Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FINITE ELEMENT MODEL TO STUDY CALCIUM DIFFUSION IN A NEURON CELL INVOLVING JRYR, JSERCA AND JLEAK

Calcium is well known role for signal transduction in a neuron cell. Various processes and parameters modulate the intracellular calcium signaling process. A number of experimental and theoretical attempts are reported in the literature for study of calcium signaling in neuron cells. But still the role of various processes, components and parameters involved in calcium signaling is still not well understood. In this paper an attempt has been made to develop two dimensional finite element model to study calcium diffusion in neuron cells. The JRyR, JSERCA and JLeak, the exogenous buffers like EGTA and BAPTA, and diffusion coefficients have been incorporated in the model. Appropriate boundary conditions have been framed. Triangular ring elements have been employed to discretized the region. The effect of these parameters on calcium diffusion has been studied with the help of numerical results.
The Demand for Taxi Services in Sheffield: An Empirical Study of the Value of Waiting Time and the Price Elasticity of Demand

This paper reports the empirical results from a study into the value of taxi passengers1 waiting time and the price elasticity of demand for taxis in Sheffield using stated preference and transfer price data. It is in two parts. The first part details the stated preference design, implementation and results. The effects on the value of time estimates of changes in the depth of ranking modelled, non-linearities, and socio-economic and use variables are assessed. The second part of the paper describes an analysis of the sensitivity of demand for taxi services to increased price using a transfer price approach.
Experimental study of bubble-drag interaction in a Taylor-Couette flow

This study is an experimental investigation of the interactions between the bubbles, the coherent motion and the viscous drag in a Taylor Couette flow, for the outer cylinder at rest. The cylinder radius ratio η is 0.9. Bubbles are injected through a needle at the bottom of the apparatus inside the gap. Different bubble sizes are investigated (ratio between the bubble size and the gap width 0.05 and 0.12) for very small void fraction(α≤0.012). Different flow regimes are studied corresponding to Reynolds number Re based on the gap width and the velocity of the inner cylinder ranging from 400 to 20000. For these Re values, Taylor vortices are persistent leading to an axial periodicity of the flow. PIV measurements of the liquid flow features, bubble tracking in a meridian plane and viscous torque of the inner cylinder measurements are performed. This study provides a first evidence of the link between the bubble localisation, the Taylor vortices and viscous torque modifications. Bubbles are attracted towards the inner cylinder, due to the rotation of the cylinder. For small buoyancy effect, bubbles are trapped and induce a decrease in the outflow intensity, thus leading to an increase of the viscous torque. When buoyancy induced bubble motion, by comparison to the coherent motion of the liquid is increased, a decrease in the viscous torque is suspected.
Bird's Eye View of Phonon Models for Excess Heat in the Fleischmann-Pons Experiment

Over the past several years, we have been developing models relevant to excess heat in the Fleischmann–Pons experiment. Here we review some of the key issues, and give an account of some of the progress that we have made. The excess heat effect is prodigious, and 4 He seems to be correlated with the energy, but there are no energetic particles seen in amounts commensurate with the energy. This motivated us to seek models which fractionate a large energy quantum, and the lossy spin–boson model appears to do the job. Coherent energy exchange in the fractionation limit and excitation transfer are the mechanisms required which allow us to describe a new set of reactions and associated models which seem to be relevant to the experiments. The resulting models allow us to develop interpretations for numerous experimental observations. © 2012 ISCMNS. All rights reserved.
Masculinities and emotional expression in UK servicemen: ‘Big boys don’t cry’?

Abstract Dominant discourses of military servicemen position them as more prone to psychological damage than the general population, but as reluctant to seek psychological assistance, because of the military culture of ‘toughness’, a military masculinity, that values stoicism, emotional control and invulnerability and implicitly excludes ‘feminine’ characteristics like emotionality. This is seen as a barrier to military personnel seeking help, by implicitly discouraging emotional disclosure and expression. This article presents an analysis of semi-structured interviews with six male military and ex-military personnel, focused on their experience and understandings of emotion, emotional expression and ‘mental health’ in the military. The dominant construction of military masculinity certainly renders some forms of emotion inexpressible within certain contexts. However, we argue that the construct is more complex than a simple exclusion of the ‘feminine’ and the ‘emotional’. We explore how the highly masculine notions of military solidarity and ‘brotherhood’ create a ‘safe’ masculine space within which men could share their emotional experiences, but also highlight how this space for emotional expression is relatively constrained. We argue that these notions of solidarity and brotherhood open a space for emotional connection and expression that must be respected and worked with creatively, in therapeutic and other interventions.
Short communication : Population structure of the South African Bonsmara beef breed using high density SNP genotypes

