Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microstructure formation and mechanical behaviour of titanium aluminides during torsion

Abstract Two-phase Ti-47Al-4(Cr, Nb, Mn, Si and B) alloys (at.%) with fine-grained globular and coarse-grained lamellar structures were deformed in torsion at 1000 °C under 400 MPa hydrostatic pressure at a maximum shear strain rate of 2 × 10−4 s−1 in a Paterson-type rock deformation machine. The evolution of microstructural characteristics during thermomechanical processing was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is observed that the γ-TiAl + α2-Ti3Al lamellar structure breaks down, and a fine-grained duplex globular structure with a grain size on the order of 5 μm develops. TEM observation indicates that the phase transformation of α2 to γ occurring during torsion shows diffusional character. Ordinary dislocations 1/2[1 1 0] and superdislocations 1/2[1 1 ] are observed. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics indicate that superplastic flow occurs during torsion of titanium aluminides.
2th International Symposium on Flow Visualization Effective Visualization of Heat Transfer

We present a visual analysis and exploration of the transfer of heat via fluid flow through a cooling jacket. Engineers invest a large amount of time and serious effort to optimize the flow through this engine component because of its important role in transferring heat away from the engine block. In this study we examine the design goals that engineers apply in order to construct an ideal-as-possible cooling jacket geometry and use a broad range of visualization tools in order to analyze, explore, and present the visual-ization of heat transfer. We systematically employ direct, geometric, and texture-based flow visualization techniques as well as automatic feature extraction and interactive feature-based methodology–all from the field of visual computing. We discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of these approaches as well as the challenges, both technical and perceptual with this application. The result is a feature-rich state-of-the-art flow visualization analysis applied to an important and complex data set from real-world computational fluid dynamics simulations.
Peroxide-induced membrane blebbing in endothelial cells associated with glutathione oxidation but not apoptosis.

Cells under oxidative stress induced by peroxides undergo functional and morphological changes, which often resemble those observed during apoptosis. Peroxides, however, also cause the oxidation of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH). We investigated the relation between these peroxide-induced effects by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and two HUVEC-derived cell lines, ECRF24 and ECV304. With HUVEC, tert-butyl hydroperoxide ( tBH) or hydrogen peroxide application in the presence of serum induced, in a dose-dependent way, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, membrane blebbing, and nuclear condensation. These processes were accompanied by transient oxidation of GSH. With ECRF24 cells, this treatment resulted in less blebbing and a shorter period of GSH oxidation. However, repeated tBH addition increased the number of blebbing cells and prolonged the period of GSH oxidation. ECV304 cells were even more resistant to peroxide-induced bleb formation and GSH oxidation. Inhibition of glutathione reductase activity potentiated the peroxide-induced blebbing response in HUVEC and ECRF24 cells, but not in ECV304 cells. Neither membrane blebbing nor nuclear condensation in any of these cell types was due to apoptosis, as evidenced by the absence of surface expression of phosphatidylserine or fragmentation of DNA, even after prolonged incubations with tBH, although high tBH concentrations lead to nonapoptotic death. We conclude that, in endothelial cells, peroxide-induced cytoskeletal reorganization and bleb formation correlate with the degree of GSH oxidation but do not represent an early stage of the apoptotic process.
Prenatal Organochlorine Compound Exposure, Rapid Weight Gain, and Overweight in Infancy

