Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of the microstructure of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings on the thermal conductivity and the methods to reduce the thermal conductivity

Purpose: The goal of the paper is to evaluate the effect of the microstructure of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings on the thermal conductivity and the methods to reduce the thermal conductivity. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the effect of microstructure of the coating to the thermal conductivity of EB-PVD TBCs and the methods to reduce the thermal conductivity of these coatings have been investigated. Findings: Microstructure of the EB-PVD coating - it is found that they are formed in two different structure and microstructural characteristics and they are different from each other. Practical implications: Nowadays, selection of materials for usage purpose is getting important because of new high technologic developments. Especially for the parts operating at high temperatures, materials which have low thermal conductivity and high mechanical resistance are preferred. Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) are used in aerospace, diesel engine and power plant technologies due to porous structures and low thermal conductivity. Generally these coatings are applied by two methods, Electron Beam-Plasma Vapour Deposition (EB-PVD) and Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS). Originality/value: This paper reviews the current status of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings technology and investigation to reduce the thermal conductivity in future generations of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings.
Formulation and Preparation of Densified Complete Feed Blocks with and without Condensed Tannins: Impact on Performance of Haemonchus contortus Infected Goats

Present study was planned to screen locally available tanniferous tree leaves for their chemical composition, presence of condensed tannins (CT), potential source of CT and suitable leaf meal mixture (LMM) was formulated for incorporation in the densified complete feed blocks (DCF). Two types of blocks (with and without CT; CT-DCF and DCF, respectively) were formulated and prepared. Twelve adult male goats of similar age and body weight (27.51 ± 0.86) were divided in 3 groups (4 in each) in completely randomized block design (CRD) for feeding of 75 days. Goats of T1 (no infection) and T2 (H. contortus infection @ 1500 L3 /goat) were offered DCF blocks while the goats of T3 (H. contortus infection @ 1500 L3 /goat) offered CTDCF. Initial body weights (kg) of goats did not differ significantly (P<0.05) irrespective of groups, however, final body weight at the end of feeding trial were significantly lower in T2 compared to T1 and T3. Daily feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) lower in T2 as compared to T1 and T3. Intakes of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, digestible crude protein, digestible organic matter and total digestible nutrients (Kg/100 Kg bwt.) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in T1 and T3 as compared to T2. The faecal egg counts (FECs) per gram faeces were significantly lower (P<0.05) in T3 than that of T2. It may be concluded that CTDCF serve a promising complementary alternative feeding strategy to control H. contortus infection in goats as socio-economic, farmers and environmental friendly sustainable approach.
The contribution of Earth observation technologies to the reporting obligations of the Habitats Directive and Natura 2000 network in a protected wetland

Background Wetlands are highly productive systems that supply a host of ecosystem services and benefits. Nonetheless, wetlands have been drained and filled to provide sites for building houses and roads and for establishing farmland, with an estimated worldwide loss of 64–71% of wetland systems since 1900. In Europe, the Natura 2000 network is the cornerstone of current conservation strategies. Every six years, Member States must report on implementation of the European Habitats Directive. The present study aims to illustrate how Earth observation (EO) technologies can contribute to the reporting obligations of the Habitats Directive and Natura 2000 network in relation to wetland ecosystems. Methods We analysed the habitat changes that occurred in a protected wetland (in NW Spain), 13 years after its designation as Natura 2000 site (i.e., between 2003 and 2016). For this purpose, we analysed optical multispectral bands and water-related and vegetation indices derived from data acquired by Landsat 7 TM, ETM+ and Landsat 8 OLI sensors. To quantify the uncertainty arising from the algorithm used in the classification procedure and its impact on the change analysis, we compared the habitat change estimates obtained using 10 different classification algorithms and two ensemble classification approaches (majority and weighted vote). Results The habitat maps derived from the ensemble approaches showed an overall accuracy of 94% for the 2003 data (Kappa index of 0.93) and of 95% for the 2016 data (Kappa index of 0.94). The change analysis revealed important temporal dynamics between 2003 and 2016 for the habitat classes identified in the study area. However, these changes depended on the classification algorithm used. The habitat maps obtained from the two ensemble classification approaches showed a reduction in habitat classes dominated by salt marshes and meadows (24.6–26.5%), natural and semi-natural grasslands (25.9–26.5%) or sand dunes (20.7–20.9%) and an increase in forest (31–34%) and reed bed (60.7–67.2%) in the study area. Discussion This study illustrates how EO–based approaches might be particularly useful to help (1) managers to reach decisions in relation to conservation, (2) Member States to comply with the requirements of the European Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), and (3) the European Commission to monitor the conservation status of the natural habitat types of community interest listed in Annex I of the Directive. Nonetheless, the uncertainty arising from the large variety of classification methods used may prevent local managers from basing their decisions on EO data. Our results shed light on how different classification algorithms may provide very different quantitative estimates, especially for water-dependent habitats. Our findings confirm the need to account for this uncertainty by applying ensemble classification approaches, which improve the accuracy and stability of remote sensing image classification.
Progress of Glass Sealing Materials Used for SOFC

