Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In-plane shear behavior of 3D spacer knitted fabrics

The shear behavior of 3D spacer knitted fabrics was investigated by using a picture frame fixture. Three different methods were used to find the shear angle during loading rate of 10 mm/min. All the tests were recorded by a CCD monochrome camera. The images acquired during loading process were used for analysis in order to obtain the full-field displacement and shear angles at chosen points on the surface of test specimen. An experimental and analytical investigation of picture frame shear fixture was conducted to determine its suitability for measuring intra-ply shear properties of 3D knitted spacer fabrics. In this work, a fixture was designed to analyze the in-plane shear behavior of these fabrics. The nonlinear behavior of shear force versus shear angle and the deformation mechanism were analyzed. The curves for shear force versus shear angle and position of buckling for in-plane shear test are recorded by considering two different frame lengths in order to compare with each other. Load–displacement curves of intra-ply shear tests are also analyzed. In addition to this, a program was developed in MATLAB using Hough transform to analyze the shear angle in the real-time image taken during displacement of specimen at various positions. The results of image analysis were compared with the actual experimental results. These findings are important requirements for further improvements in designing of picture frame fixture and to study the in-plane shear properties of 3D fabrics.
Magnetoinductance Effect in Co67Fe4Si14.5B14.5 Amorphous Ribbons Annealed With Different Orientation Magnetic Fields

Magnetoinductance (MI) elements were constructed by winding a single coil on Co67Fe4Si14.5B14. 5 amorphous ribbons fabricated by a single-roller melt-spinning technique. The effect of annealing methods on magnetic properties of amorphous ribbons was investigated. It was found that saturation magnetization, coercive force, and effective permeability of Co-amorphous ribbons were further improved by applying a magnetic field during annealing process. MI effect was evaluated by measuring the indPuctance under the magnetic field along the axis of MI elements. Experimental results showed that MI effect exhibited a characteristic of single peak curve and decreased with external magnetic fields regardless of the annealing methods. Although MI effect also decreased with frequency, the effect of frequency on MI effect was quite different for amorphous ribbons annealed with different processes. At the low frequency of 100 Hz, both the maximum inductance of ~3.5 × 10-4 H and maximum magnetic field sensitivity of ~37 %/(A/m) belonged to MI elements with the ribbons annealed with the longitudinal magnetic field (LF). But at higher frequencies like 200 kHz, the annealing treatment LF was unexpectedly deteriorated to MI effect and the inductance and sensitivity of MI elements with the ribbons annealed longitudinal magnetic fields were even lower than those of MI elements with the as-quenched amorphous ribbons. By applying a transverse magnetic field during annealing process for amorphous ribbons, MI effect was always improved at all testing frequencies. The results were analyzed in terms of magnetic properties and magnetization process.
Tuberculosis among HIV-infected patients receiving HAART: long term incidence and risk factors in a South African cohort

Objectives:To determine the long-term incidence of tuberculosis (TB) and associated risk factors among individuals receiving HAART in South Africa. Design:Prospective cohort study. Methods:Microbiologically or histologically confirmed incident TB was identified in a hospital-based cohort of 346 patients receiving HAART between 1996 and 2005 in Cape Town. Results:The TB incidence density rate was 3.5/100 person-years in the first year and significantly decreased during follow-up, reaching 1.01/100 person-years in the fifth year (P = 0.002 for trend). TB incidence during the study was highest among patients with baseline CD4 cell counts < 100 cells/μl and those with World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage 3 or 4 disease (5.71 and 3.88/100 person-years, respectively). Risk of TB was independently associated with CD4 cell count < 100 cells/μl (adjusted risk ratio [ARR], 2.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–5.60; P = 0.04), WHO stage 3 or 4 disease (ARR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.32–9.80; P = 0.01) and age < 33 years (ARR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.29–6.34; P = 0.01). Risk of TB was not independently associated with plasma viral load, previous history of TB, low socioeconomic status or sex. Despite similar virological responses to HAART, blood CD4 cell count increases were much smaller among patients who developed TB than among those who remained free of TB. Conclusions:Incidence of TB continues to decrease during the first 5 years of HAART and so HAART may contribute more to TB control in low-income countries than was previously estimated from short-term follow-up. Patients with advanced pretreatment immunodeficiency had persistently increased risk of TB during HAART; this may reflect limited capacity for immune restoration among such patients.
Factor XII C46T gene polymorphism and the risk of cerebral venous thrombosis

