Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study on 3-D Measurement Method in Shake Table Tests Using Image Processing Technique: 2nd Report - Measurement Accuracy in Actual Fracturing Test Using Full Scale Wooden House Model

This study has been examined about a three-dimensional measurement method that can measure a position and an attitude of test object without any contact. Fundamental hardware and software in measurement system has been constructed until now. Moreover, the fundamental dynamic measurement accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed measurement system has been confirmed from the several shake table tests. This paper describes the effectiveness of the proposed system for the measurement in fracturing test using real scale wooden house model.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Harmonizing DSM-IV and DSM-5 Versions of ADHD “A Criteria”: An Item Response Theory Analysis

The transition from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR) to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) checklists included item wording changes that require psychometric validation. A large sample of 854 adolescents across four randomized trials of psychosocial ADHD treatments was used to evaluate the comparability of the DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 versions of the ADHD symptom checklist. Item response theory (IRT) was used to evaluate item characteristics and determine differences across versions and studies. Item characteristics varied across items. No consistent differences in item characteristics were found across versions. Some differences emerged between studies. IRT models were used to create continuous, harmonized scores that take item, study, and version differences into account and are therefore comparable. DSM-IV-TR ADHD checklists will generalize to the DSM-5 era. Researchers should consider using modern measurement methods (such as IRT) to better understand items and create continuous variables that better reflect the variability in their samples.
The functional role of Pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 in cancer

Tumors are neogrowths formed by the growth of normal cells or tissues through complex mechanisms under the influence of many factors. The occurrence and development of tumors are affected by many factors. Pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 (PES1) has been identified as a cancer-related gene. The study of these genes may open up new avenues for early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of tumors. As a nucleolar protein and part of the Pes1/Bop1/WDR12 (PeBoW) complex, PES1 is involved in ribosome biogenesis and DNA replication. Many studies have shown that high expression of PES1 is often closely related to the occurrence, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, prognosis and sensitivity to chemotherapeutics of various human malignant tumors through a series of molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways. The molecules that regulate the expression of PES1 include microRNA (miRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), c-Jun, bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) and nucleolar phosphoprotein B23. However, the detailed pathogenic mechanisms of PES1 overexpression in human malignancies remains unclear. This article summarizes the role of PES1 in the carcinogenesis, prognosis and treatment of multiple tumors, and introduces the molecular mechanisms and signal transduction pathways related to PES1.
An organism-wide atlas of hormonal signaling based on the mouse lemur single-cell transcriptome

Hormones mediate long-range cell communication in multicellular organisms and play vital roles in normal physiology, metabolism, and health. Using the newly-completed organism-wide single cell transcriptional atlas of a non-human primate, the mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), we have systematically identified hormone-producing and -target cells for 84 classes of hormones, and have created a browsable atlas for hormone signaling that reveals previously unreported sites of hormone regulation and species-specific rewiring. Hormone ligands and receptors exhibited cell-type-dependent, stereotypical expression patterns, and their transcriptional profiles faithfully classified the molecular cell type identities, despite their comprising less than 1% of the transcriptome. Cells of similar cell types further display stage, subtype or organ-dependent specification of hormonal signaling, reflecting the precise control of global hormonal regulation. By linking ligand-expressing cells to the cells expressing the corresponding receptor, we constructed an organism-wide map of the hormonal cell communication network. This network was remarkably densely and robustly connected and included a myriad of feedback circuits. Although it includes classical hierarchical circuits (e.g. pituitary → peripheral endocrine gland → diverse cell types), the hormonal network is overall highly distributed without obvious network hubs or axes. Cross-species comparisons among humans, lemurs, and mice suggest that the mouse lemur better models human hormonal signaling, than does the mouse. Hormonal genes show a higher evolutionary conservation between human and lemur vs. human and mouse at both the genomic level (orthology-mapping and sequence identity) and the transcriptional level (cell type expression patterns). This primate hormone atlas provides a powerful resource to facilitate discovery of regulation on an organism-wide scale and at single-cell resolution, complementing the single-site-focused strategy of classical endocrine studies. The network nature of hormone regulation and the principles discovered here further emphasize the importance of a systems approach to understanding hormone regulation.
Two Sides of the Coin: The Link Between Relational Exclusion and Socioeconomic Exclusion

