Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Crystalline and Tensile Properties of Carbon Nanotube-Filled Polyamide-12 Fibers Melt-Spun by Industry-Related Processes

This paper addresses the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the structure and mechanical properties of high tensile strength thermoplastic polymer fibers. Polyamide (PA) fibers with different draw ratios, with and without CNTs as fillers, and having mechanical properties close to industrial standards were spun in a pilot melt spinning plant. The morphology of the fibers was investigated using optical microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 2-D wide angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was carried out to get an estimate of the crystallinity. For a concise interpretation of the results of the tensile measurements performed on the fibers, a parameter was developed to account for the detrimental influence of polymer extrusion on their mechanical properties. The CNTs seemed to act as sites for the growth of un-oriented crystalline domains converted from oriented regions, without yielding a mechanical reinforcing effect.
Japanese case analysis based on machine learning method that uses borrowed supervised data

We developed a new machine learning method, in which supervised data are borrowed from corpora that do not have annotated tags related to the problems to be solved. We also developed a second machine learning method that uses both borrowed supervised data and normal supervised data. Both methods can be used for any type of ellipsis resolution. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods for Japanese case analysis.
An integrative attachment theory framework of personality disorders.

Over the last two decades, John Bowlby’s attachment theory has increasingly become recognized as a clinically and theoretically useful approach for conceptualizing and understanding fundamental aspects of personality disorders (PDs). Attachment difficulties are characteristic of virtually all PDs and are often a central feature of personality pathology (Levy, 2005). For example, impoverished relationships are a cardinal feature of schizoid, avoidant, narcissistic, and antisocial PDs, whereas those with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and dependent PD struggle with feelings of aloneness and are preoccupied by fears of abandonment and the dissolution of close relationships. Furthermore, intense and stormy relationships are one of the central features of BPD (Levy, 2005), but those with dependent pathology appear incapable of functioning without the aid of others (Bornstein, 1993). A number of clinical theorists and researchers have recently begun to conceptualize these interpersonal aspects of PDs as stemming from impairments in the AN INTEGRATIVE ATTACHMENT THEORY FRAMEWORK OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Early life predictors of high alcohol consumption in middle age

Abstract Objective: A number of studies have investigated early life determinants of alcohol consumption in adolescence. In this study, we will investigate early life predictors of high alcohol consumption in middle age. Methods: Data on early life predictors, e.g. alcohol consumption and smoking, was collected from 49,321 Swedish men born 1949–1951 at conscription for military service in 1969/70. Follow-up data on alcohol consumption in the same men was collected from a random sample participating in one of the Swedish Survey of Living Condition in 1988/89, 1996/97 or 2004/05 (N = 146), i.e. at age 37 or later. Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were estimated in logistic regression analysis for the association between factors measured in late adolescence and high alcohol consumption middle-age. Results: The proportion of high consumers of alcohol increased from late adolescence to middle age. Smoking (OR 2.9, CI95% 1.3–6.2) and low education (OR 2.0, CI95% 1.0–4.0) measured at the conscription examination in late adolescence were associated with high alcohol consumption in middle age. A few other factors measured at the conscription examination, e.g. high alcohol consumption (OR 1.8, CI95% 0.7–4.4), showed elevated ORs but the associations were not significantly increased. Conclusion: Smoking and low education measured in late adolescence were associated with high alcohol consumption in middle age.
Algorithms for manipulating compressed images

A family of algorithms that implement operations on compressed digital images is described. These algorithms allow many traditional image manipulation operations to be performed 50 to 100 times faster than their brute-force counterparts. It is shown how the algebraic operations of pixel-wise and scalar addition and multiplication, which are the basis for many image transformations, can be implemented on compressed images. These operations are used to implement two common video transformations: dissolving one video sequence into another and subtitling. The performance of these operations is compared with the brute-force approach. The limitations of the technique, extensions to other compression standards and the relationship of this research to other work in the area are discussed. <<ETX>>
Racial Differences in Response to Trauma: Comparing African-American, White, and Hispanic People With Severe Mental Illness

