Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity of Axisymmetric Tropical Cyclone Spinup Time to Dry Air Aloft

AbstractThe sensitivity of tropical cyclone spinup time to the initial entropy deficit of the troposphere is examined in an axisymmetric hurricane model. Larger initial entropy deficits correspond to less moisture above the initial lifting condensation level of a subcloud-layer parcel. The spinup time is quantified in terms of thresholds of integrated horizontal kinetic energy within a radius of 300 km and below a height of 1.5 km. The spinup time increases sublinearly with increasing entropy deficit, indicating the greatest sensitivity lies with initial moisture profiles closer to saturation. As the moisture profile approaches saturation, there is a large increase in the low-level, area-averaged, vertical mass flux over the spinup period because of the predominance of deep convection. Higher entropy deficit experiments have a greater amount of cumulus congestus and reduced vertical mass flux over a longer duration. Consequently, the secondary circulation takes longer to build upward, and the radial influ.
Assessment of average muscle fiber conduction velocity from surface EMG signals during fatiguing dynamic contractions

In this paper, we propose techniques of surface electromyographic (EMG) signal detection and processing for the assessment of muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) during dynamic contractions involving fast movements. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to present multielectrode EMG detection systems specifically designed for dynamic conditions (in particular, for CV estimation); 2) to propose a novel multichannel CV estimation method for application to short EMG signal bursts; and 3) to validate on experimental signals different choices of the processing parameters. Linear adhesive arrays of electrodes are presented for multichannel surface EMG detection during movement. A new multichannel CV estimation algorithm is proposed. The algorithm provides maximum likelihood estimation of CV from a set of surface EMG signals with a window limiting the time interval in which the mean square error (mse) between aligned signals is minimized. The minimization of the windowed mse function is performed in the frequency domain, without limitation in time resolution and with an iterative computationally efficient procedure. The method proposed is applied to signals detected from the vastus laterialis and vastus medialis muscles during cycling at 60 cycles/min. Ten subjects were investigated during a 4-min cycling task. The method provided reliable assessment of muscle fatigue for these subjects during dynamic contractions.
How Knowledge Integration Mechanisms Affect Product Innovation in the NPD Process

Purpose: This study tries to examine how a company utilizes knowledge integration mechanisms (KIMs) to achieve the success of product innovation in a new product development (NPD) process. Research questions: (1) How KIMs affect new product performance in the NPD process? (2) Is the effect of KIMs on performance different for developing products with different level of product advantage? Design: This study forms a mediation model to examine that knowledge integration capability (KIC) mediates the effect of KIMs on new product performance, and then forms a moderated mediation model to examine the moderating effect of product advantage on this mediating relationship. Methodology: The hierarchical regression is used to examine 128 Taiwan’s manufacturing firms. This study follows Baron and Kenny’s (1986) procedure to examine the mediation effect, and follows Muller, Judd, and Yzerbyt’s (2005) steps to examine the moderated mediation effect. Findings: KIC positively and completely mediates the effect of KIMs on new product performance. The mediating effect of KIC is strong when the level of product advantage is low. Research limitations: This study only examines the relationship with a cross-sectional data. The generalizability of the findings is limited. This study merely examines product advantage as a moderator in the relationship. Research implications: The use of KIMs is not a sufficient condition for product innovation but the integration capability is the key driver of product innovation. For developing product with less product advantage, the mediating effect of knowledge integration capability is stronger. Practical implications: Although KIC converts the effect of KIMs on new product performance, but its effect varies as a function of product advantage. The view implies that by failing to consider the KIC’s moderated-mediating role, managers may have reached an overly optimistic view on the effect of KIMs on product innovation.
Evolving control laws for a network of traffic signals

Optimally controlling the timings of traffic signals within a network of intersections is a difficult but important problem. Because the traffic signals need to coordinate their behavior to achieve the common goal of optimizing traffic flow through the network, this is a problem in collective intelligence. We apply a hybrid of a genetic algorithm and strongly typed genetic programming (STGP) to the problem of learning control laws which optimize aggregate performance. STGP learns the single basic decision tree to be executed by all the intersections when deciding whether to change the phase of the traffic signal. The genetic algorithm learns different constants to be used in these decision trees for different intersections, hence allowing specialization based on differences in geometry and traffic flow. Preliminary experimental work shows that our approach yields good performance on a variety of network configurations and that it can evolve control laws which induce cooperation, communication, and specialization among the traffic signals.
Structures of the CXCR4 Chemokine GPCR with Small-Molecule and Cyclic Peptide Antagonists

