Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Birth Outcomes in HIV-1-Infected Women Receiving Highly ActiveAntiretroviral Therapy (HAART) Prior to Conception versus DuringPregnancy in Yaounde, Cameroon

Objective: To assess the impact of antiretroviral on birth outcome according to the timing of antiretroviral initiation in relation to pregnancy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected pregnant women. Methods: Cross sectional study, observational, in a single referral site, the Centre Hospitalier d’ESSOS of Yaounde from 2008 to 2013. Babies born to HIV positive mothers under HAART prior to conception were compared with those initiating treatment during pregnancy. Main measurement: rate of preterm birth (PTB) defined as gestational age<37 weeks at birth and low birth weight (LBW)<2500 g. Results: We included 617 newborn babies. Almost 96% of their mothers were taking antiretroviral drugs free of protease inhibitor. Overall rate of LBW was at 11.6% and PTB at 9.7 %. In bivariate analysis, PTB were similarly rated in preconception HAART(8.1%) versus during pregnancy (10.1%), odd ratio (1.22: 0.6-2.5, p=0.90); in ART started during pregnancy, the PTB frequency was analogous, irrespective of the moment of antiretroviral therapy (ART) started before 28 weeks (10.9%), or after (9%), p=0.9. In addition, LBW rates were registered at 11.7% prior to pregnancy versus 11.6% after conception (p=0.9). The ART started during pregnancy <28 weeks pregnancy was almost twice associated to a higher risk of LBW odd ratio (1.87: 1.02-3.44, p<0.05). Conclusion: ART prior to conception mainly free of protease inhibitor does not increase the risk of PTB or LBW in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Crack-Free Fabrication and Electrical Characterization of Coaxial Ultra-Low-Resistivity-Silicon Through-Silicon-Vias

Ultra-low-resistivity-silicon (ULRS) coaxial through-silicon-vias (TSVs) employ silicon pillar as the central conductor, which simplifies the fabrication process and exhibits good electrical characteristics. However, microcracks that may appear on silicon pillars degrade the reliability and electrical properties. In this work, the main cause of microcracks is investigated experimentally and an optimized fabrication process is proposed to avoid microcracks, which includes a two-step chemical mechanical polishing for frontside Benzocyclobutene overburden layer removal and a two-step backside TSVs reveal process featuring mechanical grinding with a safety margin followed by chemical mechanical polishing. Utilizing the proposed method, crack-free ULRS coaxial TSVs were successfully fabricated. In addition, the electrical properties of TSVs including <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> curves and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${S}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-parameters were characterized under various temperatures, and the results demonstrates that the coaxial TSVs exhibit good impedance matching and low insertion loss up to 50 GHz even under 125°C.
Enhance the Optical Properties of the Synthesis PEG/Graphene- Based Nanocomposite films using GO nanosheets

Graphene is one of the most interesting and attracting nanofillers. The investigation focused on the effect of two significant factors using graphene nanosheets and polymer molecular weights (Mw) on the optical properties of polymer graphene-based nanocomposites. New sonication-mixing-aquatic methods were applied using the three Mw, 4k, 8k and 20k of polyethylene glycol (PEG), as a polymer model, with low loading ratio graphene oxide nanosheets (GONSs) to synthesise the nanocomposites. Fine distribution and good homogeneity of GONSs were successfully presented in the PEG matrix as examined applying the optical microscope (OM). The results presented an enhance in the most optical properties, which shows significantly in the ultraviolet region (∼300 nm in wavelength), such as, absorbance, absorption coefficient, real and imaginary dielectric constants up to 71%, 355%, 37% and 41% after increasing the Mw, except the allowed and forbidden indirect optical energy gap were reduced to 18% and 29%, respectively. Moreover, the contribution of GO with Mw of PEG exhibited a notable improvement of the optical properties up to 100%, 440%, 48% and 61%, whereas the allowed and forbidden indirect optical energy gap were reduced to 43% and 86%. These results illustrated significant roles of the effect of MW and GO in the optical properties that give rise to better photovoltaic performances of heterojunction solar cells and may use as filters and antireflection coating in the substantial applications.
Co-consolidation of CF/PEEK tape-preforms and CF/PEEK organo sheets to manufacture reinforcements in stamp-forming process

