Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of joining during the two-step resistance brazing

To improve the quality of a joint composed of metallic microstructural parts, a novel resistance brazing method called the ‘two-step resistance brazing method’ has been developed. In this method, filler metals plated on the surface of base metals are butted and alloyed due to the Joule's heat by performing two-step energizing. In this study, the numerical simulation of the joining process for the two-step resistance brazing method has been carried out. A mathematical formulation and corresponding calculation scheme, which is derived from using the control-volume method, are developed for a model based on contact resistance between the filler metals plated on the surface of the base metals, and transient two-dimensional heat conduction with the Joule's heat generation. The calculated result, based on a base metal of type 304 stainless steel and plated filler metals of gold and copper, is discussed and compared with experimental data.
Partition the Banks , not the Functionality , of Large-Window Load / Store Queues

Designing scalable memory ordering hardware is one of the mo st important challenges for large-window, out-of-order processor design, due to its complexity, powe r, and its criticality for high performance. Recent research has aimed to partition the functionality of load/s tore queues (LSQ) into three components: ordering violations detection, value forwarding, and store bufferi ng for commit, to avoid frequent access to large, associative, energy-inefficient structures. This approac h dds microarchitectural complexity but has been shown to be effective. In this paper, we describe a family of e nergy-efficient distributed load/store queue designs that avoid the need for partitioning the LSQ functio nality, but which achieve comparable energy efficiency with performance comparable to an ideal LSQ. Thes e designs interleave LSQ banks based on cache-line addresses, and deal with the resultant overflow c hallenges by prioritizing older instructions and occasionally rejecting younger instructions using flow-co ntr l techniques. The experimental results show that on average, there is no performance degradation for add ress-interleaved LSQs that are undersizedup to three-quarters of a 256 memory instruction window for bot h SPEC and EEMBC benchmarks. In addition, each LSQ access consumes only as much energy, on average, as a 8-entry, fully associative traditional LSQ.
A 6 mW low noise amplifier for 3.1–10.6 GHz UWB application

This paper presents a single stage low-noise amplifier (LNA) using cascode topology for low-power UWB applications. Resistive feedback is used to obtain large bandwidth. The LNA achieves peak gain of 11.8 dB and noise figure varying from1.72 – 3.62 dB within the band of 3.1 – 10.6 GHz. The LNA uses supply of 2 V while consuming only 6 mW of dc power. The technology used for design is 0.25 µm IHP SiGe BiCMOS which employs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT). The output 1 dB compression point and input IP3 for LNA are −23 dBm and −12.48 dBm respectively.
Multi-scale Based Adaptive SRAD for Ultrasound Images Enhancement

These in this paper, we introduce the adaptive speckle reducing anisotropic diffusion(SRAD) that uses wavelet decomposition for speckle reduction and edge preservation in medical ultrasound images. The proposed algorithm first modifies coarse-to-fine classifier to determine the homogeneous region that operated as diffusion threshold in SRAD works. Next, SRAD filters are played on each sub-bands of decomposed wavelet domain with determined homogeneous regions as called ldquospeckle scale functionrdquo. From this procedure, homogenous region can calculated without manual selection or preliminary exponential decay function. As a result, original SRAD filter will modified as adaptive one. Moreover, variety pattern of speckle is reduced by the proposed modified SRAD on multi-scale wavelet decomposing. Relying on this progress, the proposed method can improve the image quality for both speckle reduction and edge preservation. Finally, we validate our method to compare with conventional filter groups using artificial speckle image and clinical images. The experimental results show that the proposed method performed effectively both terms of speckle reduction and edge preservation.
Flowering Locus C (FLC) Is a Potential Major Regulator of Glucosinolate Content across Developmental Stages of Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae)

The biochemical defense of plants can change during their life-cycle and impact herbivore feeding and plant fitness. The annual species Aethionema arabicum is part of the sister clade to all other Brassicaceae. Hence, it holds a phylogenetically important position for studying crucifer trait evolution. Glucosinolates (GS) are essentially Brassicales-specific metabolites involved in plant defense. Using two Ae. arabicum accessions (TUR and CYP) we identify substantial differences in glucosinolate profiles and quantities between lines, tissues and developmental stages. We find tissue specific side-chain modifications in aliphatic GS: methylthioalkyl in leaves, methylsulfinylalkyl in fruits, and methylsulfonylalkyl in seeds. We also find large differences in absolute glucosinolate content between the two accessions (up to 10-fold in fruits) that suggest a regulatory factor is involved that is not part of the quintessential glucosinolate biosynthetic pathway. Consistent with this hypothesis, we identified a single major multi-trait quantitative trait locus controlling total GS concentration across tissues in a recombinant inbred line population derived from TUR and CYP. With fine-mapping, we narrowed the interval to a 58 kb region containing 15 genes, but lacking any known GS biosynthetic genes. The interval contains homologs of both the sulfate transporter SULTR2;1 and FLOWERING LOCUS C. Both loci have diverse functions controlling plant physiological and developmental processes and thus are potential candidates regulating glucosinolate variation across the life-cycle of Aethionema. Future work will investigate changes in gene expression of the candidates genes, the effects of GS variation on insect herbivores and the trade-offs between defense and reproduction.
Sound Visualization for the Hearing Impaired

