Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural Representations of Numerical Processing across Semantic, Phonological, Visual, and Manual Formats

Outstretched fingers can convey the same information as the symbol “5”, but how does our brain represent these different visual forms so that we understand the number five? Four constituents have been implicated as being involved in adult numerical processing: semantic, visual, manual, and phonological. Here, we utilize a novel paradigm that includes all four constituents, allowing us to ask how the brain represents them simultaneously. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from adult participants while they completed our full code paradigm, as well as an additional paradigm that has been used previously to study numerical processing in adults and children (Cantlon & Li, 2013; Emerson & Cantlon, 2015). During our full code paradigm, participants viewed one of two stimulus types indicating a quantity: Arabic numerals (visual) or hands (manual), while completing one of two tasks: deciding if a quantity was greater than another number (semantic) or if the quantity contained a long vowel sound (phonological). Univariate analyses revealed similar activity during both the full code paradigm and the previously-used paradigm within right and left intraparietal sulcus, right IFG/Insula, and anterior cingulate cortex, while only the full code paradigm identified differences between semantic and phonological processing within left IFG/Insula. Such results, as well as opportunities for multivariate analytic techniques to be applied, support the utility of this novel paradigm for future studies investigating numerical processing.
Percolation of water in aqueous solution and liquid–liquid immiscibility

The first simulation study of the percolation of hydrogen bonded water clusters in the vicinity of the region of immiscibility of an aqueous solution (of tetrahydrofuran) is reported. Percolation of water is found in a wide concentration range on both sides of the liquid–liquid coexistence curve. An infinite cluster appears with a probability of 50% at a water fraction significantly lower than the one corresponding to the organic-rich branch of the coexistence curve. The fractal dimension df of the infinite clusters at this threshold is found close to the two-dimensional (2D) value, df(2D)≅1.9. Three-dimensional (3D) percolation clusters form at the organic-rich branch of the coexistence curve. At this water concentration the fractal dimension of an infinite cluster reaches the 3D value df(3D)≅2.5 and the cluster size distribution follows a power law with an exponent τ≅2.2. The analysis of the clustering of the organic (tetrahydrofuran) molecules indicates that the immiscibility gap of an aqueous solution.
Temperature dependence of chemical and microbiological chloramine decay in bulk waters of distribution system

Chloramine decays in distribution system due to wall and bulk water reactions. In bulk water, the decay could either be due to chemical or microbiological reactions. Without such distinction it is not possible to model chloramine decay in an actual distribution system since microbiological decay depends on different factors compared with chemical decay. The dependence of chloramine decay on chemical reactions is mostly understood. Although it is widely accepted that microbiological reactions could accelerate chloramine decay, quantification had not been possible until the microbiological decay factor method was proposed. In this paper, the effect of temperature on microbial and chemical decay coefficients is presented. This was done by following the procedure of the microbiological decay factor method but by varying the temperature of incubation between 18 and 30°C. The procedure was repeated for several samples. The results indicated that it is possible to express temperature dependence of both microbiological and chemical coefficients using the Arrhenius equation within the tested temperature range. Estimated E / R values were found to be 3,551±705 K−1 and 6,924±1,700 K−1 for chemical and microbiological decay rates respectively. Traditionally, it is believed that every 10°C rise would double the decay rate coefficients. However, the E / R value estimated in this study shows that a 16–17°C temperature rise is needed to double the chemical chloramine decay rate. A possible application to predict residuals in summer using winter water quality results is demonstrated. Results indicated that microbial decay factor method could help pre-warning water utilities of possible residual loss in summer. Traditional indicators could not offer such distinction.
COMPARISON OF EFFICIENCY OF ALKALOIDS AND TERPENOID EXTRACTS OF SOME PLANTS IN THE ACCUMULATED MORTALITIES OF THE IMMATURE STAGES OF MUSCA DOMESTICA L. (DIPTERA : MUSCIDAE)