Abstract Co-consolidation is considered one effective joining method to allow novel types of integral structures to be manufactured. In this study, carbon fiber reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone partially consolidated tape preforms were co-consolidated with carbon fiber reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone organo sheets in stamp-forming process. Interlaminar bond quality of both joining partners is validated in double cantilever beam test. Results exhibit average interlaminar fracture toughness of 2.54 kJ/m2 for stamp-forming specimen, which exceeds interlaminar fracture toughness of reference samples manufactured in autoclave being 1.79 kJ/m2. Further examinations on specimen morphology and mechanical properties indicate distinct assignments to process characteristic cooling rates, which coincides with studies from literature. Accordingly, high cooling rates—as evident in stamp-forming process—are allocated to high toughness, low crystallinity and low bending modulus, causing high interlaminar fracture toughness. Investigations on laminate quality reveal maximum void content of 1.58%. Graphical Abstract
the Simultaneous sinus lift and implant placement using lateral approach in atrophic posterior maxilla with residual bone height of 5 mm or less. A systematic review

Aim To test both success and survival rate of implant placed simultaneously with sinus lift in atro-phic posterior maxilla with a residual bone height of less than 5 mm. Materials and methods A computer search strategy was developed for the following electronic databases: MEDLINE/ PubMed and EMBASE. All the relevant articles were screened involving controlled clinical trials, randomized clinical trials, prospective cohort studies. Results The selection process yielded 12 studies, published between 1999 and 2016, 6 of which were prospective, 1 was a randomized controlled trial, 5 were controlled studies. Conclusions Within the limitation of this systematic review, the qualitative data analysis revealed that the survival rate of implants placed in grafted sinus ranged from 61% to 100%; on the other hand, the success rate ranged between 75.3% to 94.8%. No significant differences were detected regarding different grafting materials used. In order to understand if the one-stage pro-cedure is an effective and predictable surgical alternative in critically resorbed maxillae, larger and well designed clinical trials are needed.
Study of the Mechanical Behaviour of Mortars Modified with Rice Husk Ash

The purpose of this work is to study the influence of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) on the mechanical strength of mortars. For this purpose, ash was produced by calcining rice husk at 680°C for 5 hours to produce reactive pozzolan. The chemical and mineralogical composition studied by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that this ash is rich in amorphous silica. The ash presents a good pozzolanic activity with a lime fixation rate of 100% after only 7 days of treatment. The addition of RHA to cement contributes to the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and calcium aluminate hydrate of C3ASH6 type. The presence of RHA in the mortars improves their mechanical strength. This improvement is due to the filler effect of RHA and to formation of the CSH resulting from the pozzolanic reactivity between the amorphous silica of the RHA and the portlandite released by hydration of the cement.
Serum Adiponectin, C-Reactive Protein and TNF-α Levels in Obese Korean Children

AIM To determine whether there are differences of serum adiponectin, CRP and TNF-a levels between obese and non-obese children and to investigate the relationship between childhood obesity and inflammation. METHODS A total of 103 (73 obese, 30 non-obese) children were evaluated for height, weight, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). We measured serum adiponectin, hs-CRP, and TNF-alpha levels and analyzed their correlation with BMI, serum glucose, lipid profile and insulin resistance. RESULTS Serum adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in the obese children compared to non-obese children, and had a negative correlation with BMI, fasting glucose and HOMA-IR. Serum hs-CRP and TNF-alpha levels were increased in obese children compared to non-obese children, and had a positive correlation with BMI. CONCLUSIONS Serum adiponectin level was decreased and serum CRP and TNF-alpha levels were increased in obese children. Our findings suggest that childhood obesity is associated with inflammatory processes.
Post-buckling Analysis in Thin-web Laminated Composite Beams

