Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Processing and characteristics of canola protein-based biodegradable packaging: A review

ABSTRACT Interest increased recently in manufacturing food packaging, such as films and coatings, from protein-based biopolymers. Among various protein sources, canola protein is a novel source for manufacturing polymer films. It can be concentrated or isolated by aqueous extraction technology followed by protein precipitation. Using this procedure, it was claimed that more than 99% of protein was extracted from the defatted canola meal, and protein recovery was 87.5%. Canola protein exhibits thermoplastic properties when plasticizers are present, including water, glycerol, polyethylene glycol, and sorbitol. Addition of these plasticizers allows the canola protein to undergo glass transition and facilitates deformation and processability. Normally, canola protein-based bioplastics showed low mechanical properties, which had tensile strength (TS) of 1.19 to 4.31 MPa. So, various factors were explored to improve it, including blending with synthetic polymers, modifying protein functionality through controlled denaturation, and adding cross-linking agents. Canola protein-based bioplastics were reported to have glass transition temperature, Tg, below −50°C but it highly depends on the plasticizer content. Canola protein-based bioplastics have demonstrated comparable mechanical and moisture barrier properties compared with other plant protein-based bioplastics. They have great potential in food packaging applications, including their use as wraps, sacks, sachets, or pouches.
Cholesterol metabolism in human gallbladder mucosa: Relationship to cholesterol gallstone disease and effects of chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid treatment

The objective of this study was to investigate cholesterol metabolism in human gallbladder mucosa, especially in relation to hepatic cholesterol metabolism, gallstone disease and treatment with bile acids. Gallbladder mucosa and liver tissue samples were collected in 44 patients undergoing cholecystectomy; 30 had cholesterol gallstones and the rest were stone free. Ten of the gallstone patients were treated with chenodeoxycholic acid and eight received ursodeoxycholic acid, with a daily dose of 15 mg/kg body wt, for 3 wk before surgery.
The Effect of Nitrogen Diffusion From Surrounding Air on Plasma Bullet Behavior

Photographs obtained from a fast intensified charge-coupled device camera show that the plasma bullet structure depends on the working gas. The plasma bullet appears as donut shape when He is used as working gas. However, the plasma bullet shows a solid disk shape while He is replaced by He/N2 mixture. Moreover, when the plasma plume is injected into different surrounding gas environment, analysis on the high-speed photographs of the plasma plume with different working gases shows that the diffusion of nitrogen into the working gas flow plays an important role in the acceleration of the plasma bullet.
Relationship between insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion rate: not necessarily hyperbolic

There is general acceptance that the physiological relationship between insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion is hyperbolic. This conclusion has evolved from studies in which one test assessed both variables, and changes in plasma insulin concentration were used as a surrogate measure for insulin secretion rate. The aim of this study was to see if a hyperbolic relationship would also emerge when separate and direct measures were used to quantify both insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion rate.
Liquid crystal rotatable waveplates

We propose and demonstrate rotatable waveplates using liquid crystal for the first time which can be used for polarization control. To realize a waveplate with an arbitrary direction of birefringence, we use a vertically-aligned nematic liquid crystal cell with a lateral electric field. The orientation of the waveplate can be rotated endlessly. It was confirmed that the direction of the waveplate could be rotated endlessly at a rate of 7200/spl deg//s, which is sufficient to construct polarization controlling devices for most SMF transmission systems.
Fecal steroid research in the field and laboratory: improved methods for storage, transport, processing, and analysis

Since the pioneering paper “Measurement of Excreted Steroids in Macaca nemestrina” [Risler et al., American Journal of Primatology 12:91–100, 1987] was first published, field primatologists have been using fecal extraction techniques to examine adrenal and gonadal hormones. These techniques have allowed investigators to determine reproductive conditions in wild primates without causing any disruption to the populations. Over the years, many techniques have been developed to improve the ease of analysis, transportation, and purification. More of the processing can now be done in the field. This paper describes the methodology developed or adapted at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, and the factors involved in preparing fecal samples for steroid analysis. We provide information on the steps involved in extracting and purifying steroids from feces for measurement. The latest methods include field processing of samples, such as drying collected material or separating steroids from the fecal material by solid phase extraction (SPE). How samples are processed in the field determines the requirements for international transportation and the methods used in the laboratory. The pros and cons of the different processing methods are discussed. We also report on recent advances in laboratory quantification, with implications for steroid isolation prior to analysis. The different processes involved in isolating and measuring fecal steroids discussed here will enable investigators to understand the components necessary to ensure accurate and reliable results. Am. J. Primatol. 67:159–174, 2005. © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robust control problems of vortex dynamics in superconducting films with Ginzburg-Landau complex systems

