Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Etude du comportement mécanique et du pliage d'un anneau de tenségrité à base pentagonale

Les structures de tensegrite sont les systemes constructifs a barres et câbles en etat d'autocontrainte, legers et souvent deployables qui presentent de nombreuses applications potentielles dans le domaine du genie civil. L'objectif de ce travail est d'etudier le comportement mecanique et le pliage d'un anneau de tensegrite a base pentagonale. Nous souhaitons mettre en valeur les qualites mecaniques de ce systeme en tant que structure porteuse, l'aisance et la rapidite du pliage/depliage en tant que structure deployable. L'etude est menee selon deux pistes : modelisation et experimentation. La premiere consiste a analyser le comportement mecanique et a modeliser le deploiement de la structure. Pour la deuxieme voie, un premier prototype est concu puis bâti dans le but d'etudier le comportement reel et verifier l'adequation avec l'etude theorique. De plus, une methode statique permettant d'identifier la tension dans les câbles en tenant compte d'inertie de flexion des câbles a ete developpee.
The Future of Restorative Neurosciences in Stroke: Driving the Translational Research Pipeline From Basic Science to Rehabilitation of People After Stroke

Background. Major advances during the past 50 years highlight the immense potential for restoration of function after neural injury, even in the damaged adult human brain. Yet, the translation of these advances into clinically useful treatments is painstakingly slow. Objective. Here, we consider why the traditional model of a “translational research pipeline” that transforms basic science into novel clinical practice has failed to improve rehabilitation practice for people after stroke. Results. We find that (1) most treatments trialed in vitro and in animal models have not yet resulted in obviously useful functional gains in patients; (2) most clinical trials of restorative treatments after stroke have been limited to small-scale studies; (3) patient recruitment for larger clinical trials is difficult; (4) the determinants of patient outcomes and what patients want remain complex and ill-defined, so that basic scientists have no clear view of the clinical importance of the problems that they are addressing; (5) research in academic neuroscience centers is poorly integrated with practice in front-line hospitals and the community, where the majority of patients are treated; and (6) partnership with both industry stakeholders and patient pressure groups is poorly developed, at least in the United Kingdom where research in the translational restorative neurosciences in stroke depends on public sector research funds and private charities. Conclusions. We argue that interaction between patients, front-line clinicians, and clinical and basic scientists is essential so that they can explore their different priorities, skills, and concerns. These interactions can be facilitated by funding research consortia that include basic and clinical scientists, clinicians and patient/carer representatives with funds targeted at those impairments that are major determinants of patient and carer outcomes. Consortia would be instrumental in developing a lexicon of common methods, standardized outcome measures, data sharing and long-term goals. Interactions of this sort would create a research-friendly, rather than only target-led, culture in front-line stroke rehabilitation services.
The impact of early stroke on identity: A discourse analytic study

This article examines the ways in which sufferers talk about early stroke and the effects this chronic condition has on identity. Traditional research into chronic illness has largely used medical, psychiatric or cognitive models. We adopt a social constructionist perspective and use a discourse analytic methodology to study data collected via focus group interaction. Analysis of the data collected shows that participants displayed sensitivity about having acquired a potentially ‘damaged’ sense of self by mitigating negative features of their experiences. Participants also attended to the issue of whether their accounts were persuasive or believable. Some carers were present in these discussions. As a consequence, participants who had suffered a stroke displayed sensitivity to the way that carers might respond to mitigation of the negative aspects of stroke.
Functionnal organization of complex behavioral processes

Selon des etudes comportementales, les comportements complexes sont des processus multi-echelles, souvent composes de sous-elements (unites fonctionnelles ou primitives). Cette these propose des architectures fonctionnelles afin de representer la structure dynamique des unites fonctionnelles ainsi que celle des comportements multi-echelles resultants. Dans un premier temps, des unites fonctionnelles sont modelisees comme des flux structures de faible dimension dans l'espace de phase (modes de fonctionnement). Des dynamiques supplemen-taires (signaux operationnels) operent sur ces modes de fonctionnement faisant emerger des comportements complexes et sont classifies selon la separation entre leur echelle temporelle et celle des modes. Ensuite, des mesures de complexite, appliquees sur des architectures dis-tinctes composant un mouvement simple, revelent un compromis entre la complexite des modes de fonctionnement et celle des signaux operationnels. Celui-ci depend de la separation entre leurs echelles temporelles et soutient l'efficacite des architectures utilisant des modes non triviaux. Dans un deuxieme temps, une architecture pour le comportement sequentiel (ici l'ecriture) est construite via le couplage des modes de fonctionnement (realisant des lettres) et des signaux operationnels, ceux-ci beaucoup plus lents ou beaucoup plus rapides. Ainsi, l'importance des interactions entre les echelles temporelles pour l'organisation du comporte-ment est illustree. Enfin, les contributions des modes et des signaux sur la sortie de l'architec-ture sont determinees. Ceci semble etre uniquement possible grâce a l'analyse du flux de phase (c'est-a-dire, non pas a partir des trajectoires dans l'espace de phase ni des series temporelles).
LAMP‐2‐deficient human B cells exhibit altered MHC class II presentation of exogenous antigens