Regulating Migration The migration of cells around the body is an important factor in cancer development and the establishment of infection. Movement is induced by small proteins called chemokines, and so for a specific function, migration is controlled by a relevant chemokine binding to its respective receptor. This family of receptors is known as guanine (G) protein–coupled receptors, which span cell membranes to mediate between external signals from chemokines and internal mechanisms. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is implicated in many types of cancer and in infection, and Wu et al. (p. 1066, published online 7 October; see the Report by Chien et al.) report on a series of crystal structures obtained for CXCR4 bound to small molecules. In every case, the same homodimer structure was observed, suggesting that the interface is functionally relevant. These structures offer insights into the interactions between CXCR4 and its natural chemokine, as well as with the virus HIV-1. Five crystal structures provide insight into chemokine and HIV-1 recognition. Chemokine receptors are critical regulators of cell migration in the context of immune surveillance, inflammation, and development. The G protein–coupled chemokine receptor CXCR4 is specifically implicated in cancer metastasis and HIV-1 infection. Here we report five independent crystal structures of CXCR4 bound to an antagonist small molecule IT1t and a cyclic peptide CVX15 at 2.5 to 3.2 angstrom resolution. All structures reveal a consistent homodimer with an interface including helices V and VI that may be involved in regulating signaling. The location and shape of the ligand-binding sites differ from other G protein–coupled receptors and are closer to the extracellular surface. These structures provide new clues about the interactions between CXCR4 and its natural ligand CXCL12, and with the HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120.
Generic BRDF Sampling - A Sampling Method for Global Illumination

This paper introduces a new BRDF sampling method with reduced variance, which is based on a hierarchical adaptive parameterless PDF. This PDF is based also on rejection sampling with a bounded average number of trials, even in regions where the BRDF does exhibit high variations. Our algorithm works in an appropiate way with both physical and analytical reflectance models. Reflected directions are sampled by using importance sampling of the BRDF times the cosine term. This fact improves computation of reflected radiance when Monte-Carlo integration is used in Global Illumination. Test images have been obtained by using a MonteCarlo rendering system, and they show reduced variance as compared with those obtained by other known techniques.
Enhancement of blood compatibility of implants by helium plasma treatment

The effect of plasma treatment to improve blood compatibility of polyurethane coatings was studied. Medical-grade polyurethane was used for coating glass substrates. Human coronary artery endothelial (HCAE) cells were cultured on glass substrate, polyurethane-coated glass with and without plasma treatment, and collagen-treated polyurethane-coated glass substrates. To quantify cell growth, HCAE cells were stained with acridine orange followed by examination under fluorescence microscopy. Cell growth on the plasma-treated polyurethane coatings was increased by 300 % greater than on the untreated polyurethane coatings. Cell growth on glass and collagen-treated polyurethane coatings was 9 % and 28 % more than plasma-treated polyurethane coatings respectively. However, the cell adhesion on the plasma-treated polyurethane film (89 %) was higher than on the glass (71 %) and the collagen-treated polyurethane film (42 %) respectively. HCAE cell adhesion was studied under shear stress in a laminar flow condition at 37 /spl deg/C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that plasma treatment caused oxidation of the polyurethane surface with a significant increase in the carbonyl bonds. Plasma treatment of polyurethane film also resulted in significant increase in wettability. Atomic force microscope (AFM) studies indicate no significant change in surface roughness of polyurethane film due to plasma treatment.
Self-Active Inertia Weight Strategy in Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

Inertia weight is one of the most important parameters of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. We introduce a self-active inertia weight strategy, in which the inertia weight is updated according to the convergence rate of the search process related to the optimized function. Four different functions were used to evaluate the effects of these strategies on the PSO performance. The experimental results show that self-active strategy is significantly faster convergence than LPSO
Pump it up: computer animation of a biomechanically based model of muscle using the finite element method

Muscle is the fundamental “motor” that drives all animal motion. We propose that changes in shape of moving human and animal figures will be accurately reproduced by simulating the muscle action and resulting forces that propel these figures. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel computational model of skeletal muscle. The geometry and underlying material properties of muscle are captured using the finite element method (FEM). A biomechanical model of muscle action is used to apply non-linear forces to the finite element mesh nodes. We have tried to validate the FEM model by simulating well known muscle experiments and plotting out key quantities. Our results indicate that the twin goals of realistic computer animation and valid biomechanical simulation of muscle can be met using these meth-ods, providing a principled foundation both for animators wishing to create anatomically based characters and biomechanical engineers interested in studying muscle function.
Lock n' LoL: Group-based Limiting Assistance App to Mitigate Smartphone Distractions in Group Activities

