Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low Frequency Acoustic Excitation and Laser Sensing of Vibration as a Tool for Remote Characterization of Thin Sheets

There is a need to monitor the existence and effects of damage in structural materials. Bulk components provide a much publicized example, but the need exists in a variety of other structures, such as layered materials used in food packaging industries. While several techniques and models have been proposed for characterization and condition monitoring of bulk materials, less attention has been devoted to thin films having no bending rigidity. This study is therefore devoted to the development of a new method for remote acoustic non-destructive testing and characterization of thin films used in food packaging materials or similar structures. A method for assessing the strength in the presence of crack of thin layers used in food packaging is first presented using a modified Strip Yield Model. Resonance frequency measurement is then introduced and it is shown, at low frequency range, less than 2kHz, that a change in the physical properties such as a reduction in stiffness causes detectable changes in the modal properties, specifically in the resonance frequency. This observation leads to the implementation of a method for damage severity assessment on sheet materials, supported by a new theory illustrating the feasibility of the detection of inhomogeneity in form of added mass, as well as damage severity assessment, using a measurement of the resonance frequency shift. A relationship is then established between the resonance frequency and the material’s elastic property for single layers as well as for laminates, which yields a new modality for sheet materials remote characterization. Further, the method has allowed demonstrating that thin sheets having no bending stiffness exhibit a slow non-equilibrium dynamics when slightly loaded within their elastic region and monitored at constant strain. We found that the resonance frequency shifts downward in response to a conditioning strain and to the number of cycles. This is an indication of a long-time slow dynamics relaxation, similar to that observed on bulk materials of many types. Differences and similarities in the setup as well as features observed are pointed out in this work. This type of measurement is important for the fundamental understanding of material dynamics and for further development of theories on thin sheets dynamics. The result of this study is the foundation of a method, based on low-frequency acoustic excitations and laser detection, for non-contact nondestructive testing and characterization of sheet materials.
BINOCULAR SUMMATION AND PERIPHERAL VISUAL RESPONSE TIME*

&NA; Six males were administered a peripheral visual response time test to the onset of brief, small stimuli imaged in 10° arc separation intervals across the dark adapted horizontal retinal meridian under binocular and both monocular viewing conditions. This was done in an attempt to verify the existence of peripheral binocular summation using a response time measure. The results indicated that from 50° arc right to 50° arc left of the line of sight binocular summation is a reasonable explanation for the significantly faster binocular data. The stimulus position by viewing eye interaction was also significant. A discussion of these and other analyses is presented along with a review of related literature.
Lifetime Reliability Prediction of Ceramic Structures Under Transient Thermomechanical Loads

An analytical methodology is developed to predict the probability of survival (reliability) of ceramic components subjected to harsh thermomechanical loads that can vary with time (transient reliability analysis). This capability enables more accurate prediction of ceramic component integrity against fracture in situations such as turbine startup and shutdown, operational vibrations, atmospheric reentry, or other rapid heating or cooling situations (thermal shock). The transient reliability analysis methodology developed herein incorporates the following features: fast-fracture transient analysis (reliability analysis without slow crack growth, SCG); transient analysis with SCG (reliability analysis with time-dependent damage due to SCG); a computationally efficient algorithm to compute the reliability for components subjected to repeated transient loading (block loading); cyclic fatigue modeling using a combined SCG and Walker fatigue law; proof testing for transient loads; and Weibull and fatigue parameters that are allowed to vary with temperature or time. Component-to-component variation in strength (stochastic strength response) is accounted for with the Weibull distribution, and either the principle of independent action or the Batdorf theory is used to predict the effect of multiaxial stresses on reliability. The reliability analysis can be performed either as a function of the component surface (for surface-distributed flaws) or component volume (for volume-distributed flaws). The transient reliability analysis capability has been added to the NASA CARES/ Life (Ceramic Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures/Life) code. CARES/Life was also updated to interface with commercially available finite element analysis software, such as ANSYS, when used to model the effects of transient load histories. Examples are provided to demonstrate the features of the methodology as implemented in the CARES/Life program.
Study of Green Supply Chain and its Performance Based on Fuzzy AHP and Measurement System

