Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding charge carrier relaxation processes in terbium arsenide nanoparticles using transient absorption spectroscopy

Erbium arsenide nanoparticles epitaxially grown within III-V semiconductors have been shown to improve the performance of devices for applications ranging from thermoelectrics to THz pulse generation. The small size of rare-earth nanoparticles suggests that interesting electronic properties might emerge as a result of both spatial confinement and surface states. However, ErAs nanoparticles do not exhibit any signs of quantum confinement or an emergent bandgap, and these experimental observations are understood from theory. The incorporation of other rare-earth monopnictide nanoparticles into III-V hosts is a likely path to engineering carrier excitation, relaxation and transport dynamics for optoelectronic device applications. However, the electronic structure of these other rare-earth monopnictide nanoparticles remains poorly understood. The objective of this research is to explore the electronic structure and optical properties of III-V materials containing novel rare-earth monopnictides. We use ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate the electronic structure of TbAs nanoparticles in III-V hosts. We start with TbAs:GaAs, which was expected to be similar to ErAs:GaAs. We study the dynamics of carrier relaxation into the TbAs states using optical pump terahertz probe transient absorption spectroscopy. By analyzing how the carrier relaxation rates depend on pump fluence and sample temperature, we conclude that the TbAs states are saturable. Saturable traps suggest the existence of a bandgap for TbAs nanoparticles, in sharp contrast with previous results for ErAs. We then apply the same experimental technique to two samples of TbAs nanoparticles in InGaAs with different concentrations of TbAs. We observe similar relaxation dynamics associated with trap saturation, though the ability to resolve these processes is contingent upon a high enough TbAs concentration in the sample. We have also constructed an optical pump optical probe transient absorption spectroscopy
Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses for Rezafungin (CD101) Efficacy Using Phase 1 Data

ABSTRACT Rezafungin (CD101) is a novel echinocandin antifungal agent currently in clinical development for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis. Rezafungin has potent in vitro activity against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata, including azole- and echinocandin-resistant isolates. The objective of this analysis was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model to characterize the disposition of rezafungin in plasma following intravenous (i.v.) administration. Data from two phase 1 studies, a single-ascending-dose study and a multiple-ascending-dose study, were available. Candidate population PK models were fit to the pooled data using the Monte Carlo parametric expectation maximization algorithm in S-ADAPT. The data were best described using a linear four-compartment model with zero-order drug input via i.v. infusion and first-order elimination. In order to account for the relationships between the structural PK parameters and subject body weight, all parameters in the model were scaled to subject body weight using standard allometric coefficients (a power of 0.75 for the clearance terms and 1.0 for the volume terms). The final model fit the observed data with very little bias and excellent precision. The prediction-corrected visual predictive check demonstrated that the final model could accurately simulate both the central tendency and the variability of observed rezafungin plasma concentrations. Given this, the final rezafungin population PK model is expected to provide reliable simulated concentration-time profiles and can provide dose selection decision support for future clinical studies.
NF-κB-Like Signaling Pathway REL2 in Immune Defenses of the Malaria Vector Anopheles gambiae

The blood feeding requirements of insects are often exploited by pathogens for their transmission. This is also the case of the protozoan parasites of genus Plasmodium, the causative agents of malaria. Every year malaria claims the lives of a half million people, making its vector, the Anopheles mosquito, the deadliest animal in the world. However, mosquitoes mount powerful immune responses that efficiently limit parasite proliferation. Among the immune signaling pathways identified in the main malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, the NF-κB-like signaling cascades REL2 and REL1 are essential for eliciting proper immune reactions, but only REL2 has been implicated in the responses against the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Instead, constitutive activation of REL1 causes massive killing of rodent malaria parasites. In this review, we summarize our present knowledge on the REL2 pathway in Anopheles mosquitoes and its role in mosquito immune responses to diverse pathogens, with a focus on Plasmodium. Mosquito-parasite interactions are crucial for malaria transmission and, therefore, represent a potential target for malaria control strategies.
Analysis of aortic area/height ratio in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm and Type A dissection†

