Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MICROBIAL CONTENT RECOVERED FROM DIABETIC FOOT INFECTIONS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN BRAZIL / CONTEÚDO MICROBIANO RECUPERADO EM INFECÇÕES DE PÉ DIABÉTICO: UM ESTUDO TRANSVERSAL NO BRASIL

In Brazil, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is 11.9 million cases. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) increase morbidity and cause hospital admissions among DM patients. In an attempt to better understand DFU, this cross-sectional study investigated microbial content and their susceptibility to antimicrobials. Secretion from foot ulcers of 30 diabetic patients were obtained in three Brazilian hospitals and submitted to microbiological evaluation. All recovered strains were identified and submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Genetic diversity was investigated by PCR coupled with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). DFU exhibited a polymicrobial profile composed of 72.5% aerobic and 22.3% anaerobic bacteria, and 2.5% fungi species. A total of 91 microorganisms were isolated, and the number of recovered species per patient ranged from 1-9. Brazilian Journal of Development Braz. J. of Develop. , Curitiba, v. 6, n. 10 , p.76209-76222, oct. 2020. ISSN 2525-8761 76210 Peptostreptococcus spp. was the most frequently recovered obligate anaerobic Genus and was resistant mostly to penicillin and clindamycin. A total of 37.5% S. aureus strains were methicillin resistant. E. coli were the most susceptible Gram-negative species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most resistant. The present study demonstrated that almost 34% of microbial species observed on DGGE gels were not cultivable. The recovery of multidrug resistant microorganisms pointed out to the need for more attention when prescribing an empirical therapy and emphasized the relevance of this study.
On‐Line Preconcentration System by Coprecipitation with Lanthanum Hydroxide Using Packed‐Bed Filter for the Determination of Tellurium in Water by ICP‐OES with USN

Abstract A sensitive procedure for the determination of total tellurium traces in water samples is described, which combines an on‐line analyte preconcentration system coupled to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) associated with flow injection (FI) and ultrasonic nebulization (USN). Tellurium was preconcentrated by co‐precipitation at pH 9.1 with lanthanum hydroxide precipitate. The precipitate was quantitatively collected on a packed‐bed filter with Amberlite XAD‐4 resin and subsequently eluted with 5% (v/v) nitric acid. A total enhancement factor of 140‐fold was obtained with respect to ICP‐OES using pneumatic nebulization. The detection limit (3σ) for the preconcentration of 10 mL of aqueous solution (3σ) was 0.15 µg L−1. The precision for 10 replicate determination at the 10 µg L−1 tellurium level was 2.6%, relative standard deviation (RSD), calculated with the peak heights obtained. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for tellurium was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995 at levels near the detection limit up to at least 100 µg L−1. Satisfactory results were obtained for the analysis of tellurium in the standard reference material NIST 1643d “Trace Elements in Water” and tap water.
3D stereophotogrammetry: post-processing and surface integration

Abstract Three-dimensional surface imaging has the potential to add value to the visualisation of external and internal human anatomy. Stereophotogrammetry surfaces were acquired from multiple viewpoints and integrated to form a digital model. Artefacts due to line-of-sight, surface colour and reflectance were found to result in holes and geometric distortion. Surface artefacts were corrected using CAD techniques and validated. Errors between 0·2 and 2·0 mm occurred in repaired surfaces, while geometric distortion ranged from 1·9 to 7·4 mm during surface registration. Post-processing and surface integration techniques may expand the capability of multi-headed stereophotogrammetry systems to assess a wide range of medical conditions.
Gender Differences in Endothelial Function and Coronary Vasomotion Abnormalities

