Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FEM and performance analysis of 10 kW HTS generator with flux pump excitation

High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) based rotating electrical machines offer the advantages of lighter weight, smaller size, better efficiency and lower noise compared to conventional machines. For a generator with HTS rotor, the interaction between the cryogenic rotor and non-cryogenic room environment occurs because of the use of feedthrough current leads to excite the field in the machine. The use of flux pump for exciting the field system of HTS coil will avoid a physical link between the cryogenic and non-cryogenic environment. This reduces the thermal load on the system. This paper presents Finite Element Modelling (FEM) based study on the steady state performance of HTS synchronous generator with flux pump excitation. The experimental results of a single stator HTS flux pump are used as the input for exciting the field of HTS synchronous generator in ANSYS simulation environment. Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) calculations are performed on the output phase voltage of the generator. A comparison between steel and G10-FRP (Fibre Reinforced Polymer) as stator material is made. Choice of G10 as a stator material leads to smaller THD values.
Direct evidence for human use of plants 28,000 years ago: starch residues on stone artefacts from the northern Solomon Islands

The excavation of Kilu Cave and the discovery of a Pleistocene prehistory for the Solomon Islands have already been reported in ANTIQUITY by Wickler & Spriggs (62: 703–6). Residue analysis of stone artefacts from the site now provides the earliest direct evidence for the prehistoric use of root vegetables, in the form of starch grains and crystalline raphides identifiable to genus. The direct microscopic identification of starch grains opens new avenues for the study of the plant component of human diets in the distant past.
Effectiveness of HIV risk reduction initiatives among out-of-treatment non-injection drug users.

While attention has been paid recently to the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS interventions among injection drug users, less focus has been given to out-of-treatment noninjecting drug users. This study examines the the NIDA Cooperative Agreement standard intervention versus an enhanced intervention for HIV/AIDS risk among noninjecting drug users. Data come from five sites of the NIDA-funded Cooperative Agreement on HIV risk behaviors. The sample is comprised of those who never injected drugs or reported not injecting in the 12 months prior to the interview; and who completed a three-month follow-up assessment. Three risk behaviors in the prior 30 days were analyzed: frequency of crack/cocaine use, number of sex partners, and frequency of condom use. The levels of both baseline and follow-up risk were analyzed. Individuals remaining at low risk or decreasing risk behaviors were classified as "improved. " Those increasing risk behavior or remaining at moderate or high levels were classified as "worsened. " Of the 1,434 noninjecting crack/cocaine users, 82% improved crack/cocaine use at the follow-up. The enhanced intervention group showed more improvement in crack/cocaine use than the standard intervention group. Overall, 76% reported reducing sexual partners, maintaining a one-partner relationship, or abstaining from sex at both time periods. Women in the enhanced intervention group improved more than women in the standard intervention (81% versus 75%). In terms of condom use, more respondents worsened than improved (55% versus 45%). This study confirms that HIV/AIDS interventions can reduce crack/cocaine use; however, high-risk sexual behaviors are more difficult to change. Reasons for this lack of improvement and suggestions for future interventions are discussed.
Characteristics of an arc-seeded microwave plasma torch

The design and operation of a portable microwave plasma torch is presented. An arc plasma torch running at 60 Hz and generated by a torch module is installed on the bottom wall in the narrow section of a tapered S-band rectangular cavity, and is used to seed the microwave discharge at the location where the microwave electric field is at a maximum. This tapered cavity is designed to support the TE/sub 103/ mode. With seeding, only low Q cavity and moderate microwave power (time average power of 700 W) are needed. The microwave-enhanced discharge increases the size, cycle energy, and duty cycle of the torch plasma considerably. This torch can be run without introducing gas flow to stabilize the arc and microwave discharges. Adding gas flow can increase not only the size of the torch plasma, but also its cycle energy which reaches a plateau of about 12 J/per cycle for a gas flow rate exceeding 0.393 l/s. The electron density and excitation temperature, and the composition of torch species are determined by emission spectroscopy. It is shown that, at the bottom of the torch close to the cavity wall, electrons distribute quite uniformly across the core of the torch with density and excitation temperature determined to be about 7/spl times/10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/ and 8000 K, respectively. It is also found that this torch produces an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen.
One design of ideal vehicle models in adaptive steering driver-vehicle systems