OBJECTIVES Significant proportions of aortic dissections occur at aortic diameters <5.5 cm. By indexing aortic area to height and correlating with absolute aortic diameter, we sought to identify those aneurysm patients with aortic diameters <5.5 cm who do not meet current size thresholds for surgery, yet with corresponding abnormal indexed aortic areas (IAAs) >10 cm2/m, are at increased risk of aortic complications. METHODS IAAs were calculated at 3 aortic locations in 187 aneurysm and 66 dissection patients operated on between 2010 and 2016 at our tertiary aortic centre. Proportions of patients with IAA >10 cm2/m, mean IAAs corresponding to aortic diameters <4.0 cm, 4.0-4.5 cm, 4.5-5.0 cm, 5.0-5.5 cm and >5.5 cm, and mean aortic diameters corresponding to IAAs 10-12 cm2/m, 12-14 cm2/m and >14 cm2/m were determined. RESULTS Proportions of patients with abnormal IAAs were similar in both groups. In all, 49.1% of aneurysm patients with aortic diameters 4.5-5.0 cm, and 98.5% with aortic diameters 5.0-5.5 cm had abnormal IAAs. Out of 200 separate aneurysms with IAAs >10 cm2/m between the mid-sinus and mid-ascending aorta, 139 (69.5%) would not warrant surgery according to existing guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Using the IAA, we identified a significant proportion of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms who are at increased risk of aortic complications, despite current aortic guidelines not endorsing surgical intervention in this group. Our data suggests the IAA may be useful in preoperative risk evaluation and as a criterion for surgery.
COMPUTERIZED IMAGE ANALYSIS AND TEXTURE OF EXTRUDED BISCUITS

A new method based on computerized image analysis was developed to objectively evaluate the texture of extruded biscuits. The methodology to process the visual image of the transverse cut of biscuit is presented. Structural parameters related to individual cells and the overall biscuit, are determined and discussed to discriminate between various extrudates.
Individual Differences in Brain Structure and Resting Brain Function Underlie Cognitive Styles: Evidence from the Embedded Figures Test

Cognitive styles can be characterized as individual differences in the way people perceive, think, solve problems, learn, and relate to others. Field dependence/independence (FDI) is an important and widely studied dimension of cognitive styles. Although functional imaging studies have investigated the brain activation of FDI cognitive styles, the combined structural and functional correlates with individual differences in a large sample have never been investigated. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of individual differences in FDI cognitive styles by analyzing the correlations between Embedded Figures Test (EFT) score and structural neuroimaging data [regional gray matter volume (rGMV) was assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM)] / functional neuroimaging data [resting-brain functions were measured by amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF)] throughout the whole brain. Results showed that the increased rGMV in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) was associated with the EFT score, which might be the structural basis of effective local processing. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between ALFF and EFT score was found in the fronto-parietal network, including the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We speculated that the left IPL might be associated with superior feature identification, and mPFC might be related to cognitive inhibition of global processing bias. These results suggested that the underlying neuroanatomical and functional bases were linked to the individual differences in FDI cognitive styles and emphasized the important contribution of superior local processing ability and cognitive inhibition to field-independent style.
Hypersensitivity of Prelimbic Cortex Neurons Contributes to Aggravated Nociceptive Responses in Rats With Experience of Chronic Inflammatory Pain

Previous experience of chronic pain causes enhanced responses to upcoming noxious events in both humans and animals, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we found that rats with complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced chronic inflammatory pain experience exhibited aggravated pain responses to later formalin test. Enhanced neuronal activation upon formalin assaults and increased phosphorylated cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) were observed in the prelimbic cortex (PL) of rats with chronic inflammatory pain experience, and inhibiting PL neuronal activities reversed the aggravated pain. Inflammatory pain experience induced persistent p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; p38) but not extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) hyperphosphorylation in the PL. Inhibiting the p38 phosphorylation in PL reversed the aggravated nociceptive responses to formalin test and down-regulated enhanced phosphorylated CREB in the PL. Chemogenetics identified PL–periaqueductal gray (PAG) but not PL–nucleus accumbens (NAc) as a key pathway in inducing the aggravated formalin pain. Our results demonstrate that persistent hyperphosphorylation of p38 in the PL underlies aggravated nociceptive responses in rats with chronic inflammatory pain experience.
Figurative language comprehension in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analytic review

We present a meta-analysis of studies that compare figurative language comprehension in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and in typically developing controls who were matched based on chronological age or/and language ability. A total of 41 studies and 45 independent effect sizes were included based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Group matching strategy, age, types of figurative language, and cross-linguistic differences were examined as predictors that might explain heterogeneity in effect sizes. Overall, individuals with autism spectrum disorder showed poorer comprehension of figurative language than their typically developing peers (Hedges’ g = –0.57). A meta-regression analysis showed that group matching strategy and types of figurative language were significantly related to differences in effect sizes, whereas chronological age and cross-linguistic differences were not. Differences between the autism spectrum disorder and typically developing groups were small and nonsignificant when the groups were matched based on the language ability. Metaphors were more difficult to comprehend for individuals with autism spectrum disorder compared with typically developing controls than were irony and sarcasm. Our findings highlight the critical role of core language skills in figurative language comprehension. Interventions and educational programmes designed to improve social communication skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder may beneficially target core language skills in addition to social skills.
Ventilation Positive Pressure Intervention Effect on Indoor Air Quality in a School Building with Moisture Problems

