Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Composite Characterization of Engineering Ceramics Ground Surface

Traditional methods of roughness characterization cannot properly reflect the characteristics of engineering ceramics surface topography. Therefore, the composite characterization using combined fractal method and wavelet method is introduced in this paper. And they are used to describe the global and local characteristics of engineering ceramics ground surface, respectively. Furthermore, a concept called topography damage ratio is proposed to describe characteristic of the deep wave trough. Finally, 3-D measurement is used to verify this method.
XML data exchange: Consistency and query answering

Data exchange is the problem of finding an instance of a target schema, given an instance of a source schema and a specification of the relationship between the source and the target. Theoretical foundations of data exchange have recently been investigated for relational data. In this article, we start looking into the basic properties of XML data exchange, that is, restructuring of XML documents that conform to a source DTD under a target DTD, and answering queries written over the target schema. We define XML data exchange settings in which source-to-target dependencies refer to the hierarchical structure of the data. Combining DTDs and dependencies makes some XML data exchange settings inconsistent. We investigate the consistency problem and determine its exact complexity. We then move to query answering, and prove a dichotomy theorem that classifies data exchange settings into those over which query answering is tractable, and those over which it is coNP-complete, depending on classes of regular expressions used in DTDs. Furthermore, for all tractable cases we give polynomial-time algorithms that compute target XML documents over which queries can be answered.
Are the Results of the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and Its Subtests Related to Achievement Test Scores?

Purpose. Although visual analysis, motor coordination, and visual-motor integration can each affect performance on a test of visual motor integration, previous studies have not reported the relative importance of these components to the relation between visual motor integration and learning readiness, reading, and math. This investigation relates academic achievement in reading and math to performance on the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and its subtests, Visual Perception and Motor Coordination. Methods. The VMI was administered to 155 children in second through fourth grades (7 to 10 years of age; mean, 8.4 ± 1.0 years). The Otis-Lennon School Ability Test and Stanford Achievement Test were administered by the school. Results. A significant difference was found in performance on the VMI and Visual Perception and Motor Coordination subtests between children in the upper and lower quartiles in reading (p = 0.020, p < 0.001, and p = 0.027, respectively) and math achievement (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01, respectively). The VMI standard score was significantly correlated with Stanford total math standard score (p = 0.001) and a trend toward significance was found for Stanford reading score (p = 0.050) while partially controlling for verbal school ability and age. In addition, Visual Perception and Motor Coordination standard scores were significantly related to Stanford math (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively) and reading score (p = 0.008 and p = 0.027, respectively) after partially controlling for verbal school ability and age. Multiple linear regressions controlling for performance on the VMI and each subtest, as well as age and verbal cognitive ability, showed a significant relation between the Visual Perception subtest score and math achievement. Conclusion. Visual perceptual ability should be assessed in children with poor math and/or reading achievement.
HBT vs . PHEMT vs . MESFET : What ' s best and why

The properties of HBTs, HEMTs, PHEMTs and MESFETs are reviewed and discussed in the context of their suitability for various applications. Noise, power and high frequency performance is reviewed and the physical mechanisms dictating their values are discussed. The reliability characteristics of the devices are discussed and system applications are reported.
The strengthening of reinforced concrete members using externally bonded composite materials.

The use of externally bonded steel plates for the strengthening of reinforced concrete members has been demonstrated in practice to be a simple and effective method of structural rehabilitation. However, the problems of steel corrosion, the weight of the plates and the need to join limited plate lengths, have provided the impetus for increasingly active research into the use of fibre reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite materials to replace steel plates. This Thesis presents a detailed investigation into the strengthening of reinforced concrete beams by the epoxy-bonding of carbon fibre 'reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plates to the soff its of the beams. Mter a parametric study using 1.0m length beams, the research is extended to the testing of 2.3m and 4.5m long specimens. The influence of anchorage at the plate ends is demonstrated to be greatest under low shear span/beam depth ratios, preventing or delaying the premature beam failure which is characterised by separation of the plate from the beam. The Study includes the use of prestressed plates, revealing the improvement in composite action between the beam and the plate under low shear span/depth ratios. Improvements in the serviceability load can be expected due to prestressing, but the ultimate load magnitude will depend on the mode of beam failure, which is related to the shear span/depth ratio, and the initial plate prestress level. The long term effects of environmental durability are investigated experimentally, revealing that a deterioration of adhesive mechanical properties is not necessarily translated into reduced structural performance of the plated member. The experimental study of the responses to cyclic loading reveals that the concrete cracking effects, which give rise to plated beam failures under static loading, can be expected to occur under a lower maximum load if this is applied cyclically. However, at the serviceability load level, fatigue loading is not expected to cause failure and the maximum stress concentrations in the intemal reinforcement at the locations of concrete cracks, are reduced due to plating. The experimental flexural responses of plated beams to applied load are modelled using a simple analytical approach which is applied to beams with non-prestressed and prestressed plates. The poor representation of concrete flexural cracking, using the ABAQUS finite element program, prevented satisfactory correlation of experimental and numerical results. Various previously proposed analytical methods of representing the separation of steel plates from the beam are tested, but are found to be inappropriate for composite plated members.
Construction of global finite state machine for testing task interactions written in message sequence charts

