Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Penetration Experiments with Limestone Targets and Ogive-Nose Steel Projectiles

We conducted three sets of depth-of-penetration experiments with limestone targets and 3.0 caliber-radius-head (CRH), ogive-nose steel rod projectiles. The limestone targets had a nominal unconfined compressive strength of 60 MPa, a density of 2.31 kg/m{sup 3}, a porosity of 15%, and a water content less than 0.4%. The ogive-nose rod projectiles with length-to-diameter ratios often were machined from 4340 R{sub c} 45 and Aer Met 100 R{sub c} 53 steel, round stock and had diameters and masses of 7.1 mm, 0.020 kg; 12.7 mm, 0.117 kg; and 25.4 mm, 0.931 kg. Powder guns or a two-stage, light-gas gun launched the projectiles at normal impacts to striking velocities between 0.4 and 1.9 km/s. For the 4340 R{sub c} 45 and Aer Met 100 R{sub c} 53 steel projectiles, penetration depth increased as striking velocity increased to a striking velocity of 1.5 and 1.7 km/s, respectively. For larger striking velocities, the projectiles deformed during penetration without nose erosion, deviated from the shot line, and exited the sides of the target. We also developed an analytical penetration equation that described the target resistance by its density and a strength parameter determined from depth of penetration versus striking velocity data.
Seismogram synthesis for radially layered media using the generalized reflection/transmission coefficients method: Theory and applications to acoustic logging

A new method based on generalized reflection and transmission coefficients is proposed to calculate the synthetic seismograms in radially multilayered media. This method can be used to efficiently simulate full waveform acoustic logs and crosswell seismic profiles in situations where we need to consider borehole effects. The new formulation is tested by comparing our numerical results with previous available work and shows excellent agreement. Because of the use of the normalized Hankel functions and the normalization factors, this new algorithm for computing seismograms is stable numerically even for high-frequency problems. To show the applicability of this new approach to full waveform sonic logging, we apply it to investigate the effects of complex invaded zones on the geometrical spreading and attenuation estimation for P-waves. We find that a damaged zone (its velocity is slower than the unperturbed formation velocity) exhibits a convergence effect on the P-waves, and a flushed zone (velocity is faster than the unperturbed formation velocity) exhibits a divergence effect on the P-waves.
Clusterin protein diversity in the primate eye.

PURPOSE The clusterin gene encodes a multi-functional protein that has been identified in different tissues, including a number of different eye tissues, primarily in the mouse and to a much lesser extent in humans. Clusterin has been implicated in a number of cellular processes such as lipid transport, membrane integrity, apoptosis, and neurodegeneration, all of which could be important to the biology of the eye. In the current communication, we provide data that confirms the expression of clusterin in a number of different human eye tissues and establishes the expression profile of this gene in monkey derived eye tissues. The issue that we sought to examine is whether a broad profile of clusterin expression in the eye is consistent in primates (monkey and human). METHODS The majority of our study was done using monkey eye tissues. Where possible, we have used human tissues in order to confirm published findings. Northern and western analysis was performed using tissues derived from monkey eyes. In situ hybridization and immunochemistry were carried out on human eye sections. RESULTS Clusterin mRNA is expressed in primate lens, cornea, limbus, sclera, orbital muscle, ciliary body, retina, RPE/choroid, and RPE cells in culture. Western analysis revealed that two major groups of clusterin exist in the eye, a high molecular weight group (>100 kDa) and a second group consisting of at least five clusterin species that are all approximately 80 kDa. Analysis of conditioned media from RPE cells cultured on permeable supports suggests that different forms of clusterin display alternative patterns of secretion. CONCLUSIONS Clusterin is expressed in a broad range of eye tissues in both human and monkey, suggesting that this is a characteristic feature in primates. We demonstrate for the first time that a diverse number of clusterin isoforms were observed in monkey eye tissues by western analysis. Meanwhile, the molecular size of clusterin mRNA detected in the array of tissues are identical in size, suggesting that the nature of the diversity in clusterin forms is due to post-translational modifications. In addition, new insights were made in defining clusterin expression in ciliary body, cornea, and the retinal pigment epithelium.
Intranasal drug delivery by spray and drops

