Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thin films flowing down inverted substrates: Two dimensional flow

We consider free surface instabilities of films flowing on inverted substrates within the framework of lubrication approximation. We allow for the presence of fronts and related contact lines and explore the role which they play in instability development. It is found that a contact line, modeled by a commonly used precursor film model, leads to free surface instabilities without any additional natural or excited perturbations. A single parameter D=(3 Ca)1/3cot α, where Ca is the capillary number and α is the inclination angle, is identified as a governing parameter in the problem. This parameter may be interpreted to reflect the combined effect of inclination angle, film thickness, Reynolds number, and fluid flux. Variation of D leads to change in the wavelike properties of the instabilities, allowing us to observe traveling wave behavior, mixed waves, and the waves resembling solitary ones.
Macronutrient and iron limitation of phytoplankton growth in Hong Kong coastal waters

The western side of Hong Kong possesses estuarine characteristics (from the Pearl River estuary) and the eastern side is mainly influenced by the oligotrophic South China Sea, while the southern side has intermediate hydrological characteristics. We investigated the concentrations of dis- solved inorganic nutrients and limitations to phytoplankton growth at these 3 locations around Hong Kong. As expected, measurements of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved silicon (DISi) concentrations decreased from the western (DIN: 42.7 to 112 µM; DISi: 24.1 to 81 µM), to the southern and finally the eastern side ( >6.6:1 and >>1:1, respectively, but decreased with the addition of Si. Furthermore, 'luxury uptake' of P and Si was observed after replenishment of these nutrients. Thus, it was hypothe- sized that phytoplankton on the eastern side were limited by several nutrients sequentially in the fol- lowing order: P > Si > N/Fe. A shift in limitation from one nutrient to another may frequently take place, as concentrations of all these nutrients are low. Furthermore, temporal and spatial variations of nutrient concentration and phytoplankton growth limitation were also observed in the estuary.
1000-V, 30-A 4H-SiC BJTs with high current gain

This paper presents the development of 1000 V, 30A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) with high dc current gain in 4H-SiC. BJT devices with an active area of 3/spl times/3 mm/sup 2/ showed a forward on-current of 30 A, which corresponds to a current density of 333 A/cm/sup 2/, at a forward voltage drop of 2 V. A common-emitter current gain of 40, along with a low specific on-resistance of 6.0m/spl Omega//spl middot/cm/sup 2/ was observed at room temperature. These results show significant improvement over state-of-the-art. High temperature current-voltage characteristics were also performed on the large-area bipolar junction transistor device. A collector current of 10A is observed at V/sub CE/=2 V and I/sub B/=600 mA at 225/spl deg/C. The on-resistance increases to 22.5 m/spl Omega//spl middot/cm/sup 2/ at higher temperatures, while the dc current gain decreases to 30 at 275/spl deg/C. A sharp avalanche behavior was observed at a collector voltage of 1000 V. Inductive switching measurements at room temperature with a power supply voltage of 500 V show fast switching with a turn-off time of about 60 ns and a turn-on time of 32 ns, which is a result of the low resistance in the base.
Renal Interstitial Fibrosis: An Imperfect Predictor of Kidney Disease Progression in Some Patient Cohorts

Background: The extent of interstitial fibrosis on kidney biopsy is regarded as a prognostic indicator and guide to treatment. Patients with extensive fibrosis are assigned to supportive treatments with the expectation that they have advanced beyond the point at which immunosuppressive or other disease-modifying therapies would be of benefit. Our study highlights some of the limitations of using interstitial fibrosis to predict who will develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: Analysis of 434 consecutive renal biopsies performed between 2001 and 2012 at a single center. We assessed the influence of various clinical factors along with fibrosis as predictors of ESRD and dialysis-free survival in various patient groups. Results: Interstitial fibrosis performed well overall as a predictor of progression to dialysis. On average, patients with >50% fibrosis progressed more rapidly than those with either 25-49 or 0-24% fibrosis with a median time to dialysis of 1.2, 6.5 and >10 years, respectively. In contrast, interstitial fibrosis was of less value as a predictor of disease progression in a subset of cases that included patients over the age of 70 and those with diabetic nephropathy on biopsy. Surprisingly, 13.9% of patients with normal renal function had 25-49% fibrosis and 5% had more than 50% fibrosis on biopsy, and 5 years after undergoing biopsy 21% of patients with >50% fibrosis still remained dialysis free. Conclusion: Renal fibrosis is an imperfect prognostic indicator for the development of ESRD and caution should be exercised in applying it too rigidly, especially in elderly or diabetic patients.
Independent Effects of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Transaminase (GABAT) on Metabolic and Sleep Homeostasis*

