Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) on morphology, crystallization, mechanical and thermal behaviour of PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence and absence of dual compatibilizer

Abstract Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) filled 80/20 (wt/wt) polypropylene (PP)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends and its composites in presence and absence of dual compatibilizer (polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA), and styrene-ethylene, butylene-styrene triblock copolymer grafted with maleic anhydrite (SEBS-g-MA)) have been prepared using twin screw extruder followed by injection moulding. Significant refinements in dispersed ABS droplets diameter and interparticle distance between dispersed ABS droplets were observed in case of HNTs filled 80/20 (wt/wt) PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence of PP-g-MA and SEBS-g-MA. This has resulted in significant enhancement in tensile and impact properties of HNTs filled 80/20 (wt/wt) PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence of PP-g-MA and SEBS-g-MA. Refinement in morphology of dispersed ABS phase results in decrease in crystallinity of HNTs filled 80/20 (wt/wt) PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence of PP-g-MA and SEBS-g-MA. In addition, HNTs act as heterogeneous nucleating agent for the growth of PP crystals, and hence crystallization rate of HNTs filled 80/20 (wt/wt) PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence and absence of PP-g-MA and SEBS-g-MA increases. Thermal stability also increases in case of HNTs filled 80/20 (wt/wt) PP/ABS blends and its composites in presence and absence of PP-g-MA and SEBS-g-MA.
Functional Differences in Ionic Regulation between Alternatively Spliced Isoforms of the Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger from Drosophila melanogaster

Ion transport and regulation were studied in two, alternatively spliced isoforms of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger from Drosophila melanogaster. These exchangers, designated CALX1.1 and CALX1.2, differ by five amino acids in a region where alternative splicing also occurs in the mammalian Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, NCX1. The CALX isoforms were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and characterized electrophysiologically using the giant, excised patch clamp technique. Outward Na+-Ca2+ exchange currents, where pipette Ca2+ o exchanges for bath Na+ i, were examined in all cases. Although the isoforms exhibited similar transport properties with respect to their Na+ i affinities and current–voltage relationships, significant differences were observed in their Na+ i- and Ca2+ i-dependent regulatory properties. Both isoforms underwent Na+ i-dependent inactivation, apparent as a time-dependent decrease in outward exchange current upon Na+ i application. We observed a two- to threefold difference in recovery rates from this inactive state and the extent of Na+ i-dependent inactivation was approximately twofold greater for CALX1.2 as compared with CALX1.1. Both isoforms showed regulation of Na+-Ca2+ exchange activity by Ca2+ i, but their responses to regulatory Ca2+ i differed markedly. For both isoforms, the application of cytoplasmic Ca2+ i led to a decrease in outward exchange currents. This negative regulation by Ca2+ i is unique to Na+-Ca2+ exchangers from Drosophila, and contrasts to the positive regulation produced by cytoplasmic Ca2+ for all other characterized Na+-Ca2+ exchangers. For CALX1.1, Ca2+ i inhibited peak and steady state currents almost equally, with the extent of inhibition being ≈80%. In comparison, the effects of regulatory Ca2+ i occurred with much higher affinity for CALX1.2, but the extent of these effects was greatly reduced (≈20–40% inhibition). For both exchangers, the effects of regulatory Ca2+ i occurred by a direct mechanism and indirectly through effects on Na+ i-induced inactivation. Our results show that regulatory Ca2+ i decreases Na+ i-induced inactivation of CALX1.2, whereas it stabilizes the Na+ i-induced inactive state of CALX1.1. These effects of Ca2+ i produce striking differences in regulation between CALX isoforms. Our findings indicate that alternative splicing may play a significant role in tailoring the regulatory profile of CALX isoforms and, possibly, other Na+-Ca2+ exchange proteins.
Utilization of Fly Ash, Red Mud, and Electric Arc Furnace Dust Slag for Geopolymer