We formulate and study robust control problems for a two-dimensional time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model with Robin boundary conditions on phase-field parameter, which describes the phase transitions taking place in superconductor films with variable thickness. The objective of such study is to control the motion of vortices in the superconductor films by taking into account the influence of noises in data. Firstly, we introduce the perturbation problem of the nonlinear governing coupled system of equations (the deviation from the desired target). The existence and the uniqueness of the solution of the perturbation are proved as well as stability under mild assumptions. Afterwards, the robust control problems are formulated in the case when the control is in the external magnetic field and in the case when the control is in the initial condition of the vector potential. We show the existence of an optimal solution, and we also find necessary conditions for a saddle point optimality.
Euro-Zone Inflation Rates: Stationary or Regime-Wise Stationary Processes

This study investigates the stationary behavior of the inflation rates for the Euro-zone members and some neighboring countries, for the 1957:2 to 2007:3 period. The analysis uses univariate unit root tests with enhanced small-sample performances that allow up to two breaks in the intercept, namely those of Elliott et al. (1996) and Lopez (2008). The results strongly reject the unit root null hypothesis for all the countries. Furthermore, they demonstrate that some of the Euro-zone inflation rates are stationary and others are regime-wise stationary. While such results may reconcile some of the literature findings and provide empirical evidence that the Maastricht criterion is respected, they also highlight the importance of accounting for breaks when studying these series. Finally, none of the identified breaks take place in the post Euro era.
Reflectance-based TiO2 photonic crystal sensors

Reflectance-based photonic crystal (PC) sensors with ALD TiO2 pillars for sensing materials with different refractive index (RI) are presented here. The relatively high RI, transparency in visible and IR region and chemical stability make TiO2 a promising material for PC sensors for applications in food or biomedical industry. An IC-compatible fabrication technique called Atomic layer deposition ARrays Defined by Etch-back technique (AARDE) is employed to form the high aspect ratios TiO2 nanopillar (240 nm radius and 800 nm pitch) arrays. The optical signals are characterized by means of reflectance other than transmittance, resulting in easier coupling and simpler process steps. High sensitivity of 739.7nm per RI unit is obtained in the 1.4 – 1.6 µm wavelength region.
Pruning large lexicons using generalized word shape descriptors

We present a technique for pruning of large lexicons for recognition of cursive script words. The technique involves extraction and representation of downward pen-strokes from the cursive word (off-line or online) to obtain a generalized descriptor which provides a coarse characterization of word shape. The descriptor is matched with ideal descriptors of lexicon entries organized as a trie. When used with a static lexicon of 21,000 words, the accuracy of reduction to 1000 words exceeds 95%.
Comparative anatomy of the bands of Schreger.

In the previous paper (2) the author presented the study on the tooth structure of various kinds of Proboscidea with the conclusion that it is possible to identify both recent and fossile forms of the suborders of the Proboscidea by means of the microscopic structure of their teeth. Since the most notable of all the microscopic structures of the enamel in the Proboscidea was found to be the bands of Sch r e g e r, the study on this was extended into almost all orders of the mammals. The results on this study indicate that the structure of the bands of Schreger is characteristic to each species with respect to the zonial component as well as the course of enamel rods, breadth, and combination of zoniae and so forth. It seems, therefore, not too presumptuous to state that the bands of Schreger constitute a species specific structure of the enamel on which may be based the classification of the mammals and the identification of their fossile forms. None of a large number of reports published so far on the microscopic structure of the enamel deals with the comparative anatomy of the bands of Schreger. In all popular text-books of dental histology such as those of Mummery, Tomes, Meyer, Orban etc. , the bands of Schreger are described in more or less details, but none of them presents their differences in different species.
Concept map assessment for teaching computer programming

