Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sulfate induced heave: Addressing ettringite behavior in lime treated soils and in cementitious materials

Sulfate Induced Heave: Addressing Ettringite Behavior in Lime Treated Soils and in Cementitious Materials. (December 2010) Syam Kumar Kochyil Sasidharan Nair, B. Tech., College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India; M. Eng., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Dallas Little Civil engineers are at times required to stabilize sulfate bearing clay soils with calcium based stabilizers. Deleterious heaving in these stabilized soils may result over time. This dissertation addresses critical questions regarding the consequences of treating sulfate laden soils with calcium-based stabilizers. The use of a differential scanning calorimeter was introduced in this research as a tool to quantify the amount of ettringite formed in stabilized soils. The first part of this dissertation provides a case history analysis of the expansion history compared to the ettringite growth history of three controlled low strength mixtures containing fly ash with relatively high sulfate contents. Ettringite growth and measurable volume changes were monitored simultaneously for mixtures subjected to different environmental conditions. The observations verified the role of water in causing expansion when ettringite mineral is present. Sorption of water by the ettringite molecule was found to be a part of the reason for expansion.
Factors affecting the geoeffectiveness of shocks and sheaths at 1 AU

We identify all fast‐mode forward shocks, whose sheath regions resulted in a moderate (56 cases) or intense (38 cases) geomagnetic storm during 18.5 years from January 1997 to June 2015. We study their main properties, interplanetary causes, and geoeffects. We find that half (49/94) such shocks are associated with interacting coronal mass ejections (CMEs), as they are either shocks propagating into a preceding CME (35 cases) or a shock propagating into the sheath region of a preceding shock (14 cases). About half (22/45) of the shocks driven by isolated transients and which have geoeffective sheaths compress preexisting southward Bz. Most of the remaining sheaths appear to have planar structures with southward magnetic fields, including some with planar structures consistent with field line draping ahead of the magnetic ejecta. A typical (median) geoeffective shock‐sheath structure drives a geomagnetic storm with peak Dst of −88 nT pushes the subsolar magnetopause location to 6.3 RE, i.e., below geosynchronous orbit and is associated with substorms with a peak AL index of −1350 nT. There are some important differences between sheaths associated with CME‐CME interaction (stronger storms) and those associated with isolated CMEs (stronger compression of the magnetosphere). We detail six case studies of different types of geoeffective shock‐sheaths, as well as two events for which there was no geomagnetic storm but other magnetospheric effects. Finally, we discuss our results in terms of space weather forecasting and potential effects on Earth's radiation belts.
Meteorological profiling of the lower troposphere using the research UAV "M 2 AV Carolo"

Abstract. Vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and wind up to a height of 1500 m a.g. l. (above ground level) were measured with the automatically operating small unmanned research aircraft M2AV (Meteorological Mini Aerial Vehicle) during the LITFASS-2009 LI ndenberg- T o- F alkenberg: A ircraft, S cintillometer and large-eddy S imulation) experiment. The campaign took place in July 2009 over the heterogeneous landscape around the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg – Richard-Asmann-Observatory in the eastern part of Germany. Due to a high vertical resolution of about 10 cm the M2AV data show details of the turbulent structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). One profile took about 10–15 min allowing for a continuous monitoring of certain phases of ABL development by successive ascents and descents during one flight (50–60 min duration). Two case studies of measurements performed during the morning and evening ABL transition periods are discussed in detail. Comparison of the aircraft-based temperature, humidity and wind profiles with tower, sodar/RASS, wind profiler/RASS, radiosoundings and microwave radiometer profiler measurements show good agreement taking into account the different sampling strategies of these measurement systems.
Climate variability and cultural eutrophication at Walden Pond (Massachusetts, USA) during the last 1800 years

Recent shifts in the ecological condition of Walden Pond, MA, are of potentially wide interest due to the lake's importance as a cultural, historical, and recreational resource in addition to its scientific value as an indicator of local and global environmental change. Algal microfossils in six sediment cores document changes in hydroclimate and trophic status of the lake during the last 1800 years and extend two previous sediment core records of shorter length. Low percentages of planktonic diatoms in the longest cores (WAL-3, WAL-15) indicate shallowing and/or greater water clarity associated with a relatively arid interval during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, ca. A.D. 1150–1300, Cultural eutrophication of the lake since the A.D. 1920s caused diatoms in the genera Asterionella and Synedra to increase in relative abundance at the expense of Cyclotella, Discostella, and the chrysophyte alga Mallomonas allorgei. Percentages of Asterionella and Synedra have remained fairly stable since A.D. 2000 when a previous sediment core study was conducted, but scaled chrysophytes have become more numerous. These findings suggest that, although mitigation efforts have curtailed anthropogenic nutrient inputs to Walden Pond, the lake has not returned to the pre-impact condition described by Henry David Thoreau and may become increasingly vulnerable to further changes in water quality in a warmer and possibly wetter future.
Patients with Difficult Intubation May Need Referral to Sleep Clinics

