Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elassaly Effects of Ground Motion Characteristics on Damage of RC Buildings : A Detailed Investigation C

Damage status of RC buildings is greatly influenced by the characteristics of the imposed ground motion. Peak Ground Acceleration and frequency contents are considered the main two factors that affect ground motion characteristics; hence, affecting the seismic response of RC structures and consequently their damage state. A detailed investigation on the combined effects of these two factors on damage assessment of RC buildings is carried out. Twenty one earthquake records are analyzed and arranged into three groups, according to their frequency contents. These records are used in an investigation to define the expected damage state that would be attained by RC buildings, if subjected to varying ground motion characteristics. The damage assessment is conducted through examining drift ratios and damage indices of the overall structure and the significant structural components of RC building. Base and story shear of RC building model, are also investigated, for cases when the model is subjected to the chosen twenty one earthquake records. Nonlinear dynamic analyses are performed on a 2-dimensional model of a 12-story RC building. Keywords—Damage, frequency content, ground motion, PGA, RC building, seismic.
An end-effector based upper-limb rehabilitation robot: Preliminary mechanism design

Loss of upper limb function often appears after stroke. In this paper the 3D mechanism design for an electromagnetically powered end-effector based robotic manipulator was developed for post-stroke physical therapy. The proposed system delivers a dexterous performance and has a novelty among end-effector based rehabilitation robots. Its design incorporates curved links, which expand the manipulators performance abilities, and, as a result, increase the range of types of rehabilitation therapies. The proposed robotic manipulator can provide a patient with three and two degrees of freedom in shoulder and elbow joints, respectively. It has seven degrees of freedom, and is capable of 7 kg payload. The design of manipulators linkages was optimized to decrease the weight of the system.
Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Technology in India

The limited indigenous uranium resource coupled with the need of energy independence necessitated the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in India to opt for a three-stage nuclear power program comprising of PHWRs in Stage 1, FBRs in Stage 2 and Th-U233 based reactors in Stage 3, respectively to meet the energy needs of the growing Indian economy. Presently the country has stepped into the 2nd Stage. The transition from the Stage 1 to 2 was fruitful thanks to the 2-decade long R&D experience gained in Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (FRFR). Closing the fast reactor fuel cycle through FRFR was inevitable for the success of the Indian Nuclear Power Program (INPP). The latest achievement by the center was the successful reprocessing of 100 GWd/t burnup mixed carbide fuel with 70% Pu, discharged from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) which is also located in the same center. The designs of the various equipments and process flow sheet had stemmed from the above experiences thereby increasing the confidence level in the future plans of the Department. In this paper, an overview of the experiences in FRFR with glimpses of the various developmental activities towards the future plants is spelt out.
Clinical Significance of Hilar Hyalinosis in Glomeruli of Children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

Introduction: Hilar hyalinosis (HH) of glomeruli has been thought for a long time to be a precursor or a variant of focal glomerulosclerosis (FGS). In view of its implications on treatment and prognosis of nephrotic syndrome, a retrospective study of hilar hyalinosis in children with the idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), but without any other histologic evidence of FGS, was performed to determine the clinic-pathologic significance of this lesion. Methods: A total of 92 Children with INS who had kidney biopsies for frequent relapses, steroid dependency or resistance were included. Eight of them had a biopsy-proven diagnosis of either minimal change disease or mild IgM nephropathy with HH in 6-25% of glomeruli were compared to control group consisting of 84 children with either minimal change disease (n=57) or IgM nephropathy (n=27) but without HH. Results: Clinically HH patients presented with NS and followed a steroid-dependent relapsing course prior to biopsy. Around 75% of the HH patients received at least one course of cytotoxic therapy after biopsy. At last visit, 6 patients were in remission, 2 were protein-free but on medication. None had hypertension or renal insufficiency. Apart from having a shorter interval between presentation and biopsy (P<0.001) and a lower remission rate (P<0.05), control patients followed a similar course. Pathologically HH patients showed less mesangial change (P<0.001) than the controls but similar mean glomerular size and tubuloinerstitial damage. Conclusion: The results do not support the concept of HH being a precursor lesion of FGS. Kibara [10] have reported HH in the kidneys of children without clinical evidence of renal disease. In view of the possibility that Hilar and perihilar hyalinosis is a precursor or a variant of FGS with its implications for treatment and prognosis, a retrospective study of HH in children with the nephrotic syndrome (NS) but without any other histologic evidence of FGS was performed to determine the clinic-pathologic significance of this lesion.
Powerline communication in electric vehicles

