Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Filament Transport Control for Enhancing Mechanical Properties of Parts Realised by Fused Filament Fabrication

The fused filament fabrication (FFF) process is widely used for producing prototypes and functional parts for diverse applications. While FFF is particularly attractive due to its cost-effectiveness, on the other hand, the fabricated parts have limitations in terms of large manufacturing time and reduced mechanical properties. The latter is strongly influenced by the fabrication process parameters, which affect the interlayer bonding and the adhesion between consecutive layers. Several works presented in the literature analysed the correlation between mechanical properties and process parameters. It was demonstrated that an increase in the fabrication feed rate causes slippage between filament and the feeding system, which leads to a decrease in the extruded material flow, and thus in part density. This work aims to investigate how the limitation of the slippage phenomenon affects the mechanical properties of parts fabricated using the FFF process. A prototype machine, equipped with a closed-loop control system on filament transport, was used to fabricate samples for tensile tests and dynamical mechanical analysis. Samples fabricated enabling the filament transport control showed an increase both in ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break for those fabricated with disabled control, whilst a decrease in stiffness was observed. In addition, the results showed that the use of a filament transport control system on a FFF machine increases the possibility of fabricating high value-added parts.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) Improves Carotenoid Content in Eggs When Fed to Laying Hens

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a shrub with leaves that have a high concentration of carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Egg yolks are a bioavailable source of lutein and zeaxanthin. The consumption of these carotenoids has been linked with improved human health. To investigate the impact of dried stevia leaves at 0%, 1% and 2% on the quality variables, the chemical composition and antioxidant content of eggs, the experiment involved 90 Hy-Line Brown laying hens, housed in 30 enriched layer cages, in groups of three from 22 to 26 weeks of age. The impact on the internal qualities of stored eggs was also examined. Yolks from hens fed stevia had an enriched color compared with the controls. At the end of the experiment, the whole egg, without shell, of birds fed 2% stevia had a higher total carotenoid content (p < 0.001) compared with birds fed 1% and 0% stevia, i.e., 5.16 (µg/g), 4.23 (µg/g) and 2.96 (µg/g), respectively. Storage reduced albumen height and increased albumen pH (p < 0.001). Stevia supplementation did not interact (p > 0.05) with storage time among the egg quality variables. Consuming eggs from hens fed stevia may increase carotenoids in human diet.
Genetic Variants of Complement Factor H Y402H (rs1061170), C2 R102G (rs2230199), and C3 E318D (rs9332739) and Response to Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Treatment in Patients with Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Background and Objectives: To assess the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes encoding complement factors CFH, C2, and C3 (Y402H rs1061170, R102G rs2230199, and E318D rs9332739, respectively) and response to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Materials and Methods: The study included 111 patients with exudative AMD treated with intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab injections. Response to therapy was assessed on the basis of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) measured every 4 weeks for 12 months. The control group included 58 individuals without AMD. The SNPs were genotyped by a real-time polymerase chain reaction in genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood samples. Results: The CC genotype in SNP rs1061170 of the CFH gene was more frequent in patients with AMD than in controls (p = 0.0058). It was also more common among the 28 patients (25.2%) with poor response to therapy compared with good responders (p = 0.0002). Poor responders, especially those without this genotype, benefited from switching to another anti-VEGF drug. At the last follow-up assessment, carriers of this genotype had significantly worse BCVA (p = 0.0350) and greater CRT (p = 0.0168) than noncarriers. TT genotype carriers showed improved BCVA (p = 0.0467) and reduced CRT compared with CC and CT genotype carriers (p = 0.0194). No associations with AMD or anti-VEGF therapy outcomes for SNP rs9332739 in the C2 gene and SNP rs2230199 in the C3 gene were found. Conclusions: The CC genotype for SNP rs1061170 in the CFH gene was associated with AMD in our population. Additionally, it promoted a poor response to anti-VEGF therapy. On the other hand, TT genotype carriers showed better functional and anatomical response to anti-VEGF therapy at 12 months than carriers of the other genotypes for this SNP.
Study on the Mechanism of Shenjing Guben Prescription Regulating PI3K and NRF2 Signaling Pathway in the Treatment of Immune Infertility