If the dynamics of combined vehicles such as tractor-semitrailer varies greatly, it may be very difficult for inexperienced drivers to achieve good handling stability. Moreover, once combined vehicles become unstable, it is very difficult for all drivers to stabilize vehicles. However, if the behavior of actual combined vehicles tracks the designed ideal vehicle models, the good handling property can be maintained even when the dynamics of actual combined vehicles varies largely. In this paper, to achieve good handling property even for large variation of vehicle dynamics, a design method of ideal vehicle model for driver-vehicle systems is proposed, then, an adaptive steering controller is developed so that the actual vehicle tracks the ideal vehicle model. In the adaptive steering driver-vehicle systems, the actual vehicle can track the ideal vehicle model even when the dynamics of actual combined vehicles varies large. Using this property of adaptive steering driver-vehicle systems, the ideal vehicle model can be designed easily for different characteristics of driver. Carrying out numerical simulations, it is shown that good handling performance can be achieved when the actual vehicle tracks the designed ideal vehicle model.
Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis

Abstract In utero infection with Toxoplasma gondii may result in congenital defects such as hydrocephalus, chorioretinitis and mental retardation; these defects may be present at birth or may develop later in life. Prevention of this disease can be achieved in different ways. The most effective measure is to prevent the acquisition of the disease during pregnancy by avoiding risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection. Health education may decrease the incidence of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy by 60%. A second preventive measure is based on serologic screening during pregnancy to identify infected women. Treatment during pregnancy results in a significant reduction in the incidence of sequelae including severe handicaps. A third possible intervention is treating infected neonates. Antibiotic treatment of infected children has a beneficial effect on the development of sequelae and the sooner therapy is started after birth, the better the outcome. This overview presents the potential benefits and harms of these different options available for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis.
Occupational dermatitis in a prefabrication construction factory

In a field study of Occupational Dermatoses in a prefabrication construction factory, 272 workers were interviewed, examined and patch tested to chromate, cobalt, nickel, rubber mixes, epoxy resin, melamine formaldehyde and conplasts. The prevalence occupational dermatitis was 14% (38/272); 57% (22/38) were irritant dermatitis from cement; 39.5% (15/38) were allergic contact dermatitis from cement (2 with concomitant rubber glove allergy); and 2.5% (1/38) were allergic to rubber chemicals in gloves. The overall prevalence of chromate sensitivity was 8.5% (23/272), with the highest rate from the concreting bays of the factory. The rate was unrelated to the duration of workers’engagement in construction work. 34.8% (8/23) had asymptomatic chromate allergy. The prevalence of cobalt reactions was 17.4% (4/23) and all were associated with chromate allergy.
Fabrication and biocompatibility of novel bilayer scaffold for skin tissue engineering applications

In this study, a novel bilayer scaffold composed of electrospun polycaprolactone and poly(lacto-co-glycolic acid) (PCL/PLGA) membrane and glutaraldehyde (3.5% v/v) cross-linked chitosan/gelatin hydrogel was fabricated using two methods: electrospinning of the membrane onto the lyophilized hydrogel (BS-1) and membrane underlaying and casting method (BS-2). The morphology of the fabricated scaffolds was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Mechanical strength, porosity, swelling capacity, and biodegradation rates of the scaffolds were also characterized. The in vitro biocompatibility of the materials was investigated by assessing cytotoxicity and cell proliferation on the material was measured using MTT assay. In addition, cell adhesion on the material was investigated by SEM. The BS-2 was grafted in Sprague-Dawley rats to determine its in vivo behavior and biocompatibility. The experimental results showed that the addition of the membrane layer to the hydrogel decreased swelling and degradation rates and provided ease of handling during implantation. Grafted BS-2 showed normal wound healing and no major inflammatory reaction was observed.
Soft Tissue Reconstruction Using Vascularized Tissue Transplantation Following Resection of Musculoskeletal Sarcoma: Evaluation of Oncologic and Functional Outcomes in 55 Cases

