Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy of Levocarnitine Treatment in Relieving Fatigue in Patients with Cirrhosis but without Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy

Objective In the present study, we prospectively examined the efficacy of levocarnitine in relieving symptoms of fatigue in patients with cirrhosis but without overt hepatic encephalopathy. Methods Twenty-one cirrhotic patients who were able to undergo fatigue symptom evaluations at our institution were enrolled. A total of 12 cirrhotic patients underwent levocarnitine treatment (1,200-1,800 mg/day), while 9 did not undergo levocarnitine treatment. As primary endpoints, we investigated whether or not levocarnitine treatment exerted any beneficial effects by assessing the symptoms of fatigue [8-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8) and Fisk Fatigue Severity Score (FFSS)] at baseline and three months after treatment. Furthermore, as exploratory secondary endpoints, we investigated whether or not levocarnitine treatment exerted ameliorative effects on oxidative stress by assessing the serum thioredoxin (TRX) and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. Results The median age of the patients was 73 years old. Three men and 18 women were categorized by their Child-Pugh class (A and B in 14 and 7 patients, respectively). There were no significant differences in the clinical laboratory values between the two groups. The FFSS and SF-8 scores were significantly improved in the patients with cirrhosis who underwent levocarnitine treatment (p＜0.01) but not in those who did not undergo levocarnitine treatment. Furthermore, three months after levocarnitine treatment, the serum carnitine concentrations were significantly increased, and the serum thioredoxin levels were decreased in the patients with cirrhosis who underwent levocarnitine treatment (p＜0.05). Conclusion These results suggest that levocarnitine treatment may relieve symptoms of fatigue in cirrhotic patients by reducing oxidative stress.
Development of a Micropump for Microelectronic Cooling

To demonstrate a system integration process for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), we are building an active cooling MEMS unit for microelectronics applications. This integrated unit will incorporate a micropump, temperature sensors, microchannels, and heat exchange devices into a single unit. The first phase of this research project is to develop and test a micropump capable of moving the working fluid within the integrated device. This paper will discuss the design, development, testing, and evaluation of a micropump concept. The micropump which was developed is an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) injection pump. Fabrication of the pump was accomplished using laser micromachining technology, and two initial designs were examined for full fabrication. The first design has two silicon parts stacked vertically on top of each other. Gold is deposited on one side of each stacked plate to serve as electrodes for the electrohydrodynamic pump. A Nd:YAG laser is used to drill an array of circular holes in the “well” region of both silicon parts, leaving an open pathway for fluid movement. Next the silicon parts are aligned and bonded together, thus becoming a EHD pump. Fluid flow has been observed when an electric voltage is applied across the electrodes. The second design has the silicon parts which contain the flow grid oriented “back-to-back” and bonded together. This “back-to-back” design has a shorter grid distance between the anode and cathode plates so that a smaller voltage is required for pumping. Preliminary results from laboratory experiments have demonstrated that this EHD micropump design can achieve a pressure head of about 287 Pa with an applied voltage of 120 V.
A Novel Vibration-based Structure Health Monitoring Approach for the Shallow Buried Tunnel

The vibration-based SHM (Structure Health Monitoring) system has been successfully used in bridge and other surface civil infrastructure. However, its application in operation tunnels remains a big challenge. The reasons are discussed in this paper by comparing the vibration characteristics of the free tunnel structure and tunnel-soil coupled system. It is revealed that all the correlation characteristics of the free tunnel FRFs (Frequency Response Function spectrum) will vanish and be replaced by a coupled resonance frequency when the tunnel is surrounded by soil. The above statement is validated by field measurements. Moreover, the origin of this phenomenon is investigated by dispersion analysis based on a novel simulation model termed as TTMM (Timoshenko beam-Transfer Matrix Method). It is proved that the coupled resonance frequency occurs at the intersection of soil and free tunnel flexible wave mode dispersion curves. A simplified method is developed to determine the relationship between the tunnel Young’s modulus and the coupled resonance frequency, which can be employed as an index for quantifying the tunnel global stiffness.
NRL-APL Grain Size Algorithm Upgrade

Abstract : This upgrade was designed to improve upon older algorithms used to infer input geoacoustic parameters fro high-frequency acoustic models from sediment grain size. These older algorithms were based on limited data set and were developed by adjusting acoustic model-data fits rather than by statistical regression. The upgrade has two components. The regression analysis of sediment grain size and geoacoustic properties was performed by NRL and the determination of accuracy of acoustic backscatter perditions was performed by APL-UW. The geoacoustic properties/sediment grain size relationships produced a new algorithm connecting acoustic model parameters with the parameters of the MIW (Mine Warfare) sediment database.
The Association between Lower Extremity Movement Patterns and Physical Function in People with Knee Osteoarthritis