Aeronautic industry is aiming to increase the efficiency and to reduce the costs of their aircrafts, in order to develop airplanes with better performance and lower fuel consumption. Researches have demonstrated that shear panels can carry a significant amount of load after reaching its initial buckling load. Consequently, exploring the post-buckling capacity of composite materials reinforced panels results in lighter and less expensive structures. For the metallic reinforced panels there is a consolidated methodology developed by NASA to calculate the diagonal tension, NACA TN2661. However, a theory for the panel’s post-buckling behaviour in composite reinforced panels is yet to be developed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to contribute to this new theory and focus on the influence of stacking sequence and fibre orientations on the postbuckling behaviour of composite reinforced panels. The main goals were to develop a method to build a FE model to represents the post-buckling behaviour of the composite reinforced panel in order to avoid having to use experimental results in future projects; study the variations in stacking sequence in post-buckling analysis; choose the material to build a reinforced panel that have the best behaviour during the post-buckling analysis: metal or composite. The results have shown that the FEM, considering the load, boundary conditions and materials described in this study, can represent the behaviour of the composite reinforced panel and its post-buckling behaviour. Also, after the comparison between six composite reinforced panels models with different stacking sequence, the layup that presented the lowest values for the failure indices was the one with +45 and -45 at the outside layers. This laminate was chosen to be compared with the metallic reinforced panel model, and this comparison has shown that the composite reinforced panel could withstand higher loads, so it is considered the best for the post-buckling behaviour analysis.
Multiple Influences of Molybdenum on the Precipitation Process in a Martensitic PH Stainless Steel

Molybdenum has been found to influence the complex precipitation process in a martensitic precipitation hardening stainless steel during aging at 475 °C in several different ways. Three steels with different Mo content (0, 1.2 and 2.3 at.%) were investigated. Studies of the microstructure were performed with atom probe tomography and energy filtered transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that, at the initial stage of aging, a faster nucleation of Cu-rich clusters takes place with increasing Mo content. The Cu-clusters act as precipitation sites for other solute elements and promote the nucleation of Ni-rich phases. During further aging, a higher Mo content in the material instead slows down the growth and coarsening of the Ni-rich phases, because Mo segregates to the interface between precipitate and matrix. Additionally, Mo promotes decomposition of the matrix into α and α′ regions. After longer aging times (>40 h) quasicrystalline Mo-rich R′ phase forms (to a greater extent in the material having the highest Mo content). The observations serve to understand the hardness evolution during aging.
Testing hypotheses on specific environmental causal effects on behavior

There have been strong critiques of the notion that environmental influences can have an important effect on psychological functioning. The substance of these criticisms is considered in order to infer the methodological challenges that have to be met. Concepts of cause and of the testing of causal effects are discussed with a particular focus on the need to consider sample selection and the value (and limitations) of longitudinal data. The designs that may be used to test hypotheses on specific environmental risk mechanisms for psychopathology are discussed in relation to a range of adoption strategies, twin designs, various types of "natural experiments," migration designs, the study of secular change, and intervention designs. In each case, consideration is given to the need for samples that "pull-apart" variables that ordinarily go together, specific hypotheses on possible causal processes, and the specification and testing of key assumptions. It is concluded that environmental risk hypotheses can be (and have been) put to the test but that it is usually necessary to use a combination of research strategies.
Constitution and related factors analysis of 5058 cases of glaucoma inpatients