Background Although it has been hypothesized that fetal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may increase obesity risk, empirical data are limited, and it is uncertain how early in life any effects may begin. Objectives We explored whether prenatal exposure to several organochlorine compounds (OCs) is associated with rapid growth in the first 6 months of life and body mass index (BMI) later in infancy. Methods Data come from the INMA (Infancia y Medio-Ambiente) Child and Environment birth cohort in Spain, which recruited 657 women in early pregnancy. Rapid growth during the first 6 months was defined as a change in weight-for-age z-scores > 0.67, and elevated BMI at 14 months, as a z-score ≥ the 85th percentile. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the risk of rapid growth or elevated BMI associated with 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene, β-hexachlorohexane, and polychlorinated biphenyls in first-trimester maternal serum. Results After multivariable adjustment including other OCs, DDE exposure above the first quartile was associated with doubling of the risk of rapid growth among children of normal-weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), but not overweight, mothers. DDE was also associated with elevated BMI at 14 months (relative risk per unit increase in log DDE = 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–2.03). Other OCs were not associated with rapid growth or elevated BMI after adjustment. Conclusions In this study we found prenatal DDE exposure to be associated with rapid weight gain in the first 6 months and elevated BMI later in infancy, among infants of normal-weight mothers. More research exploring the potential role of chemical exposures in early-onset obesity is needed.
Visual and nondestructive evaluation inspection of live gas mains using the Explorer™ family of pipe robots

Visual inspection and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of natural gas distribution mains is an important future maintenance cost‐planning step for the nation's gas utilities. These data need to be gathered at an affordable cost with the fewest excavations and maximum linear feet inspected for each deployment, with minimal to no disruption in service. Current methods (sniffing, direct assessment) are either postleak reactive or too unreliable to offer a viable and Department of Transportation–acceptable approach as a whole. Toward achieving the above goal, a consortium of federal and commercial sponsors funded the development of Explorer™. Explorer™ is a long‐range, untethered, self‐powered, and wirelessly controlled modular inspection robot for the visual inspection and NDE of 6‐ and 8‐in. natural gas distribution pipelines/mains. The robot is launched into the pipeline under live (pressurized flow) conditions and can negotiate diameter changes, 45‐ and 90‐deg bends and tees, as well as inclined and vertical sections of the piping network. The modular design of the system allows it to be expanded to include additional inspection and/or repair tools. The range of the robot is an order of magnitude higher (thousands of feet) than present state‐of‐the‐art inspection systems and will improve the way gas utilities maintain and manage their systems. Two prototypes, Explorer‐I and ‐II (X‐I and X‐II), were developed and field‐tested over a 3‐year period. X‐I is capable of visual inspection only and was field‐tested in 2004 and 2005. The next‐generation X‐II, capable of visual and NDE inspection [remote field eddy current (RFEC) and magnetic flux leakage (MFL)] was developed thereafter and had field trials in 2006 and late 2007. It was successfully deployed into low‐pressure (<125 psig) and high‐pressure (>500 psig) distribution and transmission natural gas mains, with multi‐1,000‐ft inspection runs under live conditions from a single excavation. This paper will describe the overall engineering design and functionality of the Explorer™ family of robots, as well as the results of the field trials for both platforms. It will highlight the importance of the various design and safety features of the in‐pipe crawler and showcase the value of data types and position‐tagged visual∼NDE data collected in working pipelines under live flow conditions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MAP kinase cascade is required for p27 downregulation and S phase entry in fibroblasts and epithelial cells.

The present report delineates the critical pathway in the G1 phase involved in downregulation of p27Kip1, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, which plays a pivotal role in controlling entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. In resting CCL39 fibroblasts and IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells, protein levels of p27Kip1 were elevated but dramatically decreased on serum stimulation, along with hyperphosphorylation of pRb and increased CDK2 activity. In both cell types, expression of ras resulted in an increase of basal and serum-stimulated E2F-dependent transcriptional activity and a reduction in p27Kip1 protein levels as well. The role of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade in p27Kip1 reduction and S phase reentry was reinforced by the blockades of serum-induced E2F-dependent transcriptional activity and p27Kip1 downregulation with the MKK-1/2 inhibitor PD-98059. In both cell lines, downregulation of p27Kip1 was associated with a repression of its synthesis, an event mediated by the p42/p44 MAP kinase pathway. Using an antisense approach, we demonstrated that p27Kip1 may control cell cycle exit in both cell types. These data indicate that activation of the MAP kinase cascade is required for S phase entry and p27Kip1 downregulation in fibroblasts and epithelial cells.
Investigation of Polyaniline and a Functionalised Derivative as Antimicrobial Additives to Create Contamination Resistant Surfaces