Background: The TT genotype of a functional factor XII (FXII) C46T gene polymorphism was shown to be a risk factor for peripheral venous thrombosis. We tested whether this genetic variant also increases the risk for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Methods: We performed a case-control study including 78 consecutive patients with proven CVT and 201 healthy population controls from South Germany. The FXII C46T genotype was assessed using a PCR technique. Results: The TT genotype of the FXII C46T polymorphism was more common in patients (16.7%) than in controls (5.5%). A strong association of the TT genotype with CVT was found, which was independent of covariables (adjusted odds ratio 4.57; 95% CI 1.55 to 13.41; p = 0.006). Conclusion: The TT genotype of the functional factor XII C46T gene polymorphism may be a new independent risk factor for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Our finding warrants confirmation in an independent study before this genetic variant should be added to the panel of established risk factors for CVT.
Increase in decorin and biglycan in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: role of fibroblasts as cell source of these proteoglycans in the disease

Fibrosis is a common pathological feature observed in muscles of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Biglycan and decorin are small chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans in the muscle extracellular matrix (ECM) that belong to the family of structurally related proteoglycans called small leucine‐rich repeat proteins. Decorin is considered an anti‐fibrotic agent, preventing the process by blocking TGF‐β activity. There is no information about their expression in DMD patients. We found an increased amount of both proteoglycans in the ECM of skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from DMD patients. Both biglycan and decorin were augmented in the perimysium of muscle tissue, but only decorin increased in the endomysium as seen by immunohistochemical analyses. Fibroblasts were isolated from explants obtained from muscle of DMD patients and the incorporation of radioactive sulfate showed an increased synthesis of both decorin and biglycan in cultured fibroblasts compared to controls. The size of decorin and biglycan synthesized by DMD and control fibroblasts seems to be similar in size and anion charge. These findings show that decorin and biglycan are increased in DMD skeletal muscle and suggest that fibroblasts would be, at least, one source for these proteoglycans likely playing a role in the muscle response to dystrophic cell damage.
Circadian dysfunction in response to in vivo treatment with the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid

Sleep disorders are common in neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington's disease (HD) and develop early in the disease process. Mitochondrial alterations are believed to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the circadian system of mice after inhibiting mitochondrial complex II of the respiratory chain with the toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). We found that a subset of mice treated with low doses of 3-NP exhibited severe circadian deficit in behavior. The temporal patterning of sleep behavior is also disrupted in some mice with evidence of difficulty in the initiation of sleep behavior. Using the open field test during the normal sleep phase, we found that the 3-NP-treated mice were hyperactive. The molecular clockwork responsible for the generation of circadian rhythms as measured by PER2::LUCIFERASE was disrupted in a subset of mice. Within the SCN, the 3-NP treatment resulted in a reduction in daytime firing rate in the subset of mice which had a behavioral deficit. Anatomically, we confirmed that all of the treated mice showed evidence for cell loss within the striatum but we did not see evidence for gross SCN pathology. Together, the data demonstrates that chronic treatment with low doses of the mitochondrial toxin 3-NP produced circadian deficits in a subset of treated mice. This work does raise the possibility that the neural damage produced by mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to the sleep/circadian dysfunction seen so commonly in neurodegenerative diseases.
Hepatotoxicity of high affinity gapmer antisense oligonucleotides is mediated by RNase H1 dependent promiscuous reduction of very long pre-mRNA transcripts

High affinity antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) containing bicylic modifications (BNA) such as locked nucleic acid (LNA) designed to induce target RNA cleavage have been shown to have enhanced potency along with a higher propensity to cause hepatotoxicity. In order to understand the mechanism of this hepatotoxicity, transcriptional profiles were collected from the livers of mice treated with a panel of highly efficacious hepatotoxic or non-hepatotoxic LNA ASOs. We observed highly selective transcript knockdown in mice treated with non-hepatotoxic LNA ASOs, while the levels of many unintended transcripts were reduced in mice treated with hepatotoxic LNA ASOs. This transcriptional signature was concurrent with on-target RNA reduction and preceded transaminitis. Remarkably, the mRNA transcripts commonly reduced by toxic LNA ASOs were generally not strongly associated with any particular biological process, cellular component or functional group. However, they tended to have much longer pre-mRNA transcripts. We also demonstrate that the off-target RNA knockdown and hepatotoxicity is attenuated by RNase H1 knockdown, and that this effect can be generalized to high affinity modifications beyond LNA. This suggests that for a certain set of ASOs containing high affinity modifications such as LNA, hepatotoxicity can occur as a result of unintended off-target RNase H1 dependent RNA degradation.
Beauty is in the belief of the beholder: cognitive influences on the neural response to facial attractiveness

