Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
European Respiratory Society guidelines for the diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia

The diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia is often confirmed with standard, albeit complex and expensive, tests. In many cases, however, the diagnosis remains difficult despite the array of sophisticated diagnostic tests. There is no “gold standard” reference test. Hence, a Task Force supported by the European Respiratory Society has developed this guideline to provide evidence-based recommendations on diagnostic testing, especially in light of new developments in such tests, and the need for robust diagnoses of patients who might enter randomised controlled trials of treatments. The guideline is based on pre-defined questions relevant for clinical care, a systematic review of the literature, and assessment of the evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. It focuses on clinical presentation, nasal nitric oxide, analysis of ciliary beat frequency and pattern by high-speed video-microscopy analysis, transmission electron microscopy, genotyping and immunofluorescence. It then used a modified Delphi survey to develop an algorithm for the use of diagnostic tests to definitively confirm and exclude the diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia; and to provide advice when the diagnosis was not conclusive. Finally, this guideline proposes a set of quality criteria for future research on the validity of diagnostic methods for primary ciliary dyskinesia. International ERS guidelines recommend a combination of tests to diagnose primary ciliary dyskinesia http://ow.ly/sJhH304InBN
A high step-up transformerless DC/DC converter with flat efficiency

This paper proposes a high step-up, transformerless, dc/dc converter suitable for applications where high efficiency at low power throughput is required. The proposed converter achieves high step-up dc/dc conversion through a resonant LC tank and realizes high-efficiency operation via the softswitching enabled by this resonant network. Flat efficiency is obtained via discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation of the converter. A burst operating mode is proposed for achieving increased efficiency operation. Finally, a 100V/800V, 650W prototype is implemented to experimentally validate the converter's operation, and flat efficiencies are measured over a wide operating range.
Optimization of the elaboration of insulating layers for the gate structures and the passivation of MIS-HEMT transistors on GaN

With its large band gap, Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor is one of the most promising materials for new power devices generation thanks to its outstanding material properties for high voltage, temperature and frequency applications. The main objective of this thesis was the development and optimization of the insulating step taking place in the elaboration of MIS-HEMT transistors on an AlGaN/GaN heterstroctructure. In order to reduce gate leakage currents without degrading the device properties, alumina Al2O3 deposited by ALD was chosen as a gate dielectric. The study was first centered on the influence of surface treatments, chemical or plasma, regarding surface contamination. Their impact was analyzed through XPS and AFM. Secondly, electrical measures were performed on complete MIS-HEMT diodes and transistors to evaluate the influence of the alumina insulating layer depending on the ALD deposition method. Lastly, partial and full recess of the AlGaN barrier was studied via ICP-RIE etching. The gate dielectric deposition is one of the crucial steps intervening in the HEMT creation process. The quality and control at the Al2O2/AlGaN interface being paramount, it will directly influence the device's electric properties. This involves control ing the semiconductor surface, but also the nature and deposition technique of the dielectric. As such, an ammonia-based treatment at high temperature appears to be the most efficient in reducing native oxygen contamination. Regarding electric performances, C(V) and Id(Vg) measures showed the superiority of PEALD compared to traditional thermal ALD deposition. This can be explained by the fact that the oxygen plasma used as oxydant during the alumina deposition by PEALD seems to clean the surface during the first cycles, mostly by reducing carbon contamination. This allowed to achieve a better interface between the semiconductor and the insulting layer, thus limiting traps at the interface or in the oxyde. This allows to considerably reduce gate leakage currents, without degrading the quality and transition sharpness between the on and off state. Moreover, the realized HEMTs being normally-off, gate recess etching via ICP-RIE was implemented in order to make the threshold voltage less negative. This was successfully achieved, especially through the realization of a normally-off transistors thanks to a full recess of the AlGaN barrier under the gate. State of the art results were achieved through a simple approach, and a robust and highly reproducible transistor elaboration process, with great reduction of gate leakage currents and a record sub-threshold slope. In order to complete the study, it will be necessary in the future to proceed to viability studies, especially through dynamic electric evaluation, in order to evaluate for instance Ron degradation phenomenons.
Measuring Consciousness.