In full electric (EV) or hybrid electric (HEV) vehicles the onboard communication is a crucial issue, that can take advantage from a reliable and robust interaction among the embedded units (ECUs) providing among others the power and batteries management, services, accessories and supervision; an updated global view of the system under control (the car) can improve the quality of control, reliability, safety and comfort. Power Line Communication technology (PLC), that take advantage of the DC power line as a physical medium to exchange messages, according to standard protocols, is a candidate at substituting the actual wired solutions, by substantially reducing the cabling burden. The present paper aims at i) reviewing PLC technology for DC bus in the automotive sector; ii) defining the requirements of a reliable communication systems within a car environment, with special attention given to the data exchange needed by the more critical systems in EV and HEV, and namely the control of electrical actuators for traction; iii) describing a benchmark for testing the data transfer characteristics and performance, including details on proposed protocols and architectures and presenting experimental results on data channel characterization and transmission.
A Decade of Exploring the Mammalian Sperm Epigenome: Paternal Epigenetic and Transgenerational Inheritance

The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in interest and progress in the field of sperm epigenetics. Studies have shown that chromatin regulation during male germline development is multiple and complex, and that the spermatozoon possesses a unique epigenome. Its DNA methylation profile, DNA-associated proteins, nucleo-protamine distribution pattern and non-coding RNA set up a unique epigenetic landscape which is delivered, along with its haploid genome, to the oocyte upon fertilization, and therefore can contribute to embryogenesis and to the offspring health. An emerging body of compelling data demonstrates that environmental exposures and paternal lifestyle can change the sperm epigenome and, consequently, may affect both the embryonic developmental program and the health of future generations. This short review will attempt to provide an overview of what is currently known about sperm epigenome and the existence of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of paternally acquired traits that may contribute to the offspring phenotype.
Epileptic seizure detection using correlation dimension, lempel-ziv complexity and geometric features

Epilepsy, a chronic disorder, has affected millions of people in the world. A long time series electroencephalogram (EEG) containing hallmarks of epilepsy are used clinically to diagnose, monitor and localize the epileptogenic zone. In this paper correlation dimension, Lempel-Ziv complexity, and geometric features from five EEG databases have been analyzed to detect seizure automatically for both epileptic patient and ordinary people. The result shows that the mean value of correlation dimension is 1.2183 and 1.3087 as well as the mean value of Lempel-Ziv complexity is 314 and 514 for epileptic EEG and normal EEG respectively. Thus, the degree of complexity is lower for epileptic EEG signal which has been verified by analyzing the geometric features. Moreover, Support Vector Machine (SVM) has been used for classification that yields an accuracy of 98.2129% in detection of epileptic seizure from EEG signals.
Leitura documentária: aspectos pragmáticos da recepção e condensação de textos para indexar e resumir

Reflexões sobre Leitura documentária problematizada à luz das teorias sobre a recepção de textos, com base em conceitos derivados da Semiótica da recepção, da Estética da recepção e da Linguística textual. Nessa medida, são discutidas as relações dialéticas entre autor-texto-leitor e os problemas da interpretação de textos. Conclui-se, com base nessas teorias, que na Leitura documentária, realizada sempre sob coerções institucionais, a intentio lectoris requer o respeito à itentio operis. É o respeito a esse princípio que poderá garantir a produção de índices e resumos aderentes ao conteúdo informacional dos textos, como também a relevância na recuperação de informações.
Compressible squeeze-films in vibrating MEMS structures at high frequencies

