Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geometric flow control of shear bands by suppression of viscous sliding

Shear banding is a plastic flow instability with highly undesirable consequences for metals processing. While band characteristics have been well studied, general methods to control shear bands are presently lacking. Here, we use high-speed imaging and micro-marker analysis of flow in cutting to reveal the common fundamental mechanism underlying shear banding in metals. The flow unfolds in two distinct phases: an initiation phase followed by a viscous sliding phase in which most of the straining occurs. We show that the second sliding phase is well described by a simple model of two identical fluids being sheared across their interface. The equivalent shear band viscosity computed by fitting the model to experimental displacement profiles is very close in value to typical liquid metal viscosities. The observation of similar displacement profiles across different metals shows that specific microstructure details do not affect the second phase. This also suggests that the principal role of the initiation phase is to generate a weak interface that is susceptible to localized deformation. Importantly, by constraining the sliding phase, we demonstrate a material-agnostic method—passive geometric flow control—that effects complete band suppression in systems which otherwise fail via shear banding.
The combined impact of postoperative heart failure and EuroSCORE on long-term outcome after surgery for aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Although the EuroSCORE was developed for predicting operative mortality after cardiac surgery, it has also been shown to predict long-term mortality. It has been reported that postoperative heart failure (PHF) in association with surgery, albeit comparatively benign in the short term, has a profound impact on five-year survival after surgery for aortic stenosis (AS). The study aim was to determine the combined impact of EuroSCORE and PHF on long-term survival after isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) for AS. METHODS A total of 397 patients (48% females; average age 70 +/- 10 years) who underwent AVR for AS at the authors' institution between 1995 and 2000 was studied. The cohort was subdivided according to the additive EuroSCORE into a high-risk group (EuroSCORE >7) and a low-risk group (EuroSCORE < or = 7), and further analyzed in relation to PHF. RESULTS The average follow up was 8.1 years (range: 5.2-11.2 years). Forty-five patients (11%) were treated for procedure-associated PHF. Patients with or without PHF and a high-risk EuroSCORE had crude five-year survivals of 57% and 64%, respectively (p = 0.6), whereas those with or without PHF but with a low-risk EuroSCORE had crude five-year survivals of 58% and 89%, respectively (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION Both PHF and a high EuroSCORE were associated with poor long-term survival. The role of PHF per se for the long-term prognosis was illustrated by the fact that the negative impact on long-term survival was almost as profound in patients of the low-risk group as of the high-risk group.
Centralized mindset: a student problem with object-oriented programming

● There are strong arguments to believe that objectoriented programming is easier to learn and use in creating more correct programs Kosson & Alpert, 1990]. ● Students do learn object-oriented programming environments, though the depth of that learning has been questioned and few problems that students encounter have been identified Eome & GirardoL 1991 ;Fenton & Beck, 1989;Nielsen, Frehr, et al., 1991;Pugh, LaLonde, et ai. , 1987]. “ One of these problems is that programmers have difficulty learning object-oriented programming if they have learned another paradigm previously CDetienne, 1990]. A specific problem that students encounter is creating collaborative objects – students have diftlcnlty creating and understanding connections between objects [Carroll, Rosson, et ai. , 1993].
Signatures of chaos in quantum billiards: Microwave experiments.

The signatures of classical chaos and the role of periodic orbits in the wave-mechanical eigenvalue spectra of two-dimensional billiards are studied experimentally in microwave cavities. The survival probability for all the chaotic cavity data shows a "correlation hole," in agreement with theory, that is absent for the integrable cavity. The spectral rigidity Δ 3 (L), which is a measure of long-range correlation, is shown to be particularly sensitive to the presence of marginally stable periodic orbits. Agreement with random-matrix theory is achieved only after excluding such orbits, which we do by constructing a special geometry, the Sinai stadium. Pseudointegrable geometries are also studied, and are found to display intermediate behavior.
Empirical links between achievement goal theory and self-determination theory in sport

The aim of this study was to examine the empirical links between achievement goal theory and self-determination theory in sport. Addressing theoretical and methodological limitations of previous research, the study tested the independent and interactive effects of goal orientations and perceived competence on seven motivational variables with different degrees of self-determination. Regression analyses of data collected from 247 British university students showed that task orientation predicted motivational variables with high self-determination. In contrast, ego orientation predicted motivational variables with low self-determination. Perceived competence predicted both high self-determined and low self-determined motivational variables. A significant interaction emerged between task and ego orientations in predicting external regulation. The results suggest the adaptive role of task orientation in facilitating self-determined motivation in sport. However, the findings are not conclusive, as the variance explained in most analyses was relatively small. Suggestions are offered for a more comprehensive empirical testing of the links between the two theories.
Increasing Weak Classifiers Diversity by Omics Networks

