Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of carbon nanotubes on developing zebrafish (Danio Rerio) embryos

The impact of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the aquatic environment was investigated by examining the properties of raw CNTs under several environmental conditions and using developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The agglomerate size for single‐walled CNTs (SWCNTs) was significantly larger at pH 11 or greater and was stable at temperatures from 4 to 40°C and salinities from 0 to 30 ppt. Exposure to SWCNTs induced a significant hatching delay in zebrafish embryos between 52 to 72 h postfertilization (hpf) at concentrations of greater than 120 mg/L, but 99% of the exposed embryos hatched by 75 hpf. Double‐walled CNTs also induced a hatching delay at concentrations of greater than 240 mg/L, but carbon black did not affect hatching at the concentrations tested. Molecular and cellular analysis showed that the embryonic development of the exposed embryos up to 96 hpf was not affected at SWCNT concentrations of up to 360 mg/L. Scanning‐electron microscopic inspection showed that the size of the pores on the embryo chorion was nanoscaled and that the size of SWCNT agglomerates was microscaled or larger, indicating that the chorion of zebrafish embryos was an effective protective barrier to SWCNT agglomerates. The hatching delay observed in this study likely was induced by the Co and Ni catalysts used in the production of SWCNTs that remained at trace concentrations after purification. This study suggests that materials associated with raw SWCNTs (perhaps metal contaminants) have the potential to affect aquatic life when released into the aquatic environment.
An Algorithm of Spatial Association Rule Mining Based on Concept Lattice

An algorithm about spatial association rule mining which is based on concept lattice is presented. Firstly, a concept lattice (a concept hierarchy) diagram is given, Moreover, databases and selected, transform spatial data into attribute data by generalizing spatial are introduced. Then the method of build spatial concept lattice by using: generalize spatial relationships into attribute relationships is given. Finally, an improvement algorithm of spatial association rule mining based concept lattice is offered and the experiment results show the algorithm is effective. (Abstract)
Optimizing Sparse Data Structures for Matrix-vector Multiply

Sparse matrix—vector multiply is an important operation in a wide range of problems. One of the key factors determining the performance of this operation is sustained memory bandwidth. In the IBM POWER architecture, there is a hardware component called a prefetch data stream that can significantly increase sustained memory bandwidth. We have developed a new family of storage formats for sparse matrices that exploits this capability. Test results show that our new streamed storage formats can significantly improve the performance of sparse matrix and vector multiply on IBM POWER processors, compared to traditional compressed sparse row and block compressed sparse row formats. The new formats also provide a benefit on x86 processors.
Estimations de champs de diffusivités, de vitesses et de sources de chaleur par thermographie infrarouge sur des systèmes microfluidiques.

La microfluidique est une technologie recente dont le principal avantage est de pouvoir miniaturiser le phenomene etudie, quelque soit le domaine (energetique, chimie, biologie.). Cependant les techniques de mesures (vitesses, temperatures.) au sein des systemes microfluidiques sont souvent complexes a mettre en oeuvre. C'est pourquoi il est important de mettre en place un nouvel outil de mesure efficace et fournissant des informations a l'echelle de ces microsystemes. La Thermographie InfraRouge (TIR) est un moyen puissant de mesurer des champs de temperatures, qui peuvent ensuite etre utilises pour estimer des proprietes thermo-physiques. Le premier objectif de ce travail de these est donc de developper un corps de methodes experimentales et numeriques couplant la TIR et la microfluidique dans le but d'estimer des parametres fluidiques et thermiques. Une procedure experimentale originale ainsi que des methodes inverses a un parametre ont ete developpees. Toutes les methodes developpees ont ete testees et validees sur des champs de temperatures simules numeriquement. Les mesures experimentales ont permis de cartographier et d'estimer quantitativement des parametres tels que la vitesse, la diffusivite thermique et des sources de chaleur. Le deuxieme objectif est de tester les methodes developpees sur des applications microfluidiques concretes. Ces tests ont aboutis a d'excellents resultats tels que la mesure d'enthalpie de reaction chimique en microreacteurs, ainsi que l'etude de la cristallisation de l'eau en microcanal.
Detectability and annoyance of synthetic blockiness, blurriness, noisiness, and ringing in video sequences

