Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laterally displaced pipelines: Finite element analysis

The rate effect of lateral soil movement against buried pipes in clay soils is investigated in finite element analyzes using two different computer programs, AGAC and CRISP. Rapid and slow ground movements are considered in ideal undrained and ideal drained analysis, respectively, which represent the two extreme boundaries with respect to rate of loading (rate of ground movement). The analyses address a typical full-scale buried pipe as described by Rizkalla et al. (1992). The pipe considered for the analysis has a diameter of 0.914 m and is placed in a backfilled 2.0 m wide and 1.8 m deep excavation. Results from both AGAC and CRISP analyzes are similar in terms of total lateral force versus lateral pipe movement. For example, both programs indicate the same clear difference in the resulting pipe movement for cases of rapid and slow ground movement, especially at large movement. When the ground movement is rapid, the pipe moves both laterally and upward. One the other hand, when the ground movement is slow, the pipe experiences only lateral movement and no noticeable vertical movement. The total force acting on the pipe (and stresses and strains within the pipe) is larger for the slow rate of loading. more » The results of analyzes presented herein agree with results of tests on a 5.5 m beam centrifuge performed by the Center for Cold Oceans Resources Engineering. « less
Identifying Mitotic Kinesins as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer Using Bioinformatic Analyses

Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized by late-stage presentation, chemoresistance, and poor survival. Evaluating the prognosis of OC patients via effective biomarkers is essential to manage OC progression and to improve survival; however, it has been barely established. Here, we intend to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as potential prognostic biomarkers of OC via bioinformatic analyses. Initially, a total of thirteen DEGs were extracted from different public databases as candidates. The expression of KIF20A, one of the DEGs, was correlated with a worse outcome of OC patients. The functional correlation of the DEGs with mitosis and the prognostic value of KIF20A imply a high correlation between mitotic kinesins (KIFs) and OC development. Finally, we found that KIF20A, together with the other nine mitotic KIFs (4A, 11, 14, 15, 18A, 18B, 23, C1, and2C) were upregulated and activated in OC tissues. Among the ten, seven overexpressed mitotic KIFs (11, 14, 18B, 20A, 23, and C1) were correlated with unfavorable clinical prognosis. Moreover, KIF20A and KIF23 overexpression was associated with worse prognosis in OC patients treated with platinum/taxol chemotherapy, while OCs overexpressing mitotic KIFs (11, 15, 18B, and C1) were resistant to MAPK pathway inhibitors. In conclusion, worse outcomes of OC patients were correlated with overexpression of several mitotic KIFs, which may serve both as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC.
Development and Flight Testing of a Morphing Aircraft, the NextGen MFX-1

Over the last three years, primarily under a DARPA sponsored program called “Next Generation Morphing Aircraft Structures (N-MAS),” NextGen Aeronautics has been developing morphing wing technologies and designs. The current phase of this effort culminated in a high-successful wind tunnel test of a full-scale morphing wing under transonic Mach numbers; details of the wing model design and the wind tunnel testing is described in companion papers in this session. In addition to the wind tunnel model, NextGen developed and successfully flight tested a 100 lb jet-powered, remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), named the Morphing Flight-vehicle Experimental (MFX-1), with a shape-changing, morphing wing. The goal of this flight test effort was to demonstrate morphing in-flight and lay the ground work for future technology development and demonstration, ultimately leading to aerodynamically efficient, shape-changing, morphing wings on operational aircraft that would provide optimal, uncompromised performance during complex military missions. This paper describes the development of the MFX-1, including design details, fabrication processes, details of low-speed wind tunnel testing performed to obtain stability and controls data, flight test procedures, and results of the flight tests.
COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences and Maternal Stress in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