The common problems in machine learning from omics data are the scarcity of samples, the high number of features and their complex interaction structure. The models built solely from measured data often suffer from overfitting. One of possible methods dealing with overfitting is to use prior knowledge for regularization. This work analyzes contribution of feature interaction networks in regularization of ensemble classifiers representing another approach to overfitting reduction. We study how utilization of feature interaction networks influences diversity of weak classifiers and thus accuracy of the resulting ensemble model. The network and its random walks are used to control the feature randomization during construction of weak classifiers, which makes them more diverse than in the well-known random forest. We experiment with different types of weak classifiers (trees, logistic regression, näıve Bayes) and different random walk lengths and demonstrate that diversity of weak classifiers grows with increasing network locality of weak classifiers.
Analysis of Electric Machines for Small Hybrid Electric Traction

The main aim of this work is the study and comparative analysis of electric motors for small vehicles. The utilization of these motors is devoted to the application in hybrid vehicles and, in particular, for the series connected configuration. Three feasible solutions of permanent magnet machines are proposed and discussed. In particular, the machines are permanent magnet motors with radial flux (two) and axial flux (one) structures. A preliminary design of the electrical machines is carried out by means of a traditional approach. Hence, the finite element method has been applied through the utilization of a commercial software that allowed to evaluate the values of both the electrical and electromagnetic fields, and to carry out a refined design of the machines. A trade off conclusion has finally been done by taking into account the advantages and drawbacks of the proposed propellers into the investigated configuration.
Improved vectors for nisin-controlled expression in gram-positive bacteria.

A set of shuttle vectors, able to replicate in Escherichia coli and in gram-positive bacteria, containing a nisin-inducible promoter (PnisA) and genes encoding NisR and NisK, the two-component signaling mechanism for activating transcription from PnisA in the presence of nisin, was constructed. To test these vectors, Enterococcus faecalis pCF10 plasmid genes prgX, prgY, and prgZ, which respectively encode cytosolic, integral membrane, and cell surface proteins, were cloned downstream of PnisA. Increased protein expression, in the presence of nisin, was demonstrated by Western blot analysis.
Transient analysis of 3D waveguides using double-higher-order time-domain finite element method

This paper presents transient analysis of multiport waveguide structures using double higher-order time-domain finite element method (TDFEM). The general appropriateness of higher order spatial basis functions for the TDFEM analysis and their ability to accurately (and efficiently) capture the transient field response across large finite elements within the time-stepping solution in the TDFEM are discussed in great detail.
Use of a flat-panel detector for microtomography: a feasibility study for small-animal imaging

We have applied a flat-panel detector to an X-ray cone-beam micro computed tomography (micro-CT) for small-animal imaging. The flat-panel detector consists of an active matrix of transistors and photodiodes with a pixel pitch of 50 /spl mu/m and a thallium-doped cesium iodide (CsI:Tl) scintillator as an X-ray-to-light conversion layer. The detector was fabricated with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology capable of a submicrometer design line width, hence, it has a pixel fill-factor as high as /spl sim/80%. In addition, the detector has a very fast response characteristic with an image lag less than 0.3% in the frame integration time of 5 s. The CMOS flat-panel detector has been tested in terms of modulation transfer function, noise power spectrum, and detective quantum efficiency. Tomographic imaging performances of the micro-CT system, such as voxel noise, contrast-to-noise ratio, and spatial resolution, have also been evaluated by using various quantitative phantoms. Experimental results of euthanized laboratory rat imaging suggest that the micro-CT system employing a CMOS flat-panel detector can be greatly used in small-animal imaging.
Physical and functional characterization of the Bacillus subtilis spoIIM gene

The spoIIM locus of Bacillus subtilis is the most recently discovered of six genetic loci in which mutations can prevent the synthesis of a normal asymmetric septum or prevent migration of the septal structure to engulf the forespore compartment of the sporangium. Ultrastructure studies of a spoIIM mutant confirmed a block prior to the completion of engulfment. Introduction of a spoIIM mutation into a panel of strains containing lacZ fusions belonging to different regulatory classes allowed us to determine that the spoIIM gene product is required for the efficient expression of genes transcribed by sigma G-associated RNA polymerase but is not required for the expression of sigma F-controlled genes, including spoIIIG, which encodes sigma G. The results of complementation studies, gene disruption analysis, and DNA sequencing revealed that the spoIIM locus contains a single sporulation-essential gene encoding a polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 24,850 Da. The predicted spoIIM gene product is highly hydrophobic and very basic, and it does not exhibit significant homology to sequence files in several major data bases.
Hotel valuation in Russia by applying international techniques

