Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Calcareous Fillers on Bituminous Mix Aging

The aim of this paper is to explain phenomena associated with bitumen aging and to establish design patterns that contribute to optimizing the aging resistance of bituminous mixes on the basis of the rational addition of calcareous fillers (hydrated lime and limestone filler). The potential benefits of using fillers to improve aging resistance are well known. However, concepts related to the biphasic filler-bitumen system affecting some of the main characteristics of mixes are not always considered. In this paper, a new study procedure, Universal de Caracterización de Ligantes, a method for characterizing both conventional and polymer-modified binders developed at the Technical University of Catalonia, has been applied. In addition, the dynamic shear rheometer and nonroutine procedures such as macromolecular analysis (e.g., gel-permeation chromatography and infrared spectroscopy) were used to perform rheological tests. These techniques have provided greater insight into the causes and effects of aging on the basis of changes undergone by the bituminous binder. The obtained results show the advantages of incorporating calcareous fillers into bituminous mixes, provided that filler content does not exceed a critical concentration determined by the type of filler and binder to be used. Moreover, some variations on the concept of critical concentration of filler in bituminous mixes have been found, notably those resulting from the degree of mix aging and use of polymer-modified bitumens.
Candida auris in healthcare settings – Europe 19 December 2016

Isolates of Candida species from invasive infections should be identified to species level. Like most other nonalbicans Candida species, C. auris isolates are germ tube test negative and colonies appear pale purple or pink on CHROMagar Candida medium. However, they differ from many other species in their ability to grow at temperatures in excess of 42 °C, a characteristic which has potential as a quick screening test, provided that the results are confirmed by other methods.
Trends in the Evolution of the Public Web: 1998 - 2002

A receiver for spent sheels is disclosed wherein a rigid compartment is formed and includes a mounting means for mounting one end of the compartment adjacent to the shell ejection slot of a gun, and for supporting the rigid compartment away from the body of the hand gun so as not to interfere with the operation of the hand gun. Since the opening in the compartment is disposed in register with the ejection slot of the gun, the ejected shells enter the compartment. A trap door is disposed within the compartment near the opening so that spent shells do not jump out of the compartment, for example, as when the gun recoils or when it is laid down. For use on a pistol the mounting means consists of opposing rigid panels or flaps which are disposed on each side of the pistol grip. The panel near the compartment is affixed to the underside thereof, while the other panel is formed to extend up over the pistol and to be fixed to the upper side of the compartment. For use in a rifle, the mounting means consists of a relatively flexible sheet wrapped around the rifle and has means for attaching the opening of the compartment to the sheet so that it can register with the shell ejection slot of the rifle.
From Boltzmann to random matrices and beyond

These expository notes propose to follow, across fields, some aspects of the concept of entropy. Starting from the work of Boltzmann in the kinetic theory of gases, various universes are visited, including Markov processes and their Helmholtz free energy, the Shannon monotonicity problem in the central limit theorem, the Voiculescu free probability theory and the free central limit theorem, random walks on regular trees, the circular law for the complex Ginibre ensemble of random matrices, and finally the asymptotic analysis of mean-field particle systems in arbitrary dimension, confined by an external field and experiencing singular pair repulsion. The text is written in an informal style driven by energy and entropy. It aims to be recreative and to provide to the curious readers entry points in the literature, and connections across boundaries.
Overexpression of Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor Receptor on Microglial Cells Induces an Inflammatory Response*

