Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dimensionless hydrodynamic simulation of high pressure multiphase reactors subject to foaming

Safoniuk (1999) proposed that three-phase fluidized bed hydrodynamics can be scaled based on geometric similarity and matching of five dimensionless groups: the M-group, M = g ( p L Pg)H-L /(pL o" ); a modified Eotvos number, Eo* = g ( p L pg)dp2/cr; the liquid Reynolds number, Re L = PLdpUi/p-L; a density ratio, P P / P L ; and a superficial velocity ratio, U g/ULThis approach implicitly assumes that the major physical properties of the liquid (density, viscosity and surface tension) are sufficient to characterize the bubble coalescence behaviour and that the influence of the gas density is negligible. Since many commercial reactors operate at high pressure with multicomponent liquids that may be subject to foaming, an experimental program was designed to test whether multiphase systems that match Safoniuk's criteria but differ in interfacial properties and gas density produce the same fluid dynamic parameters. The liquid density, viscosity and surface tension were found to be insufficient to characterize bubble coalescence in multicomponent solutions. Multicomponent and contaminated liquids present interfacial effects that reduce the bubble coalescence rate and hinder the bubble rise velocity resulting in greater gas holdups than in pure monocomponent liquids under similar conditions. The extent of interfacial effects depends on the bubble size and is most important for Eo < 40. Additional liquid physical properties such as dynamic surface tension and dilatational surface elasticity were also found insufficient since surface-active components were well-dispersed and in equilibrium with the gas-liquid interface. Gas density was found to be an important parameter in both gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid systems. The dispersed bubble flow regime is sustained to higher gas velocities and gas holdups for denser gases. This phenomenon can be attributed to enhanced bubble break-up, rather than to the formation of smaller bubbles with increasing gas density. As it stands, the dimensional similitude approach will fail when the effects of surface-active contaminants are important since the physical properties and forces that effectively characterize the bubble coalescence mechanism in multicomponent/contaminated liquids are
Exercise training upregulates nitric oxide synthases in the kidney of rats with chronic heart failure

There is an interaction between heart and kidney diseases, which is a condition termed cardiorenal syndrome. Exercise training has cardioprotective effects, involving upregulation of endothelial (e) nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the cardiovascular system. However, the effects of exercise training on NOS in the kidney with heart disease are unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether exercise training upregulates NOS in the kidney, left ventricle and aorta of rats with chronic heart failure (CHF). Male Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent left coronary artery ligation (LCAL) to induce CHF and were randomly assigned to sedentary or treadmill exercise groups 4 weeks after LCAL. Three days after exercising for 4 weeks, urine samples were collected for 24 h and blood samples were collected following decapitation. Nitric oxide synthase activity and protein expression were examined. Significant interactions between CHF and exercise training were observed on parameters of cardiac and renal function. Exercise training improved cardiac function, decreased plasma B‐type natriuretic peptide levels, decreased urinary albumin excretion and increased creatinine clearance in CHF rats. Nitric oxide synthase activity, eNOS expression and neuronal (n) NOS expression were significantly decreased in the left ventricle and kidney of CHF rats. Exercise training significantly increased NOS activity and eNOS and nNOS expression. Upregulation of NOS in the kidney and left ventricle may contribute, in part, to the renal and cardiac protective effects of exercise training in cardiorenal syndrome in CHF rats.
Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering

