Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Size effects in LiF micron-scale single crystals of low dislocation density

This study examines the size-dependent deformation response of pure LiF single crystals using microcompression testing. Microcrystals with an 〈001〉 orientation and sample diameter D ranging from 1 to 20 μm were fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB)-milling from bulk crystals having a low initial dislocation density. Both as-grown and γ-irradiated crystals were examined to characterize the effect of an increased point defect density on the size-affected plastic flow response. Similar to previously studied face-centered cubic (FCC)-derivative metals, both types of LiF microcrystals exhibit typical size-dependent plastic flow behavior: a dramatic size-dependent and statistically varying flow stress, atypically high strain hardening rates at small plastic strains, and fast intermittent strain bursts. The size-dependent strengthening obeys a power law, σ ∼ D ^− m , where m ≈ 0.8, and this rapid hardening results in engineering flow stresses of 650 MPa in 1-μm samples. The findings are evaluated against possible dislocation mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed size effects.
How to influence my customers?: the impact of electronic market design

This paper investigates the strategic decisions of online vendors for offering different mechanism, such as sampling and online reviews of information products, to increase their online sales. Focusing on measuring the effectiveness of electronic market design (offering reviews, sampling, or both), our study shows that online markets behavior as communication markets, and consumers learn product quality information both passively (reading online reviews) and actively but subjectively (listening to music sampling). Using data from Amazon, first we show that sampling along is a strong product quality signal that reduces the product uncertainty after controlling for halo effect. In general, products with sampling option enjoy a higher conversion rate (which leads to better sales) than those without sampling because sampling decreases the uncertainty of consuming experience goods. Second, the impact of online reviews on sales conversion rate is lower for experience goods with a sampling option than those without. Third, when the uncertainty of the societal reviews is higher, sampling plays a more important role because it mitigates such uncertainty introduced by online reviews.
MPP tracking of PV based low voltage DC microgrid system with adaptive droop algorithm

Several control methods are available in the literature for maximum power point (MPP) tracking, load sharing etc. in a photovoltaic (PV) based microgrid system. This paper proposes an adaptive droop based MPP tracking and load sharing of PV based dc microgrid. For this, proportional droop index (PDI) algorithm is introduced, which is a function of normalized current sharing difference and losses in the output side of the converters. This proposed control method calculates adaptive virtual resistance Rdroop, and allows the converter to operate at MPP. By fine tuning Rdroop values, the proposed method also eliminates poor voltage regulation issues of the conventional droop method. The detailed analysis and design procedure are explained and the effectiveness of proposed method is verified by detailed simulation analysis.
Performance Evaluation of Surveillance Systems Under Varying Conditions

Effectively evaluating the performance of moving object detection and tracking algorithms is an important step towards attaining robust digital video surveillance systems with sufficient accuracy for practical applications. As systems become more complex and achieve greater robustness, the ability to quantitatively assess performance is needed in order to continuously improve performance. In this paper, we refine the methods used to estimate performance and use these methods to measure the performance of our system under several different conditions including: indoor/outdoor, different weather conditions (precipitation, wind, and brightness), different cameras/viewpoints, and as a standard benchmark, the PETS 2001 datasets. To test the extensibility/validity of our results, we have also evaluated our system on four longer data sets (20-30 min each) from four different cameras. We evaluate the performance of the background subtraction alone and with a simple tracking system using two different sets of metrics. Visualization of the performance results has proven critical for understanding the weaknesses of the
Features of cortically evoked swallowing in the awake primate (Macaca fascicularis).

