Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical and Biological Characterization of rhC1INH Expressed in CHO Cells

The disfunction or deficiency of the C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH) is associated with hereditary or acquired angioedema (HAE/AAE), a rare life-threatening condition characterized by swelling in the skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. The current treatment options may carry the risks of either viral infection (plasma-derived Berinert®) or immune reaction (human recombinant C1INH from rabbit milk, Ruconest®). This study describes the physicochemical and biological characterization of a novel recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor (rhC1INH) from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for the treatment of hereditary angioedema compared to the marketed products Berinert® and Ruconest®. The mass spectrometry results of total deglycosylated rhC1INH revealed a protein with a molecular mass of 52,846 Da. Almost full sequence coverage (98.6%) by nanoLC-MS/MS peptide mapping was achieved. The purity and C1s inhibitory activity of rhC1INH from CHO cells are comparable with Ruconest®, although we found differences in charge isoforms distribution, intact mass values, and N-glycans profile. Comparison of the specific activity (IC50 value) of the rhC1INH with human C1 esterase inhibitor from blood serum showed similar inhibitory properties. These data allow us to conclude that the novel rhC1INH molecule could become a potential therapeutic option for patients with HAE/AAE.
Recent endwinding vibration problems in air-cooled turbine generators

SUMMARY The endwinding region of large turbine generator stator windings is one of the most complex parts of a generator to design and fabricate. During normal operation, the endwindings are subject to high mechanical forces at twice power frequency due to the currents in the stator bars, as well as mechanical forces transmitted via the core and bearings at rotational speed. During power system transients, the forces in the endwinding can be 100 times higher. Due to the presence of high magnetic and electric fields, metallic components to restrain the movement of the stator bars caused by these forces are normally avoided. This constraint has resulted in a wide variety of endwinding support structures from the various manufacturers. If a component of the endwinding or the endwinding basket as a whole has a natural frequency close to the forcing frequencies, the vibration response will be in a resonance condition and the result can be catastrophic. Off-line impact testing has long been a tool to identify these natural frequencies and help determine if a resonant condition may exist. Not only can this testing be used to assess the condition of a stator endwinding, but it can also be used to identify the locations that are most likely to vibrate. To avoid premature failure, excessive motion in the endwinding during operation can be monitored. To effectively do so, not only should the sensors be installed at locations most likely to vibrate, but they should cover a wide enough range to capture all of the vibrating frequency components. There is little guidance on acceptable vibration levels, so an increasing trend is of concern. Although it is clear that the endwinding support system of even the largest generators can be designed to achieve 30 or more years service without excessive loosening, in the past decade a large number of in-service faults have occurred due to endwinding vibration. Even more machines have been discovered during visual inspections to have premature deterioration of the endwindings due to looseness. These problems have been primarily associated with air-cooled machines typically installed in gas turbine or combined cycle plants. To greater or lesser degrees, most large generator manufacturers have been affected. It is suspected that competitive issues (and in particular cost) may be forcing manufacturers to compromise on proven design and manufacturing methods.
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Aggregatibacter aphrophilus in a Kenyan Maasai Adolescent Population and Inhibition of Leukotoxic Activity by Herbal Plants Used as Part of Oral Hygiene Procedures

Background: A virulent genotype (JP2) of the periodonto-pathogen, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), is widespread in North and West Africa, while its presence in East Africa has not been thoroughly investigated. This JP2 genotype is associated with periodontitis in adolescents and has a high leukotoxicity. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of Aa and its JP2 genotype, the prevalence of the oral, commensal Aggregatibacter aphrophilus in a Maasai adolescent population, and the effect of herbal plants for inhibition of leukotoxicity. Methods: A total of 284 adolescents from Maasai Mara, Kenya, underwent an oral examination and microbial sampling. The presence of Aa and A. aphrophilus was analyzed by quantitative PCR and cultivation (the 58 samples collected at the last day of field study). The collected Aa strains were characterized and leukotoxin promoter typed. Additionally, herbal plants commonly used for oral hygiene were assessed for the inhibition of leukotoxicity. Results and Conclusions: The prevalence of Aa in stimulated whole saliva was high (71.8%), with the JP2 genotype detected in one individual, and A. aphrophilus in 99% of the sampled individuals. The commonly used herbal plant, Warburgia ugandensis, inactivated Aa leukotoxicity. The Aa virulence might be reduced through use of W. ugandensis and the high levels of A. aphrophilus.
Full-wave analysis of optically controlled semiconductor coplanar waveguides