Introduction: Structural and functional abnormalities of coronary microvasculature, referred to as coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), have been implicated in a wide range of cardiovascular diseases and have gained growing attention in patients with chest pain with no obstructive coronary artery disease, especially in females. The central mechanisms of coronary vasomotion abnormalities encompass enhanced coronary vasoconstrictive reactivity (ie, coronary spasm), reduced endothelium-dependent and -independent coronary vasodilator capacities, and increased coronary microvascular resistance. The 2 major endothelium-derived relaxing factors, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) factors, modulate vascular tone in a distinct vessel size–dependent manner; NO mainly mediates vasodilatation of relatively large, conduit vessels, while EDH factors in small resistance vessels. Endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization–mediated vasodilatation is more prominent in female resistance arteries, where estrogens exert beneficial effects on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation via multiple mechanisms. In the clinical settings, therapeutic approaches targeting NO are disappointing for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases, where endothelial dysfunction and CMD are substantially involved. Significance: In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge on the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of endothelial function and coronary vasomotion abnormalities from bench to bedside, with a special reference to gender differences. Results: Recent experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated distinct gender differences in endothelial function and coronary vasomotion abnormalities with major clinical implications. Moreover, recent landmark clinical trials regarding the management of stable coronary artery disease have questioned the benefit of percutaneous coronary intervention, supporting the importance of the coronary microvascular physiology. Conclusion: Further characterization and a better understanding of the gender differences in basic vascular biology as well as those in cardiovascular diseases are indispensable to improve health care and patient outcomes in cardiovascular medicine.
SrCo0.95Sb0.05O3−δ as Cathode Material for High Power Density Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The title compound has been selected from the SrCo1−xSbxO3−δ series for its enhanced electronic conductivity, as high as 500 S cm−1 at 400 °C, and tested in a single cell as a cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The characterization of this oxide included X-ray (XRD) and “in situ” temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction (NPD) experiments, thermal analysis, and impedance spectroscopy. In the test cell, the electrodes were supported on a 300 μm thick pellet of the electrolyte La0.8Sr0. 2Ga0.83Mg0. 17O3−δ (LSGM) with Sr2MgMoO6 as the anode and SrCo0.95Sb0. 05O3-δ as the cathode. The test cells gave a maximum power density of 0.511 and 0.618 W/cm2 for temperatures of 800 and 850 °C, respectively, with pure H2 as fuel and air as oxidant. In the 100−700 °C range, SrCo0.95Sb0. 05O3−δ adopts a tetragonal superstructure of perovskite with a = a0, c=2a0 (a0 ≈ 3.9 A) defined in the P4/mmm space group containing two inequivalent Co positions. Sb atoms are randomly distributed at Co2 positions, wh.
Longitudinal relaxation of protons in partially deuterated [Al(H2O)6]3+

Chemical shifts, isotopic fined-sturcture patterns and relaxation times are reported for HOD and HOH protons in partially deuterated [Al (OH2)6]3+ dissolved in acetonitrile-d3 at –30 and –50 °C. The chemical and isotopic shifts are discussed in relation to different shifts is other solvents, and the find structure proves the AlIII cation to be hexahydrated. T1 and T*2 for the HOH protons are much shorter than for the HOD protons, and both vary somewhat with the extent of deuteration. We account for all these data at –50 °C, plus 2H relaxation times, in an approximately quantitative way, using τc= 840 ps, Some allowance for internal motions is necessary. Rotational correlation times are also presented for dissolved water, and comparisons are made with other data, to show that outer-sphere association or ion-pairing slows both the cation and the dissolved water motions at –50 °C.
Four Soft Donors and a Hard Centre: Rhodium Complexes of a Novel Tetrakis(NHC)‐Encapsulated Crown Ether Ligand

