Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Erbium- and Magnesium-codoped Silica-Based Transparent Glass Ceramic Core Fiber Made by FCVD and Flash Vaporization

A fiber made by Furnace CVD was codoped with Erbium and Magnesium using a Flash Vaporization System for the first time. The fiber core is spontaneously formed as a Transparent Glass Ceramic (TGC). Due to the small nanoparticle size (<50 nm) and high volumetric density (1020~1021 m−3), the optical loss due to scattering is as low as < 0,6 dB/m. Erbium ions are highly concentrated within phase-separated nanoparticles. We study the absorption and emission properties of Erbium around 1.55 µm in this TGC-core fiber.
Navigation Strategies For Multiple Autonomous Mobile Robots Moving In Formation

The problem of deriving navigation strategies for a fleet of autonomous mobile robots moving in formation is considered. Here, each robot is represented by a particle with a spherical effective spatial domain and a specified cone of visibility. The global motion of each robot in the world space is described by the equations of motion of the robot's center of mass. First, methods for formation generation are discussed. Then, simple navigation strategies for robots moving in formation are derived. A sufficient condition for the stability of a desired formation pattern for a fleet of robots each equipped with the navigation strategy based on nearest neighbor tracking is developed. The dynamic behavior of robot fleets consisting of three or more robots moving in formation in a plane is studied by means of computer simulation.
Lowered responsiveness and auditory signal detectability during depression

synopsis Ten depressed patients were assessed on an auditory signal detection task; testing was repeated on remission. The patients' clinical state was monitored by means of the Hamilton rating scale and the Beck Depression Inventory. The task was performed under three conditions: 2 button (Yes/No); 1 button (Yes); 1 button (No). The findings indicated lower motor responsiveness during depression, consistent with Seligman's learned helplessness model. The measure of auditory sensitivity was also lowered during depression, possibly attributable to attentional disturbance. It is suggested that the lowered initiation of voluntary responses may be an important factor in the assessment of cognitive functioning during depression; such deficits may be reduced if the task does not permit the omission of a response.
Phase Transition Mechanism of Fe1.1Se0.5Te0.5 Fabricated by High-Energy Ball Milling Aided Sintering Method

We report the phase transition mechanism of Fe<sub>1.1</sub>Se<sub>0.5</sub>Te<sub>0.5</sub> fabricated by the high-energy ball milling (HEBM) aided sintering method, which was achieved by multistep quenching heat treatment process. The precursor powders, composed of Fe and (Se, Te)<sub>ss</sub>, were synthesized via an HEBM method for 2 h using Fe, Se, and Te mixture powders. Under the sintering temperature of 400 °C, the two compositions began to diffuse into each other and Fe(Se, Te)<sub>2</sub> phase with uniform Se and Te distribution was formed directly. With further increasing temperature to 500 °C, tetragonal β-Fe(Se, Te) phase was obtained owing to the elemental diffusion of Fe into Fe(Se, Te)<sub>2</sub>. Due to the effective shortened length of diffusion paths, the superconducting phase formation temperature was ∼100 °C lower during our HEBM aided sintering method than that in the traditional solid state sintering method. Finally, a critical temperature of 14.2 K was observed in the final treatment sample, which was sintered for 12 h at 700 °C with a slow cooling rate followed by an annealing process under oxygen atmosphere for 24 h. This <italic>T<sub>c</sub> </italic> value could demonstrate a good superconducting phase obtained by the HEBM aided sintering method.
Development of an Italian version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales

Older Italian-born Australians represent one of the largest migrant populations in Australia. However, there are few valid and reliable Italian-language measures of mood symptomology suitable for use with this group. Following a rigorous translation and adaptation process, an Italian version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales was administered to a sample of 103 Italian-born men and women over the age of 55 years and the results were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Items within the original Depression and Stress scales loaded consistently and strongly on separate factors. However, translated Anxiety items loaded across three separate factors, including a factor comprised solely of somatic expressions of anxiety. The results are explained with reference to cultural factors specific to an older Mediterranean migrant sample, including somatic expressions of distress and “nerves”. The results are also discussed in light of the size and nature of the sample. The Depression and Stress scales can be used confidently by clinicians and researchers with this population. However, the Anxiety scale cannot be assumed to be measuring an homogenous construct, and as such, should be used with caution.
Insulin resistance and coronary heart disease

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia often occur with many cardiovascular risk factors. Whether hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance are risk factors for coronary heart disease is still a matter of debate. The information from prospective population studies, in which the relationship between hyperinsulinaemia and coronary heart disease has been investigated, is summarized. The possibility that hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance increase the risk for coronary heart disease will be approached from two angles. Evidence is presented of how hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance increase the risk for coronary heart disease indirectly through their effects on cardiovascular risk factors. Finally, evidence of how hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance could directly promote atherosclerosis is reviewed.
High prevalence of TT virus (TTV) infection in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: Frequent mixed infections with different genotypes and lack of evidence of associated liver disease

