Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of dispersion and bonding of graphene-polymer through wet transfer of functionalized graphene oxide

Dispersion of nanomaterials in polymeric matrices plays an important role in determining the final properties of the composites. Dispersion in nano scale, and especially in single layers, provides best opportunity for bonding. In this study, we propose that by proper functionalization and mixing strategy of graphene its dispersion, and bonding to the polymeric matrix can be improved. We then apply this strategy to graphene-epoxy system by amino functionalization of graphene oxide (GO). The process included two phase extraction, and resulted in better dispersion and higher loading of graphene in epoxy matrix. Rheological evaluation of different graphene-epoxy dispersions showed a rheological percolation threshold of 0.2 vol% which is an indication of highly dispersed nanosheets. Observation of the samples by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), showed dispersion homogeneity of the sheets at micro and nano scales. Study of graphene-epoxy composites showed good bonding between graphene and epoxy. Mechanical properties of the samples were consistent with theoretical predictions for ideal composites indicating molecular level dispersion and good bonding between nanosheets and epoxy matrix.
The endoglycosidase heparanase enters the nucleus of T lymphocytes and modulates H3 methylation at actively transcribed genes via the interplay with key chromatin modifying enzymes

The methylation of histones is a fundamental epigenetic process regulating gene expression programs in mammalian cells. Dysregulated patterns of histone methylation are directly implicated in malignant transformation. Here, we report the unexpected finding that the invasive extracellular matrix degrading endoglycosidase heparanase enters the nucleus of activated human T lymphocytes and regulates the transcription of a cohort of inducible immune response genes by controlling histone H3 methylation patterns. It was found that nuclear heparanase preferentially associates with euchromatin. Genome-wide ChIP-on-chip analyses showed that heparanase is recruited to both the promoter and transcribed regions of a distinct cohort of transcriptionally active genes. Knockdown and overexpression of the heparanase gene also showed that chromatin-bound heparanase is a prerequisite for the transcription of a subset of inducible immune response genes in activated T cells. Furthermore, the actions of heparanase seem to influence gene transcription by associating with the demethylase LSD1, preventing recruitment of the methylase MLL and thereby modifying histone H3 methylation patterns. These data indicate that heparanase belongs to an emerging class of proteins that play an important role in regulating transcription in addition to their well-recognized extra-nuclear functions.
Suicidality Among Preadolescent Maltreated Children in Foster Care

This study sought to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among 515 preadolescent (aged 9–11 years) maltreated children who entered foster care within the prior year. Over a quarter (26.4%) of the children had a history of suicidality according to their own and/or their caregiver’s report, 4.1% of whom were imminently suicidal. In bivariate analyses, children at higher risk of suicidality tended to be younger, non-Hispanic, abused, and to have experienced multiple types of maltreatment, more referrals to child welfare, more household transitions, and a longer length of time in foster care. There were no gender differences. Multiple regression analyses found physical abuse and chronicity of maltreatment to be the most robust predictors of suicidality. It is critically important that these high-risk children are screened for suicidality before adolescence and that caregivers and professionals are informed of their risk status so that they may implement mental health treatment, monitoring, and harm reduction measures.
Peridynamic Theory for Thermomechanical Analysis

Thermomechanical modeling for interconnects and electronic packages is a difficult challenge, especially for material interfaces and films under 1 ¿m dimension. Understanding and prediction of their mechanical failure require the simulation of material behavior in the presence of multiple length scales. However, the classical continuum theory is not capable of predicting failure without a posterior analysis with an external crack growth criteria and treats the interfaces having zero thickness. A new nonlocal continuum theory referred to as peridynamic theory offers the ability to predict failure at these length scales. This study presents a new response function as part of the peridynamic theory to include thermal loading. After validating this response function by comparing against the displacement predictions in benchmark problems against those of finite element method, the peridynamic theory is used to predict damage initiation and propagation in regions having dissimilar materials due to thermomechanical loading.
A new scheme on time-diversity atmospheric OCDMA system over atmospheric turbulence channels

In this paper, we propose a new scheme of time-diversity system using Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA) in free space optical (FSO) communication. Our design is a fully-optical communication system which facilitates synthesizing the time-diversity signals. We found that it can effectively minimize the influence of scintillation caused by atmospheric turbulence. We analyze the bit error rate performance of the OCDMA time-diversity scheme through atmospheric turbulence channel. We not only consider the intensity scintillation, but also consider scintillation temporal-frequency. We present the theoretical analysis which is based on lognormal model. And validate the performance of the proposed scheme through simulation. It shows that under some circumstance the bit error rate (BER) can be improved by a few orders of magnitude using the OCDMA time-diversity scheme to compensate for the scintillation.
Allomaternal Care and the Significance of Naturalistic Observations among Contemporary Foragers: A Commentary on Denham’s “Alyawarra Kinship, Infant Carrying, and Alloparenting"