Synthetic artifacts offer many advantages for experimental research on video quality because of the degree of control that the researchers have with respect to the amplitude, distribution, and mixture of artifacts. We have developed algorithms for synthetically generating four types of artifacts commonly found in digital videos: blockiness, blurriness, noisiness, and ringing. In this paper, we inserted these artifacts in short video sequences and performed a psychophysical experiment where we measured the probability of detection and the mean annoyance values of these artifacts as a function of their total squared error (TSE). The results show that, although the different artifacts looked different and affected the videos differently, there is no consistent difference between either their visibility thresholds or mid-annoyance TSE. Mid-annoyance values are positively correlated with the visibility threshold, and the relation can be described by a linear function.
Bio-active restorative materials as alternative pit and fissure sealants in pediatric and preventative dentistry: In vitro investigation

1. Abstract 1.1. Background:It has been more than 40 years since the pit and fissure sealants were first used clinically. During this time, pit and fissure sealants have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of occlusal caries. 1.2. Aim:The aim of the investigation is to further develop and evaluate a versatile designed chitosan based bio-active materials on foruse as bonding free fissure sealant/fissure protectors on permanent dentition and evaluate remineralization/demineralization capacity of the materials through pH cycling, as well as shear bond strength etch and no etch prototype as well as measurement of Vickers hardnessof the newly designed materials and compare the property with the commercially available standard. 1.3. Results:In general there was an increase in bond strength of the enamel treated with the modified Premise containing nanodiamond: chitosan materials compared to the bond strength of the conventionally bonded teeth. It is seen that release of phosphorus into the dematerializing solution (i.e. loss of phosphorus from the samples) showed larger amplitude (from 600.2mg to 101.3 mg) than the uptake of phosphorus by the samples from the re-mineralizing solution (from 125.2 mg to 66.1 mg). Therefore, the treatment with chitosan seems to act more on the demineralization of tooth enamel with little effect on the remineralization process. Regarding the net phosphorus loss (net P loss), it can be seen that net demineralization occurs in all cases. However, the net amount of phosphorous released by the control group samples was significantly higher than those groups treated with chitosan. The net P loss for the control group was 475 mg of P, whereas the groups containing chitosan had a net P loss in the range of 30-182 mg. When a 1mm layer is assessed all the materials including the Premise control indicated a conversion of above 96%, which is the upper limit of the conventional fissure sealant material which makes the newly designed bioactive materials suitable for the application as fissure sealant materials. The important aspect of any newly designed/ developed restorative material is cytotoxicity as Grobler et. al [1]investigated the cytotoxic effect of nanodiamonds and also the effect of the incorporation in a dental material (Premise), who found a higher shear bond strength (p < 5%) after 3 months of Premise treated with nanodiamonds, chitosan, cyclodextrin (CD) and combinations thereof than for the control Premise. The sequence for the Vickers hardness was: CD (32.5) < nano (34.8) < CD Nano (38.8) < Premise (39) < Chitosan Nano (42.2). Nanodiamonds (92%) and the combination of chitosan + nanodiamonds (93%) showed little cytotoxicity. The shrinkage was lower for all the additions than for Premise alone. Conclusion: All modified Flowable bio-active materials can be further developed in effective fissure sealant material based on the acceptable in vitroresults and cytotoxicity data.
Physicochemical Quality of Surface Water: Background Study Prior of the Milky River Sub-Basin, Abitibi, Canada