This case study investigates the effects of ventilation intervention on measured and perceived indoor air quality (IAQ) in a repaired school where occupants reported IAQ problems. Occupants’ symptoms were suspected to be related to the impurities leaked indoors through the building envelope. The study’s aim was to determine whether a positive pressure of 5–7 Pa prevents the infiltration of harmful chemical and microbiological agents from structures, thus decreasing symptoms and discomfort. Ventilation intervention was conducted in a building section comprising 12 classrooms and was completed with IAQ measurements and occupants’ questionnaires. After intervention, the concentration of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) decreased, and occupants’ negative perceptions became more moderate compared to those for other parts of the building. The indoor mycobiota differed in species composition from the outdoor mycobiota, and changed remarkably with the intervention, indicating that some species may have emanated from an indoor source before the intervention.
Extremely rapid and simple healing of a transparent conductor based on Ag nanowires and polyurethane with a Diels–Alder network

A transparent electrode comprising Ag nanowires (AgNWs) and a polyurethane equipped with Diels–Alder adducts as crosslinkers was successfully fabricated to realize a thermally amendable electrode. To bury the AgNWs at the surface of the polymer, we designed an effective transfer method using a Kapton film as a preliminary supporter and employing a roller-based laminator equipped with a heater. Intense pulsed light (IPL) was employed to provide localized heat to the AgNW–polymer composite layer. By virtue of the efficient heating mechanism, a composite electrode that was separated by a knife could be healed and its conductivity recovered in a very short period of less than 1 ms. Only one or two 500 μs pulses of IPL were enough to effectively repair the damaged electrodes. Owing to the reversible Diels–Alder reaction, reproducible healing was also observed.
Emerging permanent filler technologies : focus on Aquamid Paul

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 2014:7 261–266 Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology Dovepress
Genetic Structure in Dwarf Bamboo (Bashania fangiana) Clonal Populations with Different Genet Ages

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints were used to reveal genotypic diversity of dwarf bamboo (Bashania fangiana) clonal populations with two different genet ages (≤30 years versus >70 years) at Wolong National Natural Reserve, Sichuan province, China. We generated AFLP fingerprints for 96 leaf samples, collected at 30 m intervals in the two populations, using ten selective primer pairs. A total of 92 genotypes were identified from the both populations. The mean proportion of distinguishable genotypes (G/N) was 0.9583 (0.9375 to 0.9792) and Simpson's index of diversity (D) was 0.9982 (0.9973 to 0.9991). So, two B. fangiana populations were multiclonal and highly diverse. The largest single clone may occur over a distance of about 30 m. Our results demonstrated that the genotypic diversity and genet density of B. fangiana clonal population did not change significantly (47 versus 45) with genet aging and low partitioned genetic differentiation was between the two populations (Gst = 0.0571). The analysis of molecular variance consistently showed that a large proportion of the genetic variation (87.79%) existed among the individuals within populations, whereas only 12.21% were found among populations. In addition, the high level of genotypic diversity in the two populations implies that the further works were needed to investigate the reasons for the poor seed set in B. fangiana after flowering.
Imaging near orthopedic hardware

Over one million total joint replacement surgeries were performed in the US in 2013 alone, and this number is expected to more than double by 2030. Traditional imaging techniques for postoperative evaluation of implanted devices, such as radiography, computerized tomography, or ultrasound, utilize ionizing radiation, suffer from beam hardening artifact, or lack the inherent high contrast necessary to adequately evaluate soft tissues around the implants, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), due to its ability to generate multiplanar, high‐contrast images without the use of ionizing radiation is ideal for evaluating periprosthetic soft tissues but has traditionally suffered from in‐plane and through‐plane data misregistration due to the magnetic susceptibility of implanted materials. A recent renaissance in the interest of imaging near arthroplasty and implanted orthopedic hardware has led to the development of new techniques that help to mitigate the effects of magnetic susceptibility. This article describes the challenges of performing imaging near implanted orthopedic hardware, how to generate clinically interpretable images when imaging near implanted devices, and how the images may be interpreted for clinical use. We will also describe current developments of utilizing MRI to evaluate implanted orthopedic hardware.
Does Ecophysiology Determine Invasion Success? A Comparison between the Invasive Boatman Trichocorixa verticalis verticalis and the Native Sigara lateralis (Hemiptera, Corixidae) in South-West Spain