In this substantive work, Denham presents quantitative data on approximately 200 hours of observational research on infant and child carrying among the Alyawarra of Australia. His aim was to “demonstrate ways in which observational data collected with a hunter-gatherer society almost half a century ago can contribute to an understanding of our species”. He does just this. While his data, at first sight, may appear to be out of date (being collected from 1971-1972), that interpretation would be misguided. These are valuable and timely data, given the current climate of research on cooperative care matrices and their significance for understanding the evolution of human behavior and reproduction. Denham’s data represents thoughtful and detailed ethnographic and behavioral data collection.
Play distraction versus pharmacological treatment to reduce anxiety levels in children undergoing day surgery: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND Perioperative experience can be one of the most distressful experiences in a child's life if not managed properly by healthcare professionals. Its consequences can extend well beyond surgery and recovery into the child's future life. Healthcare professionals have a responsibility to decrease the anxiety associated with this experience, improve the child's and the parent's experience and prevent negative consequences. This has traditionally been performed through pharmacological treatment which might have negative side effects. More developmentally appropriate distraction methods are currently being trialled globally to augment the evidence that supports their use as a similarly efficient alternative. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to explore the efficiency of storytelling, pictures and colouring activities as an anxiolytic intervention in comparison to the traditional pharmacological premedication technique in a non-inferiority study. STUDY DESIGN A randomized non-inferiority controlled trial was carried out in 168 children scheduled for day surgery. Children's perioperative anxiety was assessed by a trained anaesthetist using the modified Yale Preoperative Assessment Scale and by parents using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Children's vital signs were also collected preoperatively during the induction period and during the recovery period. RESULTS The primary endpoint, which is non-inferiority in terms of anxiety as per Yale Preoperative Assessment Scale survey between play distraction and preoperative medication, was met [average score 10.95 vs. 10.94, respectively, 95% confidence interval (-0.35; 0.37); P = 0.941]. Moreover, anxiety scores of both the intervention and the control group were quite comparable as per STAIC survey [20.90 vs. 20.73, respectively, 95% confidence interval (-0.52; 0.88); P = 0.708] and in terms of vital signs. CONCLUSION The results indicate that the distraction technique employed can be considered as an efficient alternative to traditional pharmacological premedication for children undergoing day surgery.
Two surfaces on the histone chaperone Rtt106 mediate histone binding, replication, and silencing

The histone chaperone Rtt106 binds histone H3 acetylated at lysine 56 (H3K56ac) and facilitates nucleosome assembly during several molecular processes. Both the structural basis of this modification-specific recognition and how this recognition informs Rtt106 function are presently unclear. Guided by our crystal structure of Rtt106, we identified two regions on its double-pleckstrin homology domain architecture that mediated histone binding. When histone binding was compromised, Rtt106 localized properly to chromatin but failed to deliver H3K56ac, leading to replication and silencing defects. By mutating analogous regions in the structurally homologous chromatin-reorganizer Pob3, we revealed a conserved histone-binding function for a basic patch found on both proteins. In contrast, a loop connecting two β-strands was required for histone binding by Rtt106 but was dispensable for Pob3 function. Unlike Rtt106, Pob3 histone binding was modification-independent, implicating the loop of Rtt106 in H3K56ac-specific recognition in vivo. Our studies described the structural origins of Rtt106 function, identified a conserved histone-binding surface, and defined a critical role for Rtt106:H3K56ac-binding specificity in silencing and replication-coupled nucleosome turnover.
Nutritional markers in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis in Jamaica.