Judgments of facial attractiveness are central to decision-making in various domains, but little is known about the extent to which they are malleable. In this study, we used EEG/ERP methods to examine two novel influences on neural and subjective responses to facial attractiveness: an observer’s expectation and repetition. In each trial of our task, participants viewed either an ordinary or attractive face. To alter expectations, the faces were preceded by a peer-rating that ostensibly reflected the overall attractiveness value assigned to that face by other individuals. To examine the impact of repetition, trials were presented twice throughout the experimental session. Results showed that participants’ expectations about a person’s attractiveness level powerfully altered both the neural response (i.e. the late positive potential; LPP) and self-reported attractiveness ratings. Intriguingly, repetition enhanced both the LPP and self-reported attractiveness as well. Exploratory analyses further suggested that both observer expectation and repetition modulated early neural responses (i.e. the early posterior negativity; EPN) elicited by facial attractiveness. Collectively, these results highlight novel influences on a core social judgment that underlies individuals’ affective lives.
Reactive astrogliosis in the neonatal mouse brain and its modulation by cytokines

Reactive astrogliosis is a characteristic response of astrocytes to inflammation and trauma of the adult CNS. To assess the hypothesis that cytokines from inflammatory mononuclear cells that accumulate around lesion sites have a role in modulating astrogliosis, this study sought to take advantage of the neonatal system in which astrogliosis is reported to be minimal following injury and in which the immune system is relatively immature compared to adult animals. A nitrocellulose membrane implant into the cortex of postnatal day 3 mice resulted in a tremendous astrogliotic response 4 d later, as measured by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity and GFAP content. In contrast, a neonatal stab wound produced limited astroglial response when compared to the adult stab wound. Utilizing the neonatal stab wound model, cytokines were microinjected into the wound site at the time of injury. All cytokines tested (gamma-IFN, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF- alpha, and M-CSF) resulted in a significantly increased astrogliosis. The specificity of the cytokine response was demonstrated by the inability of human gamma-IFN, but not mouse gamma-IFN, in enhancing neonatal mouse astrogliosis, in accordance with reports that the interaction of gamma-IFN with its receptor occurs in a species-specific manner. We conclude that neonatal astrocytes can become reactive if an adequate injury stimulus is presented, and that the release of immunoregulatory cytokines by cells around lesion sites may be a mechanism that contributes to the production of gliosis.
(Tissue) P Systems with Unit Rules and Energy Assigned to Membranes

We introduce a new variant of membrane systems where the rules are directly assigned to membranes and, moreover, every membrane carries an energy value that can be changed during a computation by objects passing through the membrane. The result of a successful computation is considered to be the distribution of energy values carried by the membranes. We show that for systems working in the sequential mode with a kind of priority relation on the rules we already obtain universal computational power. When omitting the priority relation, we obtain a characterization of the family of Parikh sets of languages generated by context-free matrix grammars. On the other hand, when using the maximally parallel mode, we do not need a priority relation to obtain computational completeness. Finally, we introduce the corresponding model of tissue P systems with energy assigned to the membrane of each cell and objects moving from one cell to another one in the environment as well as being able to change the energy of a cell when entering or leaving the cell. In each derivation step, only one object may pass through the membrane of each cell. When using priorities on the rules in the sequential mode (where in each derivation step only one cell is affected) as well as without priorities in the maximally parallel mode (where in each derivation step all cells possible are affected) we again obtain computational completeness, whereas without priorities on the rules in the sequential mode we only get a characterization of the family of Parikh sets of languages generated by context-free matrix grammars.
Local optimization of distortions in wide-angle images using moving least-squares

We present a fast algorithm for reducing the undesired distortions (e.g., bending of straight lines) that often appear in wide-angle images especially taken with fisheye lenses. Our method allows the user to intuitively specify curves to be straightened by using quadratic control curves, and then automatically warps the image based on moving least-squares (MLS) while minimizing distortions in the vicinity of the curves. Unlike previous methods, our method provides results instantly, and allows the user to manipulate curves to obtain better results once after the initial solution is given. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method with a variety of wide-angle images, together with comparisons to related projections.
Origins of Epidemiology

Abstract: In this paper we trace the history of epidemiology from 1800 to the present time. The history is highly selective because our purpose is to illuminate the evolving relationship of epidemiology with demography. We first describe the common “prehistory” of these two disciplines in the early nineteenth century, and then describe their divergence during three successive eras of epidemiology up to the end of the twentieth century. In the final section, we draw attention to exceptional individuals who bridged the two disciplines despite the historical trend in the other direction, and express our hope that recent signs of convergence in the face of globalization and the AIDS pandemic will be borne out during the coming decades.
Prima facie reasons to question enclosed intellectual property regimes and favor open-source regimes for germplasm

