Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deterioration of Reinforced Concrete Structures

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Soft-Switched Boost DC-DC Converter System for Electric Vehicles using An Auxiliary Resonant Circuit

The paper introduces soft switching of a Boost Converter which can be included in the Electrical Vehicle technology. In order to raise the motor power rating, the DC link Vehicles, there is a great need for less component stress, smaller voltage of inverter up to 400V, and higher efficiency. The conventional Boost Converter generates switching loss at turn on and off thus the whole system's efficiency is reduced. The proposed converter utilizes soft switching method using an auxiliary switch and resonant circuit. So a natural zero- voltage switching method for the whole switches is achieved without additional device to reduce switching loss and device inrush voltage stresses. Therefore, the converter reduces switching loss lower than the hard switching. These advantages make the new converter promising for high power density applications. The operation principles of the converter and the conditions for realization of soft switching are analyzed by the MATLAB/Simulink. Its simulation results prove that all the switches in soft switching state and the efficiency of the converter is helpful in lossless operation of Electric Vehicles.
Adding navigation, artificial audition and vital sign monitoring capabilities to a telepresence mobile robot for remote home care applications

A telepresence mobile robot is a remote-controlled, wheeled device with wireless internet connectivity for bidirectional audio, video and data transmission. In health care, a telepresence robot could be used to have a clinician or a caregiver assist seniors in their homes without having to travel to these locations. Many mobile telepresence robotic platforms have recently been introduced on the market, bringing mobility to telecommunication and vital sign monitoring at reasonable costs. What is missing for making them effective remote telepresence systems for home care assistance are capabilities specifically needed to assist the remote operator in controlling the robot and perceiving the environment through the robot's sensors or, in other words, minimizing cognitive load and maximizing situation awareness. This paper describes our approach adding navigation, artificial audition and vital sign monitoring capabilities to a commercially available telepresence mobile robot. This requires the use of a robot control architecture to integrate the autonomous and teleoperation capabilities of the platform.
Results of Prospective Cohort Study on Symptomatic Cerebrovascular Occlusive Disease Showing Mild Hemodynamic Compromise [Japanese Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Trial (JET)-2 Study]

The purpose of this study is to determine the true threshold of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) for subsequent ischemic stroke without extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery in patients with hemodynamic ischemia due to symptomatic major cerebral arterial occlusive diseases. Patients were categorized based on rest CBF and CVR into four subgroups as follows: Group A, 80% < CBF < 90% and CVR < 10%; Group B, CBF < 80% and 10% < CVR < 20%; Group C, 80% < CBF < 90% and 10% < CVR < 20%; and Group D, CBF < 90% and 20% < CVR < 30%. Patients were followed up for 2 years under best medical treatment by the stroke neurologists. Primary and secondary end points were defined as all adverse events and ipsilateral stroke recurrence respectively. A total of 132 patients were enrolled. All adverse events were observed in 9 patients (3.5%/year) and ipsilateral stroke recurrence was observed only in 2 patients (0.8%/year). There was no significant difference among the four subgroups in terms of the rate of both primary and secondary end points. Compared with the medical arm of the Japanese EC-IC bypass trial (JET) study including patients with CBF < 80% and CVR < 10% as a historical control, the incidence of ipsilateral stroke recurrence was significantly lower in the present study. Patients with symptomatic major cerebral arterial occlusive diseases and mild hemodynamic compromise have a good prognosis under medical treatment. EC-IC bypass surgery is unlikely to benefit patients with CBF > 80% or CVR > 10%.
Health Care Utilization after NICU Discharge and Neurodevelopmental Outcome in the First 2 Years of Life in Preterm Infants

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine predictors of health care utilization and its association with neurodevelopmental outcome in a recent cohort of preterm infants. Study Design A total of 405 infants (born 2008–2011) seen in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) follow-up were compared for use of hospitalizations (hosps), emergency room (ER), subspecialties (SS), and results of the Bayley-III. High rate of use was defined as having >1 hosp, ER, or SS. Multiple regression adjusted for the effect of risk factors on high health care use. Results High hosp rate was associated with public health insurance (PHI; p = 0.021), severely abnormal head ultrasound (SAHUS; p = 0.04) at 1 year, and PHI (p = 0.011), younger gestational age (GA) (p = 0.029) at 2 years. High ER use was associated with PHI, younger GA at 1 year (p = 0.007 and 0.012) and 2 years (p = 0.010 and 0.005). High SS was associated with NICU morbidities including small for GA (p = 0.005), retinopathy of prematurity (p = 0.001), necrotizing enterocolitis (p = 0.03), and SAHUS (p = 0.045). At 20 months, infants with high hosp and SS had higher rates of cerebral palsy and significantly lower mean cognitive, language, and motor scores. Conclusion Health care utilization is high among preterm infants in recent years and significantly associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcome. Further research is needed to determine if health care utilization after NICU discharge is an independent predictor of poor outcome.
Brown adipose tissue triacylglycerol synthesis in rats adapted to a high-protein, carbohydrate-free diet.