The paper analyses that it is unsuitable to apply the evaluation system of general supply chain to the evaluation of green supply chain. The influence factors of the performance of green supply chain are put forward in accordance with the characteristics of green supply chain. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method has been widely used for solving weight problems. However, the conventional AHP method is incapable of handling the uncertainty and vagueness involving the mapping of one's preference to an exact number or ratio. This paper presents a fuzzy AHP model to overcome this problem. The proposed approach employs triangular and trapezoidal fuzzy numbers and the a-cut concept to deal with the imprecision inherent to the process of subjective. The model can accurately and objectively evaluate the performance of green supply chain. The effectiveness and correction are tested by an application case.
Heterogeneity in sexual bipotentiality and plasticity of granulosa cells in developing mouse ovaries

Summary In mammalian sex determination, SRY directly upregulates the expression of SOX9, the master regulatory transcription factor in Sertoli cell differentiation, leading to testis formation. Without SRY action, the bipotential gonadal cells become pre-granulosa cells, which results in ovarian follicle development. When, where and how pre-granulosa cells are determined to differentiate into developing ovaries, however, remains unclear. By monitoring SRY-dependent SOX9 inducibility (SDSI) in an Sry-inducible mouse system, we were able to identify spatiotemporal changes in the sexual bipotentiality/plasticity of ovarian somatic cells throughout life. The early pre-granulosa cells maintain the SDSI until 11.5 d.p.c. , after which most pre-granulosa cells rapidly lose this ability by 12.0 d.p.c. Unexpectedly, we found a subpopulation of the pre-granulosa cells near the mesonephric tissue that continuously retains SDSI throughout fetal and early postnatal stages. After birth, these SDSI-positive pre-granulosa cells contribute to the initial round of folliculogenesis by the secondary follicle stage. In experimental sex reversal of 13.5-d.p.c. ovaries grafted into adult male nude mice, the differentiated granulosa cells re-acquire the SDSI before other signs of masculinization. Our data provide direct evidence of an unexpectedly high sexual heterogeneity of granulosa cells in developing mouse ovaries in a stage- and region-specific manner. Discovery of such sexually bipotential granulosa cells provides a novel entry point to the understanding of masculinization in various cases of XX disorders of sexual development in mammalian ovaries.
Pathogenesis of PD: Missing the point

Lerner and Bagic have to be congratulated for their hypothesis on PD pathogenesis. They suggest that the sequence of the brain changes in PD follows specific and repeatable patterns in all cases, as well as that a prion-like process underlies neurodegeneration. These ideas could explain several features of PD, such as the high prevalence of olfactory, autonomic, or sleep abnormalities. However, any pathogenic hypothesis should also explain:
Antisense Reduction of NADP-Malic Enzyme in Flaveria bidentis Reduces Flow of CO2 through the C4 Cycle[W][OA]

An antisense construct targeting the C4 isoform of NADP-malic enzyme (ME), the primary enzyme decarboxylating malate in bundle sheath cells to supply CO2 to Rubisco, was used to transform the dicot Flaveria bidentis. Transgenic plants (α-NADP-ME) exhibited a 34% to 75% reduction in NADP-ME activity relative to the wild type with no visible growth phenotype. We characterized the effect of reducing NADP-ME on photosynthesis by measuring in vitro photosynthetic enzyme activity, gas exchange, and real-time carbon isotope discrimination (Δ). In α-NADP-ME plants with less than 40% of wild-type NADP-ME activity, CO2 assimilation rates at high intercellular CO2 were significantly reduced, whereas the in vitro activities of both phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and Rubisco were increased. Δ measured concurrently with gas exchange in these plants showed a lower Δ and thus a lower calculated leakiness of CO2 (the ratio of CO2 leak rate from the bundle sheath to the rate of CO2 supply). Comparative measurements on antisense Rubisco small subunit F. bidentis plants showed the opposite effect of increased Δ and leakiness. We use these measurements to estimate the C4 cycle rate, bundle sheath leak rate, and bundle sheath CO2 concentration. The comparison of α-NADP-ME and antisense Rubisco small subunit demonstrates that the coordination of the C3 and C4 cycles that exist during environmental perturbations by light and CO2 can be disrupted through transgenic manipulations. Furthermore, our results suggest that the efficiency of the C4 pathway could potentially be improved through a reduction in C4 cycle activity or increased C3 cycle activity.
The Effect of Pipe Ageing of Different Diameter And Pressure On Residual Chlorine

