Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci in a Non-Equilibrium Population

The genetic control of a complex trait can be studied by testing and mapping the genotypes of the underlying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) through their associations with observable marker genotypes. All existing statistical methods for QTL mapping assume an equilibrium population, allowing marker-QTL associations to be simply described at the gametic level. However, many mapping populations in practice may deviate from equilibrium; thus, gametic associations cannot reflect marker-QTL associations at the genotype level. We develop a robust model for mapping QTLs in a non-equilibrium natural population in which individuals are not necessarily randomly mating due to various evolutionary forces. Without use of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the new model founds marker-QTL associations directly on the genotypes, specified by a group of disequilibrium parameters. Simulation studies were performed to test the statistical properties of the model, which suggests that the new model covers current mapping models and can be safely used for any data set.
Magnetic retention of dental prostheses in a child with ectodermal dysplasia.

BACKGROUND Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a group of heterogeneous disorders that result in hypodontia. In pediatric patients with ED, using prostheses to restore form and function can be a challenge. CASE DESCRIPTION The authors present a case report that demonstrates a technique using magnets to enhance the retention of maxillary and mandibular prostheses in a 9-year-old boy. CLINICAL IMPLICATION The case report introduces an alternative prosthetic design for children who have ED.
Phylogenetic Classification Of Bartonella Species By Comparing The Two-Component System Response Regulator Feup Sequences

The bacterial genus Bartonella is classified in the alpha-2 Proteobacteria on the basis of 16S rDNA sequence comparison. The Bartonella two-component system feuPQ is found in nearly all bacterial species. We investigated the usefulness of the response regulator feuP gene sequence in the classification of 18 well characterized Bartonella species. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using parsimony, neighbour-joining and maximumlikelihood methods. Reliable classifications of most of the studied species were obtained. Bartonella were divided into two supported clades containing two supported clusters each. These results were similar to our previous data obtained with groEL, ftsZ, and ribC genes sequences. The wide range of feuP DNA sequence similarity (78.6 to 96.5%) among Bartonella species makes it a promising candidate for multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of clinical isolates. This is the first report proving the usefulness of feuP sequences in bartonellae classification at the species level.
Low-profile wideband antenna with unidirectional inclined radiation pattern for C-band airborne applications

An original single layer low-profile planar microstrip antenna is hereby presented for airborne C-band applications. The antenna structure, endowed with a dual microstrip feed and quarter-wave parasitic patches, provides a flexible design on a 787 ¿m thick dielectric substrate. Simulated characteristics of 15.4% impedance bandwidth at 7.1 GHz are reported with a low-frequency dependent inclined unidirectional radiation pattern with a minimum gain value of 5 dBi over the entire band. The wideband performance is explored by investigating the electromagnetic coupling between the parasitic patches and the driven patch while the inclined radiation is obtained by exploiting the beam squint of the quarter-wave patches in the E-plane.
Electrofused magnesium oxide classification using digital image processing and machine learning techniques

This research is focused on using digital image processing and machine learning techniques to classify Electrofused Magnesia for industry automation. We generate the data from different images by using a modern digital image process. This research proposes a new method to construct the digital image database. The propose new method is based on simple histogram mode and intensity deviation. A group of six popular machine learning algorithms has been tested to build up an automatic system for industry. We have concluded that the best suited algorithm for magnesia industry automation from this group is the PART algorithm.
Avian and Human Metapneumovirus

Abstract: Pneumovirus infection remains a significant problem for both human and veterinary medicine. Both avian pneumovirus (aMPV, Turkey rhinotracheitis virus) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) are pathogens of birds and humans, which are associated with respiratory tract infections. Based on their different genomic organization and low level of nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) identity with paramyxoviruses in the genus Pneumovirus, aMPV and hMPV have been classified into a new genus referred to as Metapneumovirus. The advancement of our understanding of pneumovirus biology and pathogenesis of pneumovirus disease in specific natural hosts can provide us with strategies for vaccine formulations and combined antiviral and immunomodulatory therapies.
Patterns of Adiustment to the Career / Family Conflict of Technically Trained Women in the US and Israel