ABSTRACT Objective: To test hypotheses that Hispanics will report greater posttraumatic stress symptoms than Whites or African-Americans with severe mental illness (N = 132) when lifetime trauma, psychiatric symptoms, and negative appraisal of trauma are controlled; and, that negative appraisal will mediate trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms for Hispanics. Methods: Data were collected by staff in an urban community mental health center. Results: Hispanics reported greater posttraumatic stress symptoms, and negative appraisals mediated trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms in Hispanics only. Conclusions: Practitioners should target both the intensity and meaning of trauma and its consequences as they may vary by ethnic/racial background.
Children's Recall Accuracy for Repeated Events over Multiple Interviews: Comparing Information Types

The present study examined children's recall accuracy for a repeated event over multiple interviews. Participants took part in three play sessions and were then questioned in three separate interviews a week later. The sample included 87 children between 4 to 10 years of age. Repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to examine total accuracy and accuracy for action (i.e., what happened during the play session) and detail (i.e., descriptions of objects, people, time, and locations) information. Older children were more accurate in their recall than were younger children, but total accuracy did not differ across interviews. Conversely, children were more accurate when recalling detail information compared to action information, and accuracy for detail information improved across the interviews, while accuracy for action information deteriorated from Interview 1 to 3. Implications for judging the accuracy of children's witness testimony in real-world forensic contexts involving multiple events and interviews are discussed.
O Star Effective Temperatures and H II Region Ionization Parameter Gradients in the Galaxy

Extensive photoionization model grids are computed for single-star H II regions using stellar atmosphere models from the WM-Basic code. Mid-IR emission-line intensities are predicted, and diagnostic diagrams of [Ne III/II] and [S IV/III] excitation ratios are built, taking into account the metallicities of both the star and the H II region. The diagrams are used in conjunction with Galactic H II region observations obtained with the Infrared Space Observatory to determine the effective temperature Teff of the exciting O stars and the mean ionization parameter , where Teff and are found to increase and decrease, respectively, with the metallicity of the H II region represented by the Ne/Ne☉ ratio. No evidence is found for gradients of Teff or with Galactocentric distance RGal. The observed excitation sequence with RGal is mainly due to the effect of the metallicity gradient on the spectral ionizing shape, upon which the effect of an increase in Teff with Z is superposed. We show that not taking properly into account the effect of metallicity on the ionizing shape of the stellar atmosphere would lead to an apparent decrease of Teff with Z and an increase of Teff with RGal.
Inactivation of the Catalytic Subunit of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase A Causes Delayed Appressorium Formation and Reduced Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

The cyclic AMP- (cAMP-) dependent protein kinase A signaling pathway is one of the major signaling pathways responsible for regulation of the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of several pathogenic fungi. To evaluate the role of this pathway in the plant pathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, CgPKAC, was cloned, inactivated, and the mutant was analyzed. Analysis of the Cgpkac mutant generated via gene replacement showed that the mutants were able to form appressoria; however, their formation was delayed compared to the wild type. In addition, the mutant conidia underwent bipolar germination after appressoria formation, but no appressoria were generated from the second germ tube. The mutants also showed reduced ability to adhere to a hydrophobic surface and to degrade lipids localized in the appressoria. Based on the number of lesions produced during a pathogenicity test, the mutant's ability to cause disease in healthy mango fruits was reduced, which may be due to failure to penetrate into the fruit. These findings indicate that cAMP-dependent protein kinase A has an important role in regulating morphogenesis and is required for pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides.
Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of IL23R and IL17 with Ulcerative Colitis Risk in a Chinese Han Population