Although the cerebral cortex has been implicated in the control of swallowing, the output organization of the cortical swallowing representation, and features of cortically evoked swallowing, remain unclear. The present study defined the output features of the primate "cortical swallowing representation" with intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) applied within the lateral sensorimotor cortex. In four hemispheres of two awake monkeys, microelectrode penetrations were made at </=1-mm intervals, initially within the face primary motor cortex (face-MI), and subsequently within the cortical regions immediately rostral, lateral, and caudal to MI. Two ICMS pulse trains [35-ms train, 0.2-ms pulses at 333 Hz, </=30 microA (short train stimulus, T/S); 3- to 4-s train, 0.2-ms pulses at 50 Hz, </=60 microA (continuous stimulus, C/S)] were applied at </=500-micron intervals along each microelectrode penetration to a depth of 8-10 mm, and electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded simultaneously from various orofacial and laryngeal muscles. Evoked orofacial movements, including swallowing, were verified by EMG analysis, and T/S and C/S movement thresholds were determined. Effects of varying ICMS intensity on swallow-related EMG properties were examined by applying suprathreshold C/S at selected intracortical sites. EMG patterns of swallows evoked from various cortical regions were compared with those of natural swallows recorded as the monkeys swallowed liquid and solid material. Results indicated that swallowing was evoked by C/S at approximately 20% of 1,569 intracortical sites where ICMS elicited an orofacial motor response in both hemispheres of the two monkeys, typically at C/S intensities </=30 microA. In contrast, swallowing was not evoked by T/S in either monkey. Swallowing was evoked from four cortical regions: the ICMS-defined face-MI, the face primary somatosensory cortex (face-SI), the region lateral and anterior to face-MI corresponding to the cortical masticatory area (CMA), and an area >5 mm deep to the cortical surface corresponding to both the white matter underlying the CMA and the frontal operculum; EMG patterns of swallows elicited from these four cortical regions showed some statistically significant differences. Whereas swallowing ONLY was evoked at some sites, particularly within the deep cortical area, swallowing was more frequently evoked together with other orofacial responses including rhythmic jaw movements. Increasing ICMS intensity increased the magnitude, and decreased the latency, of the swallow-related EMG burst in the genioglossus muscle at some sites. These findings suggest that a number of distinct cortical foci may participate in the initiation and modulation of the swallowing synergy as well as in integrating the swallow within the masticatory sequence.
Run-based volume intersection for shape recovery of objects from their silhouettes

Volume intersection (VI) is a successful technique for reconstructing 3-D shapes from 2-D images (silhouettes) of multiple views. It consists of intersecting the cones formed by back-projecting each silhouette. The 3-D shapes reconstructed by VI are called visual hull (VH). In this paper we propose a fast method obtaining the VH. The method attempts to reduce the computational cost by using a run representation for 3-D objects called SPXY table that is previously proposed by us. It makes cones by back-projecting the 2-D silhouettes to the 3-D space through the centers of the lens and intersects them keeping the run representation. To intersect the cones of multiple views keeping the run representation, we must align the direction of runs representing the cones. To align them we use the method of swapping two axes of a run-represented object at the time cost of O(n) where n is a number of runs, which is also previously proposed by us. The results of experiments using VRML objects such as human bodies show that the proposed method can reconstruct a 3-D object in less than 0.17 s at the resolution of 220 × 220 × 220 voxels from a set of silhouettes of 8 viewpoints on a single CPU.
Bayesian models for the analysis of genetic structure when populations are correlated

MOTIVATION Population allele frequencies are correlated when populations have a shared history or when they exchange genes. Unfortunately, most models for allele frequency and inference about population structure ignore this correlation. Recent analytical results show that among populations, correlations can be very high, which could affect estimates of population genetic structure. In this study, we propose a mixture beta model to characterize the allele frequency distribution among populations. This formulation incorporates the correlation among populations as well as extending the model to data with different clusters of populations. RESULTS Using simulated data, we show that in general, the mixture model provides a good approximation of the among-population allele frequency distribution and a good estimate of correlation among populations. Results from fitting the mixture model to a dataset of genotypes at 377 autosomal microsatellite loci from human populations indicate high correlation among populations, which may not be appropriate to neglect. Traditional measures of population structure tend to overestimate the amount of genetic differentiation when correlation is neglected. Inference is performed in a Bayesian framework. CONTACT fur@ohsu.edu.
The Hemodynamic Results of Surgical Correction of Atrial Septal Defects: A Report of Thirty‐three Cases

