Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rheological, morphological, mechanical, and barrier properties of PP/EVOH blends

Using the biaxially oriented film process, polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) blends with an improved barrier property could be obtained by generating a laminar structure of the dispersed phase in the matrix phase. This laminar morphology, induced by biaxial orientation, was found to result in a significant increase in the oxygen barrier property of PP/EVOH (85/15) blends by about 10 times relative to the pure PP. In this study, compatibility in the PP/EVOH blend system was evaluated by investigating the influence of compatibilizer on the rheological, morphological, and mechanical properties of the blends. In addition, the effects of compatibilizer content, draw ratio, and draw temperature on the oxygen permeability and morphology of biaxially drawn blend films were also studied. It was revealed that an optimum amount of compatibilizer, maleic anhydride grafted PP, should be used to improve the barrier property of the PP/EVOH blends with a well-developed laminar structure. The draw ratio and draw temperature had a significant influence on the permeability of the blends. The blend films exhibited a more pronounced laminar structure when the blends were stretched biaxially under processing conditions of higher draw ratio and draw temperature, resulting in higher barrier properties. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 20: 191–201, 2001
Report of a Strain of Staphylococcus caprae with the Genes for Enterotoxin A and Enterotoxin-Like Toxin Type P

Staphylococcal enterotoxins have long been recognized as being responsible for staphylococcal food poisoning. Recently, attention has centered on their role as superantigens in exacerbating sepsis (4, 9, 12). Of the known enterotoxins, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is one of the most commonly identified in clinical isolates (5, 9, 10). The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is the species most frequently associated with SEA production, although other species of Staphylococcus occasionally carry the SEA gene (3). One strain of S. caprae has been shown immunologically to produce SEA (20); however, this was not confirmed with genetic analysis. This is the first report of a S. caprae strain simultaneously carrying both the SEA gene and the staphylococcal enterotoxin-like toxin type P (SElP) gene. SElP was recently described in a study reporting the whole-genome sequencing of S. aureus strain N315 (11). The toxin produces an emetic response in Suncus murinus (the house musk shrew), but the emetic activity of SElP has not yet been tested on a primate model (13).
Survival of hematopoietic and leukemic colony-forming cells in vivo following the administration of daunorubicin or adriamycin.

Summary In this study, the kinetics of the cytocidal action of daunorubicin and adriamycin on both leukemic and hematopoietic colony-forming units was investigated by the use of the spleen colony assay technique. The dose-survival curves were exponential in shape for both agents on the hematopoietic colony-forming units; however, for the leukemic colony-forming units, a broad shoulder region existed for both agents followed by an exponential decrease insurvival for increasing dose. Although more adriamycin than daunorubicin was required to give a comparable leukemic cell kill, adriamycin was much less toxic to the normal hematopoietic stem cells. Time-survival curves indicated that cytotoxic effects of both agents persisted in the host for 20 to 30 hr following administration.
Cathelicidins from the Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana Provides Novel Template for Peptide Antibiotic Design

Cathelicidins, a class of gene-encoded effector molecules of vertebrate innate immunity, provide a first line of defense against microbial invasions. Although cathelicidins from mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes have been extensively studied, little is known about cathelicidins from amphibians. Here we report the identification and characterization of two cathelicidins (cathelicidin-RC1 and cathelicidin-RC2) from the bullfrog Rana catesbeiana. The cDNA sequences (677 and 700 bp, respectively) encoding the two peptides were successfully cloned from the constructed lung cDNA library of R. catesbeiana. And the deduced mature peptides are composed of 28 and 33 residues, respectively. Structural analysis indicated that cathelicidin-RC1 mainly assumes an amphipathic alpha-helical conformation, while cathelicidin-RC2 could not form stable amphipathic structure. Antimicrobial and bacterial killing kinetic analysis indicated that the synthetic cathelicidin-RC1 possesses potent, broad-spectrum and rapid antimicrobial potency, while cathelicidin-RC2 exhibited very weak antimicrobial activity. Besides, the antimicrobial activity of cathelicidin-RC1 is salt-independent and highly stable. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated that cathelicidin-RC1 kills microorganisms through the disruption of microbial membrane. Moreover, cathelicidin-RC1 exhibited low cytotoxic activity against mammalian normal or tumor cell lines, and low hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. The potent, broad-spectrum and rapid antimicrobial activity combined with the salt-independence, high stability, low cytotoxic and hemolytic activities make cathelicidin-RC1 an ideal template for the development of novel peptide antibiotics.
Brain [18F]FDDNP binding and glucose metabolism in advanced elderly healthy subjects and Alzheimer's disease patients.