PURPOSE:Upper airway abnormalities carry the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and difficult tracheal intubations. Both conditions contribute to significant clinical problems and have increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that patients who presented with difficult intubation would have a very high prevalence of OSA and that those with unexpected difficult intubation may require referral to sleep clinics for polysomnography (PSG). METHODS:Patients classified as a grade 4 Cormack and Lehane on direct laryngoscopic view, and who required more than two attempts for successful endotracheal intubation, were referred to the study by consultant anesthesiologists at four hospitals. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) data and postoperative events were collected. Patients with AHI >5/h were considered positive for OSA. Clinical and PSG variables were compared using t-tests and &khgr;2 test. RESULTS:Over a 20-mo period, 84 patients with a difficult intubation were referred into the study. Thirty-three patients agreed to participate. Sixty-six percent (22 of 33) had OSA (AHI >5/h). Of the 22 OSA patients, 10 patients (64%) had mild OSA (AHI 5–15), 6 (18%) had moderate OSA (AHI >15/h), and 6 (18%) had severe OSA (AHI >30/h). Of the 33 patients, 11 patients (33%) were recommended for continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Between the OSA group and the non-OSA group, there were significant differences in gender, neck size, and the quality of sleep, but there were no significant differences in age and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS:Sixty-six percent of patients with unexpected difficult intubation who consented to undergo a sleep study were diagnosed with OSA by PSG. Patients with difficult intubation are at high risk for OSA and should be screened for signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. Screening for OSA should be considered by referral to a sleep clinic for PSG.
In Vitro Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Activities of Senna Alata, Ricinus Communis and Lanneabarteri Extracts Against Wound and Skin Disease Causing Bacteria

Antibacterial activities of the extracts of three medicinal plants, Senna alata, Ricinus communisand Lannea barterifrom two different extractants were studied. Bacteria strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli are known wound and skin disease causing bacteria. For 100g of each plant material, the percentage yields of the extracts were determined and ranged between 5.20% and 12.40%. Phytochemical screening of the crude extracts of Senna alata, Ricinus communisand Lannea barterirevealed the presence of some bioactive components, including tannins, anthraquinones, saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids. All plant extracts showed inhibition on test organisms and were in the range of 12.0 ±2.83mm to 36.0 ±2.12mm for all the extracts. The MIC values obtained for the entire test ranged from 3.13mg/ml to 12.50mg/ml and MBC values were found to be 200mg/ml minimum and 400mg/ml maximum. Findings support the traditional use of Senna alata, Ricinus communisand Lannea barteri for the treatment of skin and wound infections and form a strong basis for further exploration of these plants.
Assessing Risk for Sexual Recidivism: Some Proposals on the Nature of Psychologically Meaningful Risk Factors

Risk assessment and treatment for sexual offenders should focus on individual characteristics associated with recidivism risk. Although it is possible to conduct risk assessments based purely on empirical correlates, the most useful evaluations also explain the source of the risk. In this review, the authors propose that the basic requirements for a psychologically meaningful risk factor are (a) a plausible rationale that the factor is a cause of sexual offending and (b) strong evidence that it predicts sexual recidivism. Based on the second of these criteria, the authors categorize potential risk factors according to the strength of the evidence for their relationship with offending. The most strongly supported variables should be emphasized in both assessment and treatment of sexual offenders. Further research is required, however, to establish causal connections between these variables and recidivism and to examine the extent to which changes in these factors leads to reductions in recidivism potential.
Genetic and environmental contributions to obesity and binge eating.

