Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pile penetration in crushable soils: Insights from micromechanical modelling

A 3D discrete element model (DEM) was used to simulate calibration chamber experiments of a cone shaped tip pile penetrating into crushable granular media. Both monotonic and cyclic jacking are considered. Particle crushing is simulated by employing a rigorous breakage criterion applied to elasto-brittle spheres. Particle scaling is used to limit the number of particles considered and it is shown that, above a threshold limit, the penetration curves become scale independent, provided a scalable crushing model is used. The particle crushing model parameters were calibrated by matching triaxial and one-dimensional compression tests. The DEM model could capture the stress measurements made around a model pile during and after its penetration into sand relatively well. The particle-scale mechanics that underlie the observed macroscopic responses are analysed, placing emphasis on the distribution of crushing events around the pile tip and distributions of particle stresses and forces around the shaft. Comparing simulations made with crushable and uncrushable grains, and analysing the particle displacement fields, provides insights into one of the mechanisms proposed for the well-known, yet not fully understood, marked shaft capacity increases developed over time by piles driven in sands. RÉSUMÉ: Un modèle 3D d'éléments discrets (DEM) est utilisé pour prédire les expériences en chambre d'étalonnage de la pénétration de cônes et de pieux dans des supports pouvant être écrasés, à la fois par fonçage monotone et cyclique. Un modèle de broyage de particules basé sur un critère de rupture rigoureux pour les sphères élasto-fragiles est utilisé. Une mise à l'échelle des particules est réalisée pour limiter le nombre total de particules. Il est montré qu'au-delà d’un nombre minimum de particules, les courbes de pénétration deviennent indépendantes de leur taille, à condition qu'un modèle de broyage évolutif soit utilisé. Le modèle, calibré en faisant correspondre les tests de compression triaxiale et unidimensionnelle, fournit de bonnes prévisions pour les mesures de contrainte effectuées lors d’essais de pieux, pendant et après les phases de pénétration. Les caractéristiques micromécaniques expliquant les réponses macroscopiques observées sont analysées. Il s’agit notamment d’identifier la répartition de l’intensité de broyage autour de la pointe du pieu et d’analyser en détail les contraintes exercées par les particules et les chaînes de force autour du fût du pieu. La comparaison de simulations réalisées avec ou sans grains broyables, ainsi que l'analyse des champs de déplacement de particules, offrent une explication possible de l'impact bien connu, mais pas encore bien compris, du vieillissement sur la capacité du fût de pieux battus dans le sable.
Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Depletion and Recovery During Four ConsecutiveDays of Prolonged Lift and Carry Exercise

A substantial portion of the nation’s working population has jobs that involve lifting and carrying heavy objects. Muscles metabolize carbohydrate stores to accomplish such work. Little is known about how muscles replenish carbohydrates from day to day during the workweek. Objective This study documents muscle glycogen depletion and recovery in two muscles routinely used in extended lifting and carrying exercise, and determines the extent to which four days of such exercise affects muscle glycogen levels. Methods Ten subjects (5 M, 5 F) were studied; age 25±4y M, 22±2y F, weight 92±8kg* M, 62±5kg F, and height 185±3cm* M, 170±2cm F. Subjects recorded their diet before and during the protocol. On four consecutive days subjects were asked to squat to floor level and lift a 30kg box, carry it 3m, and place it on a shelf 132cm high. This was repeated 3X/min over a three hour period (540 lifts) or until the subject could no longer continue. Subjects were allowed five minutes rest every 30min. Exercise was performed at the same time of day, allowing nineteen hours of recovery between bouts. The protocol was not normalized for subject gender or size. Natural abundance C-13 NMR was performed on the left quadriceps and left biceps brachialis immediately before and after each exercise bout. Ability to complete the prescribed protocol, dietary intake before and during the protocol, and muscle glycogen levels before and after exercise were recorded and compared. Results Subjects differed significantly by gender in their ability to complete the four-day protocol (12 hours total protocol: 10.8±0.9hr M, 6.4±1.6hr F, p=0.0366). Dietary intake did not differ during the four-day protocol versus prior to the study (2109±256kcal/da M prior, 2107±87kcal/da M during, 1657±136kcal/da F prior, 1755±331kcal/da F during). In the biceps brachialis (both genders combined) pre-exercise glycogen levels rose significantly over the four-day protocol (vs day one) [62.3±3.6mmol/L D1, 68.5±4.6mmol/L (p=0.0437) D2, 75.1±4.9mmol/L (p=0.0019) D3, 81.9±5.4mmol/L (p=0.0003) D4, paired analysis vs D1]. In the quadriceps a similar pattern was seen [92.2±9.0mmol/L D1, 101.3±8.9mmol/L (p=0.0107) D2, 110.3±10.2mmol/L (p=0.0089) D3, 115.9±9.8mmol/L (p=0.0003) D4 paired analysis vs D1]. Conclusions We conclude that male and female muscle glycogen is similarly super compensated between each day of four consecutive days of prolonged exercise, in the absence of increased dietary intake.
Contributions of Water-Related Building Installations to Urban Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation to Face Climate Change

