Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and self-assembly of nanoparticles and amphiphilic block copolymers

Nanocomposite materials exhibit properties that highly depend on the organization of nanoparticles. Currently, the ability to control the arrangement of nanoscale building blocks has become one of the most important issues in the field. In this thesis, I present a unique way to control the arrangement of nanoparticles in polymer matrixes by the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers and nanoparticles. Unique capsulelike assemblies of nanoparticles were formed by controlling the interaction between nanoparticles and a prototypical block copolymer, PAA-b-PS. This layered structure is composed of a polymer core, a polymer shell and nanoparticles encapsulated between the polymer core and the shell. This unique assembly structure is induced by slightly unfavorable interactions between the polystyrene and nanoparticles. The strong segregation theory calculations showed that the reduced stretching energy of polymers by the incorporation of nanoparticle layer also contributed to the formation of the layered structure. Many parameters such as nanoparticle volume fraction, nanoparticle size, polymer length and nanoparticle capping agents affect the arrangement of nanoparticles as well as the overall assembly structure of the composite system. In particular, it was found that the radial location of nanoparticle in the core shell assembly can be effectively tuned by controlling the volume fraction of nanoparticles. This work demonstrated for the first time that it is possible to form ordered arrays of nanoparticles with controllable assembly structure through the self-assembly of nanoparticles and amphiphilic polymers. Polymer nanostructures were also used as templates to synthesize a new type of metal nanostructures called spiky gold nanoshells. Block copolymer assemblies of different morphologies were used to template nonspherical nanoshells. Also, magnetic nanoshells were synthesized by using block copolymer assemblies encapsulating magnetic nanoparticles as templates. Nanoshells of various surface morphologies such as spiky, blackberry, bumpy and blunt nanoshells were synthesized by varying the additives in the growth solution. These highly structured nanoshells possess high surface area and enhanced scattering properties compared to smooth shells. The enhanced optical properties together with the hollow morphology and straightforward synthetic procedure make the structured nanoshells an excellent system for sensing and biomedical applications. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemistry First Advisor So-Jung Park This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/edissertations/481
Metacognitive Processes in Human-Computer Interaction: Self-Assessments of Knowledge as Predictors of Computer Expertise

Metacognition, a person's knowledge of her or his own cognitive processes, is a concept that can be applied to many areas of human-computer interaction. This article reviews the state of contemporary knowledge regarding metacognition and describes implications for the domain of human-computer interaction. A conceptual framework is presented that distinguishes monitoring and regulation processes of metacognition. One aspect of metacognition, self-evaluation of knowledge, was investigated for a word processing application as an illustration. An experiment was conducted to evaluate which of four methods of self-assessment of expertise was the best predictor of declarative knowledge (accuracy and completeness of descriptions on how to perform a task). In addition, the experiment examined whether classifying users based on self-reported estimates of expertise would produce differences in their declarative descriptions. Results showed that individuals' ratings of their overall knowledge were better predictors than were estimations of frequency of use, as would be expected from the literature on metacognitive monitoring. In addition, classifying users based on their self-ratings of expertise showed differences in accuracy of declarative knowledge and strategy chosen to perform a task. Experts were more accurate in their descriptions of how to complete a task compared to novices and used more complex strategies to complete hard tasks.
Gender disparities in health care.

To the Editor. — "Overanxiousness" in women about their health, leading to greater use of health services, 1 may be due to temperamental differences in gender-mediated clinical features of depression, which are manifested by women's less active, more ruminative responses that are linked to dysfunction of the right frontal cortex in which the metabolic rate is higher in females. 2 An understanding of the role of gender-related cerebral asymmetries in the development and progression of coronary artery disease and dementia, and in adverse responses to medication, can lead the physician to respect female patients' concerns and anxieties regarding their health. 3-7
Cointegrating Regressions with Messy Regressors: Missingness, Mixed Frequency, and Nonclassical Measurement Error

We consider a cointegrating regression in which the integrated regressors are messy in the sense that they contain data that may be mismeasured, missing, observed at mixed frequencies, or have other irregularities that cause the econometrician to observe them with possibly nonstationary noise. We motivate the notion of messy data with a nontechnical example using linear interpolation. Even with such a straightforward DGP, we show that the resulting noise is mildly nonstationary. We adopt a unified theoretical approach to avoid strict distributional assumptions and to allow for such nonstationarity. Least squares estimation of the cointegrating vector is consistent under general conditions, even though the estimator is neither asymptotically normal nor unbiased. In order to allow valid statistical inference, we construct a canonical cointegrating regression (CCR) using standard consistent nonparametric variance estimators, and we show that least squares estimation of the CCR provides consistent and asymptotically normal estimation – even with nonstationary disturbances. We briefly examine largeand small-sample properties of the estimator when linear interpolation is the specific driver behind the messiness. First draft: January 18, 2007 This draft: January 26, 2009 JEL Classification: C13, C14, C32
Core transcription factors, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog, individually form complexes with nucleophosmin (Npm1) to control embryonic stem (ES) cell fate determination