In spite of its economic benefits, the mining industry can have many negative impacts on the environment, more specifically, on surface water quality. The evaluation of the impact of the mining activity must therefore be addressed adequately with a background study prior to mining operation areas. Thirteen active and past producing mines are located inside the sub-basin of the Milky. These mining sites may contribute to the water mineralization of the surface waters and sediments of the Milky river system. In the present study, nine metals including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were measured at thirty (30) surface water locations during two years in the catchment area of the Milky river. The data collected served to calculate the Metal pollution index (MPI) and the Metal index (MI) to evaluate the surface water quality. The MI values suggest that all the samples are contaminated, while only some of the samples are considered contaminated according to the MPI values. However, it is impossible to discriminate the origin of this contamination between the natural enriched geochemical background of this sub-basin and the anthropic activities. This discrepancy between the two pollution evaluation methods demonstrate that their interpretation needs to be adapted to the context of mining districts that have both a high natural geochemical background and are affected by past and present mining activities.
Design of dielectric lens antennas for multibeam applications

Paper describes designing procedure of dielectric lens antennas (DLA) for multibeam applications. Two configurations of DLAs are considered, namely: two-shell circularly-layered lens excited by a horn antenna and shaped homogeneous flat-bottom lens excited by an array of printed feeds. Synthesis of the antennas is carried out in the 2-D formulation using highly-efficient in-house softwares based on rigorous mathematical approaches (Mie-type series solution for the former and Muller's boundary integral equations for the latter). It is demonstrated that simultaneous optimization of lens and feeding structure parameters enables one to design a beam-switching DLA with improve performance characteristics (boresight directivity and steering ability) using standard low-loss dielectric materials.
An investigation and review into microwave thermography for NDT and SHM

Infrared (IR) thermography is a fast-growing Nondestructive Testing (NDT) technique. Various sources can be used as the thermal stimulation, such as flash lamps, laser, ultrasound, and eddy current etc. Currently, various quantification methods for defect depth estimation are built based on the surface heating, heat conduction or thermal wave diffusion. Microwave heating is a new heating technique, which has a lot of advantages, such as strong penetrability, selective heating, volumetric heating, significant energy savings, uniform heating, and good thermal efficiency. In this work, the basic principle of microwave thermography (MWT) is introduced. The developments and case studies of microwave thermography are reviewed.
Morphological and carbogen‐based functional MRI of a chemically induced liver tumor model in mice

A multifocal mouse liver tumor model chemically induced with 5,9‐dimethyl‐7H‐dibenzo[c,g]carbazole was investigated by respiratory‐triggered morphological and functional MRI (fMRI) at 4.7 Tesla. The model is characterized by the presence of two tumor types: hypovascular cholangioma and vascularized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Growth curves measured by 3D‐MRI showed limited growth of cholangiomas and rapid growth of HCCs after a latency of about 25 weeks. Functional imaging based on T 2* ‐weighted fast gradient‐echo MRI and carbogen breathing was optimized for liver imaging in mice. A response to carbogen was observed in HCCs but not in cholangiomas. Transversal analysis (50 HCCs) of signal change upon carbogen revealed four different types of response patterns: 1) signal increase upon carbogen administration (74%); 2) small or insignificant signal change (10%), 3) transient signal decrease and delayed increase (8%), and 4) signal decrease (8%). Longitudinal follow‐up of a subgroup (N = 17) showed that an initially observed type 1 response, attesting to the presence of a functional vasculature, remained stable for at least 3 weeks in 14 HCCs. A switch from a type 1 response to another response type may be useful for demonstrating, in a noninvasive manner, a disturbance of tumor vasculature induced by anti‐vascular or anti‐angiogenic therapy. Magn Reson Med 50:522–530, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differentiation and Empirical Analysis of Reference Types in Legal Documents

This paper proposes an extensible model distinguishing between reference types within legal documents. It differentiates between four types of references, namely fully-explicit, semi-explicit, implicit, and tacit references. We conducted a case study on German laws to evaluate both: the model and the proposed differentiation of reference types. We adapted text mining algorithms to determine and classify the different references according to their type. The evaluation shows that the consideration of additional reference types heavily impacts the resulting network structure by inducing a plethora of new edges and relationships. This work extends the approaches made in network analysis and argues for the necessity of detailed differentiation between references throughout legal documents.
Evaluating a new surgical dosage calculation method for esotropia