Objective To investigate the proportion of different types, distribution of genders, ages as well as the relative factors in inpatient with glaucoma. Design Retrospective case series. Participants 5058 cases of inpatients in Xingtai Eye Hospital, Hebei province from June 2004 to May 2009 were included. Methods Statistical analysis was conducted for 5058 cases of inpatients with glausoma. Main outcome Measures The type of glaucoma, age, gender and their percentages. Results In all 5058 cases, the patients with primary glaucoma, secondary glaucoma and congenital glaucoma accounted for 59.07%, 37.92% and 3.01% respectively. Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) accounted for 88.65% in primary glaucoma, and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) accounted for 11.35%. In PACG, acute PACG accounted for 53.15%, chronic PACG 46.85%;The female over forty accounted for 69.54%, male 26.95%. In POAG, the female over forty accounted for 69.54%, male 28.02%. From June 2004 to May 2005, POAG accounted for 11.32% in primary glaucoma, 12.44% from June 2008 to May 2009. There was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion In the central part of China, the majority of inpatients with glaucoma was PACG. It may relate to the regional,economic and cultural conditions.
Thermomechanical bending study for functionally graded sandwich plates using a simple quasi-3D shear deformation theory

In this article, a simple quasi-3D shear deformation theory is employed for thermo-mechanical bending analysis of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates. The displacement field is defined using only 5 variables as the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Unlike the other high order shear deformation theories (HSDTs), the present formulation considers a new kinematic which includes undetermined integral variables. The governing equations are determined based on the principle of virtual work and then they are solved via Navier method. Analytical solutions are proposed to provide the deflections and stresses of simply supported FGM sandwich structures. Comparative examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the present theory. The effects of gradient index, geometrical parameters and thermal load on thermo-mechanical bending response of the FG sandwich plates are examined.
Microstructural Characterization of Medium Entropy Alloy Thin Films

Abstract This study presents detailed microstructural investigations on single and bilayer thin films of two medium entropy alloys (MEAs) synthesized using magnetron sputter deposition. Single layer thin films of CoCrFeNi and AlCoCrFe show single-phase face-centered cubic (fcc) and body-centered (bcc) structure, respectively. The bilayer thin film consisting of CoCrFeNi (fcc) and AlCoCrFe (bcc) has a sharp interface between them with an equiatomic composition. Nanodiffraction was used to characterize planar defects in the fcc films. This first study on bilayer film of two MEAs is transformative to other systems and will help fundamental studies on high entropy alloys.
Magnetic susceptibility of p-Si(B) single crystals grown in “vacancy” regime at presence of thermodonors created by thermal treatments at 450 °C

By using the Faraday method and complex of electro-physical studies (Hall effect, ESR, etc.) the features of magnetic susceptibility (χ) of p-Si(B) crystals grown in “vacancy” regime and annealed at 450 °C are studied. It is demonstrated that the presence of deep thermodonors with the ionization energy Еі ≥ 200 meV in these samples contributes to the appearance of a paramagnetic constituent with the magnetic susceptibility (χ) even at 300 K. χ in this material does not depend on temperature in the range of 77 300 K that can testify on the Van-Fleck origin of this magnetic susceptibility component. Absence of nonlinearities in the dependence χ(H) within the interval 0.3-4 kOe shows uncooperative character of magnetism found out.
Lower Education Status Predicts Higher Seropositivity for Helicobacter pylori Infection in Pakistan

work out in collaboration between all authors. Authors KM and AN designed the study, collected data, performed statistical analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors AN and FH reviewed and prepared the final draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. ABSTRACT Aims: We intended to report H. pylori seroprevalence and identify socio-demographic risk factors in dyspeptic patients and non-dyspeptic control subjects of Islamabad, Pakistan. Methodology: Subjects were analyzed in two study groups; Dyspeptic patients on the basis of Rome III criteria (n=196) and non-dyspeptic control subjects (n=118). H. pylori status was determined using a commercial ELISA kit and its association was determined with risk factors such as age, sex, body mass index, marital status, educational level, residence, income group, use of NSAIDs and tobacco. Results: Our results showed similar seroprevalence of about 53% in both the groups. Low education ( p =.03) and lower socioeconomic status ( identify the risk factors in dyspeptic patients and non-dyspeptic control subjects of Islamabad, Pakistan.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Flow Force Exerted on the Disk of a Direct-Operated Pressure Safety Valve in Energy System

