Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
InterSpin: Integrated Supportive Webtools for Low- and High-Field NMR Analyses Toward Molecular Complexity

InterSpin (http://dmar.riken.jp/interspin/) comprises integrated, supportive, and freely accessible preprocessing webtools and a database to advance signal assignment in low- and high-field NMR analyses of molecular complexities ranging from small molecules to macromolecules for food, material, and environmental applications. To support handling of the broad spectra obtained from solid-state NMR or low-field benchtop NMR, we have developed and evaluated two preprocessing tools: sensitivity improvement with spectral integration, which enhances the signal-to-noise ratio by spectral integration, and peaks separation, which separates overlapping peaks by several algorithms, such as non-negative sparse coding. In addition, the InterSpin Laboratory Information Management System (SpinLIMS) database stores numerous standard spectra ranging from small molecules to macromolecules in solid and solution states (dissolved in polar/nonpolar solvents), and can be searched under various conditions using the following molecular assignment tools. SpinMacro supports easy assignment of macromolecules in natural mixtures via solid-state 13C peaks and dimethyl sulfoxide-dissolved 1H–13C correlation peaks. InterAnalysis improves the accuracy of molecular assignment by integrated analysis of 1H–13C correlation peaks and 1H–J correlation peaks of small molecules dissolved in D2O or deuterated methanol, which supports easy narrowing down of metabolite candidates. Finally, by enabling database interoperability, SpinLIMS’s client software will ultimately support scientific discovery by facilitating sharing and reusing of NMR data.
Neuroprotective effects of Aceglutamide on motor function in a rat model of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

PURPOSE To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of Aceglutamide on motor dysfunction in rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. METHODS Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 2 h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Aceglutamide or vehicle was intraperitoneally given to rats at 24 h after reperfusion and lasted for 14 days. Subsequently functional recovery was assessed and number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in substantia nigra (SN) was analyzed. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1(TRAF1), P-Akt and Bcl-2/Bax were determined in mesencephalic tissue by Western blot method. PC12 cells and primary cultured mesencephalic neurons were employed to further investigate the mechanism of Aceglutamide. RESULTS Aceglutamide treatment improved behavioral functions, reduced the infarction volume, and elevated the number of TH-positive neurons in the SN. Moreover, Aceglutamide significantly attenuated neuronal apoptosis in the SN. Meanwhile Aceglutamide treatment significantly inhibited the expression of TRAF1 and up-regulated the expression of P-Akt and Bcl-2/Bax ratio both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Aceglutamide ameliorated motor dysfunction and delayed neuronal death in the SN after ischemia, which involved the inhibition of pro-apoptotic factor TRAF1 and activation of Akt/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. These data provided experimental information for applying Aceglutamide to ischemic stroke treatment.
A flow trace generator using graph-based traffic classification techniques

We propose a novel methodology to generate realistic network flow traces to enable systematic evaluation of network monitoring systems in various traffic conditions. Our technique uses a graph-based approach to model the communication structure observed in real-world traces and to extract traffic templates. By combining extracted and user-defined traffic templates, realistic network flow traces that comprise normal traffic and customized conditions are generated in a scalable manner. A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates the utility and simplicity of our method to produce a variety of evaluation scenarios. We show that the extraction of templates from real-world traffic leads to a manageable number of templates that still enable accurate re-creation of the original communication properties on the network flow level.
Acoustic Scene Classification based on Sound Textures and Events

Semantic labelling of acoustic scenes has recently emerged as active topic covering a wide range of applications, e.g. surveillance and audio-based information retrieval. In this paper, we present an effective approach for acoustic scene classification through characterizing both background sound textures and acoustic events. The work takes inspiration from the psychoacoustic definition of acoustic scenes, that is, "skeleton of (acoustic) events on a bed of (sound) texture". In detail, we firstly employ distinct models to exploit sound textures and events in acoustic scenes, individually. Subsequently, based on fact that the perceptual importance of two parts will vary with respect to different scene categories, we develop favourable class-conditional fusion scheme to aggregate two-channel information. To validate proposed approach, we conduct extensive experiments on Rouen dataset which includes 19 categories of daily acoustic scenes with 3026 real-world recordings, and the proposed approach outperforms state-of-the-art methods by a large margin.
Depth Adaptive Video Stitching

