Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-linear modelling of multilayer piezoelectric actuators in non-trivial configurations based on actuator design parameters and piezoelectric material properties

Current models of non-linear electromechanical behaviours of piezoactuators are mostly intended for actuator configurations where the strain of the piezoelectric material is directly used as the linear output. On the other hand, in the design of piezoactuators, there exist non-trivial configurations where the internal strains of the piezoelectric materials manifest externally in the form of bending and curving rather than simple elongation or contraction, it is also important to predict the non-linear performance of the actuator based on the design parameters. Therefore, it is the intent of this article to present a model that enables calculation of the quasi-static mechanical response of piezoelectric multilayer actuators in non-trivial configurations. It is based on the polarization hysteresis loop and butterfly curve of its constituent piezoelectric material. Using an energy-based formulation, the model takes into account the non-piezoelectric sections as well as the mechanical boundary conditions of the actuator. Furthermore, a three-layer lead zirconium titanate bimorph with both ends clamped is considered in this study. Model calculation of its relationship between input voltage V and midpoint vertical displacement X is carried out based on ferroelectric hysteresis data of the bimorph material from the literature. The calculation results are then validated by measurements.
Functional Gene Polymorphisms in Aggressive and Chronic Periodontitis

There is strong evidence that genetic as well as environmental factors affect the development of periodontitis, and some suggestion that aggressive and chronic forms of the disease share the same genetic predisposition. This study addresses the hypothesis that there are both shared and unique genetic associations in these forms of periodontitis. A sample of 51 patients with aggressive disease, 57 patients with chronic disease, and 100 healthy controls was recruited for this study. Ten functional polymorphisms in 7 candidate genes were genotyped. The results show statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences between genotype frequencies in aggressive and controls (IL-1B +3954 & IL-6 −174); chronic and controls (IL-6 −174 & VDR −1056); chronic and aggressive periodontitis (IL-1A −889); and periodontitis as a whole and controls (VDR −1056, TLR-4 399 & IL-6 −174). These results suggest that there are in fact both shared and unique genetic associations in aggressive and chronic periodontitis.
Survey on Three Reranking Models for Discriminative Parsing

This survey is inspired by the so-called reranking techniques in natural language processing (NLP). The aim of this survey is to provide an overview of three main reranking tasks particularly for discriminative parsing. We will focus on the motivation for discriminative reranking, on the three models, boosting model, support vector machine (SVM) model and voted perceptron model, on the procedures and on the comparisons between different reranking approaches.
Surgical leadership in Africa – challenges and opportunities

Abstract Surgical care has been described as one of the Cinderellas in the global health development agenda, taking a backseat to public health, child health, and infectious diseases. In the midst of such competing health-care needs, surgical care, often viewed by policy makers as luxurious and the preserve of the rich, gets relegated to the bottom of priority lists. In the meantime, infectious disease, malnutrition, and other ailments, viewed as largely affecting the poor and disadvantaged in society, get embedded in national health plans, receiving substantial funding and public health program development. It is often stated that the main reason for this sad state of affairs in surgical care is the lack of political will to improve matters in the health sector. Indeed, in 2001, the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health concluded that the lack of political will to sufficiently increase spending on health at the sub-national, national, and international levels was perhaps the most critical barrier to improving health in low-income countries. However, at the root of this lack of political will is a lack of political priority for surgical care.
The Use of Framing in Inventory Decisions

Research has demonstrated that people often use decision criteria other than expected profit. This paper uses "framing" to investigate whether this phenomenon occurs in inventory decisions. Risk reflection is a human decision bias where questions that are framed to emphasize gain often induce risk averse behavior while those emphasizing loss often induce risk seeking behavior. The Newsvendor inventory decision provides a simple case to test whether this occurs in Operations Management situations. We frame the decision emphasizing first profit and then cost. Surprisingly, the expected results do not occur. To investigate why, we start with the initial work on framing and increase the complexity of the situation to gain insight into behavioral reactions. In the process we discuss both the relevance of the findings and some of the difficulties inherent in behavioral research in Operations Management.
mDia2 regulates actin and focal adhesion dynamics and organization in the lamella for efficient epithelial cell migration