In addition to the possible contributions of buildings to mitigating CO2 emissions, increased attention is being paid to the potential impacts of climate change on urban environments. According to the United Nations, about 54% of the planet’s population currently lives in cities, but this percentage is expected to rise to 66% in 2050, which reveals the scale of this issue. This paper develops a reflection on the possible contributions of water-related building installations to mitigate emissions and increase urban area adaptation to the effects of climate change. One of the most promising solutions to facing climate change, which is analysed in detail in this paper, is combining rainwater harvesting systems with green roofs. However, in view of developing the necessary engineering projects, there are insufficient existing studies to estimate the parameters to be used in each location given their climate characteristics, particularly the monthly runoff coefficients, which constitute the key parameter for designing these installations in some regions. Some recent standards present generic theoretical values for designing these combined installations, but they are far from reality in some regions, such as the Mediterranean basin. Therefore, based on the data available in Portugal, this paper reports some of the results obtained from research on the values of the monthly runoff coefficients.
Assessing the Sardine Multispecies Fishery of the Gulf of California

In the fishery of small pelagics at the Gulf of California, the South American pilchard Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842) is the main target. In the years when the abundance of this species is poor and its catches are low, the fishery is diverted into other species such as the Pacific thread herring (Opisthonema libertate (Günter)), and the Pacific anchoveta (Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günter)). Since the 90s, the anchoveta (Engraulis mordax) appeared in the catch records and later on, other species of lesser importance appeared such as the mackerel (Scomberomorus sierra (Jordan & Starks)), the red eye-round herring (Etrumeus teres (DeKay)) and the shortjaw leatherjacket (Oligoplites refulgens Gilbert & Starks). When this fishery was analyzed by species, it was found that, although it is a very profitable activity, there is not a management strategy, leading it to the risk of overexploitation, as the maximum yield level of the target species (the South American pilchard), corresponds to levels of fishing mortality in which the other species of the group are depleted. It was found that there is a substitution of the dominant species over time, because at the beginning of th is century the South American pilchard was the target species whilst in 2014 it was the Pacific thread herring. Therefore, this work is focused to the analysis of each species of the fishery, intending to derive recommendations for its management within a sustainable framework . Keywords— Stock assessment; Sardine fishery; Gulf of California; South American pilchard; Pacific thread herring; anchovy.
Output Feedback Adaptive Motion Control and Its Experimental Verification for Time-Delay Nonlinear Systems With Asymmetric Hysteresis

Focusing on the nonlinear time-delay systems actuated by smart-material-based actuators, an adaptive dynamic surface estimated inverse motion control scheme is proposed in this article. The asymmetric hysteresis nonlinearity is counteracted by constructing its evaluated inverse compensator. A state estimator is constructed to estimate the unmeasurable states and at the same time to cope with external disturbances. The assumptions on time-delay functions are removed, and the unknown time-delay function is online evaluated by combining the fuzzy logic system with a finite covering lemma. Also, the prespecified tracking performance is achieved by utilizing an error-transformed function. Experimental results of the proposed controller are performed on the piezoelectric positioning stage to verify the effectiveness of the control scheme.
A Wide-Range-Supply-Voltage Sense Amplifier Circuit for Embedded Flash Memory