In this paper, we investigate several means of visualizing both ambient and speech sounds and present a fusion of different visualization displays into one program package that would help provide the hearing impaired with a means to an enhanced awareness of their surroundings. The ideas investigated were implemented in software, and the program was evaluated by means of a survey conducted in a school for the deaf.
TSGen: A UML Activity Diagram-Based Test Scenario Generation Tool

UML Activity Diagrams (UADs) are widely employed to model the behavior of software systems under development. To test the implemented systems, the UAD specification is a reasonable basis. Generating a complete suite of test scenarios is a challenging task in particular when the systems under development are large and complex enough. In this paper, we describe a model-driven testing tool TSGen which can automatically generate test scenarios based on the UAD. We examine the design and implementation issues of the TSGen. With the TSGen, testers can better plan testing schedule and save the efforts on developing test suites.
Efficient inversion of doubly block Toeplitz matrix

An iterative algorithm for the inversion of a doubly block Toeplitz matrix consisting of m × m blocks of size p × p is described. The algorithm presented exploits the structure of the doubly block Toeplitz matrix and outperforms Akaike's algorithm by a factor of \max {2 \frac{p}{m},2} . The use of this algorithm for an iterative solution of a doubly block Toeplitz set of linear equations is also presented.
Porous Ceramic Humidity Sensors Using Sol-Gel Processed ZrTiO4 Nanoparticles

Ceramic ZrTiO4 powders were prepared by a sol-gel method using zirconium oxychloride and titanium tetraisopropoxide. In situ high temperature X-ray diffraction results show that crystallization of the amorphous gel starts at 400°C. Single-phase ZrTiO4 nanoparticles of 46 nm average particle size, determined by nitrogen adsorption analysis, were obtained after heat treatment at 450°C for 1 h. After pressing these sinteractive powders, pellets with controlled pore size distribution were obtained by sintering at temperatures as low as 400°C. The analysis of pores by mercury porosimetry gives an average porosity of 45%. The electrical resistivity, determined by impedance spectroscopy measurements at 24°C under different humidity environments, shows the ability of these pellets to adsorb water vapor in the porous surfaces.
Impact of Intensive Physiotherapy on Cognitive Function after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Background Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a standard surgical option for patients with diffuse and significant arterial plaque. This procedure, however, is not free of postoperative complications, especially pulmonary and cognitive disorders. Objective This study aimed at comparing the impact of two different physiotherapy treatment approaches on pulmonary and cognitive function of patients undergoing CABG. Methods Neuropsychological and pulmonary function tests were applied, prior to and following CABG, to 39 patients randomized into two groups as follows: Group 1 (control) – 20 patients underwent one physiotherapy session daily; and Group 2 (intensive physiotherapy) – 19 patients underwent three physiotherapy sessions daily during the recovery phase at the hospital. Non-paired and paired Student t tests were used to compare continuous variables. Variables without normal distribution were compared between groups by using Mann-Whitney test, and, within the same group at different times, by using Wilcoxon test. The chi-square test assessed differences of categorical variables. Statistical tests with a p value ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Results Changes in pulmonary function were not significantly different between the groups. However, while Group 2 patients showed no decline in their neurocognitive function, Group 1 patients showed a decline in their cognitive functions (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion Those results highlight the importance of physiotherapy after CABG and support the implementation of multiple sessions per day, providing patients with better psychosocial conditions and less morbidity.
Towards autonomic computing using goal-based translation strategy in heterogeneous distributed environments

This paper presents a new architecture to implement autonomic features in complex heterogeneous environments. This three-layer architecture model eliminates the need for a common shared language and heavy global standards by using semantic negotiations between different layers. For this reason, a collection of high level cognitive agents make specific policy based decisions and an adapting interface layer sends them to the system elements. Using the received decisions and state information, each element tries to achieve the decision (goal) by its capabilities and local knowledge. To provide such local knowledge and semantic based functionality, we focused on dependability and its attributes as the key core of local autonomous and how they can affect the initial goals: self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing and self-protecting. Local elements will accomplish the goal by using the received state information and its dependability diagram. Such goal-based translation strategy will provide a better scalability and flexibility for today and future heterogeneous changing distributed environments and interwoven systems.
Common Genetic Variations in Patched1 (PTCH1) Gene and Risk of Hirschsprung Disease in the Han Chinese Population