A key challenge of effective teaching is assessing and monitoring the extent to which students have assimilated the material they were taught. Concept mapping is a methodology designed to model what students have learned. In effect, it seeks to produce graphical representations (called concept maps) of the concepts that are important to a given domain and how they are related, according to the students. In recent decades various methods have emerged to evaluate concept maps, each measuring different features of concept maps. New approaches are still being developed. Few guidelines are available regarding the method to choose for a given application. This paper is a literature review that consists of two parts. The first is a review of the many automated and manual techniques of concept map analysis. The second is a critical and reflective commentary on these techniques.
The Clinical Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Intraperitoneal Ropivacaine for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Postoperative pain after laparoscopic surgery is less than after laparotomy, and patients may benefit from an intraperitoneal injection of local anesthetic. Thirty-seven ASA physical status I or II patients received in double-blinded fashion 20 mL of 0.9% saline solution (placebo), ropivacaine 0.25% (Rop 0.25%), or ropivacaine 0.75% (Rop 0.75%) immediately after trocar placement and at the end of surgery. We measured pain and morphine consumption until 20 h after surgery. Plasma ropivacaine concentrations were measured. The three groups were comparable for shoulder pain, parietal pain, and incidence of side effects. Visceral pain at rest, during cough, and on movement and total consumption of morphine were significantly smaller in Groups Rop 0.25% and Rop 0.75% when compared with Placebo. Although no adverse effect occurred in any patient, the largest dose led to large plasma concentrations of ropivacaine (2.93 ± 2.46 &mgr;g/mL and 3.76 ± 3.01 &mgr;g/mL after the first and second injection, respectively). We conclude that intraperitoneal administration of ropivacaine before and after surgery significantly decreases postoperative pain. Because the smaller dosage (2 × 50 mg) provided similar analgesia and was associated with significantly smaller plasma concentrations than the larger dosage (2 × 150 mg), this smaller dosage seems more appropriate.
Can long-term impairment in general practitioner whiplash patients be predicted using screening and patient-reported outcomes?

The objective of this prospective pilot study was to investigate the predictors of outcome at 6 months for whiplash-associated disorder in a general practitioner primary care population. Psychosocial screening questionnaires, patient-reported outcomes of cervical functional impairment, demographic and accident-specific data have been indicated as predictive of future recovery status and treatment requirements. Participants (n=30, age=37±14 years, 77% females) from eight general practitioners were initially screened with a modified Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire, and had recovery status monitored and classified for 6 months using both patient-reported outcomes, quantitatively (Neck Disability Index) and qualitatively (patient status self-classification). Analysis at two separate cutoff levels showed 30% of participants nonrecovered and 17% with moderate/severe impairment. Nonrecovery status and increased treatment was predicted by a 109-point screening score cutoff while moderate/severe impairment was predicted by including the presence of cervical rotation at impact. Initial cervical functional impairment status measured with the Neck Disability Index was sensitive but not specific for prediction. A larger population study investigating these protocols is warranted.
Whose Line Is It ? – Quote Attribution through Recurrent Neural Networks

This paper presents a recurrent neural network framework for the problem of attributing spoken lines to characters in a screenplay or novel. We study these quotes as a sequence in the absence of additional context, e.g. descriptions of scenes or actions, from the text surrounding them. Instead, attributions may only be made on the basis of learned expectations for how each character speaks, as well as an understanding of how they converse with each other. We use gated-feedback recurrent neural networks, trained in a supervised fashion, for modeling both of these aspects. We evaluate the prediction model on episodes of the television show Futurama and demonstrate improvement over simpler neural network constructions.
Stability of digital filters implemented with two's complement truncation quantization

The stability of digital filters implemented with two's complement truncation quantization is investigated. Both the direct-form and normal-form realizations are considered and regions in the parameter plane are obtained where the filters are globally asymptotically stable. Regions within the stability triangle of a direct-form digital filter are also studied where limit cycles of period one and two are possible. The results are illustrated with several examples. >
Experimental and Numerical Research on the Flow in Microchannel with Barriers

Rapid technological progress has required reliable measurement techniques for velocity field in microspace, particularly in the biochip or electrochemical engineering. Research on the flow in microchannel is the foundation of the microfluidic-based biochip. In this paper, a micro-resolution particle image velocimetry (mu-PIV) system, with order of 1 mum spatial resolution for the measurement of velocity field, was used to measure the pressure-driven flow in the microchannel with barriers. The corresponding numerical simulation was performed as a comparison, and both experimental and numerical results are in good agreement. The results show that the barriers are benefit to the chaotic mixing because of the linked twist maps (LTMs) in these regions. It is important to design an efficient micromixer and to analyze the data collecting from micro-devices
Fingerprinting Malware using Bioinformatics Tools Building a Classifier for the Zeus Virus ( Computer Security track , Virus Detection )

This paper describes an exploratory research project which creates a classifier to distinguish artifacts containing content specific to a known computer virus, given a training set of samples of variants of that virus and using local alignments between the artifacts as its information source. A bioinformatics tool, BLAST, finds the local alignments between a digital artifact and a repository of representatives of the virus. The classification is driven by a comparison of the local alignments to determined alignment fingerprints of the virus representatives. Project methods include the creation of “synthetic DNA” representations of digital artifacts, representative selection for a set of computer viruses, alignment fingerprint creation for those representatives, and using the representatives, fingerprints and alignments in a classification scheme. The project examined Zeus Trojan viruses and had a 91% correct identification rate of verified Zeus viruses and a 3% false positive rate.
Error of the Network Approximation for Densely Packed Composites with Irregular Geometry