Social capital, derived from the individual embeddedness in a net of personal relationships that gives access to a pool of potential resources, is crucial in understanding how some people experience a higher risk of falling into social exclusion. In this article, we related some compositional and structural factors of egocentered networks to various measures on economic deprivation and social exclusion. We considered different explanatory dimensions: ego’s sociodemographic characteristics and ego’s social capital. Social capital was measured both in terms of expressive and instrumental support, and took into account network size, strong ties density, and alters’ average job prestige, differentiating between inherited and achieved capital, a distinction that has deserved little attention so far. We used data from the Spanish General Social Survey 2013 (N = 5,094), a nationally representative database not applied for similar purposes up to the present. Results show how economic deprivation and social exclusion are associated with ascribed and achieved characteristics, both at the micro level (individual) and the meso level (network). At the micro level, women, immigrants, young people, less‐educated people, the unemployed, and those who do not trust others have higher estimated values on the variables with regards to social disadvantage. At the meso level, social exclusion is associated with lower occupational prestige of achieved relationships, fewer contacts for obtaining economic or medical help (but more contacts for childcare) and smaller non‐kin core discussion networks. In a familistic society with a limited welfare system, results help to disentangle the level of dependence people have on their own social resources.
A Luminescent Guest@MOF Nanoconfined Composite System for Solid-State Lighting

A series of rhodamine B (RhB) encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (RhB@ZIF-8) composite nanomaterials with different concentrations of guest loadings have been synthesized and characterized in order to investigate their applicability to solid-state white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). The nanoconfinement of the rhodamine B dye (guest) in the sodalite cages of ZIF-8 (host) is supported by fluorescence spectroscopic and photodynamic lifetime data. The quantum yield (QY) of the luminescent RhB@ZIF-8 material approaches unity when the guest loading is controlled at a low level: 1 RhB guest per ~7250 cages. We show that the hybrid (luminescent guest) LG@MOF material, obtained by mechanically mixing a suitably high-QY RhB@ZIF-8 red emitter with a green-emitting fluorescein@ZIF-8 “phosphor” with a comparably high QY, could yield a stable, intensity tunable, near-white light emission under specific test conditions described. Our results demonstrate a novel LG@MOF composite system exhibiting a good combination of photophysical properties and photostability, for potential applications in WLEDs, photoswitches, bioimaging and fluorescent sensors.
High average power super-continuum generation using 1 [micro sign]m noise burst and highly-nonlinear photonic crystal fibre

Super-continuum generation at 1 µm using amplified spontaneous emission noise burst instead of coherent ultra-short pulses is proposed and demonstrated. The noise burst is generated from pumping an ytterbium-doped fibre followed by external modulation. By launching the amplified noise burst into a highly-nonlinear photonic crystal fibre with dispersion zero at around 1 µm, depolarised super-continuum is generated over 500 nm with a 23 dBm average power.
Efficient Content Distribution with managed swarms

Content distribution has become increasingly important as people have become more reliant on Internet services to provide large multimedia content. Efficiently distributing content is a complex and difficult problem: large content libraries are often distributed across many physical hosts, and each host has its own bandwidth and storage constraints. Peer-to-peer and peer-assisted download systems further complicate content distribution. By contributing their own bandwidth, end users can improve overall performance and reduce load on servers, but end users have their own motivations and incentives that are not necessarily aligned with those of content distributors. Consequently, existing content distributors either opt to serve content exclusively from hosts under their direct control, and thus neglect the large pool of resources that end users can offer, or they allow end users to contribute bandwidth at the expense of sacrificing complete control over available resources. This thesis introduces a new approach to content distribution that achieves high performance for distributing bulk content, based on managed swarms . Managed swarms efficiently allocate bandwidth from origin servers, in-network caches, and end users to achieve system-wide performance objectives. Managed swarming systems are characterized by the presence of a logically centralized coordinator that maintains a global view of the system and directs hosts toward an efficient use of bandwidth. The coordinator allocates bandwidth from each host based on empirical measurements of swarm behavior combined with a new model of swarm dynamics. The new model enables the coordinator to predict how swarms will respond to changes in bandwidth based on past measurements of their performance. In this thesis, we focus on the global objective of maximizing download bandwidth across end users in the system. To that end, we introduce two algorithms that the coordinator can use to compute efficient allocations of bandwidth for each host that result in high download speeds for clients. We have implemented a scalable coordinator that uses these algorithms to maximize system-wide aggregate bandwidth. The coordinator actively measures swarm dynamics and uses the data to calculate, for each host, a bandwidth allocation among the swarms competing for the host's bandwidth. Extensive simulations and a live deployment show that managed swarms significantly outperform centralized distribution services as well as completely decentralized peer-to-peer systems.
Dissipation and Nonlinear Effects in Nanomechanical Resonators at Low Temperatures

