Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Silicon Electro-Absorption Modulator Based on Graphene-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Heterostructure

Graphene, a monolayer of carbon atoms, is one of most interesting optical materials in nanoscale photonics because its unique optoelectronic properties have allowed us to develop fast and broadband photonic devices. Electro-optic modulators have been designed with graphene to improve their performance and to more precisely understand their operating principles. To expand the applications of photonic device design, here we propose a silicon electro-absorption modulator, based on a graphene-hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure. The optical characteristics of the proposed modulator were numerically investigated considering an anisotropic and an isotropic graphene model. In the anisotropic graphene model, the light absorption by graphene is based on the Pauli blocking principle, while graphene's epsilon-near-zero effect is dominant in the optical power modulation under the isotropic graphene model. We performed optimization of the key structural parameters to achieve satisfactory modulation characteristics.
ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL MODELLING OF COLD WATER INJECTION INTO HORIZONTAL RESERVOIRS

For reasons of environmental protection, reinjection of produced geothermal fluid after use is an important component of most geothermal projects in Ukraine. The geothermal reservoirs will cool down due to the reinjection. Therefore, the temperature of production wells may decrease. This problem can be avoided by a proper location of injection wells in order to minimise the cooling of production wells. For this purpose several analytical and numerical models of 1-, 2- and 3-D reservoirs are presented in this paper. The study shows that there is a good correlation between the analytical and the numerical models, obtained by applying the TOUGH2 simulator. Numerical dispersion was, however, of concern when simulating moving temperature fronts in the reservoir, but was minimised by increasing substantially the number of model elements. Tracer and thermal breakthrough times obtained by numerical modelling confirm the well known fact that chemical breakthrough occurs much earlier than thermal breakthrough. Finally, a safe distance between injection and production wells appears to be in the range 500-1000 m estimated by a 3-D numerical model. All the above modelling conclusions need to be recalculated when more reservoir data becomes available in Ukraine.
Expanding Proteome Coverage with Orthogonal-specificity α-Lytic Proteases*

Bottom-up proteomics studies traditionally involve proteome digestion with a single protease, trypsin. However, trypsin alone does not generate peptides that encompass the entire proteome. Alternative proteases have been explored, but most have specificity for charged amino acid side chains. Therefore, additional proteases that improve proteome coverage through cleavage at sequences complementary to trypsin's may increase proteome coverage. We demonstrate the novel application of two proteases for bottom-up proteomics: wild type α-lytic protease (WaLP) and an active site mutant of WaLP, M190A α-lytic protease (MaLP). We assess several relevant factors, including MS/MS fragmentation, peptide length, peptide yield, and protease specificity. When data from separate digestions with trypsin, LysC, WaLP, and MaLP were combined, proteome coverage was increased by 101% relative to that achieved with trypsin digestion alone. To demonstrate how the gained sequence coverage can yield additional post-translational modification information, we show the identification of a number of novel phosphorylation sites in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe proteome and include an illustrative example from the protein MPD2 wherein two novel sites are identified, one in a tryptic peptide too short to identify and the other in a sequence devoid of tryptic sites. The specificity of WaLP and MaLP for aliphatic amino acid side chains was particularly valuable for coverage of membrane protein sequences, which increased 350% when the data from trypsin, LysC, WaLP, and MaLP were combined.
Communities in the digital economy concepts, models and platforms

This paper examines challenges involved in managing product-centered communities. Using the notion of customer role ambiguity, the paper explores the ambiguity involved in balancing sound business modeling with voluntary customer participation in a computer gaming setting. The case study identifies three different customer role ambiguities – role absorption, business model violation, and non-organizational network elements – with important implications for community management. We suggest that an understanding of these implications is critical for making product-centered communities viable alternatives to traditional software development.
Splitting augmented Lagrangian method for optimization problems with a cardinality constraint and semicontinuous variables