BACKGROUND Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of brain amyloid (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) load is a candidate biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVES To compare brain Aβ and NFT load and glucose metabolism in advanced elderly (70 years and older) patients with AD and healthy controls (HCs) by PET with [18F]FDDNP and [18F]FDG. METHODS Seven AD patients (mean ± SD age 79.3 ± 3.6 y, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 22.1 ± 2.5) and eight HCs (mean age ± SD, 75.7 ± 3.9 y; MMSE score 29.0 ± 1.2) underwent PET with [18F]FDDNP and [18F]FDG. RESULTS Global [18F]FDDNP uptake was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in AD patients (1.15 ± 0.04) than in HCs (1.10 ± 0.06), while global brain metabolism was lower in AD patients than in HCs (AD patients 0.96 ± 0.09; HCs 1.13 ± 0.11; p < 0.05). In HCs, brain glucose metabolism was correlated with age for both the global [18F]FDG SUVr and in the parietal and posterior cingulate regions, while no correlation was found between age and [18F]FDDNP uptake. In AD patients, global [18F]FDDNP uptake and uptake in the frontal and anterior cingulate regions of interest were correlated with MMSE score, while no correlation was observed with brain glucose metabolism. CONCLUSION Imaging Aβ load and NFT with [18F]FDDNP can distinguish AD patients from HCs in an advanced elderly population. It seems to be less sensitive than [18F]FDG to the brain changes observed with normal aging, but more sensitive to cognitive decline in advanced elderly AD patients.
Study on ultrafine-grained aluminum matrix nanocomposite joint fabricated by friction stir welding

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of adding Al2O3 nanoparticles on the properties of joints fabricated by friction stir welding. The joints were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dry sliding wear test, and potentiodynamic polarization test. The results show that the average grain size was reduced in the nugget zone after the addition of nanoparticles. The produced welds were also found to have adequate wear and corrosion resistance. This work demonstrates that adding Al2O3 nanoparticle is an effective strategy for improving the properties of the joints produced by friction stir welding.
Parentage assignment with genomic markers: a major advance for understanding and exploiting genetic variation of quantitative traits in farmed aquatic animals

Since the middle of the 1990s, parentage assignment using microsatellite markers has been introduced as a tool in aquaculture breeding. It now allows close to 100% assignment success, and offered new ways to develop aquaculture breeding using mixed family designs in commercial conditions. Its main achievements are the knowledge and control of family representation and inbreeding, especially in mass spawning species, above all the capacity to estimate reliable genetic parameters in any species and rearing system with no prior investment in structures, and the development of new breeding programs in many species. Parentage assignment should not be seen as a way to replace physical tagging, but as a new way to conceive breeding programs, which have to be optimized with its specific constraints, one of the most important being to well define the number of individuals to genotype to limit costs, maximize genetic gain while minimizing inbreeding. The recent possible shift to (for the moment) more costly single nucleotide polymorphism markers should benefit from future developments in genomics and marker-assisted selection to combine parentage assignment and indirect prediction of breeding values.
Effect of Hypoxia on the Sinoatrial Node, Atrium, and Atrioventricular Node in the Rabbit Heart

We used intracellular microelectrodes to study the effects of hypoxia on the isolated, superfused sinoatrial (SA) node, atrium, and atrioventricular (AV) node of the rabbit heart. Hypoxia decreased the rate of spontaneous impulse initiation in SA nodal fibers by decreasing the slope of diastolic depolarization. With gradually decreasing Poj, the sinus rate was reduced; concomitantly, the corrected sinus node recovery time after rapid atrial stimulation was much less affected demonstrating marked prolongation only under severe anoxic conditions. Hypoxia decreased the amplitude of action potentials of the SA node and of the AV node but not of the atrium. SA and AV nodal conduction were slowed by hypoxia; intraatrial conduction was not significantly affected. AV nodal conduction block occurred at lower atrial rates, and the effective refractory period of the AV node was prolonged. Inhomogeneity of SA and AV nodal impulse propagation often was observed in the presence of hypoxia. This was associated with concealed reentry within both nodal areas. The extracellular K+ concentration of the atrial tissue was measured with ion-sensitive microelectrodes. [K+]o remained unchanged even after prolonged periods of severe hypoxia. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that acute hypoxia predominantly inhibits slow response activity but has only little effect on the fast inward sodium current. Ore Res 44: 866-863, 1979
Prospective Evaluation of Syndesmotic Ankle Sprains without Diastasis *

