Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computational simulation of the mechanobiological response of arterial tissue

Ischaemic heart disease, causing restriction of arterial blood flow to the heart tissue, can be treated with mechanical revascularisation treatments such as balloon angioplasty and stent implantation. One remaining limitation to the success of these treatments is the re-blockage of the treated artery, termed restenosis. The paradigm of re-blockage as the tissue’s response to injury has been proposed to explain restenosis in stents and corroborated with pathological studies. This paradigm has never been used to form the basis of a predictive theoretical model of restenosis. In this thesis, the hypothesis that mechanically-induced injury stimulates restenosis is tested by developing a simulation technique based on this paradigm. The model explicitly simulates the response of individual cells to injuryinduced inflammation. A model based on a vessel-wall stress threshold for injury and smooth muscle cell phenotype modulation was developed and tested by applying it to two stents known to induce differing amounts of restenosis in vivo. The model predicted similar differences between stents, but only when a lowlevel inflammation response was prescribed, demonstrating the importance of inflammation on restenosis prediction. The algorithms for injury prediction, inflammation and smooth muscle cell phenotype were then refined in a two dimensional model. The new simulation procedure was capable of being calibrated to human balloon angioplasty data, and predicted a correlation between stent expansion and restenosis. Inflammation intensity was found to increase this correlation. The refined model was then re-implemented in three dimensions, and tested on three clinically-available coronary stents of differing design. The model predicted a relative difference between stents similar to that found in clinical trials. These results corroborate the paradigm that neointimal hyperplasia is injury-induced. The technique can differentiate between stent designs based on a prediction of long-term lumen geometry, rather than solely on a mechanical analysis. The technique could be applied to novel revascularisation treatments and device designs.
Consequences of nitrogen mineralization dynamics for soil health restoration of degraded tea-growing soil using organic amendments

Understanding of N mineralization dynamics of frequently available organic amendments in the tea ( Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) ecosystem has greater importance in land restoration. Hence, this study focused on assessing the effects of organic amendments on N mineralization and soil quality improvement in tea growing soil. Garden compost (CMP), Gliricidia ( Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.)) leaves (GLI), charged tea waste biochar (CBC), tea waste (TW), and tea waste biochar without charging (RBC) were incubated with soil at a rate of 186 mg N kg -1 . Incubated soils were analyzed periodically for soil pH, available NO 3 - -N, NH 4 + -N, soil P, and S for 120-d. Microbial biomass C (MBC), protease, urease, phosphatase, and dehydrogenase activities were determined at the end of the incubation. All amendments showed different N mineralization patterns. Gliricidia , CMP, and TW released N by 94%, 43%, and 24%, respectively. Gliricidia showed the highest peak of NH 4 + -N after 21-d incubation, depicting rapid ammonification. Charged BC and RBC showed N immobilization throughout the incubation period, which finally amounted to 12% and 17%, respectively. Gliricidia showed 0.79 mg d -1 maximum N mineralization rate and 150 mg kg -1 total mineralizable N. The N mineralization was sequenced as GLI > CMP > TW > CBC > RBC. All amendments showed more than 45% increase in MBC, where Gliricidia gave the highest (146%) compared to the control. Application of CBC promotes all enzyme activities by > 90% over control. In conclusion, GLI meets the immediate plant N requirement, and CBC significantly improves the degraded soil quality.
Occurrence, Pathogenic Potential and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolated from Raw Milk Cheese Commercialized in Banat Region, Romania

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence, pathogenic potential and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli isolated from raw milk cheese, traditionally produced by farmers and marketed directly to the consumer in Banat region, Romania. A total of 81.1% (43/53) of the processed samples expressed positive results for E. coli, with a distribution of 83.8% (31/37), and 75.0% (12/16) in the cow- and sheep-milk-origin assortments, respectively. Overall, 69.8% (30/43) of the specimens had a contamination level ≤10 CFU/g. Molecular tests showed that, from the total number of E. coli isolates, 9.3% (4/43) harbored the stx2, and 2.3% (1/43), the stx1 virulence genes. The E. coli O157 (including H7) biovariety was identified in 7% (3/43) of the samples by the Vidas equipment. From the 27 antimicrobials tested with the Vitek2 automated system, the E. coli isolates displayed resistance to enrofloxacin (100%, 15 out of 15 tested isolates), ampicillin (39.5%, 17/43), norfloxacin (28.6%, 8/28), fosfomycin (25%, 7/28), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (23.3%, 10/43), cefalexin (20%, 3/15), cefalotin (13.3%, 2/15), tetracycline (13.3%, 2/15), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (9.3%, 4/43), piperacillin-tazobactam (7.1%, 2/28), cefotaxime (7.1%, 2/28), cefepime (7.1%, 2/28), ticarcillin/clavulanic acid (6.7%, 1/15), florfenicol (6.7%, 1/15), ceftazidime (3.6%, 1/28), and ertapenem (3.6%, 1/28). Ten (23.3%) strains were multidrug-resistant. The obtained preliminary results indicated hygienic–sanitary deficiencies throughout the cheese production process, and demonstrated that these products can harbor virulent and multidrug-resistant E. coli strains, which constitute a public health risk. However, future investigations, processing a higher number of samples, are still necessary to draw comprehensive conclusions.
Impact of a 7-day homogeneous diet on interpersonal variation in human gut microbiomes and metabolomes