Purpose: Explore the association between movement pattern variables and physical function (PF), compare movement pattern changes between standard and agility/perturbation training and explore the association of movement pattern changes with PF changes after an exercise program.Methods: Baseline evaluation was performed to collect subject characteristics, self-reported and performance-based PF followed by motion analysis and electromyography tests performed during gait and step down tasks. Subjects randomized into standard or agility/perturbation groups underwent 12 training-sessions. Post-treatment evaluation was performed at 2 months.Analyses: All analyses were performed for gait and step down task separately. At baseline stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to explore the association of lower extremity kinematics and co-contraction with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index -PF subscale (WOMAC-PF) and the Get up and Go test (GUG) separately. At post-treatment, comparisons of the changes in lower extremity kinematics and changes in co-contraction patterns between subjects who received standard versus agility/perturbation training were performed. Following, stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to explore the association of changes in lower extremity kinematics and changes in co-contraction with changes in WOMAC-PF and changes in GUG. Results: At baseline results indicated that increased co-contraction during gait and step down were associated with poorer PF. The increased co-contraction of lateral muscle couples during gait was probably an attempt to control knee loading. The increased co-contraction of lateral and medial muscle couples during the step down was likely an attempt to avoid pain and instability as well as control loading at the knee. At post-treatment there was no difference in movement patterns changes between the two exercise groups. Increased co-contraction during gait was associated with improvement in GUG whereas during step down increased co-contraction was associated with worsening in WOMAC-PF. At both time points the observed associations of co-contraction with PF were likely a response to the unique constraints imposed by gait and the step down. We believe in order to improve patterns of movement and thereby improve PF in this population, rehabilitation programs may need to focus on specific practice of tasks which are difficult to people with knee osteoarthritis.
Fundamentals of Corrosion

the purpose of this writing, it appears sufficient to define corrosion as "the chemical action of environment which results in deterioration or destruction beyond the limit of usefulness. " In general, corrosion of iron and steel is indicated with particular reference to services buried underground. Within these limitations, a vast bulk of information has accumulated, and it would be impossible to review even a minor portion of it. Perhaps reference to the Bibliography (p. 1260) will serve those who wish to extend their knowledge of the subject. Peculiarly enough, the inexorable quality of nature manifests itself in the corrosion phenomena. We extract metal from the ores of the earth which are in a state of maximum stability with respect to their environment. We return the metal to the earth in the form of services and expect a stability which cannot be; otherwise, the metal would originally have existed in pure form rather than in combination with other elements as ores. Logic dictates that since we must have the metal in a relatively pure form, the only means by which we can prevent the return to the more stable ore is by alteration of the environment in such a direction as to favor stability of the metallic state. Such alteration may take the form of primary protection to shield the metal from natural action, or, conversely, certain of the more active natural actions may be removed or definitely restrained. In the above rather simple terms exists the fundamental basis of corrosive action. We are opposed to nature and must deal in terms of the customary large number of variables imposed by natural processes. It would be expected that man would evolve many theories by way of explanation, and he has. Each theory has in
Multicore Architectures for Multiple Independent Levels of Security Applications

Abstract : The Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) initiative is focused on providing a solution to the problem of securing information environments made up of multiple classification domains. We propose that multi-core architectures have the ability to bolster the MILS effort. However, current MILS operating systems are not designed for multi-core platforms. They do not have the hardware support to ensure that the separation kernel policies will be adhered to in a commercial off the shelf (COTS) multi-core environment. We propose to investigate the applicability of state of the art multi-core architectures to multi-level security through two means: 1. Develop low-level software code, e.g. a hypervisor, which can better enforce both time and space separation in commercial multi-core processors by putting individual cores in isolated states when processing sensitive information, such as policy enforcement decisions. 2. Design a new multi-core processor from the ground-up with MILS in mind. This processor will be designed with hardware features to help the kernel enforce the given policies.
Reproducibility of speed, agility and power assessments in elite academy footballers

