Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Inversion of Production Data and Seismic Attributes: Application to a Synthetic SAGD Produced Field Case

The joint use of production data and time-lapse seismic attributes can help to understand fluid flows within geological formations and to build reliable numerical models for representing these formations. This concern recently motivated the development of dedicated inversion or matching techniques for identifying models consistent with all collected data. The methodology presented in this paper makes it possible to map petrophysical properties such as facies, porosity and permeability into reservoirs from production data and seismic attributes. It is successfully applied to a synthetic case describing a heavy oil field produced from steam assisted gravity drainage. This case study generated from a real case shows how to design the inversion methodology to match the entire set of available data. A few key points are highlighted since they drive the success of the proposed matching methodology. First, parameterization is essential. It must allow for locally varying petrophysical properties from a reduced number of parameters. Second, this study stresses the need for alternative formulations for quantifying the mismatch between reference seismic attributes and simulated seismic attributes. Last, two methods are compared for integrating reference seismic attributes either in time or in depth (after a time-to-depth conversion). In the case studied, it is shown that the two approaches are equivalent since time-to depth-conversion error is quite small.
On the Expressiveness and Monitoring of Metric Temporal Logic

It is known that Metric Temporal Logic (MTL) is strictly less expressive than the Monadic First-Order Logic of Order and Metric (FO[<, +1]) when interpreted over timed words; this remains true even when the time domain is bounded a priori. In this work, we present an extension of MTL with the same expressive power as FO[<, +1] over bounded timed words (and also, trivially, over time-bounded signals). We then show that expressive completeness also holds in the general (time-unbounded) case if we allow the use of rational constants $q \in \mathbb{Q}$ in formulas. This extended version of MTL therefore yields a definitive real-time analogue of Kamp's theorem. As an application, we propose a trace-length independent monitoring procedure for our extension of MTL, the first such procedure in a dense real-time setting.
Face Attribute Prediction Using Off-The-Shelf Deep Learning Networks

Attribute prediction from face images in the wild is a challenging problem. To automatically describe face attributes from face containing images, traditionally one needs to cascade three technical blocks --- face localization, facial feature extraction, and classification --- in a pipeline. As a typical classification problem, face attribute prediction has been addressed by using deep learning networks. Current state-of-the-art performance was achieved by using two cascaded CNNs, which were specifically trained to learn face localization and facial attribute prediction. In this paper we experiment in an alternative way of exploring the power of deep representations from the networks: we employ off-the-shelf CNNs trained for face recognition tasks to do facial feature extraction, combined with conventional face localization techniques. Recognizing that the describable face attributes are diverse, we select representations from different levels of the CNNs and investigate their utilities for attribute classification. Experiments on two large datasets, LFWA and CeleA, show that the performance is totally comparable to state-of-the-art approach. Our findings suggest two potentially important questions in using CNNs for face attribute prediction: 1) How to maximally leverage the power of CNN representations. 2) How to best combine traditional computer vision techniques with deep learning networks.
Antibacterial Activity of Thymoquinone and Thymohydroquinone of Nigella sativa L. and Their Interaction with Some Antibiotics

The two main components of black seed essential oil, thymoquinone (TQ) and thymohydroquinone (THQ) were investigated for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Both TQ and THQ exerted antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria regardless to their susceptibility to antibiotics. S. aureus, was highly susceptible to TQ, since, three and 6 µg/ml were enough to inhibit and kill the bacteria respectively. On the contrary the concentration of THQ required to inhibit and kill S. aureus was 400 and 800 µg/ml respectively which is 100 times more than that of TQ. Gram-negative bacteria were less susceptible to both TQ and THQ and their MIC and MBC ranged between 200 and 1600 µg/ml. Combination of TQ and THQ with antibiotics (ampicillin, cephalexin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin) exerted synergism in S. aureus. On the other hand, in gram-negative bacteria, synergism, antagonism and indifferent effects were detected in 28.9%, 23.6% and 47.5 of the tested combinations respectively. This study demonstrated that both TQ and THQ have antibacterial activity and their activity could be potentiated by antibiotics especially in case of S. aureus.
Random set system identification