Metabolism of dietary compounds by the gut microbiota generates a vast array of microbiome-dependent metabolites (MDMs), which are highly variable between individuals. The uremic MDMs (uMDMs) phenylacetylglutamine (PAG), p-cresol sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) accumulate during renal failure and are associated with poor outcomes. Targeted dietary interventions may reduce toxic MDMs generation; however, it is unclear if interindividual differences in diet or gut microbiome dominantly contribute to MDM variance. Here we use a 7-day homogeneous average American diet to standardize dietary precursor availability in 21 healthy individuals. Notably, the coefficient of variation in three uMDMs of interest, PAG, PCS, and IS (primary outcome), did not significantly decrease. The majority of circulating MDMs maintained variation despite identical diets. These results highlight the highly personalized profile of MDMs and limited contribution of short-term dietary heterogeneity, suggesting that dietary modification may need to be paired with microbial therapies to control MDM profiles.
Reaching new solar heights: integrating high penetrations of PV into the power system

Installed capacity of solar photovoltaics (PV) continues to grow rapidly in the US. High penetrations and can create operational and reliability challenges. PV integration shares some attributes and mitigation strategies with wind, and differs in some key ways that will be discussed. This study investigates PV integration challenges and examines mitigation issues for utilities planning for high penetrations of PV, with a focus on the Western Interconnection of the US. System balancing becomes more difficult due to a duck-shaped net load curve. Flexibility in the remaining generators, load, and the PV itself, is critical in balancing the system. Reliability impacts from PV have been studied less and addressed less than system balancing issues, but become more important at high penetrations. Understanding essential reliability services from PV, weak grid issues with PV, and distributed PV impacts on bulk power system reliability is critical for planning of high penetrations of PV.
Narrower Paleo‐Canyons Downsize Megafloods

Catastrophic drainage of glacial Lake Missoula through the Columbia River Gorge, USA, produced some of the largest floods ever known. However, erosion of the gorge during flooding has not been quantified, hindering discharge reconstructions and our understanding of landscape change by megafloods. Using a neural network and geomorphic observations, we reconstructed the gorge topography and found ∼7.4 km3 of rock was eroded from gorge walls. Accounting for a narrower canyon and matching flood high‐water marks resulted in peak‐flood discharge reconstructions of 6 × 106–7 × 106 m3 s−1, which are 30%–40% lower than prior estimates based on the present‐day topography. Sediment transport modeling indicated that more frequent intermediate‐sized floods transported most of the eroded rock. Thus, similar to alluvial rivers, discharge magnitude‐frequency tradeoffs may also govern canyon formation by repeated megafloods.
High efficiency of homemade culture medium supplemented with GDF9-β in human oocytes for rescue in vitro maturation

Objective Optimizing culture media for the incubation of immature oocytes is a vital strategy to increase the oocyte maturation rate during in vitro maturation (IVM) programs. This study evaluated the IVM and fertilization rates of human germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase I (MI) oocytes using two different maturation media (commercial and homemade) with or without growth differentiation factor 9-β (GDF9-β). supplementation. Methods Immature oocytes from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were collected and assigned to one of two IVM culture media (commercial or homemade; cleavage-stage base). After maturation, MII oocytes were examined under an inverted microscope for the presence of the polar body, zona pellucida (ZP) birefringence, and meiotic spindle (MS) visualization after maturation in four conditions (commercial or homemade medium, with or without GDF9-β. ICSI was done for matured oocytes, and fertilization was confirmed by the visualization of two distinct pronuclei and two polar bodies. Results No significant differences were found between the two culture media in terms of the time and rate of oocyte maturation or the rate of fertilization (p>0.05). Growth factor supplementation increased the 24-hour maturation rate for both GV and MI oocytes only in homemade medium. The maturation rate after 24 hours was higher for MI oocytes (p<0.05). Similar results were observed for MS visualization and ZP structure in both types of media (p>0.05). Conclusion Higher rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization were observed after application of homemade medium supplemented with GDF9-β. Therefore, this combination may be recommended as an alternative for clinical IVM programs.
The ESG Disclosure and the Financial Performance of Norwegian Listed Firms