Antimicrobial surfaces can be applied to break transmission pathways in hospitals. Polyaniline (PANI) and poly(3-aminobenzoic acid) (P3ABA) are novel antimicrobial agents with potential as non-leaching additives to provide contamination resistant surfaces. The activity of PANI and P3ABA were investigated in suspension and as part of absorbent and non-absorbent surfaces. The effect of inoculum size and the presence of organic matter on surface activity was determined. PANI and P3ABA both demonstrated bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in suspension and as part of an absorbent surface. Only P3ABA showed antimicrobial activity in non-absorbent films. The results that are presented in this work support the use of P3ABA to create contamination resistant surfaces.
Synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluations of some steryl 2-methoxybenzoates as anticancer agents

Abstract Using cholesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol as starting materials, a series of 7-subsitituted-ster-3-yl 2-methoxybenzoate analogs were prepared through reacting with 2-methoxybenzoyl chloride and introducing some function groups, such as carbonyl, hydroxyl and various thiosemicarbazones, at 7-position of steroidal nucleus. The structures of these new compounds were characterized by IR, NMR and HRMS. Their antiproliferative activities were evaluated by using several types of cancer cells. Interestingly, the compounds displayed potent antiproliferative activity against CNE-2 (nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines), BEL-7402 (human liver cancer cell lines) and HepG2 (human liver cancer cell lines), suggesting that they have potential to be drug candidates for cancer treatment.
LSU Digital Commons LSU Digital Commons

Background: Mobile elements (MEs) constitute greater than 50% of the human genome as a result of repeated insertion events during human genome evolution. Although most of these elements are now fixed in the population, some MEs, including ALU, L1, SVA and HERV-K elements, are still actively duplicating. Mobile element insertions (MEIs) have been associated with human genetic disorders, including Crohn ’ s disease, hemophilia, and various types of cancer, motivating the need for accurate MEI detection methods. To comprehensively identify and accurately characterize these variants in whole genome next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, a computationally efficient detection and genotyping method is required. Current computational tools are unable to call MEI polymorphisms with sufficiently high sensitivity and specificity, or call individual genotypes with sufficiently high accuracy. Results: Here we report Tangram, a computationally efficient MEI detection program that integrates read-pair (RP) and split-read (SR) mapping signals to detect MEI events. By utilizing SR mapping in its primary detection module, a feature unique to this software, Tangram is able to pinpoint MEI breakpoints with single-nucleotide precision. To understand the role of MEI events in disease, it is essential to produce accurate individual genotypes in clinical samples. Tangram is able to determine sample genotypes with very high accuracy. Using simulations and experimental datasets, we demonstrate that Tangram has superior sensitivity, specificity, breakpoint resolution and genotyping accuracy, when compared to other, recently developed MEI detection methods. Conclusions: Tangram serves as the primary MEI detection tool in the 1000 Genomes Project, and is implemented as a highly portable, memory-efficient, easy-to-use C++ computer program, built under an open-source development model.
Performance of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-v1.1 in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an under-recognized comorbid disorder among patients with mood disorders. ADHD is an independent risk factor for suicidal ideation and behavior and contributes to many aspects of impaired function in adults. Diagnosis of ADHD in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients is challenging due to the overlap in cognitive symptoms between the two disorders. The ADHD Self-Report Scale, version 1.1 (ASRS-v1.1) is a widely used screening instrument for ADHD in adults but its accuracy has not been evaluated previously in treatment-seeking MDD patients. We administered the ASRS-v1.1 to 55 healthy controls and 40 adults with a primary psychiatric diagnosis of MDD who were participating in clinical research studies. ADHD diagnosis was assessed via structured interview with the adult ADHD module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus version 6.0. 0 (MINI) along with a psychiatrist’s assessment. Overall, full-syndrome ADHD was diagnosed in 12.5% of the MDD patients. MDD patients endorsed all 18 items of the ASRS-v1.1 more frequently than the healthy controls and the number of ASRS-v1.1 items endorsed correlated with levels of anxiety in the MDD patients. The ASRS-v1.1 demonstrated fair performance for identifying full syndrome DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis, with sensitivity 60%, specificity: 68.6%, positive predictive value 21.4%, negative predictive value 92.3% and total classification accuracy of 67.5%. Positive predictive value improved substantially when the ADHD criterion requiring symptom onset before age 7 was omitted. In adult MDD patients, a negative ASRS-v1.1 screen strongly suggests the absence of ADHD but positive screen results require careful evaluation to determine whether self-reported ADHD symptoms simply emerge from depression or whether comorbid ADHD is present.
Individual Biometric Identification Using Multi-Cycle Electrocardiographic Waveform Patterns

The electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform conveys information regarding the electrical property of the heart. The patterns vary depending on the individual heart characteristics. ECG features can be potentially used for biometric recognition. This study presents a new method using the entire ECG waveform pattern for matching and demonstrates that the approach can potentially be employed for individual biometric identification. Multi-cycle ECG signals were assessed using an ECG measuring circuit, and three electrodes can be patched on the wrists or fingers for considering various measurements. For biometric identification, our-fold cross validation was used in the experiments for assessing how the results of a statistical analysis will generalize to an independent data set. Four different pattern matching algorithms, i.e., cosine similarity, cross correlation, city block distance, and Euclidean distances, were tested to compare the individual identification performances with a single channel of ECG signal (3-wire ECG). To evaluate the pattern matching for biometric identification, the ECG recordings for each subject were partitioned into training and test set. The suggested method obtained a maximum performance of 89.9% accuracy with two heartbeats of ECG signals measured on the wrist and 93.3% accuracy with three heartbeats for 55 subjects. The performance rate with ECG signals measured on the fingers improved up to 99.3% with two heartbeats and 100% with three heartbeats of signals for 20 subjects.
Selective targeting of cyclooxygenase-2 reveals its role in renal medullary interstitial cell survival.

Renal medullary interstitial cells (MICs) are a major site of cyclooxygenase (COX)-mediated PG synthesis. These studies examined the role of COX in MIC survival. Immunoblot and nuclease protection demonstrate that cultured MICs constitutively express COX2, with little constitutive COX1 expression. SC-58236, a COX2-selective inhibitor, but not SC-58560, a COX1 inhibitor, preferentially blocks PGE2 synthesis in MICs. Transduction with a COX2 antisense adenovirus reduced MIC COX2 protein expression and also decreased PGE2production. Antisense downregulation of COX2 was associated with MIC death, whereas a control adenovirus was without effect. Similarly, the COX2-selective inhibitor SC-58236 (30 μM) and several nonselective COX-inhibiting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including sulindac, ibuprofen, and indomethacin, all caused MIC death. In contrast, SC-58560, a COX1-selective inhibitor, was 100-fold less potent for inducing MIC death than its structural congener SC-58236. NSAID-induced MIC death was associated with DNA laddering and nuclear fragmentation, consistent with apoptosis. These results suggest that COX2 plays an important role in MIC survival. COX2 inhibition may contribute to NSAID-associated injury of the renal medulla.
Angiotensin II induces insulin resistance independent of changes in interstitial insulin

