Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of arginine-glycine-aspartate-immobilized 3D printed poly(propylene fumarate) scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering

Abstract Poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) has known to be a good candidate material for cartilage tissue regeneration because of its excellent mechanical properties during its degradation processes. Here, we describe the potential application of PPF-based materials as 3D printing bioinks to create macroporous cell scaffolds using micro-stereolithography. To improve cell-matrix interaction of seeded human chondrocytes within the PPF-based 3D scaffolds, we immobilized arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptide onto the PPF scaffolds. We also evaluated various cellular behaviors of the seeded chondrocytes using MTS assay, microscopic and histological analyses. The results indicated that PPF-based biocompatible scaffolds with immobilized RGD peptide could effectively support initial adhesion and proliferation of human chondrocytes. Such a 3D bio-printable scaffold can offer an opportunity to promote cartilage tissue regeneration.
Risk Assessment for Giardia in Environmental Samples

Giardia is a gastrointestinal parasite that causes infections in humans worldwide. In developing countries, giardiasis is an emerging infection because it plays an important role in diarrhea outbreaks linked to water and food consumption affecting the population in general. Giardiasis is referred to as zoonosis because its biological etiological agent is transmitted to humans through animal reservoirs by oral-fecal route. Detection and occurrences of Giardia cysts have been documented in water, food, soil, and air. The principal risk factors for developing giardiasis include environmental contamination associated with malnutrition and immunosuppression. The small size of cysts and their environmental resistance together with the small infection dose to produce the disease allow giardia dissemination especially in marginalized populations; however, parasitism is present in all countries and at different economic levels. This zoonotic illness contains several species of Giardia duodenalis, infecting mammals and humans with eight serotypes, of which A and B are of public health importance. Quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) is a methodology used for predicting health risk to establish regulations for permissible Giardia risk in water and food. This chapter focuses on worldwide reviews of Giardia incidence in environmental samples including giardiasis prevalence, serotypes, risk factors, and finally options for cyst reduction in the environment, emphasizing on QMRA.
Mechanical and dielectric properties of cobalt–zinc nanoferrite/nitrile butadiene rubber composites

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) samples filled with cobalt–zinc (Co-Zn) ferrite nanoparticles (Co1−xZn x Fe2O4, where x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 0.9, 0.95 and 1) were prepared. The structure and morphology of Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while the structure of the Co-Zn nanoferrite-filled NBR composites was studied using scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The influence of ferrite composition on cure characteristics, mechanical properties and hardness showed an improvement up to x = 0.8. Dielectric parameters showed an enhancement with ferrite composition.
Use of Rubber Particles from Recycled Tires as Concrete Aggregate for Engineering Applications

This study explores the ameliorative effects of rubber particles on some properties of concrete. The used rubber scraps are obtained from a mechanical trituration process of postused tires from motor vehicles and trucks. They have long been investigated for resource reutilization as an aggregate in concrete resulting in the ‗Rubcrete mix‘, which can be conveniently used in various applications with promising effects. Rubcrete provides a final product with good mechanical properties and also represents an effective and inexpensive way of recycling the discarded tires. The aim of this work is to present the results of an experimental investigation conducted to identify the optimal types and quantities of aggregates in concrete mixtures for engineering applications. Some of the examined characteristics include: density of rubber aggregates, workability, air entrapment and compressive strength. Three types of rubber particles (ash rubber, crumb rubber and tire chips) have been used in the rubberized concrete mixtures replacing partially or totally natural aggregates.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF EGGLESS MUFFIN

Muffins are sweet, high-calorie baked products characterised by good taste and soft spongy texture. Egg is one of the main ingredients that play a pivotal role in maintaining nutritional and physical properties. Although egg possesses excellent functional properties the presence of high cholesterol, risk of allergies by egg protein (avidin) and religious taboos associated with its consumption limit its use. Therefore, there is a need for substitutes of egg. Keeping a view on this, whey protein concentrate and skim milk powder in combination was added as egg substitute and evaluated for their effect on nutritional and physical properties of muffin. The substitution of egg contributed lower calorie, caused lower weight loss and decreased water activity of the muffin.
Game Theoretical Approach for Channel Allocation in Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks

In this paper, multi-channel allocation in wireless sensor and actuator networks is formulated as an optimization problem which is NP-hard. In order to efficiently solve this problem, a distributed game based channel allocation (GBCA) Algorithm is proposed by taking into account both network topology and routing information. For both tree/forest routing and non-tree/forest routing scenarios, it is proved that there exists at least one Nash Equilibrium for the problem. Furthermore, the sub- optimality of Nash Equilibrium and the convergence of the Best Response dynamics are also analyzed. Simulation results demonstrate that GBCA significantly reduces the interference and dramatically improves the network performance in terms of delivery ratio, throughput, channel access delay, and energy consumption.
INVESTIGATING THE BIODIVERSITY, ECOLOGY, AND PHYLOGENY OF ENDOSYMBIOTIC DINOFLAGELLATES IN THE GENUS SYMBIODINIUM USING THE ITS REGION: IN SEARCH OF A “SPECIES” LEVEL MARKER

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions from 47 Symbiodinium (Freudenthal) isolates cultured from 34 different host species and two populations sampled from nature were sequenced and compared. Of these, 17 distinct ITS types were identified. The described species Symbiodinium goreaui, S. kawagutii, S. pilosum (Trench and Blank), S. microadriaticum (Freudenthal), and S. (=Gymnodinium) linucheae (Trench and Thinh) had ITS sequences distinct from each other. Four of these species share identical ITS sequences with uncharacterized isolates. Sequence differences among other isolates indicate that at least seven other cultured types await formal species descriptions, whereas numerous others most likely exist in nature. The Symbiodinium phylogeny is positively correlated with cell size, mycosporine‐like amino acid production (UV protection), and host infectivity, whereas the production of water‐soluble peridinin–chl a–protein homodimer and monomer apoproteins and isoenzyme similarity do not correlate. There is evidence, based on the lack of phylogenetic congruency with allelic variability, that sexual recombination occurs at some frequency among Symbiodinium populations. Symbiodinium isolates from the Caribbean possess identical ITS sequences to isolates originating from the Red Sea or the western Pacific. These findings indicate that some Symbiodinium species may have global biogeographic distributions.
The removal of iron from molten aluminium

In this work an overview is given about the techniques available for the removal of metallic impurities from molten aluminium. The overview is focused on the removal of iron. Also, some experimental results are given about the creation of iron-rich intermetallic compounds in an aluminium system, which are subsequently removed by gravity segregation and filtration techniques. This work is part of an ongoing research project of three major European aluminium companies who are co-operating on the subject of recycling of aluminium packaging materials recovered from household waste by means of Eddy-Current techniques. Using this technique the pick-up of some contaminating metals, particularly iron, is almost unavoidable.
On the physical meaning of exchange multiplets

It is shown that the exchange multiplet enters into the complete condensation of a certain critical irreducible representation of the space group of a paramagnetic crystal. Introduction of the multiplet does not contradict one of the principal postulates of the thermodynamic Landau theory-the hypothesis of phase transitions through a single irreducible representation of the space group. It is shown that the formal concept of the exchange multiplet is physically related to the existence of a magnetically isotropic phase.
The Association of Hip Strength and Flexibility with the Incidence of Adductor Muscle Strains in Professional Ice Hockey Players *

This prospective study was conducted to determine whether hip muscle strength and flexibility play a role in the incidence of adductor and hip flexor strains in National Hockey League ice hockey team players. Hip flexion, abduction, and adduction strength were measured in 81 players before two consecutive seasons. Thirty-four players were cut, traded, or sent to the minor league before the beginning of the season. Injury and individual exposure data were recorded for the remaining 47 players. Eight players experienced 11 adductor muscle strains, and there were 4 hip flexor strains. Preseason hip adduction strength was 18% lower in the players who subsequently sustained an adductor muscle strain compared with that of uninjured players. Adduction strength was 95% of abduction strength in the uninjured players but only 78% of abduction strength in the injured players. Preseason hip adductor flexibility was not different between players who sustained adductor muscle strains and those who did not. These results indicate that preseason hip strength testing of professional ice hockey players can identify players at risk of developing adductor muscle strains. A player was 17 times more likely to sustain an adductor muscle strain if his adductor strength was less than 80% of his abductor strength.
Advantages and disadvantages of four interview techniques in qualitative research

Face-to-face interviews have long been the dominant interview technique in the field of qualitative research. In the last two decades, telephone interviewing became more and more common. Due to the explosive growth of new communication forms, such as computer mediated communication (for example e-mail and chat boxes), other interview techniques can be introduced and used within the field of qualitative research. For a study in the domain of virtual teams, I used various communication possibilities to interview informants as well as face-to-face interviews. In this article a comparison will be made concerning the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face, telephone, e-mail and MSN messenger interviews. By including telephone and MSN messenger interviews in the comparison, the scope of this article is broader than the article of BAMPTON and COWTON (2002).
Use of molecular genetics for understanding seabird evolution, ecology and conservation.