We introduce a discrete network approximation to the problem of the effective conductivity of the high contrast, highly packed composites in which inclusions are irregularly (randomly) distributed in a hosting medium so that a significant fraction of them may not participate in the conducting spanning cluster. For this class of spacial arrays of inclusions we derive a discrete network approximation and obtain its a priori error estimate. We obtained an explicit dependence of the network approximation and its error on the irregular geometry of the inclusions' array. We use variational techniques to provide rigorous mathematical justification for the approximation and its error estimate.
Older adults' satisfaction with a medication dispensing device in home care

Introduction Older adults with multiple chronic conditions face the complex task of medication management involving multiple medications of varying doses at different times. Advances in telehealth technologies have resulted in home-based devices for medication management and health monitoring of older adults. We examined older adults' perceptions of a telehealth medication dispensing device as part of a clinical trial involving home healthcare clients, nurse coordination and use of the medication dispensing device. Methods Ninety-six frail older adult participants who used the medication dispensing device for 12 months completed a satisfaction survey related to perceived usefulness and reliability. Results were analyzed and grouped by themes in the following areas: Ease of Use, Reliability, Medication Management Assistance, Routine Task Performance and Acceptability. Results Nearly all participants perceived the medication dispensing device as very easy to use, very reliable and helpful in the management of their medications. Eighty-four percent of participants expressed a desire to use the machine in the future. Conclusion The technology-enhanced medication management device in this study is an acceptable tool for older adults to manage medication in collaboration with home care nurses. Improved usability and cost models for medication dispensers are areas for future research.
ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING BY WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER USING HIGH-POWER THREE LEVEL DC-DC CONVERTERS

In This Paper various methods of non contacting Plug-In Electric Vehicle charging types are discussed . They are either under development or now deployed as flexible aftermarket options in the Light-Duty automotive market. Wireless power transfer (WPT) has been accepted term for wireless charging and it uses synonymously for inductive power transfer and magnetic resonance coupling. Wireless technology is in its infancy stage; Standardization is lacking in especially on interoperability, centre frequency selection and magnetic fringe field suppression, and the methods employed for power flow regulation. We Proposes a new analysis concept for power flow in wireless power transfer in which the primary coil provides frequency selection and tuned in secondary, with its resemblance to an power transmission network having a reactive power voltage control, is studied as a transmission network. This project proposes a new analysis concept for power flow in WPT in which the primary provides frequency selection and tuned in the secondary, with its resemblance to a power transmission network having a reactive power voltage control, is defined as a transmission network. The active dc power balance management (APBM) is proposed to assist the central Neutral point clamped converter in balancing power so that the additional balancing circuit is eliminated; while the passive dc power balance management (PPBM), is proposed to eliminate the fluctuating neutral-point currents and to ensure the balanced operation of fast chargers.
Repeated treatment with chimeric anti‐CD4 antibody in multiple sclerosis

We treated 21 multiple sclerosis patients with two to four doses of cM‐T412, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against the CD4 antigen found on helper/inducer T lymphocytes. The mean number (± standard error) of circulating CD4 lymphocytes decreased from 888 (± 81) cells/mm3 at baseline to 246 (± 18) after treatment. At 1 year after the last treatment, the CD4 count had recovered to only 335 (± 32). The antibody had no effect on CD8 lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, or other leukocytes. Side effects were minimal. Despite the prolonged depletion of CD4 lymphocytes, no opportunistic infections occurred. Only 1 patient had a possible allergic reaction. Most patients were clinically stable, but a few progressed. We conclude that repeated treatment with cM‐T412 is effective in reducing the number of circulating CD4 lymphocytes and has no limiting side effects.
Electromagnetic Scattering From a Buried Cylinder Using a Multiple Reflection Approach: TM Case

A simple, fast, and accurate analytical method is introduced to obtain the EM scattered fields due to an infinite circular cylinder buried in a homogeneous dielectric half-space, illuminated by a normally incident transverse magnetic (TM) plane wave. The method is applied to perfect electric conducting (PEC) and dielectric cylinders of complex permittivity with the host dielectric medium being lossy or lossless. The accuracy of this method is verified using a finite-difference time-domain code (FDTD) on a wide frequency range and the results are presented discussing the range of validity of this approach.