Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carbon nanotube yarns with high tensile strength made by a twisting and shrinking method

We report a simple and continuous spinning method that combines twisting and shrinking processes to produce carbon nanotube yarns. In this method, a yarn freshly spun from a super-aligned carbon nanotube array is first twisted and then passes through a volatile solvent for shrinking. The as-produced yarn consists of densely packed carbon nanotubes, and thus has a tensile strength up to about 1 GPa. The tensile strength depends on the diameter and the twisting angle of the yarn. Different kinds of solvents, such as water, ethanol, and acetone, are used to shrink the twisted yarns, and acetone shows the best shrinking effect. The origin of the solvent shrinking effect is investigated. Our method is favorable for continuous mass production of high strength carbon nanotube yarns with a wide range of diameters, especially ultra-thin yarns.
Somatic MED12 mutations in prostate cancer and uterine leiomyomas promote tumorigenesis through distinct mechanisms

Mediator is a multiprotein interface between eukaryotic gene‐specific transcription factors and RNA polymerase II. Mutations in exon 2 of the gene encoding MED12, a key subunit of the regulatory kinase module in Mediator, are extremely frequent in uterine leiomyomas, breast fibroadenomas, and phyllodes tumors. These mutations disrupt kinase module interactions and lead to diminished Mediator‐associated kinase activity. MED12 mutations in exon 26, resulting in a substitution of leucine 1224 to phenylalanine (L1224F), have been recurrently observed in prostate cancer.
Effects of long-term extracorporeal blood perfusion of the distal portion of isolated equine forelimbs on metabolic variables and morphology of laminar tissue.

OBJECTIVE To establish an ex vivo model of blood perfusion in the distal portion of isolated equine forelimbs that closely represents the in vivo situation in the laminar tissue of the hoof. SAMPLE POPULATION 18 forelimbs collected from 9 healthy adult horses following slaughter at a licensed abattoir. PROCEDURES The distal portion of isolated equine forelimbs from 9 horses were perfused under physiologic conditions over a period of 6, 8, and 10 hours with autologous blood. To determine cell viability in perfused tissues, indicators for metabolism (lactate generation and glucose and oxygen consumption) as well as indicators for cell damage (potassium concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity) were examined at 1-hour intervals from samples of the perfusate. Weight gain in the forelimb was used to determine the edema index. After perfusion, light and electron microscopic examinations of laminar tissue specimens were performed. RESULTS During hemoperfusion of the isolated forelimbs, mean +/- SD glucose consumption was 197.4 +/- 65.1 mg/h, lactate generation was 1.84 +/- 0.79 mmol/h, and oxygen consumption was 6.4 x 10(-6) +/- 8.9 x 10(-5) mL.g(-1). min(-1). Neither an efflux of potassium into the perfusate nor a relevant increase of the lactate dehydrogenase activity was detected, indicating low amounts of cellular damage in the perfused tissues. Weight gain of forelimbs was 1.02 +/- 0.95%. Histologic and ultrastructural appearance of the laminar tissue revealed no signs of tissue damage. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Isolated equine limbs were perfused under physiologic conditions over a period of < or = 10 hours without structural damage to the laminar tissue.
Sutton hotspot: Resolving Ediacaran-Cambrian Tectonics and true polar wander for Laurentia

Hotspot tracks represent plate motions relative to mantle sources, and paleomagnetic data from magmatic units along those tracks can quantify motions of those mantle anomalies relative to the Earth's magnetic field and rotational axis. The Ediacaran Period is notable for rapid and large paleomagnetic apparent polar wander (APW) for many continents. Whereas magmatic units attributed to the “Sutton” mantle plume suggest a practically stationary hotspot track, paleolatitudes of Laurentia for that interval vary dramatically; geologic and paleomagnetic data are at odds unless true polar wander (TPW) is invoked to explain a majority of APW. Here we test the plume-TPW hypothesis by generating the predicted Sutton hotspot track for a stationary plume under a moving plate along the Laurentian margin during the interval from 615 to 530 Ma. Our model is the first to provide a kinematic framework for the extensive large igneous province associated with opening the Iapetus Ocean.
Less optimism about optimistic concurrency control

This paper discusses some of the shortcomings of the optimistic concurrency control (OCC) approach in supporting all the features expected in a full-function DBMS. Surprisingly, in spite of OCC having been around for a long time and its performance having been studied in various contexts, no complete system design, let alone a full-blown implementation, exists, as far as the author knows. The problems with OCC relate to support for access paths (indexes, hash-based storage), partial rollbacks, nested transactions, fine-granularity (e.g. record-level) conflict checking, different isolation levels, distributed transactions, and so on. this paper increases-awareness of the implementation aspects of OCC amongst researchers and initiates a debate about the practical utility of OCC. <<ETX>>
Peripheral sensory activation of cortical circuits in the leg motor cortex of man