The paper gives a brief review of the basic mathematical aspects of random set theory. Concepts such as a random set mapping and its coverage function are introduced in a comprehensive way, avoiding too much detail. We adapt this theory to system identification and forecasting of time series. This is achieved by using the one-point coverage function of a random set as a possibility measure of the process which generates such a time series. The coverage function of a random set defines a fuzzy set, and we thereby establish the relationship between statistical objects and fuzzy systems. The possibility measure obtained in this way can be used for either prediction or to evaluate the quality of a model with respect to the training data. The technique is adapted to nonlinear time series analysis. A practical application of a nonlinear dynamic plant is presented.
Damping analysis of a free aluminum plate

An analysis of the energy dissipation sources acting in a vibrating aluminum plate is presented in this paper. In the first step, the contact-free modal analysis of a suspended plate is conducted using a laser vibrometer and an acoustic excitation to obtain reference data. The thin nylon suspension set-up guarantees a low boundary damping, which is assumed to be negligible. In the second step, a number of damping sources are modeled. Acoustic damping due to the noise radiation of the nonbaffled plate is computed using the boundary integral method and a light fluid approximation to express the vibroacoustic coupling in analytical terms. The damping due to the sheared air flow along the free-plate borders is determined on the basis of a simple two-dimensional boundary layer model. Thermoelastic damping is assessed using a Fourier series expression for the temperature field along with a perturbation technique to take thermoelastic coupling into account. Since no robust model is available so far to quantify viscoelastic material damping in aluminum, it is determined in a last step by subtracting measured values of damping from those previously computed. Aluminum viscoelastic damping turns out to be very small and almost independent of frequency.
Immunotoxic effects of in vitro exposure of dolphin lymphocytes to Louisiana sweet crude oil and Corexit™

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the worst environmental disasters on record in the United States. Response efforts to reduce the magnitude of the oil slick included the use of thousands of gallons of the chemical dispersant Corexit™ in surface and deep‐water environments. The immunotoxicity of Louisiana sweet crude oil and the chemical dispersant Corexit was examined using lymphocyte proliferation (LP) and natural killer cell (NK) assays as measures of impact on the adaptive (LP) and innate (NK) immune response in bottlenose dolphins. Study results show that both high‐energy media‐accommodated fractions (MAF) and chemically enhanced MAF (CEMAF) mixtures modulate immune function. Following exposure to Louisiana sweet crude, both B‐ and T‐cell proliferation of white blood cells was increased for all exposure concentrations, compared to control; however, this increase was only significant for the 50% and 100% treatments. In contrast, exposure of white blood cells to the CEMAF mixture significantly decreased both T‐ and B‐cell proliferation in the 25%, 50% and 100% treatments. NK cell activity was enhanced significantly by CEMAF mixtures for the 50% and 100% treatments. The immunosuppression of LP at environmentally relevant concentrations of oil and dispersant suggests that marine mammals may be unable to mount an adequate defense against xenobiotic threats following exposure to oil and dispersant, leaving them more susceptible to disease. In contrast, NK cell activity was significantly enhanced, which may increase an organism's tumor or viral surveillance ability by mounting an enhanced immune response. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relating experimentally-induced fear to pre-existing phobic fear in the human brain

Abstract While prior work has demonstrated that fear-conditioning changes the neural representation of previously neutral stimuli, it remains unknown to what extent this new representation abstracts away from specific fears and which brain areas are involved therein. To investigate this question, we sought commonalities between experimentally-induced fear via electric shocks and pre-existing phobia. Using functional MRI, we tested the effect of fear-conditioning pictures of dogs in 21 spider-fearful participants across three phases: baseline, post-conditioning, and extinction. Considering phobic stimuli as a reference point for the state of fear allowed us to examine whether fear-conditioning renders information patterns of previously neutral stimuli more similar to those of phobic stimuli. We trained a classification algorithm to discriminate information patterns of neutral stimuli (rats) and phobic stimuli and then tested the algorithm on information patterns from the conditioned stimuli (dogs). Performing this cross-decoding analysis at each experimental phase revealed brain regions in which dogs were classified as rats during baseline, as spiders following conditioning, and again as rats after extinction. A follow-up analysis showed that changes in visual perception information cannot explain the changing classification performance. These results demonstrate a common neural representation for processing fear-eliciting information, either pre-existing or acquired by classical conditioning.
Investigation of In-Situ Prepared TiB_2/7055 Aluminium Matrix Composite Under Electromagnetic Stirring