An experience with surgical treatment for atrial septal defects in 59 patients has given evidence as to the safety and efficacy of the procedure utilizing the atrial-well technic. Data from the first 33 cases of this series are presented in detail, to allow analysis by others of the basis for these conclusions.
Factors Affecting mobile Learning Readiness Among Students and Lecturers: A Model for Mobile Learning Readiness in Kenyan Universities

Mobile learning plays an important role in developing both learning and teaching approaches in institutions of higher learning. However, a successful implementation of mobile learning strategies in Kenyan universities will largely be affected by users' readiness to adopt and use this technology. Despite the effort by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology to encourage the use of technology in improving access to knowledge and skills in learning institutions, most learners and instructors have not sufficiently embraced this innovation. The purpose of the study was to determine m-learning readiness in the Kenyan Universities and create a model for adoption by these Universities. The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that affect the adoption of mobile technologies usage on mobile learning readiness among learners and instructors in Kenyan universities. A multiple regression analysis model was used to analyze the data collected from 555 participants (363 university students, 173 lecturers, and 19 heads of departments). The results of the study show that attitude, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, device type, m-learning content, internet availability, internet affordability, user expertise and institutional ICT strategy significantly influence the ability to use mobile devices and mobile learning readiness. The results of this research provide practitioners, educators and policy makers with meaningful insight into designing an appropriate m-learning model that supports the use of technology in Kenyan universities.
Progress in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes: a 50-year perspective (1950-2000).

Early in the past century, skillful physicians observed that prodromal symptoms often precede acute myocardial infarction,1–3 an observation that was prospectively validated in mid-century in cohorts of patients presenting with a changing pattern of chest pain. 4–6 In the 1960s, the new syndrome was in search of a semiology and a natural history and was variously identified by symptoms (crescendo angina, status anginosus, accelerated angina), by presumed pathophysiology (coronary failure, acute coronary insufficiency), or by its prognostic significance (impending myocardial infarction, preinfarction angina). The term unstable angina proposed by Fowler was eventually adopted. 7 The modern era was introduced by an early trial by Paul Wood with an oral antivitamin K prematurely discontinued because of excess events in the absence of treatment, 8 and in the 1970s and 1980s and accelerating to the present, by the definition of risk strata9,10 and the pioneer works on pathophysiology and treatment (Table 1). 11–56Constantinides described fissuring of atherosclerotic plaques leading to coronary artery thrombosis in 1966.11 Willerson et al, in the late 1970s, postulated that “an alteration in atherosclerotic plaque morphology led to platelet adhesion, thromboxane A 2 accumulation, growth of thrombus and dynamic vasoconstriction” and that this sequence of events caused the conversion from a stable to an unstable coronary syndrome. 12 Davies et al 13 and Falk14 showed at postmortem studies that patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction almost always have atherosclerotic plaque fissuring or ulceration. The vulnerable plaques have thin fibrous caps, an adjacent lipid core, and a large number of inflammatory cells, primarily monocytederived macrophages, activated T cells, and mast cells either immediately beneath the cap or on its surface. The inflammatory cells are attracted, at least in part, by oxidized LDL within the plaque. They release metalloproteinases capable of degrading collagen in the fibrous cap, leading to plaque fissuring or ulceration and thrombosis (Figure 1). 15,16 Other studies have shown that in addition to thromboxane A 2, serotonin, ADP, platelet-activating factor, tissue factor, oxygen-derived free radicals, and endothelin accumulate at sites of endothelial injury leading to thrombosis, dynamic vasoconstriction, and fibroproliferation (Figures 1 and 2). 12,15,17,18,20,21DeWood et al demonstrated angiographically that patients with acute myocardial infarction usually have intracoronary thrombi, 22 and Buja and Willerson confirmed these observations at postmortem examination. 23 Fuster et al documented that the lipid-rich core was the most thrombogenic component of the plaque 24 and that it also expressed intense tissue factor activity. 25 When the thrombosis with its attendant vasoconstriction is transient or not completely occlusive, the patient develops unstable angina, and when it is more prolonged, myocardial infarction occurs. 16–18
Improving the Performance of MIQP Solvers for Quadratic Programs with Cardinality and Minimum Threshold Constraints: A Semidefinite Program Approach