Background: Components of GABA catabolism feed into sleep and potential energy pathways. Results: We identified a metabolic phenotype in Drosophila mutants of GABA turnover and traced it to a limit in glutamate, which is not relevant for sleep. Conclusion: GABA regulates metabolic and sleep homeostasis through independent mechanisms. Significance: Neurological disorders involving GABA disruption may be associated with metabolic problems. Breakdown of the major sleep-promoting neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), in the GABA shunt generates catabolites that may enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle, but it is unknown whether catabolic by-products of the GABA shunt actually support metabolic homeostasis. In Drosophila, the loss of the specific enzyme that degrades GABA, GABA transaminase (GABAT), increases sleep, and we show here that it also affects metabolism such that flies lacking GABAT fail to survive on carbohydrate media. Expression of GABAT in neurons or glia rescues this phenotype, indicating a general metabolic function for this enzyme in the brain. As GABA degradation produces two catabolic products, glutamate and succinic semialdehyde, we sought to determine which was responsible for the metabolic phenotype. Through genetic and pharmacological experiments, we determined that glutamate, rather than succinic semialdehyde, accounts for the metabolic phenotype of gabat mutants. This is supported by biochemical measurements of catabolites in wild-type and mutant animals. Using in vitro labeling assays, we found that inhibition of GABAT affects energetic pathways. Interestingly, we also observed that gaba mutants display a general disruption in bioenergetics as measured by altered levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, NAD+/NADH, and ATP levels. Finally, we report that the effects of GABAT on sleep do not depend upon glutamate, indicating that GABAT regulates metabolic and sleep homeostasis through independent mechanisms. These data indicate a role of the GABA shunt in the development of metabolic risk and suggest that neurological disorders caused by altered glutamate or GABA may be associated with metabolic disruption.
CELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF MONOAMINES IN THE SPINAL CORD.

The cellular localization of monoamines in the spinal cord of the mouse and the rat has been studied with the use of a fluorescence method for histochemical demonstration of certain cate-cholamines and tryptamines in combination with a pharmacological approach and transection experiments. Strong evidence was obtained for the view that noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) are localized in special systems of nerve tracts which from supraspinal centers descend in the lateral and anterior funiculi to terminate in the gray matter and which belong to monoaminergic neurons. The amines show a massive accumulation in the terminal part of the nerve fibres. This strongly indicates that both amines serve as synaptic transmitters in the spinal cord. Many nerve terminals containing NA or 5-HT are present in the anterior horns. They are more scarce in the posterior horns. Terminals of both kinds are highly concentrated in the sympathetic lateral column where most—if not all—of the nerve cells are surrounded by them. They originate—at least mainly—from a tract descending in the dorsolateral funiculi. This localization of the descending fibres suggests that they arc identical with the inhibitory fibres going to the sympathetic column.
Impaired cardiac function among obese adolescents: effect of aerobic interval training.