A simple model is presented to approximate the damping due to gas in vibrating MEMS squeeze-film structures at high frequencies. The model is based on the observation that at high frequencies, where the compressible force dominates (the squeeze number σ ≫ 1), the gas flows only close to the damper borders.
Land Abundance, Risk and Return: A Heckscher-Ohlin Linear Programming Approach to FDI

Why is investment in human and physical capital in Latin America lower than in the faster growing economies of East Asia? Is this phenomenon and Latin America’s generally higher income inequality an important consequence of the input requirements and price variability of the regions’ products. To help answer these questions, this paper explores a Heckscher-Ohlin linear program incorporating real-world information on input intensities and product prices. It demonstrates: (1) that land abundance may deter skill accumulation and raise income inequality; (2) that insufficiently diversified production may create unfavorable capital risk-return profiles for resource rich countries, deterring investment; and (3) that the effect of such unfavorable profiles may be mitigated by international investors’ desire for a balanced portfolio of diversification cone assets. More generally, the paper provides an nice example of how a multi-sector, multi-factor linear program can be used to gain insight into a variety of pressing problems in international trade and development.
A Three‐Dimensionally Interconnected Carbon Nanotube–Conducting Polymer Hydrogel Network for High‐Performance Flexible Battery Electrodes

High‐performance flexible energy‐storage devices have great potential as power sources for wearable electronics. One major limitation to the realization of these applications is the lack of flexible electrodes with excellent mechanical and electrochemical properties. Currently employed batteries and supercapacitors are mainly based on electrodes that are not flexible enough for these purposes. Here, a three‐dimensionally interconnected hybrid hydrogel system based on carbon nanotube (CNT)‐conductive polymer network architecture is reported for high‐performance flexible lithium ion battery electrodes. Unlike previously reported conducting polymers (e.g., polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene), which are mechanically fragile and incompatible with aqueous solution processing, this interpenetrating network of the CNT‐conducting polymer hydrogel exibits good mechanical properties, high conductivity, and facile ion transport, leading to facile electrode kinetics and high strain tolerance during electrode volume change. A high‐rate capability for TiO2 and high cycling stability for SiNP electrodes are reported. Typically, the flexible TiO2 electrodes achieved a capacity of 76 mAh g–1 in 40 s of charge/discharge and a high areal capacity of 2.2 mAh cm–2 can be obtained for flexible SiNP‐based electrodes at 0.1C rate. This simple yet efficient solution process is promising for the fabrication of a variety of high performance flexible electrodes.
Algorithm of Choroiditis

Choroiditis may present as focal or multifocal lesions, and could be due to infectious or noninfectious etiology. Focal choroidal lesions are commonly caused by toxoplasma infection, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis or serpiginous choroiditis. Multifocal choroiditis can be due to infective etiology, such as tuberculosis, or any autoimmune choroiditis, such as ampiginous choroiditis or acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE). Diffuse choroiditis may be correlated to panuveitis, such as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome or sympathetic ophthalmia. Other choroiditis may present as opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Careful clinical examinations and tailored investigations would be helpful in making a prompt diagnosis of these different entities. Due to varied manifestations, diagnosis of choroiditis is challenging. This article will review the diagnostic approach of choroiditis based on clinical presentations, investigations and ancillary tests.
A Novel Strategy for Variable-Speed Wind Turbines' Participation in Primary Frequency Control

