Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Acid Treatment of Carbon on Electroless Copper Plating

The effects of surface modification by nitric acid on the pre-treatment of electroless copper plating were investigated. Copper was electroless-plated on the nitric acid treated graphite activated by a two-step pre-treatment process (sensitization + activation). The chemical state and relative quantities of the various surface species were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after nitric acid modification or pre-treatment. The acid treatment increased the surface roughness of the graphite due to deep and fine pores and introduced the oxygen-containing functional groups (-COOH and O-C=O) on the surface of graphite. In the pre-treatment step, the high roughness and many functional groups on the nitric acid treated graphite promoted the adsorption of Sn and Pd ions, leading to the uniform adsorption of catalyst (Pd 0 ) for Cu deposition. In the early stage of electroless plating, a lot of tiny copper particles were formed on the whole surface of acid treated graphite and then homogeneous copper film with low variation in thickness was formed after 30 min.
Expression of Nucleus‐Encoded Genes for Chloroplast Proteins in the Flagellate Euglena gracilis

ABSTRACT. Reverse transcription PCRs (RT‐PCRs), real‐time RT‐PCRs and microarrays containing 50‐mer oligonucleotides representing nucleus‐encoded genes for chloroplast proteins from Euglena gracilis were used to compare light‐ and dark‐grown wild‐type mRNA levels to those of light‐ and dark‐grown E. gracilis stable white mutant strains WgmZOflL, W3BUL and W10BSmL. The analyses revealed no light‐dependent regulation of mRNA levels. Moreover, the mRNA levels of most genes were unchanged in all white mutants in comparison with wild‐type. These results suggest that mRNA levels of nucleus‐encoded genes for chloroplast proteins in E. gracilis do not depend on either light or plastid function.
One-Year Efficacy and Safety of Evolocumab in Japanese Patients　- A Pooled Analysis From the Open-Label Extension OSLER Studies.

BACKGROUND Evolocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against PCSK9, significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in Japanese patients by up to 76% when administered with a statin. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of 1 year of evolocumab in a pooled analysis of patients from the 12-week YUKAWA studies who continued into the open-label extension (OLE) OSLER studies.Methods and Results:YUKAWA-1 and YUKAWA-2 were conducted in hypercholesterolemic, high-cardiovascular-risk Japanese patients who were receiving statin therapy. Patients completing these studies were eligible for an OLE study. At OLE entry, patients were re-randomized 2:1 to evolocumab+standard of care (SOC) or SOC alone (OSLER-1: evolocumab 420 mg monthly; OSLER-2: evolocumab 140 mg biweekly or 420 mg monthly). A 1-year analysis was performed on patients enrolled from the YUKAWA studies into OSLER. At parent-study baseline (YUKAWA-1 or YUKAWA-2 patients continuing into OSLER), mean (SD) age was 61 (10) years; 39% were female; mean (SD) baseline LDL-C (on statin) was 119.7 (33.0) mg/dL. Overall rates of adverse events were comparable between evolocumab+SOC and SOC alone. In YUKAWA patients receiving evolocumab+SOC, mean (SE) reductions in LDL-C from parent-study baseline to OLE 1 year were 69.1% (1.2%; OSLER-1) and 65.1% (2.2%; OSLER-2). CONCLUSIONS In a pooled 1-year analysis of Japanese patients in the ongoing OSLER studies, treatment with evolocumab+SOC was well tolerated and resulted in sustained LDL-C reductions at 1 year.
Degradation of cellulosic insulation in power transformers .4. Effects of ageing on the tensile strength of paper

