Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermoelectric behavior near the magnetic quantum critical point

We use the coupled 2d-spin-3d-fermion model proposed by Rosch {\sl et. al.} (Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 79}, 159 (1997)) to study the thermoelectric behaviour of a heavy fermion compound when it is close to an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. When the low energy spin fluctuations are quasi two dimensional, as has been observed in ${\rm YbRh}_2{\rm Si}_2$ and $ {\rm CeCu}_{6-x}{\rm Au}_x $, with a typical 2d ordering wavevector and 3d Fermi surface, the ``hot'' regions on the Fermi surface have a finite area. Due to enhanced scattering with the nearly critical spin fluctuations, the electrons in the hot region are strongly renormalized. We argue that there is an intermediate energy scale where the qualitative aspects of the renormalized hot electrons are captured by a weak-coupling perturbative calculation. Our examination of the electron self energy shows that the entropy carried by the hot electrons is larger than usual. This accounts for the anomalous logarithmic temperature dependence of specific heat observed in these materials. We show that the same mechanism produces logarithmic temperature dependence in thermopower. This has been observed in $ {\rm CeCu}_{6-x}{\rm Au}_x $. We expect to see the same behaviour from future experiments on ${\rm YbRh}_2{\rm Si}_2$.
Evaluation of video artifact perception using event-related potentials

When new computer graphics algorithms for image and video editing, rendering or compression are developed, the quality of the results has to be evaluated and compared. Since the produced media are usually to be presented to an audience it is important to predict image and video quality as it would be perceived by a human observer. This can be done by applying some image quality metric or by expensive and time consuming user studies. Typically, statistical image quality metrics do not correlate to quality perceived by a human observer. More sophisticated HVS-inspired algorithms often do not generalize to arbitrary images. A drawback of user studies is that perceived image or video quality is filtered by a decision process, which, in turn, may be influenced by the performed task and chosen quality scale. To get an objective view on (subjectively) perceived image quality, electroencephalography can be used. In this paper we show that artifacts appearing in videos elicit a measurable brain response which can be analyzed using the event-related potentials technique. Since electroencephalography itself requires an elaborate procedure, we aim to find a minimal setup to reduce time and participants needed to conduct a reliable study of image and video quality. As a first step we demonstrate that the reaction to a video with or without an artifact can be identified by an off-the-shelf support vector machine, which is trained on a set of previously recorded responses, with a reliability of up to 80% from a single recorded electroencephalogram.
Hybrid Adaptive Image Restoration Method with Pixel Block Estimation and Histogram Equalization

The process of recovering image from corrupted state is called restoration. In this paper, the combination of the neighbor based reference model and non-reference image matrix enhancement is proposed for the enhancement of the results. In this paper the restoration with image missing pixel recovery and recreation is done and non-reference restoration enhancement method is used to recover the pixel expansion problem. Then image is more enhanced by using Histogram. The experimental results have been executed over the grayscale standard images of the Lena and Barbara. The results have shown that the proposed model outperforms the existing models when evaluated on the basis of peak signal to noise ratio and mean squared error
Steady state dynamics of intermediate filament networks

We have conducted experiments to examine the dynamic exchange between subunit and polymer of vimentin intermediate filaments (IF) at steady state through the use of xrhodamine-labeled vimentin in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis. The xrhodamine-vimentin incorporated into the endogenous vimentin IF network after microinjection into fibroblasts and could be visualized with a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and digital imaging fluorescence microscopy. Bar shaped regions were bleached in the fluorescent IF network using a beam from an argon ion laser and the cells were monitored at various times after bleaching to assess recovery of fluorescence in the bleached zones. We determined that bleached vimentin fibers can recover their fluorescence over relatively short time periods. Vimentin fibers in living cells also can exhibit significant movements, but the recovery of fluorescence was not dependent upon movement of fibers. Fluorescence recovery within individual fibers did not exhibit any marked polarity and was most consistent with a steady state exchange of vimentin subunits along the lengths of IF.
Microlevel manufacturing process simulation of carbon fiber/epoxy composites to analyze the effect of chemical and thermal induced residual stresses

