Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Finite Element Dynamic Analysis of Composite Structure Cracks

— Material damages dynamic analysis is difficult to deal with different material geometry and mechanism. In addition, it is difficult to measure the dynamic behavior of cracks, debond and delamination inside the material. Different simulation methods are developed in recent years for different physical features of mechanical systems like vibration and acoustic. Nonlinear fractures are analyzed and identified for different locations in this paper. The main idea of this work is to perform dynamic analysis on different types of materials (from normal homogeneous material to complex composite laminates). Technical factors like cracks, voids, interfaces and the damages’ locations are evaluated. In this project the modal analysis is performed on different types of materials. The results could be helpful in finding modal frequencies, natural frequencies, Time domain and fast Fourier transform (FFT) in industrial applications.
Monocular vision-based drivable region labeling using adaptive region growing

The ability of intelligent vehicles to determine drivable region and perceive obstacles in dynamic environments is essential for maintaining safety and preventing accidents. In this paper, a vision-based drivable region labeling method is proposed. The method is based on an adaptive growing-based approach combining color features restrictions from an indicated drivable region in an efficient, stable, and precise method that can work in various scenes. The proposed method demonstrates that it distinguishes robustly and precisely between drivable region and non-drivable region in freeway, urban, rural road scenes with illuminant variance conditions, using color features restrictions estimated from indicated drivable region without specific machine learning algorithms.
The Emotional Guardianship of Foreign-Born and Native-Born Hispanic Youth and Its Effect on Violent Victimization

Despite numerous tests of routine activities theory, attempts to explain the relationship between Hispanic immigration and victimization are quite minimal. As such, this study seeks to determine whether differences in violent victimization between native-born Hispanic and foreign-born Hispanic youth are attributable to variations in target suitability and emotional guardianship. This study expands routine activities theory’s concept of capable guardianship by basing its operationalization on measures related to family ties and is thus termed emotional guardianship. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the results show native-born Hispanic youth were more likely to be violently victimized than their foreign-born Hispanic counterparts. However, once components of routine activities theory and neighborhood safety were entered into the model, the Hispanic youth’s birth status was no longer significant. Prior delinquency also had the strongest direct effect on violent victimization and served to mediate the relationship between emotional guardianship and violent victimization.
Improved analysis of Monascus pigments based on their pH-sensitive UV-Vis absorption and reactivity properties

ABSTRACT Monascus pigments, a mixture of azaphilones mainly composed of red, orange and yellow pigments, are usually prepared in aqueous ethanol and analysed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The pH of aqueous ethanol used during sample preparation and analysis has never been considered a key parameter to control; however, this study shows that the UV-Vis spectra and colour characteristics of the six major pigments are strongly influenced by the pH of the solvent employed. In addition, the increase of solvent pH results in a remarkable increase of the amination reaction of orange pigments with amino compounds, and at higher pH (≥ 6.0) a significant amount of orange pigment derivatives rapidly form. The consequent impact of these pH-sensitive properties on pigment analysis is further discussed. Based on the presented results, we propose that the sample preparation and analysis of Monascus pigments should be uniformly performed at low pH (≤ 2.5) to avoid variations of UV-Vis spectra and the creation of artefacts due to the occurrence of amination reactions, and ensure an accurate analysis that truly reflects pigment characteristics in the samples. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
The cortical deficit in humans with strabismic amblyopia

To further our understanding of the cortical deficit in strabismic amblyopia, we measured, compared and mapped functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation between the fixing and fellow amblyopic eyes of ten strabismic amblyopes. Of specific concern was whether the function of any visual area was spared in strabismic amblyopia, as recently suggested by both positron emission tomography (PET) and fMRI studies, and whether there was a close relationship between the fMRI response and known psychophysical deficits. To answer these questions we measured the psychophysical deficit in each subject and used stimuli whose relationship to the psychophysical deficit was known. We observed that stimuli that were well within the amblyopic passband did produce reduced fMRI activation, even in visual area V1. This suggests that V1 is anomalous in amblyopia. A similar level of reduction was observed in V2. In two subjects, we found that stimuli outside the amblyopic passband produced activation in visual area V3A. We did not find a close relationship between the fMRI response reduction in amblyopia and either of the known psychophysical deficits even though the fMRI response reduction in amblyopia did covary with stimulus spatial frequency.
In Vivo Effects of Pentaerythrityl‐Tetranitrate and Isosorbide‐5-Mononitrate on the Development of Atherosclerosis and Endothelial Dysfunction in Cholesterol‐Fed Rabbits

