Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The anisotropic structure of turbulence and its energy spectrum

The spectral energy distribution in turbulent flows is observed to follow a k−5/3 power scaling, as originally predicted by Kolmogorov’s theory. However, the underlying assumptions in Kolmogorov’s theory appear not to hold with most experimental and numerical data showing evidence of small-scale anisotropy and significant direct energy transfer between the large- and the small-scales. Here, we present a flow structure that reconciles the k−5/3 spectrum with small-scale universality, small-scale anisotropy, and direct scale interactions. The flow structure is a shear layer, which contains the small-scales of motion and is bounded by the large-scales. The anisotropic shear layer reveals the expected scaling of the energy spectrum in nearly all directions.
NSCT-PCNN image fusion based on image gradient motivation

Pulse coupled neural network (PCNN) is widely used in image processing because of its unique biological characteristics, which is suitable for image fusion. When combining PCNN with non-subsampled contourlet (NSCT) model, it is applied in overcoming the difficulty of coefficients selection for subband of the NSCT model. However in the original model, only the grey values of image pixels are used as input, without considering that the subjective vision of human eyes lacks the sensitivity to the local factors of the image. In this study, the improved pulse-coupled neural network model has replaced the grey-scale value of the image and introduced the weighted product of the strength of the gradient of the image and the local phase coherence as the model input. Finally, compared with other multi-scale decompositions-based image fusion and other improved NSCT-PCNN algorithms, the algorithm presented in this study outperforms them in terms of objective criteria and visual appearance.
Skull Stripping on Brain MR Images Using Priori Knowledge

—Skull Stripping is a process which separates brain tissue and non-brain tissue structures in magnetic resonance (MR) brain images. This process is a first step to make some transactions relating to MR images like as inhomogeneity correction, analysis of cortical structure, cortical surface reconstruction, cortical thickness estimation, tissue classification, image registration, shape quantification, identification of brain parts. This study uses a different method for skull stripping on MR images. MR images were obtained Selcuk University Medicine Faculty. Firstly, DICOM images were converted to the Nifti format. Then MR stack was segmented gray matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by means of Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). These segmented brain regions were used priori knowledge. GM, WM and CSF were summed for making skull stripping mask. Noise pixels were removed on mask by using image processing techniques. Then the mask was converted to binary format. The last form of binary mask was used to extract brain tissue by multiplying original MR images. The proposed method was compared with Brain Extraction Tool (BET) in implemented MRIcro software. The results has been shown that the proposed method was more effective than BET method to skull stripping on real data.
Process-oriented Inconsistency Management in Collaborative Systems Modeling

Engineered products have reached a complexity which requires explicit modeling and analysis of various aspects such as performance, safety, and energy-eﬃciency, before system realization. This allows stakeholders in various domains to collaborate on a “virtual prod-uct”, using their domain-speciﬁc modeling languages and tools. This variety of modeling languages and tools, if not managed properly, can give rise to inconsistencies between stakeholder models, resulting in an incorrect product. Managing inconsistencies, therefore, is a key enabler to eﬃcient collaborative engineering. Explicitly modeling the engineering process in which the virtual product models are manipulated allows for a detailed analysis of the root causes of inconsistencies and of the impact of applying various (in)consistency management techniques on the process.
Measurement of Mouse Heart Rate Variability using Echocardiographic System

Aim: We employed an echocardiographic (ECHO) system as the backbone for the collection of electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate variability (HRV) data. The system was tested using an exercise model in which C57 male mice were exposed to sham or forced wheel running. Methods: Peak/peak (RR) interval was recorded over a 3 min period using the ECG platform of the ECHO system. Isoflurane-anesthetized male mice were divided into two groups (n = 8/group): sedentary (S) and forced wheel trained (T). HRV was analyzed in time and frequency domains (Fast Fourier Transform). Exercise training (T) was performed on a motorized wheel at low intensity 1 h/day, 5 days/week, 8 weeks duration. Cardiac morphometry and function were analyzed using ECHO while ECG was the basis to measure HRV. The sampling rate was 8000 Hz. Results show that the trained mice presented a reduction in heart rate as compared to the sedentary group. This was associated with lower cardiac sympathetic and higher parasympathetic modulation leading to an improved sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio (low-frequency band/high-frequency band). The trained group showed a reduction in isovolumetric relaxation time, reduced myocardial performance index, increased relative wall thickness, and left ventricle mass when compared to the sedentary group. Conclusion: Results document the utility of combining the ECHO and the ECG platform, allowing for the dual measurement of autonomic and cardiac function in mice.
Antioxidant activity , total phenolics and flavonoids contents of Luffa acutangula ( L . ) Roxb fruit