OBJECTIVES To measure cardiac function before and after 3 months of aerobic interval training in obese adolescents and to compare the findings with those in lean counterparts. DESIGN Exercise intervention study. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and maximal oxygen uptake by ergospirometry. SETTING The obese adolescents were referred from general practice to the St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, and the control group was recruited from 2 schools. PARTICIPANTS Ten obese adolescents (mean [SD] age, 14.8 [1.2] years; mean [SD] body mass index {BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared}, 33.5 [4.3]) and 10 lean counterparts (mean [SD] age, 14.9 [1.3] years; mean [SD] BMI, 20.4 [3.0]) participated. Intervention Aerobic interval training (4 x 4 minutes at 90% of maximal heart rate, 40 minutes of training in total) was performed twice per week for 13 weeks among the obese adolescents, whereas the lean counterparts only performed the tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Left ventricular end-diastolic volume, stroke volume, and maximal oxygen uptake. RESULTS Maximal oxygen uptake was 41.4% lower among the obese adolescents compared with the lean counterparts, but the maximal oxygen uptake increased by 8.6% (P = .008) after intervention. Obese adolescents initially had 7.8% and 14.5% lower left ventricular end-diastolic and stroke volumes, 21.3% reduced global strain rate and 16.3% global strain, reduced mitral annulus excursion and systolic/diastolic tissue velocity, longer isovolumic relaxation time, and longer deceleration time compared with the lean counterparts. No group difference was observed after the intervention. Aerobic interval training increased the ejection fraction but was lower compared with the lean counterparts. Aerobic interval training reduced fat content by 2.0% (P = .005) among the obese adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Aerobic interval training almost restored an impaired systolic and diastolic cardiac function among obese adolescents when compared with lean counterparts. These results may have implications for future treatment programs for obese adolescents.
A DIVISION OF LABOR BETWEEN NOUNS AND VERBS IN THE REPRESENTATION OF MOTION

This study examines the association of nouns and verbs with 2 different kinds of motion. Extrinsic motion is the motion of 1 object with respect to another object, whereas intrinsic motion is the motion of an object (or its parts) defined with respect to itself. Several experiments are reported that compare the association of these types of motion with novel nouns and verbs. Adult participants demonstrated a bias to associate verbs with extrinsic motion to a greater extent than intrinsic motion and a bias to associate nouns with intrinsic motion to a greater extent than extrinsic motion. These results suggest a division of labor between nouns and verbs, with verbs specialized to convey relational information, whereas nouns are specialized to convey information about individual objects. The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motion may be related to the neuroanatomical distinction between the "what" and "where" systems. Verbs are often thought of as the primary vehicles for conveying motion. Most verbs, however, only describe certain aspects of a motion event, and other kinds of words are necessary to provide a more complete description of motion: Prepositions, verb particles, and adverbs are examples of other word classes that may participate in the description of motion. Nouns are not generally thought to describe motion. Nouns are instead thought of as labels for the objects participating in an event. Yet many nouns label objects that have characteristic manners of motion, and knowledge of how an object moves may help one to interpret a sentence containing that noun. If both nouns and verbs convey motion, communication would be most efficient if one used nouns and verbs to convey different aspects of a motion event, creating a division of labor between nouns and verbs in the description of motion.
A Peptide Nucleic Acid against MicroRNA miR-145-5p Enhances the Expression of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) in Calu-3 Cells

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are very useful tools for gene regulation at different levels, but in particular in the last years their use for targeting microRNA (anti-miR PNAs) has provided impressive advancements. In this respect, microRNAs related to the repression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which is defective in cystic fibrosis, are of great importance in the development of new type of treatments. In this paper we propose the use of an anti-miR PNA for targeting miR-145, a microRNA reported to suppress CFTR expression. Octaarginine-anti-miR PNA conjugates were delivered to Calu-3 cells, exerting sequence dependent targeting of miR-145-5p. This allowed to enhance expression of the miR-145 regulated CFTR gene, analyzed at mRNA (RT-qPCR, Reverse Transcription quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) and CFTR protein (Western blotting) level.
Tunable supramolecular synthons and versatile, water-soluble building blocks for crystal engineering:.