The composite Bonsmara beef cattle breed in South Africa is in the process of assembling a reference population for genomic selection. For genomic selection to be a success within the breed, which already has large numbers of genotypes and phenotypes available, the marker effects must be accurately determined by estimating the genetic variance in the breed. To this end the population structure of the Bonsmara reference population was studied using 583 genotypes with 19119 SNPs in linkage disequilibrium (r 2 < 0.2). It was found that the reference population is largely nonhomogenous, and while 121 breeders contributed toward the reference population, a strong herd/breeder effect could also be observed. Results indicate that a larger reference population may be required for genomic selection in the Bonsmara to be practiced accurately.
FIR Filter for Audio Signals Based on FPGA: Design and Implementation

Filters play a vital role in digital signal processing (DSP) applications ranging from Video and image processing to wireless communication. In this paper, Low pass digital finite impulse response (FIR) filter is designed and implemented. Eight coefficients and taps are used in the design. The whole system are coded in VHDL language using modular design approach and implemented in Altera DE1 board. This board has cyclone II Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Codec chip (WM8731), Embedded DSP multipliers and embedded processor support. The design is implemented as three main blocks: Codec initialization block, serial to parallel (S2P) Adapter block and FIR filter block. The blocks are tested and simulated in order to ensure that the result is correct. Finally, the Quartus II software tool is used to evaluate the implementation results and obtain the frequency response of the designed filter.
Comparative Study of Carp Pituitary Gland (PG) Extract and Synthetic Hormone Ovaprim Used in the Induced Breeding of Stinging Catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae)

The present study compared the effectiveness of the Carp pituitary gland extract (PGE) and the synthetic hormone Ovaprim on spawning success of the stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis during induced breeding. The PGE hormone was administered at 6 mg/kg of body weight for females and 2 mg/kg of body weight for males. In contrast, Ovaprim was administered at 0.3 ml/kg body weight and 0.1 ml/kg of body weight for females and males, respectively. The spawning success was higher in the Ovaprim-induced individuals with better performance recorded at all stages of spawning including latency period, ovulation, fertilization, hatching and incubation period compared to the PGE-induced individuals. In the Ovaprim induced individuals, the latency period occurred within 10 hours while in PG-induced individuals, the latency was after 15 hours. Similarly, ovulation rate was 90% for Ovaprim injected fish but lower 78.7% for PGE injected fish. Higher rate of fertilization was observed in the eggs of Ovaprim treated fishes 86.7% compared to 69.2% in PGE induced fish. On the other hand, hatching rate was 76.9% in eggs spawned from Ovaprim induced individuals compared to 72.7% in PGE induced fish and the incubation period was also shorter at 3.5 h for eggs from Ovaprim-induced fish while the PGE induced fish eggs required a 5-h incubation period. Finally, the results showed that Ovaprim treated fish yielded better results compared the PGE treated fish in terms of ovulation, fertilization and hatching rates of H. fossilis . DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/on.v10i1. 7755
Meiobenthos Assemblages as Bioindicators for Coastal Pollution Assessment

Coastal pollution assessment is a pressing matter as the anthropogenic pressure continues to increase worldwide. A leading approach to assess coastal pollution is using bioindicators. However, identifying species is time-consuming and demands profound morphological knowledge. Our goal was to find the meiobenthic composition in each pollution level. By utilizing the meiobenthic assemblage’s ratios, we will be able to indicate the pollution level. We examined the meiobenthos distribution at three sites exposed to a pollution gradient. We quantified the changes in the fauna assemblage in the community phylum level, focusing on nematodes and foraminifera (90% of the total population). Over 400 samples were examined, covering an annual seasonal cycle. Nematodes population dominated in the polluted coast. Nematodes density increased with the pollution level, up to seemingly harmful levels of pollution. In contradiction, the foraminifera flourished in the control site and exhibited an inverse relationship to the nematodes. We witnessed drastic changes in the entire meiobenthic population in the winter, which we speculate that originated from winter turbulences. We suggest that nematodes-foraminifers’ population ratios may be utilized as bioindicators for assessing coast intertidal zone pollution levels.
Current Status and Survival Impact of Infectious Disease Consultation for Multidrug-Resistant Bacteremia in Ventilated Patients: A Single-Center Experience in Korea