Objective To explore the mechanism of Shenjing Guben prescription (SP) in the treatment of immune infertility by regulating PI3K-NRF2/p38 signal pathway. Methods 60 adult male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (NC group), ACN group, low concentration AP intervention group (low group), middle concentration SP intervention group (middle group), and high concentration SP intervention group (high group). 12 rats in each group were administered by gavage once a day, 6 days/w, and the rats were killed after 28 days. Bilateral testis and epididymis were removed and weighed and organ coefficients were calculated, and testicular histopathological sections were prepared to evaluate the changes of testicular tissue structure. The relative expression levels of PI3K, MKK7, JNK, p38 mRNA, and protein in testis were measured by QRT-PCR and western blot. Results (1) Compared with the control group, the proportion of grade A and B sperms in ACN group increased significantly, and the proportion of grade D sperm decreased significantly (P < 0.05). After SP intervention, compared with ACN group, there was no significant difference in the proportion of sperm at all levels in low, medium, and high SP intervention groups (P > 0.05). (2) Compared with the control group, the sperm VCL, VSL, VAP, and mad in ACN group increased significantly, and the BCF decreased significantly (P < 0.05). After SP intervention, compared with ACN group, there was no significant difference in sperm motility parameters among low, medium, and high SP intervention groups (P > 0.05). (3) Compared with the control group, the activities of AKP and SDH in testicular tissue of rats in ACN group decreased significantly (P < 0.05). After SP intervention, compared with ACN group, AKP activity increased significantly and LDH activity decreased significantly in low, medium, and high SP intervention groups (P < 0.05). (4) Compared with the control group, the expression levels of PI3K, p-PI3K, MKK7, p-MKK7, JNK, p-JNK, p38, and p-p38 proteins and the ratios of p-JNK/JNK and p-p38/p38 increased in the testis of ACN group (P < 0.05). After SP intervention, compared with ACN group, the protein expression levels of PI3K, p-PI3K, MKK7, p-MKK7, JNK, p-JNK, p38, and p-p38 in testicular tissue of SP intervention group decreased, and the ratio of p-JNK/JNK and p-p38/p38 decreased (P < 0.05). Conclusion SP can reduce the oxidative stress of testis induced by ACN and inhibit the activation of PI3K-NRF2/p38 signal pathway.
The behaviour of circular synthetic jets in a laminar boundary layer

Abstract Dye flow visualisation of circular synthetic jets was carried out in laminar boundary layers developing over a flat plate at a range of actuator operating conditions and freestream velocities of 0·05 and 0·1ms–1. The purpose of this work was to study the interaction of synthetic jets with the boundary layer and the nature of vortical structures produced as a result of this interaction. The effects of Reynolds number (Re), velocity ratio (VR ) and Strouhal number (St) on the behaviour of synthetic jets were studied. At low Re and VR , the vortical structures produced by synthetic jets appear as highly stretched hairpin vortices attached to the wall. At intermediate Re and VR , these structures roll up into vortex rings which experience a considerable amount of tilting and stretching as they enter the boundary layer. These vortex rings will eventually propagate outside the boundary layer hence the influence of the synthetic jets on the near wall flow will be confined in the near field of the jet exit. At high Re and VR , the vortex rings appear to experience a certain amount of tilting but no obvious stretching. They penetrate the edge of the boundary layer quickly, producing very limited impact on the near wall flow. Hence it is believed that the hairpin vortices produced at low Re and VR are likely to be the desirable structures for effective flow separation control. In this paper, a vortex model was also described to explain the mechanism of vortex tilting.
Subglacial meltwater routes of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet

ABSTRACT Subglacial drainage systems are crucial elements of glaciers and ice sheets because they modulate ice flow velocity. However, logistical challenges of measuring subglacial processes beneath contemporary ice and natural limitations in long-term monitoring hinder our understanding about their spatio-temporal evolution. Subglacial meltwater landforms created by palaeo-ice sheets are records of past subglacial drainage systems and offer the potential to study their large-scale development throughout deglaciation. Although collectively recording subglacial drainage, individual meltwater landforms such as eskers, meltwater channels and meltwater corridors, which comprise tunnel valleys and meltwater tracks (assemblages of landforms in broad, elongated paths with irregular surface texture), have mostly been investigated as separate entities. Using high-resolution (1–2 m) digital elevation models, we map integrated networks of subglacial meltwater landforms, herein called subglacial meltwater routes, on an ice-sheet scale in Fennoscandia. Our map provides a basis for future research on the long-term evolution of subglacial drainage networks and its effect on ice dynamics of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet.
Patients with plasma cell disorders undergoing autologous stem cell transplant retain their humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination but falling titers emphasize the importance of re-vaccination

Patients with plasma cells disorders (PCD) who contract COVID-19 have higher morbidity and mortality compared to those without [1 – 3]. Mortality from COVID-19 is also increased in those undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) [4,5]. Preventing infection with COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable group is key, but patients with PCD have been shown to mount subopti-mal responses to vaccination We previously reported 68% seropositivity after one vaccine, rising to 89% seroconversion after two vaccines [7], similar to reports elsewhere [8 – 10]. It is also evident that serology titers decline over time [7], but it is unclear how these levels change following ASCT.
Improved Image Analysis for Measuring Gastric Ulcer Index in Animal Models and Clinical Diagnostic Data

