Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preparation and Characterization of Kenaf Papers Reinforced with Tapioca Starch: Physicomechanical and Morphological Properties

ABSTRACT The present study reports the preparation and characterization of kenaf papers that reinforced with tapioca starch by using the ammonium zirconium (IV) carbonate as coupling agent. The examination shows the tearing resistance, tensile strength, and Young’s modulus of the kenaf papers are enhanced with the addition of starch and coupling agent, up to 3% and 1%, respectively. Under the optimum formulation, the degree of coupling reaction is 87%. The Fourier transform infrared and morphological analyses confirm the performance enhancement of kenaf papers is achieved via the formation of chemical bonding between the kenaf fiber and tapioca starch.
Determination of masking-level differences in a reverberant environment.

A masking‐level difference paradigm was used to measure release from masking in a reverberant environment. Microphones were placed in the ears of a mannequin which was situated in a reverberant chamber. A single white‐noise source was fed into loudspeaker also situated in the chamber with the loudspeaker facing one corner of the chamber to minimize the direct sound reaching the mannequin. The output of each microphone served as the masker, while the signal (250‐Hz pulsed tone or speech) was electrically inserted at the subject's earphones. For the diotic case, the output of one of the microphones was fed to both ears of the subject. For both signals, the MLD was found to be approximately 3 dB. Results will be discussed in terms of a decorrelating effect produced by longterm reverberation.
Content-adaptive encoder optimization of the H.264/AVC deblocking filter for visual quality improvement

This paper presents a new self-adapting and content-sensitive optimization technique for the H.264/AVC in-loop deblocking filter [1], focussing on the visual enhancement of the perceived reconstruction quality. Performed frame-wisely at the encoder side, the proposed algorithm first identifies visually important image regions in the currently decoded and blocky frame, including natural and artificial edge areas, and then optimizes the filter inherent threshold decisions, finding the best trade-off between preserving natural and suppressing artificial edges. As fast optimization criterion, the low complex Edge-PSNR [2] is employed, which has proved a very good congruence to the human visual quality sensation, much better than standard PSNR. In this work, the optimization behavior of all thresholds is analyzed, showing their mostly good-natured curve shape for convex optimization, but high content dependency of the optimal values. The in-loop coding results for AVC evidence the approach's high capability for visual improvement, whose general design is easily portable to other AVC deblocking based architectures like HEVC.
RMM: a methodology for structured hypermedia design

Hypermedia application design di ers from other software design in that it involves navigation as well as user-interface and information processing issues. We present the Relationship Management Data model (RMDM) and the Relationship Management (RMM) methodology for the design and development of hypermedia applications. The seven steps of the methodology lend themselves to computer support, paving the way for a computerized environment to support the design and development of hypermedia applications. This article focuses on design activities, which are addressed within the rst three steps of the methodology.
Adaptive encoding of zoomable video streams based on user access pattern

Zoomable video allows users to selectively zoom and pan into regions of interest within the video for viewing at higher resolutions. Such interaction requires dynamic cropping of RoIs on the source video. In this paper, we consider how the bandwidth needed to transmit the RoIs can be reduced by carefully encoding the source video. The key idea is to exploit user access patterns to the RoIs, and encode different regions of the video with different encoding parameters based on the popularity of the region. We show that our encoding method can reduce the expected bandwidth by upto 27%.
Nonlinear anisotropic electrical response of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites

Composites materials are often subjected to multi-physics conditions in different applications where, in addition to mechanical loads, they also need to sustain other types of loads such as electrical currents. Composite materials have heterogeneous electrical properties at the local level that can be different at the global level. In this study, electrical response was measured to explore how different lamina orientation and electrical current density affect anisotropic electrical properties of composite. For in-plane study, current was applied up to 80 kA/m2 for both unidirectional and quasi-isotropic composite. In thickness direction, maximum current density was 6 kA/m2. As expected, electrical properties are indeed dependent on fiber architecture which acts as conduction path in the laminate, and also depends on progressive increase in current density. Anisotropic electrical behavior was measured experimentally and the threshold of nonlinear behavior due to high current was identified. Threshold current density for unidirectional composite in fiber direction and for quasi isotropic are, respectively, 48.14 ± 4.3% kA/m2, 56.06 ± 4.4% kA/m2. For off-axis fiber laminates, this threshold limit shifts from 34.36 ± 5.9% kA/m2 to a lower value of 17.95 ± 7.9% kA/m2 as the fibers are oriented away from the x axis. In thickness direction, this threshold limit is in between 2.56 and 3.80 kA/m2. The electrical-thermal responses were also studied experimentally with thermography tests and the results were compared to indicate damage. A 3D X-ray microscope has been used to visualize and quantify (down to 1 micron) such local material state changes due to electrical current.
Dentate Gyrus Neurogenesis after Cerebral Ischemia and Behavioral Training

