Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dividing and conquering logic

This thesis provides principles for knowledge representation and reasoning with logical theories that are composed from fragments. It provides algorithms for reasoning with logical theories that are made of multiple partitions that may overlap in contents. Algorithms for automatic decomposition of given theories to partitions are proposed. Some of these algorithms are shown to approximate the optimum by a small constant factor. An architecture for an intelligent agent that uses similar algorithms and follows Brooks' subsumption architecture using logic is examined. Experiments applying this architecture for the task of mobile-robot control are reported. Finally, following the object-oriented design methodology, tools and methodology for the design of decomposed theories are provided. The tools and methodology are applied for the design of logical theories describing the domain of robot motion and interaction.
Uniqueness results for fully nonlinear degenerate elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients

In this paper we prove the comparison principle for viscosity solutions of second order, degenerate elliptic pdes with a discontinuous, inhomogeneous term having discontinuities on Lipschitz surfaces. It is shown that appropriate sub and supersolutions $u,v$ of a Dirichlet type boundary value problem satisfy $u\leq v$ in $\Omega$. In particular, continuous viscosity solutions are unique. We also give examples of existence results and apply the comparison principle to prove convergence of approximations.
Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels Modify the Effect of Magnesium on Depressive Symptoms: A Population-Based Study

Depression is a profound public health concern, yet its etiology remains unclear. A body’s magnesium status and low-grade systemic inflammation are associated with depression. However, the interaction of magnesium status and inflammation on depression/depressive symptoms is unknown. We assessed the association between serum magnesium levels and depressive symptoms by analyzing data from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan 2005–2008. In total, 2196 participants aged ≥20 years were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 5-item Brief-Symptom Rating Scale. We performed logistic regression and multiple linear regression analyses to examine the association. A dose–response analysis was performed using restricted cubic spline models, and stratification by chronic inflammation was also performed. We found that higher serum magnesium levels were associated with lower depression scores and a lower risk of depression. In the subgroup analysis, serum magnesium levels were inversely associated with depressive symptoms more prominently among people with higher CRP levels, with a threshold at 5 mg/L (≥5 vs. <5) showing a greater difference than at 3 mg/L (≥3 vs. <3). Conclusions: Serum magnesium levels were inversely associated with depressive symptoms. This inverse association was affected by inflammation level. A dose–response relationship was also observed.
The Role of Mitochondria in Mediation of Skeletal Muscle Repair

Musculoskeletal health is directly linked to independence and longevity, but disease and aging impairs muscle mass and health. Complete repair after a pathological or physiological muscle injury is critical for maintaining muscle function, yet muscle repair is compromised after disuse, or in conditions such as metabolic diseases, cancer, and aging. Regeneration of damaged tissue is critically dependent upon achieving the optimal function of satellite cells (muscle stem cells, MSCs). MSC remodeling in muscle repair is highly dependent upon its microenvironment, and metabolic health of MSCs, which is dependent on the functional capacity of their mitochondria. Muscle repair is energy demanding and mitochondria provide the primary source for energy production during regeneration. However, disease and aging induce mitochondrial dysfunction, which limits energy production during muscle regeneration. Nevertheless, the role of mitochondria in muscle repair likely extends beyond the production of ATP and mitochondria could provide potentially important regulatory signaling to MSCs during repair from injury. The scope of current research in muscle regeneration extends from molecules to exosomes, largely with the goal of understanding ways to improve MSC function. This review focuses on the role of mitochondria in skeletal muscle myogenesis/regeneration and repair. A therapeutic strategy for improving muscle mitochondrial number and health will be discussed as a means for enhancing muscle regeneration. Highlights: (a). Mitochondrial dysfunction limits muscle regeneration; (b). Muscle stem cell (MSC) function can be modulated by mitochondria; (c). Enhancing mitochondria in MSCs may provide a strategy for improving muscle regeneration after an injury.
Secondary Metabolites with Antifungal Activities from Mangrove Derived Fungus Monascus purpureus WMD2424

The mold Monascus, also called red yeast rice, anka, or koji, has been used as the natural food coloring agent and food additives for more than 1000 years in Asian countries. It has also been used in Chinese herbology and traditional Chinese medicine due to its easing digestion and antiseptic effects. However, under different culture conditions, the ingredients in Monascus-fermented products may be changed. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the ingredients, as well as the bioactivities of Monascus-derived natural products, is important. Here, through the thorough investigation into the chemical constituents of M. purpureus wmd2424, five previously undescribed compounds, monascuspurins A–E (1–5), were isolated from the EtOAc extract of mangrove-derived fungus Monascus purpureus wmd2424 cultured in RGY medium. All the constituents were confirmed via HRESIMS and 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. Their antifungal activity was also evaluated. Our results showed that four constituents (compounds 3–5) possessed mild antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Penicillium italicum, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is worth mentioning that the chemical composition of the type strain Monascus purpureus wmd2424 has never been studied.
Surface characterization study of Ag, AgO, and Ag 2 O using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy

