Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo photoacoustic imaging of blood vessels using a homodyne interferometer with zero-crossing triggering

Abstract. We demonstrate a quasinoncontact photoacoustic imaging method using a homodyne interferometer with a long coherence length laser. The generated photoacoustic signal is detected by a system that is locked at its maximum sensitivity through the use of balanced detection and zero-crossing triggering. The balanced detector is substantially equalized, so its output is zero when the system reaches the maximum sensitivity. The synchronization approach is used to trigger the excitation and detection of the photoacoustic signal. The system is immune to ambient vibrations. A thin water layer on the sample surface is used to reduce the effect of the rough tissue surface. The performance of the system is demonstrated by in vivo imaging of the microvasculature in mouse ears.
Large orbital magnetic moment in Pt13 clusters

We present an extensive study of Pt13 clusters embedded in a Na-Y zeolite, by comparing calculations for isolated clusters to experimental data. We perform structural refinements for various geometries involving the isolated clusters and calculate the corresponding x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra, from the joint perspective of pseudopotential plane wave calculations and real space multiple scattering theory. Taking into account the spin–orbit coupling significantly improves the previous scalar relativistic predictions of magnetic properties. The ensemble of embedded Pt13 is found to be dominated by a non-magnetic cuboctahedral geometry. One of the implications is that the ground state of Pt13 clusters in the zeolite environment is different from that of isolated particles. We investigate several isomers that yield a magnetic signature. Furthermore, their abundance was estimated by direct comparison with experiment. We found that one third of the magnetic moment of Pt13 comes from the orbital contribution, in agreement with the experimental value. We therefore provide theoretical proof of the extraordinary orbital magnetization in Pt13 clusters.
Presentation Speech Creation Support Based on Visualization of Slide Relations

SUMMARY The objective of our research is to develop a support sys-tem for creating presentation speech, especially speech that explains relations between two slides ( complementary speech ). Complementary speech is required between slides whose relations are di ﬃ cult to understand from their contents, such as texts, ﬁgures, and tables. If presenters could notice relations between created slides that are recognized by audiences, they would prepare appropriate complementary speech at the right places. To make presenters notice slides where complementary speech is needed, our system analyzes relations between slides based on their texts and visualizes them. Four slide relations are deﬁned and the method for detecting these relations from the slide texts is proposed. Then, analyzed relations are arranged in two-dimensional spaces that represent sequential relation and inclusive relation of their topics. The experimental results showed that most detected slide relations were the same as what examinees understood, and visualization of slide relations was useful in creating complementary speech, especially for less-experienced presenter.
Molecular Diagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common and important intracellular bacterium implicated in upper and lower respiratory tract infections in humans. Also, C. pneumoniae has been associated with chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis and asthma. Since C. pneumoniae can cause severe clinical disease, correct diagnosis and therapy are important issues. However, conventional assays for the detection of C. pneumoniae have limitations, and there is a need for more accurate diagnostic methods. Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) techniques have the potential to offer clinical laboratories a convenient means of detecting C. pneumoniae rapidly and reliably, ensuring optimal clinical decisions and patient care, including choice of appropriate antibiotic therapy. This minireview discusses the molecular biology-based amplification methods that are currently available for the detection of C. pneumoniae as well as potential new techniques. Topics that are discussed include specimen collection, preparation of nucleic acid from samples, choice of gene target and primer set selection, optimal amplification conditions, and detection of the amplification product. Also reviewed are methods for recognition and prevention of false-positive and false-negative results, evaluations of new and old tests, and clinical applications.
A Non-stationary Box Model to Determine Residual Fluxes in a Partially Mixed Estuary, Based on Both Thermohaline Properties: Application to the Ria de Arousa (NW Spain)

Abstract An improved two-layered box model for calculating the residual fluxes in a Spanish ria is developed in the present paper. This kinematic bi-dimensional model has two characteristics that make it different to previous models. Firstly, for calculating the horizontal and vertical velocities and also vertical diffusion coefficients, the present model takes into account the distribution not only of salinity but also of temperature. Evaluation of both river discharge and heat exchange between water surface and atmosphere is required. Two sets of fluxes are computed; one for the distribution of salinity, and another for that of temperature. They are then weight-averaged according to the vertical gradient of both properties. Secondly, and due to the high density of sampling (twice a week), it is possible to introduce the non-stationary term in the convection–diffusion equation; thus, time variations of both conservative tracers are taken into account. Coherent solutions of equations are obtained in strong upwelling–downwelling and/or very low river volume situations where the estuary behaves virtually as a well-mixed estuary, and salt balance/non-stationary box models described previously were inapplicable. The strong coupling between estuarine circulation and upwelling is shown, and an equation is proposed in order to quantify this relationship. On the hypothesis of linear variation of thermohaline properties with time, fluxes at the intermediate time between two samplings were also calculated. Comparison of salinity between two stations at the mouth of the ria allows the computation of the correction due to Coriolis outward flux deflection, which was then applied to the whole ria.
Biasing and hierarchical statistics in large-scale structure