This paper proposes a novel strategy for participation of variable speed wind turbines in primary frequency control. The proposed strategy is based on the deployment of the kinetic energy of the rotating masses to reduce the need for deloaded operation while still being able to provide the required power reserve for the defined time frame. A steady-state deloaded operating point is optimized with respect to the amount of kinetic energy stored in the rotating masses. The parameters of the algorithm are calculated offline and stored in lookup tables. The proposed strategy is tested using a modified Nordic 32-bus test system for various operating scenarios. The results show that part of the primary frequency control power reserve of the thermal units can be replaced by the reserve provided by wind power, while retaining the desired frequency response following a disturbance. A comparison with the conventional deloaded strategy shows that between 1.16% and 2.79% energy savings can be achieved on a yearly basis, depending on the wind regime of the sites analyzed.
A 45-GHz Quadrature Voltage Controlled Oscillator with a Reflection-Type IQ Modulator in 0.13-μm CMOS Technology

In this paper, a 45-GHz quadrature voltage controlled oscillator (QVCO) with a reflection-type IQ modulator in 0.13-mum CMOS technology is presented. An innovative configuration for the QVCO with an IQ modulator is proposed, in which the amplitude and phase errors of QVCO can be accurately evaluated in millimeter-wave (MMW) frequency range. The phase noise of QVCO is better than -99 dBc/Hz at carrier offset frequency of 1 MHz, and the tuning frequency is from 44.8 to 45.8 GHz. For single-sideband up-converter application, this circuit demonstrates a sideband suppression of better than -36 dBc, and a LO suppression of better than -27 dBc. Based on the calculation of the sideband suppression contours, the amplitude and phase errors of the QVCO are within 0.3 dB and 2deg. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to integrate a QVCO with a reflection-type IQ modulator in MMW regime for the characterization of amplitude and phase errors in a QVCO and the direct up-conversion applications
Privacy Preserving Watchdog System in Android Systems

Recently, rise of smartphone use for daily activities is phenomenal and the security of mobile platforms is receiving great attention by the security community. Unlike servers and workstations, the mobile system deals with personal information including locations, emails, social activities, and even photos. Therefore, privacy concern is the most important matter to every user. Many adversarial attempts install malicious Apps in the victim's smartphone and steal sensitive information. This work focuses on detecting such stealthy access to the information in the smartphone. In particular, we monitor Apps' activities in a level of system call. We also built a privacy policy engine and policy enforcement mechanism. We propose a novel approach that allows fine-grained privacy level control by modifying the parameters and return values of a system call on-line. We demonstrate the feasibility of the watchdog service in two privacy- sensitive scenarios: location-sharing and photo-sharing.
Real-Time and Multi-Video-Object Segmentation for Compressed Video Sequences

We propose a real-time object segmentation method based on Gaussian mixture model(GMM) for MPEG compressed video. Computational superiority and multi video objects are the main advantages of compressed domain processing. In the paper, first, we introduce the macro-block structure of the MPEG encoded video and the preprocession of video vectors, then we build a GMM of motion vectors and adopt the genetic-based expectation-maximization algorithm (GA-EM) to compute its multivariate parameters. It is able to estimate automatically the number of objects of the motion model using the minimum description length (MDL) criterion. At last, we give the steps of objects extraction. It is proved that the algorithm is real-time and effective from the experiment results.
Phase Range Analysis of Patch Antenna Reflectarray Based on Nematic Liquid Crystal Substrate With Dynamic RCS Variation

In this paper, the phase agility of the patch antenna periodic array using K15 nematic liquid crystal as the dielectric medium is presented. Numerical and experimental results at X-band are used to compare the plane wave scattering parameter from a two patch antenna reflectarray cell of 500 mum. The dependence of reflection phase versus frequency and gradient on loss tangent is characterized. A tunable dynamic phase range of 221deg is achieved over a bandwidth of 170 MHz with dielectric anisotropy of 0.17. The simulated results are validated by experimental measurements. Furthermore the measured results demonstrate that within a certain frequency band, at any frequency, the RCS of the reflectarray can be dynamically controlled using DC bias voltage and hence its RCS signature can be reduced electronically.
The Therapeutic Potential of Cocos Nucifera Water on Cadmium-Induced Lipid Toxicity in Male Rat