Microglia are important in the inflammatory response in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We showed previously that macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR), encoded by the c-fms protooncogene, is overexpressed on microglia surrounding amyloid β (Aβ) deposits in the APPV717F mouse model for AD. The M-CSFR is also increased on microglia after experimental brain injury and in AD. To determine the relevance of these findings, we transiently expressed M-CSFR on murine BV-2 and human SV-A3 microglial cell lines using an SV40-promoted c-fms construct. M-CSFR overexpression resulted in microglial proliferation and increased expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase, the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1α, macrophage inflammatory protein 1-α, and interleukin-6 and of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) itself. Antibody neutralization of M-CSF showed that the M-CSFR-induced proinflammatory response was dependent on M-CSF in the culture media. By using a co-culture of c-fms-transfected murine microglia and rat organotypic hippocampal slices and a species-specific real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we showed that M-CSFR overexpression on exogenous microglia induced expression of interleukin-1α by the organotypic culture. These results show that increased M-CSFR expression induces microglial proliferation, cytokine expression, and a paracrine inflammatory response, suggesting that in APPV717F mice increased M-CSFR on microglia could be an important factor in Aβ-induced inflammatory response.
Combined Use of Morphology Discrimination, Sudden Onset, and Stability as Discriminating Algorithms in Single Chamber Cardioverter Defibrillators

BORIANI, G. , et al.: Combined Use of Morphology Discrimination, Sudden Onset, and Stability as Discriminating Algorithms in Single Chamber Cardioverter Defibrillators. Morphology Discrimination (MD) is a rhythm discriminator based on QRS morphology analysis that can be combined with other discriminators like Stability, with or without Sinus Interval History (SIH) and Sudden Onset. Thirty‐five patients implanted with a St. Jude Medical single chamber ICD were evaluated during exercise testing, during induced AF, and during follow‐up for 14 ± 5 months. At exercise testing (60 episodes detected) MD had a specificity (SP) of 96.7% and Sudden Onset a SP of 91.7%; during induced AF (25 episodes) both MD and Stability had a SP of 96.0%. The diagnostic performance on spontaneous arrhythmias was as follows: for ventricular tachycardia (126 episodes) a sensitivity (SE) of 94.4% for MD, 92.1% for Sudden Onset, 89.7% for Stability without SIH and 79.4% for Stability + SIH; for sinus tachycardia (44 episodes) a SP of 86.4% for MD, 97.7% for Sudden Onset, 2.3% for Stability and of 95.5% for Stability + SIH. For AF (165 cases) a SP of 67.9% for MD, 69.1% for Stability and 90.3% for Stability + SIH, 44.8% for Sudden Onset. Use of MD alone provided a SE of 94.4% and a SP of 71.4% for spontaneous arrhythmias and combined use of the discriminators in a “2 of 3” diagnostic logic implied a SP of 90.9% with maintenance of 96.0% of SE. In single chamber ICDs a wide range of SE/SP ratios may be obtained by use of multiple discriminators, but use of the algorithm in a 2 of 3 diagnostic logic may achieve a SP of 90.9% and a SE of 96.0%.
Novel locus for X linked recessive high myopia maps to Xq23–q25 but outside MYP1

Background: High myopia is a common genetic variation in most cases, affecting 1–2% of people, and is the fourth most common disorder causing blindness worldwide. Six autosomal dominant loci and one X-linked recessive locus have been reported, but no genes responsible for high myopia have been identified. Objective: To report a Chinese family in which six males presented with high myopia consistent with an X linked recessive trait. Results: Affected individuals shared three common features: high myopia, reduced visual acuity, and fundal changes of high myopia. Protan and deutan were observed in the family, but they did not co-segregate with the high myopia phenotype. X-chromosome-wide linkage analysis mapped the high myopia locus to a 25 cM (14.9 Mb) region on Xq23–q25 between DXS1210 and DXS8057, with maximum two point lod scores at θ = 0 of 2.75 and 2.29 for DXS1001 and DXS8059, respectively. Conclusions: This new myopia locus is outside the linked region of the first high myopia locus (MYP1). Refinement of the linkage region with additional families and screening candidate genes for mutation may lead to the identification of the defect gene.
A Traffic Reducing Method for Multiple Targets Localisation in an IEEE 802.15.4 Based Sensor Network

