Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Flow of Liquid Polymers Through Fibrous Reinforcements

Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), at present, is a semi-automated, low volume production process for fibre reinforced plastics with much work being undertaken to achieve full automation and medium volume production. The efficient and consistent impregnation of thermosetting resin into a reinforcement pack are key requirements in the development ofRTM. For mass production and automation accurate predictions of mould fill times are critical in order to plan production. At present, the fill times are predicted by assuming Darcy's law and using experimentally determined permeability value. Permeability measurements display a large amount of scatter which affects the accuracy of simulations of mould filling. Commercial fabrics such as 'Injectex' are now available which achieve high permeability to resin flow through a modified microstructural architecture of fibre tows. This thesis seeks to examine the relationship between microstructure and permeability in these fabrics in the context of possible decreases in mechanical properties which may result from non-uniform fibre distribution. An image analysis technique is used to characterise and quantify the regions of flow within the fabric architecture which are then correlated with a series of permeability measurements determined experimentally. This then leads onto a mathematical model for the prediction of the permeability of the fibre pack.
Decoding Poisson Spike Trains by Gaussian Filtering

The temporal waveform of neural activity is commonly estimated by low-pass filtering spike train data through convolution with a gaussian kernel. However, the criteria for selecting the gaussian width are not well understood. Given an ensemble of Poisson spike trains generated by an instantaneous firing rate function (t), the problem was to recover an optimal estimate of (t) by gaussian filtering. We provide equations describing the optimal value of using an error minimization criterion and examine how the optimal varies within a parameter space defining the statistics of inhomogeneous Poisson spike trains. The process was studied both analytically and through simulations. The rate functions (t) were randomly generated, with the three parameters defining spike statistics being the mean of (t), the variance of (t), and the exponent of the Fourier amplitude spectrum 1f of (t). The value of opt followed a power law as a function of the pooled mean interspike interval I, opt aIb, where a was inversely related to the coefficient of variation CV of (t), and b was inversely related to the Fourier spectrum exponent . Besides applications for data analysis, optimal recovery of an analog signal waveform (t) from spike trains may also be useful in understanding neural signal processing in vivo.
Design Challenges of Millimeter Wave Communications: A MAC Layer Perspective

As the spectrum is becoming more scarce due to exponential demand of formidable data quantities, the new millimiterwave (mmW) band is considered as an enabling player of 5G communications to provide multi-gigabits wireless acccess. MmW communications exhibit high attenuation and blockage, directionality due to massive beamforming, deafness, low-interference, and may need micro waves networks for coordination and fallback support. The current mmW standardizations are challenged by the overwhelming complexity given by such heterogeneous communication systems and mmW band characteristics. This demands new substantial protocol developments at all layers. In this paper, the medium access control issues for mmW communications are reviewed. It is discussed that while existing standards address some of these issues for personal and local area networks, little has been done for cellular networks. It is argued that the medium access control layer should be equipped with adaptation mechanisms that are aware of the special mmW characteristics. Recommendations for mmW medium access control design in 5G are provided. It is concluded that the design of efficient access control techniques for mmW is in its infancy and much work still has to be done.
Separation of Duties as a Service ∗

We introduce the concept of Separation of Duties (SoD) as a Service, a new approach to enforce SoD requirements on workflows and thereby prevent fraud and errors. SoD as a Service facilitates a separation of concern between business experts and security professionals. Moreover, it allows enterprises to address the need for internal controls and to quickly adapt to organizational, regulatory, and technological changes, which are common characteristics of today’s dynamic business environments. We describe our implementation of SoD as a Service, which extends a widespread, commercial workflow system. We validate our approach and implementation with a realistic case study, a drug dispensation workflow deployed in a hospital.
The association between polycystic ovary syndrome and breast cancer: a meta-analysis

Objective The results of epidemiological studies investigated the association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the breast cancer are inconsistent. This meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the association between PCOS and the breast cancer risk. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for observational studies until June 2015. Data were independently extracted and analyzed using 95% odds ratio, and confidence intervals (CIs) based on the random-effects models. Methods We identified 970 references and conducted eight studies with 45,470 participants and 243,064 person- year. Results The association between PCOS and the breast cancer risk in case-control studies 0.87 (95% CI, 0.44 to 1.31) and that of cohort studies was estimated 1.18 (95% CI, 0.93 to 1.43). Conclusion This meta-analysis demonstrated that PCOS no does increase the risk of breast cancer. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to provide convincing evidence in order to PCOS can increase or not effect on the risk of the breast cancer.
Influence of aggregate fracture on shear transfer through cracks in reinforced concrete