Cell migration requires spatial and temporal regulation of filamentous actin (F-actin) dynamics. This regulation is achieved by distinct actin-associated proteins, which mediate polymerization, depolymerization, severing, contraction, bundling or engagement to the membrane. Mammalian Diaphanous-related (mDia) formins, which nucleate, processively elongate, and in some cases bundle actin filaments, have been extensively studied in vitro, but their function in the cell has been less well characterized. Here we study the role of mDia2 activity in the dynamic organization of F-actin in migrating epithelial cells. We find that mDia2 localizes in the lamella of migrating epithelial cells, where it is involved in the formation of a stable pool of cortical actin and in maintenance of polymerization-competent free filament barbed ends at focal adhesions. Specific inhibition of mDia2 alters focal adhesion turnover and reduces migration velocity. We suggest that the regulation of filament assembly dynamics at focal adhesions may be necessary for the formation of a stable pool of cortical lamella actin and the proper assembly and disassembly dynamics of focal adhesions, making mDia2 an important factor in epithelial cell migration.
Acid-Adaptive Genes of Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is the only neutralophile that has been able to colonize the human stomach by using a variety of acid-adaptive mechanisms. One of the adaptive mechanisms is increased buffering due to expression of an acid-activated inner membrane urea channel, UreI, and a neutral pH-optimum intrabacterial urease. To delineate other possible adaptive mechanisms, changes in gene expression in response to acid exposure were examined using genomic microarrays of H. pylori exposed to different levels of external pH (7.4, 6.2, 5.5, and 4.5) for 30 min in the absence and presence of 5 mM urea. Gene expression was correlated with intrabacterial pH measured using 2′,7′-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-carboxyfluorescein and compared to that observed with exposure to 42°C for 30 min. Microarrays containing the 1,534 open reading frames of H. pylori strain 26695 were hybridized with cDNAs from control (pH 7.4; labeled with Cy3) and acidic (labeled with Cy5) conditions. The intrabacterial pH was 8.1 at pH 7.4, fell to 5.3 at pH 4.5, and rose to 6.2 with urea. About 200 genes were up-regulated and ∼100 genes were down-regulated at pH 4.5 in the absence of urea, and about half that number changed in the presence of urea. These genes included pH-homeostatic, transcriptional regulatory, motility, cell envelope, and pathogenicity genes. The up-regulation of some pH-homeostatic genes was confirmed by real-time PCR. There was little overlap with the genes induced by temperature stress. These results suggest that H. pylori has evolved multifaceted acid-adaptive mechanisms enabling it to colonize the stomach that may be novel targets for eliminating infection.
BODIPY-based fluorescent liposomes with sesquiterpene lactone trilobolide

Like thapsigargin, which is undergoing clinical trials, trilobolide is a natural product with promising anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Similar to thapsigargin, it has limited aqueous solubility that strongly reduces its potential medicinal applications. The targeted delivery of hydrophobic drugs can be achieved using liposome-based carriers. Therefore, we designed a traceable liposomal drug delivery system for trilobolide. The fluorescent green-emitting dye BODIPY, cholesterol and trilobolide were used to create construct 6. The liposomes were composed of dipalmitoyl-3-trimethylammoniumpropane and phosphatidylethanolamine. The whole system was characterized by atomic force microscopy, the average size of the liposomes was 150 nm in width and 30 nm in height. We evaluated the biological activity of construct 6 and its liposomal formulation, both of which showed immunomodulatory properties in primary rat macrophages. The uptake and intracellular distribution of construct 6 and its liposomal formulation was monitored by means of live-cell fluorescence microscopy in two cancer cell lines. The encapsulation of construct 6 into the liposomes improved the drug distribution in cancer cells and was followed by cell death. This new liposomal trilobolide derivative not only retains the biological properties of pure trilobolide, but also enhances the bioavailability, and thus has potential for the use in theranostic applications.
Physical Activity and Risk of Colon and Rectal Cancers: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

We investigated several aspects of the role of physical activity in colon and rectal cancer etiology that remain unclear in the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer. This cohort of 413,044 men and women had 1,094 cases of colon and 599 cases of rectal cancer diagnosed during an average of 6.4 years of follow-up. We analyzed baseline data on occupational, household, and recreational activity to examine associations by type of activity, tumor subsite, body mass index (BMI), and energy intake. The multivariate hazard ratio for colon cancer was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.59-1.03] among the most active participants when compared with the inactive, with evidence of a dose-response effect (Ptrend = 0.04). For right-sided colon tumors, the risk was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.43-1.00) in the highest quartile of activity with evidence of a linear trend (Ptrend = 0.004). Active participants with a BMI under 25 had a risk of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.39-1.01) for colon cancer compared with the inactive. Finally, an interaction between BMI and activity (Pinteraction = 0.03) was observed for right-sided colon cancers; among moderately active and active participants with a BMI under 25, a risk of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.21-0.68) was found as compared with inactive participants with BMI >30. No comparable decreased risks were observed for rectal cancer for any type of physical activity for any subgroup analyses or interactions considered. We found that physical activity reduced colon cancer risk, specifically for right-sided tumors and for lean participants, but not rectal cancer. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(12):2398–407)
Pediatric transplantation and tolerance: Past, present, and future

