Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Boundary-layer Type Solutions for Initial Platelet Activation and Deposition

This paper presents, on the basis of high Peclet number, a mathematical model for the activation and initial adhesion of flowing platelets onto a surface. In contrast to past work, the model is applicable to general 2D and axi-symmetric flows where the wall shear stress is known a priori. Results indicate that for high activation reaction rates there exist two layers, one containing only activated platelets and the other both activated and non-activated platelets. Fundamental relationships are proposed between the adhesion rate of platelets to the surface and the characteristic parameters of Peclet number and Reynolds number. Activation in the bulk fluid (blood) is characterised by the Damkohler number, which is a function of activation rate and the free-stream velocity. It is shown that, as the free-stream velocity varies, there exists a maximum of activated platelet flux to the wall for particular values of the velocity. These values, at which the maximum occur, are themselves functions of the platelet activation rate. As the free-stream velocity increases the activation of platelets ceases altogether and adhesion is reduced to a very small value strengthening the hypothesis of the correlation between atherogenesis/thrombogenesis and areas of low shear.
Can Fat Deposition After Myocardial Infarction Alter the Performance of RF Catheter Ablation of Scar‐Related Ventricular Tachycardia?: Results from a Computer Modeling Study

The outcomes of catheter ablation of scar‐mediated ventricular tachycardia (VT) remain far from perfect. The presence of fat as a component of the underlying substrate for scar‐mediated VT could be relevant since this entity can seriously impede the passage of RF current due to its low electrical conductivity.
A systematic approach to the evaluation of the influence of multilayered Earth on overhead power transmission lines

The influence of earth stratification on overhead power transmission line impedances is investigated in this paper. A systematic comparison of existing approaches is done, while results are also obtained using a finite-element method formulation. A novel numerical integration technique is proposed for the calculation of the infinite integrals involved. Typical single- and double-circuit line configurations are examined for a combination of layer depths and earth resistivities over a wide frequency range. The influence of the layer depth is also investigated. Results show significant differences from those, corresponding to the case of homogeneous earth. Using the multilayered earth return impedances in transient simulations, the transient responses show that differences occur mainly in cases of asymmetrical faults, justifying the need for a detailed earth model implementation.
The Persistence of Ideological Cleavage in Voting On Abortion Legislation in the House of Representatives, 1973-1988

The longitudinal analysis reported here applies the same regression model to 54 roll calls on abortion bills in the House of Representatives during the eight Congresses from 1973 to 1988. A Guttman Scaling procedure is used that allows comparison across the eight Houses. The strongest predictor in all eight Houses is the ADA score followed by religion (Catholic, non-Catholic) ; representatives who vote liberal and who are non-Catholics tend to be pro-choice. Religion seems to be the likely reason why party is not a significant predictor of voting on abortion. To validate that hypothesis, separate regressions are created for Democrats and Republicans since 1981, and the results show that deviations among Democrats from pro-choice voting is due largely to religion. However, the causal relationship between ideology and pro-choice voting has been strengthened across these four Houses with an accompanying decline in the importance of religion. So a realignment in the House may be occurring given that Catholic Democrats are beginning to vote their ideological rather than their religious preference on abortion.
Initial stage in lightning initiated from tall objects and in rocket-triggered lightning

We examine the characteristics of the initial stage (IS) in object-initiated lightning derived from current measurements on the Gaisberg tower (100 m, Austria), the Peissenberg tower (160 m, Germany), and the Fukui chimney (200 m, Japan) and their counterparts in rocket-triggered lightning in Florida. All lightning events analyzed here effectively transported negative charge to ground. For rocket-triggered lightning the geometric mean (GM) values of the three overall characteristics of the initial stage, duration, charge transfer, and average current, are similar to their counterparts for the Gaisberg tower flashes and the Peissenberg tower flashes, while the Fukui chimney flashes are characterized by a shorter GM IS duration and a larger average current. The GM IS charge transfer for the Fukui chimney flashes is similar to that in the other three data sets. The GM values of the action integral differ considerably among the four data sets, with the Fukui action integral being the largest. The observed differences in the IS duration between the Fukui data set and all other data considered here are probably related to the differences in the lower current limits, while the differences in the action integral cannot be explained by the instrumental effects only. There appear to be two types of initial stage in upward lightning. The first type exhibits pulsations (ringing) during the initial portion of the IS, and the second type does not. The occurrence of these types of IS appears to depend on geographical location. The characteristics of pulses superimposed on the initial continuous current (ICC pulses) in object-initiated (Gaisberg, Peissenberg, and Fukui) lightning are similar within a factor of 2 but differ more significantly from their counterparts in rocket-triggered lightning. Specifically, the ICC pulses in object-initiated lightning exhibit larger peaks, shorter risetimes, and shorter half-peak widths than do the ICC pulses in rocket-triggered lightning.
The Escherichia coli visA gene encodes ferrochelatase, the final enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway

An Escherichia coli mutant with a disrupted visA gene was defective in ferrochelatase activity but expressed wild-type levels of protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity. The visA coding region was placed under the transcriptional control of T7 RNA polymerase in an E. coli expression system, and the product was expressed as a 38-kDa protein. The overexpressed protein was purified to near homogeneity and was found to contain ferrochelatase activity. The data show that the visA gene encodes ferrochelatase, and we propose that it be renamed hemH to reflect that conclusion.
Roles of unphosphorylated ISGF3 in HCV infection and interferon responsiveness

Significance Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection stimulates the production of endogenous interferons (IFNs) and the following persistent activation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the infected liver. In the patients with chronic HCV infection, high levels of activated ISGs in the liver at baseline were proved to predict poor response to pegylated IFN-α/ribavirin therapy. In this report, we demonstrate that the level of unphosphorylated IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (U-ISGF3), not ISGF3, is increased by endogenous IFN-λs and IFN-β in HCV-infected hepatocytes and livers, leading to persistent activation of a set of ISGs. We also demonstrate that the high level of ISG15 induced by U-ISGF3 resulted in an increased level of ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18), a critical negative regulator of the response to exogenous IFN-α. Up-regulation of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) is sustained in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected livers. Here, we investigated the mechanism of prolonged ISG expression and its role in IFN responsiveness during HCV infection in relation to unphosphorylated IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (U-ISGF3), recently identified as a tripartite transcription factor formed by high levels of IFN response factor 9 (IRF9), STAT1, and STAT2 without tyrosine phosphorylation of the STATs. The level of U-ISGF3, but not tyrosine phosphorylated STAT1, is significantly elevated in response to IFN-λ and IFN-β during chronic HCV infection. U-ISGF3 prolongs the expression of a subset of ISGs and restricts HCV chronic replication. However, paradoxically, high levels of U-ISGF3 also confer unresponsiveness to IFN-α therapy. As a mechanism of U-ISGF3–induced resistance to IFN-α, we found that ISG15, a U-ISGF3-induced protein, sustains the abundance of ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18), a negative regulator of IFN signaling. Our data demonstrate that U-ISGF3 induced by IFN-λs and -β drives prolonged expression of a set of ISGs, leading to chronic activation of innate responses and conferring a lack of response to IFN-α in HCV-infected liver.
The effect of a Nursing Presence program on reducing stress in older adults in two Korean nursing homes

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a Nursing Presence (NP) program on stress in older adults in two Korean nursing homes. Design The design was quasi‐experimental study. Setting This study was undertaken in two nursing homes in Daegu, South Korea. Subjects The subjects were 39 older female adults 68 to 87 years of age selected by purposive sampling and divided into two groups: experimental and control. Intervention The NP program consisted of three stages: introduction, operation and termination. The NP program was applied 8 times over 4 weeks to the experimental group. The time required for each stage was 25~30 minutes. In the control group, care was provided according to the usual routine. Main outcome measures Measures were stress levels and problem focused coping as psychological variables and cortisol levels as a physiological variable. Results Stress, problem focused coping, and cortisol levels after application of the NP program were significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the use of a Nursing Presence program can be considered an effective intervention for reducing stress and improving problem focused coping in older adult nursing home patients.
Impaired bone microarchitecture at the distal radius in older men with low muscle mass and grip strength: The STRAMBO study

The aim was to study the association between bone microarchitecture and muscle mass and strength in older men. Volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and bone microarchitecture were assessed in 810 men aged ≥60 years at the distal radius by high‐resolution peripheral computed tomography (HR‐pQCT). Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and appendicular muscle mass (ASM) were assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Relative ASM of the upper limbs (RASM‐u.l.) was calculated as ASM of the upper limbs/(height)2. Grip strength was measured by dynanometry. In multivariable models, men in the lowest RASM‐u.l. quartile had lower cross‐sectional area (CSA), cortical area (Ct.Ar), cortical thickness (Ct.Th), and trabecular area (Tb.Ar) at distal radius compared with men in the highest quartile. The trends remained significant after adjustment for grip strength. Men in the lowest quartile of the normalized grip strength (grip strength/[height]2) had lower aBMD, total vBMD, Ct.Ar, Ct.Th, Tb.vBMD, and Tb.N, and higher Tb.Sp and Tb.Sp. SD. The associations for Ct.Ar, total vBMD, Ct.Th, Tb.vBMD, and Tb.Sp remained significant after adjustment for RASM‐u.l. In the models including RASM‐u.l. and normalized grip strength, CSA and Tb.Ar were associated with RASM‐u.l. but not with the strength. Lower Ct.Th, Tb.vBMD, and Tb.N were associated with lower grip strength but not with RASM‐u.l. Lower Ct.Ar was associated with lower grip strength and with lower RASM‐u.l. In conclusion, in older men, low RASM‐u.l. and low grip strength are associated with poor cortical and trabecular microarchitecture partly independently of each other, after adjustment for confounders. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Surface Integral Methods in Computational Aeroacoustics—From the (CFD) Near-Field to the (Acoustic) Far-Field