Geopolymer is an aluminosilicate material that can be prepared from thermal activation of solid material containing alumina and silica as precursor and alkali activator solution. The precursor is an eco-friendly material and has a potency to replace Portland cement (cementless material). In this work, cementless geopolymer mortar was prepared by mixing fly ash as main precursors, red mud, and electric arc furnace dust slag, followed by addition of activator solution containing sodium hydroxide solution and waterglass. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy demonstrated the formation of albite in geopolymer mortars, indicating that geopolymer mortars have been successfully formed. The best compressive strength of mortars was 72.80 MPa achieved by using fly ash and red mud with NaOH 12M under ambient curing.
Acute Myocardial Infarction Mortality During Dates of National Interventional Cardiology Meetings

Background Previous research has found that patients with acute cardiovascular conditions treated in teaching hospitals have lower 30‐day mortality during dates of national cardiology meetings. Methods and Results We analyzed 30‐day mortality among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (overall, ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction, and non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction) from January 1, 2007, to November 31, 2012, in major teaching hospitals during dates of a major annual interventional cardiology meeting (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) compared with identical nonmeeting days in the ±5 weeks. Treatment differences were assessed. We used a database of US physicians to compare interventional cardiologists who practiced and did not practice during meeting dates (“stayers” and “attendees,” respectively) in terms of demographic characteristics and clinical and research productivity. Unadjusted and adjusted 30‐day mortality rates were lower among patients admitted during meeting versus nonmeeting dates (unadjusted, 15.3% [482/3153] versus 16.7% [5208/31 556] [P=0.04]; adjusted, 15.4% versus 16.7%; difference −1.3% [95% confidence interval, −2.7% to −0.1%] [P=0.05]). Rates of interventional cardiologist involvement were similar between dates (59.5% versus 59.8% of hospitalizations; P=0.88), as were percutaneous coronary intervention rates (30.2% versus 29.1%; P=0.20). Mortality reductions were largest among patients with non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction not receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (16.9% versus 19.5% adjusted 30‐day mortality; P=0.008). Compared with stayers, attendees were of similar age and sex, but had greater publications (18.9 versus 6.3; P<0.001), probability of National Institutes of Health funding (5.3% versus 0.4%; P<0.001), and clinical trial leadership (10.3% versus 3.9%; P<0.001), and they performed more percutaneous coronary interventions annually (85.6 versus 63.3; P<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalization with acute myocardial infarction during Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics meeting dates was associated with lower 30‐day mortality, predominantly among patients with non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction who were medically managed.
Structural and electronic properties of InNxP1-x alloy in full range (0 ≤ x ≤1)

Abstract We have performed first-principles method to investigate structural and electronic properties of InNxP1−x ternary semiconductor alloy in full range (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) using density functional theory. We have used modified Becke–Johnson potential to obtain accurate band gap results. From the electronic band structure calculation we have found that InNxP1−x become metal between 47 and 80% of nitrogen concentration. Additional to our band gap calculations, we have also used the band anticrossing model. The band anticrossing model supplies a simple, analytical expression to calculate the physical properties, such as the electronic and optical properties, of III-NxV1−x alloys. The knowledge of the electron density of states is required to understand and clarify some properties of materials such as the band structures, bonding character and dielectric function. In order to have a deeper understanding of these properties of the studied materials, the total and partial density of states has been calculated. Finally, we have calculated the total bowing parameter b of studied alloys, together with three contributions bVD, bCE, and bSR due to volume deformation, different atomic electron negativities and structural relaxation, respectively.
Stochastic Damage Constitutive Model for Concrete Considering Strain Rate Effect

The present work concentrates on the model of concrete under dynamic loading. The stochastic damage constitutive model for concrete under static loading developed by the authors’ research group is firstly reviewed in this paper. The strain rate effect is considered as viscous effect so that the dynamic generalization of the static model could be developed by analogy with viscous-plastic theory. Combined with static damage expressions, the frame work of dynamic stochastic damage constitutive relationship for concrete is established. The analytical expression of dynamic increase factor (DIF) of peak stresses under tension and compression are derived according to the present dynamic damage model. Several simulation results of concrete under static as well as dynamic loading are provided to demonstrate its capacity of reproducing the salient features experimentally observed.
Atrogin-1 and MuRF1 regulate cardiac MyBP-C levels via different mechanisms.