We propose a new splitting augmented Lagrangian method (SALM) for solving a class of optimization problems with both cardinality constraint and semicontinuous variables constraint. The proposed approach, inspired by the penalty decomposition method in [Z.S. Lu and Y. Zhang, Sparse approximation via penalty decomposition methods, SIAM J. Optim. 23(4) (2013), pp. 2448–2478], splits the problem into two subproblems using auxiliary variables. SALM solves two subproblems alternatively. Furthermore, we prove the convergence of SALM, under certain assumptions. Finally, SALM is implemented on the portfolio selection problem and the compressed sensing problem, respectively. Numerical results show that SALM outperforms the well-known tailored approach in CPLEX 12.6 and the penalty decomposition method, respectively.
Microstructure control of CrN x films during high power impulse magnetron sputtering

The microstructure and composition of CrNx ( 1 0 x ) films grown by reactive High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS or HPPMS) have been studied as a function of the process parameters: N2-to-Ar discharge gas ratio, (fN2/Ar), negative substrate bias (Vs), pulsing frequency, and energy per pulse. The film stoichiometry is found to be determined by the composition of the material flux incident upon the substrate during the active phase of the discharge with no nitrogen uptake between the high-power pulses. Scanning electron microscopy investigations reveal that for 0 < fN2/Ar < 0.15 and 150 V bias, a columnar film growth is suppressed in favor of nano-size grain structure. The phenomenon is ascribed to the high flux of doubly charged Cr ions and appears to be a unique feature of HIPIMS. The microstructure of column-less films for V 150 V 100 S V is dominated by the Cr(N) and hexagonal -Cr2N phases and shows a high sensitivity to the Vs. As the amplitude of Vs decreases to 40 V and selfbiased condition, the film morphology evolves to a dense columnar structure. This is accompanied by an increase in the average surface roughness from 0.25 nm to 2.4 nm. CrNx samples grown at fN2/Ar ≥ 0.3 are columnar and show high compressive stress levels ranging from -7.1 GPa at fN2/Ar = 0.3 to -9.6 GPa at fN2/Ar = 1. The power-normalized deposition rate decreases with increasing pulse energy, independent of fN2/Ar. This effect is found to be closely related to the increased ion content in the plasma as determined by optical emission spectroscopy. The HIPIMS deposition rate normalized to DC rate decreases linearly with increasing relative ion content in the plasma, independently of fN2/Ar and pulsing frequency, in agreement with the so-called targetpathways model. Increasing frequency leads to a finer grain structure and a partial suppression of the columnar growth, what is attributed to the corresponding increase of the time-averaged mean energy of film-forming ions arriving at the substrate.
Design and Optimization Electron Guns and Depressed Collectors Using the MICHELLE code in the ANALYST Environment

Electron gun and multistage depressed collector design remain significant tasks in new vacuum electron device development. The ability to accurately predict device performance continues to improve. Recent work has been done on improving the ability for modeling and design simulation environments to aid the designer in finding optimum configurations. As the simulation tools have improved to enable first- pass design success in some cases, the potential benefits of optimization techniques become even more significant. This paper discusses various procedures for optimization of electron guns as well as multistage depressed collectors.
Selective expression of foreign genes in glioma cells: Use of the mouse myelin basic protein gene promoter to direct toxic gene expression