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules present antigenic peptides derived from engulfed exogenous proteins to CD4+ T cells. Exogenous antigens are processed in mature endosomes and lysosomes where acidic proteases reside and peptide‐binding to class II alleles is favoured. Hence, maintenance of the microenvironment within these organelles is probably central to efficient MHC class II‐mediated antigen presentation. Lysosome‐associated membrane proteins such as LAMP‐2 reside in mature endosomes and lysosomes, yet their role in exogenous antigen presentation pathways remains untested. In this study, human B cells lacking LAMP‐2 were examined for changes in MHC class II‐restricted antigen presentation. MHC class II presentation of exogenous antigen and peptides to CD4+ T cells was impaired in the LAMP‐2‐deficient B cells. Peptide‐binding to MHC class II on LAMP‐2‐deficient B cells was reduced at physiological pH compared with wild‐type cells. However, peptide‐binding and class II‐restricted antigen presentation were restored by incubation of LAMP‐2‐negative B cells at acidic pH, suggesting that efficient loading of exogenous epitopes by MHC class II molecules is dependent upon LAMP‐2 expression in B cells. Interestingly, class II presentation of an epitope derived from an endogenous transmembrane protein was detected using LAMP‐2‐deficient B cells. Consequently, LAMP‐2 may control the repertoire of peptides displayed by MHC class II molecules on B cells and influence the balance between endogenous and exogenous antigen presentation.
High Integrity Personal Tracking Using Fault Tolerant Multi-Sensor Data Fusion

About one third of home-dwelling older people suffer a fall each year. The most painful falls occur when the person is alone and unable to get up, resulting in huge number of elders which are associated with institutionalization and high morbidity-mortality rate. The PAL (Personally Assisted Living) system appears to be one of the solutions of this problem. This ambient intelligence system allows elderly people to live in an intelligent and pro-active environment. It is charged with the supervision and control of the entrusted space, monitoring events and detecting falls, recognizing human activities through a network sensors, and finally providing support through robotic actuators. Such services have the potential of increasing autonomy of elders while minimizing the risks of living alone. Therefore, they have been an active research topic due to the fact that health care industry has a big demand for their products and technology. This thesis describes the ongoing work of in-home elder tracking, activities daily living recognition, and automatic fall detection system using a set of non-intrusive sensors that grants privacy and comfort to the elders. In addition, a fault-tolerant fusion method is proposed using a purely informational formalism: information filter on the one hand, and information theory tools on the other hand. Residues based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence are used. Using an appropriate thresholding, these residues lead to the detection and the exclusion of sensors faults. The proposed algorithms were validated with many different scenarios containing the different activities: walking, sitting, standing, lying down, and falling. The performances of the developed methods showed a sensitivity of more than 94% for the fall detection of persons and more than 92% for the discrimination between the different ADLs (Activities of the daily life).
Microstructural Analysis of Reworked Ball Grid Array Assemblies Under Thermomechanical Loading Conditions