2,3,13,14-Tetrakis(bromomethyl)dibenzo-18-crown-6 (1) has been demonstrated to be a versatile synthetic intermediate for constructing multinucleating ligands with a hard-donor, crown ether centre. By using this intermediate, novel salts of tetrakis(imidazoliomethyl)dibenzo-18-crown-6, [H4L1]X4 (2: X– = Br–; 4: X– = PF6–), and tetrakis(benzimidazoliomethyl)dibenzo-18-crown-6, [H4L2]X4 (3: X– = Br–; 5: X– = PF6–), were prepared. These salts are precursors to novel tetrakis(N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes spanned by a crown ether bridge capable of binding various hard metal ions. Thetetrakis(imidazoliomethyl) salt 4 was used to prepare the bimetallic rhodium complexes [{(cod)Rh}2(μ-L1)][PF6]2 (6) and [{(CO)2Rh}2(μ-L1)][PF6]2 (7). These complexes selectively bind alkali metal ions.
ANALYSIS OF SPATIOTEMPORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DROUGHT IN AN ARID REGION OF NORTHWEST CHINA

Drought, as a natural disaster, affects the local environment and agricultural production. Drought monitoring plays a crucial role in preventing and mitigating drought, especially Meteorological and Agricultural Drought (IMAD) monitoring. To better monitoring IMAD, a new comprehensive drought index, called Meteorological and Agricultural Drought Index (MADI), was developed in this study, which combined the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI). And, the spatiotemporal characteristics of drought were analyzed by the methods of the frequency, comparison and regionalization in Gansu Province of China during 2000-2016. The results showed that: (1) The meteorological and agricultural drought always occurred, while there was a difference in time of appearance; the IMAD in Gansu Province was mainly light and moderate, becoming serious from southeast to northwest. (2) MADI was temporally wellmatched to the drought affected area, soil moisture and NPP. (3) The IMAD based on MADI can reflect both meteorological and agricultural drought well in time and space. (4) According to the drought frequency, the study area was divided into six regions, and most of the study area was the stable drought type. For different regions, government should take timely measures to prevent drought.
Thermochromic sputter‐deposited vanadium oxyfluoride coatings with low luminous absorptance

Thin films of VOxFy were made by rf magnetron sputtering of V in Ar+O2+CF4. They were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. Optical and electrical properties changed within narrow temperature ranges. These results resemble those of thermochromic VO2, although VOxFy has significantly enhanced transmittance, lowered conductance, and marginally depressed switching temperature.
Coupling and orientation between anharmonic vibrations characterized with two-dimensional infrared vibrational echo spectroscopy

Two-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy has been used to characterize transient molecular structure by measuring the couplings and projection angles between two strongly coupled anharmonic vibrations. Two-dimensional Fourier-transform infrared spectra of the coupled carbonyl stretches of Rh(CO)2(C5H7O2) in hexane have been obtained from femtosecond vibrational echo signals detected with spectral interferometry. The eight resonances in the two-dimensional spectrum can be interpreted as two diagonal peaks and two cross peaks, each split into a pair. The splitting between the peak pairs is directly related to the diagonal and off-diagonal anharmonicity of the symmetric and asymmetric carbonyl stretches. The ratio of the amplitude of the cross peaks for two different polarization geometries determines the projection angle between the coupled transition dipoles. The experimental characterization of the vibrational eigenstates allows the local carbonyl structure to be modeled as bilinearly coupled cubic anharm.
Electrochemical Biosensors based on Nanocomposites of Carbon-based Dots

Among the many studies of carbon-based nanomaterials, carbon-based dots (CDs) have attracted considerable interest owing to their large surface area, intrinsic low-toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, high solubility, and low-cost with environmentally friendly routes, as well as their ability for modification with other nanomaterials. CDs have several applications in biosensing, photocatalysis, bioimaging, and nanomedicine. In addition, the fascinating electrochemical properties of CDs, including high active surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, electrocatalytic activity, high porosity, and adsorption capability, make them potential candidates for electrochemical sensing materials. This paper reviews the recent developments and synthesis of CDs and their composites for the proposed electrochemical sensing platforms. The electrochemical principles and future perspective and challenges of electrochemical biosensors are also discussed based on CDs-nanocomposites.
Pressure Waveform Estimation in Elastic Vessels Using Exciter-Detector Devices: Towards a Novel Approach for Cardiovascular Condition Assessment

