Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interplay between Myokine Profile and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Heart Failure

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains a powerful predictor of progressive heart failure (HF), but it is not clear whether altered glycemic control interferes with HF progression via an impaired profile of circulating myokines. The aim was to investigate plausible effects of glucose control on a myokine signature in T2DM patients affected by chronic HF. We selected 372 T2DM patients from the local database and finally included 314 individuals suffering from chronic HF and subdivided them into two groups according to glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (<6.9% and ≥7.0%). Echocardiography and Doppler examinations along with biomarker measurements were performed at the baseline of the study. The results showed that irisin levels were significantly lower in patients with HbA1c ≥ 7.0% than in those with HbAc1 < 6.9%, whereas concentrations of apelin, myostatin and adropin did not significantly differ between these two groups. We also identified numerous predictors of poor glycemic control, but only N-terminal brain natriuretic propeptide (odds ratio [OR] = 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–1.10, p = 0.04) and irisin (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.04–1.17, p = 0.001) remained independent predictors of the dependent variable. In conclusion, we found that decreased levels of irisin were associated with poor glycemic control in T2DM patients with HF regardless of clinical conditions and other biomarkers.
Boosting Tadalafil Bioavailability via Sono-Assisted Nano-Emulsion-Based Oral Jellies: Box–Behnken Optimization and Assessment

Tadalafil (TAD) is a poorly soluble, phosphodiesterase inhibitor used to treat erectile dysfunction. The primary goal of this project was to prepare nano-emulsions using ultrasonic technology to address TAD bioavailability concerns. The Box–Behnken design was employed to find prominent correlations between factors impacting the sono-emulsification process. The emulsifier concentration, amplitude level, and ultrasonication time were the independent factors, whereas the average droplet size (ADS) and polydispersity index (PDI) were designated as the response variables. TAD-loaded nano-emulsions (93–289 nm) were generated and the emulsifier concentration showed a crucial role in directing emulsion droplet size. The model desirability function was utilized to optimize a nano-emulsion with a small ADS (99.67 ± 7.55 nm) and PDI (0.45 ± 0.04) by adjusting the emulsifiers concentration, amplitude level, and ultrasonication time at 9.85%, 33%, 49 s, respectively. The optimized nano-emulsions did not demonstrate any precipitation or phase separation after stability stress tests. TAD jellies were formulated based on the optimized nano-emulsion and subjected to in vitro evaluation for physical characteristics; TAD content, pH, spreadability, viscosity, syneresis, and taste-masking ability. An optimized nano-emulsion-based jelly (NEJ) formulation showed more than 96% drug dissolution in 30 min relative to 14% for the unprocessed TAD. In vivo assessment of NEJ in experimental rats demonstrated a significant enhancement (p < 0.05) of TAD bioavailability with an AUC0–24h of 2045 ± 70.2 vs. 259.9 ± 17.7 ng·h·mL−1 for the unprocessed TAD. Storage stability results revealed that NEJ remained stable with unremarkable changes in properties for 3 months. Overall, NEJ can be regarded as a successful therapeutic option for TAD administration with immediate-release properties and improved bioavailability.
Vertical Disk Structure in HL Tauri

New J, H, and K' images of HL Tau show that the position of the peak intensity shifts by 0. ″53 ± 0. ″07 along P.A. 75° ± 8° between 2.12 μm (K') and 1.25 μm (J). There is a strong gradient in the color of the extended light around in the same direction. This direction is coincident with the axis of the optical emission jet and the axis of the circumstellar disk inferred from millimeter-wave maps. It is likely that the star itself is viewed through more than 30 mag of visual extinction and is only seen directly at wavelengths longer than about 1.6 μm; the distribution of light at J is more diffuse, and the peak is probably the result of viewing an extended region of scattered light behind a gradient of extinction. The projected scale height of the extinction gradient is less than a few tens of AU along a direction nearly perpendicular to the disk, indicating that the extinction gradient is local to HL Tau, within a few hundred AU of the star. The distribution and color of the extended light suggest that it is scattered by an extended, conical nebula surrounding the star associated with the molecular infall observed in 13CO.
Complementary thermoreflectance and micro-Raman analysis of facet temperatures of diode lasers