Gastric ulcers are one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases. In this study, as an attempt to reduce the minimal error in clinical observations during the diagnosis of gastric ulcers, the applicability of improved ImageJ analysis (IA) was investigated by comparing the results of animal experiments and clinical data. As a result, IA exhibited a significantly improved potential for determining the ulcer index (UI) of clinical data sheets compared to those rated directly by conventional clinical observation (CCO). This indicated that IA enhanced the reproducibility of the measurement of gastric UI using a Bland–Altman plot, resulting in a reduced deviation of each UI value. In addition, it was confirmed that errors in gastric UI decisions can be reduced by adjusting RGB values in diagnostic clinical data (i.e., adjusting to 100 is relatively better than adjusting to 50 or 200). Together, these results suggest that the new enhanced IA could be compatible with novel applications for measuring and evaluating gastric ulcers in clinical settings, meaning that the developed method could be used not only as an auxiliary tool for CCO, but also as a pipeline for ulcer diagnosis.
Why pandemic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) hit different age groups of people in Southeast Asia? a case study in Bangladesh

The new catastrophe of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19s) with unstable symptoms has rapidly pulled danger to all age groups worldwide. We investigate possible causes of the different nature and demography of COVID-19. We collected and used secondary data from the IEDCR website and “Worldometer” from 1st April to 24th June for the statistical analyses, including multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM), topsis, advanced topsis, simple additive weighting (SAW) and weighting product method (WPM) and PCA. The total number of known COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh was 122,709 as of 24th June. Radical growth will be found with 4912 cases in one day on 16th July as per the time-series forecasting. The infection rate among the young (<30) was highest, i.e., 37.8%, while the elderly (>60) had the maximum death rate (≈39%). Both of India and Bangladesh, approximately one-third of total COVID-19 cases belong to the under 30 age group. Preliminary observation finds India and Bangladesh have a high risk for young people and the working class. PCA indicates the highest positive association among the youths and the highest negative association among the older. In this study, older age (>60) individuals are in danger with the fifth rank, and the young and working-age people are at comparatively lower risk with a third to the fourth rank in terms of infection rate as indicated by MCDM. 41-50 age group remains at lower risk with the first rank in all cases. The nature of activities of younger people and the poor immunity system of older people are the reason for the non-homogenous attitude toward the coronavirus among different age groups. In Bangladesh, drug addiction, gambling habits, uncontrolled lifestyle, and social obliquity have led the youth through danger, threatening the older age of family and society.
Auranofin and Pharmacologic Ascorbate as Radiomodulators in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer accounts for nearly one fourth of all new cancers worldwide. Little progress in the development of novel or adjuvant therapies has been made over the past few decades and new approaches to the treatment of pancreatic cancer are desperately needed. Pharmacologic ascorbate (P-AscH−, high-dose, intravenous vitamin C) is being investigated in clinical trials as an adjunct to standard-of-care chemoradiation treatments. In vitro, P-AscH− has been shown to sensitize cancer cells to ionizing radiation in a manner that is dependent on the generation of H2O2 while simultaneously protecting normal tissue from radiation damage. There is renewed interest in Auranofin (Au), an FDA-approved medication utilized in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, as an anti-cancer agent. Au inhibits the thioredoxin antioxidant system, thus increasing the overall peroxide burden on cancer cells. In support of current literature demonstrating Au’s effectiveness in breast, colon, lung, and ovarian cancer, we offer additional data that demonstrate the effectiveness of Au alone and in combination with P-AscH− and ionizing radiation in pancreatic cancer treatment. Combining P-AscH− and Au in the treatment of pancreatic cancer may confer multiple mechanisms to increase H2O2-dependent toxicity amongst cancer cells and provide a promising translatable avenue by which to enhance radiation effectiveness and improve patient outcomes.
Review and direct evidence of transgressive aeolian sand sheet and dunefield initiation

The multiple hypotheses which exist to explain the initiation of transgressive aeolian sand sheets and dunefields, are reviewed and discussed. Direct evidence supporting many of these hypotheses is largely lacking. In South Australia, the Younghusband Peninsula coastal barrier extends ~180 km and predominantly comprises transgressive and parabolic dunefields. The 42 Mile Crossing area on the barrier is undergoing significant erosion at variable rates of 0.5 to 5.0 m/yr, and a new transgressive aeolian sand sheet has rapidly developed in ~1 year and is extending landwards at an average rate of 13 m/yr. This research provides unequivocal evidence that large‐scale shoreline and dunefield erosion does lead to the development of a new transgressive aeolian sand sheet (and eventual dunefield) phase thereby demonstrating an initiation mechanism that is likely linked to future sea level rise and climate change. We also show that the initiation process, and, in particular, the subsequent rate of sand sheet transgression occurs at an incredibly rapid rate (+100 m in 8 years).
A cryptic powdery mildew (Golovinomyces hieraciorum sp. nov.) on Hieracium and Pilosella (Compositae)