A micromechanical implicit finite element analysis using Samcef/Mecano was performed to analyze the effect of process-induced deformations and stresses on a unidirectional carbon fiber–epoxy composite material (G1157/RTM6). During the manufacturing process, chemical and thermal shrinkage deformations occur and lead to internal stresses. In this article, several effects on the level of stress on the microscale will be discussed, which address the nonlinear behavior of the polymer matrix material. A parametric study was done on the influence of these effects on residual stresses including temperature dependency of the young’s modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, nonlinear thermomechanical stress–strain behavior, microyielding, microdegradation, and viscoelasticity. Several experiments have been carried out to investigate the thermomechanical behavior of the matrix material and to derivate constitutive equations. The derived equations and the discussed effects are integrated into an analysis model of a squared unit cell and used to perform a coupled curing thermomechanical simulation. As a result, the development of process-induced stresses is presented with the integration of nonlinear local material effects. Assessment of these effects is one of the key aspects for interpretation of process-induced stresses on the macroscale.
DirectFlow: Toward a DSL for Infopipes

Information-flow components can be represented as objects, but this representation is at once too general and overly specific. This is a problem because the generality makes it possible to define objects that cannot be treated as components, while the specificity requires that the programmer code details that are irrelevant to the information-flow abstraction. Instead, we advocate defining information-flow components in a domain-specific language (DSL), and generating the corresponding objects. We present a DSL called DirectFlow that exploits the relationship between control flow and dataflow in the object model to allow programmers to define objects without specifying how messages are sent and received. We also describe a compilation algorithm for DirectFlow that infers the message sends and generates code for conventional objects. DirectFlow lets the information-flow programmer concentrate on the dataflow between objects rather than on the details of how this might be realized by objects.
Loss of glutathione, ascorbate recycling, and free radical scavenging in human erythrocytes exposed to filtered cigarette smoke.

Exposure of human erythrocytes to filtered cigarette smoke in vitro inhibited their capacity to reduce dehydroascorbic acid (ascorbate recycling activity). Glucose uptake was not affected, implying that dehydroascorbic acid transport was not inhibited by the smoke treatment. The intracellular reduction of cationic nitroxide free radicals, which provides a measure of ascorbate recycling, was also inhibited by cigarette smoke. A major factor in the inhibition of free radical reduction was glutathione depletion. However, glutathione depletion alone could not account for the inhibition of free radical reduction because a restoration of the glutathione pool in hemolyzed cells only partially restored free radical reduction activity. Another factor inhibiting free radical reduction was a lowering of pH, which was attributed mainly to the uptake of CO2 and was reversible by restoring the physiological pH. Exogenous glutathione spared both intracellular glutathione and free radical reduction activity. The rate of depletion of intracellular glutathione was similar to that of extracellular glutathione, indicating that the erythrocyte membrane did not significantly attenuate thiol-reactive species in smoke. Protein thiols were also depleted by cigarette smoke, but to a much lesser extent than was glutathione. Ascorbate was relatively unaffected by cigarette smoke; significant intracellular ascorbate levels remained after glutathione was barely detectable. Autooxidizable reducing agents, capable of reducing both reduced piperidinyl (Tempo) and pyrrolidinyl (Proxyl) nitroxides partitioned from filtered cigarette smoke into aqueous solutions. Attempts to detect cigarette smoke-derived oxidants in buffer solutions or in cell suspensions with a prereduced Tempo nitroxide, whose oxidation properties resemble those of ascorbate, were unsuccessful. The results of this study suggest that chemical modification of glutathione is a major damage mechanism of filtered cigarette smoke, whereas free radical oxidations are relatively insignificant.
The endothelium during cuff-induced neointima formation in the rabbit carotid artery.