A methodological approach for advanced facet temperature characterization of operating diode lasers is presented. It relies on the concerted application of micro-Raman spectroscopy and thermoreflectance mapping. The latter technique allows for fast facet mapping, whereas the Raman data provide the temperature calibration. Residual effects, e.g., caused by the different reflectances of the materials involved into the laser structure, are discussed. Since both techniques provide rather complementary information, their concerted application appears as an effective tool for advanced device inspection.
An Approximate Roe-Type Riemann Solver for a Class of Realizable Second Order Closures

A realizable, objective second-moment turbulence closure, allowing for an entropy characterisation, is analyzed with respect to its convective subset. The distinct characteristic wave system of these equations in non-conservation form is exposed. An approximate solution to Ihe associated one-dimensional Riemann problem is constructed making use of approximate jump conditions obtained by assuming a linear path across shock waves. A numerical integration method based on a new approximate Riemann solver (flux-difference-splitting) is proposed for use in conjunction with either unstructured or structured grids. Test calculations of quasi one-dimensional flow cases demonstrate the feasibility of the current technique even where Euler-based approaches fail.
Weight annealing heuristics for solving bin packing and other combinatorial optimization problems: concepts, algorithms, and computational results

The application of weight annealing to combinatorial optimization problems is relatively new, compared to applications of well-known optimization techniques such as simulated annealing and tabu search. The weight annealing approach seeks to expand a neighborhood search by creating distortions in different parts of the search space. Distortion is controlled through weight assignment based on insights gained from one iteration of the search procedure to the next with a view towards focusing computational efforts on the poorly solved regions of the search space. The search for the global optimum should be accelerated and the solution quality should be improved with weight annealing. In this dissertation, we present key ideas behind weight annealing and develop algorithms that solve combinatorial optimization problems. Our weight annealing-based heuristics solve the one-dimensional bin packing problem and the two-dimensional bin packing problem with and without guillotine cutting and item orientation constraints. We also solve the maximum cardinality bin packing problem and the multidimensional multiple knapsack problem with our heuristics.
Could El Niño Southern Oscillation affect the results of the Ashes series in Australia?

An analysis of the results of those "Ashes" cricket test matches between England and Australia which are played in Australia suggests a correlation between these results and the El-Nino Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. In those years with a positive ENSO, results favour Australia, whereas in those years with a negative ENSO, results are more even. A potential mechanism is presented for this apparent correlation.
Assessment of statistical methods for converting biochemical oxygen demand and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand to total organic carbon in wastewater

The 5‐day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and carbonaceous BOD5 (CBOD5) tests are widely used parameters for monitoring wastewater. Total organic carbon (TOC) has many advantages over these tests. Wastewater utilities have conducted studies to modify National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to allow TOC analysis; however, statistical methods vary across studies. This study examined parametric and nonparametric correlation and parametric, nonparametric, and nonlinear regression methods for analysing BOD5, CBOD5, and TOC concentrations collected for 1 year from seven wastewater treatment plants from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Spearman ρ correlation and Theil–Sen regression on log‐transformed concentrations were the most appropriate methods. Correlation coefficients were 0.83 or greater and regression residuals were as small as or smaller than the other two methods. This study demonstrated that nonparametric methods performed best for analysing non‐normal data in seeking to incorporate TOC analysis into NPDES reporting.
Incorporating Bayesian Ideas into Health-Care Evaluation