Electron energy-loss spectra (ELS) have been obtained from polycrystalline Ag metal, AgO powder, and ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ powder using primary electron-beam energies ranging from 100 to 2000 eV. These samples were characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the compositions and chemical species in their near-surface regions. The ELS spectra obtained from these three materials are significantly different, implying that ELS is a useful technique for distinguishing between Ag metal, AgO, and ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ or analyzing mixtures of these species. Such an analysis is difficult using techniques including XPS or Auger-electron spectroscopy because spectral features of these species are quite similar and closely spaced. The ELS spectral features consist of losses due to the formation of surface and bulk plasmons and interband transitions. An attempt has been made in this study to assign the processes responsible for the ELS features observed in the spectra. This interpretation will be improved as the electronic structures of Ag metal, AgO, and ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ are better understood.
A dynamic programming algorithm for the maximum likelihood localization of multiple sources

A dynamic programming algorithm is presented for simultaneously computing the maximum-likelihood (ML) estimator of the number of multiple sources and their directions of arrival (DOA) in sensor array processing. Based on the projection-matrix decomposition technique, the multivariate log-likelihood maximization problem is transformed into a multistage one-dimensional maximization problem. The estimation procedure is obtained with relatively light computational load. In addition, the estimator gives satisfactory performance in the case of both coherent and incoherent sources. The simulation results also show that, when the element SNR is low and/or the number of snapshots is small, the DP-ML algorithm is much superior to MUSIC. >
Genetic-based adaptive image watermarking using local image statistics and image features

Abstract Two novel image watermarking techniques are proposed. The first technique is based mainly on local image statistics and image features, and is referred to as the local image statistics and image features (LISIF) technique. The technique makes the watermark significantly transparent, because two principle image features, edges and smooth regions, are considered in the development of the technique. Moreover, the technique estimates the watermark according to image features and differences between the centre pixel value and the local statistics of each watermarked image block. Thus, the technique does not require information of original images during watermark extraction. However, the performance of the technique depends heavily on five parameters. The second method uses genetic algorithms systematically to seek a set of near-optimal values for the five parameters. Therefore, this method, which is called the genetic-based LISIF (GLISIF) technique, can effectively improve the performance of the LISIF technique. Simulation results are provided in the experiment to claim that the proposed techniques definitely possess not only transparent capability, but also robust and generalized capabilities compared with common image manipulation. Additionally, the results illustrate that the performance of these two techniques is significantly better than that of other proposed methods being considered.
Research progress on prion protein structure and molecular mechanism of pathogenicity

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), often known as a prion disease, is a lethal condition that affects both humans and animals' central nervous systems. It has a protracted incubation time, a swift course, and a 100 percent fatality rate. Such diseases are one of the serious threats to human health. The spread of the disease among animals (such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy) can also have negative economic, agricultural and medical impacts on societies. Prion diseases are caused by infectious protein particles containing pathogenic isomers of prion proteins. Prion disease is believed to be caused solely by a single protein known as PrPSc, which is a diseased form of the prion protein. PrPSc occurs when the normal prion protein PrPC in cells misfolds. However, the underlying pathological mechanism of prion infection in the nervous system is still unknown. There is no cure for prion diseases, and existing drugs are not effective enough to prolong survival. This review will introduce prion structure, susceptibility, pathogenic molecular mechanism and so on.
Chemical energy release and dynamics of transitional, reactive shear flows

Results are reported from numerical studies of a compressible, subsonic reactive mixing layer, on the the effects of chemical‐reaction exothermicity on the shear‐layer development, and the dependence of these effects on initial conditions. The model solves the unsteady, conservation equations for mass, momentum, energy, and species concentrations. The convective transport equations are solved using the flux‐corrected transport (FCT) algorithm and appropriate inflow and outflow boundary conditions. A one‐step, irreversible, Arrhenius chemical reaction rate, and realistic (species‐ and temperature‐dependent) modeling of diffusive transport are coupled with the convective transport using time‐step splitting. The system studied consists of nonpremixed coflowing streams, where both the fuel (faster stream, hydrogen) and the oxidizer (slower stream, oxygen) are diluted in nitrogen. To facilitate the analysis of the results the flow is organized by low‐level, single‐frequency velocity perturbation at the inflow.
Charge Injection and Energy Transfer of Surface-Engineered InP/ZnSe/ZnS Quantum Dots

