Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating contextual ontologies and document corpus characteristics for information access in engineering settings

ABSTRACT Knowledge and information are valuable resources in enterprises for solution reuse. However, identifying relevant information from a rapidly growing number of unstructured resources is challenging for users. We discuss a personalized information access tool for professional workplaces based on recommender systems to provide relevant documents for users in specific work contexts based on domain-specific ontologies. Our use case is a multidisciplinary engineering project. We provide an in-depth analysis on the content and context of documents using information retrieval methods and semantic annotations. Upon this, we build a contextual ontology as our knowledge domain for the recommender system and evaluate the level of retrievability and coverage of it against the documents. Our results provide insight into engineers’ document workspaces and show that even a simple domain ontology is able to match a majority of documents from a domain-oriented corpus. The findings support our approach of using ontology-based recommendation for domain-specific workspaces.
Effect of Mn low concentration on the optical properties of ZnO nanocrystals

ZnO and ZnO:Mn nanocrystals synthesized via reverse micelle method. The size, band gap, Urbach energy, optical constants and penetration depth of nanocrystals were calculated by UV-vis spectroscopy data. The surface morphology was studied with the use of scanning electron microscope (SEM). Moreover the samples exposed to Gama ray source of 60 Co and their thermoluminescence properties were
Kinematic Response of Barbari and Sirohi Buck Spermatozoa to High Egg Yolk Concentration in Semen Extender

The experiment was designed to evaluate kinematic characteristic exhibited by spermatozoa in diluted Barbari and Sirohi buck semen using computer assisted semen analysis. Four normal healthy adult bucks (2 Barbari and 2 Sirohi) reared at the experimental goat sheds of department were selected for semen collection. Semen was collected twice a week using artificial vagina. A total of 8ejaculates (sixteen ejaculates from each breed) were collected from each buck. After initial semen evaluation, ejaculates from similar breed were pooled. The pooled semen sample of two breeds were dilutedwith TRIS based extender containing 20 per cent egg yolkto final concentration of 100×106 spermatozoa per ml. Motility patterns and path velocities of spermatozoa were evaluated using computer assisted semen analyser (CASA). It was observed that proportion of spermatozoa exhibiting rapid progression were highest in both the breeds, following by slow progression and non-progression. A significantly (p<0.01) higher values of non-progressive spermatozoa were observed in Barbari buck semen. Different path velocities viz. VCL (μm/sec), VAP (μm/sec), VSL (μm/sec), Lin (%), Str(%), WOB(%), BCF(hz), ALH(μm) and DNC(μm2/sec) exhibited by spermatozoa were recorded during the experiment. The VCL (μm/sec), ALH(μm) and DNC(μm2/sec) were significantly(p<0.01, p<0.05) in Barbari buck semen while a significantly(p<0.01, p<0.05) higher values of VSL, Lin (%), Str (%), WOB(%)and BCF (hz) were observed for Sirohibuck. The result indicated that Barbari buck spermatozoa covered more distance per unit time in the vertical direction (Y-axis) and short X axial movements (horizontal movement), while the spermatozoa of Sirohi Buck moved at slower velocity with more distance covered in horizontal direction (X axis) and lesser vertical displacementresulting in lower values of VCL and higher values of VAP and VSL as compared to Barbari buck. So, it can be concluded that a variable response is exhibited by Barbari and Sirohi buck spermatozoato egg yolk concentration, indicating a breed specific variation in motion characteristic and path velocities of spermatozoa.
Laboratory Evaluation of Unmodified and Polymer-Modified Performance-Grade Binders with Anti- Stripping Additives

To prevent stripping, amine-based liquid anti-stripping additives are commonly added to asphalt binders. The effect of these anti-stripping additives in each PG binder type is not known. The objective of this research is to measure and compare the changes in introduced namely, PG 70-28, PG 76-28 and PG 6422, when two selected anti-stripping additives are added. Performance grade of Oklahoma PG 64-22 binder exhibited insignificant grade change compared to the other two polymer modified binders with different percentages of anti-stripping additives. The maximum change in high grade temperatures for PG 64-22 was 1.5 o C except at 1.00% Perma Tac Plus. PG 70-28 underwent a grade change of 3.2 o C while
Avian eggshell pigments are not consistently correlated with colour measurements or egg constituents in two Turdus thrushes