Under conditions of electromagnetic stirring, sub-micron TiB2 particles were prepared by salt-melt reaction, besides, in the process of solidification, electromagnetic stirring was also introduced to obtain TiB2 particle reinforced 7055 aluminium matrix composite cast structure. The result indicates that under conditions of electromagnetic stirring, the speed of thermal transmission and mass transmission in melt is improved, the contact area of aluminium melt and salt is enhanced and the number of TiB2 is also largely increased electromagnetic stirring also promotes particles dispersion, meanwhile, electromagnetic stirring in the process of solidification can decrease component segregation and gain finer grain.
Male-mediated species recognition among African weakly electric fishes

Effective communication among sympatric species is often instrumental for behavioural isolation, where the failure to successfully discriminate between potential mates could lead to less fit hybrid offspring. Discrimination between con- and heterospecifics tends to occur more often in the sex that invests more in offspring production, i.e. females, but males may also mediate reproductive isolation. In this study, we show that among two Campylomormyrus African weakly electric fish species, males preferentially associate with conspecific females during choice tests using live fish as stimuli, i.e. when all sensory modalities potentially used for communication were present. We then conducted playback experiments to determine whether the species-specific electric organ discharge (EOD) used for electrocommunication serves as the cue for this conspecific association preference. Interestingly, only C. compressirostris males associated significantly more with the conspecific EOD waveform when playback stimuli were provided, while no such association preference was observed in C. tamandua males. Given our results, the EOD appears to serve, in part, as a male-mediated pre-zygotic isolation mechanism among sympatric species. However, the failure of C. tamandua males to discriminate between con- and heterospecific playback discharges suggests that multiple modalities may be necessary for species recognition in some African weakly electric fish species.
U.S. mothers' behaviors and preferences when choosing physicians for their families: Assisting “Chief Medical Officers”

ABSTRACT We performed an online study of 320 U.S. mothers to determine how this group, generally regarded as the “Chief Medical Officers” of their families, find physicians for their families. We also aimed to uncover mothers' information preferences with the goal of helping health care systems improve the content they offer. Mothers responded how they chose their last family medicine physician, and the level of importance they placed on various types of provider information when making that decision. Mothers rated providers' communication style as the most important characteristic. Interpersonal referrals were the most commonly cited source of information. Mothers also rated being able to extract personality characteristics and feelings of relatability from a provider's online biography as important in selecting a provider.
Measurement of the Loop Gain Frequency Response of Digitally Controlled Power Converters

The study of the loop gain frequency response in a power converter is a powerful tool commonly used for the design of the controllers used in the control stage. As the control of medium- and high-power electronic converters is usually performed digitally, it is useful to find a method to measure the digital loop gains. The purpose of this paper is to present a method for properly measuring the loop gain frequency response of digitally controlled power converters by means of an analog frequency response analyzer (FRA). An analog sinusoidal reference signal generated by the FRA is injected through an analog-to-digital converter into the digital controller, and added to the discrete feedback signal. To obtain the frequency response of the open-loop gain, both feedback and disturbed feedback signals are sent back to the FRA by using the pulsewidth modulation peripherals of the controller.
The relationship of obesity to the timing of permanent tooth emergence in Czech children

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of BMI on the timing of permanent tooth emergence in Czech children. Objectives: In this cross-sectional study, 1370 Czech children were examined. The age, gender, weight, height, all emerged permanent teeth (except third molars) of each child were all recorded. A tooth is defined as having emerged when at least any part of it has penetrated the gingiva. Methods: A logistic regression model was used to calculate the median emergence age per tooth for both genders separately and BMI was used as a factor variable to detect statistically significant differences in the times of tooth emergence within pairs of BMI groups. The data were statistically processed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Results: Statistically significant differences were found for the following permanent teeth (using the FDI two-digit system): 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 41, 44, 45, 46, 47, 33, 35, 37, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27 for girls and 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 41, 43, 44, 45, 22, 25, 32, 34, 35, 36 for boys. These teeth were observed to emerge earlier in obese children. A similar correlation (although not statistically significant) was observed between the time of emergence of the remaining teeth and the BMI of the child. Conclusion: The data in this research highlight significant differences in emergence times of permanent teeth due to the influence of BMI in Czech children. These findings are important for dental treatment planning.
Inter‐ and Intraspecific Variability of Nitrogenated Compounds in Gorgonian Corals via Application of a Fast One‐Step Analytical Protocol