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is the most frequent genetic cause of congenital intestinal obstruction with an incidence of 1:5000 live births. In a pathway-based epistasis analysis of data generated by genome-wide association study on HSCR, specific genotype of Patched 1 (PTCH1) has been linked to an increased risk for HSCR. The aim of the present study is to examine the contribution of genetic variants in PTCH1 to the susceptibility to HSCR in Han Chinese. Accordingly, we assessed 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within PTCH1 gene in 104 subjects with sporadic HSCR and 151 normal controls of Han Chinese origin by the Sequenom MassArray technology (iPLEX GOLD). Two of the eight genetic markers were found to be significantly associated with Hirschsprung disease (rs357565, allele P = 0.005; rs2236405, allele P = 0.002, genotype P = 0.003). Both the C allele of rs357565 and the A allele of rs2236405 served as risk factors for HSCR. During haplotype analysis, one seven-SNP-based haplotype was the most significant, giving a global P = 0.0036. Our results firstly suggest common variations of PTCH1 may be involved in the altered risk for HSCR in the Han Chinese population, providing potential molecular markers for early diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease.
Emergence of Modular Structure in a Large-Scale Brain Network with Interactions between Dynamics and Connectivity

A network of 32 or 64 connected neural masses, each representing a large population of interacting excitatory and inhibitory neurons and generating an electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography like output signal, was used to demonstrate how an interaction between dynamics and connectivity might explain the emergence of complex network features, in particular modularity. Network evolution was modeled by two processes: (i) synchronization dependent plasticity (SDP) and (ii) growth dependent plasticity (GDP). In the case of SDP, connections between neural masses were strengthened when they were strongly synchronized, and were weakened when they were not. GDP was modeled as a homeostatic process with random, distance dependent outgrowth of new connections between neural masses. GDP alone resulted in stable networks with distance dependent connection strengths, typical small-world features, but no degree correlations and only weak modularity. SDP applied to random networks induced clustering, but no clear modules. Stronger modularity evolved only through an interaction of SDP and GDP, with the number and size of the modules depending on the relative strength of both processes, as well as on the size of the network. Lesioning part of the network, after a stable state was achieved, resulted in a temporary disruption of the network structure. The model gives a possible scenario to explain how modularity can arise in developing brain networks, and makes predictions about the time course of network changes during development and following acute lesions.
Detecting Latent Heterogeneity

We address the task of determining, from statistical averages alone, whether a population under study consists of several subpopulations, unknown to the investigator, each responding to a given treatment markedly differently. We show that such determination is feasible in three cases: (1) randomized trials with binary treatments, (2) models where treatment effects can be identified by adjustment for covariates, and (3) models in which treatment effects can be identified by mediating instruments. In each of these cases, we provide an explicit condition which, if confirmed empirically, proves that treatment effect is not uniform but varies appreciably across individuals.
Prospective study of hormonal contraception and women's risk of HIV infection in South Africa.

BACKGROUND Many women using hormonal contraceptives are also at risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection, but data are mixed on whether hormonal contraception increases women's risk of HIV. We investigated associations between HIV incidence and use of combined oral contraceptives (COC), norethindrone enanthate (NET-EN) or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) in a cohort of South African women. METHODS Participants were 4200 HIV-negative women aged 35-49 years enrolled into a cervical cancer screening trial. At enrollment, women were tested for sexually transmitted infections and reported on their sexual behaviour and contraceptive use. During the 24 months of follow-up, women reported on their sexual behaviours and contraceptive use and underwent repeat HIV testing. RESULTS During the 5010 person-years of follow-up, 111 incident HIV infections were observed (HIV incidence, 2.2 infections/100 person-years). At enrollment, 21% of women reported using hormonal contraception, primarily DMPA (14% of all women) or NET-EN (5%). After adjusting for sexual risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infections, the incidence of HIV was similar among women using COC, NET-EN or DMPA compared with women not using any hormonal method [incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals, 0.65, 0.16-2.66; 0.79, 0.31-2.02 and 0.96, 0.58-1.59, respectively]. There was also no association between increased duration of DMPA use and HIV incidence (P-value for trend, 0.51). CONCLUSIONS These findings contribute to the evidence from general population cohorts of women that hormonal contraceptive use is not associated with increased risk of HIV acquisition. Nonetheless, family planning services are an important venue for HIV prevention activities.
The in vitro effect of the nerve growth factor on chick embryo spinal ganglia--a light-microscopic evaluation.