For pt.3 see ibid., vol.147, no.3, p.115-19, 2000. Evidence for transformer failures related to insulation failure indicates that the primary cause is normally mechanical failure/loss of integrity due to loss of mechanical strength as a result of degradation. The paper investigates the primary causes of loss of strength of paper during ageing under accelerated conditions in insulating oil. The latest mathematical models are used to relate change of tensile strength to ageing time and to degree of polymerisation (DP). Comparison of measurements using wide-span and zero-span tensometers suggests that the primary loss of strength results from loss of fibre strength, but that failure ultimately occurs due to loss of inter-fibre strength. This remains constant until a DP of about 200, then rapidly falls to zero, at the same time as the furan levels in the oil increase. It is suggested that a better understanding of the statistical probability of loss of inter-fibre strength would provide a better end-of-life criterion for predicting insulation life than those currently used.
Dust charge distribution in complex plasma afterglow

Dust charge distributions have been measured for the first time in a complex plasma. Experiments were performed late in a discharge afterglow. Residual charges of few hundred particles have been determined. It was found that the mean residual charge is negative but the tail of the distribution extends into the positive-charge region. The experiments were complemented by numerical simulations taking into account discreteness of the charging process and dependence of plasma parameters on the transition from ambipolar to free diffusion. It is shown that the existence of positively charged particles can be explained by the broadening of the dust charge distribution in the late complex plasma afterglow.
Transverse Thoracic Muscle Plane Block: Tricks and Tips to Accomplish the Block

To the Editor: The ultrasound-guided serratus plane block (SPB) was reported in 2013. The SPB involves injection of local anesthetic above the serratus anterior muscle at the fifth rib level in the midaxillary line to block the thoracic nerves (T2–6), the long thoracic nerve, and the thoracodorsal nerve. Theoretically, SPB block would be effective for a contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle, which is innervated by the thoracodorsal nerve. We report 2 cases of performing SPB for contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle. Case 1 was a 55-year-old man who presented with a left clavicle fracture. By using a fixing strap, conservative therapy without surgery was chosen. After 35 days, the clavicle fracture had recovered completely, but it was impossible to conduct a shoulder abduction test. An orthopedist diagnosed a contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle. We performed SPB once weekly for 1 month, 4 times in total. Twenty milliliters of 0.15% levobupivacaine was injected using ultrasound guidance via high-frequency linear probe attached to the LOGIQ e Premium (GE Healthcare Japan, Tokyo). In addition to the SPB, 1 month of rehabilitation was undertaken. Shoulder function was recovered fully. Case 2 is a 65-year-old man who presented with a right sixth rib fracture. Conservative therapy without surgery was chosen. After 42 days, he could not perform a shoulder backward extension. An orthopedist diagnosed a contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle. The dosage of SPB was the same as that in case 1. The shoulder function again recovered fully. These results demonstrate that rehabilitation coupled with SPB can be effective for a contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle, possibly helping motor functional recovery. We obtained the consent of both patients for publishing their case information.
Euglena and Character evolution in heterotrophic euglenids

The Euglenida consists mostly of free-living flagellates with very diverse modes of nutrition. A number of heterotrophic euglenids (e.g., Petalomonas and Ploeotia) are limited to bacteriotrophy (Fig. 1a–c) while others (e.g., Dinema and Peranema) are capable of ingesting eukaryotic prey (Fig. 1f). We use the label “eukaryotroph” to distinguish the latter taxa from the bacteriotrophs (Triemer and Farmer 1991a; Leander and Farmer 2001b). Nonetheless, the most obvious euglenids in field samples tend to be phototrophs (e.g., Euglena and Character evolution in heterotrophic euglenids
Influence of saline stress on growth, gas exchange, mineral nutrients and non-enzymatic antioxidatns in mungbean [(Vigna radiata (L.)) Wilczek]

The study was conducted to appraise the effect of saline stress on growth, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, mineral nutrients and non-enzymatic antioxidants in 2 mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] lines (97001 and 97012). Seeds of each line were sown in sand-filled pots. When the plants were 30 day-old, 2 saline regimes [control (non-saline – full strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution) and 50mM NaCl in Hoagland’s nutrient medium] were applied and maintained 30 days, after which time data for various growth and physiological attributes were recorded. Saline stress markedly reduced shoot fresh and dry weight, shoot length, net CO2 assimilation rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, leaf and root N contents, and leaf ascorbic acid and phenolic contents in both mungbean lines. In contrast, salt stress significantly enhanced leaf and root Na and root Ca contents in both mungbean lines. Saline stress did not alter leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf and root K and P and leaf Ca as well as leaf alpha-tocopherol. Overall, line 97001 showed better performance than line 97012 under both saline and non-saline conditions.
Sub-Optimal Control Based on Passivity for Euler-Lagrange Systems