Das Ziel von dieser Arbeit ist die internationalen Hotelbewertungstechniken zu finden, die in Russland fur das Erhalten des ungefahren Marktwerts ohne Hilfe eines professionellen Bewertungsunternehmens innerhalb kurzer Zeit benutzt werden konnen. Die Hotelbewertung soll man separat von anderen Immobilien ansehen, weil Hotels nicht auf Basis von q.m. wie Wohnungen oder Buros vermietet sind. Cash Flows von einem Hotel sind von Zimmern und anderer Infrastruktur wie einem Restaurant, einem SPA- oder Gesundcentrum generiert (Gasparini, 2011). In der Hotelbewertung gibt es verschiedene Aspekten, die man beachten soll wie, zum Beispiel, materielle und immaterielle Anlagen, die Bewertungsmotivation und so weiter. Abhangig vom Bewertungsziel, die Bewertungsmotivationen vom Kaufer und Verkaufer und der Datenverfugbarkeit, kann es einige Techniken mit mehr zuverlassigen Ergebnissen als bei den anderen geben (Rushmore, Seven current hotel-valuation techniques, 1992). Wenn wir uber die Hotelbewertung in Russland sprechen, mussen wir in Acht nehmen, dass die Geschichte vom Kapitalismus in Russland nach dem Aufbruch der UdSSR angefangen hat und ab diesem Moment wurden Immobilien privat und haben die Marktbeziehungen angefangen sich zu entwickeln. Deshalb sind Fragen wie Immobilienbewertung und besonders Hotelbewertung ziemlich neuen Themen fur Russland. In der Weltpraxis gibt es drei Hauptansatze, die in der Hotelbewertung benutzt werden konnen: der Kostenansatz (auf der Basis von Baukosten), der Vergleichsansatz (auf der Basis von ahnlichen Hotelverkaufen) und der Einkommensansatz (auf der Basis von zukunftigen Einkunften). Als meine Analyse gezeigt hat, konnen viele internationale Techniken in Russland benutzt werden.
Opioid agonist binding affinity is increased by magnesium in the presence of guanosine diphosphate but decreased by magnesium in the presence of guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate.

Opioid receptors exist in multiple affinity states for agonists. Cations and guanine nucleotides affect mu-agonist affinity by modulating the interaction between receptor molecule and G-protein. In this study, we systematically examined the effects of cations and guanine nucleotides on the binding of mu-agonist [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Met-(O)5-ol]enkephalin in rat spinal cord and brain membranes. A homogeneous class of low-affinity receptors was obtained by conducting binding assays in the presence of Na+ (100 mM) + guanosine diphosphate (100 microM). The addition of Mg++ (5 mM) shifted a portion of the low-affinity receptors to the high-affinity state. In membranes preincubated with Na+ + guanosine diphosphate and with the binding assay performed in the presence of Mg++, a homogeneous class of high-affinity receptors was induced by the agonist. Further addition of Na+ + guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (30 microM) to the above Mg++-containing medium converted all receptors to a low-affinity state, whereas Na+ + guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate produced a mixture of high- and low-affinity states. Our results suggest that, depending on which guanine nucleotide is bound with G-proteins, mg++induces opposite effects on the states of mu-receptor affinity: high affinity with GDP and low affinity with guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate. Sodium ion promotes the low-affinity receptor conformation and increases total low-affinity binding sites. The affinity of the opiod antagonist naloxone is not sensitive to regulation by Mg++ and guanine nucleotides, except that the total receptor binding is increased by Na+. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Photonic crystal design tool

In this paper, we present a photonic crystal design tool. This is web based software interface to design and analyze photonic crystal devices supported by a client/server application architecture. The tool has three layers: interface (IL), server (SL) and MEEP (ML). The interface layer (IL) is responsible for getting the parameters of the structure to simulate, display the data results and, exhibit the results generating by MEEP. The function of the server layer (SL) is to establish a communication channel between the IL and MEEP. The MEEP layer (ML) is the FDTD core of our web application tool. To evaluate our interface, we implemented some photonic crystal logic gates reported in the literature. Thus, we can say that the web interface development here allows the design of photonic crystal devices very quickly. In addition, the adopted client/server architecture allows a distributed system, a full accessibility and a user customization of profile and projects.
Assessing Performance of Three BIM-Based Views of Buildings for Communication and Management of Vertically Stratified Legal Interests