Sixty consecutive collegiate athletes with “high” ankle symptoms were prospectively evaluated over a 3-year period in an effort to better define this debilitating ankle injury. All athletes included in this study had tenderness over the distal anterior tibiofibular ligament, tenderness proximally along the interosseous membrane, and functional disability. No study subject had a fracture or frank tibia-fibula diastasis. The severity of the sprain was quantified using the interosseous “tenderness length. ” A standard rehabilitation protocol was followed by all patients. Athletes returned to competition when they could perform all functional testing without difficulty. Time to return to full competitive activity averaged 13.4 days. The number of days missed from competition was statistically related to the interosseous tenderness length (P 0.0001) and to positive results on the squeeze test (P 0.03). Fifty-three of the 60 injured athletes were evaluated at least 6 months after injury. Patients rated their outcomes as good or excellent. Six of the patients experienced occasional ankle pain and stiffness, four patients reported recurrent ankle sprains, and one patient had heterotopic ossification formation.
Power-Electronics-Based Solutions for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy Storage and Management Systems

Batteries, ultracapacitors (UCs), and fuel cells are widely being proposed for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) as an electric power source or an energy storage unit. In general, the design of an intelligent control strategy for coordinated power distribution is a critical issue for UC-supported PHEV power systems. Implementation of several control methods has been presented in the past, with the goal of improving battery life and overall vehicle efficiency. It is clear that the control objectives vary with respect to vehicle velocity, power demand, and state of charge of both the batteries and UCs. Hence, an optimal control strategy design is the most critical aspect of an all-electric/plug-in hybrid electric vehicle operational characteristic. Although much effort has been made to improve the life of PHEV energy storage systems (ESSs), including research on energy storage device chemistries, this paper, on the contrary, highlights the fact that the fundamental problem lies within the design of power-electronics-based energy-management converters and the development of smarter control algorithms. This paper initially discusses battery and UC characteristics and then goes on to provide a detailed comparison of various proposed control strategies and proposes the use of precise power electronic converter topologies. Finally, this paper summarizes the benefits of the various techniques and suggests the most viable solutions for on-board power management, more specific to PHEVs with multiple/hybrid ESSs.
Association between estrogen levels and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic literature review

Introduction To evaluate whether the hypothesis that estrogen levels are associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in humans can be confirmed or contradicted by available literature. Material and methods A systematic review based on the content of PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Studies were identified using a combination of key words ‘temporomandibular disorder’ and ‘estrogen’. Nine studies were included into our review. Results The relationship between estrogen levels and TMD was found in seven out of nine reviewed papers. Results from two papers suggest that a high estrogen level is associated with an increased prevalence of TMD. Five additional papers found a relationship between a low estrogen level and an increase in TMD pain. In considering the value of evidence and inconsistencies of results in the reviewed publications, we state that there is weak evidence to support the hypothesis that estrogen levels are associated with TMD. Conclusions Results of reviewed studies were divergent and sometimes contradictory. One possible explanation is that estrogen influences TMD pain processing differently than temporomandibular joints (TMJ) structures, as shown in many animal studies. Estrogen may influence TMD pain processing differently than TMJ structures. We suggest consideration of the dual action of estrogen when planning future studies on its association with TMD.
Enhanced plant tolerance to iron starvation by functional substitution of chloroplast ferredoxin with a bacterial flavodoxin

Iron limitation affects one-third of the cultivable land on Earth and represents a major concern for agriculture. It causes decline of many photosynthetic components, including the Fe-S protein ferredoxin (Fd), involved in essential oxidoreductive pathways of chloroplasts. In cyanobacteria and some algae, Fd down-regulation under Fe deficit is compensated by induction of an isofunctional electron carrier, flavodoxin (Fld), a flavin mononucleotide-containing protein not found in plants. Transgenic tobacco lines expressing a cyanobacterial Fld in chloroplasts were able to grow in Fe-deficient media that severely compromised survival of WT plants. Fld expression did not improve Fe uptake or mobilization, and stressed transformants elicited a normal deficit response, including induction of ferric-chelate reductase and metal transporters. However, the presence of Fld did prevent decrease of several photosynthetic proteins (but not Fd) and partially protected photosynthesis from inactivation. It also preserved the activation state of enzymes depending on the Fd-thioredoxin pathway, which correlated with higher levels of intermediates of carbohydrate metabolism and the Calvin cycle, as well as increased contents of sucrose, glutamate, and other amino acids. These metabolic routes depend, directly or indirectly, on the provision of reduced Fd. The results indicate that Fld could compensate Fd decline during episodes of Fe deficiency by productively interacting with Fd-dependent pathways of the host, providing fresh genetic resources for the design of plants able to survive in Fe-poor lands.
Uncertainty and Cognitive Control