COVID-19 compounds the already high levels of psychological distress experienced by NICU mothers. We aimed to describe the rates of NICU-related maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine how COVID-19 experiences correlate with high levels of stress experienced by NICU mothers. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis based on responses to a nationwide online survey to understand the relationship between COVID-19-related experiences and the stress experienced by mothers of infants admitted to U.S. NICUs (n = 108) during the pandemic. Results indicate that 61.9% of surveyed mothers reported experiencing high levels of stress on the Parental Stressor Scale: NICU. COVID-19-related grief was significantly associated with higher levels of maternal stress, as it related to seeing the baby’s appearance and behavior in the NICU and exposure to sights and sounds within the NICU environment. No significant associations were noted between parental stress and COVID-19-related health worries or worries about resources. Of note, our recruitment relied on convenience sampling, limiting the generalizability of study results. In conclusion, mothers who experience COVID-19-related grief appear to be more vulnerable to NICU-related stress. Prioritizing parent involvement and enhancing psychosocial support are essential strategies to mitigate the long-term consequences of heightened stress for NICU families.
An Analysis of Heat Flows in the Combustion Engine of a Ship Non-Conventional Energetic System

The paper describes a possibility of implementation of a non-conventional energetic system for ships. The described system is a source of heat at three levels, cool, refined electric energy and mechanical energy. Individual secondary energies are acquired by means of transforma-tion of primary chemically bound energy in fuel. Primary energy is transformed by means of a combustion engine used as a driving unit of ships designed for transportation of passengers and goods. Mechanical energy can be used to drive a ship and its equipment. Exergy as a source of heat and cool for technological equipment of a ship. The implementation of a non-conventional system of a ship offers more possibilities for effective usage and increases energetic evaluation of the combustion engine in this means of transport. The paper analyses heat flows in the non-conventional cooling circuit of the combustion engine of a ship energetic system.
The Hyphae House and the Paperless Worksite

This paper discusses Augmented Reality on smartphones as a tool for building complex structures without utilizing CNC technology while showcasing architectural research. A 1:1 prototype made of concrete blocks was built to test the current stage of this technology, along with an interactive virtual exhibition. Results showed a positive outcome regarding possibilities to use the accessible technology of smartphones as a complementary tool, both in the construction site and to computerize construction work nowadays. Despite tolerance issues in the placement of blocks, the technology proved effectful as a construction and visualization method.
Fuel Cell Emulator for Supercapacitor Energy Storage Applications

Abstract This article presents a study of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system taking into account the fuel starvation phenomenon; this phenomenon causes serious problems when the load changes rapidly. Therefore, oxygen and hydrogen excess ratios are two important issues that should be controlled in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell. To verify the influences of this phenomenon on the fuel cell performances, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell emulator system is realized with dSpace (Cedex, France). In addition, a supercapacitor as an energy storage system is proposed as another solution to prevent this phenomenon, improve performance, and increase lifetime. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed emulator is an excellent tool for testing and experimenting energy storage systems and electronic devices for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications and determine their impact on the fuel cell characteristics.
Impact of Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Heat Inactivation on the Physicochemical Properties of Milk Protein Hydrolysates

This study determined the physicochemical properties (apparent viscosity (ηapp), turbidity (A550nm), particle size and molecular mass distribution) of hydrolysates generated from whey protein concentrate (WPC), milk protein concentrate (MPC) and sodium caseinate (NaCN), following incubation with Debitrase HYW20™ and Prolyve™ at 50 °C, pH 7.0 for 1 and 4 h, before and after heat inactivation (80 °C for 10 min). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) increased with incubation time, giving values of 6.56%, 8.17% and 9.48%, following 1 h hydrolysis of WPC, MPC and NaCN with Debitrase HYW20™, and 12.04%, 15.74% and 17.78%, respectively, following 4 h incubation. These DHs were significantly higher compared to those obtained following 4 h incubation with Prolyve™. Hydrolysis with Debitrase HYW20™ gave >40% of peptides with molecular masses < 1 kDa for all substrates, which was higher than the value obtained following hydrolysis with Prolyve™. The effect of hydrolysis on the physicochemical properties was substrate dependent, since ηapp decreased in WPC and NaCN hydrolysates, particle size decreased for all the substrates, with aggregate formation for MPC, and turbidity decreased in WPC and MPC hydrolysates, while it increased in NaCN hydrolysates. The physical properties of the hydrolysates were influenced by the enzyme thermal inactivation step in a DH-dependent manner, with no significant effect on turbidity and viscosity for hydrolysates at higher DHs.
Translating Teamwork into School Effectiveness: A Systematic Review of Two Decades of Research