The effect of crude extracts of the secondary compounds (alkaloids and terpenoids) of Citrullus colocynthis, Rubus sanctus Shreb and Lycium barbarum were tested on some biological aspects of the house fly Musca domestica. The mortality rate of the immature stages for all secondary compounds was 100% with a concentration of 20 mg/ml compared with the control that was 18-12%. Growth period was 16 and 15.67 days for alkaloids extract of R. sanctus, L. barbarum and C. colocynthis respectively at 10 mg/ml compared with the control with 10 days. As for the tumeric extract, growth period was 15.33, 16.67 and 19.33 days for R.sanctus Shreb, C. colocynthis L. and L. barbarum plants respectively and for the same concentration. The weight of the pupae decreased from 0.20g in the control treatment to 0.12, 0.11 and 0.10 g for the alkaline extract of C. colocynthis R. sanctus and L. barbarum respectively in the concentration of 10mg/ml while it was 0.15, 0.14 and 0.11g for C. colocynthis, R. sanctus and L barbarum plants respectively and in the extract. The rate of productivity in alkaloids extract was 52.33, 50.24, 0.0 eggs/female for L.barbarum, C.colocynthis and R.sanctus respectively at 10mg/ml compared with the control which was limited between 224-223 eggs/female while the productivity was 48.33,41.67, 11.67 eggs/female for the terpenoids extract of the plants L. barbarum, R.sanctus and C . colocynthis, respectively.
Theoretical investigation of many dicationic states and the Auger spectrum of benzene

The outer valence double ionization transitions in the benzene molecule have been computed using Green’s functions and the results are discussed in connection with the Auger spectrum of this molecule. It is found that already at low energy the double ionization transitions are characterized by strong correlation effects and the appearance of a very large number of satellite states. The 226 computed dicationic states are analyzed in terms of their energy distribution weighted by their two‐hole components. It is shown that the relative energies of the maxima in this distribution agree with the experimental Auger peaks to within 0.3 eV. These results emphasize the extreme usefulness of the method in the investigation of double ionization spectra of large molecules, which are practically beyond the reach of conventional ab initio approaches.
Use of Polymer-Supported Terpyridine Palladium Complex for Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction in Water and the Synthesis of 2,6-Disubstituted Pyrimidines

In this study, a polymersupported terpyridine–palladium complex was prepared and found to promote the Suzuki–Miyaura crosscoupling reaction in water. The terpyridine ligand was prepared from 4methoxycarbonylbenzaldehyde, 2acetylpyridine according to the reported procedures. The terpyridine ligand was immobilized onto a PSPEG resin, and the complexation of the PSPEG terpyridine ligand with Pd(II) gave the PSPEG terpyridine–Pd(II) complex. The polymeric catalyst showed high catalytic activity and high reusability for this crosscoupling reaction. This catalyst was also applied to the synthesis of 2,6disubstituted pyrimidines in water.
Deductive Systems and Coherence for Skew Prounital Closed Categories

In this paper we develop the proof theory of skew prounital closed categories. These are variants of the skew closed categories of Street where the unit is not represented. Skew closed categories in turn are a weakening of the closed categories of Eilenberg and Kelly where no structural law is required to be invertible. The presence of a monoidal structure in these categories is not required. We construct several equivalent presentations of the free skew prounital closed category on a given set of generating objects: a categorical calculus (Hilbert-style system), a cut-free sequent calculus and a natural deduction system corresponding to a variant of planar (= non-commutative linear) typed lambda-calculus. We solve the coherence problem for skew prounital closed categories by showing that the sequent calculus admits focusing and presenting two reduction-free normalization procedures for the natural deduction calculus: normalization by evaluation and hereditary substitutions. Normal natural deduction derivations (βη-long forms) are in one-to-one correspondence with derivations in the focused sequent calculus. Unexpectedly, the free skew prounital closed category on a set satisfies a left-normality condition which makes it lose its skew aspect. This pitfall can be avoided by considering the free skew prounital closed category on a skew multicategory instead. The latter has a presentation as a cut-free sequent calculus for which it is easy to see that the left-normality condition generally fails. The whole development has been fully formalized in the dependently typed programming language Agda.
The Synthesis of Polyurethane with (Alkylamino)Pyridine Functions