Plastic ball grid array packages (Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu) were assembled with Sn3.0Ag0. 5Cu and Sn37Pb solder paste to form Pb-free and mixed BGA assemblies. The Pb-free and mixed assemblies were subjected to one (1X) rework cycle and three (3X) rework cycles. All the reworked Pb-free and mixed assemblies were then subjected to a temperature cycling test with a temperature range of -55°C-125°C. The cycles to 0.1% failure of 1X reworked Pb-free assemblies was 18% smaller than that of nonreworked Pb-free assemblies, and the cycles to 0.1% failure of 3X reworked Pb-free assemblies was approximately 100% smaller. However, the cycles to 0.1% failure 1X reworked mixed BGA assemblies was approximately 200% larger than that of the nonreworked mixed BGA assemblies, and the cycles to 0.1% failure 3X reworked mixed assemblies was 35% larger. Detailed microstructural analysis and geometry analysis were provided to explain the temperature cycling reliability differences between the nonreworked and reworked assemblies, as well as the differences between the Pb-free assemblies and the mixed assemblies. The increase in the temperature cycling reliability of reworked mixed assemblies was found to be related to more homogenous Pb-rich phase distribution in the bulk solder.
Novel Tools for Genetic Manipulation of Follicle Stem Cells in the Drosophila Ovary Reveal an Integrin-Dependent Transition from Quiescence to Proliferation

In many tissues, the presence of stem cells is inferred by the capacity of the tissue to maintain homeostasis and undergo repair after injury. Isolation of self-renewing cells with the ability to generate the full array of cells within a given tissue strongly supports this idea, but the identification and genetic manipulation of individual stem cells within their niche remain a challenge. Here we present novel methods for marking and genetically altering epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) within the Drosophila ovary. Using these new tools, we define a sequential multistep process that comprises transitioning of FSCs from quiescence to proliferation. We further demonstrate that integrins are cell-autonomously required within FSCs to provide directional signals that are necessary at each step of this process. These methods may be used to define precise roles for specific genes in the sequential events that occur during FSC division after a period of quiescence.
Wnt8a and Wnt3a cooperate in the axial stem cell niche to promote mammalian body axis extension

Background: Vertebrate body axis extension occurs in a head‐to‐tail direction from a caudal progenitor zone that responds to interacting signals. Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is critical for generation of paraxial mesoderm, somite formation, and maintenance of the axial stem cell pool. Body axis extension requires Wnt8a in lower vertebrates, but in mammals Wnt3a is required, although the anterior trunk develops in the absence of Wnt3a. Results: We examined mouse Wnt8a–/– and Wnt3a–/– single and double mutants to explore whether mammalian Wnt8a contributes to body axis extension and to determine whether a posterior growth function for Wnt8a is conserved throughout the vertebrate lineage. We find that caudal Wnt8a is expressed only during early somite stages and is required for normal development of the anterior trunk in the absence of Wnt3a. During this time, we show that Wnt8a and Wnt3a cooperate to maintain Fgf8 expression and prevent premature Sox2 up‐regulation in the axial stem cell niche, critical for posterior growth. Similar to Fgf8, Wnt8a requires retinoic acid (RA) signaling to restrict its caudal expression boundary and possesses an upstream RA response element that binds RA receptors. Conclusions: These findings provide new insight into interaction of caudal Wnt‐FGF‐RA signals required for body axis extension. Developmental Dynamics 244:797–807, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The non-financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage within SME businesses in Pakistan

It had been acknowledged that the usage of financial derivatives improved the financial performance of the firms despite larger and smaller firms. Sufficient studies had been conducted on larger firms but there was a paucity of literature on financial derivatives’ usage within SMEs in the context of Pakistan. This gap created thirst for the current research in exploring the financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage within SMEs. This research was directed by pursuing the research problem: “how and why the financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage could be established within SMEs in Pakistan? ” A qualitative research was conducted in order to explore this research issue. Respondents of this research were identified by applying snowballing sampling technique. Total twenty (20) convergent interviews were conducted to establish the literature and to confirm the financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage within SMEs. Thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the data. The outcomes of this research confirmed twelve (12) financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage, i.e. firm size, leverage, exchange rate exposure, interest rate exposure, liquidity, cash flow volatility, financial distress cost, reduction in taxes, firm value, agency cost, reduction in overall cost and un-invested cash. Two newly discovered financial determinants of the financial derivatives’ usage were reduction in cost and un-invested cash, which revealed the current research contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Moreover, this research provided theoretical, methodological, practical and policy implications. This research built a revised theoretical framework, which provided ground for future research.
A new cell-based FE model for the mechanics of embryonic epithelia