We wished to determine whether long-term treatment with organic nitrovasodilators has pharmacological effects on the development of atherosclerotic lesions and endothelial dysfunction in cholesterol-fed rabbits. For 15 weeks, six groups of 9 New Zealand White rabbits received a standard diet, which contained no admixture, pentaerythrityl-tetranitrate (PETN 6 mg/kg body weight/day), or isosorbide-5-mononitrate (ISMN 2 mg/kg body weight/day). In the other three groups, the same diets were further enriched with cholesterol (0,75%). Four rings of thoracic aorta were used for tension studies; these rings and the aortas from the aortic arch to bifurcation were then fixed in formol and stained with Sudan IV to determine the area of luminal atherosclerotic lesions by a computerized laser-scanning approach. The cholesterol diet increased plasma levels of cholesterol from 69.8 ± 10.4 to 907.1 ± 85.5 mg/dl. A similar result was obtained in the group receiving PETN/cholesterol, but the group fed ISMN/cholesterol showed a significantly higher plasma level of cholesterol (1.165 ± 81.4 mg/dl). Plasma levels of PETN metabolites were still detectable by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after a 24-h in vivo washout period. The cholesterol diet induced a pronounced degree of atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic arch and the thoracic and abdominal aorta: 73.3 ± 1.9. 46.3 ± 2.5, and 49.6 ± 3.6%, respectively. Additional treatment with PETN resulted in a reduction of this atherosclerotic area to 58.6 ± 2.05% (p < 0.0001), 34.7 ± 1.98% (p < 0.01), and 39.3 ± 3.06% (p < 0.05). In contrast, ISMN had no significant effect on this parameter. The cholesterol diet also induced an endothelial dysfunction as indicated by the diminished vasorelaxation induced by acetylcholine (ACh). Treatment with PETN completely inhibited the development of endothelial dysfunction, whereas ISMN had no effect. In the three groups receiving a cholesterol diet, an increased extent of aortic lesions significantly correlated with increased endothelial dysfunction measured in the same preparations. The long-term treatment with PETN did not affect the vasorelaxing potency of PETN in aortic rings, and similar results were obtained in the case of ISMN. We conclude that long-term treatment with doses of PETN, which do not promote the development of in vitro vascular nitrate tolerance, may protect against atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction. This novel, yet unknown pharmacodynamic quality of nitrovasodilators like PETN may contribute to their long-term efficacy in coronary artery disease but may also imply new therapeutic indications in the future.
Fiber Bragg grating and long period grating sensor for simultaneous measurement and discrimination of strain and temperature effects

Fiber Bragg grating sensors are novel in the determination of various physical parameters. In the case of fiber Bragg grating, on a single measurement of wavelength shift, it is impossible to differentiate between the effects of changes in strain and temperature. The simulation of fiber Bragg grating, long period grating characteristics and use of the different strain-temperature response of combined sensor for the simultaneous measurement and discrimination of strain and temperature in C band are demonstrated.
Signal Mapping for Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation Schemes to Achieve Secure Communications

In this letter, we investigate different signal mappings for bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) and their effect on the secrecy information rate of a wire-tap channel exhibiting Rayleigh fading. By focusing on BICM schemes using 64 QAM, 16 QAM and (1, 5, 10) signal constellations, we show that the optimal mapping depends on the range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) we are interested in. We propose a new mapping algorithm, called maximum error event (MEE), to optimize the secrecy rate over a wide range of SNRs. At low SNR, MEE mapping achieves a lower secrecy rate than other well known mappings, but at medium-to-high SNRs MEE mapping achieves a significantly higher secrecy rate over a wide range of SNRs. Simulation results on 16 QAM, 64 QAM and (1, 5, 10) constellations are presented to show the achievable secrecy rates of various mappings for BICM from low to high SNRs.
Does Social Interaction Improve Service Quality? Field Evidence from Massive Open Online Education

This paper studies how service providers can design social interaction among participants and quantify the causal impact of that interaction on service quality. We focus on education and analyze whether encouraging social interaction among students improves learning outcomes in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which are a new service delivery channel with universal access at reduced, if not zero, cost.We analyze three randomized experiments in a MOOC with more than 30, 317 students from 183 countries. Two experiments study large-group interaction by encouraging a random subset of students to visit the course discussion board. The majority of students treated in these experiments had higher social engagement, higher quiz completion rates, and higher course grades. Using these treatments as instrumental variables, we estimate that one additional board visit causally increases the probability that a student finishes the quiz in the subsequent week by up to 4.3%. The third experiment studies small-group interaction by encouraging a random subset of students to conduct one-on-one synchronous discussions. Students who followed through and actually conducted pairwise discussions increased their quiz completion rates and quiz scores by 10% in the subsequent week. Combining results from these three experiments, we provide recommendations for designing social interaction mechanisms to improve service quality
Measurement of Driving Patterns of Older Adults Using Data Logging Devices with and without Global Positioning System Capability