Design methods for shear in reinforced concrete structures typically rely upon shear transfer through cracks, which depends upon the crack opening and sliding displacements and the roughness of the crack surfaces. The effectiveness of shear transfer through aggregate interlock is commonly believed to be reduced if the coarse aggregate fractures at cracks, as is frequently the case in high-strength and lightweight aggregate concretes. This paper describes two sets of push-off tests that were carried out to investigate the effect of aggregate fracture on shear transfer through cracks. Marine dredged gravel was used in one set of specimens and limestone in the other. The cracks typically passed around the gravel aggregate but through the limestone aggregate. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of various existing analytical models including those in design codes MC90, Eurocode 2 and ACI-318. The paper also examines the contribution of aggregate interlock to the shear strength of a parallel set of reinforced concrete beams, tested by the authors, which used the same types of aggregate as the push-off specimens.
Cathepsin D Secreted by Breast Cancer Cells 52 , 000 r M Degradation of Extracellular Matrix with In Vitro Updated

It has been proposed that proteases secreted by cancer cells facilitate metastasis by degrading extracellular matrix. Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells secrete a M, 52,000 pro-cath-D under estrogen stimulation, whereas this protease is produced constitutively by estrogen receptor-negative cancer cells. We report on the degradation in vitro of extracellular matrix by purified M, 52,000 cathepsin D (cath-D) and by conditioned media prepared from different cell lines. The purified M, 52,000 pro-cath-D was autoactivated at pH 4.5 into a M, 51,000 cath-D and found to digest the extracellular matrix of endothelial bovine corneal cells labeled with [3H]proline or [35SJmethionine.Culture medium condi tioned by estrogen-treated MCF7 cells had a similar effect at pH 4.5 but not at pH 7.4. Matrix degradation was totally inhibited by pepstatin. Other breast cancer cells (BT20, MDÃ‚-MB231, T47D cells, etc.) and other cancer cells also secreted a pepstatin-sensitive proteinase able to degrade extracellular matrix. By contrast, the U2 variant of MCF? cells, which lacks the M, 52,000 cath-D gene, and the nontumoral epithelial mammary cells secreted a negligible amount of this proteinase. In all conditioned media, the pepstatin-dependent extracellular matrix degrad ing activity was highly correlated to the M, 52,000 cath-D concentration measured by immunoenzymatic assay. We conclude that the M, 52,000 cath-D is the major acidic protease secreted by mammary cancer cells. We suggest that this protease may degrade basement membrane and consequently facilitate tumor invasion when it is released in an acidic microenvironment.
The Role of Epistasis in the Manifestation of Heterosis: A Systems-Oriented Approach

Heterosis is widely used in breeding, but the genetic basis of this biological phenomenon has not been elucidated. We postulate that additive and dominance genetic effects as well as two-locus interactions estimated in classical QTL analyses are not sufficient for quantifying the contributions of QTL to heterosis. A general theoretical framework for determining the contributions of different types of genetic effects to heterosis was developed. Additive × additive epistatic interactions of individual loci with the entire genetic background were identified as a major component of midparent heterosis. On the basis of these findings we defined a new type of heterotic effect denoted as augmented dominance effect di* that comprises the dominance effect at each QTL minus half the sum of additive × additive interactions with all other QTL. We demonstrate that genotypic expectations of QTL effects obtained from analyses with the design III using testcrosses of recombinant inbred lines and composite-interval mapping precisely equal genotypic expectations of midparent heterosis, thus identifying genomic regions relevant for expression of heterosis. The theory for QTL mapping of multiple traits is extended to the simultaneous mapping of newly defined genetic effects to improve the power of QTL detection and distinguish between dominance and overdominance.
Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein is required for T cell survival and cycling

Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and caspase-8 are key signal transducers for death receptor–induced apoptosis, whereas cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) antagonizes this process. Interestingly, FADD and caspase-8 also play a role in T cell development and T cell receptor (TCR)–mediated proliferative responses. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we generated cFLIP-deficient T cells by reconstituting Rag −/− blastocysts with cFLIP-deficient embryonic stem cells. These Rag chimeric mutant mice (rcFLIP −/−) had severely reduced numbers of T cells in the thymus, lymph nodes, and spleen, although mature T lymphocytes did develop. Similar to FADD- or caspase-8–deficient cells, rcFLIP −/− T cells were impaired in proliferation in response to TCR stimulation. Further investigation revealed that cFLIP is required for T cell survival, as well as T cell cycling in response to TCR stimulation. Interestingly, some signaling pathways from the TCR complex appeared competent, as CD3 plus CD28 cross-linking was capable of activating the ERK pathway in rcFLIP −/− T cells. We demonstrate an essential role for cFLIP in T cell function.
Causes and Explanations: A Structural-Model Approach. Part II: Explanations