A growing trend of neuroimaging, behavioral, and computational research has investigated the topic of outcome uncertainty in decision-making. Although evidence to date indicates that humans are very effective in learning to adapt to uncertain situations, the nature of the specific cognitive processes involved in the adaptation to uncertainty are still a matter of debate. In this article, we reviewed evidence suggesting that cognitive control processes are at the heart of uncertainty in decision-making contexts. Available evidence suggests that: (1) There is a strong conceptual overlap between the constructs of uncertainty and cognitive control; (2) There is a remarkable overlap between the neural networks associated with uncertainty and the brain networks subserving cognitive control; (3) The perception and estimation of uncertainty might play a key role in monitoring processes and the evaluation of the “need for control”; (4) Potential interactions between uncertainty and cognitive control might play a significant role in several affective disorders.
Dynamic Phosphorylation of Tyrosine 665 in Pseudopodium-enriched Atypical Kinase 1 (PEAK1) Is Essential for the Regulation of Cell Migration and Focal Adhesion Turnover*

Background: Phosphoregulation of focal adhesion (FA) proteins regulates FA dynamics underlying cell migration. Results: Dynamic phosphoregulation of PEAK1 at Tyr-665 is essential for control of FA dynamics and cell migration. Conclusion: Src family kinases (SFKs) and PEAK1 function cooperatively to control FA dynamics and cell migration. Significance: PEAK1 is a novel SFK-dependent FA regulator and a promising anti-cancer drug target. Pseudopodium-enriched atypical kinase 1 (PEAK1) is a recently described tyrosine kinase that associates with the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion (FA) in migrating cells. PEAK1 is known to promote cell migration, but the responsible mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that PEAK1 controls FA assembly and disassembly in a dynamic pathway controlled by PEAK1 phosphorylation at Tyr-665. Knockdown of endogenous PEAK1 inhibits random cell migration. In PEAK1-deficient cells, FA lifetimes are decreased, FA assembly times are shortened, and FA disassembly times are extended. Phosphorylation of Tyr-665 in PEAK1 is essential for normal PEAK1 localization and its function in the regulation of FAs; however, constitutive phosphorylation of PEAK1 Tyr-665 is also disruptive of its function, indicating a requirement for precise spatiotemporal regulation of PEAK1. Src family kinases are required for normal PEAK1 localization and function. Finally, we provide evidence that PEAK1 promotes cancer cell invasion through Matrigel by a mechanism that requires dynamic regulation of Tyr-665 phosphorylation.
Preliminary evaluation of the Group Teen Triple P program for parents of teenagers making the transition to high school

Abstract Group Teen Triple P is a brief group parenting program for parents of teenagers. It is based on the successful Triple P – Positive Parenting Program for parents of children aged from 0 to 12, with a focus on helping parents manage the transition from late childhood to early adolescence. This paper describes the initial evaluation of a universal trial of the program offered to all parents of students entering their first year of high school at age 12 in a regional north Queensland school. Twenty-seven parents completed a battery of self-report questionnaires immediately before and after participating in the 8-week program. Participating parents reported significant reductions in conflict with their teenager, and on measures of laxness, over-reactivity, and disagreements with their partner over parenting issues. These are well-established parenting risk factors. In addition, parents reported significant improvements on measures of self-regulation, including self-efficacy, selfsufficiency, and self-management, and reductions on measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. It was concluded that a preliminary evaluation of the Group Teen Triple P program achieved its goals of reducing targeted risk factors associated with the development of behavioural and emotional problems in teenagers. The paper concludes with an examination of issues around parent recruitment and engagement which are crucial for the successful provision of effective and timely advice and support for parents of teenagers.
Microstructural evolution of a 12Cr-2W-Cu-V-Nb steel during three-year service exposure

Microstructural evolution of 12Cr-2W-Cu-V-Nb steel tubes (ASME SA213-T122) after one-year and three-year service exposure tests in a Japanese practical boiler has been investigated from a standpoint of the phase stability of precipitates. The test tubes consist of tempered martensite and δ-ferrite, and the main precipitates are MX-type carbonitride, M 23 C 6 carbide and Laves phase. TEM observations on thin films show that the MX has precipitated in a plate-shaped with a coherent or semi-coherent relationship with the matrix inside grains. An estimation of the lattice misfit between MX and the matrix suggests that the coherent strain has been high enough to enhance the shear stress and then strongly interact with dislocations. Another important point is that morphology and compositions of MX have been stable under the present service conditions, thereby the creep strength as well as tensile strength has kept high after long-term service exposure. The long-term exposure to the present service temperature has enhanced the precipitation of Fe 2 (W, Mo) Laves phase inside grains, resulting in a marked reduction in the dissolved W and Mo in matrix. It is found that the kinetics of W-partitioning between matrix and Laves phase can be successfully expressed by the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami type equation and applied to estimate the actual temperatures of the exposed tubes. It is concluded that the kinetics of Laves phase precipitation and morphology of MX have mainly controlled a microstructural stability in the 12Cr-2W-Cu-V-Nb steel, and also give helpful suggestion to increase the creep resistance during the long-term service exposure.