Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hydrophobic Coatings for Anti-Icing Applications

The motivation for developing environmentally friendly and inexpensive solutions for anti-icing is high. The oil industry is heading toward arctic regions and the development of improved anti-icing techniques demands greater attention. In literature there are conflicting theories regarding the mechanism of icing, and the need for fabricating durable anti-icing coatings is brought into focus. Silane-based hydrophobic coatings are believed to have great potential and may be the future solution. In order to create hydrophobic coatings (contact angles > 90 °), researchers have been inspired by the surface structure of lotus leaves, on which a roughness on nano  and micrometer scale increases the contact angle and promotes repellency of water droplets. Based on sol-gel synthesis of the commercial precursors trimethoxy(3,3,3-trifluoro propyl)silane (gamma) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl triethoxysilane (beta), together with trichloro(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)silane (FOTS) used in pure condition, fluoro silane coatings have been deposited on silicon substrates by spin coating, liquid phase deposition (LPD) and dip coating. Different solvent/silane molar ratios (S) and pH values were varied in the sols, and different parameters like multiple layers (spin coating), curing temperature (room temperature vs. 150 °C), substrate pretreatments (smooth vs. rough), liquid exposure time (LPD), and holding time and withdrawal speed (dip coating) were studied. Sol characterization showed that the viscosity in the fresh sols varied from 0.72 ± 0.03 mPa·s  10.7 ± 0.4 mPa·s, and that the viscosity was dependent on the type of precursor, pH and solvent content. The pH affected the sol hydrolysis and condensation rates, as indicated by FTIR and 29Si NMR. At acidic conditions the hydrolysis was relatively fast and condensed species like T2 and T3 were shown to develop with aging. Increased pH promoted a slow hydrolysis and a more condensation dominating reaction, as indicated by faster gelation. Coating characterizations by AFM, white light interferometer, profilometer and SEM were conducted to relate the roughness, which was present in the form of micrometer scale pyramids produced by KOH etching and also nanometer scale particles formed at alkaline conditions, to the hydrophobicity. The contact angles of the coatings with water varied from 71.2 °  129.4 ° , indicating hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic behavior. De-icing tests signified that the de-icing properties for the fluoro silane coatings were good compared to the uncoated reference substrates. Coatings deposited on rough surfaces where shown to cure easily, have greater surface roughness and increased hydrophobicity compared to coatings deposited on smooth surfaces. Interestingly, some of the hydrophilic coatings were shown to provide the best anti-icing/icephobic properties.
Efficient Inference of Gaussian-Process-Modulated Renewal Processes with Application to Medical Event Data

The episodic, irregular and asynchronous nature of medical data render them difficult substrates for standard machine learning algorithms. We would like to abstract away this difficulty for the class of time-stamped categorical variables (or events) by modeling them as a renewal process and inferring a probability density over non-parametric longitudinal intensity functions that modulate the process. Several methods exist for inferring such a density over intensity functions, but either their constraints prevent their use with our potentially bursty event streams, or their time complexity renders their use intractable on our long-duration observations of high-resolution events, or both. In this paper we present a new efficient and flexible inference method that uses direct numeric integration and smooth interpolation over Gaussian processes. We demonstrate that our direct method is up to twice as accurate and two orders of magnitude more efficient than the best existing method (thinning). Importantly, our direct method can infer intensity functions over the full range of bursty to memoryless to regular events, which thinning and many other methods cannot do. Finally, we apply the method to clinical event data and demonstrate a simple example application facilitated by the abstraction.
Analysis of a Multiple-Token Contention Scheme for Broadband Wireless Access Networks

In this paper, we present a mathematical analysis to evaluate the contention phase of a wireless system in which each contending station transmits multiple copies of the bandwidth reservation/request packet to increase the probability of successful transmissions using multiple slots randomly selected from the pool of available slots at the given moment. Here, we define this type of systems as a multi-token reservation scheme with uniform random backoff (MT-UNI). The proposed MT-UNI mechanism can be used in various broadband wireless access systems including IEEE 802.16, PRMA, C-TDMA and others. The simulation results show that the proposed performance formulae are very accurate, and the MT-UNI mechanism can improve the performance of the system at low load conditions. In addition, when each station uses 2 reservation tokens, the MT- UNI scheme seems to produce the near-optimal performance.
Quantifying error: Extending static timing analysis with probabilistic transitions

Timing analysis is a cornerstone of the digital design process. Statistical Static Timing Analysis was introduced to reduce pessimism by modelling device delay variations. However it ignores circuit logic, which may cause some timing paths to never or only rarely be sensitized. We introduce a general timing analysis approach and tool to calculate the probability that individual timing paths are sensitized, enabling the calculation of bounding delay distributions over all input combinations. We show the connection to the well-known #SAT problem and present approaches to improve scalability, achieving average results 46 to 32% less pessimistic than Static Timing Analysis while running 14.6 to 44.0 times faster than Monte-Carlo timing simulation.
Managing shared contexts in distributed multi-player game systems