Background Trichocorixa verticalis verticalis, a native of North America, is the only alien corixid identified in Europe. First detected in 1997 in southern Portugal, it has spread into south-west Spain including Doñana National Park. Its impact on native taxa in the same area is unclear, but it is the dominant species in several permanent, saline wetlands. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated whether the ecophysiology of this alien species favours its spread in the Iberian Peninsula and its relative success in saline areas. We compared physiological responses to heating (Critical Thermal maximum), cooling (Critical Thermal minimum) and freezing (Super Cooling Point) in the native Sigara lateralis and introduced T. v. verticalis acclimated to different temperatures and salinities. The larger S. lateralis generally outperformed T. v. verticalis and appeared to possess a broader thermal tolerance range. In both taxa, CTmax was highest in animals exposed to a combination of high conductivities and relatively low acclimation temperatures. However, CTmax was generally higher in T. v. verticalis and lower in S. lateralis when acclimated at higher temperatures. CTmin were lower (greater tolerance to cold) after acclimation to high conductivities in T. v. verticalis, and following acclimation to low conductivities in S. lateralis. Both acclimation temperature and conductivity influenced corixids' freezing tolerance; however, only in T. v. verticalis did SCP decrease after exposure to both high temperature and conductivity. T. v. verticalis showed a higher range of mean responses over all treatments. Conclusions Whilst the native S. lateralis may have a broader thermal range, the alien species performs particularly well at higher salinities and temperatures and this ability may facilitate its invasion in Mediterranean areas. The greater plasticity of T. v. verticalis may further facilitate its spread in the future, as it may be more able to respond to climate shifts than the native species.
Steel Fibers and Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete in Civil Engineering

Since the beginning of applications of civil engineering materials based on clay, lime, and cement, there has been a need to find a way to decrease their brittleness. In ancient times, the problem was solved by modifying brittle clay bricks with the addition of fibers of an organic origin. These approaches can be examined through a reading of the descriptions of Roman baths construction (Vitruvius 1999). Today it is steel fiber which is mainly used to reinforce concrete and overcome the problem of brittleness. This paper describes the most interesting applications of steel fiber reinforced concretes (SFRC) all over the world. Firstly, the author presents the evolution of steel fibers and SFRC. Secondly, the paper covers the contemporary importance of SFRC in civil engineering.
Phase I Study of ONT-380, a HER2 Inhibitor, in Patients with HER2+-Advanced Solid Tumors, with an Expansion Cohort in HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC)

Purpose: ONT-380 (ARRY-380) is a potent and selective oral HER2 inhibitor. This Phase I study determined the MTD, pharmacokinetics (PK) and antitumor activity of ONT-380 in HER2-positive advanced solid tumors, with an expansion cohort of patients with HER2+ MBC. Experimental Design: ONT-380 was administered twice daily (BID) in continuous 28-day cycles. After a modified 3+3 dose-escalation design determined the MTD, the expansion cohort was enrolled. PK properties of ONT-380 and a metabolite were determined. Response was evaluated by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Results: Fifty patients received ONT-380 (escalation = 33; expansion = 17); 43 patients had HER2+ MBC. Median prior anticancer regimens = 5. Dose-limiting toxicities of increased transaminases occurred at 800 mg BID, thus 600 mg BID was the MTD. Common AEs were usually Grade 1/2 in severity and included nausea (56%), diarrhea (52%), fatigue (50%), vomiting (40%) constipation, pain in extremity and cough (20% each). 5 patients (19%) treated at MTD had grade 3 AEs (increased transaminases, rash, night sweats, anemia, and hypokalemia). The half-life of ONT-380 was 5.38 hours and increases in exposure were approximately dose proportional. In evaluable HER2+ MBC (n = 22) treated at doses ≥ MTD, the response rate was 14% [all partial response (PR)] and the clinical benefit rate (PR + stable disease ≥ 24 weeks) was 27%. Conclusions: ONT-380 had a lower incidence and severity of diarrhea and rash than that typically associated with current dual HER2/EGFR inhibitors and showed notable antitumor activity in heavily pretreated HER2+ MBC patients, supporting its continued development. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3529–36. ©2017 AACR.
Micromechanics of three-dimensional fibrewebs: constitutive equations

This paper extends the fibre–network theory of Cox to three–dimensional anisotropic fibrewebs. It presents a micromechanical model employing fibre axial deformation as the elemental deformation mechanism giving rise to assembly stress as a result of applied normal and shearing strain field. This model predicts the elastic constants of an assembly in terms of fibre linear density, fibre elastic modulus, fabric bulk density and the first 15 spherical harmonic coefficients of direction distribution function. A computer simulation has been performed to study the effect of structure on the initial elastic moduli of fibrewebs. This simulation shows that: (a) Young's modulus evaluated for each fabric axis is directly dependent on the fibre orientation distribution density (FODD) along the same axis; (b) shear modulus in any reference plane is maximized when orientation distribution function is isotropic in that plane and it decreases with increasing FODD along the direction normal to that plane; and (c) Poisson's ratio, &ngr;ij, increases as the FODD along the i–axis decreases and the FODD along the j–axis increases, but the effect of FODD along the k–axis is minimal.