In this paper we consider the consequences for galaxy formation of an arbitrary, effectively local biasing transformation of a hierarchical underlying matter distribution. We show that a general form of such a transformation preserves the hierarchical properties and the shape of the dispersion in the limit of small fluctuations, i.e., on large scales, although the values of the hierarchical amplitudes may change arbitrarily. We present expressions for the induced hierarchical amplitudes S(g,j) of the galaxy distribution in terms of the matter amplitudes S(j) and biasing parameters for j = 3-7. For higher order correlations, j greater than 2, restricting to a linear bias is not a consistent approximation even at very large scales. To draw any conclusions from the galaxy distribution about matter correlations of order j, properties of biasing must be specified completely to order j - 1.
Differential responses of plasma membrane aquaporins in mediating water transport of cucumber seedlings under osmotic and salt stresses.

It has long been recognized that inhibition of plant water transport by either osmotic stress or salinity is mediated by aquaporins (AQPs), but the function and regulation of AQPs are highly variable among distinct isoforms and across different species. In this study, cucumber seedlings were subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG) or NaCl stress for duration of 2 h or 24 h. The 2 h treatment with PEG or NaCl had non-significant effect on the expression of plasma membrane AQP (CsPIPs) in roots, indicating the decrease in hydraulic conductivity of roots (Lpr ) and root cells (Lprc ) measured in these conditions were due to changes in AQP activity. After both 2 h and 24 h PEG or NaCl exposure, the decrease in hydraulic conductivity of leaves (Kleaf ) and leaf cells (Lplc ) could be attributed to a down-regulation of the two most highly expressed isoforms, CsPIP1;2 and CsPIP2;4. In roots, both Lpr and Lprc were further reduced after 24 h PEG exposure, but partially recovered after 24 h NaCl treatment, which were consistent with changes in the expression of CsPIP genes. Overall, the results demonstrated differential responses of CsPIPs in mediating water transport of cucumber seedlings, and the regulatory mechanisms differed according to applied stresses, stress durations and specific organs.
Analysis of low-GWP alternatives for small refrigeration (plugin) applications.

Novel refrigeration working fluids with attributes of superior thermal performance and low environmental impact are in development stages approaching commercialization. These fluids known as HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze exhibit very low global warming potential, good refrigeration performance, improved flammability characteristics compared to hydrocarbon materials, and are in conformance with the EU F-Gas Regulation (EC 842/2006). Use of these fluids in small refrigeration machines, which currently use R-134a, offers the potential to improve energy performance. This article presents and analyzes results of experimental evaluations for typical vending systems.
Wireless Transfer of Power to Low Power Implanted Biomedical Devices: Coil Design Considerations

Monolithic fabrication and advancements in MEMS and nanotechnology have made biomedical implants more popular for monitoring and other applications in humans and animals. One of the primary challenges faced in employing implants is providing a stable battery-less power supply. Inductive coupling is a commonly used means of transferring energy to implanted devices requiring power in milliwatt or microwatt range. Similar to passive RFID tags, an external transmit-coil may be used to induce a current in an implanted receive-coil by generating a magnetic field in the vicinity. However, it must be realized that the physical design of inductive coils and their orientation with respect to each other has a direct impact on the inductive link circuit, and power delivery. This paper focuses on developing three dimensional mathematical models of the magnetic field of spiral and solenoid coils to investigate the effect of lateral misalignment on the mutual inductance of the coils. Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations of the spiral and solenoid transmit coils are carried out to validate the developed models. Coil circuit parameters such as inductance, resistance and quality factor are also given.
Research, part of a Special Feature on Effects of Roads and Traffic on Wildlife Populations and Landscape Function Road Zone Effects in Small-Mammal Communities

Our study focused on the putative effects of roads on small-mammal communities in a high desert region of southern Utah. Specifically, we tested whether or not roads create adjacent zones characterized by lower small- mammal densities, abundance, and diversity. We sampled abundance of small mammals at increasing distances from Interstate 15 during two summers. We recorded 11 genera and 13 species. We detected no clear abundance, density, or diversity effects relative to distance from the road. Only two of 13 species were never captured near roads. The abundance of the remaining 11 small mammal species was either similar at different distances from the road or higher closer to the road. We conclude that although roads may act as barriers and possible sources of mortality, adjacent zones of vegetation often provide favorable microhabitat in the desert landscape for many small mammals.
Inverse density dependence of parity rates in the onchocerciasis vector Simulium damnosum s.l.