OBJECTIVES The main objective of the study is to assess the nutritional status in patients on chronic haemodialysis in Jamaica using the Subjective Global Assessment tool and to correlate this with measured serum nutritional biomarkers, and also to identify nutritional biomarkers that can be used to assess nutritional status of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). SUBJECT AND METHODS Two hundred and nine consecutive patients on haemodialysis were selected from dialysis centres in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, St. Catherine and Manchester Jamaica. The nutritional status of each participant was assessed using the Subjective Global Assessment tool in an interview performed by the researcher. Serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, highly sensitive complement reactive protein (hsCRP) and total fasting cholesterol were determined from a single serum sample. Only patients with ESRD were selected. Patients with acute renal failure or those with ESRD who were admitted in the previous two weeks were excluded from the study. Informed consent was obtained prior to interview and obtaining blood samples. RESULTS Of the total participants, 54.5% (n=114) were male and 45.5% (n=95) female. The mean age for males was 51.9 years and females 47.6 years. Diabetes was documented as the most common cause of chronic renal disease and was found in 29.7%, hypertension in 24.4% and chronic glomerulonephritis in 22% of the participants. Approximately 80% of the study population had moderate malnutrition. There was a significant association between moderate malnutrition and a diagnosis of ESRD secondary to diabetes mellitus, p = 0.03. Being on haemodialysis for < or = six months was significantly associated with moderate malnutrition p = 0.002. Also associated with moderate malnutrition were presence of an arteriovenous (AV) fistula (p = 0.01), serum albumin of < 40 g/L (OR 3.68, p = 0.001), pre-dialysis creatinine of <880 micromol/L (p = 0.02) and cholesterol < 3.9 mmol/L (p = 0.04). Highly sensitive complement reactive protein levels of >10 mg/L was associated with moderate malnutrition, though statistical significance was not met (p = 0.39). CONCLUSION Factors associated with malnutrition in patients on dialysis were having ESRD secondary to diabetes mellitus, dialysis duration for < or = six months, low serum albumin, pre-dialysis serum creatinine of 880 micromol/L, low total cholesterol and presence of AV fistula access.
Cardiovascular disease in transsexual persons treated with cross-sex hormones: reversal of the traditional sex difference in cardiovascular disease pattern.

OBJECTIVE The incidence of heart disease increases with age, but is lower in women than in men up to 75 years. A protective effect of female sex hormones or, alternatively, acceleration in male heart disease by testosterone at younger ages, could explain this sex difference. In contrast with the above, male-to-female transsexual subjects (MtoF) treated with estrogens (+anti-androgens) show more cardiovascular pathology than female-to-male transsexual subjects (FtoM) receiving testosterone. Why MtoF suffer more frequently from cardiovascular disease than females is as yet unclear. The mode of cross-sex hormone treatment may be a factor, and, if so, it may need adaptations. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Studies in transsexual people on the effects of cross-sex hormone treatment on surrogate cardiovascular risks and on clinical endpoints were reviewed. With regard to MtoF, a parallel was sought with men with prostate cancer, undergoing androgen deprivation and estrogen administration. RESULTS Exposure of FtoM to testosterone was not associated with a strong increase in cardiovascular events. Aging and pre-existing cardiovascular pathology contributed to the risk of cardiovascular disease in MtoF. Use of the synthetic biopotent compound ethinyl estradiol in a dose two to four times of oral contraceptives increased cardiovascular risk substantially. The route of administration of estrogens (oral vs transdermal) may have impacted on the risks. CONCLUSION MtoF should not be treated with oral ethinyl estradiol. Transdermal estrogens are probably safer than oral estrogens. Pre-existing cardiovascular risks should be taken into consideration when prescribing and choosing the type of estrogens in cross-sex hormone administration (oral vs transdermal). In addition, risk factors, as they emerge with aging, should be addressed.
A DER Attack-Mitigation Differential Game for Smart Grid Security Analysis

Information and communication infrastructure will be extensively deployed to monitor and control electric power delivery components of today's power grid. While these cyber elements enhance a utility's ability to maintain physical stability, if a subset are compromised by adversaries, disruption may occur. In this paper, a novel framework based on the principles of differential games is proposed that demonstrates stealthy worst-case strategies for attackers to disrupt transient stability by leveraging control over distributed energy resources. We demonstrate that if the electric power utility is able to identify uncompromised components, countermeasures can exist that effectively reduce the impact of attack for a fixed time interval. Based on our results, we develop insights to construct safety margin recommendations for cyber-physical smart grid actuation elements that promote system resilience during a cyber attack.
Enabling resource-oriented Mobile Web Server for short-lived services

Mobile Web Services (MobWS) are a promising technology for the integration of Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication (TelCo) domains. The advancements in mobile communication and device technology, in terms of software and hardware, have revolutionized the focus of research and industry to investigate mobile service provisioning platforms and architectures. In this paper, we present a concept and architecture of a REST-Interfaced Mobile Web Server as a service delivery platform. Here, we discuss about the interaction strategy and URL-based access techniques for short-lived synchronousMobWS. The paper focuses on in-depth explanation of software architecture and its components of server and compares the payload requirements with the state-or-the-art SOAP based MobWS. The REST architecture has significantly reduced payload demands that shows promising signs of optimized processing performance of the mobile server when compared to SOAP.
Zika Virus: A Recent Emerging Threat to Global Health