Background. Methods to study driving patterns and exposure of older drivers have typically relied on surveys or driving diaries. Electronic data logging devices may offer a reliable, alternative method of measuring driving exposure, and global positioning system (GPS) technology may be able to provide further information about driving patterns. Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare a driving diary with two electronic data logging devices, one of which had GPS capability, in order to identify which method best assesses the driving exposure and habits of older drivers as well as the method most acceptable to study participants. Method. In this prospective cohort study we recruited 20 participants aged 70 years or more (mean 78; range 70–85) (15 men and 5 women). The participants' driving patterns were recorded for one week with an electronic data logging device with GPS (FleetPulse™), followed by recording for a further week with an electronic data logging device without GPS (CarChip®). During both time periods the subjects also completed a standard driving diary. Results. More comprehensive information, including braking and acceleration patterns, duration of driving time, time of day, and maximum speeds, was collected with the electronic devices than with the driving diary. There was excellent correlation between the driving diary data and those obtained with the CarChip® (r = 0.9; p < 0.01). The correlation between the driving diary data and the FleetPulse™ data was moderate (r = 0.56; p = 0.02). The subjects clearly preferred the electronic monitoring devices over the driving diary. GPS data were able to demonstrate driving routes. Conclusions. Electronic data logging devices are a valid method for recording the driving patterns of older adults. These devices also reduce burden and improve the completeness of data.
A compact half-mode SIW semi-hexagonal antenna with t-shaped slot

Aregular hexagonal SIW cavity operating at the center frequency of 5.97 GHz was chosen by the authors. A half-mode SIW antenna was obtained from the same by removing half of the cavity along its edge center. The new antenna, thus formed, operates at a frequency of 5.59 GHz within the IEEE 802.11a WLAN U-NII 2C Band. On the radiating surface of the antenna, a T-shaped narrow slot is inserted which miniaturizes the parent antenna and it resonates at 4.83 GHz reflecting a shift of 760 MHz.HFSS software is used to simulate and analyze the antenna parameters.
Selective stimulation of collagen synthesis in the presence of costimulatory insulin signaling by connective tissue growth factor in scleroderma fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE To examine the mechanism of collagen induction by connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a profibrotic cytokine overexpressed in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS Dermal fibroblasts from 7 SSc patients and 7 matched healthy adult donors were stimulated with CTGF in the presence or absence of the culture-medium supplement, insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS). Expression of collagen protein was analyzed by a (3)H-proline incorporation assay. To identify the signaling pathways mediating CTGF induction of collagen, pharmacologic inhibitors were used, including rottlerin, a protein kinase C delta (PKC delta) inhibitor. RESULTS Collagen levels in both SSc and normal fibroblasts were increased after treatment with transforming growth factor beta in serum-free medium, whereas no stimulation was observed following addition of CTGF. In the presence of ITS, CTGF (2.5 ng/ml) potently stimulated collagenous protein levels in SSc cell lines (n = 5); however, CTGF was not stimulatory in the majority of normal fibroblasts (n = 6). ITS alone induced collagen levels in normal fibroblasts to the levels observed in SSc skin fibroblasts, thereby diminishing the hallmark difference in basal collagen levels in these cell types. Insulin was the ITS component responsible for promoting the basal and CTGF stimulation of collagenous proteins. Rottlerin, the PKC delta inhibitor, down-regulated collagen synthesis in normal and SSc fibroblasts cultured in ITS, and inhibited the stimulatory effects of CTGF in cooperation with insulin or of insulin (500 ng/ml) alone. CONCLUSION Increased responsiveness of SSc fibroblasts to CTGF-mediated collagen synthesis requires the costimulatory activation of insulin signaling pathways to induce matrix production. Blockade of this effect via rottlerin may suggest that PKC delta is a downstream signaling molecule necessary for CTGF stimulation of collagen synthesis.
A reinvestigation of the lipopolysaccharide structure of Helicobacter pylori strain Sydney (SS1)

In this study, we describe a reinvestigation of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure of Helicobacter pylori strain Sydney (SS1) based on the NMR analysis of oligosaccharides obtained through the use of various degradations of the LPS as well as capillary electrophoresis–MS data. The results of the analysis indicated that the core region of a major H. pylori SS1 LPS glycoform consists of a backbone core oligosaccharide substituted at the d‐glycero‐d‐manno‐heptose (dd‐Hep) residue by a linear chain composed of a trisaccharide fragment α‐ddHep‐3‐α‐l‐Fuc‐3‐β‐GlcNAc, as previously demonstrated for H. pylori strain 26695, further elongated by consecutively added α‐Glc and β‐Gal residues, and terminating in a novel linear chain consisting of 1,2‐linked β‐ribofuranosyl residues, where the last β‐ribofuranosyl residue provides a point of attachment for the O‐chain polysaccharide: where [2‐β‐Ribf‐]n is a short (three to five residues) oligomer of 1,2‐linked β‐ribofuranose (riban), and PS is a polysaccharide chain consisting of N‐acetyllactosamine, substituted with α‐Fuc to form Lewis (Le)‐type structures. In addition to the previously identified LacNAc, Ley and Lex components, the O‐chain polysaccharide of H. pylori SS1 LPS was found to contain a novel LacNAc unit carrying a phosphoethanolamine substituent at the O‐6 position of β‐GlcNAc residues.
Consumer segmentation based on the level and structure of fruit and vegetable intake: an empirical evidence for US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2006