Over the last two decades, research has reached the conclusion that educator teamwork is necessary to ensure the achievement of school goals. No attempts, however, have been made to provide integrative evidence regarding its contribution to school effectiveness. To fill this void, the authors review two decades of professional team research in the context of schools. Specifically, the article has two objectives: (1) To review the existing conceptualizations of the terms 'team' and 'teamwork' in the school context; (2) To provide a systematic review of the impact of teamwork on school effectiveness. The systematic search resulted in 23 papers reporting three non-empirical and 20 empirical studies. The results of the review revealed a lack of agreement concerning the conceptualization of the terms 'team' and 'teamwork', which may affect comparability among studies. Furthermore, no comprehensive picture emerges regarding the consequences of teamwork for the individual teacher, the team, or the school as a whole. Indeed, studies refer to a wide range of variables within different contexts and configurations. This review contributes several important insights that may set the agenda for the next wave of research on teamwork in schools.
Combining Direct PCR Technology and Capillary Electrophoresis for an Easy-to-Operate and Highly Sensitive Infectious Disease Detection System for Shrimp

Infectious diseases are considered the greatest threat to the modern high-density shrimp aquaculture industry. Specificity, rapidity, and sensitivity of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection of asymptomatic infected shrimp allows preventive measures to be taken before disease outbreaks. Routine molecular detection of pathogens in infected shrimp can be made easier with the use of a direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, four direct PCR reagent brands were tested, and results showed that the detection signal of direct PCR in hepatopancreatic tissue was more severely affected. In addition, portable capillary electrophoresis was applied to improve sensitivity and specificity, resulting in a pathogen detection limit of 25 copies/PCR-reaction. Juvenile shrimp from five different aquaculture ponds were tested for white spot syndrome virus infection, and the results were consistent with the Organization for Animal Health’s certified standard method. Furthermore, this methodology could be used to examine single post larvae shrimp. The overall detection time was reduced by more than 58.2%. Therefore, the combination of direct PCR and capillary electrophoresis for on-site examination is valuable and has potential as a suitable tool for diagnostic, epidemiological, and pathological studies of shrimp aquaculture.
Underwater Image Enhancement by the Retinex Inspired Contrast Enhancer STRESS

: Underwater images are often affected by undesired effects, like noise, color casts and poor detail visibility, hampering the understanding of the image content. This work proposes to improve the quality of such images by means of STRESS, a Retinex inspired contrast enhancer originally designed to process general, real-world pictures. STRESS, which is based on a local color spatial processing inspired to the human vision mechanism, is here tested and compared with other approaches on the public underwater image dataset UIEB. The experiments show that in general STRESS remarkably increases the quality of the input image, while preserving its local structure. The images enhanced by STRESS are released for free to enable visual inspection, further analysis and comparisons.
Molecular structure, chemical reactivity and molecular docking studies of 1,7,8,9-tetrachloro-10,10-dimethoxy-4-[3-(4-benzylpiperazine-1-yl)propyl]-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6] dec-8-ene-3, 5-dione