Th e colourful appearance of avian eggshells is a prominent aspect of maternal reproductive eff ort in birds. Some diff erences in eggshell coloration have been reported to co-vary with various measures of maternal condition and these patterns support the hypothesis that, in some bird species, several aspects of eggshell colour (i.e. primary chroma and brightness) function as a signal of maternal and off spring quality to induce greater paternal investment. We directly quantifi ed eggshell pigment concentrations of blackbird Turdus merula and song thrush T. philomelos eggshells and tested how the two key pigments (protoporphyrin IX and biliverdin) co-varied with other eggshell traits and egg constituents as measures of maternal reproductive investment, including total yolk carotenoid concentration, total lipid concentration, yolk mass, and shell thickness. Contrary to predictions, we detected few statistical patterns overall. We found that protoporphyrin IX concentration was negatively associated with blue-green chroma in blackbirds but not in song thrush. Th e concentration of protoporphyrin IX was signifi cantly greater in blackbirds and also showed diff erent patterns of association with total yolk lipids and yolk carotenoid concentrations between these two species (signifi cant species interaction terms). Our results reveal that it is not appropriate to simply assume in these two avian species that refl ectancebased eggshell colour measures are a suitable proxy for eggshell pigment concentrations or can be used as consistent predictors of maternal reproductive investment. Th ese results highlight the need to assess and validate the strength and direction of the statistical relationships between eggshell colour measures, pigment concentrations, and maternal resource deposition in the egg for other species of birds.
X-Ray Study on Deformation and Fracture of Solid. Improvement of Residual Stress on Material Surface by Water Jet Peening.

Cavitation bubbles are generated when highly pressurized water is jetted in water. Surface residual stress is improved remarkably due to the peening effect of extremely high pressure caused by the collapse of cavitation bubbles. This technique is called water jet peening (WJP). WJP is expected to be an effective preventive maintenance technique for the stress corrosion cracking in various components of power plants.Various specimens are water jet peened to evaluate the fundamental characteristics of WJP and to select the most appropriate conditions for the residual stress improvement.The test results show that WJP markedly changes the tensile residual stress caused by welding and grinding into the high compressive residual stress and prevents the stress corrosion cracking.
Forced lipophagy reveals that lipid droplets are required for early embryonic development in mouse

ABSTRACT Although autophagy is classically viewed as a non-selective degradation system, recent studies have revealed that various forms of selective autophagy also play crucial physiological roles. However, the induction of selective autophagy is not well understood. In this study, we established a forced selective autophagy system using a fusion of an autophagy adaptor and a substrate-binding protein. In both mammalian cells and fertilized mouse embryos, efficient forced lipophagy was induced by expression of a fusion of p62 (Sqstm1) and a lipid droplet (LD)-binding domain. In mouse embryos, induction of forced lipophagy caused a reduction in LD size and number, and decreased the triglyceride level throughout embryonic development, resulting in developmental retardation. Furthermore, lipophagy-induced embryos could eliminate excess LDs and were tolerant of lipotoxicity. Thus, by inducing forced lipophagy, expression of the p62 fusion protein generated LD-depleted cells, revealing an unexpected role of LD during preimplantation development. Summary: A forced lipophagy system, established by expressing an autophagy adaptor on the surface of lipid droplets, demonstrates that depletion of lipid droplets in fertilized mouse embryos causes developmental retardation.
EFFECT OF ACETATE ION ON CARBON STEEL CORROSION IN THE PRESENCE OF CO2

The purpose of this study is to find a new technique that will help engineers decrease corrosion rate and minimize the cost caused by the corrosion of pipelines. It will provide information on the mechanisms, highlight the effect of acetate, and draw attention to areas requiring further research. Internal pipeline corrosion is still one of the main obstacles that slows and decreases the production of oil and gas. It is primarily associated with the presence of free water, particularly when it reacts with CO2 and organic acids. The presence of acetic acid and acetate in the brine can increase the corrosion rate. Some studies have proven that they work as inhibitors. This report will explain in detail the mechanism of corrosion and will verify when acetate works as a buffer as well as the effect it has on corrosion of mild steel pipelines. The findings were backed by researches and papers of authors who have worked on the same topic but with different models and approaches. The lab-work was done on steel coupons and corrosion rates were calculated using the weight loss technique.
Stress dependence of the Hall coefficient of a nickel-base superalloy

This paper reports on the Hall Effect and their stress dependence, observed experimentally on the superalloy Inconel® 718. The work is motivated by the desire to develop a nondestructive method of characterizing the near-surface protective residual stress in metals. Our approach is based on Hall Effect measurements, because it is anticipated that these measurements are less contaminated by cold work and other effects than conductivity-based measurements such as eddy current. The challenge is that, in metals, the Hall coefficient is very small. To achieve the required sensitivity, the Hall coefficient was measured with an AC injected current and an AC magnetic field. The measurements were performed on a thin film sample. The Hall coefficient was found to be positive, and varies proportionally to the applied tension. The proportionality coefficient is significantly larger than estimated from the volumetric effect in a free carrier model.
Prescribed performance velocity field control of robotic exoskeletons with neural network