This brief presents a novel mode-switch sense amplifier (SA) for embedded Flash (eFlash) memories, which is capable of operating at a wide range power supply voltage from 0.9V to 1.7V. A new dynamic bit-line (BL) clamping circuit and a voltage-boosted column multiplexer are also introduced to increase the clamped BL voltage at low supply voltage. Along with the enhanced current reference and voltage reference generating circuit for automatic sensing window tracking, the proposed SA can achieve a larger sensing window, and consequently improve the sensing speed. This SA is implemented in a 2-Mb eFlash memory on HHGrace 130nm CMOS platform. The high-speed access time of 19ns and 46ns are respectively achieved at typical power supply voltage (1.5V) and low supply voltage (1.0V).
Decentralized Nonlinear Adaptive Optimal Control Scheme for Enhancement of Power System Stability

An adaptive decentralized control scheme is proposed for real-time control of oscillatory dynamics and overall stability improvement of an interconnected power system. A standard framework of continuous-time (CT) infinite-horizon optimal control paradigm is defined and an extended online actor-critic (AC) algorithm based on policy iteration is used for its solution. The AC structure uses neural networks (NNs) whose weights are updated adaptively. The proof for the convergence of the scheme guarantees the system stability. The unobservable internal states of the synchronous machine are estimated using a numerically stable, swift and relatively accurate decentralized dynamic state estimator (DDSE) based on spherical-radial cubature rule. Applicability of the developed scheme has been demonstrated on a benchmark power system (IEEE 2.2, 16 machine 68 bus system) model via nonlinear time-domain simulations. Multi-processor technology based scaled laboratory setup was used for controller performance validation in real-time.
Scenario-based multi-objective robust scheduling for a semiconductor production line

Scheduling problems of semiconductor manufacturing systems (SMS) with the goal of optimising some classical performance indices (NP-hard), tend to be increasingly complicated due to stochastic uncertainties. This paper targets the robust scheduling problem of an SMS with uncertain processing times. A three-stage multi-objective robust optimisation (MORO) approach is proposed, that can collaboratively optimise the performance indices and their robustness measures. In the first stage, this paper studies the scheduling problem in the deterministic environment and obtains feasible scheduling strategies that perform well in four performance indices (the average cycle time (CT), the on-time delivery rate (ODR), the throughput (TP), and the total movement amount of wafers (MOV)). Then, in the second stage, the uncertainties are introduced into the production system. In the third stage, this paper proposes a hybrid method consisting of scenario planning, discrete simulation, and multi-objective optimisation to obtain an approximately and more robust optimal solution from the feasible scheduling strategy set. The proposed MORO approach is tested in a semiconductor experiment production line and makes a full analysis to illustrate the effectiveness of our method. The results show that our MORO is superior concerning the total robustness with multi-objective.
Implication du canal potassium Kv3.1 dans la lipotoxicité du 7-cétocholestérol, 24S-hydroxycholestérol et de l’acide tétracosanoïque sur des cellules nerveuses 158N et BV-2 : Etude des relations entre Kv3.1, homéostasie potassique et métabolisme peroxysomal dans la maladie d’Alzheimer