Many applications of wireless sensor networks require to process data cooperatively and to combine information from multiple nodes simultaneously. One of such applications is localisation and tracking where information from many nodes is processed at the same time to accurately estimate targets' positions. However, in case of centralised localisation and tracking applications based on received signal strength indicator (RSSI), where the anchor nodes forward their measured RSSI information to a control centre, the narrow bandwidth of wireless communication link limits the amount of data being forwarded to the control centre. As a result, it cannot receive all the data from the anchor nodes as the number of target nodes increases, and therefore cannot estimate all targets' positions. Thus, we propose a traffic reducing method based on limiting the RSSI information being forwarded and evaluate the proposed method by localising target positions in real environments using maximum likelihood estimation. The results show between 50% and 80% traffic load reduction without severely affecting the estimation accuracy. In addition, the location estimation accuracy is improved at some cases.
AHP SUPPORT TO ESTIMATION OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEM ( IS ) SIGNIFICANCE TO THE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE , PARTICULARLY THE HOSPITALITY PERFORMANCE

Numerous resources and working practice indicate that information system consists of elements generally categorized as IT infrastructure, human IT resources and IT-enabled intangibles (Bharadwaj, 2000), which, to some extent, affect business performance. However, it has not been sufficiently explored which elements of the information system tend to impact it more and which less. Therefore, the main aim of the paper is to assess certain IS elements that influence business performance in general. It is supposed that the possibility of the assessment despite the complexity of IS elements and related decisions can be supported by using the AHP method. Additionally, the obtained results are compared with the results of one of the author’s previous studies based on the hospitality manager experience regarding the relationship between IS elements and hospitality performance.
Three splicing patterns are used to excise the small intron common to all minute virus of mice RNAs

We identified three splicing patterns used to excise the small intron common to all three transcripts encoded by minute virus of mice. Sequence analysis of minute virus of mice-specific cDNAs indicated that two donor and two acceptor splice sites were used: in pattern 1, the most frequent, nucleotide 2280 was spliced to nucleotide 2377; in pattern 2, nucleotides 2317 and 2399 were joined. Oligonucleotide probes, each specific for one of the four possible splice junction sequences, were synthesized and hybridized to viral mRNAs immobilized on nitrocellulose filters. The probes specific for splice patterns 1 and 2 hybridized to all three viral mRNAs, as did a third oligomer specific for a splicing pattern in which nucleotides 2280 and 2399 were joined. The fourth potential splicing pattern, linking nucleotides 2317 and 2377, was not detected. The presence of three splicing patterns in the transcripts designated R2 and R3 would allow the translation of five distinct polypeptides from these two mRNAs.
Evolution of Sea Surface Temperature in the Somali Basin During the Southwest Monsoon of 1979

Satellite and research vessel observations of sea surface temperature during the southwest monsoon of 1979 show the development of large wedge-shaped areas of cold water along the Somali coast at both 5� and 10�N during June and July. The cold water associated with the large northern and southern Somali eddy systems could be traced several hundred kilometers offshore. By late August the cold wedge at 5�N translated northeastward as far as 10�N at speeds of 15 to 30 centimeters per second, indicating a coalescence of the systems.
Increased preoperative glucose levels are associated with perioperative mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac, nonvascular surgery.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between preoperative glucose levels and perioperative mortality in noncardiac, nonvascular surgery. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a case-control study in a cohort of 108 593 patients who underwent noncardiac surgery at the Erasmus MC during 1991-2001. Cases were 989 patients who underwent elective noncardiac, nonvascular surgery and died within 30 days during hospital stay. From the remaining patients, 1879 matched controls (age, sex, calendar year, and type of surgery) were selected. Information was obtained regarding the presence of cardiac risk factors, medication, and preoperative laboratory results. Preoperative random glucose levels <5.6 mmol/l (110 mg/dl) were normal. Impaired glucose levels in the range of 5.6-11.1 mmol/l were prediabetes. Glucose levels >or=11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl) were diabetes. RESULTS Preoperative glucose levels were available in 904 cases and 1247 controls. A cardiovascular complication was the primary cause of death in 207 (23%) cases. Prediabetes glucose levels were associated with a 1.7-fold increased mortality risk compared with normoglycemic levels (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.7 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-2.1; P<0.001). Diabetes glucose levels were associated with a 2.1-fold increased risk (adjusted OR 2.1 and 95% CI 1.3-3.5; P<0.001). In cases with cardiovascular death, prediabetes glucose levels had a threefold increased cardiovascular mortality risk (adjusted OR 3.0 and 95% CI 1.7-5.1) and diabetes glucose levels had a fourfold increased cardiovascular mortality risk (OR 4.0 and 95% CI 1.3-12). CONCLUSIONS Preoperative hyperglycemia is associated with increased (cardiovascular) mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac, nonvascular surgery.
Optimization of Grooved Micromixer for Microengineering Technologies