A study was performed on the antioxidant activity o f the methanol extract of Luffa acutangula (L.) Rox b (ridge gourd) fruit (LAM) and its derived fractions, such as n-hexane (LAH), chloroform (LAC), ethyl acetate (LAE), nbutanol (LAB) and residual aqueous fraction (LAA) a nd their correlation to the total phenolics and fla vonoids contents. The phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in all the fractions except the n-hexane fraction. Carotenoids were present in the LAH and LAC, while absent in t he LAE. The antioxidant activity was assessed using β-carotene bleaching method and the results showed t hat LAM, LAH and LAC have significant antioxidant activities in the c omparison with those of BHT and PG. The total pheno lics content of the extract/fractions was determined by the Foli n-C ocalteu procedure and ranged from 18.7±0.11 to 105.1±0.08 mg GAE/g of dried weight basis. The flavonoids cont ent of extract/fractions was measured by aluminium chloride colorimetric assay and ranged from 34.9±0.09 to 105 . 3±0.09 mg QE/g of dried weight basis. The correlat ion coefficients between the antioxidant activities and the p nolics/flavanoids contents were found to be very small. The highest antioxidant activity was demonstrated b y LAH and the highest total phenolics/flavonoids co ntents were presented by LAE. Thus, phenolics/flavanoids compou nds were not the major contributor to the antioxida nt ctivity of this fruit. The other antioxidant secondary meta bolites, such as carotenoids, contributed considera bly to the total antioxidant activity of the LAH and LAC. The result provided evidence that Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb fruit could be potential rich source of natural antioxidant for use in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.
Enantiomeric Determination of Methamphetamine, Amphetamine, Ephedrine, and Pseudoephedrine using Chiral Supercritical Fluid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection

Supercritical fluid chromatography-single quadrupole mass spectrometry (SFC-SQD) was utilized for the enantiomeric determination of methamphetamine, amphetamine, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine. The effects of varying stationary phases, alcohol modifiers, and amine additives were assessed. The optimal separation for methamphetamine was achieved by a Trefoil AMY1 (150 x 2.1 mm, 2.5 μm) column using a supercritical CO mobile phase containing EtOH as the co-solvent and 1% cyclohexylamine 2 as the amine additive. The method was successfully applied for determination of the chiral composition of illicit methamphetamine, even for samples with skewed ratios of enantiomers as low as 0.1% dor 3% l-.
Microscopic observation of the intercellular transport of CdTe quantum dot aggregates through tunneling-nanotubes

Various inorganic nanoparticles are being considered for applications in life science as fluorescent labels and for such therapeutic applications as drug delivery or targeted cell destruction. It is of importance to understand their intercellular transport behaviors and mechanisms. Here, the intercellular transport of internalized CdTe quantum dot (QD) aggregates through tunneling-nanotubes (TNTs) between human hepatocellular carcinoma cells was studied by time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy. TNTs are known to connect eukaryotic cells to provide important pathways for intercellular communications. The formation, shrinkage, elongation and rupture of TNTs were clearly observed by microscopy. We found TNTs contained only F-actin or both microtubules and F-actin. Two transport modes for QD aggregates through the TNTs were observed: the microtubule-based bidirectional motion and the ac-tin-dependent unidirectional motion. The mean square displacement analyses revealed that the intercellular transportations of QDs along TNTs were mediated by active processes. The bidirectional intercellular transport of QDs within lysosomes through the TNT was also observed.
What Your DRAM Power Models Are Not Telling You

Main memory (DRAM) consumes as much as half of the total system power in a computer today, due to the increasing demand for memory capacity and bandwidth. There is a growing need to understand and analyze DRAM power consumption, which can be used to research new DRAM architectures and systems that consume less power. A major obstacle against such research is the lack of detailed and accurate information on the power consumption behavior of modern DRAM devices. Researchers have long relied on DRAM power models that are predominantly based off of a set of standardized current measurements provided by DRAM vendors, called IDD values. Unfortunately, we find that state-of-the-art DRAM power models are often highly inaccurate, as these models do not reflect the actual power consumed by real DRAM devices. To build an accurate model and provide insights into DRAM power consumption, we perform the first comprehensive experimental characterization of the power consumed by modern real-world DRAM modules. Our extensive characterization of 50 DDR3L DRAM modules from three major vendors yields four key new observations about DRAM power consumption that prior models cannot capture: (1) across all IDD values that we measure, the current consumed by real DRAM modules varies significantly from the current specified by the vendors; (2) DRAM power consumption strongly depends on the data value that is read or written; (3) there is significant structural variation, where the same banks and rows across multiple DRAM modules from the same model consume more power than other banks or rows; and (4) over successive process technology generations, DRAM power consumption has not decreased by as much as vendor specifications have indicated. Because state-of-the-art DRAM power models do not account for any of these four key characteristics, they are highly inaccurate compared to the actual, measured power consumption of 50 real DDR3L modules. Based on our detailed analysis and characterization data, we develop the Variation-Aware model of Memory Power Informed by Real Experiments (VAMPIRE). VAMPIRE is a new, accurate power consumption model for DRAM that takes into account (1) module-to-module and intra-module variations, and (2) power consumption variation due to data value dependency. We show that VAMPIRE has a mean absolute percentage error of only 6.8% compared to actual measured DRAM power. VAMPIRE enables a wide range of studies that were not possible using prior DRAM power models. As an example, we use VAMPIRE to evaluate the energy efficiency of three different encodings that can be used to store data in DRAM. We find that a new power-aware data encoding mechanism can reduce total DRAM energy consumption by an average of 12.2%, across a wide range of applications. We have open-sourced both VAMPIRE and our extensive raw data collected during our experimental characterization.
Pretreating mesenchymal stem cells with electrical stimulation causes sustained long-lasting pro-osteogenic effects