This paper proposes a novel approach to stitch videos fast and with high quality. In general, scene depth is frequently varying for dynamic video content. For example, moving foreground objects will move closely or far from a camera. The scene depth will be changing according to changed scene content. Therefore, accurate projection transform estimation corresponding to current scene depth is required in video stitching algorithms. However, projection transform estimation is a time-consuming task. To tackle this problem, we propose an algorithm to estimate projection transforms fast. The algorithm calculates initial projection transforms in a camera position calibration stage first. The projection transforms for successive frames are then obtained approximately based on a depth compensation method. In addition, a pixel indexing scheme is designed to speed up pixel projection between source video frames and panorama video frames. Using above optimization strategies, our video stitching algorithm can work fast and with high visual quality. Several real video stitching experiments are carried out. The experimental results show that our algorithm can improve stitching visual quality obviously with acceptable computing cost.
FPGA Realization of Trapezoidal PWM for Generalized Frequency Converter

Combining concept of cyclo-converter and cyclo-inverter, a generalized frequency converter has been developed where undesirable harmonic components are minimized using nonsinusoidal carrier-based PWM, which is a trapezoidal pulsewidth modulation technique. The study begins by establishing a model of frequency converter to obtain the firing sequence for cyclo-converter and cyclo-inverter mode of operation. The converter is simulated using the well-known software Matlab and simulations results are presented for a single-phase ac supply. It has been found that, for cyclo-inverter operation, the minimum total harmonic distortion in the output voltage is found to be 4.8%, while during cyclo-converter operation it is only 2%. Simulation results are validated with the experimental results. A prototype of frequency converter is developed where a field-programmable gate array is used to generate the PWM trigger signal through Xilinx 9.2i. The results are also compared with other existing carrier-based modulation techniques.
Quantitative analysis of cell proliferation by a dye dilution assay: Application to cell lines and cocultures

Cell proliferation represents one of the most fundamental processes in biological systems, thus the quantitative analysis of cell proliferation is important in many biological applications such as drug screening, production of biologics, and assessment of cytotoxicity. Conventional proliferation assays mainly quantify cell number based on a calibration curve of a homogeneous cell population, and therefore are not applicable for the analysis of cocultured cells. Moreover, these assays measure cell proliferation indirectly, based on cellular metabolic activity or DNA content. To overcome these shortcomings, a dye dilution assay employing fluorescent cell tracking dyes that are retained within cells was applied and was diluted proportionally by subsequent cell divisions. Here, it was demonstrated that this assay could be implemented to quantitatively analyze the cell proliferation of different types of cell lines, and to concurrently analyze the proliferation of two types of cell lines in coculture by utilizing cell tracking dyes with different spectral characteristics. The mean division time estimated by the dye dilution assay is compared with the population doubling time obtained from conventional methods and values from literature. Additionally, dye transfer between cocultured cells was investigated and it was found that it is a characteristic of the cells rather than a characteristic of the dye. It was suggested that this method can be easily combined with other flow cytometric analyses of cellular properties, providing valuable information on cell status under diverse conditions. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Handling Occlusions in Monocular Surveillance Systems

Recent advances in computing machines and the availability of inexpensive vision sensors have paved the way for development of real-time imaging systems. Smart systems with a single fixed camera are often deployed for the task of outdoor surveillance. However, such systems are challenged by occlusions caused by interactions of foreground and background objects in the scene. In this paper, we propose an effective scheme for disambiguating such cases of occlusions and for the detection of entry and exit of objects using list based intelligent reasoning. The proposed methodology employs a statistical background model to identify foreground regions followed by smart tracking of the objects by using their color distribution and motion history. The present implementation runs at 7.5Hz while operating on color images of 320x240 resolution.
Acid ceramidase confers radioresistance to glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary, intracranial malignancy of the central nervous system. The standard treatment protocol, which involves surgical resection, and concurrent radiation with adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ), still imparts a grim prognosis. Ultimately, all GBMs exhibit recurrence or progression, developing resistance to standard treatment. This study demonstrates that GBMs acquire resistance to radiation via upregulation of acid ceramidase (ASAH1) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (Sph-1P). Moreover, inhibition of ASAH1 and Sph-1P, either with humanized monoclonal antibodies, small molecule drugs (i.e. carmofur), or a combination of both, led to suppression of GBM cell growth. These results suggest that ASAH1 and Sph-1P may be excellent targets for the treatment of new GBMs and recurrent GBMs, especially since the latter overexpresses ASAH1.
Velocity control of a cylindrical rolling robot by shape changing