AIMS Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) is frequently caused by cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) gene mutations, which should result in C-terminal truncated mutants. However, truncated mutants were not detected in myocardial tissue of FHC patients and were rapidly degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) after gene transfer in cardiac myocytes. Since the diversity and specificity of UPS regulation lie in E3 ubiquitin ligases, we investigated whether the muscle-specific E3 ligases atrogin-1 or muscle ring finger protein-1 (MuRF1) mediate degradation of truncated cMyBP-C. METHODS AND RESULTS Human wild-type (WT) and truncated (M7t, resulting from a human mutation) cMyBP-C species were co-immunoprecipitated with atrogin-1 after adenoviral overexpression in cardiac myocytes, and WT-cMyBP-C was identified as an interaction partner of MuRF1 by yeast two-hybrid screens. Overexpression of atrogin-1 in cardiac myocytes decreased the protein level of M7t-cMyBP-C by 80% and left WT-cMyBP-C level unaffected. This was rescued by proteasome inhibition. In contrast, overexpression of MuRF1 in cardiac myocytes not only reduced the protein level of WT- and M7t-cMyBP-C by >60%, but also the level of myosin heavy chains (MHCs) by >40%, which were not rescued by proteasome inhibition. Both exogenous cMyBP-C and endogenous MHC mRNA levels were markedly reduced by MuRF1 overexpression. Similar to cardiac myocytes, MuRF1-overexpressing (TG) mice exhibited 40% lower levels of MHC mRNAs and proteins. Protein levels of cMyBP-C were 29% higher in MuRF1 knockout and 34% lower in TG than in WT, without a corresponding change in mRNA levels. CONCLUSION These data suggest that atrogin-1 specifically targets truncated M7t-cMyBP-C, but not WT-cMyBP-C, for proteasomal degradation and that MuRF1 indirectly reduces cMyBP-C levels by regulating the transcription of MHC.
Integrated Fossil and Molecular Data Reveal the Biogeographic Diversification of the Eastern Asian-Eastern North American Disjunct Hickory Genus (Carya Nutt.)

The hickory genus (Carya) contains ca. 17 species distributed in subtropical and tropical regions of eastern Asia and subtropical to temperate regions of eastern North America. Previously, the phylogenetic relationships between eastern Asian and eastern North American species of Carya were not fully confirmed even with an extensive sampling, biogeographic and diversification patterns had thus never been investigated in a phylogenetic context. We sampled 17 species of Carya and 15 species representing all other genera of the Juglandaceae as outgroups, with eight nuclear and plastid loci to reconstruct the phylogeny of Carya. The phylogenetic positions of seven extinct genera of the Juglandaceae were inferred using morphological characters and the molecular phylogeny as a backbone constraint. Divergence times within Carya were estimated with relaxed Bayesian dating. Biogeographic analyses were performed in DIVA and LAGRANGE. Diversification rates were inferred by LASER and APE packages. Our results support two major clades within Carya, corresponding to the lineages of eastern Asia and eastern North America. The split between the two disjunct clades is estimated to be 21.58 (95% HPD 11.07-35.51) Ma. Genus-level DIVA and LAGRANGE analyses incorporating both extant and extinct genera of the Juglandaceae suggested that Carya originated in North America, and migrated to Eurasia during the early Tertiary via the North Atlantic land bridge. Fragmentation of the distribution caused by global cooling in the late Tertiary resulted in the current disjunction. The diversification rate of hickories in eastern North America appeared to be higher than that in eastern Asia, which is ascribed to greater ecological opportunities, key morphological innovations, and polyploidy.
Study on mechanical and wear characterization of novel Co30Cr4Mo biomedical alloy with added nickel under dry and wet sliding conditions using Taguchi approach