(SAXS). SAXS measurements were performed at the µSpot beamline at BESSY II (Berlin, Germany). The focusing scheme of the beamline is designed to provide a divergence < 1 mrad (horizontally and vertically) and a beam diameter of 100 µm at a photon flux of 5 × 10 9 s-1 at a ring current of 100 mA. The SAXS data were processed and converted into diagrams of scattered intensities versus scattering vector q employing the computer program FIT2D. The scattering vector q is defined in terms of the scattering angle θ and the wavelength λ of the radiation: thus) 2 / sin(/ 4 θ λ π = q. For free jet experiments to investigate the gold nanoparticle formation process the photon energy was set to 12keV which corresponds to a λ of 0.103nm. The data obtained were corrected for background scattering. Curves were fitted using SANS Analysis 3_v3.00 implemented in the software suite IGOR. The experimental scattering curves were fitted with a model which describes the scattered intensity of hard spheres possessing a Schultz-Zimm size-distribution. This approach was chosen since for high polydispersities a asymmetrical size distribution is often a reasonable assumption, and since electron microscope image confirm the presence of spherical particles. When evaluating SAXS curves it is common to use model curves to fit the experimental scattering curves. A detailed review is given by Pedersen (In our case the experimental scattering curves were fitted with a model which describes the scattered intensity of hard spheres having a Schultz-Zimm distribution. This approach is choosen since for high polydispersities a asymmetrical size distribution is reasonable and since any electron microscope image show spherical particles. The Schultz-Zimm distribution is given by) 1 (]) 1 (exp[) 1 () (2 1 + Γ + − + = + z R x z x z r f Avg z (1) where Avg R is the mean radius, Avg R r x / = , z is related to the polydispersity (Avg R p / σ =) by 1 / 1 2 − = p z m where 2 σ is the variance of the distribution. The scattering intensity of non aggregated particles can be assumed to be proportional to the form factor of a single particle. Thus the scattering intensity of monodisperse hard spheres with volume V is given by 2 3 3 ()(sin()-cos()) (,) () () V q r q r q r I …
Joint Hierarchical Category Structure Learning and Large-Scale Image Classification

We investigate the scalable image classification problem with a large number of categories. Hierarchical visual data structures are helpful for improving the efficiency and performance of large-scale multi-class classification. We propose a novel image classification method based on learning hierarchical inter-class structures. Specifically, we first design a fast algorithm to compute the similarity metric between categories, based on which a visual tree is constructed by hierarchical spectral clustering. Using the learned visual tree, a test sample label is efficiently predicted by searching for the best path over the entire tree. The proposed method is extensively evaluated on the ILSVRC2010 and Caltech 256 benchmark datasets. The experimental results show that our method obtains significantly better category hierarchies than other state-of-the-art visual tree-based methods and, therefore, much more accurate classification.
All-polymer flexural plate wave sensors

A novel all-polymer flexural plate wave (FPW) sensor from a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin-film with poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes has been fabricated and characterized. PVDF films are made piezoelectric by stretching and poling. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the transition of the PVDF into its piezoelectric β -phase. Inks of PEDOT:PSS, dimethyl sulfoxide and Triton X-100 are deposited on the PVDF films by inkjet printing to produce the IDT patterns. The sensor operates using fundamental frequency, f0, detection of Lamb waves propagating through the PVDF film. Upon the application of a time-varying voltage signal to the input IDT, acoustic waves are generated and measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer, as well as through an electric signal at the output IDT. The output signal is amplified, filtered and processed using an analog to digital converter, digital signal processor and a computer program. The measured fundamental frequencies range from 330 to 1600 kHz for devices with 18 and 125 μm thick PVDF substrates and 800 and 400 μm acoustic wavelengths. These values for fundamental frequency are well predicted by the device geometry using Lamb wave theory. The effect of mass-loading was characterized by inkjet printing layers of polyvinyl alcohol on the sensors and measuring the resulting frequency shift. The devices demonstrate a frequency shift, ∆ f , to mass loading, m, with a measured resonance frequency mass sensitivity of ∆ f/(m f0) = -55.9 cm2/g. Temperature sensitivity was measured to be 1870 Hz/◦C. Sensors were also coated with a sensing layer of polyvinyl acetate and its response to toluene and acetone vapour concentrations was characterized.
Curing kinetics of liquified bamboo-based phenolic resin/bamboo powder system