Intimal thickening in human arteries is considered as a site of predilection for atherosclerosis. The placement of a flexible, physically nonconstrictive, silicone cuff around the rabbit carotid artery induced a neointima composed of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) within 14 days. To investigate possible alterations of the endothelial cells (ECs) during neointima formation, their morphology was examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and confocal microscopy. In the early postoperative period (6 hours), both cuffed and sham-operated arteries demonstrated small foci (5 to 200 microns) of denudation, presumably as a consequence of the manipulation. Within 24 hours the luminal surface of the cuffed and sham-operated arteries was completely covered with endothelium, which remained continuous throughout the study. However, after 1 week the ECs of the cuffed arteries contained a pronounced rough endoplasmic reticulum. From 6 hours until 3 days, polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltrated the cuffed but not the sham-operated arteries from the lumen. Subendothelial SMC accumulation in the cuffed arteries began after this time period. At day 14 a full-blown neointima composed of longitudinally oriented SMCs had formed in the cuffed arteries. The sham-operated arteries did not develop a neointima. During neointima formation immunoreactivity for von Willebrand factor (vWf) increased in the ECs, and vWf was deposited in the extracellular spaces of the neointima. At day 14 the area of vWf deposits correlated positively with the area of the neointima (r = .73, P < .001). In subsequent weeks, the intimal area did not increase, and vWf deposits vanished from the neointimal matrix. The endothelium of the sham-operated arteries showed no change in vWf immunoreactivity compared with untreated arteries throughout the study. The altered ultrastructural morphology of the ECs and the concurrent vWf deposition in cuffed but not in sham-operated arteries point to alterations in EC function during the development of the neointima. The vWf secretion could possibly lead to increased adhesiveness of the extracellular matrix for the ECs as well as modulate neointima formation.
Mortality of workers at a nickel carbonyl refinery, 1958–2000

Background: Excess risks of respiratory cancer have been shown in some groups of nickel exposed workers. It is clear, however, that not all forms of nickel exposure are implicated in these excess risks. Aim: To determine whether occupational exposures received in a modern nickel carbonyl refinery lead to increased risks of cancer, in particular nasal cancer and lung cancer. Methods: The mortality experienced by a cohort of 812 workers employed at a nickel refinery was investigated. Study subjects were all male workforce employees first employed in the period 1953–92 who had at least five years’ employment with the company. Observed numbers of cause specific deaths were compared with expectations based on national mortality rates; SMRs were also calculated by period from commencing employment, year of commencing employment, and type of work. Results: Overall, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were close to 100 for all causes (Obs 191, SMR 96, 95% CI 83 to 111), all neoplasms (Obs 63, SMR 104, 95% CI 80 to 133), non-malignant diseases of the respiratory system (Obs 18, SMR 97, 95% CI 57 to 153), and diseases of the circulatory system (Obs 85, SMR 94, 95% CI 75 to 116). There were no significantly increased SMRs for any site of cancer. There was a non-significant excess for lung cancer (Obs 28, Exp 20.17, SMR 139, 95% CI 92 to 201), and in subgroup analyses a significantly increased SMR of 231 (Obs 9) was found for those 142 workers with at least five years’ employment in the feed handling and nickel extraction departments. In the total cohort there was a single death from nasal cancer (Exp 0.10). Conclusions: The non-significant excess of lung cancer deaths may well be a chance finding, but in light of previous studies some role for nickel exposures cannot be excluded.
Microbial Transformations of Plant Origin Compounds as a Step in Preparation of Highly Valuable Pharmaceuticals

The aim of the paper is to present microbial transformation reactions as a step in the preparation of drugs or their key intermediates from plant derived compounds. Described are some successful applications of microbial transformation processes for preparation of steroid drugs and/or their important intermediates as well as some microbial transformations of terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids and poly(phenols) affording derivatives with improved biological activities.
Migration of distinct subsets of CD8+ blood T cells through endothelial cell monolayers in vitro