This paper investigates the effect of nickel particulate on mechanical behavior and sliding wear performance of novel Co30Cr4Mo alloy for orthopedic hip implant application with and without an introduction of distilled water (i.e. both dry and wet conditions) medium. The mechanical behavior is examined by the micro-hardness tester and the compression testing machine, while the wear performance is analyzed through a pin-on-disc tribometer where the samples slide against a counter disc made up of hardened alloy steel (EN-31) under different operating conditions at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction are used to examine the surface morphology, worn surface profile, and cross-sectional microstructure of the fabricated alloy (Co30Cr4Mo) composite. In this study, at the beginning, steady state experimental analysis is carried out to find the volumetric wear loss and friction coefficient by varying the sliding velocity and normal load, respectively. After obtaining the steady state results, the Taguchi design of experiment has been conducted followed by statistical analysis of variance to identify the significant factor setting for obtaining better performance output. From the analysis, it is found that by increasing the nickel wt. %, the hardness and the compression strength of the fabricated alloy composites are increased. Furthermore, the fabricated alloy composite with 1 wt. % Ni shows the better wear resistance under different operating conditions in both dry and wet media. This study will give an idea for hip implant application but not direct replacement of human joints. In future, this study may be extended in more detail for biomedical applications for replacement of either human hip implant or animal implant, respectively.
Gender-Based Violence and Armed Conflict

The high prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in armed conflict has been documented in various national contexts, but less is known about the complex pathways that constitute the relation between the two. Employing a community-based collaborative approach, we constructed a community-informed socioecological conceptual model from a feminist perspective, detailing how armed conflict relates to GBV in a conflict-affected rural community in Northeastern Uganda. The research questions were as follows: (1) How does the community conceptualize GBV? and (2) How does armed conflict relate to GBV? Nine focus group discussions divided by gender, age, and profession and six key informant interviews were conducted. Participants’ ages ranged from 9 to 80 years (n = 34 girls/women, n = 43 boys/men). Grounded theory was used in analysis. Participants conceptualized eight forms of and 22 interactive variables that contributed to GBV. Armed conflict affected physical violence/quarreling, sexual violence, early marriage, and land grabbing via a direct pathway and four indirect pathways initiated through looting of resources, militarization of the community, death of a parent(s) or husband, and sexual violence. The findings suggest that community, organizational, and policy-level interventions, which include attention to intersecting vulnerabilities for exposure to GBV in conflict-affected settings, should be prioritized. While tertiary psychological interventions with women and girls affected by GBV in these areas should not be eliminated, we suggest that policy makers and members of community and organizational efforts make systemic and structural changes. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub. com/page/pwq/suppl/index
Predictors of Survival After Deep Vein

Results: During 14 629 person-years of follow-up, 1333 patients died. Seven-day, 30-day, and 1-year VTE survival rates were 74.8% (DVT, 96.2%; PE ± DVT, 59.1%), 72.0% (DVT,94.5%;PE ± DVT,55.6%),and63.6%(DVT,85.4%; PE ± DVT,47.7%),respectively.ObservedsurvivalafterDVT, PE ± DVT,andoverallwassignificantlyworsethanexpected forMinnesotawhitesof similarageandsex(P,.001). More than one third of deaths occurred on the date of onset or afterVTEthatwasunrecognizedduringlife.Short-termsurvival improvedduringthe25-yearstudyperiod,while longterm survival was unchanged. After adjusting for comorbidconditions,PE ± DVTwasan independentpredictorof reduced survival for up to 3 months after onset compared withDVTalone.Otherindependentpredictorsofbothshortand long-term survival included age, body mass index, patient location at onset, malignancy, congestive heart failure, neurologic disease, chronic lung disease, recent surgery, and hormone therapy. Additional independent predictorsoflong-termsurvivalincludedtobaccosmoking,other cardiac disease, and chronic renal disease.
The association of adverse pregnancy events and cardiovascular disease in women 50 years of age and older.

