Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in corrosion resistant superhydrophobic coatings

Abstract Extreme water-repellent (superhydrophobic) coatings with water contact angle higher than 150° have caught the attention of corrosion researchers in the last decade as they can be used to protect metals and alloys against corrosion. The latter is a serious problem, as it can threaten human lives in addition to its deleterious effects on the economy and environment. Superhydrophobic coatings (SHCs) can be achieved by lowering the surface energy of a certain coating through combining some of its surface features at the microscale and nanoscales. Although SHCs can be prepared using many different easy techniques, none, to the best of our knowledge, has been applied, so far, on an industrial scale for protection against corrosion of metals and alloys. The present work explains the different models of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) and reviews their fabrication and processing methods with a focus on the recent advances in the corrosion protection of the SHC.
Resting-state functional connectivity in anterior cingulate cortex in normal aging

Growing evidence suggests that normal aging is associated with cognitive decline and well-maintained emotional well-being. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is an important brain region involved in emotional and cognitive processing. We investigated resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of two ACC subregions in 30 healthy older adults vs. 33 healthy younger adults, by parcellating into rostral (rACC) and dorsal (dACC) ACC based on clustering of FC profiles. Compared with younger adults, older adults demonstrated greater connection between rACC and anterior insula, suggesting that older adults recruit more proximal dACC brain regions connected with insula to maintain a salient response. Older adults also demonstrated increased FC between rACC and superior temporal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus, decreased integration between rACC and default mode, and decreased dACC-hippocampal and dACC-thalamic connectivity. These altered FCs reflected rACC and dACC reorganization, and might be related to well emotion regulation and cognitive decline in older adults. Our findings provide further insight into potential functional substrates of emotional and cognitive alterations in the aging brain.
Molecular Sex Differences in Human Serum

Background Sex is an important factor in the prevalence, incidence, progression, and response to treatment of many medical conditions, including autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric conditions. Identification of molecular differences between typical males and females can provide a valuable basis for exploring conditions differentially affected by sex. Methodology/Principal Findings Using multiplexed immunoassays, we analyzed 174 serum molecules in 9 independent cohorts of typical individuals, comprising 196 males and 196 females. Sex differences in analyte levels were quantified using a meta-analysis approach and put into biological context using k-means to generate clusters of analytes with distinct biological functions. Natural sex differences were established in these analyte groups and these were applied to illustrate sexually dimorphic analyte expression in a cohort of 22 males and 22 females with Asperger syndrome. Reproducible sex differences were found in the levels of 77 analytes in serum of typical controls, and these comprised clusters of molecules enriched with distinct biological functions. Analytes involved in fatty acid oxidation/hormone regulation, immune cell growth and activation, and cell death were found at higher levels in females, and analytes involved in immune cell chemotaxis and other indistinct functions were higher in males. Comparison of these naturally occurring sex differences against a cohort of people with Asperger syndrome indicated that a cluster of analytes that had functions related to fatty acid oxidation/hormone regulation was associated with sex and the occurrence of this condition. Conclusions/Significance Sex-specific molecular differences were detected in serum of typical controls and these were reproducible across independent cohorts. This study extends current knowledge of sex differences in biological functions involved in metabolism and immune function. Deviations from typical sex differences were found in a cluster of molecules in Asperger syndrome. These findings illustrate the importance of investigating the influence of sex on medical conditions.
Surface Imprints of Water-Column Turbulence: A Case Study of Tidal Flow over an Estuarine Sill

Turbulent mixing in the ocean can, in some cases, be so intense as to leave surface imprints, or “boils”, that are detectable from space. Examples include turbulent flow over a submerged obstacle and instability of large-amplitude internal waves. In this paper we examine the particular case of tidal flow over a ~60-m-deep sill, which forms a barrier for the flow of dense water from the Pacific Ocean into the Strait of Georgia. The flow response during flood tide is illustrated using visible and thermal-band satellite and airborne imagery, the latter having high-resolution multi-looks that capture the formative stage of the boils. The image examples capture aspects of the expected flow response based on in situ measurements reported in the literature, but they also suggest differences, and they reveal the level of complexity of the surface structure. A new result is that, after the front is pushed well off the sill, boils emerge several hundred meters downstream from the sill crest, grow at a rate of ~60 m2/s, and attain a size of 3,800 m2 (an equivalent diameter of 70 m) after one minute. These boils appear to arise from vorticity generated by vertical shear at the sill crest, and provide an additional source of vertical mixing and (through wave breaking) air-sea gas exchange.
Evaluation of generalized stress intensity factors in anisotropic elastic multimaterial corners