Abstract A rolling robot is developed that possesses an elliptically shaped outer surface with the ability to change shape as it rolls, resulting in a gravity-powered torque imbalance that accelerates or brakes the robot’s motion. Angular position and velocity are measured onboard and used as feedback control to trigger and define shape change actuation. Goal of the control is to direct the robot to follow a given step angular velocity profile. An equation of motion for the rolling robot is derived and solved numerically, and simulations are compared to velocity data from roll trials of the actual robot. Results show that when the robot is given a set of advantageous initial conditions, it is able to accelerate from rest, maintain constant average velocity, and brake its motion in order to follow a desired velocity profile with significant accuracy. Graphical Abstract
X-ray refraction distinguishes unprocessed powder from empty pores in selective laser melting Ti-6Al-4V

ABSTRACT For the first time, X-ray refraction techniques are proven for the identification of void formation in Ti-6Al-4V parts produced by selective laser melting. The topology and volume fraction of pores are measured in samples produced with different laser energy density. Unique X-ray refraction methods identify different kinds of defects, characteristic to the regions below and above the optimum laser energy density, namely unprocessed powder (unmolten powder particles, balling effect, and fusion defects) from empty keyhole pores. Furthermore, it is possible to detect small inhomogeneities (voids or cracks) with sizes below the spatial resolution of optical microscopy and X-ray computed tomography. IMPACT STATEMENT For the first time, we show that, unparalleled by high-resolution X-ray-computed tomography or electron microscopy, X-ray refraction can distinguish unprocessed powder from empty pores in additive manufactured materials. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Haemodynamic Assessment of Coronary Flow with CFD and Phase-Contrast MRI

Coronary artery atherosclerosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some anatomical characteristics of coronaries may increase the likelihood of disease development, and stenting, a common treatment, has a high probability of restenosis and in-stent thrombosis. Coronary flow patterns, determined by vessel geometry and stent design and deployment, are thought to be related to adverse clinical outcomes. This thesis represents a comprehensive assessment of the relationships between flow and major coronary artery shape, and stent design and deployment. It further demonstrates the feasibility of assessing dynamically scaled coronary phantom flow with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). A range of idealised and patient-specific coronary artery geometries, with and without stents, were generated based on a statistical shape database from computed tomography (CT) angiograms, and micro-CT scanned benchtop deployed stents, using a computer aided drawing program. Transient flow was simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The geometries were also up-scaled, 3D printed, and incorporated into a dynamically scaled blood-analogue flow circuit for velocity acquisition with PC-MRI. The CFD results revealed little flow effect for bifurcation angle when varied in non-stented and stented idealised and patient-specific bifurcations. Flow was also computed in four patient geometries with wide shape variation, where a statistical shear stress analysis suggested that the vessel tortuosity may influence the effect of bifurcation angle. Similarly complex flow alterations were observed when systematically analysing the flow effects of major stent design features. The haemodynamic interrelations provided insights for the development of design guidelines for stent manufacture. Computational findings were validated by means of a new approach using dynamically scaled phantom flow and PC-MRI acquisition for non-invasive imaging with higher effective resolution (7-fold up-scaled geometries). The co-registered flow fields yielded good agreement (R2>0.8, magnitude error <8%) after using the PC-MRI measured inlet flow to inform the computational boundary conditions. A complementary approach of CFD and dynamically scaled PC-MRI can deliver further insights into the important haemodynamic effects of vessel shape and stent design and deployment. The results represent a potential clinical assessment tool, new considerations for stent design guidelines and deployment strategies, and a novel approach for coronary flow assessment for patient-profiling and pre-surgical planning. Dedicated to my sister .
Combined microwave and simultaneous distillation extraction process for recovery of lipids from fresh microalgae

In the search for less environmental impacting extraction methods for obtaining high quality lipids for biofuels production, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique was employed using Simultaneous Distillation and Extraction Process (SDEP) combined with p -cymene as bio-based solvent to extract lipids from fresh microalgae. In this work, the effects of microwave power and heating time on the yield and quality of extracted lipids from fresh microalgae were investigated. The optimized parameters were 10 min of extraction at 400 W, accounting for the highest yield of total lipids from Dunaliella salina (2.66 % w/w). In order to fully evaluate the effects of microwave and bio-based solvent on different cells and structures, the optimal conditions were applied to lipid extraction from other strains of microalgae. The comparison between the new extraction method and Soxhlet extraction, Bligh and Dyer and conventional SDEP methods resulted in a higher or similar extraction rate. The technique shows great potential in reducing extraction time (10 min for 93% extraction rate) when compared to Soxhlet (8 hours for 14.63% extraction rate) and conventional SDEP extraction (2 hours for 94% extraction rate).
Influence of Pouring Temperature and Alloy Additions on the Quality of a Semisolid Material Dragged during the Continuous-Casting Strip Processing of Al–Si A413