Adaptation of rats to a high-protein, carbohydrate-free (HP) diet induced a marked reduction of brown adipose tissue (BAT) fatty acid (FA) synthesis from both3H2O and [14C]glucose in vivo, with pronounced decreases in the activities of four enzymes associated with lipogenesis: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, citrate lyase, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. In both HP-adapted and control rats, in vivo incorporation of3H2O and [14C]glucose into BAT glyceride-glycerol was much higher than into FA. It could be estimated that most of the glycerol synthetized was used to esterify preformed FA. Glycerol synthesis from nonglucose sources (glyceroneogenesis) was increased in BAT from HP rats, as evidenced by an increased capacity of tissue fragments to incorporate [1-14C]pyruvate into glycerol and by a fourfold increase in the activity of phospho enolpyruvate carboxykinase activity, a key glyceroneogenic enzyme. The data suggest that high rates of glyceroneogenesis and of esterification of preformed FA in BAT from HP-adapted rats are essential for preservation of tissue lipid stores, necessary for heat generation when BAT is recruited in nonshivering thermogenesis.
Energy balance in early-stage Huntington disease.

BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic neurologic disorder. Weight loss is common in HD and is related to progression of the disease, but the cause of weight loss remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The study objective was to compare 24-h energy expenditure (EE) and energy intake in persons with early midstage HD with those of matched control subjects to determine how HD affects energy balance. DESIGN EE was assessed in 13 subjects with early-stage HD and in 9 control subjects via indirect calorimetry in a human respiratory chamber. Energy intake was determined by weighing all food provided and all leftovers from an ad libitum diet. Body composition was measured via air-displacement plethysmography. Stage of disease was estimated on the basis of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale and modified Mini-Mental Status examinations. Regression analysis included all 13 HD subjects; t tests were used for the comparisons between matched HD and control subjects. RESULTS 24-h EE was 11% higher in the HD subjects than in the control subjects (NS). This difference was due to a higher (P = 0.043) waking metabolic rate, which was related to a significantly greater displacement of the center of mass by HD subjects than by control subjects (P = 0.028). On average, both groups were in positive energy balance and exceeded their energy expenditure by 2510-2929 kJ. CONCLUSIONS Higher 24-h EE in persons with early midstage HD is due to increased physical activity, both voluntary and involuntary. However, HD subjects are able to maintain positive energy balance when offered adequate amounts of food in a controlled setting.
Thermal Behavior of Frictional Properties on Ultra-Thin Perfluoropolyether Lubricant Film

Thermal behavior of friction property on ultra-thin perfuruoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant film on diamond like carbon (DLC) overcoat of magnetic disks was studied using newly developed pin-on-disk tester with laser irradiation heating. Friction coefficient of lubricated DLC surface with Z-tetraol decreased with heated temperature. On the other hand, that of lubricated disks with Z-03 gradually decreased around 120°C and increased over 120°C. This minimal point might mean the transition temperature. Friction coefficient of both lubricant films on DLC surface depended on the kinematic viscosity of lubricant materials and the lubricant film with lower kinematic viscosity showed lower friction coefficient.
Effect of dietary selenium on erythrocyte and liver glutathione peroxidase in the rat.

Experiments were conducted with male rats to quantitate the relation ship between dietary selenium (Se) intake and the amount of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in erythrocytes and liver. Weanling male rats were fed torula yeast-based diets with 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, or 5.0 ppm Se supplemented as sodium selenite. Liver GSH-Px fell to undetectable levels (<1% of that found in the weanling rats) within 24 days in the O ppm Se group; feeding 0.1 ppm Se, or greater, caused liver GSH-Px to increase above that found in the weanling rats. The erythrocyte GSH-Px response to lack of dietary Se was somewhat smaller in magnitude and more gradual; however, only 21% of initial erythrocyte GSH-Px activity remained in the unsupplemented group after 66 days. Increased dietary Se resulted in corresponding increases of erythrocyte GSH-Px activity. Resupplementing with 0.1, 0.5, or 5.0 ppm Se elevated the depressed erythrocyte GSH-Px levels of the deficient rats. Increased dietary Se provided for both faster elevation, and higher maximal GSH-Px activity which in all cases was achieved 60 to 90 days after resupplementation. The results suggest that tissue GSH-Px can be used as an indicator of animal Se status, but other factors such as age, sex, and dietary vitamin E may have to be considered. Lack of GSH-Px in livers of Se-deficient rats may explain the liver necrosis observed when the diet is also deficient in vitamin E and sulfur-containing amino acids. J. Nutr. 104: 580-587,
Adsorption of the Siloxane Contained in Landfill Gas using Clay Mineral