In this paper, we consider the impact of a weaker model of eventual consistency on distributed multi-player games. This model is suitable for networks in which hosts can leave and join at anytime, e.g., in an intermittently connected environment. Such a consistency model is provided by the Secure Infrastructure for Networked Systems (SINS) [24], a reliable middleware framework. SINS allows agents to communicate asynchronously through a distributed transactional key-value store using anonymous publish-subscribe. It uses Lamport's Paxos protocol [17] to replicate state. We consider a multi-player maze game as example to illustrate our consistency model and the impact of network losses/delays therein. The framework based on SINS presented herein provides a vehicle for studying the effect of human elements participating in collaborative simulation of a physical world as in war games.
Inhibitory Interneuron Classes Express Complementary AMPA-Receptor Patterns in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex

Glutamate receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission. A very prevalent type of glutamate receptor in the neocortex is the AMPA receptor (AMPAR). AMPARs mediate fast synaptic transmission and their functionality depends on the subunit composition. In primary visual cortex (area V1), the density and subunit composition of AMPARs differ among cortical layers and among cell types. The AMPARs expressed by the different types of inhibitory interneurons, which are crucial for network function, have not yet been characterized systematically. We investigated the distribution of AMPAR subunits in macaque V1 for three distinct subpopulations of inhibitory interneurons: parvalbumin-immunoreactive (PV-IR) interneurons, calbindin-immunoreactive (CB-IR) interneurons, and calretinin-immunoreactive (CR-IR) interneurons. We found that PV-IR cells, which have previously been identified as fast spiking, show high expression of the GluA2 and GluA3 subunits. In contrast, CB-IR and CR-IR cells, which tend to be intermediate spiking, show high expression of the GluA1 and GluA4 subunits. Thus, our data demonstrate that the expression of AMPARs divides inhibitory interneurons in macaque V1 into two categories that are compatible with existing classification methods based on calcium-binding proteins and firing behavior. Moreover, our findings suggest new approaches to target the different inhibitory interneuron classes pharmacologically in vivo.
Modelling temperature effects on multiphase flow through porous media

We consider strong temperature effects on two-phase immiscible flow through a porous medium. A dependency on temperature is introduced via a temperature-dependent viscosity for one of the phases. The purpose is to develop a simple prototype model for simulating the injection of steam into a porous medium, which is saturated with highly viscous oil. To solve the problem, a Galerkin finite element model is formulated, with special residual-based terms added to stabilise the problem when advective transport processes dominate and to capture the discontinuities that develop at oil-water interfaces. It is also discussed how the mathematical representation of the numerical model can be transformed into computer code automatically, and two test cases are presented that demonstrate that this simplified model can capture typically observed phenomena robustly.
Time-varying encoders for constrained systems: An approach to limiting error propagation

Time-varying encoders for constrained systems are introduced. The approach generalizes the state-splitting (ACH) algorithm in a way that yields encoders consisting of multiple phases, with encoding proceeding cyclically from one phase to the next. The framework is useful for design of high-rate codes with reduced decoder error propagation and reduced complexity.
Web-based knowledge database construction method for supporting design

Recently, designers have been required solving comprehensive problem becoming greater and more complicated. In relation to this background, we have proposed Universal Abduction Studio (UAS); a computer environment that synthetically supports creative design. However, it is difficult for a designer to manually acquire multiple domain knowledge required for UAS. Therefore, we propose a Web-based knowledge database construction method for supporting design by UAS in this paper.
Quorum based Distributed Mutual Exclusion Algorithms in Mobile Networks

The assigned frequency spectrum to the wireless mobile systems has become a scarce resource as the number of mobile users has increased tremendously. So there is a need of using the allotted bandwidth efficiently. Distributed RME assigns channels to various cells and increases bandwidth utilization and at the same time reduces cochannel interference. Various algorithms exist which help in attaining mutual exclusion. Quorum based algorithms is one such class of algorithms where the requesting site asks permission from a set of smaller number of participating sites called a quorum. Quorums help reduce the message complexity in mobile systems.
Using modified TAM to examine the software engineers’ attitude on computer software patents