Le potassium (K+) est implique dans la regulation de l’excitabilite cellulaire, la regulation du cycle cellulaire, la viabilite cellulaire, la neuroprotection et le maintien des fonctions microgliales et oligodendrocytaires. Le dysfonctionnement des canaux potassiques, decrit dans plusieurs maladies neurodegeneratives comme la Maladie d’Alzheimer (MA), la sclerose en plaques (SEP), la maladie de Parkinson et la maladie de Huntington, pourrait etre une potentiel cible therapeutique. Les mecanismes toxiques sous-jacents de ces pathologies neurodegeneratives impliquent des oxysterols, derives oxydes du cholesterol, et des acides gras en relation avec le metabolisme peroxysomal. Le 7-cetocholesterol (7KC), le 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC) et l'acide tetracosanoique (C24: 0), souvent trouves a des taux eleves au niveau du cerveau et dans le plasma de patients atteints de maladies neurodegeneratives (MA, maladie de Nieman-Pick, SEP, maladie de Parkinson, maladie de Huntington et X-ALD conduisent une rupture de l’equilibre Redox qui aboutirait a la neurodegenerescence. Dans ce contexte, il est interessant de determiner l’eventuelle connexion entre environnement lipidique et homeostasie potassique. L’etude in vitro a ete realisee sur des olygodendrocytes murins 158N et les cellules microgliale BV-2. Nous avons montre que la lipotoxicite du 7KC, 24S-OHC et C24:0 implique une retention du K+ faisant intervenir les canaux potassium voltage dependant (Kv). Ces resultats ont montre que l'inhibition des canaux Kv conduisant a une augmentation la [K+]i contribue a la cytotoxicite du 7KC, 24S-OHC et C24:0. Nous nous sommes focalises sur le canal Kv3.1b. La retention du K+ induite par les oxysterols (7KC et 24S-OHC) serait sous le controle de Kv3.1b. L’etude clinique realisee sur du plasma de MA a revele une correlation negative entre le taux d’acide docosahexaenoique (DHA) et la concentration de K+. Chez les souris transgeniques J20, modele de la MA, l’etude de la topographie d’expression de Kv3.1b et d’Abcd3, au niveau de l’hippocampe et du cortex, a montre une baisse de l’expression de ces deux marqueurs. Dans leur ensemble, les resultats obtenus ont etabli des relations entre lipotoxicite, metabolisme peroxysomal et alteration de l’homeostasie potassique dans la neurodegenerescence et suggerent une possible modulation de l’expression et de l’activite de kv3.1b dans la physiopathologie des maladies neurodegeneratives.
A Review of Nanomaterials’ Effect on Mechanical Performance and Aging of Asphalt Mixtures

This review addresses the effects of the modifications with nanomaterials, particularly nanosilica, nanoclays, and nanoiron, on the mechanical performance and aging resistance of asphalt mixtures. The desire for high-performance and long-lasting asphalt pavements significantly pushed the modification of the conventional paving asphalt binders. To cope with such demand, the use of nanomaterials for the asphalt binder modification seems promising, as with a small amount of modification an important enhancement of the asphalt mixture mechanical performance can be attained. Several studies already evaluated the effects of the modifications with nanomaterials, mostly focusing on the asphalt binder properties and rheology, and the positive findings encouraged the study of modified asphalt mixtures. This review focuses on the effects attained in the mechanical properties of the asphalt mixtures, under fresh and aged conditions. Generally, the effects of each nanomaterial were evaluated with the current state-of-art tests for the characterization of mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures, such as, permanent deformation, stiffness modulus, fatigue resistance, indirect tensile strength, and Marshall stability. Aging indicators, as the aging sensitivity, were used to evaluate the effects in the asphalt mixture’s aging resistance. Finally, to present a better insight into the economic feasibility of the analyzed nanomaterials, a simple cost analysis is performed.
Malware Detection Approach Based on Artifacts in Memory Image and Dynamic Analysis

The need to detect malware before it harms computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices has caught the attention of researchers and the anti-malware industry for many years. To protect users from malware attacks, anti-virus software products are downloaded on the computer. The anti-virus mainly uses signature-based techniques to detect malware. However, this technique fails to detect malware that uses packing, encryption or obfuscation techniques. It also fails to detect unseen (new) ones. This paper proposes an integrated malware detection approach that applies memory forensics to extract malicious artifacts from memory and combines them to features extracted during the execution of malware in a dynamic analysis. Pre-modeling techniques were also applied for feature engineering before training and testing the data set on the machine learning models. The experimental results show a significant improvement in both detection accuracy rate and false positive rate, 98.5% and 1.7% respectively, by applying the support vector machine. The results verify that our integrated analysis approach outperforms other analysis methods. In addition, the proposed approach overcomes the limitation of single path file execution in dynamic analysis by adding more relevant memory artifacts that can reveal the real intention of malicious files.
Relationship between the molecular composition, visible light absorption, and health-related properties of smoldering woodsmoke aerosols