The number of women in technical/scientific careers is still very small worldwide. The aim of the present paper is to understand how women who are already pursuing technical careers experience and reconcile the demands of their professional and private lives in two different national contexts. Participants in the study were 453 women in two countries with different socioeconomic, political, and cultural backgrounds: the United States and Israel. The cross-cultural perspective is employed here in order to better understand the universal aspects of the phenomenon, as against those that are tied to a particular situational or cultural context. Women in both countries face a practical dilemma in combining career and family as well as a femininity dilemma related to their identity as women. These dilemmas differ according to the life stage of the women, but the effects vary by national culture.
Comparison of the TINTARA uterine manipulator with the Cohen cannula in gynecologic laparoscopy.

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of the TINTARA uterine manipulator and the Cohen cannula for gynecologic laparoscopy. MATERIAL AND METHOD Sixty women scheduled for laparoscopy were randomized for use of TINTARA (n = 30) or Cohen (n = 30) as a uterine manipulator. The degree of anterior and lateral deviation of the uterus, operative time, surgical complications and ease of use were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS The mean ranges of anterior and lateral deviation of the uterus in TINTARA and Cohen groups were 61.17 +/- 19.37 vs. 49.33 +/- 22.58 degrees (p = 0.033) and 107.03 +/- 39.68 vs. 85.5 +/- 37.52 degrees (p = 0.035) respectively. The percentage of patients having dye leakage from the cervix in the Cohen group was greater than in the TINTARA group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Both instruments provided similar ease of use. Complications were not found in either group. CONCLUSION TINTARA was found to have more advantages than the Cohen in moving the uterus in both anterior and lateral directions.
Macro Creatine Kinase: Comparison of Different Screening Methods and Revision of the Bibliography

Introduction: Macro-creatine kinase (Macro-CK) is a complex with longer half-life that leads to elevation of enzyme activity and analytical errors. We present two cases with macro-CK to picture the problem. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare different methods using polyethylene glycol (PEG) for screening. Methods: Serum samples (n=39) were analysed using different PEG methods PEG6000, 30 minutes centrifugation, 3000 rpm, PEG8000, 10 minutes incubation and 5 minutes centrifugation, 1000 g Modified method 1, 10 minutes centrifugation. The recovery percentage and the polyethylene glycol precipitation activity (PPA) were calculated. In four patients macro-CK was confirmed by electrophoresis (Sebia). Results: The recovery percentage was significantly higher in all non-macro-CK samples than in macro-CK (p<0.001) (Method 1: 80.6 ± 7.9%; (2): 60.2 ± 10.4% and (3): 79.9 ± 8.7% vs. Method 1: 13.8 ± 5.0%; (2): 12.4 ± 3.2% and (3): 8.7 ± 9.0%). No differences in recovery percentages were found between normal or elevated CK values. No differences were observed between methods 1 and 3 (p=0.453) and both were concordant (Confidence interval 95% was -8.819, 9.153). However, significant differences were observed between method 2 and the others (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Method 3 is an adequate method for screening which would lead to a better identification of macro- CK interferences.
Introduction of a Universal P300 Brain-Computer Interface Communication System

We developed a new P300-based BCI communication system. The design is tripartite: One part operates as a universal data acquisition unit, which allows to easily use different data acquisition devices. The second part is a rapid prototyping platform based on Matlab/Simulink R © for data processing, which can be modified in an easy way. The last part is a graphical user interface, which also acts as main controller. Every single part is state-of-the-art designed and implemented. Connected together they are a very powerful tool not only for scientists and research issues, but also for non-expert users.
Positively charged imidazolium-based ionic liquid-protected silver nanoparticles: a promising disinfectant in root canal treatment.