Surface passivation is a critical aspect of preventing surface oxidation and improving the emission properties of nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs). Recent studies have demonstrated the critical role of surface ligands in determining the performance of QD-based light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs). Herein, the underlying mechanism by which the capping ligands of InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs influence the brightness and lifetime of the QD-LEDs is investigated. The electrochemical results demonstrate that highly luminescent InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs exhibit modulated charge injection depending on the length of the surface ligand chains: short alkyl chains on the ligands are favorable for charge transport to the QDs. In addition, the correlation between the spectroscopic and XRD analyses suggests that the length of the ligand chain tunes the ligand–ligand coupling strength, thereby controlling the inter-QD energy transfer dynamics. The present findings shed new light on the crucial role of surface ligands for InP/ZnSe/ZnS QD-LED applications.
Computation of Static Effective Permittivity for a Multiphase Lattice of Cylinders

A methodology is described to calculate the static effective permittivity for a two-dimensional multiphase lattice composed of dielectric and/or conducting circular cylinders. This methodology uses an accurate T-matrix method to determine the dipole moments of the cylinders immersed in a uniform electric field, and then computes the effective permittivity by relating the lattice to a macroscopic model. With this methodology, the multiple scattering solution for the infinite lattice is presented in a succinct matrix-vector notation and is valid for any lattice type. The static effective permittivity equation described in this work allows us to account for the effect of all mutual interactions between the cylinders. This methodology is used to calculate the static effective permittivity for a two-phase lattice of metallic inclusions. These results are compared with the Maxwell Garnett formula and another formula presented by Kharadly and Jackson. Three additional examples are presented including two-phase dielectric lattices, multiphase lattices, and clusters. The static effective permittivity in all three situations deviates from the Maxwell Garnett result at high-volume fractions, as expected. This deviation is the most obvious for the cluster lattice because of the significant mutual coupling between the cylinders, even at relatively low-volume fraction.
Fabrication of Direct Compressible Tablets Containing Chatuphalathika Extract Obtained through Microwave-Assisted Extraction: An Optimization Approach

This research sought to optimize the microwave-assisted extraction of Chatuphalathika as an herbal recipe maximizing the active compounds and the antioxidant activity by the Box–Behnken design. Three factors—microwave power, time, and cycle—were varied. Eight responses—extraction yield, total phenolic content, gallic acid content, corilagin content, chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, IC50 from DPPH assay, and IC50 from FRAP assay—were monitored. Furthermore, cytotoxicity was evaluated to ensure the safety of the extract. After that, the optimized extract was compressed into tablets. The results showed that the optimal condition of the microwave-assisted extraction gave the simultaneous maximum extraction yield, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity with a microwave power of 450 W for 30 s and 3 cycles. The extract obtained from the optimal condition exhibited a good safety profile although a concentration of 5 mg/mL was used. The optimized tablets were achieved when a compression force of 1500 psi and magnesium stearate of 1% were applied, and no sodium starch glycolate was added. In conclusion, the optimal green extraction method could be used for the extraction of the Chatuphalathika. Furthermore, the fabrication of Chatuphalathika tablets was successful, as the tablets had low friability with a short disintegration time.
Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and access among people experiencing homelessness in Germany: A qualitative interview study

Introduction People experiencing homelessness face lower life expectancy, higher prevalence of somatic and mental diseases and a more difficult access to healthcare compared to people in secure living. During the COVID-19 pandemic transmission rates were higher among people experiencing homelessness and preventive public health measures were not properly adapted to the specific needs of people experiencing homelessness. Thus, goal of our study was understanding the determinants of acceptability and access of the COVID-19 vaccine. Materials and methods We conducted a qualitative interview study with twenty guideline interviews with adult people currently experiencing homelessness in Berlin, Germany (August 2021 – April 2022). Participants were approached in a purposive sampling strategy. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Results Acceptance and attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine is influenced by confidence in the vaccine as well as in the political and healthcare system, the individual COVID-19 risk perception and sense of collective responsibility. Overall, the acceptance of the vaccine was high among our participants. Facilities offering low threshold COVID-19 vaccines for people experiencing homelessness were perceived as helpful. Language barriers and the need for identity documents were major barriers to access the COVID 19 vaccine. Discussion People experiencing homelessness are a marginalized and vulnerable group often underrepresented in the public and scientific discourse. During the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive public health measures, including the COVID-19 vaccine, failed to consider specific needs of people experiencing homelessness. Multidimensional strategy to enhance inclusive healthcare are needed to improve access and to reduce discrimination and stigmatization.
Modeling a novel heuristic model for handling vehicle routing using multiobjective optimization

