Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wind tunnel testing of a VTOL MAV propeller in tilted operating mode

This paper presents experimental results of the full 3-axis force vector and 3-axis moment vector acting on a propeller, commonly used for a Vertical Take Off and Landing Micro Aerial Vehicle (VTOL MAV). Measurements were carried out in a wind tunnel using a high resolution 6-axis force/moment sensor embedded in a customized test rig at several wind speeds, propeller rotational speeds and angles of the propeller shaft with respect to the air stream. Results show strong moments acting on the propeller in forward flight and unstable conditions in descending flight. Power calculations reveal a decrease in power consumption during slow forward flight and how motor efficiency can be maximized.
The responses of Tribolium castaneum to wheat germ oil and fungal produced volatiles

The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a significant pest affecting a wide variety of different stored products around the Globe. Despite its economic impact, there is evidence that the lures currently used in traps to monitor for this species are largely ineffective. Based on the evolutionary history of T. castaneum, and the ecological niche it occupies, the volatiles of wheat germ oil and volatiles produced by grain-associated fungi have the potential to act as attractants for this species. We used electroantennography (EAG) to measure the electrophysiological response elicited by sixty-eight volatile compounds found in wheat germ oil and/or grain-associated fungi in two T. castaneum strains; an established lab population (CTC12 strain) and a recently caught wild population. Many volatile compounds from both sources elicited strong antennal depolarisations, and the responses of both strains were highly correlated. We then tested whether the compounds that triggered the strongest antennal depolarisations also elicited behavioural responses by using Y-tube olfactometer bioassays and identified several compounds attractive to both strains. The discovery of novel compounds that elicit strong EAG signals and behavioural responses could prove useful in the design of improved lures for T. castaneum and other stored product pests. Our future research will identify how effective these attractive volatiles might be when used in combination, and when used under conditions that more closely replicate a stored product environment.
Management and Operations Maintenance for a Public Water Supply Company

This article paper to demonstrate the influence of maintenance activity of a Portuguese company, which is dedicated to the treatment and supply of public water. The importance of the activity of this company in Portugal is expressed by its annual capacity of treatment and distribution of 41 million m of drinking water to approximately 438,000 inhabitants spread over a geographic area that represents 15% of the Portuguese territory. The analysis of this maintenance sector company, hereinafter known as Water Company, illustrates importance of proper management and implementation of appropriate maintenance actions.
Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ): Evidence of Construct Validity and Internal Consistency

Abstract Gather evidence of construct and convergent validity and internal consistency of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). A total of 441 students, mostly female (54.6%), with a mean age of 16 years (SD = 1.14), answered the ERQ and demographic questions. They were randomly distributed in two databases, which were submitted to exploratory (sample 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (sample 2). The exploratory results indicated a three-factor structure: Cognitive Reappraisal, Redirection of Attentional Focus and Emotional Suppression, which together explained 59.3% of the total variance (α = 0,67; α = 0,63; α = 0,64). For the confirmatory analyses, the following goodness-of-fit indices were found: χ² (24) = 67.02, p <0.001; χ² / df = 2.79, GFI = 0.93; AGFI = 0.88; CFI = 0.88 and RMSEA = 0.08 (IC 90% = 0.064-0.100). Thus, it is concluded that the ERQ possesses satisfactory psychometric indices, being the promising instrument for evaluation of emotion regulation.
Propagation of shear bands in a Cu 47 . 5 Zr 47 . 5 Al 5 bulk metallic glass

We report a novel finding of slither propagation of shear bands on the fracture surface of a Cu47.5Zr47. 5Al5 bulk metallic glass (BMG). The nanoscale heterogeneities in the as-cast state are aggregated along shear bands with irregular morphology. Such heterogeneities create a fluctuating stress field during shear band propagation leading to a slither propagation mode. The slither propagation of 10 to 15 nm wide shear bands is effective to improve both the plasticity and the “work-hardening-like” behavior of BMGs if the size, the morphology, and the elastic properties of the heterogeneities are intimately intercalated during solidification.
WATERMARK EXTRACTION USING BLIND IMAGE SEPARATION AND SPARSE REPRESENTATION