Peripheral sensory afferents in the hand activate both excitatory and inhibitory intracortical circuits to potentially facilitate and prune descending motor commands. In this study, we characterized how afferent inputs modulate the excitability of cortical circuits in the leg area of the primary motor cortex by examining how stimulation of the tibial nerve (TN) at the ankle alters motor evoked potentials (MEPs) activated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Resting MEPs in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle were facilitated in response to heteronymous activation of the TN 45–50 ms earlier, whereas MEPs were inhibited at interstimulus intervals of 32.5–37.5 ms. Similar time‐dependent modulation occurred in the soleus (SOL) muscle with stimulation of the homonymous posterior tibial nerve (PTN) at the knee. To determine the site of this afferent‐evoked facilitation and inhibition (spinal or cortical), we compared the effects of afferent stimulation to responses evoked at subcortical sites. At interstimulus intervals where MEP facilitation was observed (near 50 ms), spinal H‐reflexes and responses evoked from corticospinal tract stimulation at the brainstem were predominantly depressed by the sensory stimulus suggesting that the observed MEP facilitation was cortical in origin. At interstimulus intervals where MEP depression was observed (near 35 ms), brainstem evoked responses were depressed to a similar degree and, in contrast to the hand, this suggests that spinal rather than cortical circuits mediate short‐latency afferent inhibition (SAI) of leg MEPs. When the MEP was facilitated by afferent inputs, short‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) was reduced and intracortical facilitation (ICF) was increased, but long‐interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) at a 100 ms interval was unchanged. In addition, sensory excitation increased the recruitment of early, middle and late descending corticospinal volleys as evidenced from increases in MEP facilitation at the corresponding I‐wave periodicity. We propose that sensory activation from the leg has a diffuse and predominantly facilitatory effect on the leg primary motor cortex.
A Framework for Context-Aware Acoustic Source Localization

In this paper the state-of-the-art acoustic source localization techniques are overviewed at first, followed by an analysis of the interactive relationship between the performance and various acoustic context related factors. The suitable application scenarios of these techniques are summarized from which one can easily identify the most suitable method for a specific application. It is concluded based on the discussion that generally there is no single method to be omnipotent. Motivated by this conclusion, the concept of the context-aware acoustic source localization is proposed. The underlying idea is that the source localization scheme should strategically adapt from time to time based on the acoustic context, such as the varying sound fields, relative source-to-array positions, and many other factors. A preliminary framework to systematically implement such a concept is finally proposed and the future work is briefly discussed
Sustainability of Tunisia's road transport: is there an environmental Kuznets curve for negative externalities?

Negative externalities of transport sector in Tunisia have become serious problems for the environment and population. This article discusses the sustainability of this sector with the application of the environmental Kuznets curve model to a developing country like Tunisia over the period from 1989 to 2008. Results indicate an inverted U-shape relationship for all selected negative externalities: road energy consumption, road accidents, and urban traffic-related air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, suspended particulate and carbon dioxide) except a downward curve with L-shaped for nitrogen dioxide. Analysis of mobility behaviour shows that use of private vehicles increases with the amelioration of the purchasing power, life style and mobility behaviour in Tunisia's mega cities. Given the scarcity of financial resources of the country to develop rail infrastructure, it would be more convenient to apply economic and fiscal instruments to discourage the use of private cars and encourage group travel.
Material Developments and Domain Wall-Based Nanosecond-Scale Switching Process in Perpendicularly Magnetized STT-MRAM Cells

We investigate the Gilbert damping and the magnetization switching of perpendicularly magnetized FeCoB-based free layers (FLs) embedded in magnetic tunnel junctions adequate for spin-torque-operated magnetic memories. We first study the influence of the boron content in MgO/FeCoB/Ta systems alloys on their Gilbert damping parameter after crystallization annealing. Increasing the boron content from 20% to 30% increases the crystallization temperature, thereby postponing the onset of elemental diffusion within the FL. This reduction of the interdiffusion of the Ta atoms helps maintaining the Gilbert damping at a low level of 0.009 without any penalty on the anisotropy and the magnetotransport properties up to the 400 °C annealing required in CMOS back-end-of-line processing. In addition, we show that dual MgO FLs of composition MgO/FeCoB/Ta/FeCoB/MgO have a substantially lower damping than their MgO/FeCoB/Ta counterparts, reaching damping parameters as low as 0.0039 for a 3 Å thick tantalum spacer. This confirms that the dominant channel of damping is the presence of Ta impurities within the FeCoB alloy. On optimized tunnel junctions, we then study the duration of the switching events induced by spin-transfer torque. We focus on the sub-threshold thermally activated switching in optimal applied field conditions. From the electrical signatures of the switching, we infer that once the nucleation has occurred, the reversal proceeds by a domain wall (DW) sweeping though the device at a few 10 m/s. The smaller the device, the faster its switching. We present an analytical model to account for our findings. The DW velocity is predicted to scale linearly with the current for devices much larger than the wall width. The wall velocity depends on the Bloch DW width, such that the devices with the lowest exchange stiffness will be the ones that host the DWs with the slowest mobilities.
XQuery Join Graph Isolation