Recently, a novel DNA virus, TT virus (TTV), was identified in patients with post‐transfusion non‐A‐G hepatitis. We analyzed the prevalence and clinical implications of TTV infection in a cohort of 96 Spanish patients on long‐term hemodialysis. TTV DNA was detected by nested PCR in 51 (53%) of 96 patients, a prevalence significantly higher than that found in healthy blood donors. Persistent liver test abnormalities were found in only 2 (7.7%) of 26 patients infected with TTV alone, compared with 12 (75%) of 16 patients infected with hepatitis C or hepatitis B virus, or both (P < 0.01). Mixed infections with multiple strains of TTV, including different major genotypes, were common in patients on hemodialysis. These patients had received a significantly greater number of blood units (22.7 ± 20) compared with patients apparently infected with a single strain of TTV (8.9 ± 11) (P = 0.01). Phylogenetic analyses of TTV from infected patients identified strains of genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4. In summary, TTV infection was common in patients on hemodialysis but was not associated with liver disease J. Med. Virol. 59:313–317, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Rise of Partisanship in the U . S . House of Representatives

It is widely believed among politicians and the public that partisanship in the U.S. Congress is at an historic high, culminating in the government shutdown of fall 2013. Here, we examine the history of (non)cooperation in the U.S. Congress using data from roll call votes in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1949-2012. For each year, we focus on the number of cooperating pairs of representatives within and across political parties and show that cooperation was common in the past but is rare today. We also show that despite short-term fluctuations, partisanship, or non-cooperation, in the U.S. Congress has been increasing exponentially for over 60 years and shows no sign of slowing or reversing. Moreover, the data suggest that American voters have been electing increasingly partisan, non-cooperating representatives at a local level which has resulted in declining measures of Congressional productivity.
Practical application of electrical impedance tomography and electrical resistive tomography

Usage of electrical impedance tomography and electrical resistance tomography will be in the article. The electrical impedance tomography is a widely investigated problem with many applications in physical and biological sciences. Medical imaging can be used primarily for the detection of pulmonary emboli, non-invasive monitoring of heart function and blood flow, and for breast cancer detection. Electrical resistive tomography is use in the geophysical imaging is used for searching underground conducting fluid plumes near the surface and obtaining information about rock porosity or fracture formation. Another application of electrical impedance tomography is for example in non-destructive testing and identification of material defects like cracks or identification of corrosion in production materials. The principle of electrical impedance tomography and Electrical resistive tomography is based on the back image reconstruction, which is highly ill-posed inverse problem. The aim of both methods is to reconstruct, as accurately and fast as possible, the internal impedance or conductivity distributions in two or three dimensional models.
Domain Oriented Framework Construction

Object-oriented Application Frameworks is a powerful reuse technique that allows the sharing of requirements, design and code among a set of application systems instantiated from an original framework. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the role of an explicit Domain Analysis phase in the framework construction process. This paper describes an approach where the requirements capture for an entire application family takes a central role in the framework development, thus facilitating verification processes and providing reliable documentation that will assist the instantiation step.
“After all – It doesn’t kill you to quit smoking”: An explorative analysis of the blog in a smoking cessation intervention

Background: A growing body of literature demonstrates internet-based smoking cessation interventions as a promising aid in helping people quit smoking. However, the underlying mechanisms of how these interventions influence the cessation process are still relatively unknown. Several studies have indicated blogging as a potential source in providing social support to users of internet-based smoking cessation interventions and thereby enhance their change of succeeding in quitting. Objective: The study aimed to investigate themes discussed on a blog in an internet-based smoking cessation intervention. In addition, we examined if blogging could provide social support for people in a smoking cessation process. Method: The study was based on messages posted from 1 January 2012 to 29 February 2012 on the blog of the internet-based smoking cessation programme DDSP, operated by the Danish Cancer Society. Messages were coded according to themes using Grounded Theory, and additionally data about bloggers were analyzed. Result: In total, 1663 messages were posted within the 2-month period, and we identified 16 themes. The majority of messages contained personal stories or experiences (53%), provided emotional support (34%) or congratulated other users (17%). The messages were found capable of supplying social support to members on the blog. In addition, we found that only a minority of users who viewed the blog participated actively in posting messages, and only a minority was highly active bloggers. Conclusions: The blog offers a unique platform for informal conversations about quitting smoking and is important in providing social support to people in a smoking cessation process.
Software product assurance-reducing software risk in critical systems

It is shown how software product assurance can improve the reliability of critical systems by reducing the system development risks of unsatisfied requirements, cost overruns, and schedule slippages. The thesis is that product assurance increases visibility into the development process, thereby making it more manageable. The visibility needs of three classes of people-senior managers, project managers, and product assurance practitioners-are discussed. Two examples of systems critically dependent on software-a computer-driven insulin-infusion pump and a bank financial-transaction processor-are used to illustrate in specific terms how product assurance would improve safety and reliability by mitigating software development risk. <<ETX>>
Etanercept treatment of psoriatic arthritis: safety, efficacy, and effect on disease progression.