This paper addresses the problem of velocity field control (VFC) of robotic exoskeletons. This control strategy gives better performance over the trajectory tracking method in counter following problem when the actual timing of the task is not important, and has potential applications in rehabilitation. In this paper, we propose a prescribed performance controller for VFC of exoskeletons in order to gain a desired behavior of the system in both transient and steady-state phases. The proposed controller includes a neural network term to deal with unknown dynamics of the system. Through simulation studies, the controller is tested on a lower-limb exoskeleton, and results show a superior performance of the controller in comparison with a classic one.
Turtles as diapsid reptiles

THE traditional classification of reptiles is based on a single key character, the presence and style of fenestration in the temporal region of the skull. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles, dinosaurs and others are 'diapsids', in that they have (at least primitively) two holes in the temporal region. Reptiles in which the skull is completely roofed, with no temporal fenestration, are the 'anapsids'. These include many Palaeozoic forms such as captorhinomorphs, procolophonids and pareiasaurs, but also include Testudines (turtles and tortoises). Consistent with this assumption, recent analyses of the affinities of Testudines have included Palaeozoic taxa only, placing them as akin to captorhinomorphs1 or procolophonids2 or nested within pareiasaurs3,4. Here we adopt a broader perspective, adding a range of Mesozoic and extant taxa to the analysis. Our result robustly supports the diapsid affinities of turtles, and so requires reassessment of the use of turtles as 'primitive' reptiles in phylogenetic reconstruction. More generally, it illustrates the difficulties of treating groups, such as the Testudines, that have extant members with peculiar morphologies that mask phylogenetic affinity; the hazards of relying on key characters such as temporal fenestration, which may mislead; the problems of outgroup choice for wide-ranging, inclusive analyses that include data from Recent and extinct groups; and the difficulties of judging the value of parsimony when applied to such inclusive analyses.
Low-grade adipose tissue inflammation in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND Low-grade systemic inflammation is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its source remains unclear. Adipose tissue is a potent producer of inflammatory mediators and may contribute to systemic inflammation in COPD, possibly via hypoxia. OBJECTIVE We studied the influence of COPD and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation on adipose tissue inflammation (ATI) and its contribution to systemic inflammation. DESIGN Subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were investigated in 28 clinically stable COPD patients [forced expiratory volume in 1 s: 58 ± 16% predicted; BMI (in kg/m(2)): 24.9 ± 2.9] and 15 age-, sex-, and body composition-matched healthy control subjects. Fat mass was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Patients were prestratified by oxygen desaturation assessed by incremental cycle ergometry. The adipocyte size and adipose tissue expression of 19 inflammatory and hypoxia-related genes were measured, and adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) were histologically quantified. Systemic inflammatory markers included C-reactive protein (CRP) and a panel of 20 adipokines. RESULTS COPD patients had comparable fat mass but higher CRP and HOMA-IR than did control subjects. COPD patients and control subjects had comparable adipose tissue gene expression, adipocyte size, ATM infiltration, and systemic adipokine concentrations. Desaturating COPD patients had no different ATI status than did nondesaturating COPD patients. COPD patients with high CRP had significantly greater ATM infiltration than did patients with low CRP, which was independent of BMI and fat mass. CONCLUSIONS In COPD patients, mild-to-moderate COPD, per se, does not enhance ATI or its contribution to systemic inflammation compared with in well-matched healthy control subjects. However, to our knowledge, our study provides a first indication for a possible role of ATMs in the systemic inflammatory response in COPD that requires additional investigation. This trial was registered at www.trialregister. nl as NTR1402.
Sea ice - atmosphere interaction: Application of multispectral satellite data in polar surface energy flux estimates. Semiannual Progress Report

In the past six months, work has continued on energy flux sensitivity studies, ice surface temperature retrievals, corrections to Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) thermal infrared data, modelling of cloud fraction retrievals, and radiation climatologies. We tentatively conclude that the SSM/I may not provide accurate enough estimates of ice concentration and type to improve our shorter term energy flux estimates. SSM/I derived parameters may still be applicable in longer term climatological flux characterizations. We hold promise for a system coupling observation to a ice deformation model. Such a model may provide information on ice distribution which can be used in energy flux calculations. Considerable variation was found in modelled energy flux estimates when bulk transfer coefficients are modulated by lead fetch. It is still unclear what the optimum formulation is and this will be the subject of further work. Data sets for ice surface temperature retrievals were assembled and preliminary data analysis was started. Finally, construction of a conceptual framework for further modelling of the Arctic radiation flux climatology was started.
Extended class-wise sparse representation for face recognition