Integration testing of embedded software is difficult because such software tends to be large and complex; it is often structured as a set of tasks whose interaction patterns can be arbitrary and nondeterministic; it is subject to frequent changes while being tested; and testing period must be minimized since the product's life-time is short. In order to conduct integration testing in a cost-effective manner, it is essential that requirements are captured in precise notation and that test cases are automatically generated and executed whenever possible.In this paper, we demonstrate how to generate test cases from a set of Message Sequence Charts (MSCs) by constructing a semantically equivalent global finite state machine (GFSM). Test cases are expressed as a sequence of messages to be exchanged among various system entities. When transforming complex and hierarchical MSCs to a GFSM, state explosion problem is often encountered. When constructing a GFSM, we achieved significant reduction in the number of states and transitions by generating only the feasible sequences. Such reduction was possible because embedded software we used as the case study, digital TV application software, had known and well-defined initial state.We developed a graphical toolset to edit MSCs and automatically generate test cases. Users describe the required functionalities in scenarios, and test cases are automatically generated from the GFSM according to the state and transition coverage criteria. We applied the proposed approach to specify and test a substantial portion of embedded software running on a digital TV and were able to detect an error, previously unknown to the developers, that occurred due to a subtle race condition among tasks.
Flavonoids from Apis mellifera Beeswax

The flavonoids present in beeswax produced in “La Alcarria” region were analyzed by HPLC. Pinocembrin, pinobanksin, pinobanksin 3-acetate, chrysin, galangin and techtochrysin were detected as the main flavonoid constituents. This is the first detailed report on the flavonoids of beeswax. These substances are already present when wax scales are secreted by bees. The same flavonoid compounds were generally present in honey, propolis and Populus nigra bud exudates collected in the same geographical region. These results indicate that beeswax flavonoids originate from those of honey and/or propolis, and suggest that analysis of beeswax flavonoids could be used as an adjunct in the detection of beeswax adulterations.
Image filter evolution on the Xilinx Zynq Platform

The limitations of reconfigurable chips have always raised barriers for evolvable hardware. Zynq-7000 all programmable system-on-chip, the recent innovation in the reconfigurable field offers new possibilities for bypassing once again these barriers. In this paper, evolvable hardware implementations are considered on this new Zynq platform. The possibilities of the platform are demonstrated by evolutionary design of switching image filters. The investigated implementations include virtual reconfigurable circuits and the use of dynamic partial reconfiguration. The achieved results demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of the Zynq platform. The observations are intended to be useful for designers who are going to develop evolvable hardware on this new platform.
Towards Aspect Oriented Web Service Composition with UML

The greater value is derived from assembling web services into more powerful composite web services than in accessing a single web service. Now some specifications related to composition have been proposed, such as BPEL. However, current composite specifications suffer some weaknesses: (1) The current composite specifications cannot support dynamic adaptation of composition; (2) The current composite specifications also cannot explicitly modularize concerns that cut across the composition boundaries; (3) The compositions described by these specifications, lacking a standardized visual representation, are not easy to be read for human engineers. Although some approaches have been proposed to address these problems, no complete solution has been found yet. This paper presents a modeling approach for aspect oriented web service composition with UML. We first use UML to model the basic Web service composition for addressing (3). Then we design the aspects for "pluggable" behaviors with UML to address the problem (1) and (2) and bind the aspects into the basic model to get the complete model.
Signatures of Infinity: Nonergodicity and Resource Scaling in Prediction, Complexity, and Learning