The world is constantly changing, and with an evolving global environmental crisis, there is a growing trend of Corporate Social Responsibility, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure initiatives. The final report on the new E.U. taxonomy for sustainable activities was released in 2020, making ESG disclosure more relevant. This paper investigates the effects of ESG initiatives on the financial performance of Norwegian listed companies from 2010 to 2019. ESG is measured through the Thomson Reuters Eikon ESG disclosure score and financial performance through ROA and Tobin’s Q. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this relationship has been investigated in Norway. Using panel data regression analysis and two proxies for the dependent variable (financial performance), the results of this study are mixed. In particular, findings suggest a strong significant relationship between ESG initiatives and financial performance. More specifically, the regression model, with ROA as the dependent variable, suggests that ESG initiatives have a clear negative impact. On the other hand, the variable Tobin’s Q increases when ESG increases. This could be explained by the different horizons of the measures and other factors affecting the business environment.
Altered intra- and inter-network brain functional connectivity in upper-limb amputees revealed through independent component analysis

Although cerebral neuroplasticity following amputation has been observed, little is understood about how network-level functional reorganization occurs in the brain following upper-limb amputation. The objective of this study was to analyze alterations in brain network functional connectivity (FC) in upper-limb amputees (ULAs). This observational study included 40 ULAs and 40 healthy control subjects; all participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Changes in intra- and inter-network FC in ULAs were quantified using independent component analysis and brain network FC analysis. We also analyzed the correlation between FC and clinical manifestations, such as pain. We identified 11 independent components using independent component analysis from all subjects. In ULAs, intra-network FC was decreased in the left precuneus (precuneus gyrus) within the dorsal attention network and left precentral (precentral gyrus) within the auditory network; but increased in the left Parietal_Inf (inferior parietal, but supramarginal and angular gyri) within the ventral sensorimotor network, right Cerebelum_Crus2 (crus II of cerebellum) and left Temporal_Mid (middle temporal gyrus) within the ventral attention network, and left Rolandic_Oper (rolandic operculum) within the auditory network. ULAs also showed decreased inter-network FCs between the dorsal sensorimotor network and ventral sensorimotor network, the dorsal sensorimotor network and right frontoparietal network, and the dorsal sensorimotor network and dorsal attention network. Correlation analyses revealed negative correlations between inter-network FC changes and residual limb pain and phantom limb pain scores, but positive correlations between inter-network FC changes and daily activity hours of stump limb. These results show that post-amputation plasticity in ULAs is not restricted to local remapping; rather, it also occurs at a network level across several cortical regions. This observation provides additional insights into the plasticity of brain networks after upper-limb amputation, and could contribute to identification of the mechanisms underlying post-amputation pain.
Air Quality and Sustainable Redevelopment: The Case of Construction in Dudley Square

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 Urban Revitalization in Dudley Square Air Quality and the Environmental Justice Movement in Dudley Square CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 8 Sustainable Re/Development and Equity The Dudley Plan and Sustainable Redevelopment Air Quality and Construction Control Strategies and Regulations CHAPTER 3: METHODS . 23 Background Assessment Air Quality Analysis: Ferdinand Demolition Air Quality Analysis: B2 Demolition CHAPTER 4: RESULTS . 31 Background Assessment Air Quality Analysis: Ferdinand Demolition Air Quality Analysis: B2 Demolition CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION . 52 Policy and Design Implications Challenges and Limitations BIBLIOGRAPHY. 58 APPENDIX A: MA 2002 Construction Equipment Diesel Emissions Inventory . 64 APPENDIX B: Dudley Vision Redevelopment Projects . 65 APPENDIX C: Ferdinand Site Demolition PNC Time Series and Histograms . 66 APPENDIX D: Sample Construction Logs from High and Low Intensity Days . 74
Formation Fidelity of Simulated Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles through Periodic Communication

Controlling a formation of unmanned autonomous vehicles is a daunting prospect even when the formation operates under ideal conditions. When communication between vehicles is limited, maintaining a formation becomes difficult. In some cases the formation may become unstable. While a control law may stabilize a formation of vehicles with good communication, it may not be able to do so with poor communication. The resulting lack of formation stability affects the level of fidelity the formation has to the original control law. Formation fidelity is the degree to which the vehicles in a formation follow the trajectories prescribed by a control law. Many formation control laws assume certain conditions. Perfect formation fidelity is not guaranteed when the vehicles in a formation are no longer operated under those conditions. We seek to mitigate the detrimental effects of poor communication and other real-world phenomena on formation fidelity. Through simulation we test the effectiveness of a new way to implement an existing formation control law. Real-world conditions such as rigid-body motion, swarm dynamics, poor communication, and other phenomena are assessed and discussed. It is concluded through testing in simulation that it is possible to control a formation of boats by directing each boat with a unique set of waypoints in simulation. While these waypoints do not lead to perfect formation behavior, testing shows that implementing this control law using these waypoints allows the formation to be more robust to reduced communication.
A comparative study of efficacy of silver stream versus povidone iodine in healing the diabetic ulcers