This paper, present a class of nonlinear control, the feedback error scheme is proposed for trajectory tracking of an Euler-Lagrange system. The controller in this paper has the advantage of global stability and robustness, moreover, we provide a passivity based on stability analysis which suggest that the system has a condition of strictly semi-definite positive realness of tracking error dynamics, this is a necessary condition for a global stability, to this end the explicit solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman principle found by solving the Lyapunov function. In order to demonstrate the control approach, we present a simulation using a 3-DOF robot, to this case we use Phantom Haptic device dynamical model.
CDKN2B Methylation and Aortic Arch Calcification in Patients with Ischemic Stroke

Aim: CDKN2A/2B near chromosome 9p21 has been proposed as a potential genetic etiology for both atherosclerosis and arterial calcification. DNA methylation, which can change the expression of CDKN2A/2B, may be an underlying mechanism for this association. This study aimed to evaluate whether CDKN2A/2B methylation is related to aortic arch calcification (AAC) in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: DNA methylation levels of CDKN2A/2B was measured using venous blood samples in 322 patients with ischemic stroke. A total of 36 CpG sites around promoter regions of CDKN2A/2B were examined. AAC was quantified with Agatston score based on results of computed tomography angiography. Results: There were 248 (77.0%) patients with and 74 (23.0%) patients without evident AAC. Compared with patients without AAC, patients with AAC had higher methylation levels of CDKN2B (5.72 vs 4.94, P < 0.001). Using a generalized linear model, positive correlation between methylation levels and log-transformed calcification scores was detected at CDKN2B (β = 0.275 ± 0.116, P = 0.018). Conclusion: Patients with higher levels of DNA methylation of CDKN2B may bear increased risk for AAC. Further studies to reveal the underlying mechanisms of this association are warranted for establishing a cause–effect relationship.
Phosphomannosylation and the Functional Analysis of the Extended Candida albicans MNN4-Like Gene Family

Phosphomannosylation is a modification of cell wall proteins that occurs in some species of yeast-like organisms, including the human pathogen Candida albicans. These modified mannans confer a negative charge to the wall, which is important for the interactions with phagocytic cells of the immune systems and cationic antimicrobial peptides. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the synthesis of phosphomannan relies on two enzymes, the phosphomannosyltransferase Ktr6 and its positive regulator Mnn4. However, in C. albicans, at least three phosphomannosyltransferases, Mnn4, Mnt3 and Mnt5, participate in the addition of phosphomannan. In addition to MNN4, C. albicans has a MNN4-like gene family composed of seven other homologous members that have no known function. Here, using the classical mini-Ura-blaster approach and the new gene knockout CRISPR-Cas9 system for gene disruption, we generated mutants lacking single and multiple genes of the MNN4 family; and demonstrate that, although Mnn4 has a major impact on the phosphomannan content, MNN42 was also required for full protein phosphomannosylation. The reintroduction of MNN41, MNN42, MNN46, or MNN47 in a genetic background lacking MNN4 partially restored the phenotype associated with the mnn4Δ null mutant, suggesting that there is partial redundancy of function between some family members and that the dominant effect of MNN4 over other genes could be due to its relative abundance within the cell. We observed that additional copies of alleles number of any of the other family members, with the exception of MNN46, restored the phosphomannan content in cells lacking both MNT3 and MNT5. We, therefore, suggest that phosphomannosylation is achieved by three groups of proteins: [i] enzymes solely activated by Mnn4, [ii] enzymes activated by the dual action of Mnn4 and any of the products of other MNN4-like genes, with exception of MNN46, and [iii] activation of Mnt3 and Mnt5 by Mnn4 and Mnn46. Therefore, although the MNN4-like genes have the potential to functionally redundant with Mnn4, they apparently do not play a major role in cell wall mannosylation under most in vitro growth conditions. In addition, our phenotypic analyses indicate that several members of this gene family influence the ability of macrophages to phagocytose C. albicans cells.
Perfectionism in Anorexia Nervosa: Novel Performance Based Evidence