We introduce a simple analysis of the structural complexity of infinite-memory processes built from random samples of stationary, ergodic finite-memory component processes. Such processes are familiar from the well known multiarm Bandit problem. We contrast our analysis with computation-theoretic and statistical inference approaches to understanding their complexity. The result is an alternative view of the relationship between predictability, complexity, and learning that highlights the distinct ways in which informational and correlational divergences arise in complex ergodic and nonergodic processes. We draw out consequences for the resource divergences that delineate the structural hierarchy of ergodic processes and for processes that are themselves hierarchical.
Simulation of crosstalk between small GTPase RhoA and EGFR-ERK signaling pathway via MEKK1

MOTIVATION Small GTPase RhoA regulates cell-cycle progression via several mechanisms. Apart from its actions via ROCK, RhoA has recently been found to activate a scaffold protein MEKK1 known to promote ERK activation. We examined whether RhoA can substantially affect ERK activity via this MEKK1-mediated crosstalk between RhoA and EGFR-ERK pathway. By extending the published EGFR-ERK simulation models represented by ordinary differential equations, we developed a simulation model that includes this crosstalk, which was validated with a number of experimental findings and published simulation results. RESULTS Our simulation suggested that, via this crosstalk, RhoA elevation substantially prolonged duration of ERK activation at both normal and reduced Ras levels. Our model suggests ERK may be activated in the absence of Ras. When Ras is overexpressed, RhoA elevation significantly prolongs duration of ERK activation but reduces the amount of active ERK partly due to competitive binding between ERK and RhoA to MEKK1. Our results indicated possible roles of RhoA in affecting ERK activities via MEKK1-mediated crosstalk, which seems to be supported by indications from several experimental studies that may also implicate the collective regulation of cell fate and progression of cancer and other diseases.
Fast Planning with Iterative Macros

Research on macro-operators has a long history in planning and other search applications. There has been a revival of interest in this topic, leading to systems that successfully combine macrooperators with current state-of-the-art planning approaches based on heuristic search. However, research is still necessary to make macros become a standard, widely-used enhancement of search algorithms. This article introduces sequences of macro-actions, called iterative macros. Iterative macros exhibit both the potential advantages (e.g., travel fast towards goal) and the potential limitations (e.g., utility problem) of classical macros, only on a much larger scale. A family of techniques are introduced to balance this trade-off in favor of faster planning. Experiments on a collection of planning benchmarks show that, when compared to low-level search and even to search with classical macro-operators, iterative macros can achieve an impressive speed-up in search.
Evolving an optimal de/convolution function for the neural net modules of ATR's artificial brain project

This paper reports on efforts to evolve an optimum de/convolution function to be used to convert analog to binary signals (spike trains) and vice versa for the binary input/output signals of the neural net circuit modules evolved at electronic speeds by the so-called "CAM-brain machine" (CBM) of ATR's artificial brain project. The CBM is an FPGA based hardware which is used to evolve tens of thousands of cellular automata based neural network circuits or modules at electronic speeds in about a second each, which are then downloaded into artificial brains in a large RAM space. Since state-of-the-art programmable FPGAs constrained us to use 1 bit binary signaling in our neural model, an efficient de/convolution technique is needed to convert digital signals to analog and vice versa. By applying a genetic algorithm to the evolution of the de/convolution function we were able to improve the accurate. Accuracy is important so as to reduce cumulative errors when the output of one neural net module becomes the input of another in long sequential.
Novel algorithm for speech segregation by optimized k-means of statistical properties of clustered features

To simplify the jobs of speaker diarization and speech separation, at first, speech signal should be segregated to two speech formats, dialog and mixture. This paper describes a new algorithm which achieves that first step efficiently. The algorithm is based on Perceptual Linear Predictive feature extraction, optimized k-means and both top-down & bottom-up scenarios. After extracting features of the observation signal, k-means clusters the statistical properties such as variances of the PDF (histogram) of clustered extracted features. k-means is optimized by discounting the worst pattern of clustering step through doing the k-means procedure twice. The feedback loop is necessary for the guiding of the optimized k-means by exploiting the attributes of ordinary k-means. The results of segregation are excellent. The calculated diarization error rate of outputs is very limited.
Harmonium Raga Recognition

 Abstract—This paper proposes a novel method for the identification of swaras and ragas in an Indian classical harmonium recital. Swaras are musical notes which are produced by pressing any key of the harmonium (an instrument analogous to the piano). Ragas are melodic combinations of swaras which capture the mood and emotions of the performance. We first deal with the segmentation of the audio signal by using two different methods for onset detection viz. use of spectral flux and by fundamental frequency estimation. Swara identification is proposed by using the pitch frequency of the swaras as a distinguishing feature. For this the frequencies associated with each swara are first identified and the exact mapping of the frequencies in the given signal is done by using devised database. In case of raga identification, an extensive database of commonly used swara permutations is structured and dynamic programming is used for template matching and hence raga recognition.
Mechanisms of age‐related macular degeneration and therapeutic opportunities