Siloxanes are widely used in industrial processes and consumer products. When landfill gas is used as fuel for gas engines, volatile siloxane in landfill gas causes serious damage to gas engines and pretreatment facilities. In this study, the applicability of various clay minerals was evaluated as the alternative adsorbents of activated carbon. SEM and BET analyses of illite, vermiculite, and activated carbon were performed for comparing those physical properties. Siloxane adsorption capacities of illite and vermiculite were estimated very high to 1.7 g/g illite, 3.8 g/g vermiculite respectively through the adsorption experiments of D5 siloxane.
Calcium intake, body composition, and lipoprotein-lipid concentrations in adults.

BACKGROUND Recent data suggest that variations in calcium intake may influence lipid metabolism and body composition. OBJECTIVE The association between daily calcium intake and body composition and plasma lipoprotein-lipid concentrations was studied cross-sectionally in adults from phase 2 of the Québec Family Study. DESIGN Adults aged 20-65 y (235 men, 235 women) were studied. Subjects who consumed vitamin or mineral supplements were excluded. Subjects were divided into 3 groups on the basis of their daily calcium intake: groups A (< 600 mg), B (600-1000 mg), and C (> 1000 mg). RESULTS Daily calcium intake was negatively correlated with plasma LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and total:HDL cholesterol in women and men after adjustment for variations in body fat mass and waist circumference (P < 0.05). In women, a significantly greater ratio of total to HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05) was observed in group A than in group C after correction for body fat mass and waist circumference. In women, body weight, percentage body fat, fat mass, body mass index, waist circumference, and total abdominal adipose tissue area measured by computed tomography were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in group A than in groups B and C, even after adjustments for confounding variables. Comparable trends were observed in men, but not after adjustment for the same covariates. CONCLUSION A low daily calcium intake is associated with greater adiposity, particularly in women. In both sexes, a high calcium intake is associated with a plasma lipoprotein-lipid profile predictive of a lower risk of coronary heart disease risk compared with a low calcium intake.
Optical properties of traditional ceramic with different sintering temperatures in terahertz range

Terahertz spectroscopy was used to study the sintering process of traditional ceramic by scanning sample with different final temperatures (from 100-1450°C). Absorption coefficient (α) and refractive index (n) were obtained with different final temperatures. The sintering process was divided into four stages on the basis of α and n, which characterized the ceramic sintering process well. The results coincide with the actual situation. Therefore, THz-TDS represents a promising technique to monitor the synthesis process of materials.
Temperature-dependent expression of cytochrome- c oxidase in Antarctic and temperate fish.

Seasonal acclimation versus permanent adaptation to low temperatures leads to a differential response in the expression of cytochrome- c oxidase (CCO) in temperate and Antarctic eelpouts. Although eurythermal eelpout from the North Sea ( Zoarces viviparus) displayed a cold-induced rise of CCO activity in white muscle, enzyme activity in the cold stenothermal Antarctic eelpout Pachycara brachycephalum failed to reflect such a compensatory increase. In Antarctic eelpout, CCO activity correlates with transcript levels of mitochondrial encoded subunits of CCO (CCO I and CCO II), whereas cold-acclimated eelpout from the North Sea show lower enzyme activities than expected on the basis of mitochondrial mRNA levels. In these animals, CCO expression at low temperatures may be limited either by nuclear CCO transcripts or by posttranscriptional processes. These may comprise translation of the subunits or assembly of the CCO holoenzyme. mRNA levels of CCO IV, one of the nuclear encoded subunits, increased strongly during cold acclimation, indicating that the expression of CCO is likely not message limited in cold-acclimated Z. viviparus. Our data suggest that seasonal cold acclimation of Z. viviparus results in a modification of the relationship between transcription and translation or posttranslational processes. In permanently cold-adapted P. brachycephalum, on the other hand, CCO expression shows similar characteristics as in the warm-acclimated confamilial species, e.g., low levels of enzyme activity correlated with low levels of mitochondrial message.
Nano-pulse stimulation (NPS) ablate tumors and inhibit lung metastasis on both canine spontaneous osteosarcoma and murine transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma with high metastatic potential

