Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Haemocyte-derived SPARC is required for collagen-IV-dependent stability of basal laminae in Drosophila embryos

SPARC is an evolutionarily conserved collagen-binding extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein whose morphogenetic contribution(s) to embryonic development remain elusive despite decades of research. We have therefore used Drosophila genetics to gain insight into the role of SPARC during embryogenesis. In Drosophila embryos, high levels of SPARC and other basal lamina components (such as network-forming collagen IV, laminin and perlecan) are synthesized and secreted by haemocytes, and assembled into basal laminae. A SPARC mutant was generated by P-element mutagenesis that is embryonic lethal because of multiple developmental defects. Whereas no differences in collagen IV immunostaining were observed in haemocytes between wild-type and SPARC-mutant embryos, collagen IV was not visible in basal laminae of SPARC-mutant embryos. In addition, the laminin network of SPARC-mutant embryos appeared fragmented and discontinuous by late embryogenesis. Transgenic expression of SPARC protein by haemocytes in SPARC-mutant embryos restored collagen IV and laminin continuity in basal laminae. However, transgenic expression of SPARC by neural cells failed to rescue collagen IV in basal laminae, indicating that the presence of collagen IV deposition requires SPARC expression by haemocytes. Our previous finding that haemocyte-derived SPARC protein levels are reduced in collagen-IV-mutant embryos and the observation that collagen-IV-mutant embryos showed a striking phenotypic similarity to SPARC-mutant embryos suggests a mutual dependence between these major basal laminae components during embryogenesis. Patterning defects and impaired condensation of the ventral nerve cord also resulted from the loss SPARC expression prior to haemocyte migration. Hence, SPARC is required for basal lamina maturation and condensation of the ventral nerve cord during Drosophila embryogenesis.
Reduced Diabetes in btk-Deficient Nonobese Diabetic Mice and Restoration of Diabetes with Provision of an Anti-Insulin IgH Chain Transgene1

Type 1 diabetes results from T cell-mediated destruction of insulin-producing β cells. Although elimination of B lymphocytes has proven successful at preventing disease, modulation of B cell function as a means to prevent type 1 diabetes has not been investigated. The development, fate, and function of B lymphocytes depend upon BCR signaling, which is mediated in part by Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). When introduced into NOD mice, btk deficiency only modestly reduces B cell numbers, but dramatically protects against diabetes. In NOD, btk deficiency mirrors changes in B cell subsets seen in other strains, but also improves B cell-related tolerance, as indicated by failure to generate insulin autoantibodies. Introduction of an anti-insulin BCR H chain transgene restores diabetes in btk-deficient NOD mice, indicating that btk-deficient B cells are functionally capable of promoting autoimmune diabetes if they have a critical autoimmune specificity. This suggests that the disease-protective effect of btk deficiency may reflect a lack of autoreactive specificities in the B cell repertoire. Thus, signaling via BTK can be modulated to improve B cell tolerance, and prevent T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes.
State of two-dimensional long-period superstructure in the metastable Fe-Nd-B phase

We investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the state of a long-period superstructure (LPS) composed of a metastable D03 phase, which emerged during crystallisation of Fe89Nd7B4 amorphous alloys [Konno, Uehara, Hirosawa, et al., Phil. Mag. A 79 2413 (1999)]. Diffraction studies showed that it is a two-dimensional (2D) LPS characterized by 1/4a 0⟨111⟩ antiphase boundaries (APBs) perpendicular to ⟨100⟩ directions and 1/2a 0⟨100⟩ APBs perpendicular to ⟨110⟩ directions, where a 0 is the unit cell parameter of the D03 cell. Dark field images and high-resolution TEM showed that superperiods estimated from diffraction patterns, 3.2 and 2.4 nm, respectively, represent an average structure; and real arrangements of APBs are rather diverse in terms of both periodicity and APB planes. These observations indicate that the 2D LPS emerged in the following reaction sequence: amorphous → A2 → D03 with 2D LPS → D03, where all the phases are metastable.
Template Free Synthesis of Hollow Ball-Like Nano-Fe2O3 and Its Application to the Detection of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate at Room Temperature