AIM To synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with different surface charges in order to evaluate their cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity in the absence and presence of dentine compared with NaOCl and CHX. METHODOLOGY Ag NPs with positive, negative and neutral surface charges were synthesized and characterized. The first phase of the experiment determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of NPs against planktonic E. faecalis and compared them with that of NaOCl and CHX. The second phase tested the elimination of E. faecalis at different contact times (5, 20 and 60 min and 4 and 24 h), and the role of dentine in their inactivation was assessed. In the third phase, the most effective Ag NP solution was selected for cytocompatibility assessment. An MTT-based cytotoxicity assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the selected NP solution in different concentrations on L929 fibroblasts compared to that of 2.5% NaOCl and 0.2% CHX. Student's t-test and repeated measures manova approach were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS The characterization revealed synthesis of colloidal NPs in the size range of 5-10 nm in diameter. The results indicated that Ag NP with a positive surface charge had the smallest MIC against planktonic E. faecalis, and it was active in very lower concentrations compared to NaOCl, CHX and the other tested AgNPs. Positive-charged Ag NPs at 5.7 × 10(-10) mol L(-1) completely prevented the growth of E. faecalis after 5 min of contact time, a finding comparable to 0.025% NaOCl. Dentine powder had variable inhibitory effects on all tested materials after 1 h incubation period, but after 24 h, NaOCl and the positive-charged Ag NPs were not inhibited by dentine at any concentration used. CHX was the most and the positively charged Ag NP solution was the least toxic solutions to L929 fibroblasts (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Ag NP surface charge was important in bactericidal efficacy against E. faecalis. The positively charged imidazolium-based ionic liquid-protected Ag NPs showed promising antibacterial results against E. faecalis and exhibited a high level of cytocompatibility to L929 cells.
Mass spectrum and decay constants of radially excited vector mesons

We calculate the masses and weak decay constants of flavorless ground and radially excited $J^P=1^-$ mesons and the corresponding quantities for the K^*, within a Poincare covariant continuum framework based on the Bethe-Salpeter equation. We use in both, the quark's gap equation and the meson bound-state equation, an infrared massive and finite interaction in the leading symmetry-preserving truncation. While our numerical results are in rather good agreement with experimental values where they are available, no single parametrization of the QCD inspired interaction reproduces simultaneously the ground and excited mass spectrum, which confirms earlier work on pseudoscalar mesons. This feature being a consequence of the lowest truncation, we pin down the range and strength of the interaction in both cases to identify common qualitative features that may help to tune future interaction models beyond the rainbow-ladder approximation.
Design of a high efficiency rectifier with wide bandwidth and input power range based on the time reversal duality of power amplifier

This paper presents the concept and measurements of a new microwave rectifier based on the time reversal duality of power amplifiers. It is shown that the proposed rectifier can simultaneously provide high efficiency at large input power range over much more improved bandwidth compared to the conventional rectifier from time reversal duality. It is also reported that the proposed rectifier allows reconfiguration of the efficiency at input power range without placing the tunable elements. A 10 W wideband power amplifier with 79%drain efficiency at 1.85 GHz is used to validate the concept. By making the gate bias network short-terminated and replacing the drain termination with the DC load resistor for power amplifier, the circuit can operate as microwave rectifier with taking part of bandwidth from power amplifier. Measurements show the efficiency bandwidth with larger than 70 % rectifying efficiency at 15 dB input power range over a 1.7-1.95 GHz frequency range. The measurements thereby validate the presented concept and demonstrate the potential of the proposed rectifier for use in future wireless energy harvesting applications.
Structure and growth of epitaxial Pb on Si(111).