The effects of bamboo power(PB)on curing behaviors and kinetic of liquified bamboo-based phenolic resin(PBF) were invstigated by DTA technology.The apparent activation energy,reaction orders and the frequency factor of the curing reaction were calculated and finally the kinetic equation of of PBF/PB system was established.The results showed that peak temperature,activation energy,reaction order and frequency factor of the PBF/PB system were decreased to 110.5 ℃,57.27 kJ·mol-1,1.0079 and 1.99×105 s-1 respectively compared that of the pure PBF resin 122.5 ℃,63.46 kJ·mol-1,1.0173 and 8.04×105 s-1.The addition of bamboo power accelerated the curing process of PBF.
A Potential-Based Characterization of the Transfer Gate in CMOS Image Sensors

A method to characterize the transfer gate (TG)- related parameters in a 4 T pixel is presented. The method is based on the pinning voltage measurement, which is proposed by Tan et al.[1] Using this method, the TG ON and OFF surface potential can be characterized. Based on the TG ON potential characterization, and according to the MOSFET model, the TG channel doping and the oxide thickness can be extracted from the measurements. Based on the TG OFF potential characterization, the TG surface potential dependence on the TG design parameters and the pixel biasing condition are analyzed. Using this method, whether the device is suffering from the drain-introduced barrier lowering effect or the short channel effect can be easily determined.
Transmitted/Founder Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Sequences in Vesicular Stomatitis and Semliki Forest Virus Vector Immunized Rhesus Macaques

Identification of transmitted/founder simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelope sequences responsible for infection may prove critical for understanding HIV/SIV mucosal transmission. We used single genome amplification and phylogenetic analyses to characterize transmitted/founder SIVs both in the inoculum and in immunized-infected rhesus monkeys. Single genome amplification of the SIVsmE660 inoculum revealed a maximum diversity of 1.4%. We also noted that the consensus sequence of the challenge stock differed from the vaccine construct in 10 amino acids including 3 changes in the V4 loop. Viral env was prepared from rhesus plasma in 3 groups of 6 immunized with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors and boosted with Semliki forest virus (SFV) replicons expressing (a) SIVsmE660 gag-env (b) SIVsmE660 gag-env plus rhesus GM-CSF and (c) control influenza hemagglutinin protein. Macaques were immunized twice with VSV-vectors and once with SFV vector and challenged intrarectally with 4000 TCID50. Single genome amplification characterized the infections of 2 unprotected animals in the gag-env immunized group, both of which had reduced acute plasma viral loads that ended as transient infections indicating partial immune control. Four of 6 rhesus were infected in the gag-env + GM-CSF group which demonstrated that GM-CSF abrogated protection. All 6 animals from the control group were infected having high plasma viral loads. We obtained 246 full-length envelope sequences from SIVsmE660 infected macaques at the peak of infection and determined the number of transmitted/founder variants per animal. Our analysis found that 2 of 2 gag-env vaccinated but infected macaques exhibited single but distinct virus envelope lineages whereas rhesus vaccinated with gag-env-GM-CSF or HA control exhibited both single and multiple env lineages. Because there were only 2 infected animals in the gag-env vaccinated rhesus compared to 10 infected rhesus in the other 2 groups, the significance of finding single env variants in the gag-env vaccinated group could not be established.
Variations in basement membrane mechanics are linked to epithelial morphogenesis

The regulation of morphogenesis by the basement membrane (BM) may rely on changes in its mechanical properties. To test this, we developed an atomic force microscopy-based method to measure BM mechanical stiffness during two key processes in Drosophila ovarian follicle development. First, follicle elongation depends on epithelial cells that collectively migrate, secreting BM fibrils perpendicularly to the anteroposterior axis. Our data show that BM stiffness increases during this migration and that fibril incorporation enhances BM stiffness. In addition, stiffness heterogeneity, due to oriented fibrils, is important for egg elongation. Second, epithelial cells change their shape from cuboidal to either squamous or columnar. We prove that BM softens around the squamous cells and that this softening depends on the TGFβ pathway. We also demonstrate that interactions between BM constituents are necessary for cell flattening. Altogether, these results show that BM mechanical properties are modified during development and that, in turn, such mechanical modifications influence both cell and tissue shapes. Summary: Basement membrane fibril composition and stiffness vary temporally and spatially during Drosophila ovarian follicle development, influencing follicle rotation, egg elongation and cuboidal-to-squamous cellular transition dependent on TGFβ signalling.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Chronic Postoperative Opioid Use After Major Spine Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study With Longitudinal Outcome

