Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental Durability and Degradation of Fiber-Reinforced Bismaleimide/Quartz Composite for Aircraft Radome Applications

of a dissertation at the University of Miami. Dissertation supervised by Professor Landon R. Grace. No. of pages in text. (136) Bismaleimide (BMI) is a polymeric thermoset material that is suitable for high temperature structural and electrical applications, particularly when used as a matrix in fiber-reinforced composites for radar-protecting structures (radomes) on commercial and military aircraft. In this role, BMI’s high service temperature and high strength-to-weight ratio are of significant importance in supersonic aircraft. A main disadvantage of this material is the propensity to absorb environmental and aircraft related fluids in many applications, even in hot, dry environments. Moisture absorption has been known to be a deleterious factor in the service life of aircraft structures, especially in the case of dielectric property degradation. In this thesis, the effects of hygrothermal aging conditions and elevated temperatures on quartz-fiber-reinforced bismaleimide specimens were investigated via a split-post dielectric resonant technique at X-band (10 GHz), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and flexural strength assessments. Furthermore, BMI/quartz moisture absorption kinetics were modeled by the three-dimensional hindered diffusion model (3D HDM) and its one-dimensional version of the Langmuir-type absorption model. These methods utilize least square regression to recover composite diffusivities, equilibrium moisture content, and molecular binding and unbinding probabilities with an error of less than 1%. In split-post dielectric experiments, a 1% increase in contaminant content by weight resulted in a 7.8%, 4.5%, and 2.5% increase in relative permittivity of the material due to water, deicing fluid, and propylene glycol, respectively. A more significant impact was seen in the material’s loss tangent, where a 1% increase in contaminant content by weight is responsible for a 378.5%, 592.99%, and 441.49% increase in loss tangent due to the aforementioned fluids, respectively. Since water is the most ubiquitous, a simple desorption method was performed and it was found that relative permittivity and loss tangent increase were reversed, relative to the initial moisture content. Exposure to temperatures at approximately 60% of Tg (316°C) coupled with relatively low moisture content (1.21%) and cyclical (1 Hz) flexural strain on the order of 10 were sufficient to induce fiber-matrix debond. This debond was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and was associated with a discrete decrease in flexural strength of up to 26%. The sensitivity of the DMA to the fiber-matrix interface integrity provides a beneficial tool for assessing the effects of thermal and moisture conditions on the onset of fiber-matrix debond, which can be detrimental to radomes in operation.
Pollutant Removal and Hydraulic Reduction Performance of Field Grassed Swales during Runoff Simulation Experiments

Abstract: Four different field swales were tested in this study, using 24 standardised synthetic runoff simulation experiments to evaluate their performance in removing Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorous (TP) from stormwater runoff. Hydraulic reduction capability of the swales was also assessed. The study demonstrated that a swale’s TSS removal performance is highly dependent on the inlet TSS concentrations. Results showed that between 50% and 80% of the TSS was generally removed within the first 10 m of the swale length. The study found no reduction in TN concentrations due to treatment by the swales. However, it did demonstrate a reduction in measured TP levels of between 20% and 23% between the inlet and the outlet. The study results demonstrated that swales can be successfully used to attenuate peak stormwater flow rates, reduce runoff volumes and to improve the quality of stormwater runoff, particularly in runoff with high concentrations of TSS and TP. The results from this study will assist designers to estimate the appropriate length of swale required to achieve specific TSS and TP pollution reductions in urban stormwater runoff and to reduce downstream runoff volumes.
Efficacy of Bevacizumab plus Erlotinib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Predictors of Outcome: Final Results of a Phase II Trial

Objective: A phase II study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of bevacizumab and erlotinib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and to investigate clinical and molecular predictors of outcome. Methods: 59 patients with advanced HCC received 10 mg/kg i.v. of bevacizumab every 14 days and 150 mg p.o. of erlotinib daily. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) at 16 weeks. Clinical characteristics and plasma biomarkers expression levels were analyzed. Results: PFS at 16 weeks was 64% (95% CI 51–76): 14 patients achieved partial response (24%), 33 had stable disease (56%), 6 progressed (10%), and 6 were not evaluable (10%). Median overall survival was 13.7 months (95% CI 9.6–19.7), and median PFS was 7.2 months (95% CI 5.6–8.3). Grade 3–4 adverse events included fatigue (30%), diarrhea (17%), hypertension (14%), elevated transaminases (12%), and gastrointestinal hemorrhage (10%). High plasma angiopoietin-2, epidermal growth factor receptor, and endothelin-1, and lack of acneiform rash were associated with poor outcome. Conclusions: The combination of bevacizumab with erlotinib achieved encouraging results in patients with advanced HCC. Current correlatives may help to guide future HCC studies.
Intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses in humans – response to exercise and the environment

Intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVA) have been known to exist in human lungs for over 60 years. The majority of the work in this area has largely focused on characterizing the conditions in which IPAVA blood flow ( Q̇IPAVA) is either increased, e.g. during exercise, acute normobaric hypoxia, and the intravenous infusion of catecholamines, or absent/decreased, e.g. at rest and in all conditions with alveolar hyperoxia ( FIO2 = 1.0). Additionally, Q̇IPAVA is present in utero and shortly after birth, but is reduced in older (>50 years) adults during exercise and with alveolar hypoxia, suggesting potential developmental origins and an effect of age. The physiological and pathophysiological roles of Q̇IPAVA are only beginning to be understood and therefore these data remain controversial. Although evidence is accumulating in support of important roles in both health and disease, including associations with pulmonary arterial pressure, and adverse neurological sequelae, there is much work that remains to be done to fully understand the physiological and pathophysiological roles of IPAVA. The development of novel approaches to studying these pathways that can overcome the limitations of the currently employed techniques will greatly help to better quantify Q̇IPAVA and identify the consequences of Q̇IPAVA on physiological and pathophysiological processes. Nevertheless, based on currently published data, our proposed working model is that Q̇IPAVA occurs due to passive recruitment under conditions of exercise and supine body posture, but can be further modified by active redistribution of pulmonary blood flow under hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions.
Anterior Hippocampus and Goal-Directed Spatial Decision Making

Planning spatial paths through our environment is an important part of everyday life and is supported by a neural system including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Here we investigated the precise functional roles of the components of this system in humans by using fMRI as participants performed a simple goal-directed route-planning task. Participants had to choose the shorter of two routes to a goal in a visual scene that might contain a barrier blocking the most direct route, requiring a detour, or might be obscured by a curtain, requiring memory for the scene. The participant's start position was varied to parametrically manipulate their proximity to the goal and the difference in length of the two routes. Activity in medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus, and left posterior parietal cortex was associated with detour planning, regardless of difficulty, whereas activity in parahippocampal gyrus was associated with remembering the spatial layout of the visual scene. Activity in bilateral anterior hippocampal formation showed a strong increase the closer the start position was to the goal, together with medial prefrontal, medial and posterior parietal cortices. Our results are consistent with computational models in which goal proximity is used to guide subsequent navigation and with the association of anterior hippocampal areas with nonspatial functions such as arousal and reward expectancy. They illustrate how spatial and nonspatial functions combine within the anterior hippocampus, and how these functions interact with parahippocampal, parietal, and prefrontal areas in decision making and mnemonic function.
Relationship between temperature and growth rate of bacterial cultures

The Arrhenius Law, which was originally proposed to describe the temperature dependence of the specific reaction rate constant in chemical reactions, does not adequately describe the effect of temperature on bacterial growth. Microbiologists have attempted to apply a modified version of this law to bacterial growth by replacing the reaction rate constant by the growth rate constant, but the modified law relationship fits data poorly, as graphs of the logarithm of the growth rate constant against reciprocal absolute temperature result in curves rather than straight lines. Instead, a linear relationship between in square root of growth rate constant (r) and temperature (T), namely, square root = b (T - T0), where b is the regression coefficient and T0 is a hypothetical temperature which is an intrinsic property of the organism, is proposed and found to apply to the growth of a wide range of bacteria. The relationship is also applicable to nucleotide breakdown and to the growth of yeast and molds.
A survey of the etiological agents of scalp and nail dermatophytosis in Yazd, Iran in 2014-2015

Background and Purpose: Tinea capitis and tinea unguium are regarded as global public health concerns. The purpose of the present study was to identify the etiological agents of tinea capitis and tinea unguium in patients, referring to the Central Laboratory of Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted during 2014-2015. Skin scraping, scalp hair, and nail clipping specimens were collected from 134 patients (80 males and 54 females) with clinical features suggesting fungal involvement. Direct microscopic examinations were carried out, using potassium hydroxide 10%, while culture studies were performed on Sabouraud dextrose agar, containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide at 28°C for four weeks. Fungal colonies were identified based on their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, as well as supplementary diagnostic tests. Results: Among 134 patients, 12 cases showed positive results on direct examination and culture studies. The frequency of infections was equal among male and female subjects. Among 12 affected cases, the frequency of tinea capitis and tinea unguium was 91.6% and 8.4%, respectively. Microsporum canis (50%) was the most prevalent species, followed by Trichophyton verrucosum (25%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (25%). Also, tinea unguium, caused by T. mentagrophytes, was found in a female patient. Conclusion: The etiological agents of scalp and nail dermatophytosis have changed in Yazd over the past 13 years. In the present study, replacement of anthropophilic dermatophytes by zoophilic species was noteworthy, highlighting the necessity of efficient surveillance for the management and prevention of infections.
Fabrication and Treatment of the ESS Medium Beta Prototype Cavities