Al–Si A413 treated and untreated alloys were cast and poured at approximately 720 oC, 700 oC, and 680 oC in a cooling slope to obtain the semisolid material feeding the ceramic nozzle (150 cm3) at the lower roll (single-roll melt-dragged processing)—this drags the metallic slurry via the chill/columnar layers at a rate of 0.2 m/s, forming a molten-metal strip with a thickness of 2 mm and width 45 mm, approximately. The untreated alloy poured at 720 oC formed coarse structures of α-Al dendrites, as well as a coarse eutectic of Al–Si and microshrinking on the surface of the casting strip facing the atmosphere. The Al–Si 413 alloy poured at 680 oC and treated with Al5Ti1B (0.1%) led to microstructural refinement, resulting in α-Al globular structures, the absence of microporosities on the surface facing the atmosphere, and a finer and more homogeneous distribution of the eutectic grains with smaller Si particles. The AlTiB master alloys are not used as a grain refiner in Al–Si alloys because of Si poisoning. This subject is discussed in this paper. The addition of the inoculant and 0.2% of the Al–Si eutectic morphology modifying agent (Al–10%Sr) refined both the α-Al and eutectic phases more efficiently in the cast strip poured at 700 oC and 680 oC. This suggests that the inoculant did not interfere with the action of the modifying agent. As a result, molten metal strips of higher mechanical strengths and ductilities were obtained.
Factors Influencing the Adoption of the Internet

The Internet has been given tremendous publicity in recent years. However, most research focuses on Europe or America rather on than Asian countries. This study hopes to contribute to a better understanding of the Internet phenomenon in Asia by examining the factors influencing the adoption and nonadoption of the Internet among organizations in Singapore. A survey was carried out among business firms to examine the benefits of adopting the Internet, reasons for not adopting the Internet, and the criteria for selecting Internet access service providers. The results showed that key benefits are derived from the global nature of the Internet, which enables access to worldwide information and the creation of a worldwide electronic presence. Nonadopters of the Internet are concerned about whether staff will waste time surfing the Internet. Both access speed and technical support are viewed as important criteria in selecting an Internet access service provider (IASP). Implications of the results are discussed.
Promoter Influences Transcription Elongation

Pausing of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) during transcript elongation is an important mechanism for regulating gene expression at many genes. In this study we investigated the mechanism of regulated elongation of c-myc and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) using an in vitro elongation assay that reproduces the conditional block to elongation. We found that HIV-1 Tat can activate the RNAPII transcription complexes paused on c-myc by enhancing their elongation efficiency. We determined that cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), the kinase subunit of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) complex, regulates transcriptional elongation of c-myc and is present in transcription pre-initiation complexes formed on the c-myc promoter, which emphasizes a common mechanism of elongation control between HIV-1 and c-myc genes. We also investigated the roles of upstream elements of the HIV-1 and c-myc promoters in CDK9-activated transcriptional elongation. We found that the TATA-box element mediates the assembly of processive transcription complexes responsive to CDK9 and that specific combinations of upstream activation binding sites contribute to the recruitment of these complexes. We propose a common mechanism for elongation control at the c-myc and HIV-1 genes with an essential role for the TATA-box and specific modulatory contribution of upstream regulatory sequences, derived from the unique structure of the promoters, to form a composite surface for efficient recruitment of elongation-competent transcription complexes.
Plasmonic Enhancement of Solar Cells Efficiency: Material Dependence in Semiconductor Metallic Surface Nano-Modification

Recent experimental data shown a promising direction in employing nano-plasmonics for increasing efficiencies of the solar cells. The effect is due to metallic nanoparticles’ plasmons mediating energy transfer from the incoming e-m wave to the semiconductor in a regime violating limits in energy transitions imposed by the momentum conservation, due to translational invariance departure in surface nano-modified system. The chapter presents analysis of material dependence of near-field coupling to band electrons of surface plazmons in metallic nanoparticles deposited on the top of semiconductor substrate in nano-modified solar cells. Various materials for metal and substrate are comparatively studied upon the quantum Fermi Golden Rule approach in theoretical quantitative modeling of the plasmon-electron coupling that enhances ordinary PV effect. The material dependence of the plasmon-mediated efficiency growth in two types of solar cells, multicrystalline Si and CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide), modified by various surfacedeposited metallic nanoparticles is additionally illustrated by the experimental data.
Active control of colloidal assembly and patterning at interfaces

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