Oncologic resection of musculoskeletal sarcoma sometimes requires reconstruction with vascularized soft tissue transplantation. To date, few reports have described treatment outcomes of such cases. In the present study, 55 cases were enrolled to examine oncologic/functional outcomes, complications, and the risks for poor results. Five-year local recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and total survival rates were 83.0%, 87.6%, and 79.8%, respectively. In univariate analysis, bone origin was a risk for local recurrence. Local recurrence, inadequate margin, and trunk location were risks for metastasis, and inadequate margin and trunk location were risks for total survival. In multivariate analysis, local recurrence represented an independent risk for metastasis. The mean functional rating (Enneking) was 85.6%. Infection, distant metastasis, local recurrence, and prolonged operation time were risks for poor function. Use of artificial materials revealed a risk for infection. The results suggested that adequate margin and prevention of infection were critical to ensure excellent outcome.
Causes of fever and pulmonary densities in patients with clinical manifestations of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

BACKGROUND Ventilator-associated pneumonia, a leading cause of sepsis in patients with acute respiratory failure, is difficult to distinguish clinically from other processes affecting patients receiving mechanical ventilation. We conducted a prospective study of patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia to identify the causes of fever and densities on chest radiographs and to evaluate the diagnostic yield and efficiency of tests used alone and in combination. METHODS The 50 patients entered into the study underwent a systematic diagnostic protocol designed to identify all potential causes of fever and pulmonary densities. Diagnoses responsible for fever were established by strict diagnostic criteria for 45 of the 50 patients. The prevalence of specific conditions and diagnostic yield of individual tests were used to formulate a simplified diagnostic protocol. RESULTS The diagnostic protocol identified 78 causes of fever (median 2 per patient). Infections were the leading causes of fever and pulmonary densities. Of the 45 patients with fever, 37 had one or more infections identified (67 sources). Most infections (84 percent) were one of four types:pneumonia, sinusitis, catheter-related infection, or urinary tract infection. Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurred in only 42 percent. All but nine infections (87 percent) were directly or indirectly related to insertion of a catheter or a tube. Concomitant infections were frequent (62 percent), particularly in patients with sinusitis (100 percent), catheter-related infections (93 percent), and pneumonia (74 percent). Of concomitant infections, 60 percent were caused by a different pathogen. Noninfectious causes of fever were more common in the 22 patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Histologically proved pulmonary fibroproliferation was the only cause of fever in 25 percent of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Radiographic densities were caused by an infection in only 20 patients (19 pneumonia, 1 empyema). In more than 50 percent of the 25 patients without adult respiratory distress syndrome, congestive heart failure, and atelectasis were the sole causes of pulmonary densities, and fever always originated from an extrapulmonary site of infection. Used in combination, bronchoscopy with protected sampling, computed tomographic scan of the sinuses, and cultures of maxillary sinus aspirate, central intravenous or arterial lines, urine, and blood identified 58 of the 78 sources of fever (74 percent). CONCLUSIONS The observations in this study document the complex nature of acute respiratory failure and fever and underscore the need for accuracy in diagnosis. The frequent occurrence of multiple infectious and noninfectious processes justifies a systematic search for source of fever, using a comprehensive diagnostic protocol. A simplified diagnostic protocol was devised based on the diagnostic value of individual tests.
Attraktivität einer landwirtschaftlichen Tätigkeit – Einflussfaktoren und Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten

Nach allen demografischen Prognosen wird die produktive Bevolkerung in Deutschland stark sinken. Damit stellt sich fur die Landwirtschaft die Frage, wie in der Zukunft eine ausreichende Versorgung mit qualifizierten Kraften gewahrleistet werden kann. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurden Fach- und Hochschuler, landwirtschaftliche und nicht-landwirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmer sowie landwirtschaftliche Unternehmer zu ihren Praferenzen und Wahrnehmungen befragt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen erstens, dass Ausenstehende eine landwirtschaftliche Tatigkeit im Vergleich zu den Wahrnehmungen von landwirtschaftlich Beschaftigten zu negativ einschatzen und zum Beispiel die zeitlichen Zwange des landwirtschaftlichen Arbeitsplatzes uberschatzen. Zweitens, Beschaftigte in der Landwirtschaft sehen hohe nicht-okonomische Vorteile ihres Arbeitsplatzes und sind mit ihrer Tatigkeit deutlich zufriedener als Arbeitnehmer auserhalb der Landwirtschaft. Drittens, es gibt wirksame und weniger wirksame Moglichkeiten, uber das „Drauflegen eines Euros“ die Attraktivitat der landwirtschaftlichen Tatigkeit zu steigern. Eine Erhohung des Gehalts lost eine nahezu proportional erhohte Bereitschaft aus, die Jahresarbeitszeit durch eine hohere Wochenarbeitszeit zu erhohen. Dieselbe Gehaltserhohung fuhrt zu einer deutlich unterproportional erhohten Bereitschaft, die Jahresarbeitszeit uber eine Reduzierung des Urlaubs zu erhohen. Eine effektive Information zu den Chancen und Arbeitsbedingungen in der Landwirtschaft ist von besonderer Bedeutung, da bei Jugendlichen und damit potenziellen Nachwuchskraften die Aussichten einer agrarbezogenen Ausbildung am Arbeitsmarkt und die grose Bandbreite moglicher Betatigungsfelder nicht ausreichend bekannt sind.
Lessons Not Learned from the Generalist Initiatives

The grouping of the primary care specialties (general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and family medicine) for research purposes is at best limiting the value of the information that is found and, at worst, leading researchers to erroneous conclusions. For example, three large studies each showed differences in abilities to predict students' specialty choices in primary care (e.g., in one study, the investigators correctly predicted 3% of those choosing general internal medicine, 29% considering general pediatrics, and 51% considering family medicine). These and related findings suggest that medical students entering the three primary care specialties are not a homogeneous group. While there were some factors predictive for all primary care specialties, there were more factors that were unique to the individual specialties Grouping the specialties may not reveal factors that are significantly related to only one of the specialties. In addition, when a variable operates in different ways for different specialties, findings where the specialties are combined can show a reduced effect of that variable or even no effect, because the directions of effects cancel each other. Researchers can fruitfully examine the primary care specialties as a group but at the same time report their data for the individual specialties, which would greatly increase our knowledge both of primary care and also about the similarities and dissimilarities of its component specialties. However, the best models continue to be either research in which the sample size is large enough to compare specialty groups statistically or research with a focus on just one of the primary care specialties.
Altered hippocampal muscarinic receptors in acetylcholinesterase‐deficient mice

A primary therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease includes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors with the goal of enhancing cholinergic transmission. Stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) by elevated levels of ACh plays a role in the effects of AChE inhibitors on cognition and behavior. However, AChE inhibitors only demonstrate modest symptomatic improvements. Chronic treatment with these drugs may cause mAChR downregulation and consequently limit the treatment efficacy. AChE knockout (−/−) mice were utilized in this study as a model for investigating the effects of selective, complete, and chronic diminished AChE activity on mAChR expression and function. In AChE −/− mice, the M1, M2, and M4 mAChRs showed strikingly 50 to 80% decreased expression in brain regions associated with memory. In addition, mAChRs showed decreased presynaptic, cell surface, and dendritic distributions and increased localization to intracellular puncta. Furthermore, mAChR agonist–induced activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase, a signaling pathway associated with synaptic plasticity and amyloidogenesis, is diminished in the hippocampus and cortex of AChE −/− mice. Therefore, chronic diminished ACh metabolism produces profound effects on mAChR expression and function. The alterations of mAChRs in AChE −/− mice suggest that mAChR downregulation may contribute to the limited efficacy of AChE inhibitors in Alzheimer's disease treatment. Ann Neurol 2003;53:788–796
The registration of harmonic power by analog and digital power meters