A correlation between parity rates and an index of adult numbers of Simulium damnosum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae) indicates an association, but does not prove causality or show the direction of any causal relationship. The question of whether adult numbers affect parity rates or vice versa is reminiscent of the age‐old query of which of the chicken and the egg came first. A method for resolving such issues based on analyses of pairs of time series was proposed by Granger in 1969. When Granger's method was applied to monthly numbers of adult female S. damnosum s.l. caught attempting to bite humans at Asubende, Ghana, and their parity rates, a significant relationship (P = 0.005) emerged, clearly showing that parity rates were dependent on adult numbers. Implications of this inverse density dependence and the results of analyses of other similar time series are presented and discussed.
Concept of the Coherent Autofocus Map-Drift Technique

The paper presents concept of the coherent autofocus map-drift technique. The main goal of this work is to obtain high accuracy and sensitivity for autofocus technique in strip-mode SAR. Presented technique is based at the well-known noncoherent map-drift algorithm and it also takes advantages of multi-look registration to estimate unknown platform velocity component. At the proposed coherent map-drift technique, opposite to the classical map-drift, the cross-correlation is not carrying out at the image intensity from multi-look processing, but at the complex multi-look image data.
Mathematics Approaches in Compressed Sensing

Mathematical approaches refer to make quantitative descriptions, deductions and calculations through the use of mathematics concepts, approaches and techniques, then draw some new conclusions and foresee by mathematical analysis and judgment. In recent years, Compressed Sensing theory (CS) provides solutions in alleviating the huge amount of information demand in the pressure of signal sampling, transmission and storage pressure. It is a novel signal sampling theory under the condition that the signal is compressible or sparse.In this case, the signal can be reconstructed accurately from the small amount of signal values if the signal is sparse or compressible. This paper introduces the CS theory framework and key technical issues, and focus on the analysis of the application of mathematical approaches in three aspects of the signal sparse representation, signal sparse transformation and reconstruction.In the end, Some mathematics problems of compressed sensing to solve are given and further development is pointed out. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i9. 3303
A space-vector modulation scheme for multi-level open-end winding five-phase drives

Open-end winding three-phase variable speed drives with dual-inverter supply have been extensively investigated for various applications, including series hybrid powertrains and propulsion motors. The topology is simple to realise while offering a higher number of switching states without the need for capacitor voltage balancing algorithms, when compared to the standard multi-level converters. This paper extends the open-end winding concept to a five-phase drive. A relatively simple space-vector modulation (SVM) algorithm, based on the already well understood five-phase two-level drive SVM method, is developed. The proposed modulation technique has the advantage of being straightforward to implement and, like its two-level counterpart, is able to generate output voltages with minimum low-order harmonic content. The method generates up to seventeen-level output phase voltage and therefore offers superior harmonic performance when compared to the two-level five-phase modulation. The developed scheme is verified via detailed simulations and experiments, using a five-phase induction machine operating under open-loop V/f control.
Dusty plasmas: experiments on nonlinear dust acoustic waves, shocks and structures

A review is presented of recent experiments performed on the University of Iowa dc discharge dusty plasma device on various aspects of dust acoustic waves. A brief introduction to the physics of dusty plasmas and the dust acoustic wave is first presented. Three experiments are then described: (i) observation and interpretation of large amplitude (nonlinear) dust acoustic waves; (ii) evolution of large amplitude dust acoustic waves into shocks, and comparison to numerical shock solutions of the generalized hydrodynamic equations and (iii) the spontaneous formation of stationary, stable dust structures in a moderately coupled dusty plasma (dust structurization).
Characterization of Plasmid-Borne and Chromosome-Encoded Traits of Agrobacterium Biovar 1, 2, and 3 Strains from France

ABSTRACT We collected 111 Agrobacterium isolates from galls of various origins (most of them from France) and analyzed both their plasmid-borne and chromosome-encoded traits. Phenotypic analysis of these strains allowed their classification in three phena which exactly matched the delineation of biovars 1, 2, and 3. A fourth phenon was identified which comprises three atypical strains. The phenotypic analysis has also allowed us to identify 12 additional characteristics which could be used to identify the three biovars ofAgrobacterium. Our results also suggest that biovar 1 and 2 represent distinct species. Analysis of plasmid-borne traits confirmed that tartrate utilization is a common feature of biovar 3 strains (now named Agrobacterium vitis) and ofAgrobacterium grapevine strains in general. Among pathogenic strains of Agrobacterium, several exhibited unusual opine synthesis and degradation patterns, and one strain of biovar 3 induced tumors containing vitopine and a novel opine-like molecule derived from putrescine. We have named this compound ridéopine.
National waste prevention programs: indicators on progress and barriers