Nanomechanical resonators have extremely low masses (~ 10−15 kg) and frequencies from a few megahertz all the way up to the gigahertz range. These properties along with a small damping rate make them very useful or ultrasensitive detection applications, now pushing into the realm of zeptonewtons (10−21 N) and zeptograms (10−21 g). On a more fundamental level, nanomechanical resonators are expected to display quantum mechanical effects when cooled down to millikelvin temperatures. The understanding of dissipation in nanomechanical resonators is important for device applications and to study quantum mechanical effects in such systems. However, despite a range of experiments on semiconducting and metallic devices, dissipation in nanomechanical resonators at low temperatures is not yet well understood. Although mechanical resonators have traditionally been operated in the linear regime, exploiting their nonlinearities can prove advantageous for industrial applications as well as opening up new experimental windows into the fundamental study of the nonlinear dynamics of mesoscopic systems. In this thesis, we present results from low temperature dissipation studies on pure gold and on gold-coated high-stress silicon nitride nanomechanical resonators. A theory, which predicts the existence of tunnelling two-level systems (TLS) in bulk disordered solids at low temperatures, is used as a framework to describe the data. The nonlinear interactions between different flexural modes of a single silicon nitride device, are explored experimentally and theoretically. The resonators were fabricated as doubly-clamped beams using a combination of optical lithography, electron-beam lithography, dry and wet etching techniques. The motion of the resonators was actuated and detected using the magnetomotive scheme. At low temperatures, all the beams had resonant frequencies between 3 and 60 MHz and quality factors in the range 105 − 106. The strong variation observed in dissipation and resonant frequency at the lowest temperatures (below 1 K) indicates the presence of tunnelling TLS in nanomechanical resonators.
THE DRIVERS OF VOLUNTARY PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE DEMAND IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

During the pandemic, health care services have gained in importance. One of the ways used to finance these services is through voluntary private health insurance. Existing studies on the demand for voluntary private health insurance are based predominantly on the micro-economic level. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyse the factors of demand at the macro-economic level. The analysis covers economic and demographic factors, the quality of the public health care system, risk aversion and the status of the population’s health. The empirical research is based on the databases of 29 European countries in the period from 2013 to 2017 and on the dynamic panel model. The results of the empirical analysis revealed that income, price, urbanization, health care system quality, risk aversion/education and self-perceived health are important determinants of demand for voluntary private health insurance in European countries.
Crop Water Use from Shallow, Saline Water Tables

The effect of shallow, saline water tables on the irrigation requirements of corn, alfalfa, and winter wheat was determined using lysimeters in western Colorado. The crops were grown with no water table and with water-table depths of 0.60 and 1.05 m supplied with water having electrical conductivities of 0.66, 3.0, and 6.0 dS/m. The portion of total seasonal evapotranspiration supplied from shallow groundwater was strongly affected by water-table depth and, for corn and wheat, slightly affected by salinity of the water in the saturated zone. Results suggest that surface irrigations may be reduced when shallow water tables are present.
Low-power 600 MHz comparator for 0.5 V supply voltage in 0.12 [micro sign]m CMOS

A comparator, fabricated in a 1.5 V/0.12 mum CMOS process, is presented. The commonly separated reset and active-load transistors of typical comparators are combined. In the input part two NMOS transistors are added to reduce power consumption. At a supply voltage of 0.5 V the comparator works at a maximal clock of 600 MHz and consumes 18 muW
Eco-Friendly Separation of Antihyperlipidemic Combination Using UHPLC Particle-Packed and Monolithic Columns by Applying Green Analytical Chemistry Principles

Efficient separation of pharmaceuticals and metabolites with the adequate resolution is a key factor in choosing the most suitable chromatographic method. For quality control, the analysis time is a key factor, especially in pharmacokinetic studies. High back pressure is considered as one of the most important factors in chromatography’s flow control, especially in UHPLC. The separation of the anti-hyperlipidemic mixtures was carried out using two columns: a column silica-based particle packed UHPLC and a monolithic column. The systematic suitability of the two columns was compared for the separation of Fenofibrate, its active metabolite, Fenofibric acid and Pravastatin using Atorvastatin as an internal standard. Separation on both columns was obtained using ethanol: buffer potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate pH = 3 (adjusted with orthophosphoric acid) (75:25 v/v) as mobile phase and flow rate 0.8 mL/min. The analytes’ peak detection was achieved by using a PDA detector at 287 nm, 214 nm, 236 nm, and 250 nm for Fenofibrate, Fenofibric acid, Pravastatin, and Atorvastatin, respectively. Reduction of back-pressure was achieved with the monolithic column, where the analytes could be completely separated in less than 1.5 min at a flow rate of 5 mL/min. The principles of Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC) were followed throughout the developed method using environmentally safe solvents.
Applying software dependability principles to medical robotics