Background: Diabetic ulcers affect morbidity, mortality and QOL of patients. Wound debridement and dressing using antiseptics are part of standard treatment. Silver stream solution containing silver ions, menthol, glycerol and surfactant has shown promising results in chronic DFU. But no clinical trials have been conducted yet. The aim of the study was to compare effectiveness of silver stream solution with traditionally used povidone iodine in healing diabetic ulcers.Methods: 100 diabetic ulcer patients randomly divided into 2 groups A and B of 50 each, received ulcer dressing with silver stream solution or povidone iodine respectively every 48 hourly. Ulcer size and healing was evaluated at 2 weeks intervals for 8 weeks or till ulcer healed.Results: Patients of both groups were comparable in their age/sex distribution, duration, control of diabetes and pre-treatment mean ulcer size. At end of 8 weeks, percentage reduction in mean ulcer size was much more in group A (89.51%) than in group B (33%). All patients treated with silver stream responded, though response was partial in (10%). Patients having poor glycemic control. In contrast only 46% showed complete response to povidone iodine, 42% had partial response and 12% did not responded.Conclusions: Response rate with silver stream dressing is significantly higher and reduction in mean ulcer size at end of 8 weeks treatment is significantly more than with povidone iodine.
LIQUID VELOCITY FIELD AND BUBBLE SHAPE MEASUREMENTS IN TWO-PHASE, HORIZONTAL SLUG FLOW

The present paper reports the results of an ongoing project aimed at providing detailed information of the instantaneous liquid velocity field at the film, nose and tail regions of slugs in horizontal two phase flow. To this end, a combination of three non-intrusive optical techniques was employed. Two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to measure the instantaneous liquid velocity field at a meridional plane of the horizontal pipe test section, while a synchronized pulsed back lighting, provided by a matrix of red LED's, illuminated the bubble contours thereby enhancing contrast of the interfaces (Pulsed Shadow Technique - PST). In order to separate the strong reflections from the gas-liquid interfaces produced by the green PIV laser from the relatively weaker light scattered by the seeding particles required by the PIV technique, a laser-induced fluorescence technique (LIF) was employed. In this technique, tracer particles impregnated with fluorescent dye (Rhodamine B) are used in conjunction with a high- pass optical filter that filters the green light scattered by the interfaces and allow the passage of the fluorescent red light scattered by the tracer particle, thereby allowing for the simultaneous registration of the particle displacement field and bubble shape. The tests were conducted on a specially built transparent pipe test section, using air and water as the working fluids. The velocity fields were obtained for flow regimes where the slugs were lightly aerated, so as to facilitate the utilization of the optical methods described. The velocity field results in the nose, tail and film regions revealed valuable detailed information that contribute to a data bank for supporting the development of two-phase, horizontal slug flow simulations.
Plasmonic attenuator for infrared imager testing

We describe a variable attenuator for use with conventional IR quantum cascade or carbon dioxide lasers to create a source with widely and rapidly controllable effective radiant temperature. This would have application to testing of imagers, which must observe scenes that change rapidly between ambient background and very hot objects. The mechanism is controllably frustrated surface plasmon resonance. The device comprises an IR transparent prism with one face coated by a semitransparent (optically-thin) semiconductor having suitable infrared plasma frequency, followed by a controllable gap to a conventional metal mirror. For the mid-wave infrared band (MWIR, 3-5 micron wavelength), we consider a sapphire hemicylindrical prism coated with the transparent conductor gallium-doped ZnO (GZO). For the long-wave infrared band (LWIR, 8-12 micron wavelength), we consider an undoped-Si prism with one heavily-doped surface. Due to the exponential decay of the surface-plasmon-polariton evanescent wave above the conducting film, the log of internal reflectance of the conducting film decreases linearly with increasing gap, typically by about 1 decade per micron, with a total variation of over 5 orders of magnitude. The effective radiance is determined by laser intensity, reflectance, and reflected-beam divergence. Comparison of the effective radiance values to the band radiance of a black body indicates effective radiant temperatures that can be varied from 300 to over 4000 K for a mirror diameter of 100 (MWIR) or 650 (LWIR) microns. At low effective radiant temperature the device can provide 0.1 K resolution.