The recent progress of glass sealing materials used for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was reviewed in this paper.Silicate based glass, borate based glass, phosphate glass and mica glass-ceramic sealants were presented respectively, and the characteristics of each sealant were compared and the future efforts to improve the properties of these sealants were pointed clearly. At last the paper pointed out that the improvements of sealing material preparation techniques were the main research field for glass sealing materials.
Wavelet Correlation of Neural Activity Bursts Generating Spikes

We study neural activity synchronization on the basis of instantaneous wavelet correlation function and simple mathematical model of brain bursts carrying several spikes. The approach allows us to obtain analytical solution for two neurons generating a given number of spikes and estimate the coupled behavior of neurons at different time moments. Neural activity is simulated as a superposition of elementary nonstationary Gaussian signals with some given parameters. Time-frequency properties of neural signals are studied by continuous wavelet transform with adaptive Morlet mother wavelet function.
Multi-homing in the Apple ecosystem: why and how developers target multiple Apple app stores

The Apple ecosystem is divided into three sub-ecosystems: iPhone, iPad and Mac. This paper analyses the behavior of companies that target more than one of these sub-ecosystems, aptly named multi-homers, using statistical analysis and a short survey. The set of companies analyzed is composed of the publishers of the top 300 free and paid applications within the three ecosystems' App Stores in May 2011. Findings showed that there is a strong relationship between the number of platforms a company targets and the type of applications it publishes and the number of these applications. The most encountered trend was of first targeting the iPhone platform and then the iPad. Multi-homing from a strategic perspective is motivated mainly by a wider customer base and the portability the Apple sub-ecosystems offer.
Regulatory network analysis reveals novel regulators of seed desiccation tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Significance Seed desiccation tolerance (DT) is one of the most fascinating processes of higher plants, and has played a fundamental role in the evolution of land plants. DT allows plant seeds to remain viable in the dry state for years and even centuries. What the key transcription factors (TFs) are that activate the mechanisms that allow plant seeds to maintain cellular and DNA integrity for centuries remains largely unknown. In this paper, we report the identification of the TFs that act as major nodes of the transcriptional networks that regulate the acquisition of seed DT. We also report the functional validation of several of the major regulators of seed DT in plants. Desiccation tolerance (DT) is a remarkable process that allows seeds in the dry state to remain viable for long periods of time that in some instances exceed 1,000 y. It has been postulated that seed DT evolved by rewiring the regulatory and signaling networks that controlled vegetative DT, which itself emerged as a crucial adaptive trait of early land plants. Understanding the networks that regulate seed desiccation tolerance in model plant systems would provide the tools to understand an evolutionary process that played a crucial role in the diversification of flowering plants. In this work, we used an integrated approach that included genomics, bioinformatics, metabolomics, and molecular genetics to identify and validate molecular networks that control the acquisition of DT in Arabidopsis seeds. Two DT-specific transcriptional subnetworks were identified related to storage of reserve compounds and cellular protection mechanisms that act downstream of the embryo development master regulators LEAFY COTYLEDON 1 and 2, FUSCA 3, and ABSCICIC ACID INSENSITIVE 3. Among the transcription factors identified as major nodes in the DT regulatory subnetworks, PLATZ1, PLATZ2, and AGL67 were confirmed by knockout mutants and overexpression in a desiccation-intolerant mutant background to play an important role in seed DT. Additionally, we found that constitutive expression of PLATZ1 in WT plants confers partial DT in vegetative tissues.
Is mepivacaine as effective as lidocaine during inferior alveolar nerve blocks in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis? A systematic review and meta‐analysis

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mepivacaine and lidocaine for pulpal anaesthesia and pain control when administered via an inferior alveolar nerve block during the root canal treatment of mandibular molars in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. A research protocol was developed and registered in PROSPERO. The systematic search was conducted during May 2017 in eight databases. The studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two examiners analysed the sample independently, decided the eligibility for inclusion and classified the articles according to their quality. Statistical analysis was performed with Mantel-Haenszel and I-square (I2 ) tests considering a confidence interval of 95%. The initial sample consisted of 1130 articles, out of which four were eligible. The articles were published between 1993 and 2016. For both pulpal anaesthesia and pain control, there was no significant difference between mepivacaine and lidocaine (P = 0.843, I2 = 0%, and P = 0.183, I2 = 21.1%, respectively). Mepivacaine and lidocaine were similarly effective for pulpal anaesthesia and pain control after inferior alveolar nerve blocks for root canal treatment.
Cognitive Training in Parkinson’s Disease