BACKGROUND: Chronic opioid use is a significant public health concern. Surgery is a risk factor for developing chronic opioid use. Patients undergoing major spine surgery frequently are prescribed opioids preoperatively and may be at risk for chronic opioid use postoperatively. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of and perioperative risk factors associated with chronic opioid use after major spine surgery. METHODS: The records of patients who underwent elective major spine surgery at the University of Virginia between March 2011 and February 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was chronic opioid use through 12 months postoperatively. Demographic data, medical comorbidities, preoperative pain scores, and medication use including daily morphine-equivalent (ME) dose, intraoperative use of lidocaine and ketamine, estimated blood loss, postoperative pain scores and medication use, and postoperative opioid use were collected. Logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with chronic opioid use. RESULTS: Of 1477 patient records reviewed, 412 patients (27.9%) were opioid naive and 1065 patients (72.3%) used opioids before surgery. Opioid data were available for 1325 patients, while 152 patients were lost to 12-month follow-up and were excluded. Of 958 preoperative opioid users, 498 (52.0%) remained chronic users through 12 months. There was a decrease in opioid dosage (mg ME) from preoperative to 12 months postoperatively with a mean difference of −14.7 mg ME (standard deviation, 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], −17.8 to −11.7). Among 367 previously opioid-naive patients, 67 (18.3%) became chronic opioid users. Factors associated with chronic opioid use were examined using logistic regression models. Preoperative opioid users were nearly 4 times more likely to be chronic opioid users through 12 months than were opioid-naive patients (odds ratio, 3.95; 95% CI, 2.51–6.33; P < .001). Mean postoperative pain score (0–10) was associated with increased odds of chronic opioid use (odds ratio for a 1 unit increase in pain score 1.25, 95% CI, 1.13–1.38; P < .001). Use of intravenous ketamine or lidocaine was not associated with chronic opioid use through 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Greater than 70% of patients presenting for major spine surgery used opioids preoperatively. Preoperative opioid use and higher postoperative pain scores were associated with chronic opioid use through 12 months. Use of ketamine and lidocaine did not decrease the risk for chronic opioid use. Surveillance of patients for these factors may identify those at highest risk for chronic opioid use and target them for intervention and reduction strategies.
Tem/Hrem Analysis of Defects in GaN Epitaxial Layers Grown by MOVPE on SiC and Sapphire

High resolution electron microscopy has been applied to study the structure of epitaxial GaN layers grown by MOVPE on SiC and sapphire substrates. Defects in GaN were systematically studied for undoped, and Si- and Mg-doped samples. For both substrates, the Si-doping was found to decrease the dislocation density at the layer surface, while Mg-doping increased it. The density of nanopipes increased with both types of doping. Cracking of GaN layers was observed for SiC substrates. Crack formation was not detected in layers grown on sapphire. Mechanisms of defect generation are discussed in relation to the initial growth stages, the effect of doping, and the type of substrate.
Diabetes in midlife and risk of cancer in late life: A nationwide Swedish twin study

