Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization, orientation, and deformation behavior of the double gyroid phase in elastomeric triblock copolymers

An oriented polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene (SIS) double gyroid (DG) nanocomposite comprised of two separate interpenetrating glassy networks embedded in a rubbery matrix is studied as a function of applied strain to elucidate the anisotropic deformation microstructure and mechanisms. The morphologies of 34%-36% S SIS triblock copolymer thermoplastic elastomers were characterized to have double gyroid (DG) morphology by a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small-angle xray scattering (SAXS), simulations of level set surfaces using TEMsim, laser diffraction, and fast Fourier transforms (FFT). The polymers were then processed via roll casting, which produced oriented cylinder (34%S) and lamellar (36%S) films. Annealing treatment enabled nucleation and growth of the equilibrium oriented DG phase in the 34%S. The <111> DG directions nucleated from the cylinder axes, and twinned {11 0}-type DG planes nucleated in the plane of the film. Mechanical properties and deformation microstructures were investigated via synchrotron SAXS and simultaneous load-deformation measurements, as well as TEM of microtomed sections from stretched DG fixed by high energy electron crosslinking. In the flow [111] direction, along the tightly wound continuous PS 3-fold screw helices, the modulus is 5 times larger than in the transverse direction, there is yielding with a distinct neck, 50% higher mechanical hysteresis, and immediate residual strain of 100%. SAXS and TEM indicate that yielding and necking occur via plastic deformation of the PS domains, which then elongate and draw upon further stretching. At the highest strains, some pullout of PS endblocks is seen. In the transverse direction, samples do not neck, but rather undergo distributed yielding, indicative of defects and many grains in this direction. SAXS and TEM show that strain in this direction is accomodated by rotation of grains into the stretch direction followed by buckling of the [111] PS helices. The remarkable anisotropy of the mechanical properties is due to the high PS connectivity in the flow direction, and no continuous PS domains in the transverse. These materials were also found to have both microscopic and macroscopic memory and recover fully upon annealing above the glass transition temperature of PS. Thesis Supervisor: Edwin L. Thomas Title: Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Global Diversity of the Placozoa

The enigmatic animal phylum Placozoa holds a key position in the metazoan Tree of Life. A simple bauplan makes it appear to be the most basal metazoan known and genetic evidence also points to a position close to the last common metazoan ancestor. Trichoplax adhaerens is the only formally described species in the phylum to date, making the Placozoa the only monotypic phylum in the animal kingdom. However, recent molecular genetic as well as morphological studies have identified a high level of diversity, and hence a potential high level of taxonomic diversity, within this phylum. Different taxa, possibly at different taxonomic levels, are awaiting description. In this review we firstly summarize knowledge on the morphology, phylogenetic position and ecology of the Placozoa. Secondly, we give an overview of placozoan morphological and genetic diversity and finally present an updated distribution of placozoan populations. We conclude that there is great potential and need to erect new taxa and to establish a firm system for this taxonomic tabula rasa.
Diltiazem prevents stress‐induced contractile deficits in cardiomyocytes, but does not reverse the cardiomyopathy phenotype in Mybpc3‐knock‐in mice

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac illness and can lead to diastolic dysfunction, sudden cardiac death and heart failure. Treatment of HCM patients is empirical and current pharmacological treatments are unable to stop disease progression or reverse hypertrophy. In this study, we tested if the non‐dihydropyridine Ca2+ channel blocker diltiazem, which previously showed potential to stop disease progression, can improve the phenotype of a HCM mouse model (Mybpc3‐targeted knock‐in), which is based on a mutation commonly found in patients. Diltiazem improved contractile function of isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes acutely, but chronic application did not improve the phenotype of adult mice with a fully developed HCM. Our study shows that diltiazem has beneficial effects in HCM, but long‐term treatment success is likely to depend on characteristics and cause of HCM and onset of treatment.
Best-First Fixed-Depth Minimax Algorithms

Abstract This article has three main contributions to our understanding of minimax search: First, a new formulation for Stockman's SSS ∗ algorithm, based on Alpha-Beta, is presented. It solves all the perceived drawbacks of SSS ∗ , finally transforming it into a practical algorithm. In effect, we show that SSS ∗ = Alpha-Beta + transposition tables. The crucial step is the realization that transposition tables contain so-called solution trees, structures that are used in best-first search algorithms like SSS ∗ . Having created a practical version, we present performance measurements with tournament game-playing programs for three different minimax games, yielding results that contradict a number of publications. Second, based on the insights gained in our attempts at understanding SSS ∗ , we present a framework that facilitates the construction of several best-first fixed-depth game-tree search algorithms, known and new. The framework is based on depth-first null-window Alpha-Beta search, enhanced with storage to allow for the refining of previous search results. It focuses attention on the essential differences between algorithms. Third, a new instance of this framework is presented. It performs better than algorithms that are currently used in most state-of-the-art game-playing programs. We provide experimental evidence to explain why this new algorithm, MTD( f ), performs better than other fixed-depth minimax algorithms.
Synthesis of pH stable, blue light-emitting diode-excited, fluorescent silica nanoparticles and effects on cell behavior