Information on genetic variation within and among populations of highly mobile organisms such as seabirds is necessary for understanding their evolution and ecology, and can be a tool for conservation. Recent developments in molecular genetics, including efficient mutationdetection methods and automated sequencing, are providing detailed genetic information for non-model organisms. Furthermore, theoretical advances such as coalescent theory and molecular assignments are providing powerful tools to determine species’ historical and contemporary abundance, distributions and movements. We review advances for studying phylogenetics, population genetics, hybridization, ecology and conservation in seabirds and summarize recent studies in each field. All fields will benefit from larger data sets and more sophisticated analytical methods. Phylogenetic studies will provide a more robust determination of evolutionary history, while studies of population genetics and hybridization will be elevated to genomic-level avenues of inquiry. Ecological studies may benefit from improved molecular assignments, and conservationfocussed studies will benefit from an increased understanding of seabird evolution and ecology. In addition, we highlight that combination of new molecular and analytical tools with data on morphology, behaviour and movements is especially powerful for understanding seabird evolution and ecology, and for aiding conservation.
Process optimization of spray-dried fanhuncaoin powder for pulmonary drug delivery and its pharmacokinetic evaluation in rats

Abstract The optimization of process parameters of spray-dried powder containing fanhuncaoin, a newly discovered anti-inflammatorily active phenolic acid isolated from Chinese herb, was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM). The experimental results were fitted into partial cubic polynomial model to describe and predict the response quality in terms of the final angle of repose, aerodynamic diameter, respirable fraction (RF), and yield. The recommended optimum spray-drying parameters for the development of fanhuncaoin powder with optimum quality were 110 °C inlet temperature, 0.50 m3/min aspiration speed, and 7.95 ml/min feed flow rate. The obtained optimum process parameters were employed for the production of spray-dried fanhuncaoin powder and to check the validity of the partial cubic model. Small and insignificant deviations were found between the predicted values and the experimental ones, showing the efficiency of the model in predicting the quality attributes of fanhuncaoin powder. The optimized powder was further examined for its pharmacokinetic properties in rats. A UPLC/MS assay was used to determine plasma fanhuncaoin concentration. Statistical analysis demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the t1/2 and dose-normalized Cmax and AUC as well as other pharmacokinetic parameters between the groups dosed differently following intratracheal administration (p > .05), indicating that fanhuncaoin followed linear kinetics. The pharmacokinetic parameters of fanhuncaoin after intratracheal administration differed significantly from the ones observed after intravenous administration (p < .05). The lower values of Cmax and AUC(0-∞) obtained following intratracheal administration may lead to effective drug concentrations at the target site with minimal systemic bioavailability and side effects.
HybridS: A Scheme for Secure Distributed Data Storage in WSNs

In unattended wireless sensor networks (WSNs), data is stored locally or at designated nodes upon sensing, and users can access it on demand. This paradigm can improve energy efficiency by making use of the upcoming cheap and large flash memory, as well as system robustness. Nevertheless, the security and dependability of distributed storage are critical for the applicability of such WSNs. In this paper, we propose a secure and dependable data storage scheme by taking advantages of secret sharing and Reed-Solomon code, which has computational security and yet maintains optimal data size. The extensive analysis verifies our scheme can provide secure and dependable data storage in WSNs in the presence of node compromise and Byzantine failure.
Physiological Response of Crocosphaera watsonii to Enhanced and Fluctuating Carbon Dioxide Conditions

We investigated the effects of elevated pCO2 on cultures of the unicellular N2-fixing cyanobacterium Crocosphaera watsonii WH8501. Using CO2-enriched air, cultures grown in batch mode under high light intensity were exposed to initial conditions approximating current atmospheric CO2 concentrations (∼400 ppm) as well as CO2 levels corresponding to low- and high-end predictions for the year 2100 (∼750 and 1000 ppm). Following acclimation to CO2 levels, the concentrations of particulate carbon (PC), particulate nitrogen (PN), and cells were measured over the diurnal cycle for a six-day period spanning exponential and early stationary growth phases. High rates of photosynthesis and respiration resulted in biologically induced pCO2 fluctuations in all treatments. Despite this observed pCO2 variability, and consistent with previous experiments conducted under stable pCO2 conditions, we observed that elevated mean pCO2 enhanced rates of PC production, PN production, and growth. During exponential growth phase, rates of PC and PN production increased by ∼1.2- and ∼1.5-fold in the mid- and high-CO2 treatments, respectively, when compared to the low-CO2 treatment. Elevated pCO2 also enhanced PC and PN production rates during early stationary growth phase. In all treatments, PC and PN cellular content displayed a strong diurnal rhythm, with particulate C:N molar ratios reaching a high of 22∶1 in the light and a low of 5.5∶1 in the dark. The pCO2 enhancement of metabolic rates persisted despite pCO2 variability, suggesting a consistent positive response of Crocosphaera to elevated and fluctuating pCO2 conditions.
Ageing assessment of RBMK-1500 fuel channel in case of delayed hydride cracking