This paper discusses the measurement error of energy meters operating under harmonic distortion. A system to determine the magnitude of the error caused by an individual harmonic is used to generate curves on which the error introduced by different frequency components is displayed. An algorithm using these data to predict the resulting measurement error of a linearly operating energy meter registering under circumstances of any known harmonics in the voltage and the current is presented.
Will the “Real” American Please Stand Up? The Effect of Implicit National Prototypes on Discriminatory Behavior and Judgments

Three studies tested whether implicit prototypes about who is authentically American predict discriminatory behavior and judgments against Americans of non-European descent. These studies identified specific contexts in which discrimination is more versus less likely to occur, the underlying mechanism driving it, and moderators of such discrimination. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that the more participants held implicit beliefs that the prototypical American is White, the less willing they were to hire qualified Asian Americans in national security jobs; however, this relation did not hold in identical corporate jobs where national security was irrelevant. The implicit belief—behavior link was mediated by doubts about Asian Americans’ national loyalty. Study 3 demonstrated a similar effect in a different domain: The more participants harbored race-based national prototypes, the more negatively they evaluated an immigration policy proposed by an Asian American but not a White policy writer. Political conservatism magnified this effect because of greater concerns about the national loyalty of Asian Americans.
Stable Equivalence and Generic Modules

Let Λ and Γ be finite dimensional algebras. It is shown that any stable equivalence f:mod¯Λ→mod¯Γ between the categories of finitely generated modules induces a bijection M ↦ Mf between the sets of isomorphism classes of generic modules over Λ and Γ such that the endolength of Mf is bounded by the endolength of M up to a scalar which depends only on f. Using Crawley‐Boevey's characterization of tame representation type in terms of generic modules, one obtains as a consequence a new proof for the fact that a stable equivalence preserves tameness. This proof also shows that polynomial growth is preserved. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 16G60, 16D90.
Nanocapsules loaded with iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin have antimicrobial therapeutic potential and maintain calcium, zinc and iron metabolism.

AIM This study aimed to evaluate the potential antimicrobial efficacy of alginate gel-encapsulated ceramic nanocarriers loaded with iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin (Fe-bLf) nanocarriers/nanocapsules (AEC-CP-Fe-bLf NCs). MATERIALS & METHODS The antimicrobial activities of non-nanoformulated apo (iron free), Fe-bLf and native forms of Australian bLf against pathogenic Salmonella typhimurium (wild strain) were studied in vitro. The efficacy of AEC-CP-Fe-bLf NCs were checked in vivo using Balb/c mice model. RESULTS The study revealed that native bLf is more effective in combating infection than the conventional drug ciprofloxacin (0.4 mg/ml). The efficacy of the drug was also revealed in vivo when BALB/c mice that, after being challenged with S. typhimurium (200 μl of 10(8) CFU/ml suspension), were fed orally with a nanoformulated bLf diet and the infection was observed to be eliminated. However, chronic infection developed in the group of infected mice that did not receive any drug treatment, as well as the mice treated with ciprofloxacin. The immune response to bacterial infection and to various drug treatments thereafter was studied in the mice. CONCLUSION The study concludes that bLf and nanoformulated Fe-bLf are more effective in the treatment of Salmonella-infected mice than ciprofloxacin.