It is shown that the water-soluble dicarboxylic cationic acid [(eta5-C5H4COOH)2Co(III)]+ (1) is an extremely versatile building block for the construction of organometallic crystalline edifices. Removal of one proton from 1 leads to formation of the neutral zwitterion [(eta5-C5H4COOH)(eta5-C5H4COO)Co(III)] (2), while further deprotonation leads to formation of the dicarboxylate monoanion [(eta5-C5H4COO)2Co(III)]- (3). Compounds 1. 2 and 3 possess different hydrogen-bonding capacity and participate in a variety of hydrogen-bonding networks. The cationic form 1 has been characterised as its [PF6]- and Cl- salts 1-[PF6] and 1-Cl.H2O, as well as in its co-crystal with urea, 1-Cl.3(NH2)2CO, and with the zwitterionic form 2, [(eta5-CH4COOH)(eta5-C5H4COO)Co(III)][(eta5-C5H4COOH)2Co(III)]+[PF6]-, 2.1-[PF6]. The neutral zwitterion 2 behaves as a supramolecular crown ether: it encapsulates the alkali cations K+, Rb+ and Cs+ as well as the ammonium cation NH4+ in cages sustained by O-H.O and C-H.O hydrogen bonds to form co-crystalline salts of the type 2(2)-M[PF6] (M = K, Rb, Cs) and 2(2)-[NH4][PF6]. The deprotonated acid 3 has been characterised as its Cs+ salt, Cs+-3.3H2O.
Deep Learning Approaches for P300 Classification in Image Triage: Applications to the NAILS Task

This paper describes the rationale behind and results of five evaluation submissions to the NAILS (Neurally Augmented Image Labelling Strategies) challenge at the NTCIR-13 conference. Image triage is a timeand resourceintensive process for human labelers. Researchers have identified a potential P300-based BCI solution to alleviate the strain of manual labeling. The NAILS dataset was designed to capture the P300 signal over various image search activities and to act as a benchmark dataset for P300 detection methods. Here we describe approaches that utilize crossand within-subject training using our in-house Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) EEGNet, and another state-of-the art eventrelated-potential approach based on xDAWN spatial filtering combined with Information Geometry using Riemannian manifolds. We show improved performance with within-subject training, more data, and modifications to the EEGNet model, and briefly discuss the implications of using certain training data over others.
Perceived sources of stress amongst Indian dental students in Bareilly city

Introduction: In addition to the stresses pertaining to dentistry as a profession, dental students have to face the additional stress of their studies. Through stress can also contribute to decreased student performance. The aim of this study was to assess perceived sources of stress among undergraduate dentists at a Dental College in Bareilly, India. Materials and methods: A modified dental environment stress (DES) questionnaire which consisted of 38 questions was used to assess the levels of stress. Results: The first major stressor for all the students was examination and grades followed by full working day, fear of unemployment after graduation, receiving criticism from supervisors about academic or clinical work, amount of cheating in dental faculty, rules and regulations of the faculty. Fear of unemployment after graduation and lack of relaxation were among the six highest stressors in each year, at least four. The perception of stress between genders with a male predilection was significantly different. Eighteen of the 38 questionnaire items had significant differences across the year groups including clinical DES items. Conclusion: The primary sources of stress perceived by dental students were exams and grades followed by full working day and receiving criticism about academic or clinical work from superiors. Since high levels of perceived stress can reduce student performance, dental schools should consider courses in stress management.
Social context of pain perception: the role of other people's presence and physical distance

The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of passive person’s presence for the experience of pain induced by thermal stimuli in experimental conditions. Several previous studies suggested that mere presence of others can induce beneficial outcomes in people experiencing experimentally induced pain. Participants were involved in two different experimental situations – one in which they were completely alone in the room while experiencing pain and another in which they were, while experiencing pain, accompanied by an unfamiliar individual (passive observer), presented as unimportant for this experiment. There was no social interaction between participant and the passive observer during painful simulation. To explore more closely the possible nature of this effect of social context, the distance between passive observer and the participant was varied in this experiment. When participants were, during painful stimulation, accompanied by an unfamiliar individual, passive observer was in one group relatively close to the participant (50 cm), and in other group somewhat further away (150 cm). Measures of pain experience used in this study were pain threshold, pain tolerance, and also subjective assessment of intensity and general unpleasantness of pain experienced in this study. Results indicated no effect of other people’s presence on pain experience. There was no difference, in any measure of pain experience, between situation in which people experienced pain alone and the one in which they were accompanied by an unfamiliar individual. No effect of distance and also no interaction of distance and presence of passive observer were found in this study.
Free fatty acid-induced insulin resistance in the obese is not prevented by rosiglitazone treatment.