Abstract Objective To identify consumption patterns of fruit and vegetables within a representative sample of US adults with a focus on degree of produce processing and to explore sociodemographic, lifestyle and nutritional profiles associated with these patterns. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption data were collected using two non-consecutive 24 h recalls. For the purpose of the study, F&V intakes were aggregated into seven subgroups indicating degree of processing, which afterwards were used as inputs into cluster analysis. Setting The 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Subjects The sample consisted of 2444 adults aged 20–59 years. Results Total average F&V intake of the adults was below the recommended level. Thereby, 20 % of the respondents consumed fruit only in the form of juice. Three F&V consumption patterns were identified: ‘low-intake F&V consumers’ (74 % of respondents), ‘consumers of healthier F&V options’ (13 %) and ‘intensive fruit juice consumers’ (13 %). These groups differed markedly in terms of their sociodemographic, lifestyle and health characteristics, such as gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, weight status, etc. Differences in nutrient profiles were also found, with the ‘consumers of healthier F&V options’ showing better nutritional quality compared with other clusters. Conclusions Only a small share of US adults combines high F&V intakes with healthier F&V options that lead to a better nutritional profile. This raises discussion about a need to deliver more specific F&V promotion messages, including advice on healthier preparation methods, especially for the specific population groups.
Genetic variation of Cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) and risk of breast cancer among Polish women

Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP1B1 (Ex2+143 C>G, Ex2+356 G>T, Ex3+251 G>C, Ex3+315 A>G) cause amino acid changes (R48G, A119S, L432V and N453S, respectively) and are associated with increased formation of catechol estrogens; however, epidemiologic evidence only weakly supports an association between these variants and breast cancer risk. Because genetic variability conferring increased susceptibility could exist beyond these putative functional variants, we comprehensively examined the common genetic variability within CYP1B1. A total of eight haplotype-tagging (ht)SNPs (including Ex3+315 A>G), in addition to two putatively functional SNPs (Ex2+143 C>G and Ex3+251 G>C), were selected and genotyped in a large case–control study of Polish women (1995 cases and 2296 controls). Haplotypes were estimated using the expectation-maximization algorithm, and overall differences in the haplotype distribution between cases and controls were assessed using a global score test. We also evaluated levels of tumor CYP1B1 protein expression in a subset of 841 cases by immunohistochemistry, and their association with genetic variants. In the Polish population, we observed two linkage disequilibrium (LD)-defined blocks. Neither haplotypes (global P-value of 0.99 and 0.67 for each block of LD, respectively), nor individual SNPs (including three putatively functional SNPs) were associated with breast cancer risk. CYP1B1 was expressed in most tumor tissues (98%), and the level of expression was not related to the studied genetic variants. We found little evidence for modification of the estimated effect of haplotypes or individual SNPs by age, family history of breast cancer, or tumor hormone receptor status. The present study provides strong evidence against the existence of a substantial overall association between common genetic variation in CYP1B1 and breast cancer risk.
The effect of complex loads on the scattering from a microstrip dipole

The scattering of a plane wave by a microstrip dipole antenna has been analyzed by a frequency-domain MoM method with rooftop basis functions and Galerkin's procedure. The time-domain responses of the scattered field are obtained via the inverse FFT and the poles and residues of the time-domain response are extracted by the generalized pencil-of-function (GPOF) method. The results show that the various loads have a great effect on the transient scattered fields, but not much effect on the resonant frequencies. This characteristic is beneficial to identify a scatterer by its complex natural resonance.
Virtual perspective views for real-time people detection using an omnidirectional camera

Considering the growing demand for public security systems the lack of availability of automated surveillance systems is a focal problem. Practical systems have to provide key features like: robust people localization, object detection and event decision, real-time processing and low overall system cost. In this paper we present a real-time indoor people tracking and surveillance system based on a single omnidirectional camera. The proposed approach utilizes linear-time algorithms in conjunction with a hardware-oriented implementation. The software was realized for an embedded microprocessor platform which acts as a smart sensor. The presented system aims at real-world scenarios and targets applications in surveillance, security, consumer electronics, home automation and ambient assisted living.