Background Previous studies implicated that IL23R and IL17 genes play an important role in autoimmune inflammation. Genome-wide association studies have also identified multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL23R gene region associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. This study examined the association of IL23R and IL17A gene SNPs with ulcerative colitis susceptibility in a population in China. Methodology A total of 270 ulcerative colitis and 268 healthy controls were recruited for the analyses of 23 SNPs in the IL23R and IL17A regions. Genomic DNA was extracted and analysis of these 23 SNPs using ligase detection reaction allelic (LDR) technology. Genotype and allele associations were calculated using SPSS 13.0 software package. Principal Findings Compared to the healthy controls, the variant alleles IL23R rs7530511, and rs11805303 showed a statistically significant difference for ulcerative colitis susceptibility (0.7% vs 3.3%, P = 0.002; 60.4% vs 53.2%, P = 0.0017, respectively). The linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns of these SNPs were measured and three LD blocks from the SNPs of IL23R and one block from those of IL17A were identified. A novel association with ulcerative colitis susceptibility occurred in haplotypes of IL23R (Block1 H3 P = 0.02; Block2 H2 P = 0.019; Block3 H4 P = 0.029) and IL17A (H4 P = 0.034). Pair-wise analyses showed an interaction between the risk haplotypes in IL23R and IL17A (P = 0.014). Conclusions Our study demonstrated that rs7530511, and rs11805303 of IL23R were significantly associated with ulcerative colitis susceptibility in the Chinese population. The most noticeable finding was the linkage of IL23R and IL17A gene region to ulcerative colitis risk due to the gene-gene interaction.
Study of a QCM Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Sensor Based on a ZnO-Modified Nanowire-Structured Manganese Dioxide Film

Sensitive, selective and fast detection of chemical warfare agents is necessary for anti-terrorism purposes. In our search for functional materials sensitive to dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a simulant of sarin and other toxic organophosphorus compounds, we found that zinc oxide (ZnO) modification potentially enhances the absorption of DMMP on a manganese dioxide (MnO2) surface. The adsorption behavior of DMMP was evaluated through the detection of tiny organophosphonate compounds with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors coated with ZnO-modified MnO2 nanofibers and pure MnO2 nanofibers. Experimental results indicated that the QCM sensor coated with ZnO-modified nanostructured MnO2 film exhibited much higher sensitivity and better selectivity in comparison with the one coated with pure MnO2 nanofiber film. Therefore, the DMMP sensor developed with this composite nanostructured material should possess excellent selectivity and reasonable sensitivity towards the tiny gaseous DMMP species.
On the directional firing properties of hippocampal place cells

Using a two-spot tracking system that allowed measurements of the direction of a rat's head in the environment as well as the position of the rat's head, we investigated whether hippocampal place cells show true direction-specific as well as location-specific firing. Significant modulations of firing rate by head direction were seen for most cells while rats chased food pellets in a cylindrical apparatus. It was possible, however, to account quantitatively for directional modulation with a simple scheme that we refer to as the “distributive hypothesis. ” This hypothesis assumes that firing is ideally location specific, and that all directional firing modulations are due to differences in the time that the rat spends in different portions of the firing field of the place cell in different head direction sectors. When the distributive hypothesis is put into numeric form, the directional firing profiles that it predicts are extremely similar to the observed directional firing profiles, strongly suggesting that there is no intrinsic directional specificity of place cell firing in the cylinder. Additional recordings made while rats ran on an eight-arm maze reveal that many firing fields on the arms are polarized; the cell discharges more rapidly when the rat runs in one direction than the other on the maze. This result provides an independent confirmation of the findings of McNaughton et al. (1983). For fields that appear to be polarized by inspecting firing rate maps of the raw data, the magnitude of directional firing variations is greater than predicted by the distributive hypothesis. By comparison with postsubicular head direction cells, it is shown that the distributive prediction of weaker- than-observed directional firing is expected if there is a true directional firing component. A major conclusion reached from recording in both environments is that the directional firing properties of hippocampal place cells are variable and not fixed; this is true of individual units as well as of the population.
Thinking critically about affect in organization studies: Why it matters