As the age of the population increases in many nations, age‐related degenerative diseases pose significant socioeconomic challenges. One of the key degenerative diseases that compromise quality of life is age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a multi‐faceted condition that affects the central retina, which ultimately leads to blindness in millions of people worldwide. The pathophysiology and risk factors for AMD are complex, and the symptoms manifest in multiple related but distinct forms. The ability to develop effective treatments for AMD will depend on a thorough understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, risk factors, and driver molecular pathways, as well as the ability to develop useful animal models. This review provides an overview of the aforementioned aspects in AMD. Copyright © 2013 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Mediterranean Diet in Diabetes Control and Cardiovascular Risk Modification: A Systematic Review

Background Over the past few years, there has been a worldwide significant increase in the incidence of type II diabetes mellitus with both increase in morbidity and mortality. Controlling diabetes through life style modifications, including diet and exercise has always been the cornerstone in diabetes management. Increasing evidence suggests that the Mediterranean diet could be of benefit in diseases associated with chronic inflammation, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity as well as atherosclerosis, cancer, pulmonary diseases, and cognition disorders As a matter of fact, a number of studies addressed the relationship between Mediterranean diet and diabetes control. The result of these studies was conflicting. Some were able to elicit a protective role, while others showed no added benefit. As a result; we decided to conduct a systematic review to have a better understanding of the relationship between adherence to Mediterranean diet and diabetes control. Methods A systematic review was conducted on the effect of Mediterranean diet in diabetes control and cardiovascular risk modification as well as the possible mechanism through which this diet might exhibit its beneficial role. We did a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases such as Medline, Google Scholars, PubMed, and the Cochrane central register data until May 2014. We included cross-sectional, prospective, and controlled clinical trials that looked at the associations between Mediterranean diet and indices of diabetes control such HbA1c, fasting glucose, and homeostasis model assessment, in addition to cardiovascular and peripheral vascular outcomes. Outcome/conclusion Most of the studies showed favorable effects of Mediterranean diet on glycemic control and CVD, although a certain degree of controversy remains regarding some issues, such as obesity. Important methodological differences and limitations in the studies make it difficult to compare results, thus further longer term studies are needed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the Mediterranean diet along with the possibility of explaining its mechanism.
Profiling protein function with small molecule microarrays

The regulation of protein function through posttranslational modification, local environment, and protein–protein interaction is critical to cellular function. The ability to analyze on a genome-wide scale protein functional activity rather than changes in protein abundance or structure would provide important new insights into complex biological processes. Herein, we report the application of a spatially addressable small molecule microarray to an activity-based profile of proteases in crude cell lysates. The potential of this small molecule-based profiling technology is demonstrated by the detection of caspase activation upon induction of apoptosis, characterization of the activated caspase, and inhibition of the caspase-executed apoptotic phenotype using the small molecule inhibitor identified in the microarray-based profile.
Introducing Parallelism by Using REPARA C++11 Attributes

Patterns provide a mechanism to express parallelism at a high level of abstraction and to make easier the transformation of existing legacy applications to target parallel frameworks. That also opens a path for writing new parallel applications. In this paper we introduce the REPARA approach for expressing parallel patterns and transforming the source code to parallelism frameworks. We take advantage of C++11 attributes as a mechanism to introduce annotations and enrich semantic information on valid source code. We also present a methodology for performing transformation of source code that allows to target multiple parallel programming models. Another contribution is a rule based mechanism to transform annotated code to those specific programming models. The REPARA approach requires programmer intervention only to perform initial code annotation while providing speedups that are comparable to those obtained by manual parallelization.
Multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of clonal lineages of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae serovar 1a strains currently circulating in Japan

The species Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae displays genetic heterogeneity; however, E. rhusiopathiae serovar 1a strains currently circulating in Japan exhibit remarkably low levels of genetic diversity and group into clonal sublineages of Lineage IVb (IVb-1 and IVb-2). In the present study, based on whole genome sequencing data, we designed primers for a multiplex PCR assay to simultaneously detect and differentiate the sublineages of E. rhusiopathiae strains. Among the one hundred and twenty-seven isolates of various serovar strains, including isolates from a wide range of hosts and geographic origins, the PCR assay could successfully detect and differentiate the serovar 1a strains belonging to the sublineages.