Background We evaluated the current status and survival impact of infectious disease consultation (IDC) in ventilated patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteremia. Methods One hundred sixty-one consecutive patients from a single tertiary care hospital were enrolled over a 5-year period. Patients with at least one of the following six MDR bacteremias were included: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia), carbapenem-resistant gram-negative rods (Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Results Median patient age was 66 years (range, 18 to 95), and 57.8% of subjects were male. The 28-day mortality after the day of blood culture was 52.2%. An IDC was requested for 96 patients based on a positive blood culture (59.6%). Patients without IDC had significantly higher rate of hemato-oncologic diseases as a comorbidity (36.9% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001). Patients without an IDC had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (median, 20; range, 8 to 38 vs. median, 16; range, 5 to 34, P < 0.001) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (median, 9; range, 2 to 17 vs. median, 7; range, 2 to 20; P = 0.020) on the day of blood culture and a higher 28-day mortality rate (72.3% vs. 38.5%, P < 0.001). In patients with SOFA ≥9 (cut-off level based on Youden’s index) on the day of blood culture and gram-negative bacteremia, IDC was also significantly associated with lower 28-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.298; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.167 to 0.532 and HR, 0.180; 95% CI, 0.097 to 0.333; all P < 0.001) based on multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusions An IDC for MDR bacteremia was requested less often for ventilated patients with greater disease severity and higher 28-day mortality after blood was drawn. In patients with SOFA ≥9 on the day of blood culture and gram-negative bacteremia, IDC was associated with improved 28-day survival after blood draw for culture.
Narrowing Organizational Information Complexity

The aim of this work is to provide a new view of Information Technology as an instrument of reducing wrong environmental interpretation in decision process. Uncertainty is an aspect of organizational decision making with which organizations must live and that influences firm performance. In fact the presence of uncertainty, that environmental complexity brings on management decision, affects decision process and underlines the problem of getting and analyzing environmental information. To solve this problem, that’s to control environmental complexity, we see DSS, as an help managers to synthesize internal and external information and to reduce their information needs. Comparing firms that implement Decision Support System we believe that they can give a strong help in reducing perceived complexity in decision process, thus enabling firm reduce variance of expected results of a decision. At this stage of the work, we focus only on the preliminary steps explaining our model but this is not tested yet, for this reason this work is configured as a working-paper
Changes expected in the hydrological regime of the Dovine riverafterremoval of sluice-gates

Lake Žuvintas located in southern Lithuania in the basin of the Dovinė river, is one of the biggest lakes and oldest nature reserves of the country. However, changes in the hydrology of the Dovinė river basin, caused by a large-scale melioration and water management works carried out in the 20th century, have resulted in a significant decrease of the biodiversity of Lake Žuvintas and the surrounding wetlands. To prevent the ongoing deterioration of Lake Žuvintas and adjacent wetlands, solutions have to be found at the basin level. Therefore, two scenarios to evaluate the impact of the removal of sluice-gates built on the Dovinė and Amalvė rivers have been analysed to get an insight into the impact of water regime changes in the Žuvintas, Simnas, Dusia and Amalvas lakes and adjacent wetlands. For such scenarios, the method of mathematical modeling employing the SIMGRO model was used. The results have shown that the entire restoration of water dynamics and flow pattern of the Dovinė river to its original state is impossible. The Dovinė river has been modified to such a de gree that the changes are hardly reversible. When striving for at least partial flow naturalization, reconstruction of the existing sluice-gates is necessary.
Modeling and Stability Analysis of Worm Propagation in Wireless Sensor Network

An improved SIRS model considering communication radius and distributed density of nodes is proposed. The proposed model captures both the spatial and temporal dynamics of worms spread process. Using differential dynamical theories, we investigate dynamics of worm propagation to time in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Reproductive number which determines global dynamics of worm propagation in WSNs is obtained. Equilibriums and their stabilities are also found. If reproductive number is less than one, the infected fraction of the sensor nodes disappears and if the reproduction number is greater than one, the infected fraction asymptotically stabilizes at the endemic equilibrium. Based on the reproduction number, we discuss the threshold of worm propagation about communication radius and distributed density of nodes in WSNs. Finally, numerical simulations verify the correctness of theoretical analysis.
Horticultural mineral oil treatments in nurseries during aphid flights reduce Plum pox virus incidence under different ecological conditions