OBJECTIVE Etanercept has been shown to improve the articular and cutaneous manifestations of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In this study, we further evaluated the safety, efficacy, and effect on radiographic progression of etanercept in patients with PsA. METHODS Patients with PsA (n = 205) were randomized to receive placebo or 25 mg etanercept subcutaneously twice weekly for 24 weeks. Patients continued to receive blind-labeled therapy in a maintenance phase until all had completed the 24-week phase, then could receive open-label etanercept in a 48-week extension. Efficacy and safety were evaluated at 4, 12, and 24 weeks and at 12-week intervals thereafter. Radiographs of the hands and wrists were assessed at baseline and 24 weeks, at entry to the open-label phase, and after 48 weeks in the study. RESULTS Etanercept significantly reduced the signs and symptoms of PsA and psoriasis. At 12 weeks, 59% of etanercept patients met the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria for joint response, compared with 15% of placebo patients (P < 0.0001), and results were sustained at 24 and 48 weeks. At 24 weeks, 23% of etanercept patients eligible for psoriasis evaluation achieved at least 75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, compared with 3% of placebo patients (P = 0.001). Radiographic disease progression was inhibited in the etanercept group at 12 months; the mean annualized rate of change in the modified total Sharp score was -0.03 unit, compared with +1.00 unit in the placebo group (P = 0.0001). Etanercept was well tolerated. CONCLUSION Etanercept reduced joint symptoms, improved psoriatic lesions, inhibited radiographic progression, and was well tolerated in patients with PsA.
Programming and Verification of an Optical Measurement System for LCD Cells

A LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) consists of two glass substrates glued together with a small gap (called cell gap) in-between them. The gap is filled with a liquid crystal. To produce a display with good viewing characteristics it is very important that this gap, and other parameters, gets the right dimension. There are formulas that can be used to calculate which cell gap that is appropriate in which application. The problem is that it does not exist any realized methods that can measure the parameters of the LCD cell to decide if the LCD is useful or not in an early state of the production. A number of theories has been presented on how to measure and calculate these parameters but no really working systems has been presented. This Master´s thesis describes how such a system can be implemented. The system is based on the theories of S Valyukh of the Swedish LCD center and it is using a modified version of the Nelder-Mead Simplex Algorithm. The tests done in this paper indicates that the system has the potential to be commercially useful. However more extensive tests and some modifications must be carried out before it can be really useful.
Parathyroid Hormone Regulates the Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor‐2 mRNA and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor mRNA in Osteoblastic Cells

We examined the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on basic fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2) and FGF receptor (FGFR) expression in osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells and in neonatal mouse calvariae. Treatment of MC3T3‐E1 cells with PTH(1–34) (10–8M) or forskolin (FSK; 10–5M) transiently increased a 7 kb FGF‐2 transcript with a peak at 2 h. The PTH increase in FGF‐2 mRNA was maintained in the presence of cycloheximide. PTH also increased FGFR‐1 mRNA at 2 h and transiently increased FGFR‐2 mRNA at 1 h. FGFR‐3 and FGFR‐4 mRNA transcripts were not detected in MC3T3‐E1 cells. In cells transiently transfected with an 1800‐bp FGF‐2 promoter‐luciferase reporter, PTH and FSK increased luciferase activity at 2 h and 4 h. Immunohistochemistry showed that PTH and FSK increased FGF‐2 protein labeling in the nuclei of MC3T3‐E1 cells. PTH also increased FGF‐2 mRNA, and FGFR‐1 and FGFR‐2 mRNA levels within 30 minutes in neonatal mouse calvarial organ cultures. We conclude that PTH and cAMP stimulate FGF‐2 mRNA abundance in part through a transcriptional mechanism. PTH also regulated FGFR gene expression. We hypothesize that some effects of PTH on bone remodeling may be mediated by regulation of FGF‐2 and FGFR expression in osteoblastic cells.
Distribution of SH‐SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells in the cell cycle following exposure to organophosphorus compounds