Abstract. Organic aerosols generated from the smoldering combustion of wood critically impact air quality and health for billions of people worldwide; yet, the links between the chemical components and the optical or biological effects of woodsmoke aerosol (WSA) are still poorly understood. In this work, an untargeted analysis of the molecular composition of smoldering WSA, generated in a controlled environment from nine types of heartwood fuels (African mahogany, birch, cherry, maple, pine, poplar, red oak, redwood, and walnut), identified several hundred compounds using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nano-electrospray high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) with tandem multistage mass spectrometry (MSn). The effects of WSA on cell toxicity as well as gene expression dependent on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and estrogen receptor (ER) were characterized with cellular assays, and the visible mass absorption coefficients (MACvis) of WSA were measured with ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The WSAs studied in this work have significant levels of biological and toxicological activity, with exposure levels in both an outdoor and indoor environment similar to or greater than those of other toxicants. A correlation between the HRMS molecular composition and aerosol properties found that phenolic compounds from the oxidative decomposition of lignin are the main drivers of aerosol effects, while the cellulose decomposition products play a secondary role; e.g., levoglucosan is anticorrelated with multiple effects. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are not expected to form at the combustion temperature in this work, nor were they observed above the detection limit; thus, biological and optical properties of the smoldering WSA are not attributed to PAHs. Syringyl compounds tend to correlate with cell toxicity, while the more conjugated molecules (including several compounds assigned to dimers) have higher AhR activity and MACvis. The negative correlation between cell toxicity and AhR activity suggests that the toxicity of smoldering WSA to cells is not mediated by the AhR. Both mass-normalized biological outcomes have a statistically significant dependence on the degree of combustion of the wood. In addition, our observations support the fact that the visible light absorption of WSA is at least partially due to charge transfer effects in aerosols, as previously suggested. Finally, MACvis has no correlation with toxicity or receptor signaling, suggesting that key chromophores in this work are not biologically active on the endpoints tested.
The Possible Protective Role of Methionine against Sodium Fluoride-Induced Pancreatic Changes in the Adult Male Albino Rat: A Histological, Immunohistochemical and Morphometric Study

Background: Excess fluorides intake produces histopathological changes of many organs. Methionine is a potential natural antioxidant against oxidative radicals. Aim of the Work: To evaluate the possible protective role of methionine against sodium fluoride (NaF)-induced pancreatic toxicity. Material and Methods: Thirty 3-months (200-250gm) adult male albino rats were divided into three equal groups: group I (control), group II (Fluoride group) and group III (Fluoride+methionine group). Control group; was given 1ml distilled water. Fluoride group; was given 10 mg NaF/kg b.w. Fluoride+methionine group; was given 10 mg NaF/kg b.w. and 2 mg methionine/rat. All the treatment was given orally by gastric tube once daily for 35 days. After anesthesia, all groups were sacrificed. The pancreatic specimens were prepared for light and electron microscopic studies and anti-insulin antibody immunohistochemical staining. The mean numbers of zymogen granules and insulin positive β-cells of all groups were counted.Results: The mean numbers of zymogen granules and insulin positive β-cells of the fluoride group were significantly decreased when compared to control. The pancreatic specimens of the fluoride group revealed congested blood vessels, extravasated blood cells, vacuolated pancreatic acini, loss of the acinar cell architecture, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and degenerated mitochondria. By anti-insulin antibodies immunohistochemistry, there was a weak positive reactivity in the fluoride treated group when compared to control. The concomitant administration of NaF and methionine improved these changes. Conclusion: The concurrent administration of NaF and methionine ameliorates the structural alterations developed in the pancreas following excess NaF intake.