A solution of 99m Tc‐labelled human serum albumin was administered into the nose as a spray and as one or three drops. The patterns of deposition and the rates of clearance in normal subjects were monitored by gamma scintigraphy. The spray was deposited mainly in the atrium, and cleared slowly into the pharynx. The single drop spread more extensively than the spray, while the three drops were sufficient to cover most of the walls of the nasal cavity. Clearance was faster following administration of the drops. These factors have implications when designing dosage regimens for drugs administered by the intranasal route.
Chromium (VI) Ion Adsorption Features of Chitosan Film and Its Chitosan/Zeolite Conjugate 13X Film

This research evaluated the importance of the adsorption properties of chitosan a chitosan/zeolite conjugate film for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from solutions in the 5–260 mg/L concentration range, when the pH was adjusted to 4.0 and 6.0. The uptake capacities of the films formed by chitosan and by the chitosan/zeolite conjugate were calculated by mass balance. The equilibrium isotherms were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson models. The chitosan film seems to be a good sorbent for Cr(VI) at pH 4, but its physical instability suggests the need for a more resilient support. Due to this fact zeolite was added to the chitosan matrix in solution and a chitosan/zeolite (CS/Zeo) film was thus formed. The solubility of the film and the characterization of the different matrices by FTIR, TGA and X-Ray showed that a cross-linked structure was formed between the chitosan and zeolite and the solubility of the film increased. In this study, the low manufacturing cost of the CS/Zeo matrix, the good uptake of Cr(VI) at acidic pH (17.28 mg/g) and the non desorption of Cr(VI) from the film in water suggests this combination should be tested in industrial environment.
The C Terminus of the Vps34p Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Is Necessary and Sufficient for the Interaction with the Vps15p Protein Kinase*

Vps34p is a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase that is part of a membrane-associated complex with the Vps15p protein kinase. This kinase complex is required for the delivery of soluble proteins to the lysosomal/vacuolar compartment of eukaryotic cells. This study examined the Vps34p-Vps15p association and identified the domains within each protein that were important for this interaction. Using several different approaches, the interaction domain within Vps34p was mapped to a 28-amino acid element near its C terminus. This Vps34p motif was both necessary and sufficient for the interaction with Vps15p. Two-hybrid mapping experiments indicated that two separate regions of Vps15p were required for the association with Vps34p; they are the N-terminal protein kinase domain and a set of three tandem repeats of about 39 amino acids each. Neither domain alone was sufficient for the interaction. These Vps15p repeat elements are similar in sequence to the HEAT motifs that have been implicated in protein interactions in other proteins, including the Huntingtin protein. Finally, these studies identified a novel motif at the very C terminus of Vps34p that was required for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. This domain is highly conserved specifically in all Vps34p-like phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases but is not required for the interaction with Vps15p. This study thus represents a first step toward a better understanding of how this Vps15p·Vps34p kinase complex is assembled and regulated in vivo.
Mass spectrometric assays for the tandem lesion 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine in mammalian DNA.