OBJECTIVE This study investigates the association between a prior history of pregnancy complications and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Kentucky women aged ≥50 years. METHODS Data were analyzed from participants (n = 3909) in the Kentucky Women's Health Registry (2006-2008). Primary outcomes were self-reported prevalence of CVD, including angina, heart attack, heart failure, and arrhythmia. Pregnancy complications used as predictors were preterm labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and third trimester bleeding. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between prevalence of CVD and pregnancy complications, controlling for age, education, and smoking status. RESULTS Overall, 199 (5.1%) women reported angina, 79 (2.0%) reported heart attack, 44 (1.1%) reported heart failure, and 642 (16.4%) reported arrhythmia. One pregnancy complication was reported by 614 (15.7%) women, and two or more complications were reported by 130 (3.3%) women. In regression models adjusting for age, education, and smoking, compared to women who were never pregnant, women with no pregnancy complications had a similar risk of reporting heart attack (odds ratio [OR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-2.7), but women with one pregnancy complication (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.03-6.0) and two or more complications (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.4-10.6) had an increased risk. Similar results were seen for angina and arrhythmia, but not heart failure. CONCLUSIONS Women who experience pregnancy complications are more likely to report prevalent CVD (including angina, heart attack, and arrhythmia), suggesting a link between adverse pregnancy events and CVD. Pregnancy complications may serve as signals for future CVD, presenting an opportunity for early intervention and prevention.
Uniqueness of the Trautman-Bondi mass

It is shown that the only functionals, within a natural class, which are monotonic in time for all solutions of the vacuum Einstein equations admitting a smooth “piece” of conformal null infinity J ( , are those depending on the metric only through a specific combination of the Bondi ‘mass aspect’ and other next–to–leading order terms in the metric. Under the extra condition of passive BMS invariance, the unique such functional (up to a multiplicative factor) is the Trautman–Bondi energy. It is also shown that this energy remains well-defined for a wide class of ‘polyhomogeneous’ metrics.
MMP-14 aggravates onset of severe preeclampsia by mediating soluble endoglin release.

OBJECTIVE Gestational hypertension is a pregnancy complication that serious damages the maternal and child health. Early onset severe preeclampsia accounts for about 0.9% of the gestational hypertension disease. Conservative treatment is proposed in recent years to early onset severe preeclampsia through delay delivery. Therefore, it is particularly important to explore the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia. Soluble endoglin (sEng) has been identified as a central factor to induce endothelium dysfunction of preeclampsia, while its specific mechanism is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS Matrix metallopeptidase 14 (MMP-14) and endoglin expressions and tissue localization in the placenta of preeclampsia and premature were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Endoglin level, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), and urinary protein/creatinine ratio were analyzed for correlation to investigate their relationship and the influence of endoglin on eclampsia severity. MMP specific or broad spectrum inhibitor combining MMP-14 siRNA were used in JAR cell line BeWo to explore the regulatory role of MMP-14 on endoglin. RESULTS MMP-14, endoglin, and sEng expression levels significantly increased in the placenta of severe preeclampsia patients. MMP-14 and endoglin exhibited expression co-localization. Endoglin expression was positively correlated with the severity of eclampsia. MMP-14 directly mediated the release of sEng. CONCLUSIONS MMP-14 aggravated the onset of severe preeclampsia by mediating sEng release. MMP-14 was proposed as the effective target for the treatment of severe preeclampsia. Blocking the interaction between MMP-14 and endothelial protein may be an important treatment method.
The Alternate Arm Converter (AAC)—“Short-Overlap” Mode Operation—Analysis and Design Parameter Selection

This paper presents converter operation principles and theoretical analyses for “short-overlap” mode operation of the alternate arm converter (AAC), which is a type of modular multilevel voltage source converter that has been proposed for HVdc transmission applications. Fourier series expressions for the ideal arm current and reference voltage are derived, for the first time, in order to develop an expression for the submodule capacitance required to give a selected peak–peak voltage ripple of the summed submodule capacitor voltages in an arm. The dc converter current contains nonnegligible low-order even harmonics; this is verified by deriving, for the first time, a Fourier series expression for this current. As the dc converter current needs to be filtered to form a smooth dc grid current, a novel dc filter arrangement is proposed, which uses the characteristics of a simplified dc cable model, as well as the capacitance of the dc link and additional dc-link damping resistance, in order to form a passive low-pass filter. Results obtained from a simulation model, which is based on an industrial HVdc demonstrator, are used in order to verify the presented converter operation principles and theoretical analyses.