Solid organ transplantation is the treatment of choice in children with end‐stage organ failure. With improving methods of transplant surgery and post‐transplant care, transplantation is more frequently performed worldwide. However, lifelong and non‐specific suppression of the recipient's immune system is a cause of significant morbidity in children, including infection, diabetes, and cancer. There is a great need to develop IS minimization/withdrawal and tolerance induction approaches.
Epitaxial graphene prepared by chemical vapor deposition on single crystal thin iridium films on sapphire

Uniform single layer graphene was grown on single-crystal Ir films a few nanometers thick which were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on sapphire wafers. These graphene layers have a single crystallographic orientation and a very low density of defects, as shown by diffraction, scanning tunnelling microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Their structural quality is as high as that of graphene produced on Ir bulk single crystals, i.e., much higher than on metal thin films used so far.
Active Damping Stabilization for High-Speed BLDCM Drive System Based on Band-Pass Filter

The tight-speed regulation of the motor drive system can yield constant power load characteristics, which may lead to a negative admittance effect and destabilize the power supply. In order to overcome this problem, active damping compensation techniques have been widely used. However, the conventional active stabilization based on the low-pass filter combined with current reference injecting need a strong tradeoff between achieving effective active compensation and reducing the dynamic coupling. For this reason, a novel active damping compensation method based on the band-pass filter is proposed in this paper. The method is to feedback a portion of the dc-link voltage changes into the injecting nodes. Both the strategies of the current reference stage injecting and the voltage reference stage injecting have been analyzed. Simulation results show that the strategy of voltage reference injecting can avoid the coupling among system dynamics and the compensator. Finally, an experimental driveline platform based on the two identical high-speed magnetically suspended brushless DC motors coupling system is established. Experiential results verify the effectiveness of the proposed active stabilization method.
Mobile Multihop Ad Hoc Networks: Simulation and Study

In this work we propose the use of more detailed graphics to study the performance of routing protocols for mobile multihop ad hoc networks when studying the feasibility of providing quality of service to upper layer real--time applications. Classic success ratio and round trip time curves provide important parameters to study and compare routing protocols, but they also mask valuable information about the evolution of the network. This masquerading is due to the averaging techniques used in classic curves. The dynamic behavior of the network makes these curves inappropriate when analyzing routing protocols with quality of service constraints. In order to obtain more detailed graphics, we propose the use of time windows and discrimination of the results on a per link basis. Our proposal provides better comprehension of the routing protocol characteristics and its applicability to quality of service in mobile multihop ad hoc networks.
Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibition Alleviates Experimental Diabetic Sensory Neuropathy

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation is emerging as a fundamental mechanism in the pathogenesis of diabetes complications including diabetic neuropathy. This study evaluated the role of PARP in diabetic sensory neuropathy. The experiments were performed in control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with or without the PARP inhibitor 1,5-isoquinolinediol (ISO; 3 mg · kg−1 · day−1 i.p.) for 2 weeks after 2 weeks without treatment. Diabetic rats developed thermal hyperalgesia (assessed by paw-withdrawal and tail-flick tests), mechanical hyperalgesia (von Frey anesthesiometer/rigid filaments and Randall-Sellito tests), tactile allodynia (flexible von Frey filaments), and increased flinching behavior in phases 1 and 2 of the 2% formalin pain test. They also had clearly manifest increase in nitrotyrosine and poly(ADP-ribose) immunoreactivities in the sciatic nerve and increased superoxide formation (hydroxyethidine method) and nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity in vasa nervorum. ISO treatment alleviated abnormal sensory responses, including thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and tactile allodynia as well as exaggerated formalin flinching behavior in diabetic rats, without affecting the aforementioned variables in the control group. Poly(ADP-ribose) and, to a lesser extent, nitrotyrosine abundance in sciatic nerve, as well as superoxide and nitrotyrosine formation in vasa nervorum, were markedly reduced by ISO therapy. Apoptosis in dorsal root ganglion neurons (transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay) was not detected in any of the groups. In conclusion, PARP activation contributes to early diabetic sensory neuropathy by mechanisms that may include oxidative stress but not neuronal apoptosis.
Myocardial imaging using 43K and the gamma camera.

