

The time course of persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as measured by detection of rRNA, acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear, and culture was determined for pulmonary tuberculosis patients during antimicrobial therapy. Twenty-three patients who were initially AFB smear positive and who subsequently completed a course of antimicrobial therapy were selected for the study. Sequential specimens were tested by AFB smear, culture, and rRNA amplification (Gen-Probe Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test [MTD]). The initial diagnostic specimens of all patients were positive by culture; those of 22 patients (96%) also were positive by MTD. Overall, MTD results remained positive longer than both smear and culture results. The median times to the last positive test result were 9 days for AFB smear, 26 days for culture, and 30 days for MTD. The last positive test result was the AFB smear result in 4% of cases, the culture result in 22%, and the MTD result in 52%. Fifty-six percent of patients had a period of shedding of noncultivable M. tuberculosis which was detected by MTD after culture results had converted to negative. This noncultivable period lasted 7 to 245 days. All three tests became reproducibly negative before the end of therapy and remained negative during follow-up for up to 1 year. These results indicate that during successful antimicrobial therapy, M. tuberculosis is eliminated in sputum samples as measured by amplification of rRNA, as well as by AFB smear and culture. No long-term rRNA carrier state was detected. While the time course of clearance of M. tuberculosis measured by rRNA overall was longer than with the two traditional tests, the rRNA test results allow sensitive and precise measurement of the clearance of noncultivable M. tuberculosis from respiratory specimens. This attribute may allow rRNA testing to be useful in clarifying patient response to antimicrobial therapy.
Feature extraction using active appearance model algorithm with Bayesian classification approach

Face recognition is one of the most important and rapidly advanced active research areas of computer science.In spite of the large number of developed algorithms, real-world performance of face recognition has been disappointing. This study enhances invariant recognition of human faces and analysis to improve face verification and identification performance using Active Appearance Model (AAM) for feature extraction with Bayesian classification approach. This paper addressed some of these issues to bring face recognition more closely to being useful for real-life applications. It directed towards the illumination-invariant automatic recognition of faces and analysis to improve face verification and identification performance.To compare with other feature extraction at the end of the study, an evaluation has been done with an existing face recognition system using AAM algorithm. The experiments performed on part of the FERET color dataset. The result was satisfied with the acceptance rate more than 96%.
Using Silhouette Consistency Constraints to Build 3D Models

The visual hull is the largest object that is consistent with a set of silhouette views of an actual object. The visual hull can be built from a set of silhouettes in which the viewpoint corresponding to each silhouette is known. We show how several sets corresponding to the same rigid object, each containing a small number of silhouettes, can be merged into a single large set. In order to do this, the relative pose between the sets must be computed so that each viewpoint can be specified in a common reference frame. We show how the poses can be computed by enforcing silhouette consistency constraints between the sets. The single merged silhouette set can then be used to build a visual hull model that is a closer approximation to the actual object than visual hulls built from any of the original sets.
Measuring Trace Gas Emission from Multi-Distributed Sources Using Vertical Radial Plume Mapping (VRPM) and Backward Lagrangian Stochastic (bLS) Techniques

Two micrometeorological techniques for measuring trace gas emission rates from distributed area sources were evaluated using a variety of synthetic area sources. The vertical radial plume mapping (VRPM) and the backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) techniques with an open-path optical spectroscopic sensor were evaluated for relative accuracy for multiple emission-source and sensor configurations. The relative accuracy was calculated by dividing the measured emission rate by the actual emission rate; thus, a relative accuracy of 1.0 represents a perfect measure. For a single area emission source, the VRPM technique yielded a somewhat high relative accuracy of 1.38 ± 0.28. The bLS technique resulted in a relative accuracy close to unity, 0.98 ± 0.24. Relative accuracies for dual source emissions for the VRPM and bLS techniques were somewhat similar to single source emissions, 1.23 ± 0.17 and 0.94 ± 0.24, respectively. When the bLS technique was used with vertical point concentrations, the relative accuracy was unacceptably low.