A measurement based formula for consciousness, C, as a function of time t, is constructed. The formula depends on identifying a natural relevant self-generated, time-dependent dynamical process inherent in any entity. For human beings the relevant dynamical process identified is the ensemble of brain waves, observed in EEG measurements, that are represented in the model by their measured time dependent correlation functions. These correlation functions define the accessible dynamical state of the brain at any moment of time. From them a time dependent probability function, P(t), is extracted by using a mathematical identity. According to information theory, -P(t) log P(t), is a measure of the information contained in the brain waves. Consciousness, C, is defined by this information theory formula: it is not localized, does not depend on specific hardwire details of the brain, but reflects the information content present in brain waves. Justifications, based on observational evidence, are given for the formula and it is shown that C reflects the degree of "awareness" that a person has at a given moment of time. The model explains the observed time delay between when a brain wave is seen to initiate an action and when there is awareness that the action has been initiated, in terms of the way brain waves processes information. Some testable consequences of the model, including the role dreaming sleep plays in long term memory storage, are discussed. It is also shown that non living entities have C=0.
Predicting Wood Quality of Green Logs by Resonance Vibration and Stress Wave in Plantation-Grown Populus ×euramericana

A cost-effective estimation of wood quality of hardwood green logs is needed. The purposes of this study were to investigate and compare two nondestructive acoustic methods to predict the wood quality of green logs from a poplar I-72 (Populus xeuramericana cv. I-72/58 "San Martino") plantation. After log measurements, small clear wood specimens were cut and air dried to 12 percent moisture content. The static bending modulus of elasticity (MOE) of small clear wood specimens was about 15 and 20 percent greater than the dynamic MOE of green logs based on resonance vibration (Efr) and stress wave (Esw). However, good correlations (R) between Efr and Esw of logs and bending MOE of 0.806 and 0.848 (P < 0.001), respectively, were observed. Significant correlations were also found between the Efr and Esw of logs and the modulus of rupture and compressive strength parallel to grain (sigmac) of small clear wood specimens (P < 0.001). The results indicate that both acoustic techniques were effective predictors of wood quality, although the stress wave method was found to be more accurate and reliable than the resonance vibration method. The longitudinal changes of strength properties with tree height could be tracked by these two methods.
Confined Carbon Mediating Dehydroaromatization of Methane over Mo/ZSM‐5

Abstract Non‐oxidative dehydroaromatization of methane (MDA) is a promising catalytic process for direct valorization of natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons. The application of this reaction in practical technology is hindered by a lack of understanding about the mechanism and nature of the active sites in benchmark zeolite‐based Mo/ZSM‐5 catalysts, which precludes the solution of problems such as rapid catalyst deactivation. By applying spectroscopy and microscopy, it is shown that the active centers in Mo/ZSM‐5 are partially reduced single‐atom Mo sites stabilized by the zeolite framework. By combining a pulse reaction technique with isotope labeling of methane, MDA is shown to be governed by a hydrocarbon pool mechanism in which benzene is derived from secondary reactions of confined polyaromatic carbon species with the initial products of methane activation.
Is procrastination all that “bad”? A qualitative study of academic procrastination and self-worth in postgraduate university students

ABSTRACT Most of the existing literature investigated the construct of procrastination using quantitative paradigms—primarily self-administered questionnaires. However, such approaches seem to limit insight, elaboration, and deeper understanding of central facets that might influence procrastination. The present qualitative study explored how a sample of postgraduate students from Cambridge University represented academic procrastination framed within their personal perspectives and context using semistructured interviews. This study extends the existing quantitative literature by adding students’ personal narratives and voices. Ten postgraduate students were interviewed and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The preponderance of the literature on academic procrastination has described it as a maladaptive and detrimental behavior. However, the present study found evidence which supports the existence of a positive form of procrastination as well which suggests that procrastination can sometimes be worthwhile and allow further thinking time, allowing students to do a task and enable them to give more attention to detail which suggests a reconsideration of the negative image commonly associated with procrastination.
Oenococcus oeni in Chilean Red Wines: Technological and Genomic Characterization