OBJECTIVE Binge eating is present in a substantial proportion of obese individuals. A tendency toward obesity has been identified as a risk factor for eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The purpose of this article was to determine the extent of overlap between genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the liability to obesity and binge eating. RESEARCH METHOD In a population-based sample of 2163 female twins, we conducted bivariate twin modeling to explore the relation between the genetic and environmental risk factors for obesity and binge eating. RESULTS Bivariate twin modeling revealed substantial heritability for obesity (0.86: 95% CI, 0.77-0.94), moderate heritability for binge eating (0.49: 95% CI, 0.38-0.61), and a modest genetic correlation of +. 34 (95% CI, 0.19-0.50) between the two traits. CONCLUSIONS Both binge eating and obesity are heritable conditions, and there seems to be only modest overlap in the genetic risk factors that increase liability to each condition.
IKBKAP/ELP1 gene mutations: mechanisms of familial dysautonomia and gene-targeting therapies

The successful completion of the Human Genome Project led to the discovery of the molecular basis of thousands of genetic disorders. The identification of the mutations that cause familial dysautonomia (FD), an autosomal recessive disorder that impacts sensory and autonomic neurons, was aided by the release of the human DNA sequence. The identification and characterization of the genetic cause of FD have changed the natural history of this disease. Genetic testing programs, which were established shortly after the disease-causing mutations were identified, have almost completely eliminated the birth of children with this disorder. Characterization of the principal disease-causing mutation has led to the development of therapeutic modalities that ameliorate its effect, while the development of mouse models that recapitulate the impact of the mutation has allowed for the in-depth characterization of its impact on neuronal development and survival. The intense research focus on this disorder, while clearly benefiting the FD patient population, also serves as a model for the positive impact focused research efforts can have on the future of other genetic diseases. Here, we present the research advances and scientific breakthroughs that have changed and will continue to change the natural history of this centuries-old genetic disease.
Knowledge of Postgraduate Medical Trainees Regarding Epidemiology

Introduction An understanding of epidemiology is fundamental for designing research and understanding evidence-based medicine (EBM). The purpose of our study was to determine the knowledge of epidemiology among postgraduate medical trainees. Methods We carried out a cross-sectional study from January 2017 to June 2017 at the Regional Centre Islamabad, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan. About 204 postgraduate medical trainee were enrolled in the study after taking written consent. All of the participants were working as a postgraduate medical trainee in different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A self-designed structured questionnaire containing 20 multiple choice questions regarding knowledge of epidemiology was given to all the participants. Knowledge of epidemiology was measured and compared with gender, hospital, and previous history of research. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY) was used for data analysis. Results Out of 204 participants, 46.1% participants were males while 53.9% were females. The mean age of the participant was 28.5 ± 2.5. Majority fo the trainees (33.8%) were training in an Internal Medicine residency program. Most of the trainees (76%) had average knowledge of epidemiology while 18.6% of the trainees had good knowledge. Only 17.6% had some experience of research projects in the past, but this was not related to knowledge of epidemiology (p > 0.05). Conclusion Only 18.6% of the postgraduate trainees had good knowledge regarding epidemiology and 76% had average knowledge. This knowledge did not relate to their gender, hospital settings, and previous experience of conducting research proposals and articles.
Cancer - Could it be Cured? A Spontaneous Regression of Cancer, Cancer Energy Metabolism, Hyperglycemia-Hypoglycemia, Metformin, Warburg and Crabtree Effects and a New Perspective in Cancer Treatment

The spontaneous regression of cancer is still a mysterious phenomenon but an understanding of it, at least partially, could lead to new and better cancer treatment. On the basis of new data concerning cancer energy biochemistry, the authors here present a hypothesis to understand and explain the phenomenon of the spontaneous regression of cancer, together with its implications for new approaches to cancer treatment. Such treatment involves the manipulation of the energy metabolism and/or redox status of cancer cells.
Abnormal ventromedial prefrontal cortex function in children with psychopathic traits during reversal learning.

CONTEXT Children and adults with psychopathic traits and conduct or oppositional defiant disorder demonstrate poor decision making and are impaired in reversal learning. However, the neural basis of this impairment has not previously been investigated. Furthermore, despite high comorbidity of psychopathic traits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, to our knowledge, no research has attempted to distinguish neural correlates of childhood psychopathic traits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. OBJECTIVE To determine the neural regions that underlie the reversal learning impairments in children with psychopathic traits plus conduct or oppositional defiant disorder. DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Government clinical research institute. PARTICIPANTS Forty-two adolescents aged 10 to 17 years: 14 with psychopathic traits and oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, 14 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder only, and 14 healthy controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Blood oxygenation level-dependent signal as measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging during a probabilistic reversal task. RESULTS Children with psychopathic traits showed abnormal responses within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 10) during punished reversal errors compared with children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and healthy children (P < .05 corrected for multiple comparisons). CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of abnormal ventromedial prefrontal cortex responsiveness in children with psychopathic traits and demonstrates this dysfunction was not attributable to comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. These findings suggest that reversal learning impairments in patients with developmental psychopathic traits relate to abnormal processing of reinforcement information.
Generalized background subtraction based on hybrid inference by belief propagation and Bayesian filtering