In view of the Medium Beta series cavities production at the industry for the European Spallation Source project, INFN Milano LASA design prototypes have been fully produced at Ettore Zanon S.p.A. with our supervision. Based on our experience on the production of 1.3 GHz and 3.9 GHz E-XFEL series cavities, we set-up and applied an "external" quality control activity of the overall production of the prototype cavity, starting from the row materials to the ready to be tested cavity. In this paper, we report the strategy we have adopted on the overall production, mechanical and surface treatments, frequency measurement of subcomponents and cavities and the obtained results.
Periodontal Disease-Associated Compensatory Expression of Osteoprotegerin Is Lost in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Correlates with Alveolar Bone Destruction by Regulating Osteoclastogenesis

Alveolar bone resorption results from the inflammatory response to periodontal pathogens. Systemic diseases that affect the host response, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1), can potentiate the severity of periodontal disease (PD) and accelerate bone resorption. However, the biological mechanisms by which DM1 modulates PD are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of DM1 on alveolar bone resorption and to evaluate the role of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) in osteoclastogenesis in rats. PD was induced by means of ligature in nondiabetic and in streptozotocyn-induced DM1 rats. Morphological and morphometric analyses, stereology and osteoclast counting were performed. RANKL and OPG mRNA levels, protein content, and location were determined. PD caused alveolar bone resorption, increased the number of osteoclasts in the alveolar bone crest and also promoted changes in RANKL/OPG mRNA expression. DM1 alone showed alveolar bone destruction and an increased number of osteoclasts at the periapical and furcal regions. DM1 exacerbated these characteristics, with a greater impact on bone structure, resulting in a low OPG content and a higher RANKL/OPG ratio, which correlated with prominent osteoclastogenesis. This work demonstrates that the effects of PD and DM1 enhance bone destruction, confirms the importance of the RANKL signaling pathway in bone destruction in DM1 in animal models and suggests the existence of alternative mechanisms potentiating bone degradation in PD.
Direct Myocardial Effects of Nitrous Oxide

Eight isometrically contracting rat left ventricular trabeculae carneae muscle preparations were exposed to concentrations of 25, 50, and 75 vol per cent of both N2O and N2 Both gases depressed peak developed isometric tension and the maximum rates of tension development and relaxation in relation to the gas concentrations. In five other muscles, paired electrical stimulation reversed the negative inotropic effects of N2O and N2 The relative potentiation of contractility achieved with paired stimulation was the same in the presence of O2 N2O, and N2 Since N2O did not produce any additional depressant effects over and above those observed with N2, and since the positive inotropic effects of paired stimulation were unchanged by this anesthetic, it was concluded that N2O does not possess any direct myocardial depressant or stimulant properties.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes in renal transplant recipients with renal cell carcinoma in the native kidney

Background/Aims We investigated the incidence and clinical characteristics of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the native kidney of renal transplant recipients. Methods Between 1991 and 2010, 1,425 patients underwent kidney transplantation at our institution. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical features and outcomes in renal transplant patients with RCC in the native kidney after renal transplantation. Results The patients included three males and two females with a mean age of 63 years (range, 52 to 74). The incidence of RCC was 0.35%. The median interval between renal transplantation and RCC occurrence was 16.2 years (range, 9 to 20). All of our patients with RCC had developed renal cysts either before (n = 3) or after (n = 2) renal transplantation. The mean duration of dialysis was 12 months (range, 2 to 39). Of the five patients, four underwent dialysis treatment for less than 8 months. All the RCCs were low grade at the time of diagnosis. Four patients underwent radical nephrectomy, and one patient refused the operation. The four patients who underwent radical nephrectomy showed no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis during the median follow-up of 2.9 years. However, the patient who did not undergo surgery developed spinal metastasis from the RCC 6 years later. Conclusions This study suggests that the follow-up period is an important factor for the development of RCC in renal transplant recipients, and more vigorous screening with a longer follow-up period is required in renal transplant recipients.
Effects of Interleukin-6 on the Expression of Tight Junction Proteins in Isolated Cerebral Microvessels from Yearling and Adult Sheep