Cognitive impairment is now widely accepted as a fundamental aspect of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Given the prevalence of cognitive impairment and the associated impact on well-being, evidence-based interventions are needed. However, while research is continually accumulating in order to better understand the pathology and trajectory of cognitive changes, treatment options lag behind. Nonpharmacological approaches are of particular interest in this group, given the typical polypharmacy already present in PD patients. In this regard, cognitive training (CT) is a relatively new and prominent therapeutic option with accumulating scientific support and increasing public awareness. Research has now established benefits across many different populations, and trials investigating the use of CT specifically in PD are becoming more common. We offer a brief summary of CT and its efficacy in PD samples to date, as well as discuss areas requiring further exploration in this group. Crucially, we suggest that CT should be supported as a research priority in PD, given both proven and potential benefits as a noninvasive and well-tolerated behavioral intervention for cognitive impairment.
How to optimize the precision of allele and haplotype frequency estimates using pooled‐sequencing data

Sequencing pools of individuals rather than individuals separately reduces the costs of estimating allele frequencies at many loci in many populations. Theoretical and empirical studies show that sequencing pools comprising a limited number of individuals (typically fewer than 50) provides reliable allele frequency estimates, provided that the DNA pooling and DNA sequencing steps are carefully controlled. Unequal contributions of different individuals to the DNA pool and the mean and variance in sequencing depth both can affect the standard error of allele frequency estimates. To our knowledge, no study separately investigated the effect of these two factors on allele frequency estimates; so that there is currently no method to a priori estimate the relative importance of unequal individual DNA contributions independently of sequencing depth. We develop a new analytical model for allele frequency estimation that explicitly distinguishes these two effects. Our model shows that the DNA pooling variance in a pooled sequencing experiment depends solely on two factors: the number of individuals within the pool and the coefficient of variation of individual DNA contributions to the pool. We present a new method to experimentally estimate this coefficient of variation when planning a pooled sequencing design where samples are either pooled before or after DNA extraction. Using this analytical and experimental framework, we provide guidelines to optimize the design of pooled sequencing experiments. Finally, we sequence replicated pools of inbred lines of the plant Medicago truncatula and show that the predictions from our model generally hold true when estimating the frequency of known multilocus haplotypes using pooled sequencing.
Purification and characterization of H.8 antigen from group B Neisseria meningitidis

The surface antigen (H.8) common to the pathogenic Neisseria species was purified by a simple procedure by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. The purified H.8 antigen was characterized as to its amino acid composition, susceptibilities to several proteolytic enzymes, isoelectric point, and susceptibilities to an acid and a base. The amino acid composition of purified H.8 antigen from two strains of Neisseria meningitidis group B, namely, 44/76 and 8047, were compared. It was found that glutamic acid, alanine, and proline accounted for about 80% of the total amino acids in each case. A preliminary analysis of the lipid content of this protein was made. It showed the presence of a lipid component that moves between C9 and C11 straight-chain fatty acids in the gas chromatograph. Limited amino acid sequence data were obtained by sequencing a fragment of the H.8 antigen that was isolated after partial acid hydrolysis. The H.8 antigen epitope was found to be labile to treatment with both a mild acid and a mild base.
Indentation Testing of the Optic Nerve Head and Posterior Sclera

The mechanical behavior of the optic nerve head (ONH) and the surrounding sclera play important roles in the development of optic neuropathy. We assessed the indentation behavior of the ONH and the surrounding sclera in unfixed human autopsy eyes from individuals between 27 and 87 years of age. Our testing device utilized a round-tipped 250 µm diameter stainless steel probe to measure the force applied in discrete 50 µm steps from the surface of the tissues to a depth of 400 µm. Thirteen eyes from eight individuals were indented in various locations within and around the ONH and the posterior sclera. Tissue thickness, force and depth were recorded at each position tested. Data was analyzed by evaluating the recorded force as a function of the depth of indentation. The data showed that, for both the sclera and the ONH, the force rose exponentially with increased depth of indentation. Apparent stiffness values were estimated using 2 different equations that assess soft biologic tissues. Results showed that significantly higher levels of force were required with aging to indent the posterior sclera, with a corresponding increase in stiffness values. However, no significant increase in indentation force as a function of age was noted for the ONH. Interestingly, the data suggests that some individuals have relatively large differences in the stiffness between the ONH and the posterior sclera, while others show less difference regardless of age. This data supports the notion that some individuals have relatively softer ONH tissue, and as the sclera becomes stiffer with age, this difference is magnified. This difference may be important in understanding the biomechanical contribution to the individually different susceptibility to glaucoma.
Molecular Characterization of a Dual Domain Carbonic Anhydrase From the Ctenidium of the Giant Clam, Tridacna squamosa, and Its Expression Levels After Light Exposure, Cellular Localization, and Possible Role in the Uptake of Exogenous Inorganic Carbon