A detailed study on the structure, growth, and morphology of epitaxial Pb layers on Si(111) is presented. Grey et al. already determined the structures of the Si(111)(7 x 7)-Pb and Si(111)(unroofed radical 3BAR x unroofed radical 3BAR)R 30-degrees-Pb(beta) monolayer phases with grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction. Our experimental data mainly support their models. In addition, we show that the Pb sites of the incommensurate unroofed radical 3BAR x unroofed radical 3BAR phase are spatially modulated by the substrate corrugation potential. At higher coverages, the Pb atoms form three-dimensional islands that are either oriented parallel to the Si lattice or slightly twisted. The twist angles are different for the 7 x 7 and unroofed radical 3BAR x unroofed radical 3BAR interfaces and can be understood on the basis of simple geometrical arguments. Also, the morphologies of the thick overlayers are different for the two types of interfaces. We argue that both phenomena can be understood if one assumes that the 7 x 7 and unroofed radical 3BAR x unroofed radical 3BAR interface structures remain preserved after depositing thick overlayers.
Electron transport through metal-multiwall carbon nanotube interfaces

In this paper, we examine mechanisms of electron transport across the metal-carbon nanotube (CNT) interface for two different types of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) architectures, horizontal or side-contacted MWNTs and vertical or end-contacted MWNTs. Horizontally aligned nanotube growth and electrical characteristics are examined with respect to their potential applications in silicon-based technologies. Recent advances in the synthesis techniques of vertical MWNTs have also enhanced the possibility for a manufacturable solution incorporating this novel material as on-chip interconnects or vias as copper interconnect feature sizes are scaled into the sub-100-nm regime. A vertical MWNT architecture is presented that may be suitable for integration into silicon-based technologies. The growth method for this architecture and its effect on electrical characteristics are examined. Through simulations, dc measurements, and comparison of our results with previous studies, we explain why high contact resistance is observed in metal-CNT-metal systems.
An Experimentally Validated Nonlinear Stabilizing Control for Power Electronics Based Power Systems

High performance high bandwidth control of power electronic converters, inverters, and motor drives has become feasible over the past decade. These devices behave as constant power loads over large bandwidths when they are tightly regulated. However, constant power loads have a severe side affect known as negative impedance instability. In order to mitigate the problem of negative impedance instability a new nonlinear system stabilizing controller has been developed. The details of how this controller works along with its implementation is discussed and demonstrated in hardware.
An evolutionary model for the gamma-ray system PSR J1311−3430 and its companion

The most recent member of the millisecond pulsar with very low-mass companions and short orbital periods class, PSR J1311-3430 (Pletsch et al. 2012) is a remarkable object in various senses. Besides being the first discovered in gamma-rays, its measured features include the very low or absent hydrogen content. We show in this Letter that this important piece of information leads to a very restricted range of initial periods for a given donor mass. For that purpose, we calculate in detail the evolution of the binary system self-consistently, including mass transfer and evaporation, finding the features of the new evolutionary path leading to the observed configuration. It is also important to remark that the detailed evolutionary history of the system naturally leads to a high final pulsar mass, as it seems to be demanded by observations.
Meditation as Medicine: A Critique

T wenty-seven adults are arrayed at the front of a large, sloping lecture hall: some lying on their backs, some upright in free-standing chairs, some in the tiers of seats bolted to the floor. Most appear to range in age from mid-forties to mid-fifties. The lights are dim, most eyes are closed, and except for occasional fidgeting, everyone is silent and still. The instructor, a kindly psychiatrist who bears a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, has instructed everyone to focus attention on the ebb and flow of the breath, counting exhalations from one to eight, then returning to one. Each time the mind wanders off, the meditator should begin counting again at one: the point is not to get to eight, but to continually refocus attention on the breath. Toward the end of the evening, participants gather on chairs in a circle, each speaking in turn about her or his experience. One woman says she hates meditating, because her mind wanders constantly, and her thoughts are full of ‘‘mean’’ commentary about herself. A Vietnam veteran remarks that for thirty years he feared that ‘‘if I allowed myself to have the memories they’d kill me, so I fought them off like I fought the war. ’’ Meditation has helped him to see that his thoughts will not kill him, and that facing the painful memories relieves the depression and anxiety caused by his avoidance. Another woman’s voice breaks as she remarks that part of her resistance to meditation emerges from a belief that ‘‘I don’t deserve happiness. ’’ Scenes like this are being repeated in hundreds, perhaps thousands, of settings around the United States. They are part of a program called
Flexible and elastic scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering prepared by stereolithography using poly(trimethylene carbonate)-based resins.