The flow force acting on a valve disk plays an important role in the overall performance of pressure safety valves (PSVs). To quantify the disk force, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods have been widely implemented. In this paper, the capability of CFD models, and the identification of the most suitable turbulence models' geometry modeling and mesh requirements have been assessed to establish the accuracy of CFD models for disk force prediction. For validation purposes, a PSV disk force measuring rig was designed and constructed to obtain the steady-state flow forces exerted on the valve disk at different valve openings. The CFD model assessment is achieved by comparing the simulation results to experimental measurements; this is achieved in two stages. Stage 1 investigates the use of Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)-based turbulence models where two-dimensional (2D) simulations are performed with five turbulence models. The results indicate that a variety of force results are produced by different turbulence models, among which the shear stress transport (SST) k–ω was found to have the best performance. Stage 2 investigates meshing and the use of symmetry and geometry simplifications; 2D, 1/8 three-dimensional (3D) and 1/2 3D mesh models are examined. The results indicate that the 1/8 3D mesh model is the optimal choice, owing to its higher accuracy and reasonable grid scale. The studies performed in this paper extend the knowledge of compressible flow force prediction, and should facilitate the design or optimization of PSVs.
Treatment of inflamed skin wounds with biodegradable polymeric film "biodep nano"

Background: Experimental and clinical studies show that wound healing cannot be evaluated as optimally effective today. For the treatment of wounds today, various methods and means are used. Wound dressing was developed from both natural and synthetic materials. However, polymeric biodegradable materials, saturated with various active drugs, which are effective, easy to use, have insignificant disadvantages and need further study. The aim was to study the effectiveness of the use of biodegradable polymeric film “biodén nano” in the treatment of suppurable postoperative wounds of the skin in the experiment. Material and methods: The research was carried out on 45 guinea-pigs of the species “Murchaky” in the clinical and biological base (Vivarium) of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, in accordance with the requirements for the maintenance and handling of laboratory animals. The pelvic wounds were simulated after staphylococcus aureus 2.0*10 8 KU/ml infection. Results: The change in the wound area of the group IV and group V decreased slightly up to the third day, and after 7 days the area of the wound surface was reduced by 7% and 13.6% respectively. During the observation period, 14 days, the wound area in relation to the initial area was 35.5% in group IV and 43% in group V. Conclusions: The biodegradable polymeric film “biodep nano” demonstrated high antimicrobial and wound healing properties in an experimentally simulated peptic cutaneous wound of the skin.
Microstructure modelling for metallic additive manufacturing: a review

ABSTRACT The microstructure of metals depends on the additive manufacturing (AM) process and the process parameters. However, experimentation on different process parameters for different materials is costly and time-consuming. To overcome these challenges, numerical simulations provide insights that allow prediction of microstructure formed under different process parameters. Microstructure modelling requires coupling of macro-scale thermal model or experimentally measured temperature profiles with either a meso-scale or micro-scale microstructure model. In this review, the commonly used AM techniques for metals are introduced, followed by a discussion on the microstructure of parts fabricated using these processes. This review then presents the latest models used in simulating different microstructural aspects of metal AM parts. In addition, the models were compared and the potential and challenges in microstructure modelling were discussed.
Research in Palliative Care: My Past, My Present, My Future

As in all the fields of medicine, research is fundamental for a relatively young discipline, like palliative care. Research also means the need of expanding own knowledge, sharing discoveries, and providing new ideas for clinical application to improve patients’ care. But above all, it is trasmitting a passion, which is possibly the sense of life for each of researchers. In this article I will describe some of data published by my froup in the last couple of years and future ongoing projects.