Objective: This work finds its motivation in the impact that non-invasive, accurate and non-expert operable instrumentation may have on the monitoring of cardiovascular condition and proposes a new class of exciter-detector devices suited to the extraction of multiple hemodynamic parameters. Materials: The devices’ sensing unit is based on an innovative piezoelectric (PZ) sensor - MEMs accelerometer combination that enables the accelerometer to sense the vibrations produced by the PZ. The method for pressure waveform estimation relies on the amplitude modulation effect that occurs when the fluid pressure transmitted through the vessel wall attenuates the PZ oscillations sensed by the accelerometer. Methods: Two generations of devices were developed and characterized in a dedicated bench test system that was able to replicate the variability of a wide range of clinically relevant properties of the cardiovascular system. Results: The demodulation process yielded excellent results in recovering the morphology of pressure wave in bench test conditions. For the two developed prototypes, several waveforms were accurately extracted from the acceleration, current or power modulated carriers using the envelope and product detector algorithms. It was possible to reproduce the pressure waveform for successive higher applanation positions of the elastic tube at the bench test with a root mean square error of 2.4 ± 0.51%, when considering the best extracting method. Conclusion: The results obtained provide great prospects regarding the use of this group of devices as valid alternatives to currently available systems for pressure waveform assessment in physiological arteries.
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS IN BRAZIL: LITERATURE REVIEW AND RESEARCH AGENDA

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review and systematize previous studies on boards of directors in Brazil and propose an agenda to guide future studies. Originality/value: A conceptual model is developed to provide an integrated view for research on the board of directors, incorporating variables from different levels that connect governance mechanisms, best practices, board dynamics and company performance; we identified gaps for the research agenda. Design/methodology/approach: This review analyzed 95 articles on boards of directors in Brazil between 2000 and 2019. The review was conducted in three major steps: 1. planning; 2. conducting; and 3. organizing the data and reporting the findings. Findings: There is a growing interest in studying boards of directors in Brazil, with a wide range of topics. The most studied are board composition, best practices, diversity and gender. Despite the diversity, the previous studies are homogeneous in theoretical and methodological terms. Based on the agency theory, most articles sought to relate board demography to financial performance, and the findings are not convergent. This scenario opens up some research avenues to address topics that have not yet been explored, such as board processes, board tasks, and differentiation between board performance and company performance.
A Single-Layer Circularly Polarized Antenna With Improved Gain Based on Quarter-Mode Substrate Integrated Waveguide Cavities Array

In this letter, a single-layer right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antenna with low-profile and improved gain based on quarter-mode substrate integrated waveguide (QMSIW) cavities array is proposed and experimentally validated. The proposed antenna consists of a central microstrip patch and four QMSIW cavities with the same dimensions, which are directly cascaded to the central patch. The E-field distribution of the proposed structure is similar to that of a circular SIW cavity working in the high-order TM120 mode. Due to the in-phase equivalent magnetic currents array formed by the fringing electric field of the radiation edges, a high RHCP gain with very low cross polarization in the broadside is achieved. Because of the high-order working mechanism, the antenna can be fed by a coaxial probe directly without any complex power distribution network. Measured RHCP gain of the antenna is up to 10.4 dBi at the center frequency point 5.78 GHz, which is in good agreement with the simulated results.
Welding, Brazing and Joining of Refractory Metals and Alloys

Abstract Refractory metals and their alloys can be joined by gas tungsten are. electron beam, and resistance welding. Also, they can be joined by brazing and solid state bonding. In the case of brazing or solid state bonding, dissimilar metal joining is possible. The essential parameters to be carefully controlled are interstitial contents, the processing temperature relative to recrystallization temperature and the service temperature relative to the ductile-brittle transition temperature. The reactive nature of refractory metals requires the use of vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. Alternately, an oxidation resistant layer, such as copper or nickel electroplate, can be applied for high temperature service.
A Reaction-Based Stabilizer for Nonmodel-Based Vibration Control of Cable-Driven Parallel Robots