Background Electrical stimulation (ES) has a long history of successful use in the clinical treatment of refractory, non-healing bone fractures and has recently been proposed as an adjunct to bone tissue-engineering treatments to optimize their therapeutic potential. This idea emerged from ES’s demonstrated positive effects on stem cell migration, proliferation, differentiation and adherence to scaffolds, all cell behaviors recognized to be advantageous in Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE). In previous in vitro experiments we demonstrated that direct current ES, administered daily, accelerates Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) osteogenic differentiation. In the present study, we sought to define the optimal ES regimen for maximizing this pro-osteogenic effect. Methods Rat bone marrow-derived MSC were exposed to 100 mV/mm, 1 hr/day for three, seven, and 14 days, then osteogenic differentiation was assessed at Day 14 of culture by measuring collagen production, calcium deposition, alkaline phosphatase activity and osteogenic marker gene expression. Results We found that exposing MSC to ES for three days had minimal effect, while seven and 14 days resulted in increased osteogenic differentiation, as indicated by significant increases in collagen and calcium deposits, and expression of osteogenic marker genes Col1a1, Osteopontin, Osterix and Calmodulin. We also found that cells treated with ES for seven days, maintained this pro-osteogenic activity long (for at least seven days) after discontinuing ES exposure. Discussion This study showed that while three days of ES is insufficient to solicit pro-osteogenic effects, seven and 14 days significantly increases osteogenic differentiation. Importantly, we found that cells treated with ES for only seven days, maintained this pro-osteogenic activity long after discontinuing ES exposure. This sustained positive osteogenic effect is likely due to the enhanced expression of RunX2 and Calmodulin we observed. This prolonged positive osteogenic effect, long after discontinuing ES treatment, if incorporated into BTE treatment protocols, could potentially improve outcomes and in doing so help BTE achieve its full therapeutic potential.
Autologous Hsp 70 immunization induces anti-tumor immunity and increases longevity and survival of tumor-bearing mice

Heat Shock proteins 70 (Hsp70) is a family of highly conserved molecules that maintain the function of crucial cellular pathways during stress. Hsp70 derived from tumor cells is bound with tumor antigenic peptides from the diverse antigen cytosolic pool. Tumor-derived Hsp70 preparations after ex vivo administration permit antigen presenting cells (APCs) to present tumor antigen to their cell surface and induce tumor specific immunity in many types of malignancies by directly eliciting cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) response. In the present investigation, we have demonstrated that immunization with tumor cell derived Hsp70 lead to an effective survival advantage in mice with minimal residual tumor cells from which Hsp70 is derived, by involvement of immune cell types in the rejection of tumor in the Hsp70 immunized tumor-bearing host mice and their post-immunization cytokine repertoire. It has been observed that autologous Hsp70 induces specific anti-tumor immunity and effectively eradicates tumors in the host mice, thereby enhancing survival of tumor-bearing host. Immunization with tumor-derived autologous Hsp70 effectively primed specific CTL response and increased tumor cell lysis independently of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Increase in type I cytokines in the serum of Hsp70 immunized mice was also observed that indicates its adjuvant property in the host. Furthermore, Hsp70 immunized mice did not show any systemic disorder. Therefore, it could be assumed as safe and might be clinically useful for vaccination against malignant human tumors.
A Review of Advances in Dielectric and Electrical Conductivity Measurement in Soils Using Time Domain Reflectometry