We propose a novel background subtraction algorithm for the videos captured by a moving camera. In our technique, foreground and background appearance models in each frame are constructed and propagated sequentially by Bayesian filtering. We estimate the posterior of appearance, which is computed by the product of the image likelihood in the current frame and the prior appearance propagated from the previous frame. The motion, which transfers the previous appearance models to the current frame, is estimated by nonparametric belief propagation; the initial motion field is obtained by optical flow and noisy and incomplete motions are corrected effectively through the inference procedure. Our framework is represented by a graphical model, where the sequential inference of motion and appearance is performed by the combination of belief propagation and Bayesian filtering. We compare our algorithm with the existing state-of-the-art technique and evaluate its performance quantitatively and qualitatively in several challenging videos.
Interaction of low and high LET radiation in TK6 cells—mechanistic aspects and significance for radiation protection

Most environmental, occupational and medical exposures to ionising radiation are associated with a simultaneous action of different radiation types. An open question remains whether radiations of different qualities interact with each other to yield effects stronger than expected based on the assumption of additivity. It is possible that DNA damage induced by high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation will lead to an opening of the chromatin structure making the DNA more susceptible to attack by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the low LET radiation. In such case, the effect of mixed beams should be strongly expressed in cells that are sensitive to ROS. The present investigation was carried out to test if cells with an impaired capacity to handle oxidative stress are particularly sensitive to the effect of mixed beams of alpha particles and x-rays. Clonogenic cell survival curves and mutant frequencies were analysed in TK6 wild type (wt) cells and in TK6 cells with a knocked down hMYH glycosylase. The results showed a synergistic effect of mixed beams on clonogenic cell survival of TK6wt but not TK6MYH- cells. The frequencies of mutants showed a high degree of interexperimental variability without any indications for synergistic effects of mixed beams. TK6MYH- cells were generally more tolerant to radiation exposure with respect to clonogenic cell survival but showed a strong increase in mutant frequency. The results demonstrate that exposure of wt cells to a mixed beam of alpha particles and x-rays leads to a detrimental effect which is stronger than expected based on the assumption of additivity. The role of oxidative stress in the reaction of cells to mixed beams remains unclear.
Rescue information system for earthquake disasters based on MANET emergency communication platform

When stricken by a catastrophic natural disaster, emergency rescue operation is very critical to many lives. Many people trapped in the disastrous areas under collapsed buildings or landslides may have a large chance to survive if they are rescued in "Golden 72 Hours". Victims rescued from the debris and evacuated from their home jammed in shelters need life support material to support their lives. They also need to communicate to each other for various reasons. However, communication systems were usually down due to various reasons. The loss of communication systems and information networks made the rescue and relief operation extremely difficult. Many people died before they got a chance to be rescued. This paper analyzes the causes that paralyzed the entire communication systems in Jiji/Taiwan Earthquake and proposes a MANET based communication platform as well as a Rescue Information System for Earthquake Disasters that can support a large number of rescue volunteers under catastrophic natural disasters.
Foreign Direct Investment and the Dark Side of Decentralization

"Both in the developed and developing world, decentralization of fiscal policy is frequently argued to foster investment, because allowing investors to choose between competing locations should make it difficult for each jurisdiction to tax the investment's returns. We point out that this 'horizontal' dimension of decentralization cannot eliminate ex post incentives to tax investments once they are irreversibly located in a jurisdiction, and that the negative ex ante investment effects of such 'hold up' problems are actually stronger when decentralization inevitably leads to multiple levels of taxation power in each location. Empirically, we detect significant negative effects on FDI of the 'vertical' dimension of decentralization, measured by the number of government layers, in a data set containing many countries and many suitable control variables. Indicators of overall fiscal decentralization do not appear to affect the investment climate negatively per se, but our theoretical arguments and empirical results suggest that policymakers should consider very carefully the form and degree of government decentralization if they aim at improving the investment climate. " Copyright (c) CEPR, CES, MSH, 2007.