Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structure and Mechanical Properties of Starch/Styrene-Butadiene Latex Composites

The structure of the starch/styrene-butadiene latex composites was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In order to get a better contrast between starch and latex, OsO4 were used to stain latex. Ion-beam cutting and liquid nitrogen cracking were employed to fabricate qualified cross-sections for SEM characterization. During drying, starch and latex migrate, creating non-uniform structure with latex dominated in the lower surface (next to the substrate) and starch in the upper surface (open to the air). The film formation of latex is slower than the starch/latex film forming. Phase separation occurs with starch granules embedded in the latex-starch matrix, reinforcing the composites. The analysis of composite structure and use of Perera approach indicate that good adhesion is present between latex phase and starch phase, starch granules and latex-starch matrix. When the latex is substituted by starch, the elastic modulus and tensile strength increase whilst the elongation at break decreases. When the volume fraction of starch is higher than 41.7 %, increasing starch content, the increase of ultimate tensile strength and elastic modulus accelerate, whereas the elongation at break decreases slower, which may arise from the phase co-continuity of starch.
Efficacy and tolerability of open-label topiramate in the treatment of sleep-related eating disorder: a retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVE Determine the efficacy and tolerability of topiramate in the treatment of sleep-related eating disorder (SRED). METHOD This is a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients treated in an open-label trial of topiramate for SRED in a sleep disorders clinic. Patients were diagnosed according to the second edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. Patients with a Clinical Global Impressions of Improvement (CGI-I) rating of "very much" or "much" improved were considered treatment responders. RESULTS 30 subjects were prescribed topiramate, of whom 25 had at least 1 postbaseline follow-up appointment. The mean age of these 25 patients was 44 +/- 12 years, 76% were female, and the mean age at onset of SRED was 25.2 +/- 12.8 years. The mean dose of topiramate was 135 +/- 61.6 mg (range, 25-300 mg) over a mean period of 11.6 +/- 11.4 months (range, 1-42 months). Over two thirds of the patients (17/25 or 68%) were considered topiramate responders. Twenty-eight percent (7/25) of the patients lost more than 10% of body weight. Adverse events were reported by 84% (21/25) of patients. Nearly half (7/17 or 41%) of the responders discontinued topiramate after a mean of 12.4 months. CONCLUSION In this open-label retrospective trial, topiramate was found to be very effective in reducing nocturnal eating in patients with chronic SRED. The tolerability of topiramate was an issue in some patients. Given the promise of this approach, but the limitations of this study, prospective, double-blind study of topiramate in a larger sample of patients with SRED is warranted.
Analysis of Bragg grating written in high-birefringence fiber optics

Bragg gratings written in high birefringence (HiBi) fibre optics can be used as sensors for multiple parameters, such as stress along different axis and temperature. Their use as sensors require the characterization of the HiBi fibres, because the specific fibre parameters can induce different responses to the sensor system. In this work we analyse, using finite elements methods, stress effects over three types of the HiBi fibres: Bow tie, PANDA and internal elliptical cladding. We also characterize the spectral response of gratings written in HiBi fibre as a function of the input states of the polarization. The obtained results are discussed.
Pricing the Internet

This paper was prepared for the conference ``Public Access to the Internet,'' JFK School of Government, May 26--27 , 1993. We describe some of the technology and costs relevant to pricing access to and usage of the Internet, and discuss the components of an efficient pricing structure. We suggest a possible smart-market mechanism for pricing traffic on the Internet.
Tracking your steps on the track: body sensor recordings of a controlled walking experiment