A model was used in predicting the decay of residual or free chlorine along aged pipes and of varying diameters with pressure. The aim of the research was to assess the impact of service age of galvanized iron pipes on residual chlorine including pressure. The effects of ageing pipes of galvanized iron material with varying pipe diameters on residual chlorine were investigated. However, reactions were observed to occur both with the bulk flow and with iron particulates along the pipe walls. The overall dissipation constant, mass transfer coefficient, bulk dissipation coefficient and wall dissipation coefficients were calculated using analytical data obtained from the laboratory for various pipes ages and diameters. The overall dissipation constant increased with increasing Reynolds number. Nevertheless, the application of free chlorine on smaller diameter and aged galvanized iron pipes shows relatively larger wall consumption than pipes of minimum age and that of larger diameter. The research also shows that higher concentration of residual chlorine was observed at higher pressure in smaller age diameters pipes of longer service years than the large ones of less service year . Hence, this research will help utility and oil production managers simplify their approach in predicting total chlorine residual in aged pipes of varying diameters and pressure effect.
Genetic dissection of tomato bushy stunt virus p19-protein-mediated host-dependent symptom induction and systemic invasion.

The plus-sense single-stranded RNA of tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) encodes a 19-kDa protein, which is translated from a 3' proximal open reading frame (p19) that is entirely nested within the cell-to-cell movement gene (p22). Expression of the cytosolic p19-protein induces either a systemic lethal collapse in Nicotiana benthamiana and N. clevelandii, or necrotic local lesions on resistant N. tabacum. In spinach, the p19-protein is required at high abundance for efficient systemic invasion. This study aimed to determine whether these seemingly different host-dependent biological activities are governed by the same or separate regions on the 172 amino acid p19-protein. For this purpose, codons for charged amino acids predicted to be exposed on the surface of the polypeptide and presumably available for host-specific interactions, were targeted for mutagenesis. A total of 12 mutants were generated, which had no deficiencies in replication or cell-to-cell movement, and substitution of amino acids at the extreme N-terminal end or within the carboxyl 70 amino acids failed to cause a noticeable biological effect on plants. However, mutations dispersed between positions 43 and 85 on the N-terminal half prevented the onset of a systemic lethal necrosis on N. benthamiana and N. clevelandii. With one exception, the same mutants elicited mostly chlorotic, rather than necrotic, local lesions on N. tabacum. Mutations in the central region, which substituted Arg with Gly at positions 72 or 75-78, impaired the ability of TBSV to systemically invade spinach plants. However, substitution with Ala instead of Gly at position 72 had minimal effects on systemic spread in spinach, suggesting the possible influence of protein structure effects. The implications are that regions on the N-terminal portion of the p19-protein mediate interactions in a host-dependent manner and that a central region is required for all activities either by a direct effect of the amino acids or through maintenance of structural integrity.
Association of estrogen and aromatase gene polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus

Experimental and animal studies suggested that estrogens play an important role in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through a variety of mechanisms involved in the regulation of the immune system. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between genetic variations in estrogen metabolic pathway genes, including estrogen receptor α (ESR1), estrogen receptor β (ESR2), and aromatase (CYP19A1), and risk of SLE. We performed a genetic study of SLE among 46 medical record-confirmed female SLE cases and 102 female controls participating in an Internet-based case—control study of SLE. Polymorphisms analysed included: ESR1 PvuII, XbaI, and GT repeat; ESR2 RsaI, AluI, and CA repeat; and CYP19A1 RsaI, SfaN1, and TTTA repeat. We found significant association of the ESR1 PvuII (PP vs. pp, odds ratio (OR): 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1—9.3) and XbaI (XX vs. xx, adjusted OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.1—10.5) with SLE. Carrying the PPXX genotype conferred the highest risk (PPXX vs. ppxx, OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.3—15.9). We also found an association of SLE with the ESR2 CA repeat (SS vs. LL, OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.0—8.0). Our results support a role of estrogen in pathogenesis of SLE and suggested that genetic variants in the estrogen receptor genes might influence susceptibility.
Study of antibacterial performance of a type 304 Cu bearing stainless steel against airborne bacteria in real life environments

Abstract A type 304 Cu bearing stainless steel (304-Cu SS) possesses broad spectrum antibacterial properties in the laboratory environment. However, multiple bacterial species exist in real life environments, and some can cause severe diseases to humans. Therefore, a study of the antibacterial performance of 304-Cu SS in different real life environments is of importance. In this study, direct plate counting, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to investigate the antibacterial abilities of 304-Cu SS in three different real life environments, a clean room, a filter mesh in an air conditioning unit and a hand sink. The results showed that, after 24 h exposure to different environments, the antibacterial rates of the 304-Cu SS against planktonic airborne bacteria were 92·1% for the clean room, 85·7% for the filter mesh and 77·8% for the hand sink respectively, and the sessile bacteria from the hand sink and filter mesh adhered readily to the 304 SS. Compared to 304 SS, only a few sessile and planktonic bacteria adhered to the 304-Cu SS, indicating that 304-Cu SS with saturated Cu rich precipitates should possess obvious antibacterial ability against airborne bacteria and effectively inhibit the biofilm formation on its surface. In the clean room, only some planktonic airborne bacteria appeared on the surface of both steels. These results provided experimental evidence for practical applications of the 304-Cu SS in different real life environments.
NB-IoT deployment study for low power wide area cellular IoT

In 3GPP, a narrowband system based on Long Term Evolution (LTE) has been introduced to support the Internet of Things. This system, named Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), provides low-cost devices, high coverage (20 dB improvement over LTE/GPRS), long device battery life (more than 10 years), and massive capacity. Latency is relaxed although a delay budget of 10 seconds is the target for exception reports. NB-IoT can be deployed in three different operation modes — (1) stand-alone as a dedicated carrier, (2) in-band within the occupied bandwidth of a wideband LTE carrier, and (3) within the guard-band of an existing LTE carrier. In this paper, we undertake a deployment study of NB-IoT using existing LTE infrastructure. We consider the case when only a fraction of the existing LTE cell sites support NB-IoT (so called partial deployment of NB-IoT). In this case, NB-IoT devices cannot attach to the best cell if that cell does not support NB-IoT. As a result, the path loss can be very high. In addition, they also suffer from high interference from non-NB-IoT cells. We examine potential techniques to compensate for the high path-loss and high interference and provide analysis to indicate when partial deployment of NB-IoT is feasible. We also examine interference issues in asynchronous deployments and study performance.
Major congenital malformations following prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines using population-based health data.

BACKGROUND To determine a population-based incidence of congenital anomalies following prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants used alone and in combination with a benzodiazepines (BZ). METHODS Population health data, maternal health, and prenatal prescription records were linked to neonatal records, representing all live births (British Columbia, Canada, N=119,547) during a 39-month period (1998-2001). The incidence and risk differences (RD) for major congenital anomalies (CA) and congenital heart disease (CHD), including ventricular and atrial septal defects (VSD, ASD), from infants of mothers treated with an SRI alone, a benzodiazepine (BZ) alone, or SRI+BZ in combinationcompared to outcomesno exposure. RESULTS Risk for a CA or CHD did increase following combined SRI+BZ exposure compared with no exposure. However, using a weighted regression model, controlling for maternal illness characteristics, combination therapy risk remained significantly associated only with CHD. The risk for an ASD was higher following SRI monotherapy compared with no exposure, after adjustment for maternal covariates. Dose/day was not associated with increased risk. CONCLUSIONS Infants exposed to prenatal SRIs in combination with BZs had a higher a incidence of CHD compared to no exposure, even after controlling for maternal illness characteristics. SRI monotherapy was not associated with an increased risk for major CA, but was associated with an increased incidence of ASD. Risk was not associated with first trimester medication dose/day.
A cluster of negative charges at the amino terminal tail of CFTR regulates ATP‐dependent channel gating