8,5'-Cyclopurine 2'-deoxynucleosides are among the major lesions in DNA that are formed by attack of hydroxyl radical. These compounds represent a concomitant damage to both sugar and base moieties of the same nucleoside and thus can be considered tandem lesions. Because of the presence of a covalent bond between the sugar and purine moieties, these tandem lesions are not repaired by base excision repair but by nucleotide excision repair. Thus, they may play a role in diseases with defective nucleotide excision repair. We recently reported the identification and quantification of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine (8,5'-cdAdo) in DNA by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with the isotope dilution technique (LC/IDMS) [Dizdaroglu, M. , Jaruga, P., and Rodriguez, H. (2001) Free Radical Biol. Med. 30, 774-784]. In the present work, we investigated the measurement of 8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8,5'-cdGuo) in DNA by LC/IDMS. A methodology was developed for the separation of both (5'R)- and (5'S)-diastereomers of this compound in enzymic hydrolysates of DNA. The mass spectra were recorded using an atmospheric pressure ionization-electrospray process in the positive ionization mode. For quantification, stable isotope-labeled analogues of (5'R)-8,5'-cdGuo and (5'S)-8,5'-cdGuo were prepared and isolated by semipreparative LC to be used as internal standards. The sensitivity level of LC/MS in the selected ion monitoring mode (LC/MS-SIM) was determined to be approximately 15 fmol of these compounds on the LC column. The yield of 8,5'-cdGuo was measured in DNA exposed in aqueous solution to ionizing radiation at doses from 2.5 to 40 Gy. For comparison, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with the isotope dilution technique (GC/IDMS) was also employed to measure both (5'R)-8,5'-cdGuo and (5'S)-8,5'-cdGuo in DNA. Both techniques yielded nearly identical results. The radiation chemical yield of 8,5'-cdGuo was similar to those of other major purine-derived lesions in DNA. The sensitivity level of GC/MS-SIM was determined to be significantly greater than that of LC/MS-SIM (1 vs 15 fmol). The background levels of (5'R)-8,5'-cdGuo and (5'S)-8,5'-cdGuo were measured in calf thymus DNA and in DNA samples isolated from three different types of cultured human cells. The levels of (5'R)-8,5'-cdGuo and (5'S)-8,5'-cdGuo were approximately 2 lesions/10(6) DNA nucleosides and 10 lesions/10(6) DNA nucleosides, respectively. No significant differences between tissues were observed in terms of these background levels. The results showed that both LC/IDMS and GC/IDMS are well suited for the sensitive detection and precise quantification of both (5'R)-8,5'-cdGuo and (5'S)-8,5'-cdGuo in DNA.
Knowledge and practice of infection control among health workers in a tertiary hospital in Edo state , Nigeria

The study investigated the knowledge and practice of standard precautions ( SP) among health providers in a Lassa fever endemic community in Edo state. A Descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among consenting doctors, Nurses, Laboratory personnel and Orderlies in the clinical departments of a rural tertiary teaching hospital in Edo state. Data was collected through structured selfadministered questionnaires, and focused on knowledge and practice of hand hygiene, use of gloves and protective gowns and sharp management. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16. Results were presented as tables, means and standard deviations. Associations were tested with chi-square, with p set as < 0.05. One hundred and ninety three (93.2% ) respondents had ever heard of standard precautions. Of this number, 11 (5.7%) respondents had poor knowledge of SP, 85(44.0%) had fair knowledge, and 97 (50.3%) good knowledge. Knowledge was significantly associated with profession (p =0.00), with doctors having the highest proportion with good knowledge, and porters, the lowest. Eight (3.9%) respondents were found to have poor compliance to standard precaution, 103 (49.8%) fair and 96 (46.8%) good compliance. Compliance was significantly associated with profession (p = 0.00) , with nurses as the profession with the highest proportion with good practice.
Spatially Explicit Population Models: Current Forms and Future Uses

Spatially explicit population models are becoming increasingly useful tools for population ecologists, conservation biologists, and land managers. Models are spatially explicit when they combine a population simulator with a landscape map that describes the spatial distribution of landscape features. With this map, the locations of habitat patches, individuals, and other items of interest are explicitly incorporated into the model, and the effect of changing landscape features on population dynamics can be studied. In this paper we describe the structure of some spatially explicit models under development and provide examples of current and future research using these models. Spatially explicit models are important tools for investigating scale-related questions in population ecology, especially the response of organisms to habitat change occurring at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Simulation models that incorporate real-world landscapes, as portrayed by landscape maps created with geographic information systems, are also proving to be crucial in the development of management strategies in response to regional land-use and other global change processes. Spatially explicit population models will increase our ability to accurately model complex landscapes, and therefore should improve both basic ecological knowledge of landscape phenomena and applications of landscape ecology to conservation and man- agement.
Electrophysiological monitoring of injury progression in the rat cerebellar cortex