This paper proposes a new image watermarking technique, which employs an Iterative sparse blind separation algorithm (ISBS) and a new sparsity based BSS algorithm (New ISBS algorithm or NISBS) for watermark extraction. The ISBS algorithm performs the separation based on the optimization of an (cid:96) p norm based contrast function. The new sparsity based BSS algorithm employs a smooth approximation of the absolute value function as the cost function. The watermark embedding of the images is performed in the spatial domain. The results of the simulations demonstrate the validity and performance of these two techniques for watermark extraction.
Inhibition of both angiotensin-converting enzyme and neutral endopeptidase by S21402 (RB105) in rats with experimental myocardial infarction.

The vasoconstrictor angiotensin II and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are oppositely involved in the development of heart failure, as modeled by myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. MI is a model also characterized by sodium retention despite the elevated plasma ANP levels, showing a desensitization of responses to ANP. S21402 (RB105) {N-[2S,3R-(2-mercaptom-ethyl-1-oxo-3-phenylbutyl) L-alanine]} is a dual inhibitor that inhibits both neutral endopeptidase (Ki = 1.7 +/- 0.3 nM) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (Ki = 4.2 +/- 0.5 nM). Inhibition of neutral endopeptidase protects endogenous ANP, and inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme blocks angiotensin II production, whereas inhibition of both peptidases is required to protect endogenous bradykinin (BK). Induction of MI in rats, by ligation of the left coronary artery, increased the base-line plasma ANP, cyclic GMP (cGMP) and renin concentrations, which were related to the degree of MI (moderate and severe MI rats). Urinary excretion of ANP, cGMP and BK was also increased in MI rats and was linked to the infarction size. S21402 (RB105) (25 mg/kg bolus plus 25 mg/kg/hr i.v.) decreased the mean blood pressure and increased natriuresis in MI rats whatever the degree of MI. S21402 (RB105) induced an increase in plasma renin in MI rats despite the elevated base-line levels. S21402 (RB105) did not alter the plasma in ANP in MI rats. However, plasma cGMP was increased by the dual inhibitor, as a function of the infarction severity. Urinary excretion of ANP, cGMP and BK was also increased by S21402 (RB105), proportionally to the infarction size. Whatever the degree of MI, S21402 (RB105) was able to induce natriuresis, characterized by a desensitization of ANP-induced renal responses. Inhibition of both angiotensin-converting enzyme and neutral endopeptidase by potentiating endogenous ANP and BK and blocking angiotensin II production could be an interesting therapeutic approach in heart failure.
A Case‐Control Follow‐up Study for Disease‐Specific Mortality

Summary. Case‐control studies often rely on subjects to report their own screening or exposure information; this information is often obtained from cases after the event of interest has occurred. This is problematic for mortality outcomes, because dead subjects cannot report the desired information. To avoid this problem, Weiss and Lazovich (1996, American Journal of Epidemiology143, 319–322) proposed obtaining exposure or screening information from potential cases, i.e., subjects diagnosed with disease, at the time of disease diagnosis, and also from a referent series. The design is best viewed as a new scheme for sampling from a cohort. I review estimation of the effects of time‐varying screening or exposure in cohort studies, using a new factorization. I then show how this factorization, together with ignorability assumptions, allows valid estimation from these new designs. Even when the sampling fraction of nondiseased subjects is unknown, causal risk ratios are estimable if diagnosis is rare in the cohort. I illustrate and compare conventional and new methods with data from the Health Insurance Plan study.
Mode I and II fracture behaviour of steel fibre reinforced high strength geopolymer concrete : an experimental investigation

In this paper, results are reported for a series of discrete fibre pullout tests from high strength geopolymer concrete and high performance, reactive powder, concrete. The results are also compared to that of discrete fibres pulled out from conventional strength mortar. The tests cover both Modes I and II fracture and a number of different fibre angles to the separation plane were studied. The results show that with provision of an end hook the bond is too great and the fibres fracture, even for high strength short fibres. It was found that the mechanical anchorage due to the snubbing effect is especially important and that in the Mode II tests, fibres at negative angles smaller than -30 degrees are largely ineffective over the engineering range of separation, or crack, plane openings.
UCB-PTH-15 / 01 New gaugings and non-geometry