Considering a simplified model of cables is an essential assumption in the design of state-estimator and vibration control of cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs). Such an assumption however, impacts the effectiveness of controllers and state-estimators in such systems. This article presents a reaction-based stabilizer for nonmodel-based vibration control of CDPRs to address such model dependence. It is proved analytically that by using only three actuators and not involving the cable-connected winches, the proposed stabilizer regulates all undesired vibrations of the platform. It is also shown that the proposed stabilizer needs only the directly measurable position and velocity of its actuators to form its closed-loop control feedback signals. Effectiveness of the proposed system is more significant in CDPRs with considerable nonlinear effects of cables, where such effects are computationally costly to model, such that the performance of real-time controllers and state-estimators are spoiled. To provide a case study, a multibody nonlinear dynamic model of a suspended CDPR equipped-with the proposed stabilizer with zero cable damping effects is developed in SimMechanics/MATLAB, where a fine-tuned proportional-derivative controller is applied on each actuator to suppress all vibrations of the system. In addition, a suspended CDPR with extremely stretchable nonlinear-stiffness elastomer cables is fabricated and tested, where performance of the proposed stabilizer to suppress the high-amplitude nonlinear oscillations of the whole system is demonstrated.
A Novel Outlier Detection Method for Multivariate Data

Detecting anomalous objects from given data has a broad range of real-world applications. Although there is a rich number of outlier detection algorithms, most of them involve hidden assumptions and restrictions. This paper proposes a novel, yet effective outlier learning algorithm that is based on decomposing the full attributes space into different combinations of subspaces, in which the 3D-vectors, representing the data points per 3D-subspace, are rotated about the geometric median, using Rodrigues rotation formula, to construct the overall outlying score. The proposed approach is parameter-free, requires no distribution assumptions and easy to implement. Extensive experimental study and comparison are conducted on both synthetic and real-world datasets with six popular outlier detection algorithms, each from different category. The comparison is evaluated based on the precision @s, average precision, rank power, AUC ROC and time complexity metrics. The results show that the performance of the proposed method is competitive and promising.
Incipient Ferroelectricity in Al‐Doped HfO2 Thin Films

Incipient ferroelectricity is known to occur in perovskites such as SrTiO3, KTaO3, and CaTiO3. For the first time it is shown that the intensively researched HfO2 thin films (16 nm) also possess ferroelectric properties when aluminium is incorporated into the host lattice. Polarization measurements on Al:HfO2 based metal–insulator–metal capacitors show an antiferroelectric‐to‐ferroelectric phase transition depending on annealing conditions and aluminium content. Structural investigation of the electrically characterized capacitors by grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction is presented in order to gain further insight on the potential origin of ferroelectricity. The non‐centrosymmetry of the elementary cell, which is essential for ferroelectricity, is assumed to originate from an orthorhombic phase of space group Pbc21 stabilized for low Al doping in HfO2. The ferroelectric properties of the modified HfO2 thin films yield high potential for various ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and pyroelectric applications. Furthermore, due to the extensive knowledge accumulated by various research groups regarding the HfO2 dielectric, an immediate relevance of ferroelectric hafnium oxide thin films is anticipated by the authors.
Effect of Mg on the Synthesis of TiB2 Powder by a Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis Technique

Micro-nanoTiB2 ceramic was prepared through increasing the molar ratio of Mg and leaching with suitable acid by the combustion synthesis reaction of Mg, TiO2 and B2O3, which could get higher temperature and purer product. The Samples were investigated by XRD and SEM, and the results showed the diameter of the TiB2 was 200 nm ~ 300 nm and the shape of the TiB2 was irregular hexagonal crystal. The diameter of the TiB2 was decreased with the increase of Mg powder. The formation mechanism of TiB2 has been studied.