We have previously demonstrated that retrovirusmediated genes were transferred to mouse glioma cells in a meningeal gliomatosis model (Yamada et al.: Japanese Journal of Cancer Research 83:1244–1247, 1992). This retrovirus vector contains the Escherichia coli. β‐galactosidase (β‐gal) gene as a marker for intergration of the lacZ gene, which is controlled by the SV40 early promoter. We investigated whether lacZ genes could be specifically controlled in mouse glioma cells by glial‐specific promoters, including the 2.5 kb 5′ flanking region of the mouse glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene, the 1.3 kb 5′ flanking region of the myelin basic protein (MBP) gene, and the 1.5 kb 5′ flanking region of the myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) gene. Psi‐2 packaging cells were transfected with each retrovirus vector (GFAP promoter‐, MBP promoter‐, and PLP promoter‐lacZ) and the infectious virus particles were recovered from the supernatants. Blue staining for β‐gal was detected in various fibroblast, myeloma, and glioma cell lines transduced with the retrovirus BAAG vector. On the other hand, blue staining was only detected in glioma cells after transduction with the lacZ gene‐bearing retrovirus controlled by glial‐specific promoters. The strongest promoter activity was detected after transduction with the retrovirus in which the MBP promoter controlled the lacZ gene. Mouse glioma cells transduced with retrovirus containing the MBP promoter directing the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HTK) gene wre extremely sensitive to ganciclovir, while the parental cells and cells transduced with retrovirus containing the lacZ gene were not sensitive to ganciclovir. Furthermore, none of the nonglioma cells tested was sensitive to ganciclovir, even when transduced with the MBP promoter‐HTK gene‐containing retrovirus. In conclusion, retrovirus targeted gene therapy of malignant glioma may be applicable with a low risk of side effects such as bone marrow suppression, in constrast to chemotherapy or the use of retroviruses bearing toxic genes controlled by nonspecific promoters. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Available transfer capability calculation using deterministic methods: A case study of Indian power system

This paper applies various deterministic methods to reduced Indian Northern Region Power Grid 246-bus power system to compute Available Transfer Capability (ATC) calculation. ATC indicates left over transfer capability above established power utilization dedicated in deregulated power industries for its marketable use. The ATC computation methods applied in this paper are repeated AC power flow, DCPTDF and optimal power flow method.
The Influence of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment on Executive Withdrawal and Performance

This research examines the influence of job satisfaction and three dimensions of organizational commitment (i.e., affective, continuance, and normative) on the intention to leave, job search activity, performance, and leadership effectiveness of executives. Job satisfaction and the commitment dimensions were hypothesized to negatively predict the retention-related variables. Results generally supported the hypotheses. Job satisfaction had the strongest relationship, but both affective and continuance commitment showed an incremental effect even in the presence of job satisfaction. We also hypothesized that job satisfaction and affective commitment would positively and continuance commitment would negatively associate with general performance and leadership. As predicted, job satisfaction associated positively with performance, though not with leadership. Continuance commitment negatively associated with both performance and leadership.
Case-based reasoning for intrusion detection

Recently there has been significant interest in applying artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to the intrusion detection problem. Attempts have been made to develop rule based and model based expert systems for intrusion detection. Although these systems have been useful for detecting intruders, they face difficulties in acquiring and representing the knowledge. We present and describe a case based reasoning approach to intrusion detection which alleviates some of the difficulties of current approaches.
Inverse engineering of medical devices made of bioresorbable polymers

The degradation of medical devices made of bioresorbable polymers such as fixation devices in orthopaedic surgeries and scaffolds for tissue engineering can take from months to years. The trial and error approach of device development is therefore problematic and mathematical modelling of the biodegradation can help to accelerate the device development. This paper presents an inverse scheme to obtain the material parameters in a biodegradation model developed by Pan and his co-workers from existing experimental data of bioresorbable devices. The parameters can then be used to predict the degradation rate of new devices made of the same polymer. Firstly, the previously developed model is briefly outlined. Secondly, a finite element scheme and a time integration algorithm are developed for the direct analysis using the biodegradation model. Thirdly, an inverse analysis scheme is presented in combination with the direct analysis. Finally, several case studies of existing degradation data are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the inverse engineering approach.
A Distributed Local Margin Learning based scheme for high-dimensional feature processing in image tampering detection