A three-dimensional full-wave analysis is used to estimate changes of the propagation characteristics of a coplanar waveguide (CPW) on a semiconductor substrate when optically illuminated. The analysis considers diffusion, recombination-generation processes and plasma depth in GaAs semiconductors. Quantitative estimates of optically induced waveguide phase shift and loss as a function of illumination intensity are presented. It is concluded that long semiconductor substrate recombination times (e.g., >1 /spl mu/s) may be required to make these devices useful as phase shifters and attenuators with low levels of illumination, thus implying a compromise between control speed and illumination power. <<ETX>>
Effect of Inner Conductor Offset in a Coplanar Waveguide

This paper reports on the effect of structural offset in a coplanar waveguide on the characteristic impedance and fine loss. This effect can be an appreciable factor in designing highy precise circuits, such as MIC's using coplanar waveguide, or a coplanar-type standing-wave detector. The electric field over the cross section of the line is analyzed by assuming a TEM mode of wave propagation, and solving a two-dimensional Laplace's equation by means of the successive over-relaxation method. In the analysis, an approximate solution based on symmetry is employed. Also, measurements are made, to confirm the results thus obtained.
A review of COVID-19 vaccination and the reported cardiac manifestations

In Singapore, 9.03 million doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been administered, and 4.46 million people are fully vaccinated. An additional 87,000 people have been vaccinated with vaccines in World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing. The aim of this review is to explore the reported cardiac adverse events associated with different types of COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 42 studies that reported cardiac side effects after COVID-19 vaccination were included in this study. Reported COVID-19 vaccine-associated cardiac adverse events were mainly myocarditis and pericarditis, most commonly seen in adolescent and young adult male individuals after mRNA vaccination. Reports of other events such as acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmia and stress cardiomyopathy were rare. Outcomes of post-vaccine myocarditis and pericarditis were good. Given the good vaccine efficacy and the high number of cases of infection, hospitalisation and death that could potentially be prevented, COVID-19 vaccine remains of overall benefit, based on the current available data.
A retrospective study of the epidemiology of esophageal cancer and its management in a Central Indian Institute

Background: The aim of the study was to better understand the epidemiology of esophageal cancer and its management in Indian patients.Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in a Central Indian institute in which 42 patients of esophageal cancer admitted during a 2 year period were evaluated and treated. All underwent upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and computed tomography (CT) scan to assess site and extent of tumor.Results: There were a total of 42 patients in the study of which the mean age group was 50-65 years with the disease occurring more commonly in males (65%). The male -female ratio was 1.8:1. The most common histological type was squamous cell carcinoma with 32 patients (76.2%) followed by adenocarcinoma with 10 patients (23.8%). The most common site of the esophagus involved was the lower third and gastro-esophageal junction in 23 patients (54.76%) followed by mid esophagus in 14 patients (33.3%). Most patients were inoperable as the most common stage of presentation was IV in 18 patients. Esophagectomy was possible in 8 patients while 26 underwent feeding jejunostomy and 8 underwent esophageal stenting before being sent for chemoradiation. The 1 year survival rate in this study was 16.6%. Conclusions: Cancer esophagus is still a disease that presents late for treatment in India with majority of patients managed with palliative interventions followed by chemoradiation. The survival rate is poor. Squamous cell carcinoma is far more common with adenocarcinoma showing increasing trends, both occurring more commonly in the lower esophagus.
Cortical microtubule pulling forces contribute to the union of the parental genomes in the C. elegans zygote

Previously, we reported that the Polo-like kinase PLK-1 phosphorylates the single C. elegans lamin (LMN-1) to trigger lamina depolymerization during mitosis. We showed that this event is required for the formation of a pronuclear envelopes scission event that removes membranes on the juxtaposed oocyte and sperm pronuclear envelopes in the zygote, allowing the parental chromosomes to merge in a single nucleus after segregation (Velez-Aguilera, 2020). Here we show that cortical microtubule pulling forces contribute to pronuclear envelopes scission by promoting mitotic spindle elongation. We also demonstrate that weakening of the pronuclear envelopes, via PLK-1-mediated lamina depolymerization, is a prerequisite for the astral microtubule pulling forces to trigger pronuclear membranes scission. Finally, we provide evidence that PLK-1 mainly acts via lamina depolymerization in this process. These observations thus indicate that temporal coordination between lamina depolymerization and mitotic spindle elongation facilitates pronuclear envelopes scission and parental genomes unification.
Modeling and control of a multi-phase induction machine with structural unbalance

The multiphase winding structure provides an induction machine with capabilities of starting and running even with one or more of its stator phases open-circuited. However, when operated with such a structurally unbalanced condition, the dynamic properties of the machine will change drastically from its balanced operation condition. For example, field-oriented control strategies developed for a balanced winding structure will no longer function properly and could lead to catastrophic consequences. In this paper, a unified approach to the modeling and field-oriented control of dual three phase induction machine with one phase open is presented. Using the concept of vector space decomposition, the proposed technique is established on the basis of the asymmetrical winding structure directly, and thus provides a precise, physically insightful tool to the modeling and control of induction machines with structural unbalance.
CFD Analysis for Turbulent Flow within and over a Permeable Bed