Sparse representation classification (SRC) performs well in classification problems, especially in face recognition. When it comes to the undersampled and occlusion problem, the performance of SRC, however, decreases rapidly. In this paper, we propose a robust method called extended class-wise sparse representation (ECSR) to tackle the issues. ECSR extends SRC to applications where there are very few training samples per gallery subject. The proposed ECSR constructs a subsidiary intraclass variant dictionary to represent the intraclass variations between the query image and training samples. Moreover, it minimizes the number of selected classes of training samples to seek an optimum representation of the probe image. For the undersampled problem with variable expressions, disguise and illuminations, experimental results on EYB, AR and CMU Multi-PIE show that ECSR has much better generalization ability and higher recognition accuracy than the competing methods.
Silencing heme oxygenase-1 increases the sensitivity of ABC-DLBCL cells to histone deacetylase inhibitor in vitro and in vivo

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) can promote tumor growth and reinforce the resistance of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells to chemotherapeutic drug vincristine. We herein found that HO-1 protein expression was higher in high-risk DLBCL patients than in low-risk ones. Silencing HO-1 gene expression resisted vorinostat-induced apoptosis and arrested cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase of LY-10 cells. Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that the possible mechanisms may be increased cleaved caspase-3 protein expression, decreased phospho-histone deacetylase 3 protein expression, and activated histone acetylation of P27Kip1 promoter. Moreover, silencing HO-1 gene expression enhanced vorinostat-induced tumor cell apoptosis, prolonged survival time and promoted P27Kip1 protein expression in a xenograft mouse model. In conclusion, HO-1 is a potential therapeutic target of DLBCL. The findings provide a valuable preclinical evidence for sensitizing DLBCL patients with poor prognosis to histone deacetylase inhibitors.
Sequential Compact Code Learning for Unsupervised Image Hashing

Effective hashing for large-scale image databases is a popular research area, attracting much attention in computer vision and visual information retrieval. Several recent methods attempt to learn either graph embedding or semantic coding for fast and accurate applications. In this paper, a novel unsupervised framework, termed evolutionary compact embedding (ECE), is introduced to automatically learn the task-specific binary hash codes. It can be regarded as an optimization algorithm that combines the genetic programming (GP) and a boosting trick. In our architecture, each bit of ECE is iteratively computed using a weak binary classification function, which is generated through GP evolving by jointly minimizing its empirical risk with the AdaBoost strategy on a training set. We address this as greedy optimization by embedding high-dimensional data points into a similarity-preserved Hamming space with a low dimension. We systematically evaluate ECE on two data sets, SIFT 1M and GIST 1M, showing the effectiveness and the accuracy of our method for a large-scale similarity search.
Collective cell migration without proliferation: density determines cell velocity and wave velocity

Collective cell migration contributes to morphogenesis, wound healing or tumor metastasis. Culturing epithelial monolayers on a substrate enables to quantify such tissue migration. By using narrow strips, we stabilise the front shape; by inhibiting cell division, we limit density increase and favor steady migration; by using long strips, we observe a confined cell monolayer migrating over days. A coherent collective movement propagates over millimeters; cells spread and density decreases from the monolayer bulk toward the front. Cell velocity (∼micrometer per minute) increases linearly with cell radius, and does not depend explicitly on the distance to the front. Over ten periods of backwards propagating velocity waves, with wavelength ∼millimeter, are detected with a signal-to-noise ratio enabling for quantitative spatio-temporal analysis. Their velocity (∼ten micrometers per minute) is ten times the cell velocity; it increases linearly with the cell radius. Their period (∼two hours) is spatially homogeneous, and increases with the front density. When we inhibit the formation of lamellipodia, cell velocity drops while waves either disappear, or have a smaller amplitude and slower period. Our phenomenological model assumes that both cell and wave velocities are related with the activity of lamellipodia, and that the local stretching in the monolayer bulk modulates traction stresses. We find that parameter values close to the instability limit where waves appear yield qualitative and quantitative predictions compatible with experiments, including the facts that: waves propagate backwards; wave velocity increases with cell radius; lamellipodia inhibition attenuates, slows down or even suppresses the waves. Together, our experiments and modelling evidence the importance of lamellipodia in collective cell migration and waves.