Medical robotics is a relatively new branch of robotics and application to safety-critical system development. Traditional approaches to the development of robotic systems no longer suffice as many of the key robot-human safety principles are compromised due to the very nature of the application. It is therefore suggested that safety-critical system techniques be used, in conjunction with quantitative software measurement, in order to sufficiently verify and validate the software against user and safety requirements and systematically demonstrate software safety to regulatory agency requirements. This could also provide useful and early feedback to software engineers on the quality of the software during construction.
Biodiesel production from discarded fish waste for sustainable clean energy development

The marine fishery industry is an activity of great economic importance in India. Industrial fish processing operations generate a significant amount of wastes, which contains long-chain fatty acids. The crude fish oil from the waste parts of marine fish is considered to be alternative source of low-cost feedstock for biodiesel production. The aim of the present study is to utilize the discarded fish wastes for generation of biodiesel. The experimental result shows that the microwave lipid extraction has approximately 50% more efficiency as compare to conventional method. The transesterification of the extracted lipid from discarded fish-waste material shows efficient conversion into biodiesel through microwave. The Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis shows the presence of good quantity of palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid which is essential biodiesel components.
Novel control design for the buck converter

A novel control design approach for average current-mode controlled buck power converter is presented. The buck converter large-signal averaged model is shown to be easily large-signal linearisable. The linear model is then examined as a multivariable system with no inner and outer loops, using both the state-space and frequency domain descriptions. Transfer functions of the system are derived as a function of the desired closed-loop poles, simplifying the design procedure and bringing forward all the important characteristics of the closed-loop system. Several advantages can be gained by the use of capacitor current instead of inductor current feedback. Theoretical analysis is applied and confirmed with simulation and experimental results on a 250 W prototype. The proposed approach can be used with all small-signal linear models of DC-DC power converters, offering simplicity and a better insight on system characteristics.
Insulin-Induced Recurrent Hypoglycemia Up-Regulates Glucose Metabolism in the Brain Cortex of Chemically Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that seriously compromises human well-being. Various studies highlight the importance of maintaining a sufficient glucose supply to the brain and subsequently safeguarding cerebral glucose metabolism. The goal of the present work is to clarify and disclose the metabolic alterations induced by recurrent hypoglycemia in the context of long-term hyperglycemia to further comprehend the effects beyond brain harm. To this end, chemically induced diabetic rats underwent a protocol of repeatedly insulin-induced hypoglycemic episodes. The activity of key enzymes of glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway and the Krebs cycle was measured by spectrophotometry in extracts or isolated mitochondria from brain cortical tissue. Western blot analysis was used to determine the protein content of glucose and monocarboxylate transporters, players in the insulin signaling pathway and mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics. We observed that recurrent hypoglycemia up-regulates the activity of mitochondrial hexokinase and Krebs cycle enzymes (namely, pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase) and the protein levels of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Both insults increased the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2) protein content and induced divergent effects in mitochondrial dynamics. Insulin-signaling downstream pathways were found to be down-regulated, and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) was found to be activated through both decreased phosphorylation at Ser9 and increased phosphorylation at Y216. Interestingly, no changes in the levels of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), which plays a key role in neuronal plasticity and memory, were caused by hypoglycemia and/or hyperglycemia. These findings provide experimental evidence that recurrent hypoglycemia, in the context of chronic hyperglycemia, has the capacity to evoke coordinated adaptive responses in the brain cortex that will ultimately contribute to sustaining brain cell health.
Hole injection oxide breakdown model for very low voltage lifetime extrapolation

An anode hole injection model for silicon dioxide breakdown characterization is presented. The model is valid for a large thickness range between 2.5 nm and at least 13 nm, which provides a method for predicting dielectric lifetime for reduced power supply voltages and aggressively scaled oxide thicknesses. The model extrapolation predicts Q/sub BD/ and t/sub BD/ behavior including a fluence in excess of 10/sup 7/ C/cm/sup 2/ at V/sub ox/=2.4 V for a 2.5-nm oxide. Moreover, it is fully complementary with the well-known thick oxide 1/E model, while offering the ability to predict oxide reliability for low voltages. <<ETX>>