The effect of the nerve growth factor (NGF) on chick embryo spinal ganglia was studied in the hanging-drop bioassay system by comparison with parallel development in vivo . The well-differentiated ventrolateral neuroblasts, which in vivo increase 1·33 times in size during the culture period, did not increase in size at all in vitro . Only 65–72% survived to the end of the culture period regardless of the NGF concentration. The less-differentiated mediodorsal (M-D) neuroblasts, which in vivo increase 1·31 times in size during the culture period, were found to increase equally in vitro if sufficient NGF was present. Such a quantity was greater than that which evoked maximum outgrowth of neurites. Survival of M-D neuroblasts was also related to NGF concentration but did not equal the in vivo condition even at the highest concentration. The hyperchromatic type of degeneration prevented by high NGF concentrations is that which results in vivo from insufficient peripheral field. From this and other reports it would appear that the response to NGF seen in vitro is due only to the M-D neuroblasts, and that all biochemical and cytological observations which have been reported would therefore represent conditions within those cells only.
Stem Cell-Derived Neurons for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are termed for the age-related chronic and progressive loss of structure and func- tion of neurons. Most common neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). So far, no drugs can be used to reverse the neuronal degeneration. Recent progresses in stem cells biology and technology allow us to generate specific types of neurons, such as cholinergic and dopamine neurons from stem cells, with defined culture conditions. These stem cell-derived neurons have been used for cell replacement therapy in animal models of neurodegenerative neurons, such as AD and PD. Here, I summarized recent progresses of stem cell-derived cholinergic and dopamine neurons and their applications in AD and PD.
Unsupervised Bayesian Decomposition of Multiunit EMG Recordings Using Tabu Search

Intramuscular electromyography (EMG) signals are usually decomposed with semiautomatic procedures that involve the interaction with an expert operator. In this paper, a Bayesian statistical model and a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator are used to solve the problem of multiunit EMG decomposition in a fully automatic way. The MAP estimation exploits both the likelihood of the reconstructed EMG signal and some physiological constraints, such as the discharge pattern regularity and the refractory period of muscle fibers, as prior information integrated in a Bayesian framework. A Tabu search is proposed to efficiently tackle the nondeterministic polynomial-time-hard problem of optimization w.r. t the motor unit discharge patterns. The method is fully automatic and was tested on simulated and experimental EMG signals. Compared with the semiautomatic decomposition performed by an expert operator, the proposed method resulted in an accuracy of 90.0% ± 3.8% when decomposing single-channel intramuscular EMG signals recorded from the abductor digiti minimi muscle at contraction forces of 5% and 10% of the maximal force. The method can also be applied to the automatic identification and classification of spikes from other neural recordings.
Study the Prognostic Value of Computed Tomographic Characteristics in Cases of Traumatic Brain Injury

Introduction: Both Marshall and Rotterdam CT classifications are the most frequently used prognostic methods that incorporates the anatomical nature of the injury in the determination of outcome after acute traumatic brain injury. Objectives: to compare the utility of the Marshall and Rotterdam CT classifications in predicting outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury. Methods: GCS score documented on arrival to Emergency Room. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality, unfavourable neurologic outcome [Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) 1–4] at three months, Poor functional outcome [Disability Rating Scale (DRS) ≥ 7], and ICU length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 70 patients were enrolled; Nineteen patients (27.1%) died, thirty six (51.4%) had unfavourable neurologic outcome, thirty six (70.6%) of the survivors had poor functional outcome (DRS ≥7). When predicting in-hospital mortality; both the Marshall and Rotterdam CT classifications were independent predictors of mortality (AUC: 0.848 versus 0.850, p = 0.979). When predicting unfavourable outcome, both classification systems predicted unfavourable outcome but Rotterdam score showed higher AUC (AUC: 0.712 versus 0.771, p = 0.196). When predicting poor functional Outcome (the Rotterdam score showed higher AUC than the Marshall score (0.77 vs. 0.72). American Journal of Research Communication www.usa-journals.com Helmy, et al., 2015: Vol 3(11) 70 Conclusions: The Rotterdam CT classification and the Marshall CT classification both are good predictors of mortality. However, the Rotterdam CT classification was superior to the Marshall CT classification in predicting neurologic and functional outcome.
Tomlinson-Harashima precoding in space-time transmission for low-rate backward channel

In this paper, Tomlinson-Harashima precoding, a nonlinear pre-equalization technique, is proposed for transmission over multiple-input/multiple-output channels. Instead of equalizing intersymbol interference (temporal equalization) here spatial equalization, i.e., equalization of multi-user interference is performed. If only a low-rate backward channel is available for communicating channel state information back from the receiver to the transmitter, a compromise precoder setting, calculated from (medium-term) average channel knowledge in combination with linear residual equalization at the receiver side is proposed. Compared to an optimal adjustment of the precoder, i.e., perfect channel state information at the transmitter, only small losses have to be accepted.