Prior studies have addressed many negative aspects of mobile distractions in group activities. In this paper, we present Lock n' LoL. This is an application designed to help users focus on their group activities by allowing group members to limit their smartphone usage together. In particular, it provides synchronous social awareness of each other's limiting behavior. This synchronous social awareness can arouse feelings of connectedness among group members and can mitigate social vulnerability due to smartphone distraction (e.g., social exclusion) that often results in poor social experiences. After following an iterative prototyping process, we conducted a large-scale user study (n = 976) via real field deployment. The study results revealed how the participants used Lock n' LoL in their diverse contexts and how Lock n' LoL helped them to mitigate smartphone distractions.
Retiring Together or Working Alone: The Impact of Spousal Employment and Disability on Retirement Decisions

Husbands and wives often coordinate retirement decisions, as many married workers withdraw from the labor force at about the same time as their spouses. However, joint retirement behavior may differ for couples in which one spouse retires with health problems. In those cases, the able-bodied spouse may delay retirement to compensate for the earnings lost by the disabled spouse. This paper examines the retirement decisions of husbands and wives and how they interact with spousal health and employment, using data from the 1992-1998 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. The results indicate that both men and women are more likely to retire if their spouses have already retired than if they are still working. However, they are less likely to retire if their spouses appear to have left the labor force because of health problems, especially when spouses are not yet eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. There is no evidence that spousal caregiving demands affect retirement rates.
Connectivity constrained multirobot navigation with considering physical size of robots

Due to limited sensing and communication capabilities, a team of robots must maintain connectivity for information exchange while performing group tasks. Maintaining connectivity of networked robots is always a challenge in multirobot cooperation. In this paper, we develop a novel controller to guarantee multirobots with limited communication capabilities to approach their individual goal positions while maintaining network connectivity and avoiding self-collisions during motion. Physical size of the robot is particularly considered. A new inter-robot constraint named connectivity constraint is added to the constructed navigation function, which results in a potential field integrating navigation requirement, connectivity constraint and self-collision avoidance, simultaneously. Based on the improved navigation function, a controller with bounded control inputs is generated. Simulations are finally performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed approaches.
The impact, assessment, and longitudinal course of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

The initial appraisal of treatment by inpatients with schizophrenia has been found to be a significant predictor of clinical outcomes. The study aim was to examine whether specific types of symptoms are associated with the initial appraisal of treatment after controlling other patient characteristics. Data of 2105 inpatients with schizophrenia (ICD-10 F20-9) were pooled from three national and international multi-centre studies. Patients were interviewed within the first week of their inpatient admission. Higher levels of manic and positive symptoms were significantly associated with a less favourable initial appraisal of treatment, whilst no association was found with depression/anxiety and negative symptoms. Detained patients had more negative initial treatment appraisals, and the association with manic symptoms was significantly stronger in detained patients compared to those admitted voluntarily. Whilst patient reported outcomes in psychiatry are usually associated with mood symptoms, this appears not to be the case for the initial appraisal by inpatients with schizophrenia. The association with manic and positive symptoms may be explained by the influence of such symptoms on the hospital experience. Focusing on the initial management of mania and positive symptoms might improve patients’ appraisal of treatment in the inpatient environment. & 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
On SAT-based Bounded Invariant Checking of Blackbox Designs

Design verification by property checking is a mandatory task during circuit design. In this context, bounded model checking (BMC) has become popular for falsifying erroneous designs. Additionally, the analysis of partial designs, i.e., circuits that are not fully specified, has recently gained attraction. In this work we analyze how BMC can be applied to such partial designs. Our experiments show that even with the most simple modelling scheme, namely 01X-simulation, a relevant number of errors can be detected. Additionally, we propose a SAT-solver that directly can handle 01X-logic
Effect of Quasi-Orthogonal Emission Modes on the Rotation Measures of Pulsars