The changes of excitability in affected neural networks can be used as a marker to study the temporal course of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The cerebellum is an ideal platform to study brain injury mechanisms at the network level using the electrophysiological methods. Within its crystalline morphology, the cerebellar cortex contains highly organized topographical subunits that are defined by two main inputs, the climbing (CFs) and mossy fibers (MFs). Here we demonstrate the use of cerebellar evoked potentials (EPs) mediated through these afferent systems for monitoring the injury progression in a rat model of fluid percussion injury (FPI). A mechanical tap on the dorsal hand was used as a stimulus, and EPs were recorded from the paramedian lobule (PML) of the posterior cerebellum via multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). Post-injury evoked response amplitudes (EPAs) were analyzed on a daily basis for 1 week and compared with pre-injury values. We found a trend of consistently decreasing EPAs in all nine animals, losing as much as 72 ± 4% of baseline amplitudes measured before the injury. Notably, our results highlighted two particular time windows; the first 24 h of injury in the acute period and day-3 to day-7 in the delayed period where the largest drops (~50% and 24%) were observed in the EPAs. In addition, cross-correlations of spontaneous signals between electrode pairs declined (from 0.47 ± 0.1 to 0.35 ± 0.04, p < 0.001) along with the EPAs throughout the week of injury. In support of the electrophysiological findings, immunohistochemical analysis at day-7 post-injury showed detectable Purkinje cell loss at low FPI pressures and more with the largest pressures used. Our results suggest that sensory evoked potentials (SEPs) recorded from the cerebellar surface can be a useful technique to monitor the course of cerebellar injury and identify the phases of injury progression even at mild levels.
Randomized phase II trial of first-line treatment with sorafenib versus interferon Alfa-2a in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE An open-label, phase II study to evaluate progression-free survival (PFS), overall best response, adverse events (AEs), and patient-reported outcomes with sorafenib versus interferon alfa-2a (IFN-alpha-2a) in patients with untreated, advanced renal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 189 patients were randomly assigned to oral sorafenib 400 mg twice daily or to subcutaneous IFN-alpha-2a 9 million U three times weekly (period 1). Sorafenib patients who progressed were dose-escalated to 600 mg twice daily; IFN-alpha-2a patients who progressed were switched to sorafenib 400 mg twice daily (period 2). RESULTS In period 1 PFS was similar for sorafenib-treated (n = 97; 5.7 months) and IFN-alpha-2a-treated patients (n = 92; 5.6 months); more sorafenib-treated patients had tumor shrinkage (68.2% v 39.0%). Common drug-related AEs (Grades > or = 3) for sorafenib were hand-foot skin reaction (11.3%), diarrhea (6.2%), and rash/desquamation (6.2%); for IFN-alpha-2a, these were fatigue (10.0%), nausea (3.3%), flu-like syndrome (2.2%), and anorexia (2.2%). Sorafenib-treated patients reported fewer symptoms, better quality of life (QOL), and greater treatment satisfaction. In period 2, 41.9% of patients who received sorafenib 600 mg twice daily (n = 43) experienced tumor reduction (median PFS, 3.6 months). After the switch to sorafenib 400 mg twice daily, tumors were reduced in 76.2% of 50 patients (median PFS, 5.3 months). AEs were mostly grade 1 to 2; no increase in AEs of grades > or = 3 occurred after sorafenib dose escalation. CONCLUSION In this study, sorafenib resulted in similar PFS as IFN-alpha-2a in patients with untreated RCC. However, sorafenib-treated patients experienced greater rates of tumor size reduction, better QOL, and improved tolerability. Both dose escalation of sorafenib after progression and a switch to sorafenib after progression on IFN-alpha-2a resulted in clinical benefit.
Does Patent IR Profit from Linguistics or Maximum Query Length?