To date, delivery of light-emitting diode (LED)-activated compounds to cells and tissue remains a challenge. Silica-based materials possess good biocompatibility and have advantages of control of size and shape. Fluorescent silica nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized and used for applications such as cell tracking and tumor identification. Here, we report the synthesis and optimization of fluorescent silica NPs, which incorporate a naphthalimide dye with triethoxysilanes that are excited by the blue LED wavelength (LEDex NPs). The NPs can be imaged in the 420–470 nm wavelength, demonstrate a high quantum yield, are stable in a range of pH, and are taken into the cells. Therefore, these NPs represent a novel imaging technology for biomedical applications.
Effect of gaseous ozone treatments on DON, microbial contaminants and technological parameters of wheat and semolina

ABSTRACT Deoxynivalenol (DON) is an important mycotoxin produced by several species of Fusarium. It occurs often in wheat grain and is frequently associated with significant levels of its modified form DON-3-glucoside (DON-3-Glc). Ozone (O3) is a powerful disinfectant and oxidant, classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe), that reacts easily with specific compounds including the mycotoxins aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes and zearalenone. It degrades DON in aqueous solution and can be effective for decontamination of grain. This study reports the efficacy of gaseous ozone treatments in reducing DON, DON-3-Glc, bacteria, fungi and yeasts in naturally contaminated durum wheat. A prototype was used to dispense ozone continuously and homogeneously at different concentrations and exposure time, in 2 kg aliquots of durum wheat. The optimal conditions, which do not affect chemical and rheological parameters of durum wheat, semolina and pasta, were identified (55 g O3 h−1 for 6 h). The measured mean reductions of DON and DON-3-Glc in ozonated wheat were 29% and 44%, respectively. Ozonation also produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of total count (CFU/g) of bacteria, fungi and yeasts in wheat grains.
Effect of voice disguise on the performance of a forensic automatic speaker recognition system

This paper presents first results of an ongoing study on the effects of common types of voice disguise, including increased voice pitch (even falsetto speech), lowered voice pitch and pinching the nose while speaking, on forensic speaker recognition (FSR) techniques. Natural and disguised speech data from 100 German speakers recorded 5 times over a period of 7 to 9 months were used in a series of speaker recognition experiments, using the LR-based forensic automatic speaker recognition system developed by ATVS at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. In this paper, experiments are limited to estimate the performance degradation when the suspect is known to be the author of the disguised test speech (no impostor trials are reported). Results indicate that the three types of voice disguise selected affect the performance of the system only marginally if reference populations contain speech data which exhibit the same type of disguise. If, however, the reference population is assembled with normal speech only, effects are generally more severe and also different for the three types of disguise under evaluation.
Quantitative Analysis of Lipid-Rich Necrotic Core in Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques by In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Outcomes

Background The aim of this study was to explore the accuracy of in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the quantitative evaluation of lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) in carotid atherosclerotic plaques compared with histopathology, and to assess the association of LRNC size with cerebral ischemia symptoms. Material/Methods Thirty patients were enrolled and 19 patients (16 men and 3 women) were analyzed. All the patients were submitted to MRI on a Siemens Avanto (1.5-Tesla) device before carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The scanning protocol included three-dimensional time of flight (3D TOF), T1-weighted image (T1WI), T2-weighted image (T2WI), turbo spin-echo T2-weighted (T2-TSE), and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted image. MRI images were reviewed for quantitative measurements of LRNC areas. LRNC specimens were collected for histology. Percentages of LRNC area to total vessel area were assessed to determine the association of MRI with histological findings. Results There were 151 pairs of matched MRI and pathological sections. LRNC area percentages (LRNC area/vessel area) measured by MRI and histology were 20.6±9.0% and 18.7±9.5%, respectively (r=0.69, p<0.001). Twelve out of 19 patients had symptoms (S-group; 3 had recent stroke, 3 had a recent stroke and a history of transient ischemic attack (TIA), and 6 had TIA); the remaining 7 subjects showed no symptoms (NS-group). LRNC area percentages in the S- and NS-groups were 22.2±5.8% and 12.6±10.7%, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusions MRI can quantitatively measure LRNC in carotid atherosclerotic plaques, and may be useful in predicting the rupture risk of plaques. These findings provide a basis for imaging use in individualized treatment plan.
Bigger and Better? Representativeness of the Influenza A Surveillance Using One Consolidated Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Data Set as Compared to the Belgian Sentinel Network of Laboratories