Monitoring human motion has recently received great attention and can be used in many applications, such as human motion prediction. We present the collected data set from a body sensor network attached to the human body. The set of sensors consists of accelerometers measuring acceleration in three directions that are attached to the upper and lower back as well as the knees and ankles. In addition, pressures on the insoles are measured with four pressure sensors inside each shoe. Two types of motion are considered: walking backwards on a straight line and walking forwards on a figure-8 path. Finally, we study and present basic statistics of the data.
Combined targeted treatment to eliminate tumorigenic cancer stem cells in human pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Pancreatic cancers contain exclusively tumorigenic cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are highly resistant to chemotherapy, resulting in a relative increase in CSC numbers during gemcitabine treatment. Signaling through sonic hedgehog and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), respectively, may be essential for CSC self-renewal and could represent putative targets for novel treatment modalities. METHODS We used in vitro and in vivo models of pancreatic cancer to examine the effects of sonic hedgehog inhibition (cyclopamine/CUR199691) and mTOR blockade (rapamycin) on the tumorigenic CSC population. RESULTS Surprisingly, neither cyclopamine nor rapamycin alone or as supplements to chemotherapy were capable of effectively diminishing the CSC pool. Only the combined inhibition of both pathways together with chemotherapy reduced the number of CSCs to virtually undetectable levels in vitro and in vivo. Most importantly, in vivo administration of this triple combination in mice with established patient-derived pancreatic tumors was reasonably tolerated and translated into significantly prolonged long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS The combined blockade of sonic hedgehog and mTOR signaling together with standard chemotherapy is capable of eliminating pancreatic CSCs. Further preclinical investigation of this promising approach may lead to the development of a novel therapeutic strategy to improve the devastating prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.
Genetic and Genomic Toolbox of the Chordate Ciona intestinalis

The experimental malleability and unique phylogenetic position of the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis as part of the sister group to the vertebrates have helped establish these marine chordates as model organisms for the study of developmental genetics and evolution. Here we summarize the tools, techniques, and resources available to the Ciona geneticist, citing examples of studies that employed such strategies in the elucidation of gene function in Ciona. Genetic screens, germline transgenesis, electroporation of plasmid DNA, and microinjection of morpholinos are all routinely employed, and in the near future we expect these to be complemented by targeted mutagenesis, homologous recombination, and RNAi. The genomic resources available will continue to support the design and interpretation of genetic experiments and allow for increasingly sophisticated approaches on a high-throughput, whole-genome scale.
Nasal epithelial cells are a reliable source to study splicing variants in Usher syndrome

We have shown that nasal ciliated epithelium, which can be easily biopsied under local anesthetic, provides a good source of RNA transcripts from eight of the nine known genes that cause Usher syndrome, namely, MYO7A, USH1C, CDH23, PCDH15, USH1G for Usher type 1, and USH2A, GPR98, WHRN for Usher type 2. Furthermore, the known or predicted effect on mRNA splicing of eight variants was faithfully reproduced in the biopsied sample as measured by nested RT‐PCR. These included changes at the canonical acceptor site, changes within the noncanonical acceptor site and both synonymous and nonsynonymous amino acid changes. This shows that mRNA analysis by this method will help in assessing the pathogenic effect of variants, which is a major problem in the molecular diagnosis of Usher syndrome. Hum Mutat 31:1–8, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Conductive Electroactive Polymers: Intelligent Polymer Systems

Rapid advances in synthetic polymer science and nanotechnology have revealed new avenues of development in conductive electroactive polymers that take greater advantage of this versatile class of materials' unique properties. This third edition of Conductive Electroactive Polymers: Intelligent Polymer Systems continues to provide an in-depth understanding of how to engineer dynamic properties in inherently conducting polymers from the molecular level. New to the third edition: * Biomedical, MEMS, and electronic textile applications * The synthesis and fabrication of nanocomponents and nanostructures * The energy role of nanotechnology in improving the performance of conducting materials in devices * Electrochemical Raman, electrochemical ESR, and scanning vibrating reference electrode studies After establishing the basic principles of polymer chemistry, the book pinpoints the dynamic properties of the more useful conducting polymers, such as polupyrroles, polythiophenes, and polyanilines. It then demonstrates how the control of these properties enables cutting-edge applications in nano, biomedicine, and MEMS as well as sensors and artificial muscles. Subsequent chapters discuss the effect of nanodimensional control on the resultant properties. Updated to reflect substantial developments and advances that have occurred in the past few years, this third edition of Conductive Electroactive Polymers unlocks a world of potential for integrating and interfacing conductive polymers.
Wheel Wear Mechanisms in Rotary Ultrasonic Machining of Titanium