In 2011, the University of Hildesheim and Chemnitz University of Technology participated together in the CLEF Intellectual Property Track. We focused on the prior art candidate search, which was already provided for the third time. Our group submitted seven runs ranging from simple bag of words to linguistic phrases. The aim of our experiments was to examine the effectiveness of different query strategies. Especially, we wanted to evaluate the advantage of linguistic phrases in contrast to very long bag of words queries. Phrases were extracted using a special extraction component, which has been developed by the University of Hildesheim.
A phase aberration correction method for ultrasound imaging

A computationally efficient method for phase aberration correction in ultrasound imaging is presented. The method is based on time delay estimation via minimization of the sum of absolute differences between radio frequency samples of adjacent array elements. Effects of averaging estimated aberration patterns over scan angle and truncation to a single bit wordlength are examined. Phase distortions due to near-field inhomogeneities are simulated using silicone rubber aberrators. Performance of the method is tested using experimental data. Simulation studies addressing different factors affecting efficiency of the method, such as the number of iterations, window length, and the number of scan angles used for averaging, are presented. Images of a standard resolution phantom are reconstructed and used for qualitative testing. <<ETX>>
ASPECTS OF SPINORIAL GEOMETRY

We review some aspects of the spinorial geometry approach to the classification of supersymmetric solutions of supergravity theories. In particular, we explain how spinorial geometry can be used to express the Killing spinor equations in terms of a linear system for the fluxes and the geometry of spacetime. The solutions of this linear system express some of the fluxes in terms of the spacetime geometry and determine the conditions on the spacetime geometry imposed by supersymmetry. We also present some of the recent applications like the classification of maximally supersymmetric G-backgrounds in IIB, this includes the most general pp-wave solution preserving 1/2 supersymmetry, and the classification of N = 31 backgrounds in ten and eleven dimensions.
Human Gait Recognition by Integrating Motion Feature and Shape Feature

Gait is thought to be the most effective feature for human recognition in the distance. For optimal performance, the feature should include as many different types of information as possible, so in this paper, we present an integrated feature, which integrates motion feature and shape feature based on the Bayesian theory. For motion feature, we use shape variation-based frieze pattern (SVB frieze pattern) as the basis, since it can solve the ball or backpack problems very well, then we match the SVB frieze pattern feature by dynamic time warping (DTW). For shape feature, we use gait energy image (GEI) as the basis, since it is less sensitive to the silhouette noise, then we extract further information by histograms of oriented gradients (HOG) and do the dimensionality reduction by coupled subspaces analysis (CSA) and discriminant analysis with tensor representation (DATER). The proposed approach is tested on the CMU MoBo gait database. The result shows that the proposed approach is an efficient way in increasing the accuracy.
Reduced hippocampal volumes and memory loss in patients with early- and late-onset depression

Background Hippocampal volume reduction has been reported inconsistently in people with major depression. Aims To evaluate the interrelationships between hippocampal volumes, memory and key clinical, vascular and genetic risk factors. Method Totals of 66 people with depression and 20 control participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging and clinical assessment. Measures of depression severity, psychomotor retardation, verbal and visual memory and vascular and specific genetic risk factors were collected. Results Reduced hippocampal volumes occurred in older people with depression, those with both early-onset and late-onset disorders and those with the melancholic subtype. Reduced hippocampal volumes were associated with deficits in visual and verbal memory performance. Conclusions Although reduced hippocampal volumes are most pronounced in late-onset depression, older people with early-onset disorders also display volume changes and memory loss. No clear vascular or genetic risk factors explain these findings. Hippocampal volume changes may explain how depression emerges as a risk factor to dementia.
TBK1 directs WIPI2 against Salmonella

ABSTRACT Defense of the mammalian cell cytosol against Salmonella invasion is reliant upon capture of the infiltrating bacteria by macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy), a process controlled by the kinase TBK1. In our recent study we showed that recruitment of TBK1 activity to Salmonella stabilizes the key autophagy regulator WIPI2 on those bacteria, a novel and essential function for TBK1 in the control of the early steps of antibacterial autophagy. Substantial redundancy exists in the precise recruitment mechanism for TBK1 because engagement with any of several Salmonella-associated ‘eat-me’ signals, including host-derived glycans, and K48- and K63-linked ubiquitin chains, suffices to recruit TBK1 functionality. We therefore propose that buffering TBK1 recruitment against potential bacterial interference might be of evolutionary advantage to the host.