A purely relational account of the true XQuery semantics can turn any relational database system into an XQuery processor. Compiling nested expressions of the fully compositional XQuery language, however, yields odd algebraic plan shapes featuring scattered distributions of join operators that currently overwhelm commercial SQL query optimizers. This work rewrites such plans before submission to the relational database back-end. Once cast into the shape of join graphs, we have found off-the-shelf relational query optimizers--the B-tree indexing subsystem and join tree planner, in particular--to cope and even be autonomously capable of "reinventing" advanced processing strategies that have originally been devised specifically for the XQuery domain, e.g., XPath step reordering, axis reversal, and path stitching. Performance assessments provide evidence that relational query engines are among the most versatile and efficient XQuery processors readily available today.
Masticatory Performance and Efficiency

IMPLE, reliable methods for measuring masticatory function would be useful aids in evaluating the success of dental restorative procedures. One goal of dental restoration is to improve the masticatory function of patients who have lost teeth. It is surprising how little is known by the dentist concerning his achievement of this goal. Current practices are based on the satisfaction of the patient or the fulfillment of certain theoretical and arbitrary standards that have become accepted because of the clinical experience of their proponents. Tooth structure is replaced wherever it has been destroyed; occlusal surfaces are carved to provide considerable contact with opposing teeth and to approximiate ideal tooth form. The completed restorations are never checked objectively for their masticatory function and there are not even data to prove that the ideal tooth form will provide best function under all conditions. For example, flatter cusps might be advantageous in masticating processed foods, and the ocelusal shape might be modified to compensate for missing teeth. Perhaps contact area should be diminished on teeth which cannot tolerate forces readily, and the normal occlusal pattern might be discarded entirely for denture teeth among cases where forces are severely limited. Several investigations of this topic have appeared in the foreign literature but only a few in English, and there is no agreement concerning the test to be used. The procedures are complicated and vary in the foods and technics that are recommended. Investigators have been unable to agree as to which of several criteria should be used and have been puzzled by the wide variation in performance among persons having the same numbers and types of missing teeth. Most authors agree concerning the principles to be employed in designing a function test for mastication. The test should be selected from foods that are normally consumed. These foods should offer the proper degree of difficulty, permitting a normal dentition to receive a high rating and a deficient dentition, a poor rating. Any selective action that is performed by the normal and is missing from the deficient mouth should be taken into account. A certain degree of precision should be obtained, and the method should be simple, rapid, and inexpensive. Masticatory function tests have been described by Lehman,1 Gaudenz,2 Christiansen,3 Schutz,4 Paulsen,5 Claussen,6 Balters,7 Ascher,8 Gelman,9 Juul,10 Ono,'1 Sognnaes,12 and Dahlberg.13 A variety of test foods were proposed, including Spanish hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, sweet almonds, boiled egg white, potato, apple, carrot, bread, zwiebach, turnip, coconut, meat, cracked corn, and
Adaptive posture control of a four-legged walking machine using some principles of mammalian locomotion

This paper presents an adaptive control scheme for the four legged walking machine BISAM. The task of the adaptive control is to learn sensor based reflexes for posture control. For this purpose, an incremental learning scheme is developed based on reinforcement learning. For the planned trajectory of the CoM the data taken from a goat are chosen as a basis, to investigate the transfer potential of biological locomotion to machine motion at this control level.
The nucleotide sequence of the human int‐1 mammary oncogene; evolutionary conservation of coding and non‐coding sequences.

The mouse mammary tumor virus can induce mammary tumors in mice by proviral activation of an evolutionarily conserved cellular oncogene called int‐1. Here we present the nucleotide sequence of the human homologue of int‐1, and compare it with the mouse gene. Like the mouse gene, the human homologue contains a reading frame of 370 amino acids, with only four substitutions. The amino acid changes are all in the hydrophobic leader domain of the int‐1 encoded protein, and do not significantly alter its hydropathic index. The conservation between the mouse and the human int‐1 genes is not restricted to exons; extensive parts of the introns are also homologous. Thus, int‐1 ranks among the most conserved genes known, a property shared with other oncogenes.
High-Throughput H.264/AVC High-Profile CABAC Decoder for HDTV Applications

In this letter we propose a high-throughput VLSI architecture design for H.264 high-profile context-based adaptive binary arithmatic coding (HP CABAC) decoding for HDTV applications. To speed up the inherent sequential CABAC decoding, we eliminate the bottleneck by proposing a look-ahead decision parsing technique on the grouped context table with cache registers, which reduces 62% of cycle count on average as compared with the original CABAC decoding. In addition, the proposed design supports the macroblock adaptive frame field coding tools in H.264 main profile coding and 8 times 8 transform in H.264 high-profile coding. It achieves the real-time processing for H.264 CABAC decoding up to L4.1@30 frames/s with maximum 60 Mbits/s when operating at 105 MHz.
The role of provider continuity in preventing hospitalizations.