In order to overcome a significant stiffening artefact associated with current finite element (FE) models for the mechanics of embryonic epithelia, two new FE formulations were developed. Cell–cell interfacial tensions γ are represented by constant-force rod elements as in previous models. However, the viscosity of the cytoplasm with its embedded organelles and filament networks is modeled using viscous triangular elements, it is modeled using either radial and circumferential dashpots or an orthogonal dashpot system rather than the viscous triangular elements typical of previous two-dimensional FE models. The models are tested against tissue (epithelium) stretching because it gives rise to significant changes in cell shape and against cell sorting because it involves high rates of cell rearrangement. The orthogonal dashpot system is found to capture cell size and shape effects well, give the model cells characteristics that are consistent with those of real cells, provide high computational efficiency and hold promise for future three-dimensional analyses.
Motives for Mergers and Acquisitions in the Nepalese Perspective

This paper attempts to identify the motives of mergers and acquisitions in the Nepalese financial sector.Questionnaire survey method is used to obtain the views of randomly selected 122 bankers of 21 post-merged financial institutions.A two-stage multivariate procedure is used to identify the important factors that drive the merger of financial institutions.In the first stage, an exploratory factor analysis is performed using ten statements that were put in the Likert scale in the questionnaire. In the second stage, important motives of mergers are determined by conducting an ordinary least squares regression using the factors extracted from factor analysis. It checks the internal consistency and reliability of the data using the Cronbach’s Alpha. The paper concludes hat the three most important motives for mergers of Nepalese financial institutions are: (i)meeting the regulatory requirement of paid up capital, (ii) realization of economies of scale and scope, and (iii) generation of efficiencies due to synergistic gains. Economic Literature, Vol. XIII August 2016, page: 9-18
Phase Sensitivity of Synaptic Modifications in Oscillating Cells of Rat Visual Cortex

Synaptic modifications depend on the amplitude and temporal relations of presynaptic and postsynaptic activation. The interactions among these variables are complex and hard to predict when neurons engage in synchronized high-frequency oscillations in the β and γ frequency range, as is often observed during signal processing in the cerebral cortex. Here we investigate in layer II/III pyramidal cells of rat visual cortex slices how synapses change when synchronized, oscillatory multifiber activity impinges on postsynaptic neurons during membrane potential (Vm) oscillations at 20 and 40 Hz. Synapses underwent long-term potentiation (LTP) when EPSPs coincided with the peaks of the Vm oscillations but exhibited long-term depression (LTD) when EPSPs coincided with the troughs. The induction of LTP but not of LTD was NMDA receptor dependent, required additional activation of muscarinic receptors in older animals, and persisted in a kainate-driven increased conductance state. Thus, even when neuronal networks engage in high-frequency oscillations, synaptic plasticity remains exquisitely sensitive to the timing of discharges. This is an essential prerequisite for theories which assume that precise synchronization of discharges serves as signature of relatedness in distributed processing.
Electrophoretic comparison of endonuclease-digested plasmids from Neisseria gonorrhoeae

In order to associate virulence in Neisseria gonorrhoeae with an alteration of the nucleotide sequence of its small covalently closed plasmid, plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid was isolated from both virulent (T1) and avirulent (T3) morphological types for two strains. Electrophoretic and contour length measurements of intact plasmids indicated a homogeneous population with a molecular weight of approximately 2.6 x 10(6). Digestion with two restriction endonucleases. Hinf I and Hpa II, generated distinct fragment patterns which in each case were identical for T1 and T3 plasmid molecules from the same strain. The analysis suggests no sequence differences between the plasmids from virulent and avirulent types. For both strains, however, a deletion or addition of about 1.5% of the total deoxyribonucleic acid appeared in the Hpa II C digestion fragment when patterns for gonococci serially passaged 300 times were compared to those for bacteria freshly established from frozen stocks. The significance of the plasmid instability remains undetermined.
Factors Related to Smoking in College Women

Cigarette smoking among American women attending college has increased dramatically since the 1980's. To develop effective smoking prevention and cessation programs, a better understanding of factors associated with smoking in college women is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine if selected factors (stress, stress management, nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and race) were related to smoking in college women. A sample of 354 college women in a southeastern state, 18–22 years of age, participated in the study. Logistic regression analysis indicated that White race (p = < .001), alcohol consumption (p = .0013), and limited physical activity (p = .0078) were significantly associated with smoking. Physically active college women were 2 times less likely to be smokers. However, physical activity mediated the effect of stress and stress management on smoking. Additionally, stress management confounded the effect of stress on smoking. Therefore, in addition to alcohol avoidance, exercise (as a stress management strategy) may be an important component of primary prevention and smoking cessation programs for college women.