Existing research into perfectionism in Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is limited by a reliance upon self-report measures. This study used novel performance based measures to investigate whether there is behavioural evidence for elevated perfectionism in AN. 153 participants took part in the study – 81 with a diagnosis of AN and 72 healthy controls (HCs). Participants completed two performance based tasks assessing perfectionism – a text replication task and a bead sorting task – along with self-report measures of perfectionism. Significant group differences were observed on both tasks. In the text replication task the AN group took significantly longer compared with healthy controls (p = 0.03, d = 0.36) and produced significantly higher quality copies (p = <0.01, d = 0.45). In the bead sorting task, there was a trend towards more participants in the AN group choosing to check their work compared with the HC group (p = 0.07, d = 0.30) and the AN group took significantly longer checking than those in the HC group (p = <0.01, d = 0.45). Only copy quality uniquely predicted scores on self report measures of perfectionism. This study provides empirically tested evidence of elevated performance based perfectionism in AN compared with a healthy control group.
Bidirectional Cardio-Respiratory Interactions in Heart Failure

We investigated cardio-respiratory coupling in patients with heart failure by quantification of bidirectional interactions between cardiac (RR intervals) and respiratory signals with complementary measures of time series analysis. Heart failure patients were divided into three groups of twenty, age and gender matched, subjects: with sinus rhythm (HF-Sin), with sinus rhythm and ventricular extrasystoles (HF-VES), and with permanent atrial fibrillation (HF-AF). We included patients with indication for implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy device. ECG and respiratory signals were simultaneously acquired during 20 min in supine position at spontaneous breathing frequency in 20 healthy control subjects and in patients before device implantation. We used coherence, Granger causality and cross-sample entropy analysis as complementary measures of bidirectional interactions between RR intervals and respiratory rhythm. In heart failure patients with arrhythmias (HF-VES and HF-AF) there is no coherence between signals (p < 0.01), while in HF-Sin it is reduced (p < 0.05), compared with control subjects. In all heart failure groups causality between signals is diminished, but with significantly stronger causality of RR signal in respiratory signal in HF-VES. Cross-sample entropy analysis revealed the strongest synchrony between respiratory and RR signal in HF-VES group. Beside respiratory sinus arrhythmia there is another type of cardio-respiratory interaction based on the synchrony between cardiac and respiratory rhythm. Both of them are altered in heart failure patients. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is reduced in HF-Sin patients and vanished in heart failure patients with arrhythmias. Contrary, in HF-Sin and HF-VES groups, synchrony increased, probably as consequence of some dominant neural compensatory mechanisms. The coupling of cardiac and respiratory rhythm in heart failure patients varies depending on the presence of atrial/ventricular arrhythmias and it could be revealed by complementary methods of time series analysis.
Performance Evaluation of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Process Using Cryogenically Cooled Electrode

This article describes a study on the cooling effect on copper electrode while electrical discharge machining (EDM) M2 grade high speed steel workpiece. To evaluate the machinability, electrode wear ratio (EWR) and surface roughness (SR) were the two responses observed. Discharge current, pulse on time, duty cycle, and gap voltage were the controllable process parameters. It was found that EWR reduced up to 20% by cryogenic cooling of electrode. With electrode cooling, SR was also found to have been reduced after machining. The effect of process parameters on EWR and SR were also analyzed. It was found that for EWR, discharge current, pulse on time, and duty cycle has the most significant effect, while pulse on time and discharge current have the most significant effect on SR. EWR and SR were found to be lower in cryogenic assisted EDM as compared to conventional EDM for the same set of process parameters. The shape of the electrode has also been measured, and it was found that the shape retention was better in cryogenic assisted EDM as compared to conventional EDM.
High‐efficiency genome editing using a dmc1 promoter‐controlled CRISPR/Cas9 system in maize