Abstact The main objective of this study is to improve our knowledge about the velocity pro file and turbulence within and over a permeab le bed. The study was using computation fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology to simulate the studied cases. It includes a detail analysis for t wo-dimensional fully developed turbulent flo w over and through a permeable bed. Five different cases were simulated nu merically. The analysis is set for the three flow zones (free stream, porous, and interface). The detailed two d imensional flo w simulat ions were subsequently validated using previously published results, then it was specially averaged to overcome the heterogeneity of flow. The focus in this study is on the effect of porosity and free stream thickness on longitudinal and vertical velocities in different flow zones. On the basis of this study results, it is shown that the flow velocity within the porous zone increases with bed porosity, and decreases with increasing the water depth. It is also confirmed that the turbulence parameters (turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent dissipation rate, and turbulent kinetic energy production) penetrate practically throughout the whole porous layer to reach maximu m values at the interface then decreases smoothly to minimu m at the water surface.
Are total quality management programmes in higher education worth the effort

This study was undertaken to assess total quality management (TQM) familiarity and utilization and to investigate the perceived effects of TQM programmes on overall organizational effectiveness. Two validated instruments on organizational characteristics were used to gather data, and follow‐up interviews were also conducted with one administrator and one stakeholder who were familiar with TQM programmes in each of the ten selected institutions of higher education. Provides, at best, circumspect support for the claims of TQM proponents that the technique improves participants’ morale, responsiveness to customer needs as well as the quality of teaching and research. Shows a positive impact of TQM programmes on employee perceptions of their own productivity and overall organizational effectiveness in most of the institutions surveyed. However, almost one‐third of the respondents indicated that TQM programmes have failed to achieve their stated objectives of improving quality and productivity. Implies that th.
USE OF VERTICAL WAVE BENDING MOMENTS FROM HYDRODYNAMIC ANALYSIS IN DESIGN OF OIL TANKERS

SUMMARY The paper describes calculation of design vertical wave bending moments for unconventional oil product tankers of new generation that are characterized by low length-to-beam ratio. The linear strip theory is employed for the calculation of transfer functions, while standard IACS procedure is used for long-term prediction of extreme values. Since the calculated design vertical wave bending moments at midship largely overestimate the values from IACS UR S11, additional analyses are performed to explain these differences. For that purpose, the same analysis is performed for conventional oil tanker which fully complies with contemporary IACS rules. Large overestimations of rule vertical wave bending moments are obtained also for that ship. The inaccuracies of the linear strip theory may partially explain these overestimations, as discussed in the paper. The wave scatter diagram proposed by IACS is analysed and found to be too severe for strength analysis of ship structures. However, the severity of the IACS scatter diagram is compensated by some other unconservative assumptions in the standard long-term prediction procedure, which is also elaborated. After all these aspects are put together, the obvious conclusion is that the IACS rule vertical wave bending moment should be substantially increased to enable safe design of oil tankers navigating in the North Atlantic wave climate. Finally, some suggestions regarding incorporation of hydrodynamic analysis for the calculation of extreme wave loads in ship design are given.
Global Comfort Indices in Indoor Environments: A Survey

The term “comfort” has a number of nuances and meanings according to the specific context. This study was aimed at providing a review of the influence (or “weight”) of the different factors that contribute to global comfort, commonly known as indoor environmental quality (IEQ). A dedicated section includes the methodologies and strategies for finding the most relevant studies on this topic. Resulting in 85 studies, this review outlines 27 studies containing 26 different weightings and 9 global comfort indices (GCIs) with a formula. After an overview of the main concepts, basic definitions, indices, methods and possible strategies for each type of comfort, the studies on the IEQ categories weights to reach a global comfort index are reviewed. A particular interest was paid to research with a focus on green buildings and smart homes. The core section includes global indoor environmental quality indices, besides a specific emphasis on indices found in recent literature to understand the best aspects that they all share. For each of these overall indices, some specific details are shown, such as the comfort categories, the general formula, and the methods employed. The last section reports IEQ elements percentage weighting summary, common aspects of GCIs, requisites for an indoor global comfort index (IGCI), and models adopted in comfort category weighting. Furthermore, current trends are described in the concluding remarks pointing to a better IGCI by considering additional aspects and eventually adopting artificial intelligence algorithms. This leads to the optimal control of any actuator, maximising energy savings.
Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Potential Impact on Fetal and Neonatal Development