This paper is focused on the template-free synthesis of nanosized ferric oxide (nano-Fe2O3) and its application in quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) resonators to detect dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a simulant of Sarin. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm that the synthesized samples are made of Fe2O3 and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures show that the samples have ball-like shapes. The DMMP sensors with a sensing film of hollow ball-like and solid ball-like Fe2O3 are fabricated and their sensing characteristics are compared. The sensitivity of the hollow ball-like Fe2O3 sensor is more than 500% higher than the one of the solid ball-like Fe2O3 sensor. The hollow ball-like nano-Fe2O3 can be synthesized by a novel low temperature hydrothermal method. The sensors with the hollow ball-like Fe2O3 film perform well in a range of 1 to 6 ppm, with a sensitivity of 29 Hz/ppm at room temperature, while the appropriate recoverability and selectivity are maintained. In addition, the performance of different thicknesses of the sensing film of the hollow ball-like nano-Fe2O3 is investigated and the optimized relative film thickness of the hollow ball-like nano-Fe2O3 is found to be 20 μg/mm2.
Electroluminescence in additive-contained low density polyethylene

In this paper, using the block samples with needle-plane electrode system, the influence of additives such as cross-linking byproducts, dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and antioxidants (AO) on the electroluminescence (EL) inception voltage and emission intensity in LDPE-based materials was investigated and analysed. It was found that (1) cross-linking byproducts increase the EL intensity, but can not change the EL inception voltage; (2) DCP decreases the EL inception voltage, but increases the EL intensity; (3) the EL inception voltage of AO-added LDPE samples is higher than that of AO-free ones, whereas their EL intensity is much smaller than that of the AO-free ones.
Soft Functional Interfaces

This paper summarizes novel aspects of soft functional interfaces as revealed by surface sensitive neutron and X‐ray scattering in combination with complementary methods of characterization such as infrared and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The paper exclusively examines stratified soft solid–liquid interfaces and potential precursors. At first the occurrence of depletion layers at the interfaces and their relevance for biocompatibility is discussed. Further, strategies of implementing functional units into surface coatings to achieve interfaces that are reversibly altered as a function of external stimuli are described. The paper finishes with a compilation of protein resistant interfaces and a brief survey on potential repulsion mechanisms.
Objective evaluation of magnitude and phase only spectrum-based reconstruction of the Speech signal

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of window shape and its length on the quality of phase-only and magnitude-only reconstructed speech. Speech signal is reconstructed via Least Square Error Estimation (LSEE) and Overlap Add (OLA) methods from its magnitude-only and phase-only spectra. The effects of using Hamming and rectangular windows have been studied, too. To evaluate the quality of reconstructed speech, we employed three objective measures: Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR), Weighted Spectral Slope (WSS) and PESQ. Results show that in case of using Hamming window, phase-only reconstructed speech surpasses its magnitude-only counterpart in frames longer than 256 ms qualitatively. Rectangular window seems to be a better choice in comparison to Hamming window in case of phase-only signal reconstruction, while for magnitude-only reconstructed speech, Hamming window results in better quality and intelligibility. LSEE has better performance than OLA in case of magnitude-only speech reconstruction while OLA outperforms LSEE in case of phase-only speech reconstruction.
Transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus with adjustable buttoned device. Initial clinical experience.

