Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical and approximate solutions of boundary layer development due to a moving extensible surface

In this study, several numerical analysis methods were performed for solving boundary layer flow model development due to a moving surface ('sheet'). This model obeys to general stretching law and was presented by Kuiken in 1981. The numerical simulation methods which were used are the shooting method and finite difference method (FDM). Creating the final simulation model involved a calibration step. It was found that the shooting method does not describe properly the fluid physics as compared to finite difference method (FDM). Additionally, comparison between numerical and suggested approximate solutions was done while qualitative compatibility was found between solutions. Kuiken solution branch was found to be fully coincided with current FDM solution for 1/ 3   . Finally, comparison between ADM (Adomian Decomposition Method) and FDM has been done, while appropriate match was found between solutions. Quantitatively, all presented solutions have the same order of magnitude; nevertheless, inaccuracy between all kinds of solutions does exist. Key-words: Shooting method, FDM, Two-dimensional flow, Numerical solution, Approximate solution, Analytical solution, Literature solution, ADM
Root Tensile Force and Resistance of Several Tree and Shrub Species of Hyrcanian Forest , Iran

Shallow landslides are a frequently recurring problem in some parts of Iran, including the Hyrcanian forest. In addition to traditional civil engineering measures, a potential solution for this problem is the application of soil bioengineering techniques. The mechanical reinforcement effect of plant roots is one of the major contributions of vegetation to the mitigation of shallow landslides. Given the lack of information on the mechanical properties of common Hyrcanian forest species, the present study assessed the root strength of 10 common species of this forest. Eight tree species occurring in natural regeneration sites (Carpinus betulus, Fagus orientalis, Parrotia persica and Quercus castaneifolia) and plantations (Acer velutinum, Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior and Picea abies) and two shrub species (Crataegus microphylla and Mespilus germanica) were selected. Fresh roots were collected and mechanical tests were carried out on 487 root samples. The ranges of root diameter, tensile force, and root resistance were 0.29–5.90 mm, 3.80–487.20 N, and 2.41–224.35 MPa, respectively. Two different algorithms, including the nonlinear least square method and logtransformation, were used to obtain power regressions for diameter-force and diameter-resistance relationships. The results of the two algorithms were compared statistically to choose the optimal approach for soil bioengineering applications. The nonlinear least square method resulted in lower Akaike information criteria and higher adjusted R values for all species, which means that this model can more efficiently predict tensile force and resistance based on root diameter. Log-transformation regressions generally underestimate tensile force and resistance. Significant differences were found among mean root tensile force (ANCOVA; F=37.36, p<0.001) and resistance (ANCOVA; F=34.87, p<0.001) of different species. Also, root diameter was significant as a covariate factor in tensile force (F=1453.77, p<0. 001) and resistance (F=274.26, p<0.001). Shrub species and trees in natural regeneration sites had higher tensile force and resistance values, while trees from plantation stands had lower values. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge on the root force and resistance characteristics of several shrub and tree species of the Hyrcanian forest and can be used in evaluating the efficiency of different species for bioengineering purposes.
Animal models of sacral neuromodulation for detrusor overactivity

The recent increase in the use of sacral neuromodulation (SN) for the treatment of detrusor overactivity has coincided with improved knowledge of micturition physiology and technological advances in nerve stimulation. Efficacy of SN treatment and patient satisfaction should continue to progress. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of the action of this technique remains uncertain. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain the mechanism of action, including stimulation of efferents, or direct effect on the muscle, stimulation of the afferents, induction of spinal plasticity, and modifications of cortical activation. In experimental conditions, to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation, animal models are generally focused on bladder inflammation or spinalization which both induce detrusor overactivity. Recently, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats has proven useful to study bladder dysfunction characterized as both detrursor overactivity or acontractile detrursor. The present article reviews experimental approaches for SN for treatment of detrusor overactivity and provides explanations for the potential acting mechanisms. Neurourol. Urodynam. 28:8–12, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increasing Hippocampal Atrophy and Cerebrovascular Damage Is Differently Associated With Functional Cortical Coupling in MCI Patients