Infectious diseases remain a serious public health concern globally, while the need for reliable and representative surveillance systems remains as acute as ever. The public health surveillance of infectious diseases uses reported positive results from sentinel clinical laboratories or laboratory networks, to survey the presence of specific microbial agents known to constitute a threat to public health in a given population. This monitoring activity is commonly based on a representative fraction of the microbiology laboratories nationally reporting to a single central reference point. However in recent years a number of clinical microbiology laboratories (CML) have undergone a process of consolidation involving a shift towards laboratory amalgamation and closer real-time informational linkage. This report aims to investigate whether such merging activities might have a potential impact on infectious diseases surveillance. Influenza data was used from Belgian public health surveillance 2014-2017, to evaluate whether national infection trends could be estimated equally as effectively from only just one centralised CML serving the wider Brussels area (LHUB-ULB). The overall comparison reveals that there is a close correlation and representativeness of the LHUB-ULB data to the national and international data for the same time periods, both on epidemiological and molecular grounds. Notably, the effectiveness of the LHUB-ULB surveillance remains partially subject to local regional variations. These results illustrate that centralised CML-derived data are not only credible but also advantageous to use for future surveillance and prediction purposes, especially for automatic detection systems that might include multiple layers of information and timely implementation of control strategies.
PPARβ/δ: A Key Therapeutic Target in Metabolic Disorders

Research in recent years on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)β/δ indicates that it plays a key role in the maintenance of energy homeostasis, both at the cellular level and within the organism as a whole. PPARβ/δ activation might help prevent the development of metabolic disorders, including obesity, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review highlights research findings on the PPARβ/δ regulation of energy metabolism and the development of diseases related to altered cellular and body metabolism. It also describes the potential of the pharmacological activation of PPARβ/δ as a treatment for human metabolic disorders.
Comparative Analysis of Dibutyric cAMP and Butyric Acid on the Differentiation of Human Eosinophilic Leukemia EoL-1 Cells

Purification of enough numbers of circulating eosinophils is difficult because eosinophils account for less than 5% peripheral blood leukocytes. Human eosinophilic leukemia EoL-1 cells have been considered an in vitro source of eosinophils as they can differentiate into mature eosinophil-like cells when incubated with dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) or butyric acid. In this study, the viability and phenotypic maturation of EoL-1 cells stimulated by either dbcAMP or butyric acid were comparatively analyzed. After treatment with 100 µM dbcAMP or 0.5 µM butyric acid, EoL-1 cells showed morphological signs of differentiation, although the number of nonviable EoL-1 cells was significantly increased following butyric acid treatment. Stimulation of EoL-1 cells with 0.5 µM butyric acid more effectively induced the expression of mature eosinophil markers than stimulation with dbcAMP. These results suggest that treatment of EoL-1 cells with 0.5 µM butyric acid for limited duration could be an effective strategy for inducing their differentiation. Considering that expression of CCR3 was not sufficient in EoL-1 cells stimulated with 0.5 µM butyric acid, treatment of the chemically stimulated EoL-1 cells with cytokines, which primarily support eosinophil maturation, would help to obtain differentiated EoL-1 cells with greater functional maturity.
Cuticle and pore plug properties in the table egg

ABSTRACT Food safety of table eggs is vital since many pathogens can contaminate the unfertilized egg, leading to increased risk of foodborne illness for consumers. The eggshell cuticle is the first line of defense to restrict the entry of egg‐associated pathogens, such as Salmonella Enteritidis. The thickness and completeness of coverage of the cuticle layer are heritable traits that are strongly associated with egg resistance to bacterial penetration. The present study characterizes the chemical composition of the eggshell cuticle and structure of pore plugs from table eggs. Eggs collected from both brown and white egg laying Lohmann flocks (early, mid, and late lay) were either unwashed or washed. Pore plugs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and elemental composition was determined using energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (EDS). SEM observations confirmed that the plug formed by the cuticle layer within the eggshell pore remains firmly lodged throughout the commercial washing process. The eggshell thickness and cuticle pore length visualized in brown eggs was significantly higher than in white eggs in hens of all ages. EDS analysis revealed that the pore inner surface was enriched in phosphorus and chemically different from the surrounding bulk eggshell mineral. Detailed assessment of the cuticle chemical composition was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Washing of eggs removed cuticle from the eggshell surface. There was a trend of lower cuticle coverage with increasing hen age for white eggs. A significant reduction in the amount of proteins and phosphates and polysaccharides was observed in the cuticle of brown unwashed eggs with hen age. In white unwashed eggs, amides and lipids decreased with hen age; by contrast, the amount of sulfate was highest at mid‐lay. The results from our research will assist selective breeding programs that target cuticle integrity and pore plug stability to enhance egg resistance to pathogen penetration and improve food safety.
A task-based analysis of black carbon exposure in Iowa farmers during harvest