: Due to the absence of turbulent flow and the slow diffusion process, mixing of solutions at micro-scale is a difficult task. This paper describes the optimization route towards the efficient design of a bottom grooved micromixer. Based on thoroughly discussed mixing mechanisms, the optimization was performed using FEM numerical simulations and the starting geometry was a Staggered Herringbone Mixer (SHM) groove design. Optimization procedure consists of two sequences: (I) one SHM groove geometry is optimized based on the magnitude of transversal velocity at the end of the groove and (II) different configurations of six grooves are investigated taking into account capabilities and limitations of microengineering technologies (MET). Newly developed designs were benchmarked against the established SHM design and a better efficiency was achieved. Additionally, a good mixing efficiency was also achieved with a modified Slanted Groove Micromixer (SGM). A SGM prototype was machined by micro electrical discharge milling (EDM) technology. The simulation results were experimentally verified with flow visualization and a good agreement was observed. Due to simple 2.5D geometry and efficient mixing properties the proposed micromixer design is adequate to be used in the Lab-On-A-Chip (LOC) systems.
Microenvironment and Immunology Metalloprotease-Mediated Tumor Cell Shedding of B 7-H 6 , the Ligand of the Natural Killer Cell – Activating Receptor NKp 30

Natural killer (NK) cells are potent immune effector cells capable of mediating antitumor responses. Thus, during immunoediting, tumor cell populations evolve strategies to escape NK-cell–mediated recognition. In this study, we report a novel mechanism of immune escape involving tumor cell shedding of B7-H6, a ligand for the activating receptor NKp30 that mediates NK-cell binding and NK-cell–mediated killing. Tumor cells from different cancer entities released B7-H6 by ectodomain shedding mediated by the cell surface proteases "a disintegrin andmetalloproteases" (ADAM)-10 and ADAM-17, as demonstrated through the use of pharmacologic inhibitors or siRNA-mediated gene attenuation. Inhibiting this proteolytic shedding process increased the levels of B7-H6 expressed on the surface of tumor cells, enhancing NKp30-mediated activation of NK cells. Notably, we documented elevated levels of soluble B7-H6 levels in blood sera obtained from a subset of patients with malignant melanoma, compared with healthy control individuals, along with evidence of elevated B7-H6 expression in melanoma specimens in situ. Taken together, our results illustrated a novel mechanism of immune escape in which tumor cells impede NK-mediated recognition by metalloprotease-mediated shedding of B7-H6. One implication of our findings is that therapeutic inhibition of specific metalloproteases may help support NK-cell–based cancer therapy. Cancer Res; 74(13); 3429–40. 2014 AACR.
Radial Head and Neck Fractures in Children

This report is a review of long-term results of 42 consecutive fractures of the neck of the radius in children. More than half the patients were followed for >4 years. The results were assessed clinically and radiologically at 6 months and at review. Twenty-seven children (64%) had a good result, 2 (5%) had a fair result, and 13 (31%) had a poor result. Primary angulation was the most important factor affecting the results. Periarticular ossification, avascular necrosis, enlargement of the radial head and of the proximal end of the radius were the most important causes of poor results. Unlike other fractures with unpredictable results, more accurate reduction is mandatory to improve the final outcome.
Somatostatin Receptor Expression and Biological Functions in Endocrine Pancreatic Cells