The presence and load of species of LAB at the end of the malolactic fermentation (MLF) were investigated in 16 wineries from the different Chilean valleys (Limarí, Casablanca, Maipo, Rapel, and Maule Valleys) during 2012 and 2013, using PCR-RFLP and qPCR. Oenococcus oeni was observed in 80% of the samples collected. Dominance of O. oeni was reflected in the bacterial load (O. oeni/total bacteria) measured by qPCR, corresponding to >85% in most of the samples. A total of 178 LAB isolates were identified after sequencing molecular markers, 95 of them corresponded to O. oeni. Further genetic analyses were performed using MLST (7 genes) including 10 commercial strains; the results indicated that commercial strains were grouped together, while autochthonous strains distributed among different genetic clusters. To pre-select some autochthonous O. oeni, these isolates were also characterized based on technological tests such as ethanol tolerance (12 and 15%), SO2 resistance (0 and 80 mg l−1), and pH (3.1 and 3.6) and malic acid transformation (1.5 and 4 g l−1). For comparison purposes, commercial strain VP41 was also tested. Based on their technological performance, only 3 isolates were selected for further examination (genome analysis) and they were able to reduce malic acid concentration, to grow at low pH 3.1, 15% ethanol and 80 mg l−1 SO2. The genome analyses of three selected isolates were examined and compared to PSU-1 and VP41 strains to study their potential contribution to the organoleptic properties of the final product. The presence and homology of genes potentially related to aromatic profile were compared among those strains. The results indicated high conservation of malolactic enzyme (>99%) and the absence of some genes related to odor such as phenolic acid decarboxylase, in autochthonous strains. Genomic analysis also revealed that these strains shared 470 genes with VP41 and PSU-1 and that autochthonous strains harbor an interesting number of unique genes (>21). Altogether these results reveal the presence of local strains distinguishable from commercial strains at the genetic/genomic level and also having genomic traits that enforce their potential use as starter cultures.
Multiscale analysis of nanocomposite and nanofibrous structures

Multiscale Analysis of Nanocomposite and Nanofibrous Structures. (August 2007) Vinu Unnithan Unnikrishnan, B. Tech., University of Kerala; M. S. , Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. J. N. Reddy The overall goal of the present research is to provide a computationally based methodology to realize the projected extraordinary properties of Carbon Nanotube (CNT)reinforced composites and polymeric nanofibers for engineering applications. The discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and its derivatives has led to considerable study both experimentally and computationally as carbon based materials are ideally suited for molecular level building blocks for nanoscale systems. Research in nanomechanics is currently focused on the utilization of CNTs as reinforcements in polymer matrices as CNTs have a very high modulus and are extremely light weight. The nanometer dimension of a CNT and its interaction with a polymer chain requires a study involving the coupling of the length scales. This length scale coupling requires analysis in the molecular and higher order levels. The atomistic interactions of the nanotube are studied using molecular dynamic simulations. The elastic properties of neat nanotube as well as doped nanotube are estimated first. The stability of the nanotube under various conditions is also dealt with in this dissertation. The changes in the elastic stiffness of a nanotube when it is embedded in a composite system are also considered. This type of a study is very unique as it gives information on the effect of surrounding materials on the core nanotube. Various configurations of nanotubes and nanocomposites are analyzed in this dissertation. Polymeric nanofibers are an important component in tissue engineering; however, these nanofibers are found to have a complex internal structure. A computational strategy
Neural Correlates of Lexical Access during Visual Word Recognition

People can discriminate real words from nonwords even when the latter are orthographically and phonologically word-like, presumably because words activate specific lexical and/or semantic information. We investigated the neural correlates of this identification process using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants performed a visual lexical decision task under conditions that encouraged specific word identification: Nonwords were matched to words on orthographic and phonologic characteristics, and accuracy was emphasized over speed. To identify neural responses associated with activation of nonsemantic lexical information, processing of words and nonwords with many lexical neighbors was contrasted with processing of items with no neighbors. The fMRI data showed robust differences in activation by words and word-like nonwords, with stronger word activation occurring in a distributed, left hemisphere network previously associated with semantic processing, and stronger nonword activation occurring in a posterior inferior frontal area previously associated with grapheme-to-phoneme mapping. Contrary to lexicon-based models of word recognition, there were no brain areas in which activation increased with neighborhood size. For words, activation in the left prefrontal, angular gyrus, and ventrolateral temporal areas was stronger for items without neighbors, probably because accurate responses to these items were more dependent on activation of semantic information. The results show neural correlates of access to specific word information. The absence of facilitatory lexical neighborhood effects on activation in these brain regions argues for an interpretation in terms of semantic access. Because subjects performed the same task throughout, the results are unlikely to be due to task-specific attentional, strategic, or expectancy effects.
Preparation, characterization, and transfection efficiency of low molecular weight polyethylenimine-based nanoparticles for delivery of the plasmid encoding CD200 gene