Abstract 4-(N,N-DialQlamino)dines, as a supernuleophilic catalyst, can increase the rates of various acylaaon reaction by 10-104 times.1 Therefore it was particularly fit for catalyzing the esterifcation invoking secondary or tertiaq alcohol with high steric hindrance and could be used extensivet) for making pharmaceutical products and in fine synthesis of organic compounds.
Elastic Properties of a Single Lamella of Montmorillonite by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

We present results for the elastic properties of a single lamella of montmorillonite consisting of two tetrahedral layers and the intervening octahedral layer. The calculations were performed using a force field with both bonded and nonbonded interatomic contributions and periodic boundary conditions in two dimensions, representing an infinite “nanoplate”. The elastic response of the atomically thin nanoplate was calculated from curves of force versus displacement obtained at slow rates of deformation. Bending stiffness was estimated independently from the onset of nonlinear deformation under compression. The atomistic results are explained in terms of a continuum model for thin plates. We obtain values for the in-plane elastic properties of 250−260 N/m for E1h and E2h, and 166 N/m for the in-plane shear response, G3h, where h is the thickness of the nanoplate. The effective mechanical thickness of the clay lamella is found to be 0.678 nm, comparable to the distance between the outermost layers of atoms o.
Carrier-bound methotrexate. I. Water-soluble polyaspartamide–methotrexate conjugates with ester links in the polymer–drug spacer

In Part I of this series, conjugation of methotrexate (MTX) to water-soluble polyaspartamide carriers was accomplished through ester link formation between an MTX carboxyl group and a carrier-attached hydroxyl function. Contrasting with that type of anchoring link, this project utilizes amide formation as the means of drug conjugation. This is achieved through condensation of one of the drug's carboxyl groups with a carrier-attached primary amine function. Derived from polysuccinimide by a time-proven nucleophilic ring-opening process in the presence of aliphatic diamines, polyaspartamide-type carriers 1–12 comprise subunits equipped with tert-amine or hydroxyl side group terminals for hydrosolubilization and other subunits equipped with primary amine terminals as drug-binding sites. MTX conjugation with these carriers is effected in aprotic solvent, the reaction being mediated by 2-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate. The water-soluble conjugates are fractionated and purified by size exclusion chromatography and dialysis; they are isolated by freeze-drying in typical yields of 40–65%. In the molar MTX/NH2 feed ratios that are chosen (generally 1.2–1.3) and with the mole fractions of drug-binding subunits restricted to 10 and 20%, drug loading in the resultant conjugates approximates 20–30% by mass. In follow-on study, conjugates 1-MTX–12-MTX thus obtained will be screened in cell culture tests for antiproliferative activity against a number of human cancer lines. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 3415–3424, 2006
Controlled free‐radical polymerization of 2‐vinylpyridine in the presence of nitroxides

Bulk free-radical polymerization of 2-vinylpyridine (2VP) in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPO) was studied under different conditions (temperature and presence of additives). Linear poly-(2-vinylpyridine) with a narrow molecular weight distribution and controllable molecular weight was prepared in the presence of acetic anhydride at 95 °C up to a conversion of 66%. At higher conversions side reactions became very important (pseudoliving polymerization). By applying this procedure, well-defined random copolymers of 2VP with styrene or tert-butylmethacrylate as well as block copolymers of 2VP with styrene were synthesized. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2889–2895, 2001
A new 90° hybrid for coherent receivers in free-space laser communications

Using the birefringence properties and the electro-optic effect of LiNbO3 crystal, an optical 90°-hybrid with 2 input ports and 4 output ports is designed in this paper. The new optical hybrid consists mainly of two pairs of LiNbO3 crystal plates with the same sizes, the modulating electrodes and a polarization analyzer. One pair of LiNbO3 crystal plates split incoming signal beam ES and local oscillator beam ELO into four light beams and the other mix them into two synthetic beams. By adjusting applied voltage on the LiNbO3 crystal plates, 4 output ports from the polarization analyzer give the narrow mixed beams with a relative phase shift 90°. The optical hybrid has the advantage of low losses and good stability of the phase shift. It has the great potential for wide applications in free-space coherent laser communications and laser radar.
Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics and a decrease in power during the 3-minute Burpee test: a relative assessment