Purpose: Fitness testing is a visible part of many youth and senior football programs (Pyne et al. 2014). A high priority is given to physical assessments that relate to the demands of match performance (Rampinini et al. 2007). However somewhat surprisingly, the reproducibility of common assessments using elite football cohorts are not widely reported in the literature (Pyne et al. 2014). Field test assessments of speed, agility and power not only provide an indicator of sport-specific power producing ability but can also be used for diagnostic purposes to identify whether an athlete is suffering from fatigue, functional / non-functional overreaching or overtraining (Meeusen et al. 2013). The purpose of this study was to ascertain the reproducibility of testing protocols used to monitor speed, agility and power capabilities within elite academy footballers. Methods: Ten male apprentice professional football players (mean ± SD: age = 17.1 ± 0.7 years, stature = 1.83 ± 0.09 m, mass: 77.8 ± 8.2 kg) participated in the study. All participants completed three separate identical trials with a day’s recovery interspersed between each trial. Each trial consisted of the following assessments; a countermovement jump test (CMJ), a seated medicine ball throw test (Throw), a 40 m run sprint test (40 m), which incorporated a 0-10 m assessed phase (10 m) and the arrowhead agility test (Agility). Results: Findings from One-way ANOVA tests indicated that performance was unchanged across the three trials for all assessments (P > 0.05). Mean typical error as a percentage (TE %) [90 % confidence intervals (CI)] across the assessments indicated highly acceptable reproducibility; CMJ = 3.2% (2.5-4.7), Throw = 1.4% (1.0-2.0). 10 m = 1.6% (1.3-2.4), 40m = 1.4% (1.1-2.0), Agility = 0.9% (0.7-1.3). Conclusion: Elite academy footballers were found to have consistent performance for assessments of speed, agility and power across three trials. Typical error was found to be low for all assessments indicating a high level of reproducibility across repeated trials (Hopkins et al. 2001). Therefore, these assessments can be confidently used in the physical fitness monitoring of elite academy footballers.
On the dynamics of human locomotion and co-design of lower limb assistive devices

Recent developments in lower extremities wearable robotic devices for the assistance and rehabilitation of humans suffering from an impairment have led to several successes in the assistance of people who as a result regained a certain form of locomotive capability. Such devices are conventionally designed to be anthropomorphic. They follow the morphology of the human lower limbs. It has been shown previously that non-anthropomorphic designs can lead to increased comfort and better dynamical properties due to the fact that there is more morphological freedom in the design parameters of such a device. At the same time, exploitation of this freedom is not always intuitive and can be difficult to incorporate. In this work we strive towards a methodology aiding in the design of possible non-anthropomorphic structures for the task of human locomotion assistance by means of simulation and optimization. The simulation of such systems requires state of the art rigid body dynamics, contact dynamics and, importantly, closed loop dynamics. Through the course of our work, we first develop a novel, open and freely available, state of the art framework for the modeling and simulation of general coupled dynamical systems and show how such a framework enables the modeling of systems in a novel way. The resultant simulation environment is suitable for the evaluation of structural designs, with a specific focus on locomotion and wearable robots. To enable open-ended co-design of morphology and control, we employ population-based optimization methods to develop a novel Particle Swarm Optimization derivative specifically designed for the simultaneous optimization of solution structures (such as mechanical designs) as well as their continuous parameters. The optimizations that we aim to perform require large numbers of simulations to accommodate them and we develop another open and general framework to aid in large scale, population based optimizations in multi-user environments. Using the developed tools, we first explore the occurrence and underlying principles of natural human gait and apply our findings to the optimization of a bipedal gait of a humanoid robotic platform. Finally, we apply our developed methods to the co-design of a non-anthropomorphic, lower extremities, wearable robot in simulation, leading to an iterative co-design methodology aiding in the exploration of otherwise hard to realize morphological designs
Empirical Comparisons for Combining Balancing and Feature Selection Strategies for Characterizing Football Players Using FIFA Video Game System

The process of modelling individual player performance using machine learning is a mature task in sports analytics. The most significant challenges in machine learning include class imbalance and high dimensionality problems. We conducted a comprehensive literature review and observed that both the issues have been studied independently. We found that feature selection addresses the dimensionality reduction problem by determining a subset of relevant features, while data sampling seeks to make the data more balanced by adding or removing instances. We also found out that efforts have been taken for studying the effect of the joint use of feature selection and balancing techniques. However, the prioritization of the feature selection and sampling is still difficult, and the relationship between them remains unclear. This paper presents a large-scale comparison of characterizing football players into nine positions by using FIFA video game data, whereas most of the previous studies in this field have focused on characterizing players into only three classes according to their positions. The proposed methodology for the study consists of three main steps. In the first step, the sampling technique is applied to deal with class imbalance, while the second step encompasses the feature selection technique, which deals with the high dimensionality problem. The third step combines feature selection and data sampling to deal with both the issues. We made the comparisons based on nine feature selection algorithms and three balancing techniques, and then we evaluated their performance using the random forest classifier. We found that 1) feature selection techniques did not improve the accuracy of the baseline model, 2) balancing techniques improved the accuracy compared to the baseline, and 3) the results showed superiority of the proposed methodology, involving the joint application of resampling and feature selection with data balanced by the random oversampling (ROS) method and synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE), compared to the results obtained only through the use of a single technique and from the original imbalanced training set. Overall, the proposed methodology improved prediction accuracy compared to the baseline model. Moreover, the methodology provided a significant decrease in the number of features, from 29 to 10 features on average.
Army Enlisted Personnel Competency Assessment Program Phase 1. Volume 1: Needs Analysis