We report here the discovery of a significant source of systematic error in the determinations of pulsar rotation measures. Conventional analysis of high-sensitivity polarimetric observations of PSR B2016+28 display variation in the rotation measure of ±15 rad m-2 (around the mean value of -34.6 rad m-2) across the pulse profile. Analysis of single pulse data shows that this variation is an artifact of the incoherent superposition of quasi-orthogonal polarization modes along with the frequency dependence of relative strength and/or quasi-orthogonality of the modes. Quasi-orthogonal polarization is common among pulsars, and therefore this effect needs to be taken into account in the interpretation of pulsar rotation measures.
Effects of fixed orthodontic treatment using conventional versus metal-injection molding brackets on salivary nickel and chromium levels: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION Despite the importance of nickel and chromium release from orthodontic brackets, there are no in vivo or in vitro studies on this issue in the case of metal-injection molding (MIM) brackets. METHODS Saliva samples were collected from 30 orthodontic patients divided randomly into two groups of conventional and MIM brackets, before treatment and 2 months later. Approved attendees with odd and even numbers were, respectively, assigned to the control and treatment groups. For blinding, the patients were not informed of their bracket types, and the saliva samples were coded. Nickel and chromium levels were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data were analysed using repeated-measures two-way analysis of covariance, independent-samples t-test, chi-squared, Spearman and point-biserial correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS Mean nickel level increased from 7.87±8.14 (pre-treatment) to 12.57±9.96 (2nd month) in the control group, and from 8.62±9.85 (pre-treatment) to 8.86±6.42 µg/l in the MIM group. Both of these increases were significant (Wilcoxon P < 0.03). Average chromium level changed from 0.25±0.56 (pre-treatment) to 0.35±0.62 and from 0.42±0.48 to 0.26±0.57 µg/l in the MIM group. Only the reduction observed in the MIM group was significant (Wilcoxon P = 0.0438). Age and gender had no significant influence on ion levels (P > 0.1). The differences between both ions' levels measured in the 60th day in both bracket groups were not significant (Mann-Whitney P > 0.05). The extents of changes over time were not significantly different between the bracket types (Mann-Whitney P > 0.05). LIMITATIONS The sample size was not predetermined based on power calculations. The spectrophotometer was limited to detecting chromium concentrations above 0.25 µg/l. Ion discharge from brackets might continuously change. The current in vivo methods are unable to take such fluctuations into account. CONCLUSION Nickel might increase in patients undergoing treatment with both bracket types, although the rate of increase might be greater in patients under treatment with conventional brackets. Using MIM brackets might reduce salivary chromium for a trivial but generalizable amount. Still, ion levels leached from conventional versus MIM brackets might not show a difference after 2 months. Age and gender might not affect the ion levels in normal people or orthodontic patients. REGISTRATION The protocol is registered offline at the university library. PROTOCOL The protocol was not published before the trail commencement. FUNDING Self-funded (S. H.). CONFLICT OF INTEREST None to declare.
Groupanizer: a method to enhance groupware application using multi-users position prediction

Groupware or computer supported cooperative work often refers to software tools and technology to support groups of people working together on a project, often at different sites. Groupanizer is an extension of groupware and constitutes a development platform to integrate user-centric information for the benefit of groupware applications. User-centric context is used in a collaborative manner to positively link and reinforce everyone's idiosyncrasies within the group. In order to do so, monitoring of the user’s daily context is essential, and thus, one aspect we aim at integrating is its physical position. We believe that common visited places and trajectories constitute one user-centric element that should be used to bias transactions namely tasks or scheduling in groupware. Although, actual groupware technologies such as calendars or workflow charts could be used to integrate personal context into group coordination, location sensing could provide an edge in automatically deriving schedules and intentions. Hence, we propose a framework to evaluate the possibility of using physical location to enhance actual groupware applications through a multi-user position predictive model.
Genomic Changes in Resynthesized Brassica napus and Their Effect on Gene Expression and Phenotype[W][OA]

Many previous studies have provided evidence for genome changes in polyploids, but there are little data on the overall population dynamics of genome change and whether it causes phenotypic variability. We analyzed genetic, epigenetic, gene expression, and phenotypic changes in ∼50 resynthesized Brassica napus lines independently derived by hybridizing double haploids of Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa. A previous analysis of the first generation (S0) found that genetic changes were rare, and cytosine methylation changes were frequent. Our analysis of a later generation found that most S0 methylation changes remained fixed in their S5 progeny, although there were some reversions and new methylation changes. Genetic changes were much more frequent in the S5 generation, occurring in every line with lines normally distributed for number of changes. Genetic changes were detected on 36 of the 38 chromosomes of the S5 allopolyploids and were not random across the genome. DNA fragment losses within lines often occurred at linked marker loci, and most fragment losses co-occurred with intensification of signal from homoeologous markers, indicating that the changes were due to homoeologous nonreciprocal transpositions (HNRTs). HNRTs between chromosomes A1 and C1 initiated in early generations, occurred in successive generations, and segregated, consistent with a recombination mechanism. HNRTs and deletions were correlated with qualitative changes in the expression of specific homoeologous genes and anonymous cDNA amplified fragment length polymorphisms and with phenotypic variation among S5 polyploids. Our data indicate that exchanges among homoeologous chromosomes are a major mechanism creating novel allele combinations and phenotypic variation in newly formed B. napus polyploids.