Background & Study Aim: Anaerobic capacity is defined by the power generated during short-term exercise performed at the maximum intensity or the total work performed during the test. Most tests involve rowing ergometer training, stair climbing tests and repetitive jump tests on a dynamographic platform. The aim of the study was knowledge about sex differences in anthropometric traits, motor performance, and a decrease in power among university students performing extremely strenuous exercise during the 3-Minute Burpee Test (3-MBT). Material & Methods: The study involved 163 men and 196 women aged 19-22 (mean age 20.4 ±0.67 and 20.4 ±0.65 years, respectively) characterized by moderate levels of physical activity (mean: 1,148 and 998 METs, respectively). The participants’ body mass and height were measured, and the results were used to calculate their BMI scores. Endurance-strength abilities were evaluated during the 3-MBT. Sex differences in anthropometric characteristics and motor performance were examined by calculating the sexual dimorphism (SDIndex) indicator. Results: The values of anthropometric traits were significantly (p<0.001) higher in men than in women. The number of cycles completed by both sexes decreased significantly in successive minutes of the 3-MBT, but motor performance levels were higher (p<0.001) in men than in women (55.0 ±10.97 vs 46.7 ±9.39 cycles/min) in all cases. Sexual dimorphism in endurance-strength abilities was most pronounced in the second minute (SDIndex = 7.8) and least pronounced in the first minute of the test (SDIndex = 5.9). The decrease in power was greater in women (14.0%) than in men (12.3%). Conclusions: Men are characterized by significantly higher values of anthropometric characteristics and endurance-strength abilities than women. In extremely strenuous exercise performed by persons with moderate levels of physical activity (PA), the deascrease in power is significantly greater in women than in men. These observations suggest the PA levels of female and male participants should be examined in greater detail before evaluations of sexual dimorphism in power generation and power decline during the 3-MBT.
Measurement and valuation of touch sensation

This paper is a study on the development of a sensor for measuring tactile sensation. The sensor using the pyroelectric effect of a PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) film is fabricated for measuring the human warm feeling. The base of the sensor is an aluminum block, around which a synthetic rubber layer overlaid with Nichrome wire, a PVDF film and a protective layer of acetate film are stacked in sequence. Furthermore a thermistor is attached on the side of the sensor. The sensor is heated and kept at a constant temperature by PID control. The heated sensor is contacted with the object to obtain the pyroelectric output from the PVDF film. Through experiments on several fabrics, the results show that the PVDF sensor using the pyroelectric effect is available to obtain information on the warm feeling.
Decentralized Identity and Access Management Framework for Internet of Things Devices

The emerging Internet of Things (IoT) domain is about connecting people and devices and systems together via sensors and actuators, to collect meaningful information from the devices surrounding environment and take actions to enhance productivity and efficiency. The proliferation of IoT devices from around few billion devices today to over 25 billion in the next few years spanning over heterogeneous networks defines a new paradigm shift for many industrial and smart connectivity applications. The existing IoT networks faces a number of operational challenges linked to devices management and the capability of devices’ mutual authentication and authorization. While significant progress has been made in adopting existing connectivity and management frameworks, most of these frameworks are designed to work for unconstrained devices connected in centralized networks. On the other hand, IoT devices are constrained devices with tendency to work and operate in decentralized and peer-to-peer arrangement. This tendency towards peer-to-peer service exchange resulted that many of the existing frameworks fails to address the main challenges faced by the need to offer ownership of devices and the generated data to the actual users. Moreover, the diversified list of devices and offered services impose that more granular access control mechanisms are required to limit the exposure of the devices to external threats and provide finer access control policies under control of the device owner without the need for a middleman. This work addresses these challenges by utilizing the concepts of decentralization introduced in Distributed Ledger (DLT) technologies and capability of automating business flows through smart contracts. The proposed work utilizes the concepts of decentralized identifiers (DIDs) for establishing a decentralized devices identity management framework and exploits Blockchain tokenization through both fungible and non-fungible
Parasite Burden Measurement in the Leishmania major Infected Mice by Using the Direct Fluorescent Microscopy, Limiting Dilution Assay, and Real-Time PCR Analysis