The Golovinomyces cichoracearum complex is morphologically highly variable and causes powdery mildew on a wide range of Compositae, including Hieracium spp. and Lapsana communis. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Golovinomyces, published in 2013, revealed that G. cichoracearum s. str. was confined to Scorzonera and Tragopogon spp. as hosts (Compositae, tribe Lactuceae, subtribe Scorzonerinae). To clarify the phylogeny and taxonomy of Golovinomyces on Hieracium spp. (Compositae, tribe Lactuceae, subtribe Hieraciinae), which is common in Asia and Europe, morphology and phylogenetic analyses of ITS + 28S rDNA sequences were conducted for 57 powdery mildew specimens of Hieracium spp. and Lapsana communis. Golovinomyces on Hieracium spp. in Asia and Europe, previously referred to as G. cichoracearum, is a previously undescribed, cryptic species, which is described here as Golovinomyces hieraciorum sp. nov. Since a sequence retrieved from a powdery mildew on Lapsana communis in Switzerland clustered in sister position to the G. hieraciorum clade, numerous German specimens identified as G. cichoracearum were included in the present examinations. All the re-examined collections of “G. cichoracearum” on L. communis were misidentified, and were shown to belong to Neoërysiphe nevoi or Podosphaera ergerontis-canadensis.
Enhanced Risk of Osteoporotic Fracture in Patients with Sarcopenia: A National Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder associated with poor health outcomes in older adults. However, its association with the risk of fracture risk is yet to be clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence and consequence of osteoporosis-related fractures among patients with sarcopenia in Taiwan. A retrospective, population-based study on 616 patients with sarcopenia, aged >40 years, and 1232 individuals without sarcopenia was conducted to evaluate claims data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database collected in the period January 2000–December 2013. The incidence rate of osteoporosis-related fracture was 18.13 and 14.61 per 1000 person years in the patients with sarcopenia and comparison cohort, respectively. Patients with sarcopenia had a greater osteoporotic fracture risk (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47–3.04) after correcting for possible confounding. Additionally, females showed statistically significant correlations of sarcopenia with osteoporosis-related fracture risk (HR 1.53; CI 0.83–2.8 for males and HR 2.40, CI 1.51–3.81 for females). During this retrospective study on the fracture risk in Taiwan, an adverse impact of sarcopenia was observed, which substantiates the need to work toward sarcopenia prevention and interventions to reverse fracture susceptibility in patients with sarcopenia.
Establishment and Comparative Analysis of Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay and Time-Resolved Fluoroimmunoassay for the Determination of Trace Quinclorac in Environment

As a common herbicide in farmland, there has been wide concern over quinclorac residue because of its potential risks to the environment and human health. For the detection and monitoring of quinclorac residue in the environment, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) were established. The half-maximal inhibition concentrations (IC50) of ELISA and TRFIA were 0.169 mg/L and 0.087 mg/L with a linear range (IC20–IC80) of 0.020–1.389 mg/L and 0.004–1.861 mg/L, respectively. Compared with ELISA, the limit of detection (LOD, IC20) and IC50 of TRFIA improved approximately 5-fold and 2-fold. The cross-reaction rates for the quinclorac analogs were less than 2%. The average recoveries of quinclorac in river water, paddy water, paddy soil, and brown rice samples were 77.3–106.1%, with RSDs of 1.7–12.5%. More importantly, the results of the two methods were consistent with that of the referenced method of UPLC-MS/MS (R2 > 0.98). ELISA and TRFIA both showed good detection performance and could meet the requirements of the quantitative determination of quinclorac. Therefore, the proposed ELISA and TRFIA could be applied to the rapid and sensitive detection and monitoring of quinclorac residue in the environment.
Electro-Dispersive Multiple Quantum Well Modulator

The electric-field dependence of optical absorption has been studied extensively for bulk and multiple-quantum-well(MQW) semiconductors. In bulk semiconductors, it is known as the Franz-Keldysh effect. More recently, in MQW semiconductors, it is called the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE)[1] and turns out to be much larger than in bulk semiconductors. Main consequences of the QCSE are broadening and red-shift of exciton absorption peaks. Direct modulation of optical absorption by the QCSE leads to an electro-optic modulator which has demonstrated fast optical modulation[2]. Major drawbacks of this absorption modulator are poor contrast and/or low absolute transmission. Moreover, since the wavelength of the light is usually close to an exciton peak, there is always strong absorption. This limits the maximum optical intensity to be handled by the modulator to a level below that of exciton saturation.