Neurogenesis in the mammalian brain continues throughout adulthood. Several factors have been shown to influence neurogenesis, including experience in a complex environment (EC), exercise (EX), and ischemic insult. The authors investigated the effects of behavioral rehabilitation training following transient global cerebral ischemia on the number of new cells in the dentate gyrus that incorporated bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analog that labels cells undergoing DNA replication. Seventy-two animals were included in the study, and 4-vessel occlusion was used to induce cerebral ischemia while control animals were subjected to anesthesia and sham surgery alone. Within 3 days of surgery, rats were randomly assigned to either EC, EX, or control (paired housing in standard laboratory conditions) groups. All animals were sacrificed 2 weeks after behavioral training. Immunohistochemistry results showed an increased number of BrdU-labeled cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in all ischemic groups and in the EC and EX sham groups, although no significant group differences were seen. Examination of cell phenotype showed that almost all BrdU-positive cells colabeled with TuJ1, an immature neuron marker, in all animals whereas only a few BrdU-positive cells colabeled with NeuN, a mature neuron marker. BrdU/NeuN-labeled cells were seen only in the sham and ischemia EC groups. No new cells showed glial fibrillary acidic protein, astrocyte marker, colabeling. These results suggest that the adult brain has an inherent regenerative capacity after insult and that behavioral training following injury does not have an additive effect on neurogenesis. Finally, the enhanced maturation of BrdU-positive cells seen in the EC rats is probably modulated by environmental cues.
Mutation of the LXCXE Binding Cleft of pRb Facilitates Transformation by ras In Vitro but Does Not Promote Tumorigenesis In Vivo

Background The Retinoblastoma protein (pRB) is a key tumor suppressor that is functionally inactivated in most cancers. pRB regulates the cell division cycle and cell cycle exit through protein–protein interactions mediated by its multiple binding interfaces. The LXCXE binding cleft region of pRB mediates interactions with cellular proteins that have chromatin regulatory functions. Chromatin regulation mediated by pRB is required for a stress responsive cell cycle arrest, including oncogene induced senescence. The in vivo role of chromatin regulation by pRB during senescence, and its relevance to cancer is not clear. Methodology/Principal Findings Using gene-targeted mice, uniquely defective for pRB mediated chromatin regulation, we investigated its role during transformation and tumor progression in response to activation of oncogenic ras. We report that the pRB∆L mutation confers susceptibility to escape from HrasV12 induced senescence and allows transformation in vitro, although these cells possess high levels of DNA damage. Intriguingly, LSL-Kras, Rb1 ∆L/∆L mice show delayed lung tumor formation compared to controls. This is likely due to the increased apoptosis seen in the early hyperplastic lesions shortly following ras activation that inhibits tumor progression. Furthermore, DMBA treatment to induce sporadic ras mutations in other tissues also failed to reveal greater susceptibility to cancer in Rb1 ∆L/∆L mice. Conclusions/Significance Our data suggests that chromatin regulation by pRB can function to limit proliferation, but its loss fails to contribute to cancer susceptibility in ras driven tumor models because of elevated levels of DNA damage and apoptosis.
CHARACTERIZATION OF AN HFR STRAIN OF SHIGELLA FLEXNERI

Schneider, Herman (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.), and Stanley Falkow. Characterization of an Hfr strain of Shigella flexneri. J. Bacteriol. 88:682–689. 1964. —A Hfr Shigella flexneri, strain 69, was obtained by terminal marker selection in a cross between Hfr Escherichia coli and S. flexneri. The chromosome of this Hfr Shigella bears gross homology to the E. coli chromosome: it can conjugate with both Shigella and E. coli; its order of gene transmission is the same as E. coli; and interrupted matings show that distance between gene loci is the same as for E. coli. The kinetics of transfer of the pro+, thr+ + leu+, and arg+ loci by Hfr S. flexneri differ from Hfr E. coli, and may indicate that function of the sex factor, F, derived from E. coli, is modified when integrated into the Shigella chromosome.
Newtron: an Efficient Bandit algorithm for Online Multiclass Prediction

We present an efficient algorithm for the problem of online multiclass prediction with bandit feedback in the fully adversarial setting. We measure its regret with respect to the log-loss defined in [AR09], which is parameterized by a scalar a. We prove that the regret of NEWTRON is O(log T) when α is a constant that does not vary with horizon T, and at most O(T2/3) if α is allowed to increase to infinity with T. For α = O(log T), the regret is bounded by O(√T), thus solving the open problem of [KSST08, AR09]. Our algorithm is based on a novel application of the online Newton method [HAK07]. We test our algorithm and show it to perform well in experiments, even when α is a small constant.
Endotracheal suctioning with or without instillation of isotonic sodium chloride solution in critically ill children.