The immune response in many infections and to allografts is dependent on CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Influx of CD8+ CTL from the blood has been documented during antigen challenge. We have previously found that a subset of CD8+ T cells from normal blood can migrate through endothelial cell monolayers in vitro. To further characterize migration‐prone CD8+ T cells from normal blood, we examined the expression of CD28 and a restricted epitope of CD18/CD11a (S6F1), a CTL marker. Although normal blood CD8bright+ T cells were heterogeneous in their expression of CD28, three populations could be identified (CD28low, CD28moderate, and CD28high). CD8+ cells migrating across endothelial cell monolayers were enriched for CD8bright+ CD28high cells and a subset of CD8dim+ cells, which were CD28high. Both adherent and migrating CD8+ cells were exclusively (>95%) S6F1high. There was also preferential adhesion and migration of CD8+ cells expressing the low‐molecular‐weight form of the leukocyte common antigen, CD45RO. Cytokine activation of the endothelium did not significantly alter preferential migration of these subsets. These data suggest that certain subsets of CD8+ memory T cells in normal human blood are prone to, adhere to, and migrate through allogeneic endothelial cells and would thus be likely to be recruited to sites of antigen challenge.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Inducible Protein, Herp, Is a Potential Triggering Antigen for Anti-DNA Response

Anti-dsDNA Abs are highly specific indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and play a pathogenic role in lupus nephritis. Human anti-dsDNA Abs are most likely generated by an Ag-driven mechanism. However, the Ag responsible for triggering anti-dsDNA Ab production has not been identified. To search for proteins that are cross-reactive with anti-dsDNA Abs, we screened a cDNA library from a patient with SLE with single-chain Fv of O-81 human anti-ss/dsDNA mAb by using a two-hybrid system. Homocysteine-induced ER protein (Herp), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducible ER membrane protein, was identified and shown to bind to original O-81 Ab and human lupus anti-dsDNA Abs. Some IgG purified from patients with active SLE by Herp-immobilized affinity chromatography bound to dsDNA. BALB/c mice immunized with Herp showed IgG anti-dsDNA Abs, IgG anti-nucleosome Abs, and glomerular IgG deposition. Herp reactivity was strongly positive in a proportion of PBLs from patients with active SLE, but undetectable in those from healthy controls. Moreover, activation of caspases was observed in the Herp-positive cells, implying that ER stress-induced apoptosis likely occurs in patients with active SLE. Herp is exposed on blebs of ER stress-induced apoptotic cells, suggesting that Herp can be recognized by immune cells. These results indicate that Herp mimics structural determinants of DNA immunologically and can be immunogenic in vivo. Thus, Herp represents a candidate autoantigen for anti-DNA Abs. This study may help explain how common environmental factors induce the production of anti-DNA Abs and contribute the development of SLE.
Insulin-degrading Enzyme Regulates Extracellular Levels of Amyloid β-Protein by Degradation*

Excessive cerebral accumulation of the 42-residue amyloid β-protein (Aβ) is an early and invariant step in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Many studies have examined the cellular production of Aβ from its membrane-bound precursor, including the role of the presenilin proteins therein, but almost nothing is known about how Aβ is degraded and cleared following its secretion. We previously screened neuronal and nonneuronal cell lines for the production of proteases capable of degrading naturally secreted Aβ under biologically relevant conditions and concentrations. The major such protease identified was a metalloprotease released particularly by a microglial cell line, BV-2. We have now purified and characterized the protease and find that it is indistinguishable from insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), a thiol metalloendopeptidase that degrades small peptides such as insulin, glucagon, and atrial natriuretic peptide. Degradation of both endogenous and synthetic Aβ at picomolar to nanomolar concentrations was completely inhibited by the competitive IDE substrate, insulin, and by two other IDE inhibitors. Immunodepletion of conditioned medium with an IDE antibody removed its Aβ-degrading activity. IDE was present in BV-2 cytosol, as expected, but was also released into the medium by intact, healthy cells. To confirm the extracellular occurrence of IDE in vivo, we identified intact IDE in human cerebrospinal fluid of both normal and Alzheimer subjects. In addition to its ability to degrade Aβ, IDE activity was unexpectedly found be associated with a time-dependent oligomerization of synthetic Aβ at physiological levels in the conditioned media of cultured cells; this process, which may be initiated by IDE-generated proteolytic fragments of Aβ, was prevented by three different IDE inhibitors. We conclude that a principal protease capable of down-regulating the levels of secreted Aβ extracellularly is IDE.
Online Kernel Learning for interactive retrieval in dynamic image databases