We argue that the Bayesian approach is best seen as providing additional tools for those carrying out health-care evaluations, rather than replacing their traditional methods. A distinction is made between those features that arise from the basic Bayesian philosophy and those that come from the modem ability to make inferences using very complex models. Selected examples of the former include explicit recognition of the wide cast of stakeholders in any evaluation, simple use of Bayes theorem and use of a community of prior distributions. In the context of complex models, we selectively focus on the possible role of simple Monte Carlo methods, alternative structural models for incorporating historical data and making inferences on complex functions of indirectly estimated parameters. These selected issues are illustrated by two worked examples presented in a standardized format. The emphasis throughout is on inference rather than decision-making.
Occurrence of Rust in Myrcianthes pungens (O. BERG) D. Legrand Caused by Austropuccinia psidii in The State of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract Guabiju tree (Myrcianthes pungens) belongs to the Myrtaceae family, with wide occurrence in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southern Brazil, demonstrates great commercial potential regarding the consumption of its fresh fruit, which has a sweet taste and can be used in drinks, jellies and ice creams, in addition to its nutraceutical properties. As their main characteristic, rusts present the formation of orange pustules containing urediniospores of the pathogen on affected organs. The action of the pathogen causes deformation of stems, leaves, flowers and fruits, thus interfer-ing with the physiological processes of the plant. Thus, the present work aimed at presenting information on the occurrence and confirmation of the causal agent of guabiju rust, in addition to reporting the accessions most susceptible and resistant to Austropuccinia in the guabiju working collection of Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil. The diagnosis of the disease was based on symptoms, observation of fungal structures by light microscopy and molecular analyses. From microscopy, ellipsoid to ovoid and slightly equinulate urediniospores were observed, characteristic of Austropuccinia sp. The sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the isolate showed 99.06% similarity with sequences from the same region of A. psidii deposited on the nucleotide database - GenBank (NCBI). This is the first report of rust associated with guabiju in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. From the diagrammatic scale developed, it was possible to identify different levels of susceptibility to A. psidii in guabiju accessions under study.
NOAA’s 1981–2010 U.S. Climate Normals: Monthly Precipitation, Snowfall, and Snow Depth

AbstractThe 1981–2010 “U.S. Climate Normals” released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center include a suite of monthly, seasonal, and annual statistics that are based on precipitation, snowfall, and snow-depth measurements. This paper describes the procedures used to calculate the average totals, frequencies of occurrence, and percentiles that constitute these normals. All parameters were calculated from a single, state-of-the-art dataset of daily observations, taking care to produce normals that were as representative as possible of the full 1981–2010 period, even when the underlying data records were incomplete. In the resulting product, average precipitation totals are available at approximately 9300 stations across the United States and parts of the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean islands. Snowfall and snow-depth statistics are provided for approximately 5300 of those stations, as compared with several hundred stations in the 1971–2000 normals. T.
Una formulación numérica sin malla basada en los métodos SPH con ponderación de Galerkin

En este articulo se propone una formulacion numerica sin malla de tipo Galerkin basada en el metodo de particulas SPH con aproximacion de minimos cuadrados moviles y su aplicacion a problemas de mecanica de fluidos con superficie libre. El esquema de Galerkin proporciona una metodologia general que permite analizar mucbos de los metodos propuestos en el ambito de las formulaciones de tipo SPH (Smootfied Parficle Hydrodpoamics) y desarrollar algoritmos consistentes. La viabilidad de la metodologa sin malla que se propooe se demuestra con varios ejemplos en los que se analizan fenomenos de grao complejidad o con fuertes distorsiones en el dominio de solucion.
Hybrid mode-locking of semiconductor lasers

In conclusion we have demonstrated the generation of 0.7 ps light pulses by hybrid mode locking of a commercial semiconductor laser at 1.3 /spl mu/m. Detuning towards shorter wavelengths is found to be crucial for obtaining ultrashort pulses. A theoretical analysis shows that this detuning compensates for the bandgap reduction due to many body interactions. <<ETX>>
Sexual Behaviors and Desires of Inmates in a Finnish Prison: A Survey Study With Population-Based Comparisons