BACKGROUND Instillation of isotonic sodium chloride solution for endotracheal tube suctioning is controversial. Research has focused on the effect of such instillation in adults; no studies in children have been published. OBJECTIVES (1) To describe differences in oxygen saturation depending on whether or not isotonic sodium chloride solution is instilled during suctioning and (2) to describe the rates of occlusion of endotracheal tubes and nosocomial pneumonia. METHODS A convenience sample of 24 critically ill patients were enrolled before having suctioning and after informed consent had been given. Ages ranged from 10 weeks to 14 years. Patients were randomized to 1 of 2 groups. In group 1, subjects received between 0.5 and 2.0 mL of isotonic sodium chloride solution, depending on their age, once per suctioning episode. In group 2, subjects received no such solution. A total of 104 suctioning episodes were analyzed. Oxygen saturation was recorded at predetermined intervals before and for 10 minutes after suctioning. Occlusion of endotracheal tubes and rates of nosocomial pneumonia also were compared. RESULTS Patients who had isotonic sodium chloride solution instilled experienced significantly greater oxygen desaturation 1 and 2 minutes after suctioning than did patients who did not. No occlusions of endotracheal tubes and no cases of nosocomial pneumonia occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study support a growing body of evidence that instillation of isotonic sodium chloride solution during endotracheal tube suctioning may not be beneficial and actually may be harmful.
Use of In Vivo and In Vitro Systems to Select Leishmania amazonensis Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein

Various Leishmania species were engineered with green fluorescent protein (GFP) using episomal vectors that encoded an antibiotic resistance gene, such as aminoglycoside geneticin sulphate (G418). Most reports of GFP-Leishmania have used the flagellated extracellular promastigote, the stage of parasite detected in the midgut of the sandfly vector; fewer studies have been performed with amastigotes, the stage of parasite detected in mammals. In this study, comparisons were made regarding the efficiency for in vitro G418 selection of GFP-Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and amastigotes and the use of in vivo G418 selection. The GFP-promastigotes retained episomal plasmid for a prolonged period and G418 treatment was necessary and efficient for in vitro selection. In contrast, GFP-amastigotes showed low retention of the episomal plasmid in the absence of G418 selection and low sensitivity to antibiotics in vitro. The use of protocols for G418 selection using infected BALB/c mice also indicated low sensitivity to antibiotics against amastigotes in cutaneous lesions.
Tractable multiagent planning for epistemic goals

An epistemic goal is a goal about the knowledge possessed by an agent or group of agents. In this paper, we address the problem of how plans might be developed for a group of agents to cooperate to bring about such a goal. We present a novel approach to this problem, in which the problem is formulated as one of model checking in Alternating Temporal Epistemic Logic (ATEL). After introducing this logic, we present a model checking algorithm for it, and show that the model checking problem for this logic is tractable. We then show how multiagent planning can be treated as a model checking problem in ATEL, and discuss the related issue of checking knowledge preconditions for multiagent plans. We illustrate the approach with an example. We then describe how this example was implemented using the MOCHA model checking system, and conclude by discussing the relationship of our work with that of others in the planning and speech acts communities.
Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma with Carboplatin, Liposomized Doxorubicin, and Gemcitabine: A Phase II Study

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma has a poor prognosis and there is limited effect of treatment. The Nordic Mesothelioma groups decided in the year 2000 to investigate a combination of liposomized doxorubicin, carboplatin, and gemcitabine for this disease in a phase II study. Methods: From January 2001, to December 2003, 173 evaluable patients with biopsy-verified malignant mesothelioma were included. Two patients were lost to follow-up, but all the others were followed for at least 4 years or until death. Results: Toxicity was fairly low. There were 56 responses (32.4%), of which 2 were complete; the median time to progression was 8.6 months, and the median overall survival was 13 months. Some patients had their responses 4 to 6 months after last treatment. For 116 patients with epitheloid subtype, median survival was 17 months. A subgroup of these patients with good performance status, early stage, and age 70 years or less, showed a median survival of 22 months. Conclusion: The treatment yields good results with a high number of responses and long survival, and a low toxicity. The long survival of the epitheloid subgroup with good prognostic factors is as good as or even better than some studies on “radical” surgery or multimodal treatment, underlining the need of randomized studies to evaluate such treatment options.
The Application of Spiking Neural Networks in Autonomous Robot Control