We discuss the possible realisation in string/M theory of the recently discovered family of four-dimensional maximal SO(8) gauged supergravities, and of an analogous family of seven-dimensional half-maximal SO(4) gauged supergravities. We first prove a no-go theorem that neither class of gaugings can be realised via a compactification that is locally described by tenor eleven-dimensional supergravity. In the language of Double Field Theory and its M theory analogue, this implies that the section condition must be violated. Introducing the minimal number of additional coordinates possible, we then show that the standard S3 and S7 compactifications of tenand eleven-dimensional supergravity admit a new class of section-violating generalised frames with a generalised Lie derivative algebra that reproduces the embedding tensor of the SO(4) and SO(8) gaugings respectively. The physical meaning, if any, of these constructions is unclear. They highlight a number of the issues that arise when attempting to apply the formalism of Double Field Theory to non-toroidal backgrounds. Using a naive brane charge quantisation to determine the periodicities of the additional coordinates restricts the SO(4) gaugings to an infinite discrete set and excludes all the SO(8) gaugings other than the standard one.
Hypertonic activation of the renal betaine/GABA transporter is microtubule dependent.

BACKGROUND Epithelial cells in the renal inner medulla accumulate osmolytes such as betaine to maintain normal cell volume during prolonged extracellular hypertonic stress. Betaine accumulation is the result of activation of transcription of the BGT1 transporter gene followed by increased betaine transport. METHODS We studied the possible role of microtubules in this adaptive mechanism using renal cells in culture. RESULTS. : In cultured renal cell lines [Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD-3)], up-regulation of BGT1 activity was maximal after 24 to 30 hours in growth medium made hypertonic (510 mOsm/kg) by the addition of sucrose or NaCl. Up-regulation was reversed within 24 to 36 hours after returning cells to isotonic medium. Both cycloheximide (20 micromol/L) and nocodazole (20 micromol/L) blocked the hypertonic up-regulation of BGT1. Nocodazole was partially effective even when added 16 to 20 hours after the switch to hypertonic medium. Recovery from nocodazole action was rapid, and there was full activation of BGT1 transport within three to six hours after nocodazole removal, suggesting rapid trafficking to the cell surface once microtubules repolymerized. Hypertonic activation of BGT1 transport was detected in an isolated membrane fraction and was blocked by cycloheximide but not by nocodazole. Confocal microscopy confirmed the increased abundance of BGT1 proteins in the plasma membrane of hypertonic cells and showed that BGT1 remained intracellular during nocodazole treatment. CONCLUSIONS Hypertonic activation of BGT1 in renal cells requires de novo protein synthesis and microtubule-dependent trafficking of additional transporters to the cell surface. The apparent resistance of membrane BGT1 to nocodazole blockade is likely due to the presence in the membrane fraction of an increased intracellular pool of active BGT1 transporters.
The Aurora-B-mediated phosphorylation of SHCBP1 regulates cytokinetic furrow ingression

Summary Centralspindlin, which is composed of MgcRacGAP and MKLP1, is essential for central spindle formation and cytokinetic furrow ingression. MgcRacGAP utilizes its GAP domain to inactivate Rac1 and induce furrow ingression in mammalian cells. In this report, we present a novel regulatory mechanism for furrowing that is mediated by the phosphorylation of SHC SH2-domain binding protein 1 (SHCBP1), a binding partner of centralspindlin, by Aurora B (AurB). AurB phosphorylates Ser634 of SHCBP1 during mitosis. We generated a phosphorylation site mutant, S634A-SHCBP1, which was prematurely recruited to the central spindle during anaphase and inhibited furrowing. An in vitro GAP assay demonstrated that SHCBP1 can suppress the MgcRacGAP-mediated inactivation of Rac1. In addition, the inhibition of Rac1 activity rescued the furrowing defect induced by S634A-SHCBP1 expression. Thus, AurB phosphorylates SHCBP1 to prevent the premature localization of SHCBP1 to the central spindle and ensures that MgcRacGAP inactivates Rac1 to promote the ingression of the cytokinetic furrow.
The Use of PET / CT Fusion in Radiotherapy Treatment Planning of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancers

Souhrn Východiska: Karcinom plic je v současné době celosvětově nejčastěji diagnostikovaným nádorovým onemocněním, v jehož léčebném algoritmu hraje zásadní a nezastupitelné místo radioterapie. Konvenčně je radioterapie plánována pomocí samotného CT vyšetření, což však může být zdrojem mnoha nepřesností a chyb při konturaci cílových objemů. Snížit pravděpodobnost jejich vzniku by mohlo použití dat z vyšetření PET, optimálně z fúze PET a CT vyšetření, jak bylo již dokázáno v diagnostice plicních karcinomů. Cíl: Tento přehledový článek se podrobně věnuje všem důležitým aspektům týkajícím se využití PET/CT vyšetření při plánování radioterapie nemalobuněčných plicních karcinomů a výhodám z toho plynoucích. Závěr: PET/CT vyšetření je užitečným nástrojem vedoucím ke zvýšení přesnosti konturace cílových objemů. Integrace obou těchto diagnostických metod výrazným způsobem snižuje limity, které tato vyšetření mají, jsou-li použita samostatně. Použití kombinovaného PET/CT vyšetření často vede ke zjištění změny rozsahu nádorového postižení (nezřídka objeví ložiska vzdálené diseminace), důsledkem čehož je i změna léčebného záměru. Změna velikosti cílového objemu a tím i změna ozářeného objemu kritických struktur může vést ke zvýšení aplikované dávky do tumoru v těch situacích, kdy došlo ke zmenšení těchto objemů. Rovněž má PET/CT vyšetření pozitivní vliv na subjektivní pojetí konturace jednotlivými radiačními onkology.
Defect identification in semiconductors : Experiment and theory of positron annihilation

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is particularly suitable for studying vacancy-type defects in semiconductors. Combinining state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods allows for detailed identification of the defects and their chemical surroundings. Also charge states and defect levels in the band gap are accessible. In this review the main experimental and theoretical analysis techniques are described. The usage of these methods is illustrated through examples in technologically important elemental and compound semiconductors. Future challenges include the analysis of non-crystalline materials and of transient defect-related phenomena.
A distinct form of retinitis pigmentosa with retinal vascular occlusion

Objective: To describe and analyze the clinical features and results of exome sequencing of a distinct form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) associated with retinal vascular occlusion (RVO). Design: This case series was a retrospective study. Participants: 23 patients with RP/RVO during 1992-2015. Methods: Information obtained from medical records includes age, gender, clinical history, visual acuity, and results of investigations using the slit-lamp, indirect ophthalmoscope, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, angiography, electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Exome sequencing was performed in 8 blood samples. Results: Both eyes were affected. The optic disc was pale in 25 eyes, pale-white in 20 and normal in 1. Retinal vessels were attenuated in all eyes. There were widespread retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) abnormalities, including pigment discoloration and pigmented spots; no ‘bone spicules’ were observed. There was no inflammation, exudation, hemorrhage, neovascularization or proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Dye filling of vessels (angiography) was minimal/absent in 22 eyes, extended 1-3 diameters from the disc in 12, reached the posterior pole in 8, and reached the periphery in 4. ERG revealed severe aand b-wave attenuation in 13 cases. VEP recordings showed implicit time prolongation and reduced amplitude. In 2 cases, progression from an intermediate to an advanced stage took 3.5-4 years. Prognosis was poor. In the results of exome sequencing, we found the SNP related RP, which had been reported previously. Conclusion: RP with RVO may be a distinct form of RP.
NewYearInvite promo _ invited Person name : Bob Person name : Alice Promotion name : NewYearInvite invited