The association between diabetes and cancer risk remains controversial. Hence, we examined whether midlife diabetes is related to the risk of cancer in late‐life, and whether genetic and early‐life environmental factors play a role in this association. This study included 25,154 twin individuals born in 1958 or earlier from the Swedish Twin Registry. Information on cancer diagnosis in late life (aged ≥ 65) during 1998–2014, was derived from the National Patient and Cancer Registries. Diabetes was ascertained based on self‐ or informant‐reported history, patient registry and antidiabetic medication use. Midlife diabetes was defined when diabetes was diagnosed before 65 years. Data were analyzed following two strategies: (i) unmatched case‐control analysis for all participants using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models, and (ii) co‐twin control analysis for cancer‐discordant twin pairs using conditional logistic regression. Overall, 1,766 (7.0%) had midlife diabetes and 5,293 (21.0%) had cancer in late‐life. In multiadjusted GEE models, the odds ratios (95% CIs) of diabetes were 10.55 (2.95–37.67) for pharynx cancer, 5.78 (1.72–19.40) for small intestine cancer, 2.37 (1.14–4.91) for liver cancer and 0.48 (0.35–0.67) for prostate cancer. In people with diabetes, diabetes duration was dose‐dependently associated with cancer risk. In conditional logistic regression analysis of 176 prostate cancer‐discordant twin pairs, the association between midlife diabetes and prostate cancer in later life became stronger. Midlife diabetes increases the risk of pharynx, small intestine and liver cancers, but reduces prostate cancer risk in late life. Genetic and early‐life environmental factors may partially contribute to the diabetes–prostate cancer association.
Fracture Occurrence Pattern in Animals

The overall incidence of fracture was recorded as 0.95 per cent for all species of animals. The incidence of fracture in dog was 0.76 per cent. Dog was observed as the most common species presented with a fracture followed by goat and other species. The mean age was recorded to be 26.32±5.14 months. Fifteen animals (78.95%) were noticed in age group of 12–36 months. Majority of animals were non-descript (42.10%). Fracture was recorded more in male animals (77.78%). An automobile accident (42.10%) emerged to be the major cause of fracture, whereas a fall from height (31.58%) was second common cause of fracture. The femur was found to be the most common bone (47.37%) involved in the fracture, seconded by tibia-fibula (36.84%), which was followed by radius-ulna (15.79%). The radiographic examination conducted in two orthogonal views revealed that 14 (73.68%) fractures were multiple whereas, 5 (26.32%) fractures were comminuted.
Molecular identification of Leishmania infection in the most relevant sand fly species and in patient skin samples from a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus, in Morocco

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious disease caused by various species of Leishmania and transmitted by several species of sand flies. CL is among the most neglected tropical diseases, and it has represented a major health threat over the past 20 years in Morocco. The main objectives of this study were to identify relevant sand fly species and detect Leishmania infection in the most prevalent species and patient skin samples in Taza, a focus of CL in North-eastern Morocco. Methodology and finding A total of 3672 sand flies were collected by CDC miniature light traps. Morphological identification permitted the identification of 13 species, namely 10 Phlebotomus species and 3 Sergentomyia species. P. longicuspis was the most abundant species, comprising 64.08% of the total collected sand flies, followed by P. sergenti (20.1%) and P. perniciosus (8.45%). Using nested-kDNA PCR, seven pools of P. sergenti were positive to Leishmania tropica DNA, whereas 23 pools of P. longicuspis and 4 pools of P. perniciosus tested positive for Leishmania infantum DNA. The rates of P. longicuspis and P. perniciosus Leishmania infection were 2.51% (23/915) and 7.27% (4/55), respectively, whereas the infection prevalence of P. sergenti was 3.24%. We also extracted DNA from lesion smears of 12 patients suspected of CL, among them nine patients were positive with enzymatic digestion of ITS1 by HaeIII revealing two profiles. The most abundant profile, present in eight patients, was identical to L. infantum, whereas L. tropica was found in one patient. The results of RFLP were confirmed by sequencing of the ITS1 DNA region. Conclusion This is the first molecular detection of L. tropica and L. infantum in P. sergenti and P. longicuspis, respectively, in this CL focus. Infection of P. perniciosus by L. infantum was identified for the first time in Morocco. This study also underlined the predominance of L. infantum and its vector in this region, in which L. tropica has been considered the causative agent of CL for more than 20 years.