A least squares method has been developed to evaluate Generalized Stress Intensity Factors (GSIF) in 2D anisotropic linear elastic multimaterial corners. As characteristic exponents (order of stress singularities) and characteristic angular functions are evaluated first in a semi-analytical way, the only parameters to adjust in the least squares procedure are the GSIFs. Numerical examples are presented involving single and bi-material isotropic free-free corners for comparison purposes with other authors. The Boundary Element Method (BEM) has been used for numerical solutions of the presented problems. Although the procedure is tested in the present work, only with single and bimaterial isotropic free-free corner configurations, due to the easier possibility to compare with solutions of these problems by other authors, the proposed method is valid for any generic multimaterial corner configuration involving homogeneous anisotropic linear elastic materials.
Incentives for Quality through Endogenous Routing

We study how rework routing together with wage and piece-rate compensation can strengthen incentives for quality. Traditionally, rework is assigned back to the agent who generates the defect (in a self-routing scheme) or to another agent dedicated to rework (in a dedicated routing scheme). In contrast, a novel cross-routing scheme allocates rework to a parallel agent performing both new jobs and rework. The agent who passes quality inspection or completes rework receives the piece rate paid per job. We compare the incentives of these rework-allocation schemes in a principal-agent model with embedded quality control and routing in a multiclass queueing network. We show that conventional self-routing of rework cannot induce first-best effort. Dedicated routing and cross-routing, however, strengthen incentives for quality by imposing an implicit punishment for quality failure. In addition, cross-routing leads to workload-allocation externalities and a prisoner's dilemma, thereby creating the greatest incentives for quality. Firm profitability depends on demand levels, revenues, and quality costs. When the number of agents increases, the incentive effect of cross-routing reduces monotonically and approaches that of dedicated routing.
Vagal gustatory reflex circuits for intraoral food sorting behavior in the goldfish: Cellular organization and neurotransmitters

The sense of taste is crucial in an animal's determination as to what is edible and what is not. This gustatory function is especially important in goldfish, who utilize a sophisticated oropharyngeal sorting mechanism to separate food from substrate material. The computational aspects of this detection are carried out by the medullary vagal lobe, which is a large, laminated structure combining elements of both the gustatory nucleus of the solitary tract and the nucleus ambiguus. The sensory layers of the vagal lobe are coupled to the motor layers via a simple reflex arc. Details of this reflex circuit were investigated with histology and calcium imaging. Biocytin injections into the motor layer labeled vagal reflex interneurons that have radially directed dendrites ramifying within the layers of primary afferent terminals. Axons of reflex interneurons extend radially inward to terminate onto both vagal motoneurons and small, GABAergic interneurons in the motor layer. Functional imaging shows increases in intracellular Ca++ of vagal motoneurons following electrical stimulation in the sensory layer. These responses were suppressed under Ca++‐free conditions and by interruption of the axons bridging between the sensory and motor layers. Pharmacological experiments showed that glutamate acting via (±)‐α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐ 5‐ethylisoxazole‐4‐propioinc acid (AMPA)/kainate and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors mediate neurotransmission between reflex interneurons and vagal motoneurons. Thus, the vagal gustatory portion of the viscerosensory complex is linked to branchiomotor neurons of the pharynx via a glutamatergic interneuronal system. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:213–225, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MAC-layer protocol for TCP fairness in Wireless Mesh Networks

In this paper we study the interactions of TCP and IEEE 802.11 MAC in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). We use a Markov chain to capture the behavior of TCP sessions, particularly the impact on network throughput performance due to the effect of queue utilization and packet relaying. A closed form solution is derived to numerically determine the throughput. Based on the developed model, we propose a distributed MAC protocol to alleviate the unfairness problem in WMNs. Our protocol uses the age of packet as a priority metric for packet scheduling. Simulation is conducted to validate our model and to illustrate the fairness characteristics of our proposed MAC protocol. We conclude that we can achieve fairness with only little impact on network capacity.
Design and Qualitative Robustness Analysis of an DOBC Approach for DC-DC Buck Converters With Unmatched Circuit Parameter Perturbations

A disturbance observer-based control (DOBC) approach is proposed in this paper for control design and qualitative robustness analysis of PWM-based DC-DC buck power converters. A disturbance compensation gain is constructed for the composite control algorithm to cancel the unmatched uncertainties in the output voltage channel. Rigorous criterion is provided to show the quantitative robustness between controller parameters and circuit uncertainties. The DOBC approach delivers not only a promising disturbance rejection performance but also a superior property of tracking performance recovery. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed approach is validated by experimental results based on LabVIEW real-time control test setup.
Three‐Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography–Derived Left Atrial Strain Parameters Are Reduced in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (Results from the MAGYAR‐Path Study)