Artificial neural networks have a wide range of applications nowadays in which they are used for intelligent information processing. This paper deals with an application of spiking neural networks in autonomous mobile robot control. The topology of the implemented spiking neural networks was developed through a modified genetic algorithm and through the process of autonomous interaction with the scene environment. Since the genetic algorithm did not use a crossover operator we adapted the mutation operator adding a constraint that prevented creation of a new generation of population with weak individuals in comparison with the previous generation of population. The paper proposes a parallel combination of both left and right local spiking neural network as well as a practical implementation of this proposition in the form of an intelligent navigation system in an autonomous mobile robot. This design enhances the implemented navigation system with a new cognitive property of intelligent information processing using a spiking neural network. Having been adapted to the scene environment, the navigation system was able to make right decisions, change its direction and refrain from collision with the scene walls.
A Fault Tolerance Improved Majority Voter for TMR System Architectures

For digital system designs, triple modular redundancy (TMR), which is a 3-tuple version of N-modular redundancy is widely preferred for many mission-control and safety-critical applications. The TMR scheme involves two-times duplication of the simplex system hardware, with a majority voter ensuring correctness provided at least two out of three copies of the system remain operational. Thus the majority voter plays a pivotal role in ensuring the correct operation of the system. The fundamental assumption implicit in the TMR scheme is that the majority voter does not become faulty, which may not hold well for implementations based on latest technology nodes with dimensions of the order of just tens of nanometers. To overcome the drawbacks of the classical majority voter some new voter designs were put forward in the literature with the aim of enhancing the fault tolerance. However, these voter designs generally ensure the correct system operation in the presence of either a faulty function module or the faulty voter, considered only in isolation. Since multiple faults may no longer be excluded in the nanoelectronics regime, simultaneous fault occurrences on both the function module and the voter should be considered, and the fault tolerance of the voters have to be analyzed under such a scenario. In this context, this article proposes a new fault-tolerant majority voter which is found to be more robust to faults than the existing voters in the presence of faults occurring internally and/or externally to the voter. Moreover, the proposed voter features less power dissipation, delay, and area metrics based on the simulation results obtained by using a 32/28nm CMOS process.
Pre-Treatment with Allopurinol or Uricase Attenuates Barrier Dysfunction but Not Inflammation during Murine Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

Introduction Uric acid released from injured tissue is considered a major endogenous danger signal and local instillation of uric acid crystals induces acute lung inflammation via activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome and increased uric acid levels in lung lavage fluid are reported. We studied levels in human lung injury and the contribution of uric acid in experimental VILI. Methods Uric acid levels in lung lavage fluid of patients with acute lung injury (ALI) were determined. In a different cohort of cardiac surgery patients, uric acid levels were correlated with pulmonary leakage index. In a mouse model of VILI the effect of allopurinol (inhibits uric acid synthesis) and uricase (degrades uric acid) pre-treatment on neutrophil influx, up-regulation of adhesion molecules, pulmonary and systemic cytokine levels, lung pathology, and regulation of receptors involved in the recognition of uric acid was studied. In addition, total protein and immunoglobulin M in lung lavage fluid and pulmonary wet/dry ratios were measured as markers of alveolar barrier dysfunction. Results Uric acid levels increased in ALI patients. In cardiac surgery patients, elevated levels correlated significantly with the pulmonary leakage index. Allopurinol or uricase treatment did not reduce ventilator-induced inflammation, IκB-α degradation, or up-regulation of NLRP3, Toll-like receptor 2, and Toll-like receptor 4 gene expression in mice. Alveolar barrier dysfunction was attenuated which was most pronounced in mice pre-treated with allopurinol: both treatment strategies reduced wet/dry ratio, allopurinol also lowered total protein and immunoglobulin M levels. Conclusions Local uric acid levels increase in patients with ALI. In mice, allopurinol and uricase attenuate ventilator-induced alveolar barrier dysfunction.
Intraocular pressure decrease with preservative-free fixed and unfixed combination of tafluprost and timolol in pseudoexfoliative glaucoma

Abstract We investigated the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering efficacy of preservative-free fixed and non-fixed combination of tafluprost 0.0015% and timolol 0.5% in pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (XFG). A per protocol worse eye analysis was made on all XFG patients who participated in a recent 6 month, prospective, randomized, double-masked, parallel group, multicenter phase III study. The mean time-wise IOP decreased by 8.62 to 10.25 mmHg (31.8 to 36.7%) in the fixed dose combination arm (15 patients) and by 5.38 to 11.35 mmHg (21.3 to 41.2%) in the non-fixed combination arm (13 patients), respectively (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The results show that a preservative-free fixed dose combination of tafluprost and timolol provides a clinically significant IOP reduction in XFG, and may offer an advantage for the XFG patients with dry eye, due to its preservative-free nature.
Highly ordered Al-doped ZnO nano-pillar and tube structures as hyperbolic metamaterials for mid-infrared plasmonics

: Fabrication of large area metamaterial structures in a reproducible manner is a tremendous challenge. Here, we realize the fabrication of plasmonic metamaterials for the mid-infrared wavelength region composed of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) pillars by a combination of atomic layer deposition and reactive ion etching.