We consider in this paper quadratic programming problems with cardinality and minimum threshold constraints that arise naturally in various real-world applications such as portfolio selection and subset selection in regression. This class of problems can be formulated as mixed-integer 0-1 quadratic programs. We propose a new semidefinite program (SDP) approach for computing the “best” diagonal decomposition that gives the tightest continuous relaxation of the perspective reformulation of the problem. We also give an alternative way of deriving the perspective reformulation by applying a special Lagrangian decomposition scheme to the diagonal decomposition of the problem. This derivation can be viewed as a “dual” method to the convexification method employing the perspective function on semicontinuous variables. Computational results show that the proposed SDP approach can be advantageous for improving the performance of mixed-integer quadratic programming solvers when applied to the perspective reformulations of the problem.
Oxidation Regulates the Inflammatory Properties of the Murine S100 Protein S100A8*

The myeloid cell-derived calcium-binding murine protein, S100A8, is secreted to act as a chemotactic factor at picomolar concentrations, stimulating recruitment of myeloid cells to inflammatory sites. S100A8 may be exposed to oxygen metabolites, particularly hypochlorite, the major oxidant generated by activated neutrophils at inflammatory sites. Here we show that hypochlorite oxidizes the single Cys residue (Cys41) of S100A8. Electrospray mass spectrometry and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that low concentrations of hypochlorite (40 μm) converted 70–80% of S100A8 to the disulfide-linked homodimer. The mass was 20,707 Da, 92 Da more than expected, indicating additional oxidation of susceptible amino acids (possibly methionine). Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate activation of differentiated HL-60 granulocytic cells generated an oxidative burst that was sufficient to efficiently oxidize exogenous S100A8 within 10 min, and results implicate involvement of the myeloperoxidase system. Moreover, disulfide-linked dimer was identified in lung lavage fluid of mice with endotoxin-induced pulmonary injury. S100A8 dimer was inactive in chemotaxis and failed to recruit leukocytes in vivo. Positive chemotactic activity of recombinant Ala41S100A8 indicated that Cys41 was not essential for function and suggested that covalent dimerization may structurally modify accessibility of the chemotactic hinge domain. Disulfide-dependent dimerization may be a physiologically significant regulatory mechanism controlling S100A8-provoked leukocyte recruitment.
Adaptive filtering for ventricular repolarization variability assessment

The purpose of this study was to assess ventricular repolarization variability canceling the influence of heart rate variability using adaptive filtering. Short-term recordings, at supine rest and after head-up tilt, were studied from forty-seven subjects (athletes, cardiac transplant recipient, and normal subjects). RR and RT intervals were extracted to obtain heart rate variability (HRV) and ventricular repolarization variability (VRV) time series respectively. A least mean squares adaptive filter was applied to extract the VRV unrelated to HRV (VRVu). Power spectral densities were estimated from HRV, VRV and VRVu series, and LF, HF were extracted for each power spectrum. Also, percentage power ratio between VRVu and VRV at LF and HF were calculated. Results showed that: i) the heart rate modulation on the ventricular repolarization phenomena showed to be more important in LF band, ii) HF oscillation in VRV is not modulated by the autonomic nervous system.
Grid-Based Channel Resource Allocation and Access Scheduling Using Latin Squares in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless communication channels are scarce shared resources in large scale wireless mesh networks (WMNs), and the network system performance is frequently plagued by hidden terminal interference in multi-hop scenarios. We propose a set of efficient channel resource allocation and access scheduling algorithms based on Latin squares for WMNs with multichannel communication capabilities, called GAALS (Grid-based channel Allocation and Access scheduling using Latin Squares). By forming grids over the WMN deployment area with nodal location information, GAALS maps Latin squares to the grids, and dynamically assigns multiple channels to the WMN grids for channel access scheduling purposes. The fairness of GAALS is analyzed in multi-flow multi-hop mesh networks with multichannel capabilities. The simulation results show that GAALS achieves much better performance than IEEE 802.11 DCF and other multi-channel access control protocols.
The Inhibitory Effect of 3β-Hydroxy-12-oleanen-27-oic Acid on Growth and Motility of Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells through JNK and Akt Signaling Pathway