OBJECTIVES To examine the association between provider continuity and future hospitalization in a Medicaid population, and to determine if this association is greater for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. DESIGN Analysis of paid claims to the Delaware Medicaid program during a 2-year period (July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1995). Continuity with a single provider during year 1 of the study was computed for each participant. PARTICIPANTS A total of 13,495 continuously enrolled fee-for-service Medicaid patients aged 0 to 64 years who had made at least 3 ambulatory physician visits during the first year of the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Likelihood of hospitalization in year 2 of the study for all conditions and for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. RESULTS The mean continuity score was 0.50 in year 1 and 11.9% of patients were hospitalized in year 2. After controlling for demographics, number of ambulatory visits, and case mix, higher provider continuity was associated with a lower likelihood of hospitalization for any condition (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.69). For chronic ambulatory care-sensitive conditions there was a similar association between provider continuity and hospitalization (OR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88), but for acute ambulatory care-sensitive conditions there was no significant association (OR = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.48-1.34). CONCLUSIONS Continuity of care with a provider is associated with a decreased future likelihood of hospitalization in the Delaware Medicaid population. This suggests that policies that encourage patients to concentrate their care with a single provider may lead to lower hospitalization rates and possibly lower health care costs. This study does not support the hypothesis that a certain set of conditions are particularly ambulatory care sensitive.
E-plane 3-dB power divider/combiner in substrate integrated waveguide technology

Power dividers and combiners are fundamental blocks to realize different types of microwave and mm-wave circuits, including distributed amplifying. E-plane 3-dB structures offer wideband operation, low loss and compactness, at the cost of a limited isolation. This can be significantly improved using a layout based on a resistive septum, which is an implementation particularly suited for substrate integrated waveguide technology (SIW), which can offer extra advantages over standard waveguides such as low-cost printed-circuit manufacturing techniques and high integration. This paper presents the parametric analysis of an SIW X-band E-plane 3-dB power divider/combiner. The optimization of the resistive septum is discussed in detail, showing the impact of the different design parameters, such as length, width, and surface resistance.
Buffer-Based Adaptive Bitrate Algorithm for Streaming over HTTP

Video streaming services make up a large proportion of Internet traffic on both fixed and mobile access throughout the world. Adaptive streaming allows for dynamical adaptation of the bitrate with varying network conditions, to guarantee the best user experience. Adaptive bitrate algorithms face a significant challenge in correctly estimating the throughput as it varies widely over time. In this paper, we first evaluate the throughput estimation techniques and show that the method that we have used offers stable response to throughput fluctuations while maintaining a stable playback buffer. Then, we propose an adaptive bitrate scheme that intelligently selects the video bitrates based on the estimated throughput and buffer occupancy. We show that the proposed scheme improves viewing experience by achieving a high video rate without taking unnecessary risks and by minimizing the frequency of changes in the video quality. Furthermore, we show that it offers a stable response to short-term fluctuations and responds swiftly to large fluctuations. We evaluate our algorithm for both constant bitrate (CBR) and variable bitrate (VBR) video content by taking into account the segment sizes and show that it significantly improves the quality of video streaming.
Characterization of Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain 2C as a potential probiotic

Photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) are prokaryotes that first appeared on the earth 2 billion years ago. Being rich in nutrients and having unique biological transformational function, PSB have been used as medicinal ingredients and healthcare products. However, there is insufficient information about the probiotic properties of PSB. The aim of this study was to characterize the potential probiotic properties of Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain 2C. The tolerance of strain 2C to low pH, high bile salt and simulated gastrointestinal conditions was determined. The susceptibility of strain 2C to 11 antibiotics was screened. The in vitro antioxidative activity and acute toxicity of strain 2C were performed. The survival duration of strain 2C after it had been repeatedly ingested by Wistar rats was determined. Strain 2C was tolerant to low pH, high bile salt concentration, and simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Strain 2C was only resistant to two of the 11 tested antibiotics (penicillin and ampicillin), and it showed antioxidative activity in vitro. When ingested by rats, strain 2C did not cause any bacteria translocation or tissue damage. The survival duration of strain 2C depending on doses ingested by the rats, 3 days after the termination of intake, it could no longer be enriched from the feces. Taken together, these findings indicate that strain 2C may be a potential probiotic strain.