Purpose: To evaluate a simplified method for correction of ocular deviation in patients of infantile and acquired basic esotropia. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients of infantile and acquired basic esotropia were selected for this study. Patients underwent unilateral recession–resection surgery as per the new norm gram. Patients underwent 3.5-7 mm recession of medial rectus (MR) in one eye depending on the pre-operative deviation and patient's age. Together they also underwent 6 or 7 mm resection of the lateral rectus (LR) in the same eye depending on patient's age (6 mm for 3 years and below and 7 mm for older age). In patients 3 years and below, a correction of 6, 7, or 8 PD/mm of recession of MR was expected when the pre-operative deviation was lesser than 30 PD, between 30 and 60 PD, or above 60 PD, respectively. Similarly, these values were 5, 6, and 7 PD/mm of MR recession in patients above 3 years. A ratio between achieved and expected correction was calculated and the calculation was deemed successful for a patient if this ratio fell between 0.9 and 1.1. Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients of infantile and acquired basic esotropia were selected for this study. Patients underwent unilateral recession-resection surgery as per the new norm gram. Patients underwent 3.5-7 mm recession of medial rectus (MR) in one eye depending on the pre-operative deviation and patient's age. Together they also underwent 6 or 7 mm resection of the lateral rectus (LR) in the same eye depending on patient's age (6 mm for 3 years and below and 7 mm for older age). In patients 3 years and below, a correction of 6, 7, or 8 PD/mm of recession of MR was expected when the pre-operative deviation was lesser than 30 PD, between 30 and 60 PD, or above 60 PD, respectively. Similarly, these values were 5, 6, and 7 PD/mm of MR recession in patients above 3 years. A ratio between achieved and expected correction was calculated and the calculation was deemed successful for a patient if this ratio fell between 0.9 and 1.1. Results: The calculation procedure was successful in 33 out of 36 patients (91%). The two-tailed probability on paired Wilcoxon test was 0.187. Conclusions: This simplified method of surgical dosage calculation using MR recession as basis is predictable in patients of infantile and basic Esotropia. It may serve as a useful tool for minimizing variability of surgical results.
Activation of epidermal growth factor receptor mediates receptor axon sorting and extension in the developing olfactory system of the moth Manduca sexta

During development of the adult olfactory system of the moth Manduca sexta, olfactory receptor neurons extend axons from the olfactory epithelium in the antenna into the brain. As they arrive at the brain, interactions with centrally derived glial cells cause axons to sort and fasciculate with other axons destined to innervate the same glomeruli. Here we report studies indicating that activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is involved in axon ingrowth and targeting. Blocking the EGFR kinase domain pharmacologically leads to stalling of many axons in the sorting zone and nerve layer as well as abnormal axonal fasciculation in the sorting zone. We also find that neuroglian, an IgCAM known to activate the EGFR through homophilic interactions in other systems, is transiently present on olfactory receptor neuron axons and on glia during the critical stages of the sorting process. The neuroglian is resistant to extraction with Triton X‐100 in the sorting zone and nerve layer, possibly indicating its stabilization by homophilic binding in these regions. Our results suggest a mechanism whereby neuroglian molecules on axons and possibly sorting zone glia bind homophilically, leading to activation of EGFRs, with subsequent effects on axon sorting, pathfinding, and extension, and glomerulus development. J. Comp. Neurol. 495:554–572, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Methods for assessment of the rate of onset and offset of insulin action during nonsteady state in humans.