With the development of image tampering detection, more and more features are involved to improve the detection rate, and nowadays the high-dimensional features based methods get the state-of-the-art detection accuracies. However, the high dimensionality will cause excessive time cost in the classification phase, moreover it would probably introduce redundant features which will confuse the classifier. An effective scheme based on Distributed Local Margin Learning (D-LML) is proposed in this paper to solve the problems caused by the high-dimensionality of features in the image tampering detection work. Local Margin Learning algorithm distributed to different clients is employed to rank the importance of the original features, and we can get features with low dimensionality by preserving the important features while excluding the insignificant features. Experimental results show that the D-LML method could greatly reduce the dimensionality of the original features, and keep the detection rates fluctuating in a relatively small range.
Observational Evidence for Relationships between the Degree of Aggregation of Deep Convection, Water Vapor, Surface Fluxes, and Radiation

AbstractTropical deep convection exhibits complex organization over a wide range of scales. This study investigates the relationships between the spatial organization of deep convection and the large-scale atmospheric state. By using several satellite datasets and reanalyses, and by defining a simple diagnostic of convective aggregation, relationships between the degree of convective aggregation and the amount of water vapor, turbulent surface fluxes, and radiation are highlighted above tropical oceans. When deep convection is more aggregated, the middle and upper troposphere are drier in the convection-free environment, turbulent surface fluxes are enhanced, and the low-level and midlevel cloudiness is reduced in the environment. Humidity and cloudiness changes lead to a large increase in outgoing longwave radiation. Cloud changes also result in reduced reflected shortwave radiation. Owing to these opposing effects, the sensitivity of the radiative budget at the top of the atmosphere to convective aggreg.
Quantitative analysis of polymerase chain reaction using anisotropy ratio and relative hydrodynamic volume of fluorescence polarization method.

The method based on the combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence polarization is presented. A targeted DNA was amplified with a 5'-fluorescein labeled primer, using a 256 bp DNA fragment of stx2 gene in Escherichia coli O157:H7 (188-443 bp) as a template. The fluorescence anisotropy of the 5'-fluorescein labeled primer increased upon the polymerization through Taq polymerase. The conversion of primer to PCR product was quantitatively monitored by anisotropy ratio and relative hydrodynamic volume. This system was also applied to the determination of E.coli O157:H7.
Elevation and connectivity define genetic refugia for mountain sheep as climate warms

Global warming is predicted to affect the evolutionary potential of natural populations. We assessed genetic diversity of 25 populations of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) in southeastern California, where temperatures have increased and precipitation has decreased during the 20th century. Populations in low‐elevation habitats had lower genetic diversity, presumably reflecting more fluctuations in population sizes and founder effects. Higher‐elevation habitats acted as reservoirs of genetic diversity. However, genetic diversity was also affected by population connectivity, which has been disrupted by human development. Restoring population connectivity may be necessary to buffer the effects of climate change on this desert‐adapted ungulate.
Purification and Characterization of Coacervate-Forming Cuticular Proteins from Papilio xuthus Pupae

The Papilio xuthus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) pupa expresses novel soluble proteins that undergo reversible temperature-dependent coacervate-formation. We purified two coacervate-forming proteins, PX-1 and PX-4, from the wings of pharate adults. PX-1 and PX-4 form coacervates upon warming. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that these proteins assemble ordered bead-like ultrastructures. We cloned and sequenced PX-1 and PX-4 cDNAs. The PX-1 and PX-4 amino acid sequences contain many hydrophobic residues and show homologies to insect cuticular proteins. Moreover, when recombinant PX-1 and PX-4 were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, both recombinant proteins exhibited temperature-dependent coacervation. Furthermore, analyses of truncated mutants of PX-1 suggest that both the Val/Pro-rich region and Gly/lle-rich regions of PX-1 are involved in such coacervation.
Rapid inactivation of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 by cathepsin G associated with lymphocytes