Summary Previous studies revealed that the promoters for driving both Cas9 and sgRNAs are quite important for efficient genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in plants. Here, we report our results of targeted genome editing using the maize dmc1 gene promoter combined with the U3 promoter for Cas9 and sgRNA, respectively. Three loci in the maize genome were selected for targeting. The T0 plants regenerated were highly efficiently edited at the target sites with homozygous or bi‐allelic mutants accounting for about 66%. The mutations in T0 plants could be stably transmitted to the T1 generation, and new mutations could be generated in gametes or zygotes. Whole‐genome resequencing indicated that no off‐target mutations could be detected in the predicted loci with sequence similarity to the targeted site. Our results show that the dmc1 promoter‐controlled (DPC) CRISPR/Cas9 system is highly efficient in maize and provide further evidence that the optimization of the promoters used for the CRISPR/Cas9 system is important for enhancing the efficiency of targeted genome editing in plants. The evolutionary conservation of the dmc1 gene suggests its potential for use in other plant species.
Evidence for strong assortative mating, limited gene flow, and strong differentiation across the blue‐footed/Peruvian booby hybrid zone in northern Peru

Hybrid zones represent natural laboratories in which the processes of divergence and genetic isolation can be examined. The generation and maintenance of a hybrid zone requires mispairing and successful reproduction between organisms that differ in one or more heritable traits. Understanding the dynamics of hybridization between two species requires an understanding of the extent to which they have diverged genetically, the frequency of misparing and hybrid production, and the extent of introgression. Three hundred and twenty one blue-footed Sula nebouxii and Peruvian S. variegata boobies from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean were analyzed using 19 putatively neutral genetic markers to evaluate interspecific differentiation, to classify morphological hybrids using Bayesian assignments, and to characterize hybridization using cline theory and Bayesian assignments. The species were well differentiated at mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellites, the hybrid zone was bimodal (contained a high frequency of each parental species but a low frequency of hybrids), and morphologically intermediate individuals were most likely F1 hybrids resulting from mating between female Peruvian boobies and male blue-footed boobies. Clines in allele frequency could be constrained to share a common geographic centre but could not be constrained to share a common width. Peruvian and blue-footed boobies hybridize infrequently, potentially due to strong premating reproductive isolation; however, backcrossing appears to facilitate introgression from blue-footed to Peruvian boobies in this hybrid system.
Does selective hormesis impact herbicide resistance evolution in weeds? ACCase-resistant populations of Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. as a case study.

BACKGROUND A field-evolved herbicide-resistant weed population can represent a heterogeneous composite of subpopulations that differ in their susceptibility and responsiveness to herbicide hormesis. Variable hormesis responsiveness can result in selection for and against certain subpopulations under low herbicide doses, and this has the potential to contribute to the evolution of resistance. The relevance of this hypothesis at practical field rates was studied for two field-collected acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) target-site resistant (TSR) biotypes of Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. (haplotype Leu1781) exposed to three ACCase inhibitors. Herbicide dose responses were evaluated at the population level and at different subpopulation levels after the dissection of individual plants by herbicide selection and genotyping. RESULTS The practical field rates of fenoxaprop-P were lower than the observed hormetic doses in the resistant subpopulation, whereas the field rates of clodinafop and cycloxydim stimulated the shoot biomass in different resistant subpopulations by 21-38% above that of the control. Because variable dose levels induced hormesis in the different subpopulations, the practical field rates showed a significant potential to selectively enhance parts of a resistant field population, but did not impact or adversely affect other parts of the population. CONCLUSION As a consequence of population heterogeneity, herbicide hormesis may impact resistance evolution in weeds at realistic use rates via the selective promotion of individual genotypes. However, the practical relevance of this phenomenon may be influenced by many factors, such as the herbicidal active ingredient used, as indicated in this study. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.