Background: We aimed to compare parasite burden in BALB/c mice, using three methods including the direct fluorescent microscopic using recombinant Leishmania major expressing an enhanced green fluorescent protein, limiting dilution assay, and real-time PCR technique. Methods: The current study was carried out in 2018, to induce stable enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) production. Initially, the linearized DNA expression cassette (pLEXSY-egfp-sat2) was integrated into the ssu locus of L. major. The expression of EGFP in recombinant parasite was analyzed using direct fluorescent microscopy. Afterward, BALB/c mice were infected with the L. major EGFP, and the infection was evaluated in the foot-pads and inguinal lymph-nodes using an in vivo imaging system. Subsequently, eight BALB/c mice were infected with L. major EGFP, and the results of evaluating parasite burden by a SYBR-Green based real-time PCR analysis and the limiting dilution assays were compared to the results obtained from the direct fluorescent microscopy. Results: The results of the direct fluorescent microscopy showed that EGFP gene stably was expressed in parasites. Moreover, the in vivo imaging analysis of foot-pad lesions revealed that the infection caused by L. major EGFP was progressing over time. Additionally, significant correlations were observed between the results of parasite burden assay using the direct fluorescent microscopy and either limiting dilution assay (r=0.976, P<0.0001) or quantitative real-time PCR assay (r=0.857, P<0.001). Conclusion: Ultimately, the utilization of the direct fluorescent microscopy by employing a stable EGFP-expressing L. major is a suitable substitution for the existing methods to quantify parasite burden.
Mechanism of potassium alleviation of manganese phytotoxicity in barley evaluated by short-term absorption of manganese-54 and iron-59

Abstract The mechanism of K alleviation of Mn toxicity and Mn-induced Fe deficiency was studied in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Minorimugi). Plants were grown hydroponically under normal (0.25 µM Mn and 3.0 mM K), Mn-toxic (25 µM Mn and 3.0 mM K), and K-alleviated (25 µM Mn and 30 mM K) conditions in a phytotron. Plants grown under different conditions were transferred to a nutrient solution (1/2-strength Hoagland-Arnon solution) and fed separately with 54Mn or 59Fe (37 kBq of each) in the presence of two levels of K (3.0 or 30 mM) for 4 h. The amount of Mn absorbed for 4 h in the shoots and the roots of all the plants transferred to a high K level (30 mM) was lower than that of the plants transferred to a low K level (3.0 mM). The alteration in the amount of absorbed Mn in the shoots and the roots of the plants may reveal an antagonistic effect of K on Mn absorption. On the other hand, a high K level did not affect the amount of Fe absorbed for 4 h in the shoots and the roots of the normal plants and plants with Mn toxicity (hereafter referred to as “Mn-toxic plants”), while a low K level increased the amount of absorbed Fe in the shoots and the roots of the K-alleviated plants. However, a high K level increased the amount of adsorbed Fe for 4 h in the root apoplast of the Mn-toxic plants. The results of our short-term experiments suggested that the decreasing effect of a high K level on Mn absorption could playa significant role in the alleviation of Mn phytotoxicity and that the alleviation effect of a high K level might not be related directly to Fe absorption in plants.
Prospects in analytical atomic spectrometry

The trends in the development of five main branches of atomic spectrometry, viz., absorption, emission, mass, fluorescence and ionisation spectrometry, are analysed. The advantages and drawbacks of various techniques in atomic spectrometry are considered. Emphasised are the applications of analytical plasma- and laser-based methods. The problems and prospects in the development in respective fields of analytical instrumentation are discussed.