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine, although the molecular mechanism controlling their pluripotency is not completely understood. Depending on interaction partners most proteins can be involved in several different cellular mechanisms. We screened for novel protein-protein interactions using in situ proximity ligation assays together with specific antibodies directed against known important ES cell proteins. We found that all three core transcription factors, namely Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog, individually formed complexes with nucleophosmin (Npm1). We showed that the Npm1/Sox2 complex was sustained when cells were induced to differentiate by retinoic acid, while decreased in the other differentiation pathways. Moreover, Oct4 also formed individual complexes with translationally controlled tumor protein (Tpt1). Downregulation of Npm1 or Tpt1 increased mRNA levels for genes involved in mesoderm and ectoderm differentiation pathways, respectively, indicative of their involvement in ES cell maintenance. We have here described four novel protein-protein interactions in ES cell involving all three core transcription factors. Our findings improve the current knowledge about ES cell-specific protein networks and indicate the importance of Npm1 and Tpt1 to maintain the ES cell phenotype.
Mutational analysis of the promoter required for influenza virus virion RNA synthesis

An in vitro RNA synthesis system was established in which the influenza virus virion (minus-sense) RNA was made from the synthetic plus-sense RNA (cRNA) template by the purified viral polymerase complex. The cRNA promoter was studied by mutational analysis using the in vitro system, and on the basis of these experiments, the first 11 nucleotides of the 3' noncoding sequence were found to contain the minimum promoter required for virion RNA synthesis. The addition of extra nucleotides at the 3' end decreased the promoter activity of the templates, indicating that the viral polymerase does not recognize an internal promoter efficiently. The wild-type and mutated RNA templates were also tested in vivo by using the ribonucleoprotein transfection system. In contrast to the in vitro system, it was found that the majority of mutations at the 3'-terminal sequence significantly decreased or abolished chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) expression. These results suggest that the cRNA promoter overlaps other essential cis elements required for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in vivo.
In Vivo Analysis of Inhibitory Synaptic Inputs and Rebounds in Deep Cerebellar Nuclear Neurons

Neuronal function depends on the properties of the synaptic inputs the neuron receive and on its intrinsic responsive properties. However, the conditions for synaptic integration and activation of intrinsic responses may to a large extent depend on the level of background synaptic input. In this respect, the deep cerebellar nuclear (DCN) neurons are of particular interest: they feature a massive background synaptic input and an intrinsic, postinhibitory rebound depolarization with profound effects on the synaptic integration. Using in vivo whole cell patch clamp recordings from DCN cells in the cat, we find that the background of Purkinje cell input provides a tonic inhibitory synaptic noise in the DCN cell. Under these conditions, individual Purkinje cells appear to have a near negligible influence on the DCN cell and clear-cut rebounds are difficult to induce. Peripheral input that drives the simple spike output of the afferent PCs to the DCN cell generates a relatively strong DCN cell inhibition, but do not induce rebounds. In contrast, synchronized climbing fiber activation, which leads to a synchronized input from a large number of Purkinje cells, can induce profound rebound responses. In light of what is known about climbing fiber activation under behaviour, the present findings suggest that DCN cell rebound responses may be an unusual event. Our results also suggest that cortical modulation of DCN cell output require a substantial co-modulation of a large proportion of the PCs that innervate the cell, which is a possible rationale for the existence of the cerebellar microcomplex.
Meta-Analysis of Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine for Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— A large number of traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM) are widely used for ischemic stroke in China. The aim of this study was to systematically review the existing clinical evidence on TCPM for ischemic stroke. Methods— We identified all TCPM that were listed in the Chinese National Essential Drug list of 2004 and those commonly used TCPM in current clinical practice for ischemic stroke. Fifty-nine TCPM were identified for further evaluation. We applied Cochrane systematic review methods. We searched for reports of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials on any of the 59 TCPM for ischemic stroke comparing one TCPM with control. Primary outcomes included death or dependency at the end of follow-up (at least 3 months) and adverse events. Effects on neurological impairments were a secondary outcome. Results— One-hundred ninety-one trials (19 338 patients) on 22 TCPM were available and included, of which 120 were definite or possible randomized controlled trials and 71 were controlled clinical trials. The methodological quality of included trials was generally “poor. ” Few trials reported methods of randomization. Three trials were randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled. Primary outcomes: one trial on Puerarin and one trial on Shenmai injection assessed death or dependency at the end of long-term follow-up (at least 3 months) and found no statistically significant difference between 2 groups. The reported adverse events including allergic reaction, headache, nausea, diarrhea, bellyache, blood pressure change, and subcutaneous ecchymosis. Most of the adverse events were not severe. Secondary outcomes: analysis of the secondary outcome, “marked improvement in neurological deficit,” showed apparent benefits of about the same magnitude for all the TCPM studied. Of the 22 TCPM, 8 drugs (Milk vetch, Mailuoning, Ginkgo biloba, Ligustrazine, Danshen agents, Xuesetong, Puerarin, and Acanthopanax) had relatively more studies and patient numbers. Conclusions— There was insufficient good quality evidence on the effects of TCPM in ischemic stroke on the primary outcome (death or dependency). We considered the apparent benefit on neurological impairment was as likely to be attributable to bias from poor methodology as to a real treatment effect. However, because the agents assessed appeared potentially beneficial and nontoxic, further randomized controlled trials are justified. Eight drugs could be further research priorities.
Indri at TREC 2005: Terabyte Track