Multistorey buildings typically include stratified legal interests which provide entitlements to a community of owners to lawfully possess private properties and use communal and public properties. The spatial arrangements of these legal interests are often defined by multiplexing cognitively outlined spaces and physical elements of a building. In order to support 3D digital management and communication of legal arrangements of properties, a number of spatial data models have been recently developed in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) domains. While some data models, such as CityGML, IndoorGML or IFC, provide a merely physical representation of the built environment, others, e.g., LADM, mainly rely on legal data elements to support a purely legal view of multistorey buildings. More recently, spatial data models integrating legal and physical notions of multistorey buildings have been proposed to overcome issues associated with purely legal models and purely physical ones. In previous investigations, it has been found that the 3D digital data environment of BIM has the flexibility to utilize either only physical elements or only legal spaces, or an integrated view of both legal spaces and physical elements to represent spatial arrangements of stratified legal interests. In this article, the performance of these three distinct BIM-based representations of legal interests defined inside multistorey buildings is assessed in the context of the Victorian jurisdiction of Australia. The assessment metrics are a number of objects and geometry batches, visualization speed in terms of frame rate, query time, modelling legal boundaries, and visual communication of legal boundaries.
Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Preserves Endothelial Function during Intimal Hyperplasia

Background: Atrial and C-type natriuretic peptides (ANP and CNP), acting through different receptors, have antiproliferative effects in vitro. Beneficial effects of CNP in vivo on early atherosclerosis have been described, but it is not known if ANP is antiproliferative in vivo. In the present study, the effects of chronic in vivo ANP were tested and compared with CNP on endothelial dysfunction and intimal thickening caused by peri-arterial collars. Methods: Non-occlusive collars were placed bilaterally around the common carotid arteries of rabbits. One collar was filled with saline vehicle. The contralateral collar was filled with ANP or CNP (1 or 10 µM, n = 5–7) with slow replacement of peptide via mini-pump (1 or 10 fmol/h). Results: After 7 days, endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in saline-collared arteries was 33 ± 3% of maximum [averaged over 0.03–1 µM acetylcholine (ACh)] compared to 64 ± 2% in normal (uncollared) arteries (p < 0.05, n = 23). In vivo ANP restored the ACh relaxation to normal (e.g., 57 ± 6%, 1 µM ANP), similar to effects seen with CNP in vivo. Endothelium-independent vasorelaxation of collared-vessels was not altered by either peptide. Intimal hyperplasia induced by the collars was not prevented by peri-arterial natriuretic peptides. In additional rabbits (n = 6), CNP (100 pmol/h) given directly into the lumen of collared carotid arteries for 7 days reduced neointima formation by 16 ± 5% (p < 0.05), whereas ANP given intraluminally (100 pmol/h; n = 6) did not. Conclusions: The more potent actions of CNP on vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation (established in vitro) may explain differences between the peptides on intimal hyperplasia in vivo. The major hallmark of atherosclerosis and restenosis, endothelial dysfunction, was prevented by chronic, peri-arterial administration of ANP or CNP.
Brucellosis: Improved Diagnostics and Vaccine Insights from Synthetic Glycans

Conspectus Brucellosis is a serious zoonotic bacterial disease that is ranked by the World Health Organization among the top seven “neglected zoonoses” that threaten human health and cause poverty. It is a costly, highly contagious disease that affects ruminants, cattle, sheep, goats, and other productive animals such as pigs. Symptoms include abortions, infertility, decreased milk production, weight loss, and lameness. Brucellosis is also the most common bacterial disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, with approximately 500 000 new human cases each year. Detection and slaughter of infected animals is required to eradicate the disease, as vaccination alone is currently insufficient. However, as the most protective vaccines compromise serodiagnosis, this creates policy dilemmas, and these often result in the failure of eradication and control programs. Detection of antibodies to the Brucella bacterial cell wall O-polysaccharide (OPS) component of smooth lipopolysaccharide is used in diagnosis of this disease, and the same molecule contributes important protective efficacy to currently deployed veterinary whole-cell vaccines. This has set up a long-standing paradox that while Brucella OPS confers protective efficacy to vaccines, its presence results in similar antibody profiles in infected and vaccinated animals. Consequently, differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) is not possible, and this limits efforts to combat the disease. Recent clarification of the chemical structure of Brucella OPS as a block copolymer of two oligosaccharide sequences has provided an opportunity to utilize unique oligosaccharides only available via chemical synthesis in serodiagnostic tests for the disease. These oligosaccharides show excellent sensitivity and specificity compared with the native polymer used in current commercial tests and have the added advantage of assisting discrimination between brucellosis and infections caused by several bacteria with OPS that share some structural features with those of Brucella. During synthesis and immunochemical evaluation of these synthetic antigens, it became apparent that an opportunity existed to create a polysaccharide–protein conjugate vaccine that would not create antibodies that give false positive results in diagnostic tests for infection. This objective was reduced to practice, and immunization of mice showed that antibodies to the Brucella A antigen could be developed without reacting in a diagnostic test based on the M antigen. A conjugate vaccine of this type could readily be developed for use in humans and animals. However, as chemical methods advance and modern methods of bacterial engineering mature, it is expected that the principles elucidated by these studies could be applied to the development of an inexpensive and cost-effective vaccine to combat endemic brucellosis in animals.