Cocos nucifera (Coconut) water is one of the world natural products with increasing scientific evidence that support its role in health and medicinal application. This study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic potential of Cocos nucifera water on cadmium-induced toxicity in male rat. Sixty-four animals were randomly grouped into five, groups 3, 4, 5 (n=16) were exposed to 100, 200, and 300 ppm cadmium doses for 6 weeks in their drinking water as cadmium chloride. At the end of 6 weeks, eight from each group were sacrificed and the remaining was administered with 10 % coconut water for a week. Control animals (n=8; group 1) received distilled water and Cocos nucifera water (n=8; group 2) for the same six week period. Lipid profile analysis revealed that cadmiuminduction exhibited different dyslipidemia patterns. Significant dose-dependent hypocholesterolemia, hypotriacylglyceridemia and hypophospholipidemia characterized the effect of cadmium exposure at all doses while Cocos nucifera water treatment for a week reverse these effects by 4, 24 and 22 % in plasma and 16, 15 and 2 % in the erythrocytes respectively. The exposure to cadmium resulted in reduced cholesterol, triacylglyceride concentration in the brain and cholesterol, phospholipids concentrations in the hepatic compartments. Also, the exposure caused an increase in brain phospholipids and hepatic triacylglycerides concentrations. The administration of Cocos nucifera water significantly (p < 0.05) reverses these effects. Our findings indicate that although the cadmium-exposure at different doses resulted in down and upregulation of lipid profile, the administration of Cocos nucifera water was able to reverse the damage caused by cadmium-induced toxicity. You can submit your Manuscripts at: https://symbiosisonlinepublishing.com/submitManuscript.php
Muscle Response to the Association of Statin and Physical Exercise in Rats Respuestas Musculares de la Asociación de Estatina y Ejercicio Físico Aeróbico en Ratas

SUMMARY: Physical exercise and statins, which are recommended for the treatment of dyslipidemia, are independently associatedto the occurrence of muscle injury. The objective is analyze the effect of aerobic exercise associated to the use of simvastatin on themorphology of the gastrocnemius muscle. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into six groups, two of which received a standard diet (1sedentary and 1 exercised) and four (1 sedentary with medication, 1 sedentary without medication, 1 exercised with medication, 1exercised without medication) received a hypercholesterolemic diet (standard diet with the addition of cholesterol and coconut oil). Simvastatin (20 mg/Kg) was administered five days a week for eight weeks, together with aerobic training on a treadmill (9.75 m/min)for 60 minutes a day. The gastrocnemius muscle was removed, sliced, stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and submitted to a histochemicalreaction to determine mitochondrial activity. The data were analyzed using a paired t-test, analysis of variance and Scheffe’s post hoc test(p<0.05). Greater histological alterations were found in the medicated and exercised animals, with a greater frequency of occurrence aswell. The histochemical analysis revealed that the medicated groups had fibers with more intensive mitochondrial activity alongsidefibers with an absence of reaction. The morphometric analysis revealed no significant differences between groups. It is suggested thatsimvastatin is a medication that leads to the occurrence of muscle injury and its administration in association with physical activity mayexacerbate these injuries. This finding may be related to cellular respiration.
Precise bit error rate analysis of bandlimited BPSK with EGC and SC diversity in CCI and Nakagami fading [cellular radio]

Equal gain and maximum desired user power selection combining for bandlimited BPSK systems in Nakagami fading with cochannel interference are considered. Spectrum raised-cosine and new Beaulieu-Tan-Damen pulse shapes are employed. Average bit error rates are derived using characteristic function and Fourier series methods for arbitrary orders of diversity and fading parameters. The computational complexity of the solution does not grow with the diversity order. Slow flat fading, asynchronous timing and independent fading gains are assumed. The superiority of the Beaulieu-Tan-Damen pulse over the conventional spectrum raised-cosine pulse in bit error rate performance is observed and the superiority increases with the diversity order.