ABSTRACT Diesel exhaust has been associated with adverse human health effects. Farmers are often exposed to diesel exhaust; however, their diesel exposure has not been well characterized. In this descriptive study, we measured black carbon concentrations as a proxy for diesel exhaust exposure in 16 farmers over 20 sampling days during harvest in southeast Iowa. Farmers wore a personal aethalometer which measured real-time black carbon levels throughout the working day, and their activities were recorded by a field researcher. Black carbon concentrations were characterized for each farmer, and by activity, vehicle fuel type, and microenvironment. Overall, 574 discrete tasks were monitored with a median task duration of 5.5 min. Of these tasks, 39% involved the presence of a diesel vehicle. Farmers’ daily black carbon geometric mean exposures ranged from 0.1–2.3 µg/m3, with a median daily geometric mean of 0.3 µg/m3. The highest black carbon concentrations were measured on farmers who used or worked near diesel vehicles (geometric mean ranged from 0.5 µg/m3 while harvesting to 4.9 µg/m3 during animal work). Higher geometric means were found for near vs. far proximity to diesel-fueled vehicles and equipment (2.9 vs. 0.3 µg/m3). Indoor, bystander proximity to diesel-operated vehicles resulted in the highest geometric mean black carbon concentrations (18 µg/m3). Use of vehicles with open cabs had higher mean black carbon concentrations than closed cabs (2.1–3.2 vs. 0.4–0.9 µg/m3). In summary, our study provided evidence that farmers were frequently exposed to black carbon associated with diesel-related activities at levels above urban ambient concentrations in their daily work during harvest.
Rheological Characteristics of Alkali Activated Fly-Ash Concrete Mixtures

This paper describes rheological characteristics of concrete mixtures based on alkali-activated fly ash. There are shown relationships between workability of fly-ash fresh concrete mixtures and water–fly-ash ratio in fresh alkali-activated concrete. In addition, there is described relationship between workability in fresh mixture on compressive strength of alkali-activated concrete.
AMPK negatively regulates tensin-dependent integrin activity

Tight regulation of integrin activity is paramount for dynamic cellular functions such as cell matrix adhesion and mechanotransduction. Integrin activation is achieved through intracellular interactions at the integrin cytoplasmic tails and through integrin–ligand binding. In this study, we identify the metabolic sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as a &bgr;1-integrin inhibitor in fibroblasts. Loss of AMPK promotes &bgr;1-integrin activity, the formation of centrally located active &bgr;1-integrin– and tensin-rich mature fibrillar adhesions, and cell spreading. Moreover, in the absence of AMPK, cells generate more mechanical stress and increase fibronectin fibrillogenesis. Mechanistically, we show that AMPK negatively regulates the expression of the integrin-binding proteins tensin1 and tensin3. Transient expression of tensins increases &bgr;1-integrin activity, whereas tensin silencing reduces integrin activity in fibroblasts lacking AMPK. Accordingly, tensin silencing in AMPK-depleted fibroblasts impedes enhanced cell spreading, traction stress, and fibronectin fiber formation. Collectively, we show that the loss of AMPK up-regulates tensins, which bind &bgr;1-integrins, supporting their activity and promoting fibrillar adhesion formation and integrin-dependent processes.
Emotional Diathesis, Emotional Stress, and Childhood Stuttering.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine (a) whether emotional reactivity and emotional stress of children who stutter (CWS) are associated with their stuttering frequency, (b) when the relationship between emotional reactivity and stuttering frequency is more likely to exist, and (c) how these associations are mediated by a 3rd variable (e.g., sympathetic arousal). METHOD Participants were 47 young CWS (M age = 50.69 months, SD = 10.34). Measurement of participants' emotional reactivity was based on parental report, and emotional stress was engendered by viewing baseline, positive, and negative emotion-inducing video clips, with stuttered disfluencies and sympathetic arousal (indexed by tonic skin conductance level) measured during a narrative after viewing each of the various video clips. RESULTS CWS's positive emotional reactivity was positively associated with percentage of their stuttered disfluencies regardless of emotional stress condition. CWS's negative emotional reactivity was more positively correlated with percentage of stuttered disfluencies during a narrative after a positive, compared with baseline, emotional stress condition. CWS's sympathetic arousal did not appear to mediate the effect of emotional reactivity, emotional stress condition, and their interaction on percentage of stuttered disfluencies, at least during this experimental narrative task following emotion-inducing video clips. CONCLUSIONS Results were taken to suggest an association between young CWS's positive emotional reactivity and stuttering, with negative reactivity seemingly more associated with these children's stuttering during positive emotional stress (a stress condition possibly associated with lesser degrees of emotion regulation). Such findings seem to support the notion that emotional processes warrant inclusion in any truly comprehensive account of childhood stuttering.