The application of horticultural mineral oil (HMO) treatments has been reported as a possible control strategy to reduce Plum pox virus (PPV) incidence in Prunus nurseries. The effect of Sunspray Ultrafine HMO at 1% on the natural viral spread was evaluated in experimental nursery plots of Nemaguard and Mariana GF8-1 Prunus rootstock blocks established under high natural inoculum pressure of the most prevalent PPV-types. Tests were conducted in experimental nursery plots in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (PPV-M and PPV-Rec), in Bistrita, Romania (PPV-D and PPV-Rec) and in LlSpain (PPV-D). Horticultural mineral oil treatments were applied weekly during the vegetative period from spring to fall (treatments were interrupted in the summer). Nursery plants were analysed yearly by double-antibody sandwich enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay with 5B-IVIA/AMR monoclonal antibodies. The population dynamics of the aphids visiting plants in each experimental nursery plot was monitored by the sticky-shoot method and also by Moericke yellow water traps. At all three locations, the aphid population first peaked in the springtime. Furthermore, a variable second peak of aphid population was observed in Plovdiv and Bistrita in autumn. The treatments reduced PPV incidence in the three experimental locations and plots and in both assayed Prunus rootstocks grown under high PPV-inoculum pressure. A reduction from 10% to 20% of PPV-incidence between treated and control plants (P <0.05) in Plovdiv and Bistrita, respectively, was observed at the end of the tests. However, HMO treatments did not prevent PPV infection altogether, probably because of the high PPV prevalence in the area near the experimental nursery blocks. The control of PPV in nursery blocks based on HMO is presented as an environmentally friendly strategy based on the physical action of the treatments.
Rhythmic characteristics of voice between and within languages

Die vorliegende Studie untersuchte die Rolle von stimmhaften Intervallen (d.h. Intervalle laryngaler Aktivität) rhythmische Charakteristika im Sprachsignal zu kodieren. Die Dauercharakteristika stimmhafter und stimmloser intervalle (%VO, deltaUV, VarcoUV, VarcoVO, n-PVI_VO, r-PVI_UV) wurden analysiert. Aufgrund der untersuchten Sprachen konnten wir zeigen, dass stimmhafte Dauercharakteristika effektiv zu einer Klassifizierung von Sprachen führen, die einer auditorischen Klassifizierung der Sprachen in Rhythmusklassen (akzentzählend, silbenzählend) entspricht. Weiterhin fanden wir Variation zwischen den Sprechern einer Sprache (Deutsch). Wir argumentieren, dass unsere Methode direkt verwandt mit der möglicherweise auditiv hervortretensten Komponente der menschlichen Stimme (das Stimmsignal) ist. Methodische Vorteile sind, dass die stimmlichen Dauercharakteristika verlässlich automatisch aufgrund des Stimmsignals berechnet werden können. Implikationen unserer Befunde zum Erwerb prosodischer Phänomene und zur Wahrnehmung von Sprache durch Neugeborene werden diskutiert.
Investigation of antioxidant activity of some fruit stem barks in the Eastern Black Sea Region

Antioxidant compounds in food play an important role as a health protecting factor. Scientific evidence suggests that antioxidants reduce the risk for chronic diseases including cancer and heart disease. Primary sources of naturally occurring antioxidants are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Antioxidant activity can be investigated by using different methods such as total antioxidant activity, hydrogen peroxide and DPPH free radical scavenging activities, metal-chelating activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and others. In this study, antioxidant activity of the ethanol-water extracts of three stem barks, Kiwi ( Actinidia chinensis Planch.) (AC), lemon ( Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ) (CL) and chery laurel ( Laurocerasus officinalis Roem.) (LO) has been designated. According to FTC method, the total antioxidant activities (%) of AC, CL and LO have been determined as 73.35, 67.59 and 61.62, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of AC, CL, LO, BHA, RUT and TRO in terms of SC 50 values (µg/mL) were found as 50.52, 56.56, 98.18, 8.58, 17.01, 26.84, respectively. Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in AC, CL and LO ranged from 850.71 to 457.79 µg gallic acid equivalent/g and 58.77 to 22.91 µg of catechin equivalents/g, respectively. In conclusion, the extracts of AC showed higher antioxidant activity than the other samples so needs further exploration for its effective use in pharmaceutical and medicine sectors.
Automatic Orthographic Road Image Generation Using in Vehicle Sensors for ADAS

This paper proposes a technique to generate orthographic road images and lane-level road maps suitable for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) using in-vehicle low-cost sensors, i.e., a single-frequency GPS, speed sensor, yaw rate gyroscope, and rear-view camera. This research also aims to generate accurate digital maps from vehicle driving data using the probe technique. This proposal should help to reduce the production costs of accurate digital maps that include road markings and road networks. The key feature of this method is the integration of probe data based on accurate trajectories and heading angles to generate digital maps. Comparisons between commercial orthographic road images and our proposals show that the proposed method automatically generates an orthographic image with a similar precision to that of the survey level method of commercial ones.