Type 1 diabetes is resulting from the selective destruction of insulin-producing betacells within the pancreatic islets. Somatostatin acts as an inhibitor of hormone secretion through specific receptors (sst1-5). All ssts were expressed in normal rat and mouse pancreatic islets, although the expression intensity and the co-expression pattern varied between ssts as well as between species. This may reflect a difference in response to somatostatin in islet cells of the two species. The Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model is an experimental model of type 1 diabetes, with insulitis accompanied by spontaneous hyperglycaemia. Pancreatic specimens from NOD mice at different age and stage of disease were stained for ssts. The islet cells of diabetic NOD mice showed increased islet expression of sst2–5 compared to normoglycemic NOD mice. The increase in sst2-5 expression in the islets cells may suggest either a contributing factor in the process leading to diabetes, or a defense response against ongoing beta-cell destruction. Somatostatin analogues were tested on a human endocrine pancreatic tumour cell line and cultured pancreatic islets. Somatostatin analogues had an effect on cAMP accumulation, chromogranin A secretion and MAP kinase activity in the cell line. Treatment of rat pancreatic islets with somatostatin analogues with selective receptor affinity was not sufficient to induce an inhibition of insulin and glucagon secretion. However, a combination of selective analogues or non-selective analogues via costimulation of receptors can cause inhibition of hormone production. For insulin and glucagon, combinations of sst2 + sst5 and sst1 + sst2, respectively, showed a biological effect. In summary, knowledge of islet cell ssts expression and the effect of somatostatin analogues with high affinity to ssts may be valuable in the future attempts to influence beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes mellitus, since down-regulation of beta-cell function may promote survival of these cells during the autoimmune attack.
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

The term toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) was introduced in 1956 by Lyell to describe four patients with a syndrome featured by extensive epidermal detachment with mucous membrane involvement, leaving the skin surface looking scalded. Necrolysis denotes necrosis and full thickness detachment of the epidermis. Toxic means severe constitutional symptoms and complications. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis are two-related severe cutaneous blistering reactions often related to drug therapies, with a mortality rate between 16% and 30% for TEN and of less than 5% for SJS. There are still controversies in classification, mechanism, and management of these conditions.
‘Appears to have slept well’: Assessing sleep in an acute care setting

Abstract Sleep disturbance is a common occurrence in the hospital environment where the patients’ perceptions of their own sleep are rarely considered in the planning of care. This study aims to determine the difference between subjective (Verran/Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale), objective (Patient’s Sleep Behaviour Observational Tool) and physiological (Actigraph) assessments of a patients’ single sleep event within an acute care setting by examining the variables Total Sleep, Midsleep Awakening and Sleep Latency. Results indicate no statistically significant difference between instruments for the assessment of total sleep. Midsieep awakening was of questionable value when assessed in the clinical environment. Sleep latency could be useful following further attention to defining the length and time of onset of the nurse observation period.
Comparison between Liouville's theorem and observed latitudinal distributions of trapped ions in the plasmapause region

The presence of anisotropic plasma distributions, trapped at the Earth's magnetic equator, has consequences for the electric field structure which must exist in equilibrium along the magnetic field line. Data from SCATHA and Dynamics Explorer 1 indicate that the core ion distributions at the magnetic equator can be well described as bi-Maxwellian distributions, with a perpendicular temperature an order of magnitude larger than the parallel temperature. A collisionless model is developed for the variation in plasma parameters, following the forms developed by Whipple (1977). If the core electron anisotropy is low, the resulting electric field of ∼0.1 µV m−1 is pointed away from the equator. Under these conditions the self-consistent electric field will not overcome the effects of magnetic trapping. The resulting potential distribution results in a local maximum in total plasma density at the equator. Only when the electron distribution is primarily field-aligned can there be a density minimum at the equator. Comparisons are made between this model and the observed variations in DE 1 plasma parameters with latitude.