The nature of patent institution is to protect the inventors and accelerate the speed of innovation. It is likely to the patent of computer software. But the opinion voiced by exponents of open source is extremely opposed to patenting computer software. It is interest to the software engineers whether agree computer software patent or not. This study employs a modified technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore the perception and behavior of software engineers, and examines the relationship between perception and management behavior about patent. The findings of this study are two: 1. Most of the relations of this research model are positively significant; 2. The scales of firm and number of patents owned by firms have a significantly different effect from the above constructs. Finally, this study provides two suggestions for future study.
Myxothiazol induces H(2)O(2) production from mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Interruption of electron flow at the quinone-reducing center (Q(i)) of complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain results in superoxide production. Unstable semiquinone bound in quinol-oxidizing center (Q(o)) of complex III is thought to be the sole source of electrons for oxygen reduction; however, the unambiguous evidence is lacking. We investigated the effects of complex III inhibitors antimycin, myxothiazol, and stigmatellin on generation of H(2)O(2) in rat heart and brain mitochondria. In the absence of antimycin A, myxothiazol stimulated H(2)O(2) production by mitochondria oxidizing malate, succinate, or alpha-glycerophosphate. Stigmatellin inhibited H(2)O(2) production induced by myxothiazol. Myxothiazol-induced H(2)O(2) production was dependent on the succinate/fumarate ratio but in a manner different from H(2)O(2) generation induced by antimycin A. We conclude that myxothiazol-induced H(2)O(2) originates from a site located in the complex III Q(o) center but different from the site of H(2)O(2) production inducible by antimycin A.
Road-boundary detection and tracking using ladar sensing

Road-boundary detection is an integral and important function in advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicle navigation systems. A prominent feature of roads in urban, semi-urban, and similar environments, such as in theme parks, campus sites, industrial estates, science parks, and the like, is curbs on either side defining the road's boundary. Although vision is the most common and popular sensing modality used by researchers and automotive manufacturers for road-lane detection, it can pose formidable challenges in detecting road curbs under poor illumination, bad weather, and complex driving environments. This paper proposes a novel method based on extended Kalman filtering for fast detection and tracking of road curbs using successive range/bearing readings obtained from a scanning two-dimensional ladar measurement system. As compared with millimeter wave radar methods reported in the literature, the proposed technique is simpler and computationally more efficient. This is the first of its kind reported in the literature. Qualitative experimental results are presented from the application of the technique to a campus site environment to demonstrate the viability, effectiveness, and robustness.
Renal transplantation for the hemodialysis patient with axillofemoral bypass

Background. Axillofemoral bypass grafts are used in the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease caused by atherosclerosis. There have been no previous reports on renal transplantation used as treatment for chronic renal failure after an axillofemoral bypass graft being placed because of atypical coarctation of the aorta. Methods. The patient was a 47-year-old woman who had received regular hemodialysis for 15 years. Axillofemoral bypass surgery was performed because of atypical coarctation of the aorta in October 1999. Three years after surgery, she underwent renal transplantation. Results. Renal transplantation was successful, and helical computed tomography demonstrated patent graft bypass and good nephrographic effects of the renal artery. Conclusions. Even though dialysis patients with atypical coarctation of the aorta are treated with an axillofemoral bypass, it is possible for them to undergo regular renal transplantation, if part of the external or internal iliac artery is intact.
NON-LINEAR MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE COMPOSITE OVERWRAPPED CYLINDER FOR HYDRAULIC APPLICATIONS

This paper provides a new method for an elasto-plastic analysis of stress and deformation fields in the composite overwrapped cylinder under the pressure load. The cylinder structure consisting of steel liner and composite shell was examined. The non-linear properties of the steel tube, and orthotropic properties of the composite were assumed in this analysis. The compound cylinder was checked against internal working pressure and external axial forces. The optimal design parameters of the pressurized vessel were found by analytical as well as numerical methods, and later validated in experimental measurements. It was generally found, that composite reinforcement does not contribute very much to the mechanical performance of the cylinder when the steel liner works in elastic range, but, in contrast, it provides a big support when the metal tube approaches plastic deformation. This phenomenon allows to increase the power-to-weight ratio of the pressurized vessel, what is especially important for demanding hydraulic applications
A case of human melioidosis originating in south-west Western Australia.

OBJECTIVE To report the first human case of autochthonous melioidosis in temperate Australia (latitude 31 degrees 10'S) and to describe the extent of the presence of the causative agent, Pseudomonas pseudomallei, in southwest Western Australia. CLINICAL FEATURES A 45-year-old man living on a hobby farm was admitted to hospital for investigation of lung lesions, weight loss and low grade fevers. P. pseudomallei was cultured from material from an aspiration biopsy of a mediastinal mass. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME The patient was successfully treated with a regimen of ceftazidime and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. A review of epidemiological data showed that, since 1967, P. pseudomallei has been cultured from animals and soil in a region 50-250 km north-west of Perth, Western Australia, and that pockets of endemicity are found in the districts of Toodyay (where our patient's farm was), Chittering, Ballidu, Gidgegannup, Badgingarra, and Wongan Hills. CONCLUSION The persistence of the bacterium in animals and soil in south-west Western Australia demonstrates abundantly that P. pseudomallei can exist opportunely beyond its traditional tropical habitat. It is likely that there will be further clinical cases of melioidosis originating in this region, and that the boundaries of endemicity in Australia will expand further.
University of Marburg at TRECVID 2009: High-Level Feature Extraction