The aim of this study was to assess the changes of intrahemispheric and interhemispheric linear spectral electroencephalography (EEG) coherence associated with increasing hippocampal atrophy (HA) and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Eighty-five MCI patients underwent clinical and neuropsychologic assessment, EEG recordings, and magnetic resonance imaging. Intrahemispheric (fronto-temporal, temporo-parietal, and fronto-parietal) and interhemispheric (frontal, temporal, and parietal) linear EEG coherence was computed. MCI patients were categorized into classes of increasing HA and WMHs on the basis of tertile distribution of volume loss (high, mid, and low). Neuropsychologic tests were also gathered and compared in MCI subgroups. As expected, MCI patients with high WMHs had poorer performance on visuospatial and cognitive flexibility, whereas those with high HA failed on memory tests. Significant differences of EEG functional coupling were present in the fronto-temporal network in patients with high WMHs and high HA, but without a different pattern. In high WMHs the EEG coherence in low frequencies was increased (with the exception of α1 band), whereas coherence in the fast frequencies was decreased proportional to increasing damage. In high HA a change of coherence was present in the δ and α2 frequency bands that was not proportional to HA, fast frequencies being unaffected. Our results show a lateralization (right hemisphere for cerebrovascular disease and left hemisphere for hippocampal atrophy) of the pathologic modifications of functional coupling.
Unimodality of wave amplitude in the Northern Hemisphere

A non-parametric statistic for local wave amplitude of the 500hPa geopotential height field is introduced. Here it is used to detect the existence, or otherwise, of multimodality in its distribution function. The empirical distribution function for the full 1960–2000 period is close to a Weibull distribution with shape parameters between 2 and 3 and with richer structure near the ends of the N. Hemisphere storm tracks. There is substantial interdecadal variability, but no consistent signature of multimodality or bimodality in the local wave amplitude. The zonally averaged wave amplitude, akin to the more usual wave amplitude index, follows a normal distribution. This is consistent with the central limit theorem which applies to the construction of the wave amplitude index. For the period 1960–1970 we do find apparent bimodality. However, the different amplitudes are realized at different longitudes, so there is no bimodality at any location. As a corollary, it is found that many commonly used statistics to detect multimodality in atmospheric fields potentially satisfy the assumptions underlying the central limit theorem and therefore can only show approximately normal distributions. We conclude that these techniques may therefore be suboptimal to detect multimodality.
Prevalence of glaucoma in Eastern India: The Hooghly River Glaucoma Study

Context: Glaucoma is the leading cause of global irreversible blindness. No recent study with adequate sample size has been carried out to estimate glaucoma prevalence in Eastern India. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the prevalence and types of glaucoma in a rural and urban East Indian population. Settings and Design: The Hooghly River Glaucoma Study (HRGS) is a population-based cross-sectional study from West Bengal. A tertiary hospital in Kolkata was our urban study center. Our rural study area included 28 contiguous villages from the district of Hooghly surrounding the rural base hospital located at Dhobapara in village Bakulia. Individuals aged 40 years and above were included in this study. Subjects and Methods: All subjects underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination at our base hospitals including applanation tonometry, ultrasound pachymetry, gonioscopy, and frequency doubling technology perimetry. Glaucoma was defined using modified International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria. Statistical Analysis Used: Analysis was performed using Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression using SPSS. Results: Totally, 14,092 individuals participated; 2.7% were detected to have glaucoma in rural arm and 3.23% in urban arm (P < 0.001). In urban population, 2.10% had primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 0.97% had primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG), and 0.15% had secondary glaucoma. In rural population, 1.45% had POAG, 1.15% had ACG, and 0.10% had secondary glaucoma. Conclusions: HRGS is the largest population-based glaucoma study in India to date with glaucoma prevalence comparable to other landmark Indian studies. POAG was the most common form of glaucoma in our study population as well. PACG was more common in this region than previously thought.
Allelic functional variation of serotonin transporter expression is a susceptibility factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease

WE examined a deletion/insertion promoter polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene, which confers an ∼40% reduction in expression of the protein, in 196 subjects with late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 271 controls. The frequency of the 484 bp low activity allele was elevated in the subjects with AD (p = 0.004), and an excess of the low activity genotype (30%) was also found in comparison with the controls (20%) (χ2 = 7.16; p = 0.03). This association was unrelated to the age of the subjects or controls, or to ε4 alleles of the ApoE gene. The odds ratio for the effect of the homozygous low activity genotype was 1.7 (95% CI 1.08–2.67), with a population attributable risk of 33% (95% CI 5–54%). These findings indicate that the low activity allele of the serotonin transporter is a risk factor for late onset AD.
2 Two Models for Fitting : the Combination of Drude and Lorentz Models , and the Critical Points Model 2 . 1 Combination of Drude and Lorentz Models