Measurement of glucose turnover under non-steady-state conditions has proven problematic. When the mass of the glucose pool is not changing (i.e., glucose concentrations are constant) non-steady-state error can be minimized if all glucose entering the circulation has the same specific activity as plasma [radioactive infused glucose (hot-GINF) method]. Alternatively, a second tracer can be used to measure the effective volume of glucose [variable-pV method of Issekutz (T. Issekutz, R. Issekutz, and D. Elahi. (Can. J. Physiol. 52:215-224, 1974)]. To determine whether these techniques provide concordant assessments of insulin action under non-steady-state conditions, glucose turnover was measured in six subjects. After initiation of insulin (0.6 mU.kg-1 x min-1), both methods indicated similar rates of suppression of hepatic glucose release, which was complete by approximately 100-120 min. In contrast, the traditional fixed-pV method of Steele (R. Steele, J. Wall, R. DeBodo, and N. Altszuler. Am. J. Physiol. 187:15-24 1956) underestimated turnover (P < 0.01) resulting in apparent complete suppression of glucose release within approximately 40 min (P < 0.01 vs. other methods). The hot-GINF and variable-pV methods also yielded similar estimates of turnover after discontinuation of insulin. Both indicated that resumption of hepatic glucose release was slower (P < 0.01) and fall of glucose uptake faster (P < 0.01) than suggested by the fixed-pV method. Thus both the hot-GINF and variable-pV methods avoid non-steady-state error introduced by the fixed-pV method and provide concordant assessments of the rate of onset and offset of insulin action.
Current pattern of Chinese dialysis units: a cohort study in a representative sample of units.

BACKGROUND Understanding the characteristics of Chinese dialysis patients and the current practice trends is the first step to evaluate the association between practice pattern and outcome in these populations. In the present study, we evaluated the status of medical treatment and characteristic features of chronic dialysis patients in China. METHODS Through a clustering sampling, we selected 9 centers from the largest dialysis facilities in 6 cities around China. All adult undergoing dialysis in the selected units were screened. A total of 2388 (1775 on hemodialysis (HD) and 613 on peritoneal dialysis (PD)) patients were finally enrolled. All data were collected at enrollment on the bases of review of medical records. RESULTS In this cohort, 1313 (55.0%) were male. The mean age was 54 years old. The median time for dialysis was 26 months (12 - 51 months). Seventy-five percent of patients were on HD and 25.0% on PD. Among PD patients, about 21% patients did not receive dialysis adequacy. For HD patients, about 14.0% of them did not achieve dialysis adequacy when the target of kt/V was set as 1.2. Only 44.7% of patients achieved blood pressure target of 140/90 mmHg. About 60% of patients did not reach the hemoglobin target of 110 g/L even though 85.0% of them were treated with erythropoietin. In addition, 48.5% of the patients had uncontrolled mineral metabolism revealed by the high calcium-phosphate product. Compared with HD patients, higher level of serum glucose, triglyceride, and total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were more common in PD patients. CONCLUSIONS This observational study suggests that many Chinese dialysis patients did not achieve the therapeutic target, particularly in blood pressure control, anemia correction, and mineral balance. PD patients were more likely to suffer metabolic disturbance.
The Association Between Clinical Care Strategies and the Attenuation of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Care: The Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) Study

Objective:We sought to determine whether greater implementation of clinical care strategies in managed care is associated with attenuation of known racial/ethnic disparities in diabetes care. Research Design and Methods:Using cross-sectional data, we examined the quality of diabetes care as measured by frequencies of process delivery as well as medication management of intermediate outcomes, for 7426 black, Latinos, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and white participants enrolled in 10 managed care plans within 63 provider groups. We stratified models by intensity of 3 clinical care strategies at the provider group level: physician reminders, physician feedback, or use of a diabetes registry. Results:Exposure to clinical care strategy implementation at the provider group level varied by race and ethnicity, with <10% of black participants enrolled in provider groups in the highest-intensity quintile for physician feedback and <10% of both black and Asian/Pacific Islander participants enrolled in groups in the highest-intensity quintile for diabetes registry use. Although disparities in care were confirmed, particularly for black relative to white subjects, we did not find a consistent pattern of disparity attenuation with increasing implementation intensity for either processes of care or medication management of intermediate outcomes. Conclusions:For the most part, high-intensity implementation of a diabetes registry, physician feedback, or physician reminders, 3 clinical care strategies similar to those used in many health care settings, are not associated with attenuation of known disparities of diabetes care in managed care.