This paper presents the ageing assessment of RBMK-1500 fuel channel TMO-1. One of the factors determining remaining life-time of Zr-2.5% Nb fuel channel (FC) is the amount of hydrogen dissolved during corrosion process. When the concentration of hydrogen exceeds the terminal solid solubility limit zirconium hydrides are precipitated. As a result decreases resistance to brittle fracture and form necessary conditions for delayed hydride cracking (DHC). The experimental investigations were performed to estimate DHC rates in RBMK TMO-1 pressure tubes. During the tests in average DHC values were determined at 283, 250 and 144 °C (with hydrogen concentrations corre-spondingly 76, 54 and 27 ppm). Resistance to brittle frac-ture depending on hydrogen concentration was evaluated. Leak before break analysis was carried out ac-cording to requirements of RBMK 1500 regulatory docu- 11 ments. J-integral and crack opening were calculated with finite element method. Critical crack length was calculated using R6 and J-integral methods. Coolant flow rate through the postulated crack was estimated using SQUIRT software. The results of experimental investigations and de-terministic analyses have confirmed that the fuel channels (TMO-1) fulfil the LBB requirements.
A model-driven engineering framework for architecting and analysing Wireless Sensor Networks

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is composed of distributed sensors with limited processing capabilities and energy restrictions. These unique attributes pose new challenges amongst which prolonging the WSN lifetime is one of the most important. Challenges are often tackled by a code-and-fix process that relies on low-level hardware and software information. Recently, the need of abstracting an implementation view into an architectural design is getting more realized. A clear separation of concerns is needed since hardware and software aspects are locked and tied down to specific types of nodes, hampering the possibility of reuse across projects and organizations. This means that exploiting the right level of abstraction, and keeping explicit (and separated) software and hardware architectural details will surely ease developers' job. In this paper we propose a modeling framework that allows developers to model separately the software architecture of the WSN, the low-level hardware specification of the WSN nodes and the physical environment where nodes are deployed in. The framework can use these models to generate executable code for analysis purposes. In this paper we focus on energy consumption analysis.
SURVEY AND STATUS REPORT ON APPLICATION OF ACOUSTIC-BOILING-DETECTION TECHNIQUES TO LIQUID-METAL-COOLED REACTORS.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory discussing acoustic-boiling-detection techniques. As stated in the abstract, "this report summarizes literature through June 1967 concerning acoustic methods. In the acoustic method for boiling detection, either acoustic waveguides or high-temperature acoustic sensors are recommended" (p. 1). This report includes tables, and illustrations.
Randomized trial of the Terumo Capiox FX05 oxygenator with integral arterial filter versus Terumo Capiox Baby RX05 and Terumo Capiox AF02 arterial filter in infants undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

UNLABELLED The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of the Terumo Capiox FX05 oxygenator with integrated arterial filter during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) compared with the Terumo Capiox RX05 Baby RX and arterial filter on inflammatory mediators and blood product utilization. Forty patients weighing less than 10 kg who underwent congenital heart surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass were randomized into either oxygenator group. The endpoints included measuring inflammatory markers at six different time points (preoperative baseline, CPB circuit being primed, 15 minutes after CPB initiation, status post protamine administration, prior to transport to intensive care unit, and within 12 to 24 hours post surgery), blood product utilization, extubation time, and days until discharge. The inflammatory mediators showed no significant differences between oxygenators at any time points. However, looking at the inflammatory mediators of both the FX and RX groups combined, a statistically significant difference was seen in interleukin (IL)-6 at 12/24 hour post surgery (p < .001) versus baseline and all other time points. IL-8 at status post protamine (p < .001) and 12/24 hours post surgery (p < .001) demonstrated significant differences versus all other time points, and IL-10 at status post protamine (p < .001) and prior to leaving the operating room (p < .001) were statistically different compared to all other time points. Cardiopulmonary bypass stimulates the systemic inflammatory response through various components of the extracorporeal system. This investigation did not find significant differences in cytokines interferon-gamma, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 p70, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and TNF-beta when comparing these two oxygenators. It is well known that various mechanisms contribute to the levels of cytokines circulating in a patient's blood volume and many manipulations throughout cardiac surgery have the ability to demonstrate anti-inflammatory interventions. Further investigation is needed as to how modification of the extracorporeal circuit may minimize increases in inflammatory mediators. KEYWORDS infant, bypass, cytokines, blood, infant perfusion strategy.