1,7,8,9-tetrachloro-10,10-dimethoxy-4-[3-(4-benzylpiperazine-1-yl)propyl]-4-azatricyclo[5.2. 1.02,6] dec-8-ene-3, 5-dione (TCDBPAD) have been calculated theoretically to obtain optimized geometry, vibrational frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments. Charge transfer within the molecule was evaluated using HOMO and LUMO analysis. By hyper-conjugative interaction and charge delocalisation which can be analysed using NBO analysis, we can understand about the stability of the molecule. By using DFT method Molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) was calculated. First hyperpolarizability values are calculated in order to check the non-linear optical activity. Using MD simulations, we have visualized the ALIE and Fukui functions. The degradation property of compound in presence of water was evaluated using RDF curves. By solubility parameter we have identified suitable excipient for the title compound. Molecular docking studies proved that the title compound can be used for the treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular diseases.
Exploiting opportunistic interactions for localization in heterogeneous wireless systems

This paper addresses the problem of localization in mobile networks. Our goal is to make localization possible even for off-the-shelf communication devices like smartphones or sensor nodes, not equipped with GPS or operating in areas where the GPS does not work well. In our approach, a user estimates its position by exploiting opportunistic exchanges with other devices (peer devices). The localization information provided by peers include their own position estimation and can be used even though it may be highly inaccurate. In a heterogeneous setup, peers can provide different ranging technologies (e.g. RSSI and UWB). We investigate the performance of two existing localization algorithms based on Weighted Centroid (WC) and Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI) under different conditions of accuracy and heterogeneity. The study is performed by means of simulations that, however, make use of realistic ranging models, derived from an extensive set of RSSI and UWB measurements. The simulation results show that in most cases LMI provides a better user position estimation than WC, with an error of 1 to 4 meters for 10 opportunistic interactions, and that heterogeneity of peer positioning accuracy has a limited but positive impact on the localization performance.
Is the Secret in the Gut? SuperJump Activity Improves Bone Remodeling and Glucose Homeostasis by GLP-1 and GIP Peptides in Eumenorrheic Women

Simple Summary We previously showed that SuperJump activity, an innovative workout training performed on an elastic minitrampoline, exerts osteogenic action in women. The present study analyzed whether the gut peptides (GLP-1, GIP, GLP-2, PYY, ghrelin) are involved in the mechanism of action. This is because there is a link between gut peptides and bone. In fact, ingestion of a meal induces secretion of the gut peptides that act by decreasing bone resorption and blood glucose level. After 20 weeks of SuperJump activity GLP-1 and GIP levels were significantly increased while fasting insulin, glucose, insulin resistance, were significantly reduced. The study suggests that GLP-1, and GIP are involved in the mechanism of action that improves bone health and blood glucose level following 20 weeks of SuperJump activity in women. Abstract We showed that twenty weeks of SuperJump activity, an innovative workout training performed on an elastic minitrampoline, reduced bone resorption and increased bone formation in eumenorrheic women acting on the key points of the regulation of bone metabolism. The present study analyzed whether the gastrointestinal hormones are involved in the mechanism of action and if it has an impact on glucose homeostasis. The control group was composed of twelve women, similar to the exercise group that performed SuperJump activity for twenty weeks. The analysis was performed on blood samples and investigated GLP-1, GIP, GLP-2, PYY, ghrelin, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, β-cell function, and insulin sensitivity. The results showed that the activity contributes to raising the GLP-1and GIP levels, and not on GLP-2, PYY, and ghrelin, which did not change. Moreover, SuperJump activity significantly reduced fasting insulin, glucose, insulin resistance, and increased insulin sensitivity but did not affect beta cell function. These data suggest that GLP-1, and GIP are involved in the mechanism of action that improves bone and glucose homeostasis following 20 weeks of SuperJump activity in eumenorrheic women.
Intelligent Modelling with Alternative Approach: Application of Advanced Artificial Intelligence into Traffic Management

) and • Indirect control measures like recommendations for drivers which focus on the behaviour of individual vehicles (e.g. radio broadcasts, before-trip information (e.g. via Internet), in-vehicle routing and navigation systems). Traffic management centres (TMCs) are the building blocks for many other AI applications. Travellers can be kept informed
Clinical Relevance of Liver Involvement in the Clinical Course of Systemic Sclerosis