Objectives: The blood-brain barrier is a selective diffusion barrier between brain parenchyma and the intravascular compartment. Tight junctions are integral components of the blood-brain barrier. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are important in the pathogenesis of brain injury and could modify the protein constituents of tight junctions. We hypothesized that interleukin-6 (IL-6) downregulates key protein constituents of endothelial tight junctions (e.g. occludin and claudin-5). Methods: We examined the effects of IL-6 on tight junction protein expression using an in vitro blood-brain barrier model. We isolated microvessels from yearling and adult ovine cerebral cortex and placed them into culture with IL-6 concentrations of 0 (control, phosphate-buffered saline), 1, 10, and 100 ng/ml for 24 h. Cerebral microvessels were harvested, Western immunoblot performed for occludin and claudin-5, densitometry performed, and results expressed as a ratio to control values. Results: Western immunoblot analysis showed that treatment with 100 ng/ml of IL-6, but not the lower concentrations, reduced (p < 0.05) occludin expression in microvessels from yearling and adult sheep and claudin-5 in microvessels from adult sheep. However, treatment with 10 ng/ml of IL-6 increased claudin-5 in microvessels from yearling sheep. The percent of lactate dehydrogenase released from the microvessels into the surrounding media was not increased by IL-6 treatment, suggesting that the reductions in tight junction proteins did not result from cell death. Treatment of adult cerebral cortical microvessels with IL-6 preincubated with anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibodies partially attenuated the reduction in claudin-5. Conclusion: We conclude that IL-6 modulates tight junction protein expression in cerebral cortical microvessels from yearling and adult sheep.
Lexical insertion occurs in the phonological component *

A morpheme (or a collection of morphological features) may be pronounced in different ways when it appears in different contexts. The term ‘allomorphy’ in the broadest sense refers to any instance where this occurs. Some cases of allomorphy involve purely morphosyntactic suppletion, a parade example being the English irregular verb which is pronounced [gow] in the present tense and [wɛnt] in the past tense. While the grammar must choose between these pronunciations, the choice is not made on the basis of any phonological information; knowing the morphosyntactic tense of the verb is sufficient to make the right choice. At another extreme lie cases of allomorphy which arise solely from phonological alternations. In such cases, the morphology consistently selects a single underlying pronunciation for some morphological object, and this undergoes different phonological changes in different phonological contexts where it may be found.
Coping Strategies of Bullied Children Coping Strategies of Secondary School Children in Response to Being Bullied

Through a questionnaire survey, the present study investigated the coping strategies of Year 7 (11–12 years old) and Year 9 (13–14 years old) pupils (N ̄324) to find out what strategies they have used to overcome the difficulties of being bullied by peers. Fifty-one UK secondary schools, in each of which an anti-bullying peer support system had been in place for at least a year, participated. The coping strategies of those pupils who said that they had told someone (N ̄279) about being bullied were compared with those who said that they had not (N ̄45). These coping strategies differ, not only according to whether or not they report the bullying, but also according to their age and gender. Implications of the findings for professionals who work with children and adolescents are suggested.
Enrichment and assessment of the health risks posed by heavy metals in PM1 in Changji, Xinjiang, China

ABSTRACT The present study aims to investigate the influence of human activity on heavy metals in a typical arid urban area of China and assess human health risks posed by heavy metals in PM1 (particles <1.0 μm in diameter) for different people. In this paper, Changji (Xinjiang, China) was selected as the study area, and samples were collected from March 2014 to March 2015. A total 14 elements in PM1 were quantified using ICP-MS. An enrichment factor (EF) was used to assess the influence of human activity on the contamination of these metals. The results indicated that Mn was not enriched; Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Tl, and V were slightly enriched; Mo, Pb, and Sb were moderately enriched; and Ag, As, and Cd were strongly enriched. To assess the health risks associated with inhaling PM1, the risk assessment code and loss in life expectancy based on the individual metals were calculated. The results showed that the elements Ag, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, Tl, and V in PM1 posed low levels of non-carcinogenic risks, but these metals may still pose risks to certain susceptible populations. In addition, the results also showed that As, Co, and Cr posed an appreciable carcinogenic risk, while Cd and Ni posed low levels of carcinogenic risk. The total predicted loss of life expectancy caused by the three metals As, Co, and Ni was 63.67 d for the elderly, 30.95 d for adult males, 26.62 d for adult females, and 48.22 d for children. Therefore, the safety of the elderly and children exposed to PM1 should be given more attention than the safety of adults. The results from this study demonstrate that the health risks posed by heavy metals in PM1 in Changji, Xinjiang, China should be examined.