Many experiments have been conducted to study various types of outputs (such as material removal rate, material removal mechanisms, cutting force, surface roughness, wheel wear, and edge chipping) while rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) of different workpiece materials. However, literature review has revealed that there is no reported study on wheel wear while RUM of titanium alloys. This paper reports experimental investigations on the wheel wear mechanisms in RUM of a titanium alloy. The types of wheel wear mechanisms observed include: attritious wear, grain pullout, diamond grain cracking and fracture, metal bond cracking and fracture.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Logic masking for SET Mitigation Using Approximate Logic Circuits

Logic masking approaches for Single-Event Transient (SET) mitigation use hardware redundancy to mask the propagation of SET effects. Conventional techniques, such as Triple-Modular Redundancy (TMR), can guarantee full fault coverage, but they also introduce very large overheads. Alternatively, approximate logic circuits can provide the necessary flexibility to find an optimal balance between error coverage and overheads. In this work, we propose a new approach to build approximate logic circuits driven by testability estimations. Using the concept of unate functions, approximations are performed in lines with low testability in order to minimize the impact on error coverage. The proposed approach is scalable and can provide a variety of solutions for different trade-offs between error coverage and overheads.
Echocardiographic strain and strain-rate imaging: a new tool to study regional myocardial function

Ultrasonic imaging is the noninvasive clinical imaging modality of choice for diagnosing heart disease. At present, two-dimensional ultrasonic grayscale images provide a relatively cheap, fast, bedside method to study the morphology of the heart. Several methods have been proposed to assess myocardial function. These have been based on either grayscale or motion (velocity) information measured in real-time. However, the quantitative assessment of regional myocardial function remains an important goal in clinical cardiology. To do this, ultrasonic strain and strain-rate imaging have been introduced. In the clinical setting, these techniques currently only allow one component of the true three-dimensional deformation to be measured. Clinical, multidimensional strain (rate) information can currently thus only be obtained by combining data acquired using different transducer positions. Nevertheless, given the appropriate postprocessing, the clinical value of these techniques has already been shown. Moreover, multidimensional strain and strain-rate estimation of the heart in vivo by means of a single ultrasound acquisition has been shown to be feasible. In this paper, the new techniques of ultrasonic strain rate and strain imaging of the heart are reviewed in terms of definitions, data acquisition, strain-rate estimation, postprocessing, and parameter extraction. Their clinical validation and relevance are discussed using clinical examples on relevant cardiac pathology. Based on these examples, suggestions are made for future developments of these techniques.
Extended Effect of Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Childhood on Behaviors in Adulthood

Individuals exposed to social stress in childhood are more predisposed to developing psychoemotional disorders in adulthood. Here we use an animal model to determine the influence of hostile social environment in adolescence on behavior during adult life. One-month-old adolescent male mice were placed for 2 weeks in a common cage with an adult aggressive male. Animals were separated by a transparent perforated partition, but the adolescent male was exposed daily to short attacks from the adult male. After exposure to social stress, some of the adolescent mice were placed for 3 weeks in comfortable conditions. Following this rest period, stressed young males and adult males were studied in a range of behavioral tests to evaluate the levels of anxiety, depressiveness, and communicativeness with an unfamiliar partner. In addition, adult mice exposed to social stress in adolescence were engaged in agonistic interactions. We found that 2 weeks of social stress result in a decrease of communicativeness in the home cage and diminished social interactions on the novel territory. Stressed adolescents demonstrated a high level of anxiety in the elevated plus-maze test and helplessness in the Porsolt test. Furthermore, the number of dividing (BrdU-positive) cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus was significantly lower in stressed adolescents. After 3 weeks of rest, most behavioral characteristics in different tests, as well as the number of BrdU-positive cells in the hippocampus, did not differ from those of the respective control mice. However, the level of anxiety remained high in adult males exposed to chronic social stress in childhood. Furthermore, these males were more aggressive in the agonistic interactions. Thus, hostile social environment in adolescence disturbs psychoemotional state and social behaviors of animals in adult life.
Investigating behavior change indicators and cognitive measures in persuasive health games