In this paper, we propose a system for interactive image retrieval in dynamic databases, where images are regularly added or removed. In order to handle this, we propose a method that tunes itself according to user labels. The framework we propose is based on visual dictionaries, with the specificity that the dictionaries are built online, during retrieval sessions. In other words, each user has its own visual dictionary, as opposed to usual approaches where all users share the same visual dictionary. In order to create theses dictionaries, we propose a method based on kernel functions. This method iteratively selects base kernels from a large base kernel pool, where each base kernel is related to a low-level descriptor such as color or texture. This learning process is performed in real time, and the classification of the database is faster than usual techniques since only relevant features for the current query are used. Experiments are carried out on a generalist database, and show the ability of the method to build effective kernels with few labels.
Automatic Resonant Frequency Tracking in Parallel LLC Boost DC–DC Converter

This paper proposes an automatic resonant frequency tracking scheme for resonant converters. A plant modeling approach is presented based on realistic ramp variation of resonant frequency due to slowly varying environmental conditions. The drift in resonant frequency is detected by observing the phase relationship of an electrical variable pair. A rigorous analysis is carried out to select the most suitable variable pair for phase comparison. The effects of circuit nonidealities on the proposed phase detection technique have been detailed. The proposed control technique has been implemented using low cost analog circuitry and is applied to a parallel LLC tank-based resonant boost dc-dc converter. Experimental results are presented on a 160-W prototype to validate the analytical predictions.
From measurement data to environmental information : MARQUIS - A Multimodal AiR QUality Information Service for the general public

This article introduces the Multimodal AiR QUality Information Service for General Public MARQUIS. The service, which is based on air quality measurements, is able to provide information on air quality in Europe in a way that is easily understandable for the general public. The goal of the project is presented below with a special focus on the role of the users. Furthermore the architecture of the system and the components are described.
Phosphorylation of Transcription Factor CREB in Rat Spinal Cord after Formalin-Induced Hyperalgesia: Relationship toc-fos Induction

The involvement of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) signaling in tissue injury-induced inflammation and hyperalgesia has been characterized by measuring phosphorylation of CREB at serine-133 (CREB Ser133) using a specific antibody. In the unstimulated state, unphosphorylated CREB was observed in most nuclei of spinal neurons except for motor neurons, where only a small portion of neurons were stained. A few dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were also CREB-positive. After a unilateral injection of formalin into the hindpaw, a strong and bilateral phosphorylation of CREB Ser133 was induced, as assessed by both immunohistochemistry and Western blot. PhosphoCREB (pCREB)-positive neurons were found in laminae I, II, V, and X of spinal cord on both sides. CREB phosphorylation was very rapid and reached peak levels within 10 min of formalin treatment, whereas few pCREB-positive neurons were seen in unstimulated spinal cord. The induction of pCREB was predominantly postsynaptic, because only 5% of DRG neurons were labeled after inflammation. In contrast to CREB phosphorylation, the induction of c-Fos expression reached peak levels 2 hr after formalin treatment and c-Fos induction was mainly ipsilateral. Both formalin-evoked CREB phosphorylation and c-Fos expression in the spinal cord were suppressed by pretreatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (3.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or halothane anesthesia. These results suggest that CREB signaling may play a role in the long-term facilitation of spinal cord neurons after hyperalgesia. Furthermore, our results indicate that CREB phosphorylation may be necessary but not sufficient for c-fos induction.