A Dual-Domain Carbonic Anhydrase (DDCA) had been sequenced and characterized from the ctenidia (gills) of the giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, which lives in symbiosis with zooxanthellae. DDCA was expressed predominantly in the ctenidium. The complete cDNA coding sequence of DDCA from T. squamosa comprised 1,803 bp, encoding a protein of 601 amino acids and 66.7 kDa. The deduced DDCA sequence contained two distinct α-CA domains, each with a specific catalytic site. It had a high sequence similarity with tgCA from Tridacna gigas. In T. squamosa, the DDCA was localized apically in certain epithelial cells near the base of the ctenidial filament and the epithelial cells surrounding the tertiary water channels. Due to the presence of two transmembrane regions in the DDCA, one of the Zn2+-containing active sites could be located externally and the other one inside the cell. These results denote that the ctenidial DDCA was positioned to dehydrate HCO3- to CO2 in seawater, and to hydrate the CO2 that had permeated the apical membrane back to HCO3- in the cytoplasm. During insolation, the host clam needs to increase the uptake of inorganic carbon from the ambient seawater to benefit the symbiotic zooxanthellae; only then, can the symbionts conduct photosynthesis and share the photosynthates with the host. Indeed, the transcript and protein levels of DDCA/DDCA in the ctenidium of T. squamosa increased significantly after 6 and 12 h of exposure to light, respectively, denoting that DDCA could participate in the light-enhanced uptake and assimilation of exogenous inorganic carbon.
Use of finite element analysis to assess bone strength

Assessment of areal bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is widely used to diagnose osteoporosis and assess fracture risk. However, clinical observations have highlighted the limitations of DXA with respect to both sensitivity and specificity in fracture risk predictions. From a biomechanics viewpoint, an approach that accurately represents the three-dimensional geometry and heterogeneous distribution of material properties of bone may provide improved estimates of bone strength. In this regard, there is increasing interest in the use of finite element analysis (FEA) to assess bone biomechanical behavior. In this Perspective, we describe the finite element method and review its application in bone research. We discuss the strengths and limitations of the approach, evaluate its potential for clinical assessment of fracture risk, and suggest areas of future research. Rather than provide a comprehensive review on this topic, we highlight current trends in the field and important areas of future inquiry.
A PSO fuzzy-expert system: As an assistant for specifying the acceptance by NOET measures, at PH.D level

The intelligent decision making systems are useful tools for the assistance of human expert, and or as a perfect alternative for expert in a variety of auto-decision making fields. The use of such systems in education, agriculture, industry, fishery, animal husbandry etc., can decrease manpower errors or need of it; In the other hand, it can increase the quality and the pace of service giving. The interview at the PH.D level or even Master's degree, due to the high sensitivity in scoring to the candidates, is of high importance. Therefore, creating a system for storing these scores, and inferring the results can be beneficial when there is a large number of candidates. In this paper, the expert system has an educational use, and classifies the probability of acceptance or unacceptance of PH.D candidates in the exam and interview, based on the (National Organization of Educational Testing) NOET measures, also estimates scientific level of candidates. The proposed fuzzy-expert system takes advantage of the particle swarm optimization (PSO) evolutionary algorithm to specifying the score of each variable, and eventually the final condition of the candidate. The acquired results of evaluating the fuzzy-expert system proves its functionality. This system is also able to function well in scoring similar educational cases to specify acceptance.
Semi-supervised clustering using multi-assistant-prototypes to represent each cluster

The incorporation of semi-supervision in the cluster detection process has proved especially useful when one wants to get a high consistency between the data partitioning and the knowledge the user has about the data domain. In recent years, several strategies for semi-supervised clustering have been proposed. The approaches adopted by these strategies aim at guiding the process of cluster detection by using constraints: to interfere with the allocation of elements to the most appropriate cluster at each iteration of the algorithm; or to modify the objective function employed. This paper proposes a novel approach for incorporating semi-supervision in the well-known k-means algorithm. This semi-supervised clustering method employs constraint information in the definition of multiple assistant representatives for the centroids used at each iteration of k-means. A refinement process is designed to reduce the number of assistant representatives considered for each centroid without losing the clustering quality. The experimental results with eight synthetic datasets show the potential of the proposed approach for dealing with complex data structures composed by clusters of different shapes.