Substantial advances in the measurement of water content and bulk soil electrical conductivity (EC) using time domain reflectometry (TDR) have been made in the last two decades. The key to TDR's success is its ability to accurately measure the permittivity of a material and the fact that there is a good relationship between the permittivity of a material and its water content. A further advantage is the ability to estimate water content and measure bulk soil EC simultaneously using TDR. The aim of this review is to summarize and examine advances that have been made in terms of measuring permittivity and bulk EC. The review examines issues such as the effective frequency of the TDR measurement and waveform analysis in dispersive dielectrics. The growing importance of both waveform simulation and inverse analysis of waveforms is highlighted. Such methods hold great potential for obtaining far more information from TDR waveform analysis. Probe design is considered in some detail and practical guidance is given for probe construction. The importance of TDR measurement sampling volume is considered and the relative energy storage density is modeled for a range of probe designs. Tables are provided that compare some of the different aspects of commercial TDR equipment, and the units are discussed in terms of their performance and their advantages and disadvantages. It is hoped that the review will provide an informative guide to the more technical aspects of permittivity and EC measurement using TDR for the novice and expert alike.
Complex B vitamins: Physiology and Therapeutic Effect on Pain

Complex B vitamins (B1, B6, and B12) have shown affect several metabolic routes in the organism. Vitamin B1, or thiamine, has anti-oxidative properties and significant effects on the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway, giving it anti-hyperalgesic and anti-allodynic properties. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, has modulatory effects on calcium channels, inhibiting glutamate synthesis and intervening in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Vitamin B12 shows reconstructive effects and increases epidermal growth factor synthesis. Combining them produces an additive effect that, apart from participating in vital body functions, can help treat diseases such as pain. It is important to know about the mechanisms that explain their analgesic and anti-allodynic effects, in order to understand the physiologic mechanisms involved in these actions. This article summarizes Vitamins B1, B6 and B12 actions, focusing in pain treatment.
Nonmechanistic forecasts of seasonal influenza with iterative one-week-ahead distributions

Accurate and reliable forecasts of seasonal epidemics of infectious disease can assist in the design of countermeasures and increase public awareness and preparedness. This article describes two main contributions we made recently toward this goal: a novel approach to probabilistic modeling of surveillance time series based on “delta densities”, and an optimization scheme for combining output from multiple forecasting methods into an adaptively weighted ensemble. Delta densities describe the probability distribution of the change between one observation and the next, conditioned on available data; chaining together nonparametric estimates of these distributions yields a model for an entire trajectory. Corresponding distributional forecasts cover more observed events than alternatives that treat the whole season as a unit, and improve upon multiple evaluation metrics when extracting key targets of interest to public health officials. Adaptively weighted ensembles integrate the results of multiple forecasting methods, such as delta density, using weights that can change from situation to situation. We treat selection of optimal weightings across forecasting methods as a separate estimation task, and describe an estimation procedure based on optimizing cross-validation performance. We consider some details of the data generation process, including data revisions and holiday effects, both in the construction of these forecasting methods and when performing retrospective evaluation. The delta density method and an adaptively weighted ensemble of other forecasting methods each improve significantly on the next best ensemble component when applied separately, and achieve even better cross-validated performance when used in conjunction. We submitted real-time forecasts based on these contributions as part of CDC’s 2015/2016 FluSight Collaborative Comparison. Among the fourteen submissions that season, this system was ranked by CDC as the most accurate.
Silmaril, A Functional Language for Distributed Parallel Evaluation

Extending the calculus with first-order directories and loadable base and primitive types leads to a modern high-level language for implicit parallel distributed computing. Every program corresponds to a syntax term, and can be transparently stored/read/referenced from a distributed hash-table as a parsed syntax tree. The builtin namespace and revision control systems facilitate collaborative coding, language extensibility, JIT-compilation, and distributed parallel evaluation via work-stealing. Formal program syntax, evaluation semantics and typing rules are presented, along with examples of the networked revision-control system and introspective capabilities. Further work on the formal properties of the language will greatly improve this preliminary implementation.
A Qualitative Exploration of Married Students Attitudes toward Marriage

The purpose of this paper is to clarify of experience process and formation of the attitudes to marriage in married students. The sample of the study consisted of 18 married students who were selected by purposive sampling. This paper was a qualitative study and content analysis kind. The data was collected by the in-depth and semi-structured interview. When the data reached to the data saturation; after that the data was analyzed by content analysis method. 588 concepts in primary coding, 81 subthemes in open coding, and 15 final and main themes in Axial coding were extracted from the analysis of obtained data. The findings of study showed needing the young men and women to financial and moral supports, supporting of government in cultural and social planning, importance of adherence or weakness toward religious, traditional, and ethnic values in youth's attitude to marriage.International Journal of Life Sciences 10 (1) : 2016; 51-57