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that belongs to the virus family Flaviviridae and the genus Flavivirus. It was first isolated from a rhesus monkey in Uganda in 1947, and caused sporadic human infections in some African and Asian countries, with usually mild symptoms of fever, rash, and arthralgia. It is also related to the Dengue, Yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. It has been known to occur within a narrow equatorial belt from Africa to Asia, since 1950s. Zika virus is an emerging pathogen and is the focus of an ongoing pandemic and public health emergency. Most often people get Zika through the bite of an infected Aedes Aegypti mosquito; this is the same mosquito that spreads dengue and Chikungunya. All these viruses cause similar symptoms, but there are some certain symptoms that suggest one disease or another. Most Zika patients have skin rashes in the whole body. No specific treatment like vaccine or preventive drug has been discovered yet for this infection. Possible treatment includes taking rest, drinking fluids to prevent dehydration and taking medicines such as acetaminophen or paracetamol to relieve fever and pain. This review summarizes the current understanding of ZIKV biology and epidemiology, as well as possible interventions to understand the role of the virus and the pathogenesis of these disorders to prevent contagion and transmission.
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following nephropathia epidemica

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an acute monophasic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) occurring days to weeks after a virus infection or vaccination. Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome caused by Puumala virus, with endemic regions in Europe, especially Scandinavia and Western Russia. We describe a case of severe nephropathia epidemica requiring dialysis, followed by severe CNS symptoms caused by ADEM. To our best knowledge this is the first case in the literature in which NE caused ADEM.
Radio Polarization Properties for Blazars

We used data from the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory (UMRAO) at three different bands (4.8 GHz, 8 GHz, and 14.5 GHz) to calculate the radio spectral index and the averaged polarization in a sample of 92 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). We analyzed the relationship between the polarization and other physical parameters for these objects. The results show that: 1) the polarization and its variability at high radio frequencies are higher than those at lower frequencies, 2) the degree of linear polarization is correlated with the radio spectral index, suggesting that the synchrotron mechanism is responsible for the radio emission, 3) the polarization is correlated with the core-dominance parameter for those objects for which this parameter is known, which suggests that relativistic beaming could explain some polarization characteristics of FSRQs, and 4) the polarization and flux density variabilities are correlated. These results are similar to those found for RBLs in our previous work (Fan et al. 2006). However, the distributions in the averaged polarization and the spectral index in FSRQs are different from those in RBLs.
The Genera and Species of the Subfamily Rhabditinae Micoletzky, 1922 (Nematoda): a Nomenclatorial Analysis—including an Addendum on the Composition of the Family Rhabditidae Örley, 1880

Nine genera, listed on pages 122–128 are recognized in the subfamily Rhabditinae Micoletzky, 1922, in place of three genera recognized by Osche (1952) in his recent revision of the genus Rhabditis Dujardin [1844] (sensu lato). Two of the genera—Pelodera Schneider, 1866 and Rhabditis (sensti stricto)—are subdivided into four and five subgenera respectively. One genus—Brevibucca Goodey, 1985—is accepted only provisionally in the Rhabditinae. The genus Neorhabditis Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1954 (syn. Pararhabditis Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1951; non Baylis and Daubney, 1926) is regarded as not belonging in the Rhabditinae
Exploring the Relationship Between Public Opinion and Personal Attitudes and Behavior Toward Lesbians and Gay Men: Social Conformity Revisited

This study investigated the relationship between social conformity, gender-role egalitarianism, and personal levels of heterosexism, or prejudice based on same-sex orientation. Mock public opinion polls of a positive or negative nature regarding same-sex orientation were used to study attitudinal and behavioral change of participants and attitude-behavior consistency. The study sample included 194 undergraduate students from a Midwestern university. A correlation existed between participants' traditional gender role beliefs and heterosexism. Participants who viewed the positive public opinion poll demonstrated behavioral support for a lesbian and gay organization, as did participants with positive attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Findings are analyzed within a social prejudice framework.
External Collection Devices as an Alternative to the Indwelling Urinary Catheter

Multiple evidence-based guidelines have suggested clinicians consider external collection devices (ECD) as alternatives to indwelling catheters. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of evidence-based resources concerning their use. An expert consensus panel was convened to review the current state of the evidence, indications for ECDs as an alternative to an indwelling urinary catheter, identify knowledge gaps, and areas for future research. This article presents the results of the expert consensus panel meeting and a systematic literature review regarding ECD use in the clinical setting.