Abstract : In the early 1990s, the Department of the Army abandoned its Skill Qualification Test (SQT) program due primarily to maintenance, development, and administration costs. Cancellation of the SQT program left a void in the Army's capabilities for assessing job performance qualification. To meet this need, the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) instituted a 3-year program of feasibility research related to development of a Soldier assessment system that is both effective and affordable. The PerformM21 program has two mutually supporting tracks. The first is a needs analysis that will result in design recommendations and identification of issues related to implementation of a competency assessment program. The second track is a demonstration of concept - starting with a prototype core assessment targeted to all Soldiers eligible for promotion to Sergeant, followed by job-specific prototype assessments for several Military Occupational Specialties. Experience with the prototype assessments will influence elaboration of the operational program design recommendations. The present report describes the needs analysis work and subsequent Army competency assessment program design recommendations as they stand at the end of the first year of the PerformM21 effort. A variety of areas are discussed, including program goals and policies as well as test content, design, development, and administration considerations.
Contact Interface Verification for DYNA3D Scenario 2: Multi-Surface Contact

A suite of test problems has been developed to examine contact behavior within the nonlinear, three-dimensional, explicit finite element analysis (FEA) code DYNA3D (Lin, 2005). The test problems use multiple interfaces and a combination of enforcement methods to assess the basic functionality of the contact algorithms. The results from the DYNA3D analyses are compared to closed form solutions to verify the contact behavior. This work was performed as part of the Verification and Validation efforts of LLNL W Program within the NNSA's Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Program. DYNA3D models the transient dynamic response of solids and structures including the interactions between disjoint bodies (parts). A wide variety of contact surfaces are available to represent the diverse interactions possible during an analysis, including relative motion (sliding), separation and gap closure (voids), and fixed relative position (tied). The problem geometry may be defined using a combination of element formulations, including one-dimensional beam and truss elements, two-dimensional shell elements, and three-dimensional solid elements. Consequently, it is necessary to consider various element interactions during contact. This report and associated test problems examine the scenario where multiple bodies interact with each other via multiple interfaces. The test problems focus on whether any ordering issuesmore » exist in the contact logic by using a combination of interface types, contact enforcement options (i.e., penalty, Lagrange, and kinematic), and element interactions within each problem. The influence of rigid materials on interface behavior is also examined. The companion report (McMichael, 2006) and associated test problems address the basic contact scenario where one contact surface exists between two disjoint bodies. The test problems are analyzed using version 5.2 (compiled on 12/22/2005) of DYNA3D. The analytical results are used to form baseline solutions for subsequent regression testing. In section 2, the test problems are presented, and the static solution is developed for two idealized systems. Section 3 describes the finite element representation of the generic problem, including the interface combinations considered. The verification criteria and expected results are presented next in section 4. Section 5 discusses the numerical results obtained from each test problem. Finally, section 6 summarizes the observed interface behavior. « less
Binocular Overlap in a Fiber Optic Helmet Mounted Display

Abstract : Target detection, motion detection, and flight performance were compared under conditions of 25 and 45 binocular overlap using only the low resolution background channels of a Fiber Optic Helmet Mounted Display (FOHMD). In experiments 1 and 2, eight experienced fighter pilots viewed aircraft targets which either approached ownship or moved vertically in the field of view, respectively, at various angles of off axis eccentricity. As an additional task, pilots flew the system as an air combat simulator and were required to track, engage, and destroy an airborne target. The results indicated target and motion detection and binocularly displayed targets were superior to that of monocularly displayed targets. There was no significant difference in target detection or motion detection between the two overlap conditions, per se, nor between left and right fields of view. In both overlap conditions, performance was degraded within 5 of the lateral edges of the field of view, and suppression was evident in contralateral fields in the areas of optical frame overlap. However, the latter effects were combined nearer the central viewing area for the 25 deg overlap condition. No significant differences were noted in the supplementary air combat task as a function of overlap, but structured debriefing data indicated loss of target imagery was less of a problem with the larger overlap. It was concluded that greater than 25 deg binocular overlap should be utilized in follow-on systems. (Author)