Electric vehicles (EVs) are drastically growing, and their emergence is more popular. Moreover, with the constraint driving range, the batteries of these vehicles are rechargeable throughout the routes in various situations. Here, a new problem is formulated with the inclusion of both battery swapping and partial recharging decisions. The energy level and the routing directions are more important, and the investigators intend to handle these issues effectually. However, the major constraint is routing and time window. Here, a heuristic model (LTS‐RSS) is designed to find the best matching solution. A novel Random Sub‐Space (RSS) and local Tabu search (LTS) are modeled to handle these issues. The probabilistic model of RSS is anticipated by integrating the consequences of time windows and distances. The experimentation is done with an online database and used for performance validation. The outcomes show that the newly modeled (LTS‐RSS) approach enhances the significance of the model. The outcomes of all the instances with diverse strategies enhance the model's robustness and stability for resolving these issues. The empirical analysis is done with MATLAB 2020b simulator, and metrics like optimization of routing solution, the best vehicle, best distance, and numbers of vehicles are evaluated, and the outcomes are compared with various other approaches.
Free surface flow due to a sink

Two-dimensional free surface flows without waves, produced by a submerged sink in a reservoir, are computed numerically for various configurations. For a sink above the horizontal bottom of a layer of fluid, there are solutions for all values of the Froude number F greater than some particular value. However, when the fluid is sufficiently deep, there is an additional solution for one special value of F < 1. The results for a sink at the vertex of a sloping bottom, treated by Craya and by Hocking, and for a sink in fluid of infinite depth, treated by Tuck & Vanden-Broeck, are confirmed and extended. In particular it is shown that as the bottom tends to the horizontal, the solution for a sink at the vertex of a sloping bottom approaches a solution for a horizontal bottom with F = 1. However solutions are found for all values of the Froude number F [ges ] 1 for a sink on a horizontal bottom.
Dissociation of pulse wave velocity and aortic wall stiffness in diabetic db/db mice: The influence of blood pressure

Introduction: Vascular stiffness is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the current standard for measuring in vivo vascular stiffness. Mean arterial pressure is the largest confounding variable to PWV; therefore, in this study we aimed to test the hypothesis that increased aortic PWV in type 2 diabetic mice is driven by increased blood pressure rather than vascular biomechanics. Methods and Results: Using a combination of in vivo PWV and ex vivo pressure myography, our data demonstrate no difference in ex vivo passive mechanics, including outer diameter, inner diameter, compliance (Db/db: 0.0094 ± 0.0018 mm2/mmHg vs. db/db: 0.0080 ± 0.0008 mm2/mmHg, p > 0.05 at 100 mmHg), and incremental modulus (Db/db: 801.52 ± 135.87 kPa vs. db/db: 838.12 ± 44.90 kPa, p > 0.05 at 100 mmHg), in normal versus diabetic 16 week old mice. We further report no difference in basal or active aorta biomechanics in normal versus diabetic 16 week old mice. Finally, we show here that the increase in diabetic in vivo aortic pulse wave velocity at baseline was completely abolished when measured at equivalent pharmacologically-modulated blood pressures, indicating that the elevated PWV was attributed to the concomitant increase in blood pressure at baseline, and therefore “stiffness. ” Conclusions: Together, these animal model data suggest an intimate regulation of blood pressure during collection of pulse wave velocity when determining in vivo vascular stiffness. These data further indicate caution should be exerted when interpreting elevated PWV as the pure marker of vascular stiffness.
Pressure Drag on the European Alps in Relation to Synoptic Events

Abstract In addition to the frictional surface drag the pressure drag plays a significant role in mountainous terrain, such as the European Alps. The horizontal, two-dimensional pressure drag is computed for 4 horizontally and 3 vertically spaced sections of the Alps by applying Archimedes Law as the product of the local horizontal pressure gradient and the volume of the mountains. The computations cover the two month Special 0bservation Period (SOP) of the Alpine Experiment (ALPEX) from 1 March to 1 April 1982, with a three-hour resolution. This time series of the pressure drag vector is compared with the history of synoptic and subsynoptic weather events such as frontal passages lee, cyclogenesis, south- and north-foehn winds. Episodes of warm air advection leading to shallow south-foehn events, and the occurrence of lee cyclogenesis both produce very large drag vectors These drags have generally opposite directions and thus nearly cancel in a long term average. Rapid drag changes occur during frontal p.