Affect holds the promise of destabilizing and unsettling us, as organizational subjects, into new states of being. It can shed light on many aspects of work and organization, with implications both within and beyond organization studies. Affect theory holds the potential to generate exciting new insights for the study of organizations, theoretically, methodologically and politically. This Special Issue seeks to explore these potential trajectories. We are pleased to present five contributions that develop such ideas, drawing on a wide variety of approaches, and invoking new perspectives on the organizations we study and inhabit. As this Special Issue demonstrates, the world of work offers an exciting landscape for studying the ‘pulsing refrains of affect’ that accompany our lived experiences.
What Makes A Man?: An Alpha male’s fight for masculinity against the media’s muscular ideals

Previous studies have focused heavily on media effects on women however growing trends in male ideals are finding that men are no longer static observers. The media constructs the ideal male body as lean, strong and muscular and men exposed to these idealized images may experience body dissatisfaction. Therefore, this project explores the effects of media ideals on men and the possible relationship between the media depictions of the muscular ideals and masculinity. Current research analysis shows that exposure to media ideals not only causes body dissatisfaction among men; trying to achieve the perfect body may result in unhealthy behaviors. For a feature story, in-depth interviews were conducted with six men and one woman ages 23 to 41. Results indicate the media’s portrayal of men as being big and strong is generally believed to be the norm and that traditional male gender roles do, in fact, affect the way young men view themselves.
Purification, characterization and crystallization of an extracellular alkaline protease from Aspergillus nidulans HA‐10

Aspergillus nidulans is a highly potent fungus used in the production of alkaline protease. Extracellular alkaline protease was purified from A. nidulans in a two‐step procedure involving ammonium sulphate precipitation and Sephadex G‐100 column chromatography. The molecular mass of the enzyme was determined to be 42 kDa by SDS‐PAGE. The enzyme activity was also analyzed by zymogram with gelatin. The enzyme was more stable over a wide range of pH (6–10) and the temperatures up to 50 °C. It showed optimum enzyme activity at pH 8.0 and a temperature of 35 °C. The protease enzyme was completely inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The crystallization of the purified enzyme was performed by hanging drop vapour diffusion method using PEG 6000 as the precipitant. The micro crystals occurred in 40% of PEG 6000. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Stages of Recovery Instrument: Development of a Measure of Recovery from Serious Mental Illness

Objective: In order to realize the vision of recovery-orientated mental health services, there is a need for a model and a method of measuring recovery as the concept is described by mental health consumers. A preliminary five-stage model based on consumer accounts was developed in an earlier study by the authors. This next stage of the research program describes the development and initial testing of a stage measure which, when validated, can be used in testing that model. Method: Existing measures of recovery were reviewed to assess their concordance with the model, and a new measure, the Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI) was subsequently developed. A postal survey was conducted of 94 volunteers from the NISAD Schizophrenia Research Register. Participants completed the STORI and measures of mental health, psychological wellbeing, hope, resilience and recovery. Results: The STORI correlated with all of the psychological health variables, and the five stage subscales were found to be internally consistent. An ordinal relationship between the stage subscales was demonstrated by the intercorrelations of the subscale scores and the pattern of correlations between the subscales and the other measures. However, a cluster analysis of items revealed an overlap in measurement of adjacent stages, with only three clear clusters emerging. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary empirical validation of the STORI as a measure of the consumer definition of recovery. However, refinement of the measure is needed to improve its capacity to discriminate between the stages of the model. The model could then be comprehensively tested using longitudinal methods and the inclusion of objective measures.
Insights into the Functional Roles of N-Terminal and C-Terminal Domains of Helicobacter pylori DprA