Gorgonian corals play a structural role in temperate and tropical biogenic reefs, forming animal forests and creating biodiversity hot spots. In the Mediterranean Sea, slow‐growing and long‐lived gorgonian species are threatened by human disturbances and global environmental changes and concern about their conservation is rising. Alkaloid metabolites have proven to be essential in protecting these species from environmental stressors. Traditional profiling methodologies to detect these metabolites require a large quantity of living tissue. Here, the chemodiversity of gorgonian alkaloids was investigated by applying a fast and effective protocol combining extraction and derivatization using small‐scale tissue samples and GC/MS analysis. The method was effective in identifying and quantifying alkaloids and guanine‐based compounds. Eight N‐heterocyclic compounds were found in six Mediterranean gorgonians differing for types and quantity. The metabolomic profile was conservative in species of the Eunicella genus, with three species sharing the same pattern. Conversely, Paramuricea clavata displayed a noticeable spatial pattern of variation among colonies collected in different locations. The analytical approach presented here proved to be effective, allowing rare, endangered, and small‐sized species to be screened rapidly for detection of new compounds in order to explore their biological and ecological functions.
Joint User Association, Power Control and Scheduling in Multi-Cell 5G Networks

The focus of this paper is targeted towards multi- cell 5G networks composed of High Power Node (HPNs) and of simplified Low Power Node (LPNs) co- existing in the same operating area and sharing the scare radio resources. Consequently, high emphasis is given to Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) based on multi-resource management techniques that take into account user association to cells. Beside user association, this paper takes also power control and scheduling into consideration. This complex problem is remained largely unsolved, mainly due to its non- convex nature, which makes the global optimal solution difficult to obtain. We address the user association challenge according to the two broadly adopted approaches in wireless networks: the network-centric approach where user association is allocated efficiently in a centralized fashion; and the user-centric approach where distributed allocation is used for reduced complexity. The scheduling and ICIC power control are solved in a centralized fashion, in order to reach an optimal solution of the joint optimization problem.
The potential of transcranial photobiomodulation therapy for treatment of major depressive disorder

Abstract Major depressive disorder is a common debilitating mood disorder that affects quality of life. Prefrontal cortex abnormalities, an imbalance in neurotransmitters, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction are the major factors in the etiology of major depressive disorder. Despite the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder, 30%–40% of patients do not respond to antidepressants. Given this, exploring the alternative therapies for treatment or prevention of major depressive disorder has aroused interest among scientists. Transcranial photobiomodulation therapy is the use of low-power lasers and light-emitting diodes in the far-red to near-infrared optical region for stimulation of neuronal activities. This non-invasive modality improves the metabolic capacity of neurons due to more oxygen consumption and ATP production. Beneficial effects of transcranial photobiomodulation therapy in the wide range of neurological and psychological disorders have been already shown. In this review, we focus on some issue relating to the application of photobiomodulation therapy for major depressive disorder. There is some evidence that transcranial photobiomodulation therapy using near-infrared light on 10-Hz pulsed mode appears to be a hopeful technique for treatment of major depressive disorder. However, further studies are necessary to find the safety of this method and to determine its effective treatment protocol.
How human serum albumin recognizes DNA and RNA

Abstract We show here for the first time that HSA possesses two nucleic acid-(NA) binding sites and we estimated the relative contributions of the nucleotide links of (pN)n to their total affinity for these binding sites with higher and lower affinity for NAs. The minimal ligands of these binding sites are orthophosphate (Kd=3.0 and 20.0 mm), various dNMPs (5.6–400 μm and 0.063–18 mm) and different rNMPs (4.9–30 μm and 14–250 μm). Maximal contribution to the total affinity of all NAs to the first and second sites was observed for one nucleotide and was remarkably lower for three additional nucleotide units of (pN)n (n=1–4) with a significant decrease in the contribution at n=5–6, and at n≥7–8 all dependencies reached plateaus. For d(pA)n and r(pA)n a relatively gradual decrease in the contribution to the affinity at n=1–6 was observed, while several d(pN)n, demonstrated a sharp increase in the contribution at n=2–4. Finally, all (pN)n>10 demonstrated high affinity for the first (1.4–150 nm) and the second (80–2400 nm) sites of HSA. Double-stranded NAs showed significantly lower affinity comparing with single-stranded ligands. The thermodynamic parameters characterizing the specific contribution of every nucleotide link of all (pN)1−9 (ΔG°) to their total affinity for HSA were estimated.