We propose new definitions of (causal) explanation, using structural equations to model counterfactuals. The definition is based on the notion of actual cause, as defined and motivated in a companion article. Essentially, an explanation is a fact that is not known for certain but, if found to be true, would constitute an actual cause of the fact to be explained, regardless of the agent's initial uncertainty. We show that the definition handles well a number of problematic examples from the literature. 1. Introduction2. Causal models and the definition of actual causality: a review 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics 2.3The definition of cause3. Explanation: the basic definition4. Partial explanations and explanatory power5. The general definition6. Discussion Introduction Causal models and the definition of actual causality: a review 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics 2.3The definition of cause 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics 2.3The definition of cause Explanation: the basic definition Partial explanations and explanatory power The general definition Discussion Appendix: the formal definition of causality
How Law Shapes Experiences of Parenthood for Same-Sex Couples

abstract Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) parents are increasingly common and visible, but they face a number of social and legal barriers in the United States. Using legal consciousness as a theoretical framework, we draw on data from 51 interviews with GLB parents in California and Nebraska to explore how laws impact experiences of parenthood. Specifically, we address how the legal context influences three domains: the methods used to become parents, decisions about where to live, and experiences of family recognition. Law and perception of the law make some pathways to parenthood difficult or unattainable depending on state of residence. Parents in Nebraska, where laws are less supportive, discussed having to “work within the system” available to secure their families while those in California described living in “a bubble” that gave same-sex parents legal protections less available in other parts of the country. Policy and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health, Cardiovascular Remodeling, and Heart Failure in Blacks: The Jackson Heart Study

Background— The lifetime risk of heart failure (HF) is higher in the black population than in other racial groups in the United States. Methods and Results— We measured the Life’s Simple 7 ideal cardiovascular health metrics in 4195 blacks in the JHS (Jackson Heart Study; 2000–2004). We evaluated the association of Simple 7 metrics with incident HF and left ventricular structure and function by cardiac magnetic resonance (n=1188). Mean age at baseline was 54.4 years (65% women). Relative to 0 to 2 Simple 7 factors, blacks with 3 factors had 47% lower incident HF risk (hazard ratio [HR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39–0.73; P<0.0001); and those with ≥4 factors had 61% lower HF risk (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.24–0.64; P=0.0002). Higher blood pressure (HR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.28–4.20; P=0.005), physical inactivity (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.07–2.55; P=0.02), smoking (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.43–2.91; P<0.0001), and impaired glucose control (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.34–2.29; P<0.0001) were associated with incident HF. The age-/sex-adjusted population attributable risk for these Simple 7 metrics combined was 37.1%. Achievement of ideal blood pressure, ideal body mass index, ideal glucose control, and nonsmoking was associated with less likelihood of adverse cardiac remodeling by cardiac magnetic resonance. Conclusions— Cardiovascular risk factors in midlife (specifically elevated blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking, and poor glucose control) are associated with incident HF in blacks and represent targets for intensified HF prevention.
Towards Valid XML Applications

Many WWW applications generate H TML or XML documents dynamically. Current tools, however, like languages using D OM or JAVA Server Pages do not allow to check the validity of the generated documents statically. Instead, validity has to be “checked” dynamically by appropriate test runs. This paper addresses this problem by introducing a new distinct class for each element type of a D TD. Each class extends the Element-class of the Document Object Model (D OM). The resulting object model is called Validating DOM (V-DOM). Parametric XML (P-XML) is an extension of XML allowing to insert values of the newly defined classes in places where the corresponding element types are allowed according to the underlying D TD. Like V-DOM, P-XML guarantees the validity of all X ML documents generated by using P-X ML. V-DOM and P-XML are illustrated by several examples.
Non-Invasive Microstructure and Morphology Investigation of the Mouse Lung: Qualitative Description and Quantitative Measurement

Background Early detection of lung cancer is known to improve the chances of successful treatment. However, lungs are soft tissues with complex three-dimensional configuration. Conventional X-ray imaging is based purely on absorption resulting in very low contrast when imaging soft tissues without contrast agents. It is difficult to obtain adequate information of lung lesions from conventional X-ray imaging. Methods In this study, a recently emerged imaging technique, in-line X-ray phase contrast imaging (IL-XPCI) was used. This powerful technique enabled high-resolution investigations of soft tissues without contrast agents. We applied IL-XPCI to observe the lungs in an intact mouse for the purpose of defining quantitatively the micro-structures in lung. Findings The three-dimensional model of the lung was successfully established, which provided an excellent view of lung airways. We highlighted the use of IL-XPCI in the visualization and assessment of alveoli which had rarely been studied in three dimensions (3D). The precise view of individual alveolus was achieved. The morphological parameters, such as diameter and alveolar surface area were measured. These parameters were of great importance in the diagnosis of diseases related to alveolus and alveolar scar. Conclusion Our results indicated that IL-XPCI had the ability to represent complex anatomical structures in lung. This offered a new perspective on the diagnosis of respiratory disease and may guide future work in the study of respiratory mechanism on the alveoli level.
Sex-related and tissue-specific effects of tobacco smoking on brain atrophy: assessment in a large longitudinal cohort of healthy elderly

We investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of tobacco smoking on brain atrophy in a large cohort of healthy elderly participants (65–80 years). MRI was used for measuring whole brain (WB), gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and hippocampus (HIP) volumes at study entry time (baseline, N = 1451), and the annualized rates of variation of these volumes using a 4-year follow-up MRI in a subpart of the cohort (N = 1111). Effects of smoking status (never, former, or current smoker) at study entry and of lifetime tobacco consumption on these brain phenotypes were studied using sex-stratified AN(C)OVAs, including other health parameters as covariates. At baseline, male current smokers had lower GM, while female current smokers had lower WM. In addition, female former smokers exhibited reduced baseline HIP, the reduction being correlated with lifetime tobacco consumption. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that current smokers, whether men or women, had larger annualized rates of HIP atrophy, as compared to either non or former smokers, independent of their lifetime consumption of tobacco. There was no effect of smoking on the annualized rate of WM loss. In all cases, measured sizes of these tobacco-smoking effects were of the same order of magnitude than those of age, and larger than effect sizes of any other covariate. These results demonstrate that tobacco smoking is a major factor of brain aging, with sex- and tissue specific effects, notably on the HIP annualized rate of atrophy after the age of 65.
Pervasive games in a mote-enabled virtual world using tuple space middleware

Pervasive games are a new and exciting field where the user experience benefits from the blending of real and virtual elements. Players are no longer confined to computer screens. Rather, interactions with devices embedded within the real world and physical movements become an integral part of the gaming experience. Several prototypes of pervasive games have been proposed by both industry and academia. However, in such games the issues arising from the integration of players and real world, the management of the context surrounding the players, and the need for communication and distributed coordination are often addressed in an ad-hoc fashion. Therefore, the underlying software fabric is often not reusable, ultimately slowing down the diffusion of pervasive games. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a pervasive game on top of TinyLIME, a middleware system supporting data sharing among mobile and embedded devices. By illustrating the design of a pervasive game we developed, we argue concretely that the programming abstractions supported by TinyLIME greatly simplify the data and context management characteristics of pervasive games, and provide an effective and reusable building block for their development. TinyLIME was originally designed to support applications where mobile users collect data from sensors scattered in the physical environment. We build upon this capability to put forth a second contribution, namely, the use of wireless sensor devices (or motes) as a computing platform for pervasive games. Besides reporting physical data for the sake of the game, we use motes to store information relevant to the game plot, e.g., virtual objects. Motes are typically very small in size, and therefore can be hidden in the environment, enhancing the sense of immersion in a virtual world. To the best of our knowledge, this original use of wireless sensor devices is novel in the scientific and gaming literature. Furthermore, it is naturally supported by TinyLIME, yielding a unified programming abstraction that spans the heterogeneous gaming platform we propose.
Sequencing the Gene Encoding Manganese-Dependent Superoxide Dismutase for Rapid Species Identification of Enterococci

ABSTRACT Simple PCR and sequencing assays that utilize a single pair of degenerate primers were used to characterize a 438-bp-long DNA fragment internal (sodAint) to the sodA gene encoding the manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase in 19 enterococcal type strains (Enterococcus avium,Enterococcus casseliflavus, Enterococcus cecorum, Enterococcus columbae, Enterococcus dispar, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus flavescens, Enterococcus gallinarum,Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus malodoratus,Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus pseudoavium,Enterococcus raffinosus, Enterococcus saccharolyticus, Enterococcus seriolicida,Enterococcus solitarius, and Enterococcus sulfureus). Sequence analysis of thesodAint fragments enabled reliable identification of 18 enterococcal species, including E. casseliflavus-E. flavescens and E. gallinarum. ThesodAint fragments of E. casseliflavus and E. flavescens were almost identical (99.5% sequence identity), which suggests that they should be associated in a single species. Our results confirm that thesodA gene constitutes a more discriminative target sequence than 16S rRNA gene in differentiating closely related bacterial species.
Defective Proboscis Extension Response (DPR), a Member of the Ig Superfamily Required for the Gustatory Response to Salt

Gustatory stimuli, such as sugar, induce a behavioral response inDrosophila that involves extension of the proboscis and consumption of the sugar-containing solution. Addition of salt to the sugar solution inhibits this behavioral response. However, the mechanisms and gene products involved in the salt aversion response have not been described. Here, we report the identification of a locus, defective proboscis extension response (dpr), that is required for salt aversion. dpr was expressed in a subset of primary neurons in the gustatory organs and encoded a protein with two Ig-like domains, a single putative transmembrane domain, and a short region C terminal to the transmembrane segment. In addition, DPR defines a large previously unknown group of ≥20 highly related Ig-containing proteins.