The analysis of graph data using graph database and distributed graph processing systems has gained significant interest. However, relatively little effort has been devoted to preparing the graph data for analysis, in particular to transform and integrate data from different sources. To support such ETL processes for graph data we investigate transformation operations for property graphs managed by the distributed platform Gradoop. We also provide initial results of a runtime evaluation of the proposed graph data transformations.
Modelling coastal flood risk in the data poor Bay of Bengal region

In the northern Bay of Bengal, tropical cyclone induced storm surge has resulted in some of the most notable flood disasters in recent history (e.g. Murty et al., 1986). Improvements to mitigating the coastal flood risk of this region have been highlight by the 2007 cyclone Sidr event (see Dube et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2012), in which the relatively low number of deaths was attributed to the development of an early warning system and cyclone shelter building program (see Paul, 2009). Obvious challenges to reduce flood risk in the Bay of Bengal region includes identifying the magnitude of uncertainty within inundation model based flood risk estimates to direct future research. Further, the development of a computationally efficient inundation model to correctly predict inundation extent in real time as part of an early warning system has been proposed for the northern Bay of Bengal (see Lewis et al., 2012), and thus cyclone forecast uncertainties would need to be included within inundation predictions.
IMPACT ANALYSIS OF SELF-HELP GROUPS ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT : A CASE STUDY OF PAKISTAN

In recent times, women empowerment is a key challenge for communities in the world. In a number of countries, women are struggling to improve their living standards. For this challenge, various efforts have been made by public/private/non-governmental sectors. Recently, Self-help groups (SHGs) have reportedly been contributing significantly to women empowerment in several countries including Pakistan. SHGs allow poor women to improve their lives through savings and running smallscale businesses. Previous studies show that SHG is a backbone to implement rural finance services and to provide work opportunities. The present study is a case study of quantitative impact analysis of SHGs, which is conducted in Gujranwala district, province of Punjab, Pakistan, in order to study in a more rigorous way than previous studies how they can enhance women empowerment and lead to poverty alleviation in Pakistan. Data has been collected through questionnaires and the targets are women living in the district and joining SHGs. Descriptive statistics demonstrate the significance of the SHGs while analysis shows that they have been contributing to improvement of women’s economic, social and psychological conditions in the district.
Network reduction algorithm for smart grid applications

The increasing number of distributed energy resources on distribution level causes several problems in distribution grids like overloads and voltage range deviations. To resolve these problems and to avoid a necessary cost intensive network expansion, smart grid solutions can be applied. However, the lack of measurement data on the distribution level means that there is no full knowledge of the current grid state. Thus, smart monitoring and control systems need to estimate the current grid state in order to identify appropriate measures for eliminating critical states. In this paper a network reduction algorithm is presented, which aggregates unobserved network areas. Together with measurements of critical nodes a full mathematical model can be derived, which enables to run a power flow calculation for grid state identification. The proposed method has been tested on a small 15 node test system and on a real middle voltage 130 node grid. Simulation results show an adequate accuracy of the introduced approach.
CD40L-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB in CA46 Burkitt lymphoma cells promotes apoptosis

CD40/CD40L interaction on high-grade aggressive lymphomas such as Burkitt lymphoma results in a decrease in proliferation, whereas a transient increase in proliferation and survival in vitro is seen with indolent lymphomas. In this study, cell growth inhibition on human Burkitt lymphoma cell lines CA46 and Raji were obtained with either srhCD40L or pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a specific inhibitor of NF-κB, whereas converse effects on CD40 negative control. Moreover, S phase arrest was demonstrated on CA46 cells in the presence of srhCD40L, and also cell apoptosis following exposed to srhCD40L or PDTC. Furthermore, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA binding activity of CA46 cell extracts was markedly suppressed with srhCD40L or PDTC by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). Thus, the growth inhibition and apoptosis-inducing activity of srhCD40L via CD40-CD40 ligand interaction on Burkitt lymphoma cells was confirmed, and these effects may be attributable to the suppression of NF-κB binding activity. Hence, srhCD40L may provide clinical benefits in the treatment of CD40 positive carcinomas including human Burkitt lymphoma.