In this paper, we summarize our results for the high-level feature extraction task at TRECVID 2009. Our last year’s high-level feature extraction system relied on low-level features as well as on state-of-theart approaches for camera motion estimation, text detection, face detection and audio segmentation. Based on the observation that the use of face detection results improved the performance of several face related concepts, we have incorporated further specialized object detectors. Using specialized object detectors trained on separate public data sets, objectbased features are generated by assembling detection results to object sequences. A shot-based confidence score and additional features, such as position, frame coverage and movement, are computed for each object class. The object detectors are used for two purposes: (a) to provide retrieval results for concepts directly related to the object class (such as using the boat detector for the concept boat), (b) to provide objectbased features as additional input for the SVM-based concept classifiers. Thus, other related concepts can also profit from object-based features. Furthermore, we investigated the use of SURF (Speeded Up Robust Features). The use of object-based features improved the high-level feature extraction results significantly. Our best run achieved a mean inferred average precision of 9.53%. 1. Structured Abstract The results of our participation in the high-level feature extraction task are presented in this section in the form of the requested structured abstract. In the following sections, we describe our system for high-level feature extraction along with the experimental results. In section 2 we describe the extracted features focusing on object-based features and interest point features. The entire high-level feature extraction system is
FUEL INJECTION IN SCRAMJETS: MIXING ENHANCEMENT AND COMBUSTION CHARACTERIZATION EXPERIMENTS

A two-part experimental study was conducted to address the issues of supersonic fuel mixing enhancement and efficient combustor development. The first part of the study involved quantitative characterization of fuel-air mixing in a non-reacting supersonic flowfield. Two flow configurations were compared: i. ) a baseline case with normal fuel injection and ii. ) a case with an acoustically open cavity placed downstream of the injection in order to excite mixing. Direct measurements of local atomic fuel-air ratio were acquired using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), which was applied for the first time in a supersonic flowfield. Indirect measurements of fuel Title: FUEL INJECTION IN SCRAMJETS: MIXING ENHANCEMENT AND COMBUSTION CHARACTERIZATION EXPERIMENTS Andrew Henry Zang, Master of Science, 2005 Directed By: Associate Professor, Dr. Kenneth H. Yu, Department of Aerospace Engineering spreading rate were inferred from intensity gradients in time-averaged Schlieren images. The quantitative results were compared to show conclusive gains in fuel-air mixing rate for the cavity configuration. LIBS was proven as an effective diagnostic for quantifying supersonic mixing. In the second part of the study, a baseline supersonic combustor was designed, built, and tested for future comparative studies of combustion performance. The combustor featured a square cross-section and a three-dimensional expanding section, with optical access on one side. Combustor wall pressure was measured at various fuel injection conditions. Supersonic combustion was evident for some conditions, but results indicated poor combustion efficiency for all cases. This shows the need for either mixing enhancement or a redesign of the baseline conditions. FUEL INJECTION IN SCRAMJETS: MIXING ENHANCEMENT AND COMBUSTION CHARACTERIZATION EXPERIMENTS
Outcomes of Telemedicine Video-Conferencing Clinic Versus In-Person Clinic Follow-Up for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Recipients

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recipients require close follow-up that can be difficult for patients who have to travel long distances for clinic follow-up. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes between ICD patients followed-up in a telemedicine video-conferencing clinic (TMVC) and a conventional in-person clinic (CIC). We hypothesized that outcomes of patients followed in the TMVC are noninferior to the CIC. Methods and Results: This retrospective study compares time to first appropriate ICD therapy, time to first inappropriate ICD therapy, time to first shock, and overall survival in patients followed in TMVC compared with CIC between 2001 and 2016. Two hundred and eighty-seven patients were followed in the TMVC group and 236 patients in the CIC. The average age of the TMVC and CIC groups was 64.13±9.38 and 65.23±8.57 years, respectively (P=0.164). There was no difference in the modified Seattle heart failure model score between the 2 groups (−0.12±1.0 versus −0.21±0.99; P=0.287). The Charlson comorbidity index score was higher in the CIC group compared with the TMVC group (7.0 versus 6.0; P=0.01). Mean duration of follow-up was 4.8 years. Adjusted and unadjusted tests of noninferiority found TMVC was not inferior to in-person follow-up for the prespecified outcomes. Conclusions: Video-conferencing ICD follow-up for patients in areas where electrophysiology subspecialty care is not available leads to outcomes that are noninferior to CIC follow-up.