Using paper surveys, we investigated sexual behaviors and desires of 181 inmates in a Finnish prison. Conjugal visits, sexual desire, and gender were the strongest predictors of sexual activity. Reports of coercive experiences were somewhat less prevalent than reported in international studies. Compared with population-based data, inmates reported fewer partnered behaviors, although their desires for these activities were similar. The masturbation frequency did not differ between the two populations; men generally masturbated more than they desired. Male prisoners who reported more masturbation also reported lower well-being. These results can be used to guide prisoners and staff on topics relevant to prisoner sexuality.
Thermotropic Optical Response of Silicone–Paraffin Flexible Blends

Organic phase change materials, e.g., paraffins, are attracting increasing attention in thermal energy storage (TES) and thermal management applications. However, they also manifest interesting optical properties such as thermotropism, as they can switch from optically opaque to transparent reversibly and promptly at the melting temperature. This work aims at exploiting this feature to produce flexible silicone-based blends with thermotropic properties for applications in glazed windows or thermal sensors. Blends are produced by adding paraffin (Tm = 44 °C, up to 10 phr) to a silicone bicomponent mixture, and, for the first time, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is also added to promote paraffin dispersion and avoid its exudation. CTAB is proven effective in preventing paraffin exudation both in the solid and in the liquid state when added in a fraction above 3 phr with respect to paraffin. Rheological results show that paraffin decreases the complex viscosity, but neither paraffin nor CTAB modifies the curing behavior of silicone, which indicates uniform processability across the investigated compositions. On the other hand, paraffin causes a decrease in the stress and strain at break at 60 °C, and this effect is amplified by CTAB, which acts as a defect and stress concentrator. Conversely, at room temperature, solid paraffin only slightly impairs the mechanical properties, while CTAB increases both the elastic modulus and tensile strength, as also highlighted with ANOVA. Finally, optical transmittance results suggest that the maximum transmittance difference below and above the melting temperature (65–70 percentage points) is reached for paraffin amounts of 3 to 5 phr and a CTAB amount of max. 0.15 phr.
Lie Group and Lie Algebra Variational Integrators for Flexible Beam and Plate in R3

Keywords: beam ; plate ; mechanical integrators ; variational principles ; conservation properties ; discrete mechanics ; symmetry ; reduction ; asynchronous These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 5556 (2012)Programme doctoral StructuresFaculte de l'environnement naturel, architectural et construitInstitut d'ingenierie civileLaboratoire de construction en boisJury: M. Bierlaire (president), M. Desbrun, F. Gay-Balmaz, J.-F. Molinari Public defense: 2012-11-16 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-5556Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2012-12-05, modified on 2017-09-27
On the collisional damping of TAE-modes on trapped electrons in tokamaks

The trapped electron collisional damping of global toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE-modes) is investigated. The collisions of trapped electrons with passing ones and ions lead to the essentially enhanced damping rate of TAE-modes in comparison with usually assumed damping due to the magnetic curvature drift of the electrons.
A Stratified Turbulence Formulation and a Turbulent Inflow Boundary Condition for Large-Eddy Simulation of Complex Terrain Winds

There has been an increased interest to forecast winds over complex terrain under realistic stability conditions using spatial resolutions that are much finer than the current practice. This goal is realizable thanks to the computational power of graphics processing units (GPUs). This thesis investigates an immersed boundary (IB) formulation and a turbulent inflow boundary condition within a multi-GPU parallel incompressible wind solver. Katabatic flows over a sloped complex terrain surface under stable stratification remain to be one of the least understood subjects in atmospheric turbulence. Prandtl’s analytical solution for laminar katabatic flow is used to develop an IB formulation to impose heat flux boundary conditions, and to assess the formal accuracy of the proposed IB schemes. Direct numerical simulation of turbulent katabatic flow is then performed to investigate the applicability of proposed schemes in the turbulent regime. Additionally, a turbulent inflow boundary condition formulation based on perturbations to the buoyancy field is also developed and studied for a channel flow. Results show that a statistically neutral buoyancy field can serve as a practical method to generate turbulent inflow conditions, and turbulent katabatic flow simulations are sensitive to the specifics of the IB formulation. With these two contributions, the current flow solver is closer to simulating winds over thermally active complex terrain.
Luminescence efficiency at 1.5μm of Er-doped thick SiO layers and Er-doped SiO∕SiO2 multilayers