Although myocardial imaging with 43K and the rectilinear scanner has been shown to evaluate regional myocardial perfusion reliably, attempts to duplicate these results using a gamma camera have not been satisfactory, primarily due to collimator penetration by higher-energy gamma rays. Satisfactory images were obtained when the pinhole collimator was fitted with a small insert and additional lead shielding was placed between the collimator and the patient.
Biomechanical properties of ciprofloxacin loaded bone cement.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical properties of bone cement used in joint replacement surgery after the addition of ciprofloxacin. METHODS The first group received bone cement only and served as a control for the 4 groups where 500 mg, 1000 mg, 1500 mg and 2000 mg of ciprofloxacin were added to yield 40 g of bone cement. Axial compression tests were conducted using a 50,000 Newton capacity tension-compression testing device. RESULTS While axial compression strength at failure was 80.2±4.3 MPa in the control group, values in the ciprofloxacin-treated groups decreased with rising concentration of ciprofloxacin to 74.5±5.4 MPa, 70.6±4.8 MPa, 70.5±4.7 MPa, and 69.3±3.4 MPa. CONCLUSION Bone cement with addition of 500 to 1500 mg ciprofloxacin maintained mechanical axial strength values above 70.0 MPa recommended by American Society for Testing and Materials and can be safely used in joint replacement surgery.
The Inflation-Hedging Performance and Risk-Return Characteristics of Residential Property Investments in Gombe, Nigeria

Purpose: This study aims at investigating the inflation-hedging performance of residential property investments in Gombe metropolis Nigeria.Design/Methodology/Approach: Questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain primary data on rental and capital values of residential properties from branch managers of Estate Surveying and Valuation Firms in the study area, this was subsequently translated to total returns. Similarly, secondary data with respect to the Nigerian Consumer Price Index (CPI) which was used as a proxy for actual inflation and the 90-day Treasury bill rates (used as proxy for unexpected inflation) for the period between 2003 and 2012 were also collected from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) respectively. The unexpected inflation was calculated as the difference between the actual and expected inflation. The 3 groups of data obtained for the study were subjected to Phillip-Perron unit root test as well as the Odinary Least Square Regression analysis.Findings: The study revealed that the inflation-hedging performance of residential property investments in Gombe metropolis vis-a-vis the actual inflation provides a partial hedge (with beta 0.061), vis-a-vis the expected inflation provides a complete hedge (with beta 0.678) and vis-a-vis the unexpected inflation provides a perverse hedge (with beta -0.454). Practical Implications: Inflation-hedging performance of investment asset classes is of particular interest to investors. The results of this study can be useful for investment forecasts as well as investment decisions on asset types to include in portfolios as a measure for protecting investors’ earnings from erosion by inflation.Originality/Value: Research work on the subject of inflation-hedging capabilities in Nigeria majorly focused on commercial real estate and stocks in the Southwestern region of Nigeria. This study expanded the scope of the inflation-hedging literature by empirically investigating the inflation hedging performance of residential real estate investments in Northern Nigeria (Gombe metropolis).
Type 1 CD4+ T-Cell Help Is Required for Induction of Antipeptide Multispecific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes by a Lipopeptidic Vaccine in Rhesus Macaques

ABSTRACT We have optimized the induction of antiviral cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in rhesus macaques by a lipopeptide vaccine containing seven peptides from simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Nef and Gag proteins and a strong T-helper peptide from tetanus toxoid (TT) that is promiscuous in humans (peptide TT 830-846). Two of the eight immunized macaques showed T-helper (Th) cell proliferation and a specific synthesis of gamma interferon in response to TT 830-846 peptide. They also showed multispecific cytotoxic activity against three to five of the immunizing SIV peptides. These results show the importance of a strong specific type 1 Th response for inducing a multispecific CTL response in vivo, which is essential for the development of an anti-human immunodeficiency virus vaccine.
Sensorized Glove for Measuring Hand Finger Flexion for Rehabilitation Purposes

Over the last 30 years, scientific and technological progress has boosted the development of medical devices that can assist patients and support medical staff. With regard to the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from traumas, robotic systems can be an aid for rapid patient recovery. This paper focuses on studying and implementing a system for measuring the finger position of one hand with the aim of giving feedback to the rehabilitation system. It consists of a glove where sensors are mounted suitably configured and connected to an electronic conditioning and acquisition unit. The information regarding the position is then sent to a remote system. The objective of this paper is to provide a sensorized glove for monitoring the rehabilitation activities of the hand. The glove can have several other applications such as: 1) the recognition of sign language; 2) the diagnostic measurement of the finger movement at a distance; and 3) the interaction with virtual reality.
Report of the Independent Expert on the Issue of Human Rights Obligations Relating to the Enjoyment of a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment: Mission to Costa Rica

In the present report, the UN Independent Expert on human rights and the environment gives his findings and makes recommendations on the basis of his visit to the Republic of Costa Rica from 28 July to 1 August 2013. During the visit, he examined how the country was implementing human rights related to environmental protection, identified good practices and lessons learned, and considered the challenges the country faces in the implementation of environmentally related human rights.