1 The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel is activated by protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of its R domain and by ATP binding at its nucleotide‐binding domains (NBDs). Here we investigated the functional role of a cluster of acidic residues in the amino terminal tail (N‐tail) that also modulate CFTR channel gating by an unknown mechanism. 2 A disease‐associated mutant that lacks one of these acidic residues (D58N CFTR) exhibited lower macroscopic currents in Xenopus oocytes and faster deactivation following washout of a cAMP ‐activating cocktail than wild‐type CFTR. 3 In excised membrane patches D58N CFTR exhibited a two‐fold reduction in single channel open probability due primarily to shortened open channel bursts. 4 Replacing this and two nearby acidic residues with alanines (D47A, E54A, D58A) also reduced channel activity, but had negligible effects on bulk PKA phosphorylation or on the ATP dependence of channel activation. 5 Conversely, the N‐tail triple mutant exhibited a markedly inhibited response to AMP‐PNP, a poorly hydrolysable ATP analogue that can nearly lock open the wild‐type channel. The N‐tail mutant had both a slower response to AMP‐PNP (activation half‐time of 140 ± 20 s vs. 21 ± 4 s for wild type) and a lower steady‐state open probability following AMP‐PNP addition (0.68 ± 0.08 vs. 0.92 ± 0.03 for wild type). 6 Introducing the N‐tail mutations into K1250A CFTR, an NBD2 hydrolysis mutant that normally exhibits very long open channel bursts, destabilized the activity of this mutant as evidenced by decreased macroscopic currents and shortened open channel bursts. 7 We propose that this cluster of acidic residues modulates the stability of CFTR channel openings at a step that is downstream of ATP binding and upstream of ATP hydrolysis, probably at NBD2.
ORAI1 Deficiency Impairs Activated T Cell Death and Enhances T Cell Survival

ORAI1 is a pore subunit of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels that mediate TCR stimulation-induced Ca2+ entry. A point mutation in ORAI1 (ORAI1R91W) causes SCID in human patients that is recapitulated in Orai1−/− mice, emphasizing its important role in the immune cells. In this study, we have characterized a novel function of ORAI1 in T cell death. CD4+ T cells from Orai1−/− mice showed robust proliferation with repetitive stimulations and strong resistance to stimulation-induced cell death due to reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and altered gene expression of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic molecules (e.g., Fas ligand, Noxa, and Mcl-1). Nuclear accumulation of NFAT was severely reduced in ORAI1-deficient T cells, and expression of ORAI1 and a constitutively active mutant of NFAT recovered cell death. These results indicate NFAT-mediated cell death pathway as one of the major downstream targets of ORAI1-induced Ca2+ entry. By expressing various mutants of ORAI1 in wild-type and Orai1−/− T cells to generate different levels of intracellular Ca2+, we have shown that activation-induced cell death is directly proportional to the intracellular Ca2+ concentration levels. Consistent with the in vitro results, Orai1−/− mice showed strong resistance to T cell depletion induced by injection of anti-CD3 Ab. Furthermore, ORAI1-deficient T cells showed enhanced survival after adoptive transfer into immunocompromised hosts. Thus, our results demonstrate a crucial role of the ORAI1–NFAT pathway in T cell death and highlight the important role of ORAI1 as a major route of Ca2+ entry during activated T cell death.