Defining the prevention of waste as top priority of the waste hierarchy—as confirmed by the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD)—is much more than a simple amendment of ways to deal with waste, but means nothing less than a fundamental change of the socio-technical system of waste infrastructures and requires a transition from end-of-pipe technologies towards an integrated management of resources. The WFD therefore obligates member states to develop national waste prevention programs as a new policy instrument with the development of waste prevention indicators as one of the core elements. The article discusses the limitations of waste-based key figures and shows the need for more process-oriented indicators. As part of the development of national waste prevention programs such indicators reveal the relevance of different barriers that have to be overcome in order to make prevention an effective top priority in the waste hierarchy. With regard to path dependencies caused by sunk costs in end-of-pipe waste infrastructures the absolute amount of integrated environmental investments, as well as their share of the total waste-related investments, can be seen as indicators for the level of innovation activities aimed at waste prevention. Sector-specific indicators for the production phase could be used as benchmarks and to highlight differences in the need for policy interventions.
Phylogeny of the Saxifraga-associated species of Dichotrachelus (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae), with remarks on their radiation in the Alps

A phylogenetic analysis of the Saxifraga-associated species of Dichotrachelus was carried out based on morphological and, for some species, molecular data. The various methods implemented gave congruent results and yielded a significantly supported phylogenetic inference of the relationships among the species. Saxifraga-associated species form a monophyletic unit, and some species-groups were evidenced, distributed in the eastern, central and western Alps, respectively. Based on the phylogenetic inference, and taking into account palaeogeological and palaeogeographical information, a biogeographic scenario of the events that may have led to the present-day distribution is proposed.
A Personalized Word of Mouth Recommender Model

Word of mouth (WOM) has a powerful effect on consumer behavior. Manually collecting WOM is very time-consuming in the era of the Internet. An automatic WOM recommender model is useful for both marketers and consumers. There are many different product features and thus many consumer choices. Each individual consumer has different preferences and these preferences may be changed deliberately or unwittingly. However, most existing WOM recommender models do not adapt to user preferences. This study proposes a conceptual WOM recommender model, which contains WOM collecting, document processing, recommending and user preference processing phases. More specifically, the self-organizing map (SOM) is used to store and abstract user preferences. This proposed WOM model makes recommendations to consumers or users according to their adaptive preferences.
Segmentation of lung lesion volume by adaptive positron emission tomography image thresholding

It is common protocol in radionuclide therapies to administer a tracer dose of a radiopharmaceutical, determine its lesion uptake and biodistribution by gamma imaging, and then use this information to determine the most effective therapeutic dose. This treatment planning approach can be used to quantitate accurately the activity and volume of lesions and organs with positron emission tomography (PET). In this article, the authors focus on the specification of appropriate volumes of interest (VoI) using PET in association with computed tomography (CT).
Effect of Drainpipe Spacing on the Yield of Field Crops Grown on Hydroameliorated Soil

The research objective was to investigate the effect of different drainpipe spacing variants on the yield of field crops grown on hydroameliorated soil and to determine, applying the analysis of variance, the significance of the difference in yields between the tested variants. Investigations were carried out on hydroameliorated Gleyic Podzoluvisol on the experimental amelioration field Jelenscak-Kutina -central Sava valley- in the 1990-1993 and 1995-1999 periods. Four different variants of drainpipe spacing were tested in the trial -15 m, 20 m, 25 m and 30 m- in four replications. The same crop was grown and the same agricultural practices applied at the same time in all trial variants and in all trial years. During the research period, maize was present in the crop rotation in five years, winter wheat in three and oats in one year. Yields of the same crops differed per years and per different drainpipe spacings due to different factors, such as the genetic characteristics of the cultivars, or hybrids, different quantities and distribution of precipitation during the trial years, soil moisture before drilling, number of plants per unit area, total fertilizer applied and top-dressing pattern in the growing season, as well as the time of harvest. The highest maize yield was achieved in 1991 and ranged from 88.00 dt/ha -15 m spacing- to 71.74 t/ha -30 m-. The lowest maize yield was recorded in 1996 - from 58.20 dt/ha -15 m- to 43.48 dt/ha -30 m-. The highest wheat yield was achieved in 1991 - from 57.96 dt/ha -15 m- to 52.35 dt/ha -30 m-, and the lowest in 1998 - from 38.88 dt/ha -20 m- to 30.88 dt/ha -30 m-. Oats yield ranged from 42.19 dt/ha -15 m- to 37.59 t/ha -30 m-. Analysis of variance, done separately for each trial year, rendered highly significant differences -p<0.01- between yields of particular crops in dependence on the drainpipe spacing in six trial years -1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997 and 1998-. Significant differences -p<0.05- between yields were recorded in 1999, while the 1993 and 1995 differences between yields, depending on the drainpipe spacing, were not significant. In the agroecological conditions of the central Sava valley, satisfactory yields can be obtained with the drainpipe spacing of 15 m. Drainpipe spacing of 20 m, supplemented by repeated vertical deep loosening of soil, may give satisfactory results in years when the drainage system is adequately maintained.