3β-Hydroxy-12-oleanen-27-oic acid (ATA) was a main antitumor active triterpene from the rhizomes of Astilbe chinensis. In this study, we investigated its effects on growth, apoptosis, cell cycle, motility/invasion, and metatasis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in vitro and antimetastasis of B16-F10 melanoma in mice in vivo, as well as its molecular mechanisms of action using a high-throughput Cancer Pathway Finder PCR Array. ATA could not only induce tumor cells into apoptosis through the activation of both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, arrest HepG2 cells in G2/M phase, but also suppress the invasion and metastasis abilities of HepG2 cells and the lung metastasis of B16-F10 melanoma in mice. PCR array assay revealed that ATA upregulated 9 genes including CDKN1A, MDM2, CFLAR (CASPER), TNFRSF10B (DR5), c-Jun, IL-8, THBS1, SERPINB5 (maspin), and TNF and downregulated 8 genes such as CCNE1, AKT, ANGPT1, TEK, TGFBR1, MMP9, U-PA, and S100A4. These results indicate that ATA could exert antitumor effects through activating JNK/MAPK and suppressing AKT signal transduction pathways and that ATA might be a potent anticancer agent.
The evaluation of angiogenesis and matrix metalloproteinase-2 secretion in bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients before and after the treatment.

PURPOSE Angiogenesis appears to be a prominent feature of many hematological disorders, particularly in multiple myeloma (MM). Progression in MM also involves secretion of the metaloproteinases (MMPs). In this study, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and its receptor, in bone marrow trephine biopsy (TB) of thirty six MM patients before and after the treatment or during progression was examined. The MMP-2 secretion was assessed from the same patients. MATERIAL/METHODS Immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow specimens for angiogenic factors and microvessel density (MVD) and bone marrow aspirates for Western blot analysis of MMP-2 expression was performed. RESULTS In active, untreated MM patients, we found statistically significant differences in the expression of angiogenic factors according to the patients after the anti-angiogenic treatment. We found statistical differences of the expression of angiogenic factors between the group of patients with a response after the treatment and the patients who had progression during the treatment. The data showed statistically significant decreased MVD after the treatment. The results showed statistically significant differences between initial secretion of MMP-2 in active, untreated MM patients and patients with a response after the treatment and patients with progression during the treatment. CONCLUSIONS We showed that not only decreased expression of angiogenic cytokines is present after the anti-angiogenic treatment but also activity of MMP-2 in MM patients who responded to the treatment. Combination therapy with the inhibition of the activity of MMPs could represent an interesting therapeutical approach in MM.
Apoptosis of Fashigh CD4+ Synovial T Cells by Borrelia-reactive Fas-ligandhigh γδ T Cells in Lyme Arthritis

The function of the minor subset of T lymphocytes bearing the γδ T cell antigen receptor is uncertain. Although some γδ T cells react to microbial products, responsiveness has only rarely been demonstrated toward a bacterial antigen from a naturally occurring human infection. Synovial fluid lymphocytes from patients with Lyme arthritis contain a large proportion of γδ cells that proliferate in response to the causative spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Furthermore, synovial γδ T cell clones express elevated and sustained levels of the ligand for Fas (APO-1, CD95) compared to αβ T cells, and induce apoptosis of Fashigh CD4+ synovial lymphocytes. The findings suggest that γδ T cells contribute to defense in human infections, as well as manifest an immunoregulatory function at inflammatory sites by a Fas-dependent process.