A review of recent advances in the use of surface integral methods in Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) for the extension of near-field CFD results to the acoustic far-field is given. These integral formulations (i.e. Kirchhoff's method, permeable (porous) surface Ffowcs-Williams Hawkings (FW-H) equation) allow the radiating sound to be evaluated based on quantities on an arbitrary control surface if the wave equation is assumed outside. Thus only surface integrals are needed for the calculation of the far-field sound, instead of the volume integrals required by the traditional acoustic analogy method (i.e. Lighthill, rigid body FW-H equation). A numerical CFD method is used for the evaluation of the flow-field solution in the near field and thus on the control surface. Diffusion and dispersion errors associated with wave propagation in the far-field are avoided. The surface integrals and the first derivatives needed can be easily evaluated from the near-field CFD data. Both methods can be extended in order to include refraction effects outside the control surface. The methods have been applied to helicopter noise, jet noise, propeller noise, ducted fan noise, etc. A simple set of portable Kirchhoff/FW-H subroutines can be developed to calculate the far-field noise from inputs supplied by any aerodynamic near/mid-field CFD code.
Knowledge Management Problems in Paediatrics and Paediatrics Neurology Departments

Knowledge management means how information communication technology systems and intellectual human capital is applied to support knowledge creation, as well as in the capturing, organization, access, and use of an organizationâs intellectual capital. This paper investigates knowledge management problems in paediatric and paediatric neurology departments. The Grounded Theory approach is applied in data collection and analysis. The analysis revealed 8 thematic categories as follows: Patient, Physician, Patient Data, Nurse, ICT Systems, Patient Treatment, Diagnosis, and Learning and Experience. The categories are related to each other, and we found 13 higher levels of abstraction of statements. A conceptual framework of knowledge management categories, their relationships to each other, and propositions to our categories was developed by using the Grounded Theory approach. The relationships between the knowledge management categories enhance confidence in the validity of the categories and their relationships, and expand the emerging theory.
Extent of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Plasticity and Its Association With Working Memory in Patients With Alzheimer Disease

Importance The extent of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plasticity in Alzheimer disease (AD) and its association with working memory are not known. Objectives To determine whether participants with AD had impaired DLPFC plasticity compared with healthy control participants, to compare working memory between participants with AD and controls, and to determine whether DLPFC plasticity was associated with working memory. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study included 32 participants with AD who were 65 years or older and met diagnostic criteria for dementia due to probable AD with a score of at least 17 on the Mini-Mental State Examination and 16 age-matched control participants. Participants were recruited from a university teaching hospital from May 2013 to October 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Plasticity of the DLPFC measured as potentiation of cortical-evoked activity using paired associative stimulation (a combination of peripheral nerve electrical stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation) combined with electroencephalography. Working memory was assessed with the n-back task (1- and 2-back) and measured using the A’ statistic. Results Among the 32 participants with AD, 17 were women and 15 were men (mean [SD] age, 76.3 [6.3] years); among the 16 controls, 8 were men and 8 were women (mean [SD] age, 76.4 [5.1] years). Participants with AD had impaired DLPFC plasticity (mean [SD] potentiation, 1.18 [0.25]) compared with controls (mean [SD] potentiation, 1.40 [0.35]; F1,44 = 5.90; P = .02; between-group comparison, Cohen d = 0.77; P = .01). Participants with AD also had impaired performances on the 1-back condition (mean [SD] A′ = 0.47 [0.30]) compared with controls (mean [SD] A′ = 0.96 [0.01]; Cohen d = 1.86; P < .001), with similar findings for participants with AD on the 2-back condition (mean [SD] A’ = 0.29 [0.2]) compared with controls (mean [SD], A′ = 0.85 [0.18]; Cohen d = 2.83; P < .001). Plasticity of DLPFC was positively associated with working memory performance on the 1-back A′ (parameter estimate B [SE] = 0.32 [0.13]; standardized &bgr; = 0.29; P = .02) and 2-back A′ (B [SE] = 0.43 [0.15]; &bgr; = 0.39; P = .006) across both groups after controlling for age, education, and attention. Conclusions and Relevance This study demonstrated impaired in vivo DLPFC plasticity in patients with AD. The findings support the use of DLPFC plasticity as a measure of DLPFC function and a potential treatment target to enhance DLPFC function and working memory in patients with AD.
Galactic cold cores - VIII. Filament formation and evolution: Filament properties in context with evolutionary models