Liver involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is rare. We evaluated the prevalence of liver fibrosis and hepatic autoimmunity in SSc patients in a retrospective observational cohort (97 SSc or mixed connective tissue disease with sclerodermic manifestations patients undergoing transient elastography, evaluating liver stiffness (LS) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), due to clinical indications along with biochemistry assessments and major antibodies associated to liver autoimmunity). Among them, 11 had LS ≥ 7.5 kPa and 5 showed an LS compatible with cirrhosis (LS ≥ 12.5 kPa). Predictors of LS ≥ 7.5 fibrosis were alcohol consumption (>14 or >7 alcoholic units/week for men and women, respectively), waist circumference (>102 or >88 cm for men and women, respectively), elevated alkaline phosphatase, and anti-La and anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) positivity. Six patients had CAP values compatible with severe steatosis (≥280 dB/m). Waist circumference, body mass index and diabetes mellitus were significant predictors of steatosis. Out of 97 patients, 19 were positive for AMA, 4 for anti-Sp100, 1 for anti-Gp210 and 7 were diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis. Among SSc patients, hepatic fibrosis biomarkers and AMA prevalence are relatively high, suggesting the opportunity of performing a transient elastography and a screening for hepatic autoimmunity at diagnosis and/or during disease progression.
Optical Modalities for Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Stroke and the Consequent Brain Injuries

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and third most common cause of disability worldwide. Therefore, it is an important disease from a medical standpoint. For this reason, various studies have developed diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for stroke. Among them, developments and applications of optical modalities are being extensively studied. In this article, we explored three important optical modalities for research, diagnostic, and therapeutics for stroke and the brain injuries related to it: (1) photochemical thrombosis to investigate stroke animal models; (2) optical imaging techniques for in vivo preclinical studies on stroke; and (3) optical neurostimulation based therapy for stroke. We believe that an exploration and an analysis of previous studies will help us proceed from research to clinical applications of optical modalities for research, diagnosis, and treatment of stroke.
Bicultural Minds: A Cultural Priming Approach to the Self-Bias Effect

Recent research has discovered a robust bias towards the processing of self-relevant information in perceptual matching. Self-associated stimuli are processed faster and more accurately than other-associated stimuli. Priming of independent or interdependent self-construal can dynamically modulate self-biases in high-level cognitive tasks. This study explored whether priming of independent/interdependent mindsets can modulate the self-bias effect in perceptual matching. In two experiments, British participants performed a priming task (Experiment 1 using a word-search task—an implicit priming approach, Experiment 2 with a reflective thinking task—an explicit priming method) immediately followed by a perceptual matching task, where they first learned to associate geometric shapes with labels (e.g., circle is you, square is friend, triangle is stranger) and then made judgments on whether shape-label pairs displayed on-screen were the correct associations or not. The analysis in Experiment 1 revealed that priming the interdependent self-construal led to a reduced self-bias effect in perceptual matching in participants who had low bias compared to those with high bias in the neutral/non-priming condition. In contrast, priming the independent self-construal did not modulate the self-bias in perceptual matching. The effects were replicated in Experiment 2. The results indicate that the self is a dynamic concept that can modulate perceptual processing by accessing different cultural contexts.
Aerophobin-1 from the Marine Sponge Aplysina aerophoba Modulates Osteogenesis in Zebrafish Larvae

Longer life expectancy has led to an increase in efforts directed to the discovery of new healing agents for disorders related to aging, such as bone diseases. Harboring an incredible variety of bioactive metabolites, marine organisms are standing out as fruitful sources also in this therapeutic field. On the other hand, the in vivo zebrafish model has proven to be an excellent low-cost screening platform for the fast identification of molecules able to regulate bone development. By using zebrafish larvae as a mineralization model, we have thus evaluated the effects of the crude acetonic extract from the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba and its bromotyrosine components on bone development. Obtained results led to the selection of aerophobin-1 (1) as a promising candidate for applications in regenerative medicine, paving the way for the development of a novel therapeutic option in osteoporosis treatment.