DNA processing protein A (DprA) plays a crucial role in the process of natural transformation. This is accomplished through binding and subsequent protection of incoming foreign DNA during the process of internalization. DprA along with Single stranded DNA binding protein A (SsbA) acts as an accessory factor for RecA mediated DNA strand exchange. H. pylori DprA (HpDprA) is divided into an N-terminal domain and a C- terminal domain. In the present study, individual domains of HpDprA have been characterized for their ability to bind single stranded (ssDNA) and double stranded DNA (dsDNA). Oligomeric studies revealed that HpDprA possesses two sites for dimerization which enables HpDprA to form large and tightly packed complexes with ss and dsDNA. While the N-terminal domain was found to be sufficient for binding with ss or ds DNA, C-terminal domain has an important role in the assembly of poly-nucleoprotein complex. Using site directed mutagenesis approach, we show that a pocket comprising positively charged amino acids in the N-terminal domain has an important role in the binding of ss and dsDNA. Together, a functional cross talk between the two domains of HpDprA facilitating the binding and formation of higher order complex with DNA is discussed.
Symptoms and Risk Factors of Ovarian Cancer: A Survey in Primary Care

In spite of the increased awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms, the predictive value of symptoms remains very low. The aim of this paper is to obtain the views of general practitioners (GPs) in relation to symptom-based detection of ovarian cancer and to assess their knowledge for family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer as a predisposing factor for ovarian cancer. In this questionnaire survey, postal questionnaires were sent to 402 GPs in 132 primary care clinics, out of which we obtained 110 replies (27.4%). Approximately 26% of respondent GPs thought that the symptoms were more likely to be frequent, sudden, and persistent, and one-fifth were unsure of the importance of family history of breast cancer in relation to ovarian cancer. The participant GPs scored a set of symptoms for their relevance to ovarian cancer from 0 (not relevant) to 10 (most relevant). The highest scored symptoms were abdominal swelling (mean ± SD, 8.19 ± 2.33), abdominal bloating (7.01 ± 3.01), and pelvic pain (7.46 ± 2.26). There was a relative lack of awareness for repetitive symptoms as well as gastrointestinal symptoms as an important feature in a symptom-based detection of ovarian cancer.
Mid-infrared interferometry of the Mira variable RR Sco with the VLTI MIDI instrument

We present the results of the first mid-infrared interferometric observations of the Mira variable RR Sco with the MID-infrared Interferometer (MIDI) coupled to the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), together with K-band observations using VLTI VINCI. The observations were carried out in June 2003, when the variability phase of the object was 0.6, using two unit telescopes (UT1 and UT3), as part of the Science Demonstration Time (SDT) program of the instrument. Projected baseline lengths ranged from 73 to 102 m, and a spectral resolution of 30 was employed in the observations, which enabled us to obtain the wavelength dependence of the visibility in the region be- tween 8 and 13 µm. The uniform-disk diameter was found to be 18 mas between 8 and 10 µm, while it gradually increases at wavelengths longer than 10 µm to reach 24 mas at 13 µm. The uniform-disk diameter between 8 and 13 µm is significantly larger than the K-band uniform-disk diameter of 10.2 ± 0.5 mas measured using VLTI VINCI with projected baseline lengths of 15-16 m, three weeks after the MIDI observations. Our model calculations show that optically thick emission from a warm molecular envelope consisting of H2O and SiO can cause the apparent mid-infrared diameter to be much larger than the con- tinuum diameter. We find that the warm molecular envelope model extending to ∼2.3 Rwith a temperature of ∼1400 K and column densities of H2 Oa nd SiO of 3× 10 21 cm −2 and 1 × 10 20 cm −2 , respectively, can reproduce the observed uniform-disk diameters between 8 and 10 µm. The observed increase of the uniform-disk diameter longward of 10 µm can be explained by an optically thin dust shell consisting of silicate and corundum grains. The inner radius of the optically thin dust shell is derived to be 7-8 Rwith a temperature of ∼700 K, and the optical depth at 10 µm is found to be ∼0.025.