Objective: Three‐dimensional (3D) speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) is a novel imaging modality for assessing cardiac function. We aimed to analyze left atrial (LA) function using 3DSTE in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: 3DSTE was performed in 20 patients prior to their pulmonary vein isolation for AF. Every patient underwent a complete two‐dimensional echocardiographic study at the same time. 3DSTE‐derived circumferential (CS), longitudinal (LS), radial (RS), 3D (3DS), and area strain (AS) values were measured in the basal (b), mid (m), and superior (s) regions of the LA. 3DSTE‐defined maximal (LAmax) and minimal LA volumes (LAmin) and LA total emptying fraction were calculated automatically. Eleven randomly selected age‐ and gender‐matched healthy volunteers served as controls. Results: Patients with AF had significantly larger LAmax and LAmin and reduced LS, RS and CS.3DS and AS were significantly lower throughout the LA in cases with AF (3DS−b, −m, −s [AF patients vs. controls]: −18 ± 8% vs. −29 ± 8%, P = 0.001; −14 ± 6% vs. −22 ± 7%, P = 0.002; −10 ± 7% vs. −20 ± 9%, P = 0.002; AS−b, −m, −s [AF patients vs. controls]: 35 ± 15% vs. 52 ± 13%, P = 0.004; 50 ± 21% vs. 72 ± 19%, P = 0.009; 31 ± 21% vs. 65 ± 27%, P < 0.0001, respectively). Conclusions: 3DSTE‐derived “uni‐dimensional” LS, RS, CS, as well as novel strain parameters (3DS, AS) are significantly reduced in patients with AF compared to matched controls. 3DS and AS might be new strain parameters providing further insights into the alterations of LA function in patients developing AF.
The effect of an alternative keyboard on musculoskeletal discomfort: A randomized cross-over trial.

BACKGROUND There is limited research on the effectiveness of alternative keyboards in reducing discomfort in the workplace. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that participants using a fixed split-angle (alternative) keyboard would report significantly greater improvements in discomfort in comparison to those using a standard keyboard. Additionally, we hypothesized that at 5 months participants would significantly prefer the configuration of the alternative keyboard in comparison to the standard keyboard. METHOD In this randomized cross-over trial 77 symptomatic computer operators used fixed split-angle or standard flat keyboards for five months in their workplace, then switched to the other keyboard. Discomfort was collected weekly using the Weekly Discomfort Survey and usability was measured monthly. RESULTS There was no significant keyboard by period effect on any discomfort measure. The number of participants with discomfort decreased dramatically in the first month of use, regardless of keyboard type, and this number remained relatively unchanged for the remainder of the study. Participants' ratings significantly favored the standard flat keyboard for usability. CONCLUSIONS This study does not support the use of fixed split-angle keyboards over standard flat keyboards to reduce discomfort in the workplace. Further research is needed to evaluate if subgroups of keyboard users might benefit.
Word Co-occurrence Counts Prediction for Bilingual Terminology Extraction from Comparable Corpora

Methods dealing with bilingual lexicon extraction from comparable corpora are often based on word co-occurrence observation and are by essence more effective when using large corpora. In most cases, specialized comparable corpora are of small size, and this particularity has a direct impact on bilingual terminology extraction results. In order to overcome insufficient data coverage and to make word co-occurrence statistics more reliable, we propose building a predictive model of word co-occurrence counts. We compare different predicting models with the traditional Standard Approach and show that once we have identified the best procedures, our method increases significantly the performance of extracting word translations from comparable corpora.
Bayesian Inference on GARCH Models Using the Gibbs Sampler

This paper explains how the Gibbs sampler can be used to perform Bayesian inference on GARCH models. Although the Gibbs sampler is usually based on the analytical knowledge of the full conditional posterior densities, such knowledge is not available in regression models with GARCH errors. We show that the Gibbs sampler can be combined with a unidimensional deterministic integration rule applied to each coordinate of the posterior density.
Expression of GATA1 in the ovine conceptus and endometrium during the peri‐attachment period

The transcription factor GATA1 is known to play an essential role in hematopoiesis, but its other roles have not been well characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between GATA1 and GATA2 and/or GATA3, and to identify their possible functions in ovine development. GATA1 mRNA was found in ovine conceptuses and endometrial epithelial regions of Day 15 (Day 0 = day of estrus) cyclic and Days 15, 17, and 21 pregnant ovine uteri. GATA1 mRNA was strongly expressed in conceptuses on Day 21, when trophoblast attachment to the maternal endometrium progressed. Similarly, GATA1 protein expression was relatively high on Day 21. To localize GATA1 mRNA, ovine conceptuses and pregnant uteri were subjected to in situ hybridization on Days 15, 17, and 21, confirming that GATA1 mRNA was expressed in trophoblasts and uterine endometrial epithelial cells in these gestation days. The presence of GATA1 protein was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Because high GATA1 expression appeared to coincide with reduced GATA2/3 expression, a potential role of GATA1 was examined through transfection of a mouse Gata1 expression plasmid into bovine trophoblast F3 cells. This over‐expression resulted in the down‐regulation of endogenous GATA2 transcripts. These observations indicate that GATA1 exists in the ovine conceptus and uterus during the peri‐attachment period, and suggest that GATA1 is integral to conceptus and endometrial development through the regulation of GATA2 and possibly other developmentally important genes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 79:64–73, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Activity Recognition in a Dense Sensor Network