This work details the experiments carried out using the Indri search engine during the TREC 2005 Terabyte Track. Results are presented for each of the three tasks, including eciency , ad hoc, and named page nding. Our eciency runs focused on query optimization techniques, our ad hoc runs look at the importance of term proximity and document quality, and our named-page nding runs investigate the use of document priors and document structure.
Perspectives on belief and change

Dans cette these, nous proposons des modeles logiques pour la representation des croyances et leur changement dans un cadre multi-agent, en insistant sur l'importance de se fixer un point de vue particulier pour la modelisation. A cet egard, nous distinguons deux approches differentes: l'approche externe, ou le modelisateur est quelqu'un d'externe a la situation; l'approche interne, ou le modelisateur est l'un des agents. Nous proposons une version interne de la logique epistemique dynamique (avec des modeles d'evenements), ce qui nous permet de generaliser facilement la theorie de la revision des croyances d'AGM au cas multi-agent. Ensuite, nous modelisons les dynamismes logiques complexes qui sous-tendent notre interpretation des evenements en introduisant des probabilites et des infinitesimaux. Finalement, nous proposons un formalisme alternatif qui n'utilise pas de modele d'evenement mais qui introduit a la place un operateur d'evenement inverse.
CHARM++: a portable concurrent object oriented system based on C++

We describe Charm++, an object oriented portable parallel programming language based on C++. Its design philosophy, implementation, sample applications and their performance on various parallel machines are described. Charm++ is an explicitly parallel language consisting of C++ with a few extensions. It provides a clear separation between sequential and parallel objects. The execution model of Charm++ is message driven, thus helping one write programs that are latency-tolerant. The language supports multiple inheritance, dynamic binding, overloading, strong typing, and reuse for parallel objects, all of which are more difficult problems in a parallel context. Charm++ provides specific modes for sharing information between parallel objects. It is based on the Charm parallel programming system, and its runtime system implementation reuses most of the runtime system for Charm.
Illumina MiSeq Sequencing Reveals Diverse Microbial Communities of Activated Sludge Systems Stimulated by Different Aromatics for Indigo Biosynthesis from Indole

Indole, as a typical N-heteroaromatic compound existed in coking wastewater, can be used for bio-indigo production. The microbial production of indigo from indole has been widely reported during the last decades using culture-dependent methods, but few studies have been carried out by microbial communities. Herein, three activated sludge systems stimulated by different aromatics, i.e. naphthalene plus indole (G1), phenol plus indole (G2) and indole only (G3), were constructed for indigo production from indole. During the operation, G1 produced the highest indigo yield in the early stage, but it switched to G3 in the late stage. Based on LC-MS analysis, indigo was the major product in G1 and G3, while the purple product 2-(7-oxo-1H-indol-6(7H)-ylidene) indolin-3-one was dominant in G2. Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was applied to analyze the microbial community structure and composition. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and dissimilarity tests showed that the overall community structures of three groups changed significantly during the operation (P<0.05). Nevertheless, the bacteria assigned to phylum Proteobacteria, family Comamonadaceae, and genera Diaphorobacter, Comamonas and Aquamicrobium were commonly shared dominant populations. Pearson correlations were calculated to discern the relationship between microbial communities and indigo yields. The typical indigo-producing populations Comamonas and Pseudomonas showed no positive correlations with indigo yields, while there emerged many other genera that exhibited positive relationships, such as Aquamicrobium, Truepera and Pusillimonas, which had not been reported for indigo production previously. The present study should provide new insights into indigo bio-production by microbial communities from indole.
Fluorine-18 Fluorothymidine: A New Positron Emission Radioisotope for Renal Tumors