The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of flexible and elastic poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) structures prepared by stereolithography as scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering. A three-armed methacrylated PTMC macromer with a molecular weight of 3100 g mol(-1) is used to build designed scaffolds with a pore diameter of 350 ± 12 μm and a porosity of 54.0 ± 2.2%. Upon seeding of bovine chondrocytes in the scaffolds, the cells adhere and spread on the PTMC surface. After culturing for 6 weeks, also cells with a round morphology are present, indicative of the differentiated chondrocyte phenotype. Sulphated glycosaminoglycans and fibrillar collagens are deposited by the cells. During culturing for 6 weeks, the compression moduli of the constructs increases 50% to approximately 100 kPa.
Large-Scale Mobile Sensing Enabled Internet-of-Things Testbed for Smart City Services

Smart cities are one of the key application domains for the Internet-of-Things paradigm. Extending the Web into the physical realm of a city, by means of the widespread deployment of spatially distributed Internet-addressable devices with sensing and/or actuation capabilities, allows improving efficiency of city services. Vehicles moving around the city become excellent probes when the objective is to gather information across the city in a cost effective manner. Public transportation fleets, taxis, or vehicles such as waste collection trucks cover most of the urban areas with a limited number of vehicles. This paper presents the deployment of a large scale Internet-of-Things testbed that has been carried out in the city of Santander. It extends previous descriptions by providing a specification of one of the unique features of the testbed, namely, the devices that have been installed on 140 buses, taxis, and vans that every day drive around the city. Besides the physical characteristics of the devices installed and the lessons learnt during the deployment, the paper introduces the three mobile sensing network strategies used for distributing the data gathered. Finally, the paper sketches some of smart city services which might be provided using the information coming from the mobile IoT devices.
Spectral monitoring with netX 500

The netX family of company Hilscher is specialized in industrial automation, but it is qualified not only for these tasks. Due to enhanced instruction set of its CPU are these systems-on-chip (SoC) able to solve digital signal processing tasks too. This should be verified on the basis of evaluation of an audio signal, with the goal to visualize the intensity of specific ranges of frequencies on a remote device.
Comparison of four chemical uncouplers for excess sludge reduction

A substantial part of the operating costs of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is associated with the management and treatment of the excess sludge generated during the treatment process. Different strategies have been applied for excess sludge reduction, such as the oxic‐settling‐anaerobic process, the high dissolved oxygen process, the uncoupler‐containing activated sludge process, the ozonation‐combined activated sludge process, control of sludge retention time and biodegradation of sludge in a membrane‐assisted reactor. Chemical uncouplers have been shown to reduce excess sludge production, disassociating the energy coupling between catabolism and anabolism. These metabolic uncouplers may be organic compounds, such as 2,4‐dinitrophenol (2,4‐DNP) or 3,3′,4′,5‐tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS), or heavy metals. In this paper, four different chemicals (2,4‐DNP, TCS, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)) were chosen for short‐term tests for studying their ability to reduce sludge yield (Yx/s ) and, consequently, their potential for reducing excess sludge production. According to the results obtained, only TCS seems to be very effective in reducing sludge production from the activated sludge process. Compared with the control test, Yx/s can be reduced by over 30% at 0.8 mg/l TCS. It was also found that the substrate removal capability was not adversely affected by the presence of TCS. Furthermore, an increase in the microbial activity of the system was observed.