The fitting of metal optical properties is a topic that has applications in advanced simulations of spectroscopy, plasmonics, and optical engineering. In particular, the finite difference time domain method (FDTD) requires an analytical model of dispersion that verifies specific conditions to produce a full spectrum in a single run. Combination of Drude and Lorentz models, and Drude and critical points models, are known to be efficient, but the number of parameters to be adjusted for fitting data can prevent accurate results from simulated annealing or Nelder-Mead. The complex number relative permittivities of Au, Ag, Al, Cr, and Ti from either Palik or Johnson and Christy experimental data in the visible domain of wavelengths are successfully fitted by using the result of the particle swarm optimization method with FDTD constraint, as a starting point for the Nelder-Mead method. The results are well positioned compared to those that can be found in the literature. The results can be used directly for numerical simulations in the visible domain. The method can be applied to other materials, such as dielectrics, and to other domain of wavelengths. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI. [DOI: 10 . 1117/1.JNP. 8.083097]
THE FRICTION IN THE OUT-OF-PLANE FAILURE MECHANISMS OF MASONRY WALLS

The paper deals with the out-of-plane response of masonry walls. The analysed schemes feature slender masonry piers of exterior walls belonging to factory buildings. The walls are characterized by the presence of a concrete beam at mid height and bear roofs that have different horizontal constraints. Several out-of-plane failure mechanisms are analysed and the horizontal load multiplier is computed through linear and nonlinear kinematic procedures. The dependence of failure mechanisms on roof constraint and the influence of the friction strength between wall and roof on the seismic capacity of walls are provided.
ONSHORE-OFFSHORE FACIES CHANGE OF NGRAYONG SANDSTONE IN MADURA AREAINDONESIA

Ngrayong sandstone composes a siliciclastic reservoir that produces oil for more than a century in North East Java Basin of Indonesia. Clean sand facies makes the best reservoir in western part of the basin, onshore East Java Island. Meanwhile, sand quality decreases eastward to Madura Island. In Madura, rock gradually changes to be more calcareous and shaly, due to the change of depositional environment. In offshore of Madura, the depositional environment is still questionable. This study is aimed to reveal differences between onshore and offshore facies of Ngrayong sandstone in Madura as their distribution is not well known and oil potential of Madura Strait is not well identified. Study methods consisted of geological field work, well correlation, and petrophysical analysis from several well data. The results show that Ngrayong sandstone was deposited during Middle Miocene, composed by interbedding of thickly bedded sandstone and alternating thinly bedded sandstoneshale. The succession is commonly intercalated by mudstone and thinly bedded limestone. At Madura Island, Ngrayong sandstone overlies the Early-Middle Miocene Tawun Formation, which both represent the Megasequence (MS) 3 interval. Due to regional subsidence and transgression during Late Miocene, Ngrayong sandstone and other equivalent rocks were overlain by monotonous mudstone and calcareous sandstone of Wonocolo Formation. The Ngrayong sandstone is evenly distributed in whole surface area of Madura Island and it spreads further 25-50 Km to the south and 100-125 Km to eastern part of offshore Madura Strait. Sandstone distribution is roughly depleted from the gross thickness hundreds of meters in northern part to only few centimeters in southeast part of study area. The facies changes to be more calcareous to the east, while the southward facies is shaly due to a deeper depositional environment. Despite of facies changing into shales or carbonate facies, Ngrayong sandstone potential in offshore Madura Strait needs to be considered as upside potential due to its distribution is wider than initial estimation, and its petrology and petrophysic data support it as a clastic reservoir.
Phytochemical Screening , Nutritional Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Moringa Oleifera Seed and Leaf Extract against Selected Gastrointestinal Pathogens