BACKGROUND Several devices are available for transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus. Most of these devices either require complicated intracardiac maneuvering, have not been tried in humans, or need a large-sized sheath for implantation of the device. METHODS AND RESULTS During a 26-month period ending November 1992, 14 patients underwent transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus with an adjustable buttoned device delivered via a 7F sheath under an institutional review board-approved custom-made device protocol. The children were 15 months to 8 years of age with weight range of 7.2 to 19 kg. The patent ductus arteriosus measured from 2 to 7.5 mm (median, 3 mm) at the narrowest diameter and was conical, short, or tubular. They were occluded with devices measuring 15 to 20 mm. The ratio of pulmonary to systemic flow decreased (P < .01) from 1.9 +/- 0.6 (mean +/- SD; range, 1.3 to 3.2) to 1.05 +/- 0.1 (1 to 1.3). Continuous murmur of patent ductus arteriosus disappeared in all except 1 patient. Small residual shunts were detected by color Doppler studies in 4 of 14 patients (29%). All patients were followed for 1 to 24 months (mean, 6 +/- 7 months). The device was intact in all patients, and no breakage of the wires was noted. No shunts were seen in 12 of 14 patients (86%), and minute residual shunts were seen in 2 children. No major complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus with the adjustable buttoned device is feasible and effective and can be accomplished via small 7F sheaths; a 7F sheath is adequate for all ductal sizes; and the adjustable length of the loop accommodated all types of patent ductus arteriosus. Clinical trials on a larger number of patients are warranted.
Intrinsic Superconductivity in Ropes of Carbon Nanotubes

We have developed a technique for measuring transport measurements on carbon nanotubes at very low temperature. Carbon nanotubes are connected through low contact resistance to metallic pads. It has been possible to observe intrinsic superconductivity in ropes of single wall carbon nanotubes mounted on normal contacts provided that the distance between the normal electrodes is large enough, otherwise superconductivity is destroyed by proximity effect. These experiments indicate the presence of attractive interactions in carbon nanotubes which overcome coulomb repulsive interactions at low temperature.
What Is the Best Predictor of Spontaneous Ventricular Tachycardia and Sudden Death After Myocardial Infarction?

BackgroundDeath during the first year after myocardial infarction is most commonly due to spontaneous ventricular tachycardia (VT) or fibrillation (VF). The purpose of this study was to compare, in a single cohort of patients, the values of inducible VT, delayed ventricular activation, low left ventricular ejection fraction, high-grade ventricular ectopy, and ST segment displacement on exercise in predicting electrical events (witnessed instantaneous death and spontaneous VT or VF) during the first year after myocardial infarction. Methods and ResultsThree hundred sixty one patients aged less than 71 years underwent electrophysiological study, signal-averaged electrocardiogram, gated blood-pool scan, 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, and exercise testing 1-2 weeks after myocardial infarction and were then followed up for at least 1 year. There were 34 deaths (eight witnessed instantaneous, 26 other), and nine patients survived one or more episodes of spontaneous VF or VT. Patients with inducible VT were 15.2 times more likely to suffer electrical events than patients without inducible VT. No proportional-hazards model excluding inducible VT was as good a predictor of electrical events as was inducible VT alone. ConclusionsInducible VT at electrophysiological study was the single best predictor of spontaneous VT and sudden death after myocardial infarction. (Circulation 1991;83:756–763)
Microwave Processing of Materials and Applications in Manufacturing Industries: A Review

The main focused aim of developing new processing and manufacturing technologies are to reduce production or manufacturing costs, processing times, and to enhance manufactured product properties. The developed processing techniques should be widely acceptable for all types of materials including metal matrix composites, ceramics, alloys, and fiber reinforced plastics. Microwave materials processing is emerging as a novel processing technology which is applicable to a wide variety of materials system including processing of MMC, FRP, alloys, ceramics, metals, powder metallurgy, material joining, coatings, and claddings. In comparison to the conventional processes, microwave processing of materials offers better mechanical properties with reduced defects and economical advantages in terms of power and time savings. The present review work focuses mainly on global developments taking place in the field of microwave processing of materials and their relevant industrial applications.
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository The loss of species: mangrove extinction risk and geographic The loss of species: mangrove extinction risk and geographic areas of global concern areas of global concern