Fluorine-18 fluorothymidine (F-18 FLT) is a radioisotope based on the nucleic acid thymidine and has emerged as an important tracer that mirrors cellular proliferation in positron emission tomography (PET) studies. Early studies in human tumors have been promising. However, imaging of renal tumors using F-18 FLT PET studies has not previously been described. In this report, a difficult case of renal transitional cell carcinoma in a longstanding cyst was clearly delineated using F-18 FLT. Importantly, the study was able to guide clinicians toward appropriate surgical management. The use of such tracers may herald a new era in renal tumor imaging.
The effect of the Wyckoff position of the K atom on the crystal structure and electronic properties of the compound KFe2Se2

By means of first-principles electronic structure calculations, we study the effect of the Wyckoff position of the K atom on the crystal and electronic structures of the compound KFe2Se2. When the K atoms take up the Wyckoff positions 2a, 2b and 4c (the related structures of KFe2Se2 are referred to as Struc-2a, Struc-2b and Struc-4c), the calculated lattice constants c lie in the ranges 13.5–14.5, 15.5–16.7 or 18.6–19.1 Å respectively. Three concentric cylinder-like Fermi surfaces emerge around Γ–Z in the Brillouin zone for Struc-2b in the nonmagnetic state, unlike the cases for Struc-2a and Struc-4c. The Fe–Se–Fe angles are 107.8°, 108.8° and 110.7° respectively in the collinear antiferromagnetic state, and the superexchange interactions J2 between two next neighbor Fe moments are 13.08 meV S−2, 20.75 meV S−2 and 11.86 meV S−2 for the Struc-2a, Struc-2b and Struc-4c structures respectively. Struc-2b and Struc-4c have good correspondence with the newly discovered superconducting phases with Tc = 40 and 30 K in KFe2Se2. Our findings suggest a reasonable approach for achieving an understanding of the existence of multiple superconducting phases in alkali metal intercalated FeSe superconductor.
Echocardiographic Prediction of Survival After Surgical Correction of Organic Mitral Regurgitation

BackgroundLeft ventricular dysfunction is a frequent cause of death after successful surgical repair of mitral regurgitation. The role of preoperative echocardiographic left ventricular variables in the prediction of postoperative survival and thus their clinical implications remain uncertain. Methods and ResultsThe survival of 409 patients operated on between 1980 and 1989 for pure, isolated, organic mitral regurgitation and with a preoperative echocardiogram (within 6 months of operation) was analyzed. The overall survival was 75% at 5 years (90% of expected), 58% at 10 years (88% of expected), and 44% at 12 years (73% of expected). Operative mortality was 6.6% and markedly improved from 1980 to 1984 (10.7%) to 1985 to 1989 (3.7%). Multivariate analysis showed that age (P=.0003), date of operation (P=.003), and functional class (P=.016) but not left ventricular function were predictors of operative mortality. In the most recent period (1985 to 1989), operative mortality was 12.3% in patients age 75 years or older and 1.1% in patients younger than 75 years. Late survival was analyzed in the operative survivors. Multivariate analysis showed that the most powerful predictor was echocardiographic ejection fraction (EF) (P=.0004), followed by age (P=.0031), creatinine level (P=.0062), systolic blood pressure (P=.0164), and presence of coronary artery disease (P=.0237). The late survival at 10 years was 32±12% for patients with EF <50%, 53±9% for EF 50% to 60%, and 72±4% for EF ≤60%. The hazard ratio compared with EF.60% was 2.79 (95% confidence interval, 1.65 to 4.72) for EF ≤50% and 1.81 (95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 2.95) for EF 50% to 60%. Echocardiographic EF remained the best predictor of late survival, even when combined with left ventricular angiographic variables. The survival of patients with EF >60% was 100% of expected at 10 years but was better in patients in class I or II than in those in class III or IV (82±6% versus 59±6%, respectively, at 10 years; P=.0021). The preoperative predictors of operative and late mortality remained significant independent of the type of surgical correction performed in combined multivariate analyses. ConclusionsIn organic mitral regurgitation, (1) operative mortality has markedly decreased recently, being at a low 1.1% in patients younger than 75 years, and is predicted by age and symptoms and not by left ventricular function, and (2) left ventricular EF measured by echocardiography is the most powerful predictor of late survival. These results suggest that surgical treatment should be considered early, even in the absence of severe symptoms, in patients with severe mitral regurgitation, before left ventricular dysfunction occurs.
Effect of Extraction and Recovery Procedure on the Determination of PmB Content and on the Properties of the Recovered Binder

ABSTRACT In Belgium, the commonly used test method for the determination of the binder content of a bituminous mixture is based on the extraction of the soluble bitumen with a centrifuge. This step is followed by a recovery of the solvent with a rotary evaporator when the binder is yet to be characterized. The procedures for pure binders are clearly described in the European standards, but this is not the case for polymer modified bitumens (PmBs). Consequently, a research project has been launched to evaluate, in the case of bituminous mixtures with PmB both the effect of extraction on the binder content as well as the effect of extraction and recovery on the properties of the recovered PmB. In this study, the use of several solvents and dissolution methods has been compared.