Richey, Joyce M. , Marilyn Ader, Donna Moore, and Richard N. Bergman. Angiotensin II induces insulin resistance independent of changes in interstitial insulin. Am. J. Physiol. 277 (Endocrinol. Metab. 40): E920–E926, 1999. —We set out to examine whether angiotensin-driven hypertension can alter insulin action and whether these changes are reflected as changes in interstitial insulin (the signal to which insulin-sensitive cells respond to increase glucose uptake). To this end, we measured hemodynamic parameters, glucose turnover, and insulin dynamics in both plasma and interstitial fluid (lymph) during hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps in anesthetized dogs, with or without simultaneous infusions of angiotensin II (ANG II). Hyperinsulinemia per se failed to alter mean arterial pressure, heart rate, or femoral blood flow. ANG II infusion resulted in increased mean arterial pressure (68 6 16 to 94 6 14 mmHg, P , 0.001) with a compensatory decrease in heart rate (110 6 7 vs. 86 6 4 mmHg, P , 0.05). Peripheral resistance was significantly increased by ANG II from 0.434 to 0.507 mmHg·ml21 ·min (P , 0.05). ANG II infusion increased femoral artery blood flow (176 6 4 to 187 6 5 ml/min, P , 0.05) and resulted in additional increases in both plasma and lymph insulin (93 6 20 to 122 6 13 μU/ml and 30 6 4 to 45 6 8 μU/ml, P , 0.05). However, glucose uptake was not significantly altered and actually had a tendency to be lower (5.9 6 1.2 vs. 5.4 6 0.7 mg·kg21 ·min21, P . 0.10). Mimicking of the ANG II-induced hyperinsulinemia resulted in an additional increase in glucose uptake. These data imply that ANG II induces insulin resistance by an effect independent of a reduction in interstitial insulin.
Reduction of Combinatorial Space of Adjustable Kinetic Parameters of Biochemical Network Models in Optimisation Task

The search for minimal set of adjustable parameters through optimising a kinetic model of biochemical networks is needed in industrial biotechnology to increase the productivity of industrial organism strains while keeping low the chance of causing unwanted side effects of implemented changes. As the search for minimal set of adjustable parameters is of combinatorial nature, the search space becomes very large even at relatively small number of parameters. The presented approach of search space reduction is demonstrated on the example of kinetic model of yeast glycolysis. In parallel to the estimation of remaining range of optimisation potential the full search of combinations was combined with forward selection that allows reaching 91.4% of potential after optimising 625 parameter combinations. This result was reached by involving just seven out of fifteen adjustable parameters.
An inquiry into money laundering tools in the Bitcoin ecosystem

We provide a first systematic account of opportunities and limitations of anti-money laundering (AML) in Bitcoin, a decentralized cryptographic currency proliferating on the Internet. Our starting point is the observation that Bitcoin attracts criminal activity as many say it is an anonymous transaction system. While this claim does not stand up to scrutiny, several services offering increased transaction anonymization have emerged in the Bitcoin ecosystem - such as Bitcoin Fog, BitLaundry, and the Send Shared functionality of Blockchain.info. Some of these services routinely handle the equivalent of 6-digit dollar amounts. In a series of experiments, we use reverse-engineering methods to understand the mode of operation and try to trace anonymized transactions back to our probe accounts. While Bitcoin Fog and Blockchain.info successfully anonymize our test transactions, we can link the input and output transactions of BitLaundry. Against the backdrop of these findings, it appears unlikely that a Know-Your-Customer principle can be enforced in the Bitcoin system. Hence, we sketch alternative AML strategies accounting for imperfect knowledge of true identities but exploiting public information in the transaction graph, and discuss the implications for Bitcoin as a decentralized currency.
Regulation of total mitochondrial Ca2+ in perfused liver is independent of the permeability transition pore.

Triggering of the permeability transition pore (PTP) in isolated mitochondria causes release of matrix Ca2+, ions, and metabolites, and it has been proposed that the PTP mediates mitochondrial Ca2+ release in intact cells. To study the role of the PTP in mitochondrial energy metabolism, the mitochondrial content of Ca2+, Mg2+, ATP, and ADP was determined in hormonally stimulated rat livers perfused with cyclosporin A (CsA). Stimulation of livers perfused in the absence of CsA with glucagon and phenylephrine induced an extensive uptake of Ca2+, Mg2+, and ATP plus ADP by the mitochondria, followed by a release on omission of hormones. In the presence of CsA, the PTP was fully inhibited, but neither the hormone-induced uptake of Ca2+, ATP, or ADP by mitochondria nor their release after washout of hormones was significantly changed. We conclude that the regulation of sustained changes in mitochondrial Ca2+content induced by hormonal stimulation is independent of the PTP.