Outcome-driven studies designed to evaluate potential effects of games and apps designed to promote healthy eating and exercising remain limited either targeting design or usability factors while omitting out health-based outcomes altogether, or tend to be too narrowly focuses on behavioral outcomes within a short periods of time thereby less likely to influence longitudinal factors that can help sustain healthy habits. In this paper we argue for a unified approach to tackle behavioral change through focusing on both health outcomes and cognitive precursors, such as players’ attitudes and behaviors around healthy eating and exercising, motivation stage and knowledge and awareness about nutrition or physical activity. Key findings from a 3month long game play study, with 47 female participants indicate that there are clear shifts in players’ perceptions about health and knowledge about eating. This paper extends our current understandings about approaches for evaluating health games and presents a unified approach to assess effectiveness of game-based health interventions through combining health-based outcomes and shifts in players’ cognitive precursors. Author
EXIT chart analysis of turbo decodulation

Turbo decodulation is the combination of iterative demodulation and iterative source-channel decoding to a single multiple turbo process. The receiver structures of bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID), iterative source-channel decoding (ISCD), and iterative source coded modulation (ISCM) are merged to one novel turbo system, in which in two iterative loops reliability information is exchanged between the three single components, demodulator, channel decoder, and (softbit) source decoder. Simulations show quality improvements compared to the different previously known systems, which use iterative processing only for two components of the receiver. We propose the enhancement to turbo decodulation by an additional link for a direct supply of reliabilities from the softbit source decoder to the demodulator. We will demonstrate that using three-dimensional EXIT charts a convergence analysis of turbo decodulation similar to single turbo processes is possible
Structure and antigenicity analysis of the IgG gene for Nyctereutes procyonoides