The CXC chemokine stromal cell‐derived factor (SDF)‐1 is produced constitutively in different tissues. It is the only known ligand for CXCR4, which is widely expressed in leukocytes and in some tissue cells, and acts as coreceptor for X4 HIV strains. Because of the general interest in the mechanisms that regulate the activity of constitutively expressed chemokines, we have studied the inactivation of SDF‐1 in cells that bear CXCR4. Here we show that B lymphocytes, NK cells and, to a lesser extent, T lymphocytes inactivate SDF‐1 by N‐terminal processing. Inactivation is due to cathepsin G which is associated with the membrane of lymphocytes and rapidly cleaves off five N‐terminal residues by acting on the Leu5‐Ser6 bond yielding SDF‐1(6–67). Processing was observed with intact cells, cell membrane preparations and soluble cathepsin G obtained by extraction of the membranes with Triton X‐100. Cathepsin G is released by neutrophils and monocytes and binds on the surface of lymphocytes by an apparently saturable process. Analysis of the product obtained, the time course and the sensitivity to inhibitors shows that cathepsin G is the only protease involved. Conversion of SDF‐1 to SDF‐1(6–67) was complete within minutes to 1–2 h depending on the enzyme source, and was abrogated by inhibitors of serine proteases and chymostatin. Diprotin A, an inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, was without effect. Owing to its availability on the surface of SDF‐1‐responsive cells and its rapid effect, cathepsin G is likely to play a significant role in down‐regulating SDF‐1 activity.
Network-Aware P 2 P File Sharing over the Wireless Mobile Networks

With the coming wireless mobile networks era and the popular use of P2P applications, how to improve the resource retrieval and discovery for P2P file sharing applications in wireless mobile networks becomes a critical issue. In this paper, we propose a novel network-aware P2P file architecture and related control schemes that can provide continuous resource retrieval and discovery for mobile users over the wireless network environment. The proposed architecture divides a P2P file sharing network into multiple network-aware clusters, in which peers are assigned to a network-aware cluster using a network prefix division. Accordingly, there are two designs for supporting mobile peers to retrieve files in wireless mobile networks. First, a novel file discovery control scheme named mobility-aware file discovery control (MAFDC) scheme is devised to obtain fresh status of shared peers and find the new resource providing peers in wireless mobile networks. Second, a resource provider selection algorithm is devised to enable a mobile peer to select new resource providing peers for continuous file retrieval.
Syndromic analysis of computerized emergency department patients' chief complaints: an opportunity for bioterrorism and influenza surveillance.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Emergency department computerized triage logs might be useful for automated ED surveillance and potentially for early identification of bioterrorism events. We describe a Web-based surveillance program and its feasibility for surveillance. METHODS A Web-based surveillance program that receives computerized chief complaint data daily from a large academic urban teaching hospital and performs syndromic analysis on these data was developed. On the basis of preset limits, the Web-based surveillance program sends an alert e-mail message when the syndromic analysis reveals an increase in the number of patients in predefined symptom groups. The feasibility of this system was tested by using historical data during an influenza outbreak (December 1999 to January 2000) and applying the anthrax symptom group. RESULTS The Web-based surveillance program identified the influenza outbreak in the first week. CONCLUSION Computerized triage logs might be a feasible method for bioterrorism and influenza surveillance. The Web-based nature of the surveillance program creates the opportunity for other hospitals to contribute data, potentially resulting in an automated network of ED computerized triage log surveillance.
A single feed reconfigurable polarization printed monopole antenna

A dual polarized reconfigurable printed monopole antenna excited by single feed is proposed. This structure consists of a conventional monopole antenna fed by a microstrip transmission line. On the other side of the substrate lies the ground plane in which a narrow L-shaped slot is created. The overall antenna is designed to operate at 5.8 GHz which is the wireless local area network frequency band. Using a pair of PIN diodes, one along the microstrip line and the other along the L-shaped slot, and by switching the PIN diodes, horizontal or vertical polarization can be obtained. The proposed antenna is on a FR4 substrate and has a small size of 20×35 mm2.