OBJECTIVE Elevation of free fatty acids (FFAs) by the infusion of triglyceride-heparin emulsion infusion (TG-Hep) causes insulin resistance (IR). We examined the effect of insulin sensitizer (rosiglitazone) on FFA-induced IR. DESIGN Nine obese subjects underwent a 6-h infusion of TG-Hep before and after 6 wk of rosiglitazone (8 mg/d) treatment. Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps were performed during 0-2 and 4-6 h of TG-Hep. RESULTS After rosiglitazone for 6 wk, fasting FFA concentration fell, but not significantly (489 +/- 63 at 0 wk; 397 +/- 58 micromol/liter at 6 wk; P = 0.16), whereas C-reactive protein (4.26 +/- 0.95 at 0 wk; 2.03 +/- 0.45 microg/ml at 6 wk) and serum amyloid A (17.36 +/- 4.63 at 0 wk; 8.77 +/- 1.63 microg/ml at 6 wk) decreased significantly. At 0 wk, TG-Hep infusion caused a decrease in glucose infusion rate (GIR) from 4.49 +/- 0.95 mg/kg.min to 3.02 +/- 0.59 mg/kg.min (P = 0.018). Rosiglitazone treatment resulted in an increase in baseline GIR to 6.29 +/- 0.81 mg/kg.min (P = 0.03 vs. 0 wk), which decreased to 4.52 +/- 0.53 mg/kg.min (P = 0.001) after 6 h of TG-Hep infusion. The decrease in GIR induced by TG-Hep infusion was similar before and after rosiglitazone therapy [1.47 +/- 0.50 vs. 1.77 0.3 mg/kg.min (28.9 +/- 6.5 vs. 26.4 +/- 3.7%); P = 0.51]. The rise in FFAs and triglycerides after TG-Hep infusion was significantly lower at 6 wk (P = 0.006 for FFAs; P = 0.024 for triglycerides). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that rosiglitazone: 1) causes a significant increase in GIR; 2) induces a decrease in inflammatory mediators, C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid A; 3) decreases the rise in FFAs and triglycerides after TG-Hep infusion; and 4) does not prevent FFA-induced IR.
Effects of alcoholism and continued abstinence on brain volumes in both genders.

BACKGROUND Alcohol abuse has detrimental effects on cerebral function, metabolism, and volume. Some of these effects were found to be at least partially reversible with continued abstinence. Furthermore, it has been reported that there are different effects of alcohol on brain volumes for women compared with men, but the results concerning the interaction between alcohol dependence and gender are inconsistent. With this study, we aimed to further investigate this question by examining the global gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes as well as regional and local GM changes detected by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in male and female alcoholic patients a few weeks after detoxification and the corresponding changes in a subgroup of these patients 3 months later. METHODS A total of 50 patients, consecutively admitted for alcohol withdrawal treatment, participated in this study and were followed up for at least 3 months into abstinence. High-resolution structural images were processed with SPM8 using an optimized VBM protocol. RESULTS Global cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume was increased and WM and GM volume decreased equally in male and female patients. A gender by diagnosis interaction was found neither for global nor for regional volumes or VBM data. VBM whole brain analysis yielded a significant GM volume loss in the patient group in the cingulate gyrus and the insula in both hemispheres. Region of interest analysis for the initial and 3 months follow-up scans yielded significant gains in regional volumes, particularly the cingulate gyrus and the insula in the group of abstinent patients, whereas no volume change at all is found in the patients who had relapsed. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms widespread cerebral volume loss in recently detoxified alcoholics. The effects of alcohol dependence seem to have equally adverse effects on brain morphometry in males and females.