Vaccines have been developed under accelerated timelines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Although they are considered the best approach for preventing mortality, when assessing the safety of these vaccines, pregnant women have not been included in clinical trials. Thus, vaccine safety for this demographic, as well as for the developing fetus and neonate, remains to be determined. A global effort has been underway to encourage pregnant women to get vaccinated despite the uncertain risk posed to them and their offspring. Given this, post-hoc data collection, potentially for years, will be required to determine the outcomes of COVID-19 and vaccination on the next generation. Most COVID-19 vaccine reactions include injection site erythema, pain, swelling, fatigue, headache, fever and lymphadenopathy, which may be sufficient to affect fetal/neonatal development. In this review, we have explored components of the first-generation viral vector and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines that are believed to contribute to adverse reactions and which may negatively impact fetal and neonatal development. We have followed this with a discussion of the potential for using an ovine model to explore the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination during the prenatal and neonatal periods.
Tryptophan Metabolites, Cytokines, and Fatty Acid Binding Protein 2 in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) differ for triggers, mode of start, associated symptoms, evolution, and biochemical traits. Therefore, serious attempts are underway to partition them into subgroups useful for a personalized medicine approach to the disease. Here, we investigated clinical and biochemical traits in 40 ME/CFS patients and 40 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Particularly, we analyzed serum levels of some cytokines, Fatty Acid Binding Protein 2 (FAPB-2), tryptophan, and some of its metabolites via serotonin and kynurenine. ME/CFS patients were heterogeneous for genetic background, trigger, start mode, symptoms, and evolution. ME/CFS patients had higher levels of IL-17A (p = 0.018), FABP-2 (p = 0.002), and 3-hydroxykynurenine (p = 0.037) and lower levels of kynurenine (p = 0.012) and serotonin (p = 0.045) than controls. Changes in kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine were associated with increased kynurenic acid/kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine/kynurenine ratios, indirect measures of kynurenine aminotransferases and kynurenine 3-monooxygenase enzymatic activities, respectively. No correlation was found among cytokines, FABP-2, and tryptophan metabolites, suggesting that inflammation, anomalies of the intestinal barrier, and changes of tryptophan metabolism may be independently associated with the pathogenesis of the disease. Interestingly, patients with the start of the disease after infection showed lower levels of kynurenine (p = 0.034) than those not starting after an infection. Changes in tryptophan metabolites and increased IL-17A levels in ME/CFS could both be compatible with anomalies in the sphere of energy metabolism. Overall, clinical traits together with serum biomarkers related to inflammation, intestine function, and tryptophan metabolism deserve to be further considered for the development of personalized medicine strategies for ME/CFS.
Evaluation and Assessment of Risk Mitigation Factors While Deploying Change: Effective Application of Change Management

This paper discusses about the risk while deploying change in an organization along with risk mitigation strategies. Change management is a term widely used in an organization which mostly leads to risks when people start resisting at it. If the change is not managed effectively it will increase the cost, so this paper tells the cost-benefit analysis of change management. It describes the relation of positioning of change management that leads to risk and factor that cause risk. There are many consequences of mismanaging the risk so this paper demonstrate the model of managing risk while deploying change, according to factors considered. Including new technology not understood, Poor project management, untrained staff, Scope creep, changing needs, altering priorities.
Serum Neurofilament Light Chain as a Marker of Progression in Parkinson’s Disease: Long-Term Observation and Implications of Clinical Subtypes

Background: Biochemical and clinical biomarkers correlate with progression rate and disease severity in Parkinson’s disease (PD) but are not sufficiently studied in late PD. Objective: To examine how serum neurofilament light chain (S-NfL) alone or combined with clinical classifications predicts PD outcome in later disease stages. Methods: Eighty-five patients with 7.9±5.1 years of PD duration were included in an observational cohort. Clinical scores were obtained at two separate examinations 8.2±2.0 years apart. S-NfL levels were determined with single molecule array (SiMoA). Five predefined disease progression milestones were assessed. After affirming combination potential of S-NfL and either of two clinical classifications, three combined models were constructed based on these factors and age at onset in different combinations. Results: S-NfL levels showed significant hazard ratios for four out of five disease progression milestones: walking-aid usage (HR 3.5; 95% CI 1.4–8.5), nursing home living (5.1; 2.1–12.5), motor end-stage (6.2; 2.1–17.8), and death (4.1; 1.7–9.7). Higher S-NfL levels were associated with lower ability in activities of daily living and poorer cognition at baseline and/or at follow-up. Combined models showed significantly improved area under receiver operating characteristic curves (0.77–0.91) compared to S-NfL levels alone (0.68–0.71) for predicting the five disease milestones. Conclusion: S-NfL levels stratified patients according to their likelihood to reach clinically relevant progression milestones during this long-term observational study. S-NfL alone reflected motor and social outcomes in later stages of PD. Combining S-NfL with clinical factors was possible and exploratory combined models improved prognostic accuracy.