In recent times, the use of plants as a source of novel compounds to combat microbial infections has gained prominence. The necessity to search for plant-based antimicrobials is increasing due to high cost, reduced efficacy and increased resistance to conventional medicine. Moringa oleifera is one of the plants that is rapidly gaining popularity because of the numerous benefits associated with it. This study aims to determine the phytochemical content, nutritional composition and antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera seed and leaf. The phytochemical and nutritional composition was determined using standard methods. The antagonistic activity of the aqueous and ethanol extract of the leaf and seed of Moringa oleifera was tested against selected gastrointestinal pathogens (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes and Bacillus cereus) using the agar well diffusion assay. The qualitative screening of phytochemicals in both the aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannin, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, coumarin, steroids and saponin while both aqueous and ethanol seed extract showed the presence of terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids and saponin. Proximate composition of Moringa oleifera showed that the leaf had higher percentage composition of moisture (6.39%), ash (13.16%), and fibre (18.11%) while the seed had higher percentage of lipid (41.79%), protein (8.31%) and carbohydrate (39.41%). The result for antimicrobial activity showed that the aqueous leaf and seed extract had high activity against P. mirabilis (14 24mm), S. aureus (12 16mm), E. aerogenes (6 16mm) and E. coli (8 18mm), while the ethanol leaf and seed extracts showed inhibition for E. coli (6 24 mm), P. mirabilis (8 – 12 mm), S. aureus (10 mm), B. cereus (12 mm) and E. aerogenes (12 16 mm). Moringa oleifera may be used in treating gastrointestinal infections particularly those caused by the organisms under study. It is therefore concluded that the leaf of Moringa oleifera has a high potential for use as an antimicrobial agent against gastrointestinal pathogens than the seed. However, the seed can be used as a food supplement to increase the nutritional composition of foods lacking protein, carbohydrate and lipid.
Wilson Disease: High Prevalence in a Mountaineous Area of Crete

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism. The disorder is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, encoding a copper transporting P‐type ATPase. The worldwide incidence is in the order of 30 cases per million, with a gene frequency of 0.56% and a carrier frequency of 1 in 90. The increased number of Wilson disease patients in the island of Crete led us to study the spectrum of mutations in a small village close to the city of Heraklion, from where many patients have been referred during the last 25 years. In order to estimate the frequency of the disease, we firstly investigated the number of births and the number of WD patients in the village since 1978. Six out of 90 births were diagnosed as WD patients, presenting the highest prevalence of WD reported so far. Analysis of the whole gene in three Wilson disease patients, and relatives of a boy who died from WD, led to the detection of 4 different point mutations. Two of them were missense (p.I1148T and p.G1176R) and cosegregated in cis in the same patient; the other allele of this patient carried a nonsense mutation (p.Q289X). This is the first report in the literature of three mutations co‐segregating in the same WD patient. The fourth mutation identified was a novel frameshift mutation (c.398delT) with documented cosegregation. When screening 200 inhabitants originating from the same area, 18 were found to be carriers of one of these mutations. These findings indicate the need for health education intervention, genetic counselling and newborn screening for the Wilson disease.
Is topical nitric oxide and cryotherapy more effective than cryotherapy in the treatment of old world cutaneous leishmaniasis?

Abstract Background: Current systemic treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis are limited by their toxicity, high cost, side effects and the emergence of drug resistance. New approaches, including topical therapies, are urgently needed. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by human and canine macrophages has long been demonstrated to be involved in the intracellular killing of Leishmania. Objective: This study was designed to determine the clinical responses (healing, or non-healing) and effectiveness of NO plus cryotherapy for the treatment of old world cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed for the evaluation of therapy with topical nitric oxide 3% and cryotherapy in 63 Iranian patients with CL in the south of Iran. Results: Thirty of 36 participants (83.3%) had complete improvement in the treatment group as did 20 of 27 (74.1%) from the control group (p = 0.627). Erythema, a burning sensation and irritation occurred in seven participants from the treatment group and one patient from the placebo group (p = 0.063). Conclusion: This study could not show any more effectiveness from combining a 12-week course of treatment with 3% nitric oxide cream and a once-weekly treatment with cryotherapy in comparison with cryotherapy and placebo in patients with CL.
Direct Democracy

“Direct Democracy” (DD) is the idea of replacing all the rulemaking tasks of the legislature, and perhaps the higher courts and some parts of the executive branch, by direct votes by the citizens themselves. This is beginning to be technically feasible thanks to the rise of the internet and the development of strong cryptographic algorithms. We (1) propose a rough design of perhaps the best way to implement DD – called “democracy by jury. ” A random anonymous subsample of the population (“jury”) is selected to decide each issue. Each jury member has the option of dodging jury duty by finding somebody else (hopefully with more expertise and dedication) willing to take on that duty in his stead. Larger juries are used for issues with more campaign spending (all such spending must be disclosed publically). (2) There are arguments for the superiority of this to all other plans for democracy on fundamental grounds of greater unbiasedness, corruptionresistance, expertise brought to bear, and labor reduction. (3) We outline the debate about whether DD is a good or bad idea by presenting many examples from history which argue for or against it. (4) The fundamental primitive operations inside democracy by jury are new and interesting cryptographic problems. Our main original contribution is to state and solve those problems.