Various strategies have been utilized to improve both gene transfer efficiency and cell-induced toxicity of polyethylenimine (PEI), the most extensively investigated cationic polymeric vector. In this study, we sought to enhance transfection efficiency of low molecular weight PEI (LMW PEI) while maintaining its low toxicity by cross-linking LMW PEI via succinic acid linker. These modifications were designed to improve the hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance of the polymer, by enhancing the buffering capacity and maintaining low cytotoxic effects of the final conjugate. Decreased expression of CD200 in the central nervous system has been considered as one of the proposed mechanisms associated with neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis; therefore, we selected plasmid-encoding CD200 gene for transfection using the modified PEI derivatives. Dynamic light scattering experiments demonstrated that the modified PEIs were able to condense plasmid DNA and form polyplexes with a size of approximately 130 nm. The highest level of CD200 expression was achieved at a carrier to plasmid ratio of 8, where the expression level was increased by 1.5 fold in the SH-SY5Y cell line, an in vitro model of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, the results of in vivo imaging of the LMW PEI-based nanoparticles in the mouse model of multiple sclerosis revealed that fluorescently labeled plasmid encoding CD200 was distributed from the injection site to various tissues and organs including lymph nodes, liver, brain, and finally, kidneys. The nanoparticles also showed the ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and enter the periventricular area.
Marijuana use and serum testosterone concentrations among U.S. males

Marijuana has been reported to have several effects on the male reproductive system. Marijuana has previously been linked to reduced adult testosterone, however, a study in Denmark reported increased testosterone concentrations among marijuana users. This study was performed to estimate the effect of marijuana use on testosterone in U.S. males. Data on serum testosterone, marijuana use, and covariates for 1577 men from the 2011–2012 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Information on marijuana use was collected by a self‐administered computer‐assisted questionnaire. Serum testosterone was determined using isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The effects of marijuana use on serum testosterone concentrations were examined by frequency, duration, and recency of use. Adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of serum testosterone across levels of marijuana use were estimated using multiple linear regression weighted by the survey weights. The majority (66.2%) of the weighted study population reported ever using marijuana with 26.6% reporting current marijuana use. There was no difference in serum testosterone between ever users (adjusted mean = 3.69 ng/mL, 95% CI: 3.46, 3.93) and never users (adjusted mean = 3.70 ng/mL, 95% CI: 3.45, 3.98) upon multivariable analysis. However, serum testosterone was inversely associated with time since last regular use of marijuana (p‐value for trend = 0.02). When restricted to men aged 18–29 years, this relationship strengthened (p‐value for trend <0.01), and serum testosterone was also inversely associated with time since last use (p‐value for trend <0.01), indicating that recency of use, and not duration or frequency, had the strongest relationship with testosterone levels. Serum testosterone concentrations were higher in men with more recent marijuana use. Studies are needed to determine the extent to which circulating testosterone concentrations mediate the relationship of marijuana use with male reproductive outcomes.
Reminiscence functions over time: consistency of self functions and variation of prosocial functions

ABSTRACT The current study examines the temporal stability of the tripartite model of reminiscence functions in which eight separate reminiscence functions map onto three second-order factors which contribute significantly to measurement of an overarching reminiscence latent construct. We collected online responses from 411 adults 50+ years of age. Confirmatory factor analytic models were computed at three points of data collection over 16 months. Invariance analyses were next undertaken to simultaneously compare the measurement properties to assess within-person stability of reminiscence functions over time. The tripartite structure of reminiscence functions was replicated at each point of data collection. As hypothesised, self-positive and self-negative functions are consistent across points of data collection, whereas prosocial functions vary over time. The temporal stability of the self functions may be attributed to enduring characteristics of the individual such as personality traits and life attitudes, as well as their solitary nature. Previous research indicates that consistency of self-positive reminiscence functions has ensuing benefits for physical health and psychological well-being; the opposite is true for self-negative functions. The temporal variation of prosocial functions may be due to the varying availability of others to share memories and their responsiveness to the emotional context.
“Hosting” an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A phenomenological inquiry

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can reduce unexpected cardiac mortality, but they also have a dramatic impact on a patient's quality of life. We aimed to explore ICD recipients' experiences in order to foster improvements in the quality of care. Analyses were done using a descriptive phenomenological method, based on qualitative interview data from a purposive sample of 20 ICD recipients. Four main themes emerged: living with fear; relying on technology; knowing about the ICD and how to live with it; and coping with the effects of the ICD on daily life. ICD recipients lived in a constant state of fear due to the presence of the device and the uncertainty related to the potential electrical shocks it could deliver. This fear was compounded by changes that severely affected the quality of their daily life. ICD recipients felt they were always on the brink of death, and that although they received sufficient technical information they did not feel they received meaningful information to help them accept, live with, and cope with the device. Emotional information and support, rather than technical information, must be provided to ICD recipients to give them the ability to cope with the everyday threats they perceive because of the device. Qualitative evidence may help professionals tackle known threats to patients' quality of life and increase the quality of care.