Mangrove species are uniquely adapted to tropical and subtropical coasts, and although relatively low in number of species, mangrove forests provide at least US $ 1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services and support coastal livelihoods worldwide. Globally, mangrove areas are declining rapidly as they are cleared for coastal development and aquaculture and logged for timber and fuel production. Little is known about the effects of mangrove area loss on individual mangrove species and local or regional populations. To address this gap, species-specific information on global distribution, population status, life history traits, and major threats were compiled for each of the 70 known species of mangroves. Each species’ probability of extinction was assessed under the Categories and Criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Eleven of the 70 mangrove species (16%) are at elevated threat of extinction. Particular areas of geographical concern include the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, where as many as 40% of mangroves species present are threatened with extinction. Across the globe, mangrove species found primarily in the high intertidal and upstream estuarine zones, which often have specific freshwater requirements and patchy distributions, are the most threatened because they are often the first cleared for development of aquaculture and agriculture. The loss of mangrove species will have devastating economic and environmental consequences for coastal communities, especially in those areas with low mangrove diversity and high mangrove area or species loss. Several species at high risk of extinction may disappear well before the next decade if existing protective measures are not enforced.
Associations between vascular calcification, arterial stiffness and bone mineral density in chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Vascular calcification (VC) and arterial stiffness are major contributors to cardiovascular (CV) disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Both are independent predictors of CV mortality and are inversely correlated with bone mineral density (BMD). Few studies have addressed the extent of VC in the pre-dialysis CKD population, with associated measurements of BMD and arterial compliance. METHODS We report cross-sectional data on 48 patients with CKD (GFR 17-55 ml/min) assessing the prevalence of VC and its associations. All patients had computed tomography (CT) scans through abdominal aorta and superficial femoral arteries (SFAs) to determine VC, pulse wave velocity (PWV) using SphygmoCor device (AtCor PWV Inc., Westmead, Australia) measuring arterial stiffness, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans to determine BMD, as well as serum markers of renal function and mineral metabolism. RESULTS Patients, 71% male, 54% diabetic, had a median age 64.5 years. Mean estimated GFR was 35.1 +/- 10 ml/min. Mean PWV was 10.0 +/- 4.5 m/s and mean aortic VC score was 421.5 +/- 244 Hounsfield units, with 90% of subjects having some aortic VC present. In univariate linear regression analysis, aortic VC correlated positively with age (r 0.50, P < 0.001), triglycerides (r 0.47, P = 0.002) and PWV (r 0.33, P = 0.03). There was also greater VC with declining renal function (r -0.28, P = 0.05). There was no significant association between VC and serum markers of mineral metabolism, however phosphate and Ca x P correlated positively with PWV (r 0.35, P = 0.02, r 0.36, P = 0.02, respectively). There was also a positive association between PWV and triglycerides (P = 0.008), and a trend towards greater PWV with increasing age (P = 0.09). In multivariate regression analysis only increasing age and triglyceride levels were significantly associated with aortic VC and PWV. Mean spine and femoral T-scores on DEXA were 0.48 and -1.31 respectively, with 13% of subjects having femoral T-score <-2.5 (osteoporotic range). SFA VC inversely correlated with femoral T-scores (r -0.43, P = 0.004); however, there was a positive (likely false) association between spine T-scores and aortic VC (r 0.37, P = 0.01), related to the limitation of vertebral DEXA in CKD. CONCLUSION There is a high prevalence of VC in pre-dialysis CKD patients, worse with increasing age, triglycerides and reducing renal function. Correlation exists between VC and PWV and determination of one or both may be useful for CKD patient CV risk assessment. Femoral BMD is inversely associated with SFA VC, but measurement of vertebral BMD by DEXA is unreliable in CKD patients with aortic VC.
Developmental changes in head movement kinematics during swimming in Xenopus laevis tadpoles