In principle, intellectual property protections (IPPs) promote and protect important but costly investment in research and development. However, the empirical reality of IPPs has often gone without critical evaluation, and the potential of alternative approaches to lend equal or greater support for useful innovation is rarely considered. In this paper, we review the mounting evidence that the global intellectual property regime (IPR) for germplasm has been neither necessary nor sufficient to generate socially beneficial improvements in crop plants and maintain agrobiodiversity. Instead, based on our analysis, the dominant global IPR appears to have contributed to consolidation in the seed industry while failing to genuinely engage with the potential of alternatives to support social goods such as food security, adaptability, and resilience. The dominant IPR also constrains collaborative and cumulative plant breeding processes that are built upon the work of countless farmers past and present. Given the likely limits of current IPR, we propose that social goods in agriculture may be better supported by alternative approaches, warranting a rapid move away from the dominant single-dimensional focus on encouraging innovation through ensuring monopoly profits to IPP holders.
Sleep spindles are locally modulated by training on a brain–computer interface

The learning of a motor task is known to be improved by sleep, and sleep spindles are thought to facilitate this learning by enabling synaptic plasticity. In this study subjects implanted with electrocorticography (ECoG) arrays for long-term epilepsy monitoring were trained to control a cursor on a computer screen by modulating either the high-gamma or mu/beta power at a single electrode located over the motor or premotor area. In all trained subjects, spindle density in posttraining sleep was increased with respect to pretraining sleep in a remarkably spatially specific manner. The pattern of increased spindle activity reflects the functionally specific regions that were involved in learning of a highly novel and salient task during wakefulness, supporting the idea that sleep spindles are involved in learning to use a motor-based brain–computer interface device.
Pure-tone birdsong by resonance filtering of harmonic overtones

Pure-tone song is a common and widespread phenomenon in birds. The mechanistic origin of this type of phonation has been the subject of long-standing discussion. Currently, there are three hypotheses. (i) A vibrating valve in the avian vocal organ, the syrinx, generates a multifrequency harmonic source sound, which is filtered to a pure tone by a vocal tract filter (“source-filter” model, analogous to human speech production). (ii) Vocal tract resonances couple with a vibrating valve source, suppressing the normal production of harmonic overtones at this source (“soprano” model, analogous to human soprano singing). (iii) Pure-tone sound is produced as such by a sound-generating mechanism that is fundamentally different from a vibrating valve. Here we present direct evidence of a source-filter mechanism in the production of pure-tone birdsong. Using tracheal thermistors and air sac pressure cannulae, we recorded sound signals close to the syringeal sound source during spontaneous, pure-tone vocalizations of two species of turtledove. The results show that pure-tone dove vocalizations originate through filtering of a multifrequency harmonic sound source.
Comparative profiling of miRNA expression in developing seeds of high linoleic and high oleic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) plants

Vegetable oils high in oleic acid are considered to be advantageous because of their better nutritional value and potential industrial applications. The oleic acid content in the classic safflower oil is normally 10–15% while a natural mutant (ol) accumulates elevated oleic acid up to 70% in seed oil. As a part of our investigation into the molecular features of the high oleic (HO) trait in safflower we have profiled the microRNA (miRNA) populations in developing safflower seeds expressing the ol allele in comparison to the wild type high linoleic (HL) safflower using deep sequencing technology. The small RNA populations of the mid-maturity developing embryos of homozygous ol HO and wild type HL safflower had a very similar size distribution pattern, however, only ~16.5% of the unique small RNAs were overlapping in these two genotypes. From these two small RNA populations we have found 55 known miRNAs and identified two candidate novel miRNA families to be likely unique to the developing safflower seeds. Target genes with conserved as well as novel functions were predicted for the conserved miRNAs. We have also identified 13 miRNAs differentially expressed between the HO and HL safflower genotypes. The results may lay a foundation for unraveling the miRNA-mediated molecular processes that regulate oleic acid accumulation in the HO safflower mutant and developmental processes in safflower embryos in general.
Computing Robust Controlled Invariant Sets of Linear Systems

We consider controllable linear discrete-time systems with bounded perturbations and present two methods to compute robust controlled invariant sets. The first method tolerates an arbitrarily small constraint violation to compute an arbitrarily precise outer approximation of the maximal robust controlled invariant set, while the second method provides an inner approximation. The outer approximation scheme is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\delta$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-complete, given that the constraint sets are formulated as finite unions of polytopes.
Mortality risk and associated factors in HIV‐exposed, uninfected children

With increasing maternal antiretroviral treatment (ART), the number of children newly infected with HIV has declined. However, the possible increased mortality in the large number of HIV‐exposed, uninfected (HEU) children may be of concern. We quantified mortality risks among HEU children and reviewed associated factors.