Background Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF), which is also termed as nano-pulse stimulation (NPS), has the potential of stimulating immune responses toward cancer cells. The current study investigates its local and systemic antitumor efficacy in vivo in late stage tumors with lung metastasis. Method The 12 canines with spontaneous osteosarcomas and 12 nude mice transplanted with human hepatocellular carcinoma were divided randomly and were given NPS treatment, surgery or no treatment control. Nanosecond pulsed electric field was delivered with puncture electrodes at 40 kV/cm with 500 pulses at 1 Hz. The survival time, tumor volume, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), joint capsule damage and lung metastasis were followed up. The efficacy was compared with control. Results Nanosecond pulsed electric field reduced primary tumor volume and extended the survival significantly compared to the control group (P<0.05). Inhibition of serum alkaline phosphatase and lung metastasis without joint deformity or thermal damage were also observed. Conclusion Locally applied nanosecond pulsed electric field is a novel non-thermal ablation method. It can ablate the primary tumor and decrease lung metastasis as a palliative therapy for late stage tumor.
Conjugated linoleic acid rapidly reduces body fat content in mice without affecting energy intake.

Recent reports have demonstrated that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has effects on body fat accumulation. In our previous work, CLA reduced body fat accumulation in mice fed either a high-fat or low-fat diet. Although CLA feeding reduced energy intake, the results suggested that some of the metabolic effects were not a consequence of the reduced food intake. We therefore undertook a study to determine a dose of CLA that would have effects on body composition without affecting energy intake. Five doses of CLA (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0% by weight) were studied in AKR/J male mice ( n = 12/group; age, 39 days) maintained on a high-fat diet (%fat 45 kcal). Energy intake was not suppressed by any CLA dose. Body fat was significantly lower in the 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0% CLA groups compared with controls. The retroperitoneal depot was most sensitive to the effects of CLA, whereas the epididymal depot was relatively resistant. Higher doses of CLA also significantly increased carcass protein content. A time-course study of the effects of 1% CLA on body composition showed reductions in fat pad weights within 2 wk and continued throughout 12 wk of CLA feeding. In conclusion, CLA feeding produces a rapid, marked decrease in fat accumulation, and an increase in protein accumulation, at relatively low doses without any major effects on food intake.
Uml as Domain Specific Language for the Construction of Knowledge-Based Configuration Systems

In many domains, software development has to meet the challenges of developing highly adaptable software very rapidly. In order to accomplish this task, domain specific, formal description languages and knowledge-based systems are employed. From the viewpoint of the industrial software development process, it is important to integrate the construction and maintenance of these systems into standard software engineering processes. In addition, the descriptions should be comprehensible for the domain experts in order to facilitate the review process. For the realization of product configuration systems, we show how these requirements can be met by using a standard design language (UML-Unified Modeling Language) as notation in order to simplify the construction of a logic-based description of the domain knowledge. We show how classical description concepts for expressing configuration knowledge can be introduced into UML and be translated into logical sentences automatically. These sentences are exploited by a general inference engine solving the configuration task.
Metabolic, gastrointestinal, and CNS neuropeptide effects of brain leptin administration in the rat.

To investigate whether brain leptin involves neuropeptidergic pathways influencing ingestion, metabolism, and gastrointestinal functioning, leptin (3.5 μg) was infused daily into the third cerebral ventricular of rats for 3 days. To distinguish between direct leptin effects and those secondary to leptin-induced anorexia, we studied vehicle-infused rats with food available ad libitum and those that were pair-fed to leptin-treated animals. Although body weight was comparably reduced (-8%) and plasma glycerol was comparably increased (142 and 17%, respectively) in leptin-treated and pair-fed animals relative to controls, increases in plasma fatty acids and ketones were only detected (132 and 234%, respectively) in pair-fed rats. Resting energy expenditure (-15%) and gastrointestinal fill (-50%) were reduced by pair-feeding relative to the ad libitum group, but they were not reduced by leptin treatment. Relative to controls, leptin increased hypothalamic mRNA for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH; 61%) and for proopiomelanocortin (POMC; 31%) but did not reduce mRNA for neuropeptide Y. These results suggest that CNS leptin prevents metabolic/gastrointestinal responses to caloric restriction by activating hypothalamic CRH- and POMC-containing pathways and raise the possibility that these peripheral responses to CNS leptin administration contribute to leptin's anorexigenic action.
Physics Informed Deep Learning (Part II): Data-driven Discovery of Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations

We introduce physics informed neural networks -- neural networks that are trained to solve supervised learning tasks while respecting any given law of physics described by general nonlinear partial differential equations. In this second part of our two-part treatise, we focus on the problem of data-driven discovery of partial differential equations. Depending on whether the available data is scattered in space-time or arranged in fixed temporal snapshots, we introduce two main classes of algorithms, namely continuous time and discrete time models. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated using a wide range of benchmark problems in mathematical physics, including conservation laws, incompressible fluid flow, and the propagation of nonlinear shallow-water waves.