A dense sensor network consisting of passive infrared motion detectors was developed and used to record human activity in hallways and rooms in a large campus building. Algorithms were developed that: (a) automatically determine the topology of the network from the sensor data, so that manual mapping is not required, (b) automatically learn patterns of sensor readings in local spatial and temporal neighborhoods, and (c) use the distribution of local events over larger spatial and temporal scales to automatically discover patterns of underlying global activities. The statistical distribution of the local events is analyzed using Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (pLSA). Preliminary results show that the method can identify “typical” and “anomalous” activities.
Interaction of retransmission, blacklisting, and routing metrics for reliability in sensor network routing

Unpredictable and heterogeneous links in a wireless sensor network require techniques to avoid low delivery rate and high delivery cost. Three commonly used techniques to help discover high quality paths include (1) link-layer retransmission, (2) blacklisting bad links, and (3) end-to-end routing metrics. Using simulation and testbed experiments, we present the first systematic exploration of the tradeoffs of combinations of these approaches, quantifying the effects of each of these three techniques. We identify several key results: one is that per-hop retransmissions (ARQ) is a necessary addition to any other mechanism if reliable data delivery is a goal. Additional interactions between the services are more subtle. First, in a multihop network, either blacklisting or reliability metrics like ETX can provide consistent high-reliability paths when added to ARQ. Second, at higher deployment densities, blacklisting has a lower routing overhead than CTX. But at lower densities, blacklisting becomes less stable as the network partitions. These results are consistent across both simulation and testbed experiments. We conclude that ETX with retransmissions is the best choice in general, but that blacklisting may be worth considering at higher densities, either with or without ETX.
Object-based method for automatic forest change detection

A new method has been developed in order to automatically detect land cover changes in forested areas on a multitemporal dataset. From a multitemporal segmentation on the calibrated reflectance of all images, unchanged but especially the changed stands are accurately delineated. Stands are characterized by features extracted from the reflectance difference images. As these features for the changed objects will appear as outliers with respect to the ones for unchanged objects, they are identified through a multivariate iterative trimming procedure. The method, which was tested in eastern Belgian forest using three SPOT HRV images covering a decade, could detect accurately clearcuts and regenerations on both coniferous and hardwood. The performance of this method of change detection, measured by the detection accuracy, was proved to be higher (85 to 95 %) than a particular multidate classification, named RGB-NDVI (49 to 65%). The originality of this study is (i) the fact that an object-based approach is used instead of the classical pixel-based methods, and (ii) the automation of the process.
Sialyltransferase Regulates Nervous System Function in Drosophila

In vertebrates, sialylated glycans participate in a wide range of biological processes and affect the development and function of the nervous system. While the complexity of glycosylation and the functional redundancy among sialyltransferases provide obstacles for revealing biological roles of sialylation in mammals, Drosophila possesses a sole vertebrate-type sialyltransferase, Drosophila sialyltransferase (DSiaT), with significant homology to its mammalian counterparts, suggesting that Drosophila could be a suitable model to investigate the function of sialylation. To explore this possibility and investigate the role of sialylation in Drosophila, we inactivated DSiaT in vivo by gene targeting and analyzed phenotypes of DSiaT mutants using a combination of behavioral, immunolabeling, electrophysiological, and pharmacological approaches. Our experiments demonstrated that DSiaT expression is restricted to a subset of CNS neurons throughout development. We found that DSiaT mutations result in significantly decreased life span, locomotor abnormalities, temperature-sensitive paralysis, and defects of neuromuscular junctions. Our results indicate that DSiaT regulates neuronal excitability and affects the function of a voltage-gated sodium channel. Finally, we showed that sialyltransferase activity is required for DSiaT function in vivo, which suggests that DSiaT mutant phenotypes result from a defect in sialylation of N-glycans. This work provided the first evidence that sialylation has an important biological function in protostomes, while also revealing a novel, nervous system-specific function of α2,6-sialylation. Thus, our data shed light on one of the most ancient functions of sialic acids in metazoan organisms and suggest a possibility that this function is evolutionarily conserved between flies and mammals.