The luminescence from Er-doped thin films is studied in two different systems. The first one is a SiO single layer. The second one is a SiO∕SiO2 multilayer allowing us to obtain size-controlled silicon nanocrystals. In both systems, the annealing-temperature dependence of the luminescence is investigated. It is shown that the optimal annealing temperatures are equal to 700 and 1050°C for the single layer and the multilayer, respectively. Moreover the luminescence efficiency at 1. 5μm is one order of magnitude higher in the single Er-doped SiO layer. These results are discussed in relation to the formation of silicon nanoparticles with annealing treatments.
Satellite Observations of the Outer Oorona Near Sunspot Maximum

: This paper shows the first satellite observations of the Sun's vrtiite light corona (2.6 R 0 - 10.0 R 0 ) during the active phase of a sunspot cycle. Since these observations have been obtained routinely with a spatial resolution of 1.25 arc min and a repetition rate of 10 minutes during the one-hour sunlit portion of each 97-minute satellite orbital period. As an illustration of these new observations, we show the coronal changes associated with the great mass ejection of May 8, 1979. Satellite of the Sun's vhite light corona began were into This paper presents the first observations obtained with a new NRL coronagraph called Sol wind that is currently operating on the US Department of Defense Space Test Program Satellite P78-1 in a noon-midnight polar orbit. Like the previous NRL instrument, the new one has a spatial resolution of 1.25 arc min and a field of view that extends from the occulting disk near 2.6 R 0 to an outer limit of 10.0 R~ . Ffowever, unlike the previous instrument which could obtain full-field images only once per satellite orbit, the Sol wind coronagraph routinely obtains full-field images at a repetition rate of 10 minutes during the one-hour sunlit portion of each 97-minute satellite orbital period. The wind
Structural Analysis of Suspension Bridges

A practical structural analysis of suspension bridges by the stiffness matrix method is presented. This analysis is based on deflection theory. In this method all live loads are applied at arbitrary points and locations along a stiffening girder or truss because of the inclusion of the load terms derived by means of the Laplace transformation. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of division elements. Horizontal cable tension can be determined by integral of Green's function with respect to deflection. Irrespective of the number of division elements, the magnitude of horizontal cable tension can be obtained precisely. The method is applicable to an analysis of suspension bridges with any number of spans and variable cross sections. The validity of the stiffness matrix method proposed herein is examined and checked by numerical calculations. This stiffness matrix method can be developed and extended to a three‐dimensional analysis of suspension bridges.
Relative abundance determinations in extremely metal poor giants. II. Transition probabilities and the abundance determinations

The abundances of Fe and other elements are determined for a star of intermediate metallicity and for nine extremely metal poor stars, including two members of the globular cluster M92 and CD -38 deg 245. The accuracy of the transition probabilities for Fe I and other elements is evaluated. The distribution of the abundances of other elements with respect to Fe is the same for most of the cases studied. Manganese is the only element that shows a different relative abundance in an extremely metal poor star. 120 refs.
Measurements of the ratio between the transverse diffusion coefficient and the mobility for argon ions in argon

The ratio between the transverse diffusion coefficient and the mobility for ions in argon has been determined from directly measured transverse current density distribution profiles of mass-analysed ions, as a function of the ratio between the electric field and the gas number density in the interval Td, at gas temperature T = 294 K using a variable-length drift tube mass spectrometer. The error (two standard deviations) in the results is believed to be less than % for Td, thereafter gradually increasing to % at 4000 Td. The results are compared with moment theory calculations based on an analytical four-parameter model potential. The agreement between measured and calculated values is very good except at the highest -values.