Context. The onset of star formation is intimately linked with the presence of massive unstable filamentary structures. These filaments are therefore key for theoretical models that aim to reproduce the observed characteristics of the star formation process in the Galaxy. Aims. As part of the filament study carried out by the Herschel Galactic Cold Cores Key Programme, here we study and discuss the filament properties presented in GCC VII (Paper I) in context with theoretical models of filament formation and evolution. Methods. A conservatively selected sample of filaments located at a distance D< 500 pc was extracted from the GCC fields with the getfilaments algorithm. The physical structure of the filaments was quantified according to two main components: the central (Gaussian) region of the filament (core component), and the power-law-like region dominating the filament column density profile at larger radii (wing component). The properties and behaviour of these components relative to the total linear mass density of the filament and the column density of its environment were compared with the predictions from theoretical models describing the evolution of filaments under gravity-dominated conditions. Results. The feasibility of a transition from a subcritical to supercritical state by accretion at any given time is dependent on the combined effect of filament intrinsic properties and environmental conditions. Reasonably self-gravitating (high_(Mline,core)) filaments in dense environments (AV≳ 3 mag) can become supercritical on timescales of t ~ 1 Myr by accreting mass at constant or decreasing width. The trend of increasing M_(line,tot) (M_(line,core) and M_(line,wing)) and ridge AV with background for the filament population also indicates that the precursors of star-forming filaments evolve coevally with their environment. The simultaneous increase of environment and filament AV explains the observed association between dense environments and high M_(line,core) values, and it argues against filaments remaining in constant single-pressure equilibrium states. The simultaneous growth of filament and background in locations with efficient mass assembly, predicted in numerical models of filaments in collapsing clouds, presents a suitable scenario for the fulfillment of the combined filament mass−environment criterium that is in quantitative agreement with Herschel observations.
Ecology and evolution of galling thrips and their allies.

About 300 species of thrips belonging to 57 genera are known to form galls. Galls are caused by feeding, usually by one or more adults, on actively growing plant tissue. Most thrips genera with galling capabilities exploit multiple plant families, but there are several possible cases of thrips tracking the speciations of their host-plants. Gall morphology in thrips reflects insect phylogenetic relationships rather than those of plants. Galling species and their nongalling allies on Acacia in Australia exhibit a range of complex social behavior, including soldier castes, pleometrosis (i.e. joint colony founding), group foraging, and group defense, that is directly related to the nature of their domiciles. Galling thrips, by virtue of their haplodiploid genetic system and their ecological relationships with plants and natural enemies, are useful for analyzing a wide range of ecological, evolutionary, and behavioral questions.
Bone response to submerged implants in organ transplant patients: a prospective controlled study.

PURPOSE To compare the short-term outcome of dental implant therapy in a group of organ transplant patients with that of a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study population included consecutive organ transplant patients and consecutive normal (healthy) subjects as controls. Two films were taken of all patients: one at baseline (implant placement) and one after 3 months of healing. All radiographs were analyzed twice (15 days apart) blindly by two independent trained radiologists. Crestal bone level (CBL) was measured, defined as the perpendicular distance from the reference point on the implant to the first visible apical bone-to-implant contact. RESULTS The study population included 10 organ transplant patients (eight hearts, two livers) and 10 control patients, who received 20 and 12 submerged dental implants, respectively. At the 3-month follow-up visit, no implants showed any exposed cover screws. CBL increased in both groups, without any significant difference between the groups (CBL increased from 0.08±0.09 mm to 0.28±0.20 mm in transplant patients and from 0.11±0.16 mm to 0.42±0.32 mm in controls). Multiple analysis of variance showed that the mean bone loss of 0.21±0.18 mm observed in the group of transplant patients was not statistically different from that (0.32±0.25 mm) seen in the control group and was not influenced by any of the variables considered. CONCLUSIONS The present pilot study seems to indicate that the bone response around submerged dental implants in immunocompromised organ transplant patients does not differ from that observed in control patients and that this particular population of patients may be successfully rehabilitated with dental implants.