Objective Nyctereutes procyonoides immunoglobulin G (IgG) gene is partially cloned. Material and methods In order to obtain a certain length (966bp) of Nyctereutes procyonoides immunoglobulin G (IgG), two pairs of primers are designed according to the conserved nucleotide sequence of canine (GenBank:AF354265, AF354265, AF354266, AF354267) and mink (GenBank: L07789). Using Bioinformatics technology and Western-blot to analyze antigenicity of Nyctereutes procyonoides IgG-B gene. Results The homology for nucleotide sequence of IgG between Nyctereutes procyonoides and canine (IgG A, IgG B, IgG C, IgG D), mink, Homo sapiens, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Mus musculus, Anas platyrhynchos and gallus were respectively (88.1%, 93.6%, 85.4%, 87.2%), 83.7%, 74.8%, 71.8%, 69.2%, 51.6%, 48.4%. It can be seen that there was high homology of aminoacid sequence between IgG of Nyctereutes procyonoides and IgG (A, B, C, D) of canine. And the serum antibody of Nyctereutes procyonoides had obviously cross-reaction with HRP conjugated rabbit anti-dog IgG, compared with those of canine, oryctolagus cuniculus, mus musculus, mink, gallus. Conclusions We successfully got Nyctereutes procyonoides immuneglobulin G (IgG) gene (Gen- Bank: KM010191). There is the closest ties of consanguinity of IgG exist between Nyctereutes procyonoides and canine among the mammal through the genetic evolution. The detection and treament of canine distemper can be used on Nyctereutes procyonoides.
Rifaximin Does Not Induce Toxin Production or Phage-Mediated Lysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Diarrhea in children is often caused by enteropathogen infections that might benefit from early empirical antibiotic therapy. However, when the definition of the pathogen requires sophisticated laboratory studies, the etiology of enteritis is not known early in illness. Empirical therapy may be dangerous if the child is infected with a Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strain because antimicrobials may increase Shiga toxin (Stx) release, resulting in increased risk of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with acute renal failure (hemolytic-uremic syndrome [HUS]) and death. There is a need for antimicrobials that would be effective against multiple bacterial enteropathogens yet not induce Stx release or increase the risk of HUS. Rifaximin has been evaluated in adults for treatment of bacterial enteritis and has a good record for safety and efficacy, but it has not been evaluated extensively in children with gastroenteritis. We therefore evaluated rifaximin's potential for phage induction, drug-induced bacteriolysis, and toxin release in 57 STEC strains (26 O157 and 31 non-O157 strains). Growth in ciprofloxacin, a known Stx phage inducer, caused bacteriolysis and release of toxin in 25/26 (96%) O157 strains and 15/31 (48%) non-O157 strains. In contrast, rifaximin did not induce phage replication or lysis in any strain. Toxin release in the presence of rifaximin was not different from release in the absence of antibiotic. Rifaximin, unlike many antibiotics used to treat pediatric gastroenteritis, does not induce phage-mediated bacteriolysis and Stx release.
Conformational changes in oxidatively stressed monoclonal antibodies studied by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry

Oxidation of methionine residues in biopharmaceuticals is a common and often unwanted modification that frequently occurs during their manufacture and storage. It often results in a lack of stability and biological function of the product, necessitating continuous testing for the modification throughout the product shelf life. A major class of biopharmaceutical products are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), however, techniques for their detailed structural analysis have until recently been limited. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HXMS) has recently been successfully applied to the analysis of mAbs. Here we used HXMS to identify and localise the structural changes that occurred in a mAb (IgG1) after accelerated oxidative stress. Structural alterations in a number of segments of the Fc region were observed and these related to oxidation of methionine residues. These included a large change in the hydrogen exchange profile of residues 247–253 of the heavy chain, while smaller changes in hydrogen exchange profile were identified for peptides that contained residues in the interface of the CH2 and CH3 domains.
Factors Affecting Release of Heat-Labile Enterotoxin by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Various conditions affecting the release of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli have been examined. The pH of a defined medium containing three amino acids, M-9 salts, and 0.5% glucose decreased to less than 7.0 in early log phase of growth, and no extracellular LT was detected. Adjustment of the pH at 8 h from 6.0 to 8.0 resulted in a concomitant increase in LT activity in culture supernatants. The release of cell-associated LT was significantly reduced by preincubation with protease inhibitors and increased by preincubation with trypsin. Cell-associated LT was not released by pH adjustment of cells grown at 21°C; however, polymyxin B treatment released a toxin species active in only the pigeon erythrocyte lysate (PEL) assay system. As the growth temperature was increased, polymyxin B released toxin species which exhibited both PEL and Y-1 adrenal tumor cell activity. Polymyxin B extracts of enterotoxigenic E. coli in early log phase grown at 37°C possessed only PEL activity, whereas extracts from cells in late-log and stationary phases had biological activity in both assay systems. Also, LT released by pH adjustment from mid-log to stationary phase was active in both PEL and Y-1 adrenal tumor cell assays. Gel electrophoresis of polymyxin B extracts revealed at least three molecular weight species active in either the PEL (22,000 daltons and 30,000 daltons) or both the PEL and the Y-1 adrenal tumor cell assay (72,000 daltons), depending on the growth temperature. These observations may help to explain the chemical and biological heterogeneity of most LT preparations and facilitate purification of LT by increasing the yield of enterotoxin.