The current study investigated the relationship of the cell cycle phase (as G0/G1, S, and G2/M) and cytotoxicity (as sub‐G1 DNA) to determine whether alterations in cell replication were associated with organophosphate (OP) compound induced cytotoxicity. Results demonstrated that, overall, OP compound‐‐induced cell cycle changes were variable and depended on the OP compound, exposure concentration, and temporal relationship to cytotoxicity. Noncytotoxic OP compound treatments substantially decreased the percentage of cells in S phase of the cell cycle when compared to controls. A corresponding increase was seen in the percent of cells in G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. In the precytotoxic interval of exposure, most cytotoxic OP compound treatments substantially decreased the percentage of cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Corresponding increases were seen primarily in G0/G1 phase cells. Effects on cells in S stage of the cell cycle varied with the OP compound. In the during cytotoxic interval of exposure, most cytotoxic OP compound treatments substantially increased the percentage of cells in S phase of the cell cycle. A corresponding decrease in the percent of cells in G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle was observed. Furthermore, treatments either increased or decreased the percentage of cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle when compared to controls, with decreases more likely with the most cytotoxic OP compound exposures. Overall, the in vitro data suggest that exposure to OP compounds can alter the cell cycle status of SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells depending on compound, concentration, and interval from initial exposure. Changes in cell cycle, however, did not differentiate between OP compounds that are known for their ability to acutely inhibit acetylcholinesterase versus those inducing type I and type II delayed neurotoxicity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 22:187–201, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20229
In-vitro digestibility and amino acid composition of soy protein isolate cross-linked with microbial transglutaminase followed by heating with ribose

Cross-linked soy protein isolate (SPI) gels were produced via single-treatment of SPI with microbial transglutaminase (MTG) for 5 h or 24 h, or with ribose for 2 h, or via combined-treatments of SPI with MTG followed by heating with ribose. Assessment of gel strength and solubility concluded that measures which increased protein cross-links resulted in improved gel strength; however, in most cases the digestibility and amino acid content of the gels were reduced. The combined treated gel of SPI/MTG for 24 h/ribose was more easily digested by digestive enzymes and retained higher amounts of amino acids compared with the control Maillard gels of SPI with ribose. MTG consumed lysine and glutamine and reduced the availability of amino acids for the Maillard reaction with ribose. MTG was able to preserve the nutritional value of SPI against the destructive effect of the Maillard reaction and cross-links.
Synthesis , Spectral and biological studies of thiazole Schiff base derived from 4-( 2 ’-fluorophenyl )-2-aminothiazole .

A Schiff base ligand has been synthesized by reacting 4-(2’-fluorophenyl)-2-aminothiazole and 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde. The ligand was characterized by elemental, spectral and XRD analysis. The ligand was evaluated for their in vitro nematicidal and molluscicidal activities. It is active in very low concentration on plant parasitic nematode Meloidogyne javanica and freshwater helminthiasis vector snail Lymnea auricularia. X-ray diffraction studies suggested a triclinic crystal system for the ligand.
Site-directed Mutagenesis of Evolutionary Conserved Carboxylic Amino Acids in the Chitosanase from Streptomyces sp. N174 Reveals Two Residues Essential for Catalysis (*)

The comparison of four sequences of prokaryotic chitosanases, belonging to the family 46 of glycosyl hydrolases, revealed a conserved N-terminal module of 50 residues, including five invariant carboxylic residues. To verify if some of these residues are important for catalytic activity in the chitosanase from Streptomyces sp. N174, these 5 residues were replaced by site-directed mutagenesis. Substitutions of Glu-22 or Asp-40 with sterically conservative (E22Q, D40N) or functionally conservative (E22D, D40E) residues reduced drastically specific activity and k, while K was only slightly changed. The other residues examined, Asp-6, Glu-36, and Asp-37, retained significant activity after mutation. Circular dichroism studies of the mutant chitosanases confirmed that the observed effects are not due to changes in secondary structure. These results suggested that Glu-22 and Asp-40 are directly involved in the catalytic center of the chitosanase and the other residues are not essential for catalytic activity.
Program families: some requirements issues for the process languages

We address the workshop theme by discussing some issues concerning process support for product families. In particular, we discuss how the particular problem of supporting product family developments affects the notation used for process representation and enactment. Based on our current understanding of the problem, our conclusion is that the development of program families does not introduce new requirements, but stress some of the requirements that are intrinsic to most software processes to their extreme. That is, they do not demand new language mechanisms, but require specific processes to be put in place.
Analysis and Implementation of Low-side Active Clamp Forward Converters with Synchronous Rectification

This paper analyzes low-side active clamp forward converter with synchronous rectification (LACFC-SR) in detailed. Due to the additional clamp circuit composed of an auxiliary switch and clamp capacitor, the power transformer can be reset without the conventional tertiary winding. Moreover, the clamp circuit not only replaces the traditional RCD snubber circuit to mend spike current but also offers the main and auxiliary switches of the converter to achieve zero-voltage switching (ZVS). It reduces switching losses of the main and auxiliary switches. To deal with low voltage and high current output, the synchronous rectification is used to reduce conduction losses. A prototype of LACFC-SR with 30 ~ 60 V input and 5 V/ 20 A output has been implemented to verify the theoretical analysis. The power transfer efficiency is improved by the achievement of ZVS and synchronous rectification.