ABSTRACT During the post-embryonic developmental growth of animals, a number of physiological parameters such as locomotor performance, dynamics and behavioural repertoire are adjusted to match the requirements determined by changes in body size, proportions and shape. Moreover, changes in movement parameters also cause changes in the dynamics of self-generated sensory stimuli, to which motion-detecting sensory systems have to adapt. Here, we examined head movements and swimming kinematics of Xenopus laevis tadpoles with a body length of 10–45 mm (developmental stage 46–54) and compared these parameters with fictive swimming, recorded as ventral root activity in semi-intact in vitro preparations. Head movement kinematics was extracted from high-speed video recordings of freely swimming tadpoles. Analysis of these locomotor episodes indicated that the swimming frequency decreased with development, along with the angular velocity and acceleration of the head, which represent self-generated vestibular stimuli. In contrast, neither head oscillation amplitude nor forward velocity changed with development despite the ∼3-fold increase in body size. The comparison between free and fictive locomotor dynamics revealed very similar swimming frequencies for similarly sized animals, including a comparable developmental decrease of the swimming frequency. Body morphology and the motor output rhythm of the spinal central pattern generator therefore develop concurrently. This study thus describes development-specific naturalistic head motion profiles, which form the basis for more natural stimuli in future studies probing the vestibular system. Summary: Xenopus laevis tadpoles decrease their swimming frequency during development without changing head movement amplitude, with consequences for vestibular self-stimulation.
Predictors and consequences of “Phubbing” among adolescents and youth in India: An impact evaluation study

BACKGROUND: “Phubbing” phenomenon, in the frequent use of a smartphone, describes the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a mobile phone. Its predictors and consequences are few in developed countries, but the literature lacks information on its actual occurrence and impact on adolescents and youth in a developing country such as India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This impact evaluation study was carried out as part of the Phubbing Project of the University of Poland for 6 months (November 15, 2016”May 15, 2017) on a sample of 400 adolescents and youth selected randomly from the five colleges in the district of Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Data were collected through the Internet using e-questionnaires sent to all students. The phubbing predictors' and consequences' scales available in literature were used and data were analyzed by a mixed method to get the study findings. RESULTS: The prevalence of phubbing was 49.3%. The most important predictors associated with phubbers were Internet addiction (p < 0.0001, Odds Ratio 2.26), smartphone addiction (OR 25.9), fear of missing out (OR 18.8), and the lack of self-control (p < 0.0001, OR = 0.73”1.72) . Phubbing also had significant consequences on their social health, relationship health, and self-flourishing, and was significantly related to depression and distress. Logistic regression analysis showed significant impact of phubbing predictors on phubbing consequences in phubbers, especially in depressed and distress status. CONCLUSION: Adolescents and youth of India need special guidance from government adolescent clinics or colleges or even families to control this habit in order to promote better physical, mental, and social health.
Depth-Resolved Residual Stress Analysis with High-Energy Synchrotron X-Rays Using a Conical Slit Cell

A conical slit cell for depth-resolved diffraction of high-energy X-rays was used for residual stress analysis at the high-energy materials science synchrotron beamline HEMS at PETRA III. With a conical slit width of 20 µm and beam cross-sections of 50 µm, a spatial resolution in beam direction of 0.8 mm was achieved. The setup was used for residual stress analysis in a drawn steel wire with 8.3 mm diameter. The residual stress results were in very good agreement with results of a FE simulation.
Energy efficiency maxima for wireless communications: 5G, IoT, and massive MIMO

Maximizing the operating energy efficiency of any wireless communication link requires a global optimization not only across the entire system block diagram, but also including the signal modulation and aspects of the link operating protocol. Achieving this global optimization is first examined for the transmitter, receiver, and baseband circuitry. Then the important aspects of signal modulation necessary to access these circuit optimizations, with examples from existing systems along with proposed signals for "5G" including Internet of Things (IoT) and massive MIMO, are presented. This is followed by the correspondingly important protocol aspects needed for link efficiency. Operating temperature consequences of signal modulation selection, and its corresponding PA efficiency ceiling, are explored for the envisioned massive-MIMO antenna arrays. A realization of this global energy efficiency optimization in actual circuitry with measurements completes this paper.