Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Manufacturing and characterization of welded, sintered condensers for a loop heat pipe

A manufacturing process plan was developed for a welded condenser utilizing a sintered wick. Electronic devices have progressed to the point where new designs are limited by the thermal management system used to ensure safe operating temperatures. Coupling the effects of high surface area of multiple condensers, the low thermal resistance of loop heat pipes, and the increased dissipation rates with an integrated fan system, a high efficiency heat exchanger has been previously designed. The multiplecondenser loop heat pipe required reliably manufactured condensers, with specified internal features composed of sinter wick material in order to prevent flooding and flash vaporization; key challenges faced by having multiple condensers in a loop heat pipe. The implementation of a functional sintered bond used to assemble the condenser and a welded flange design for the creation of a hermetic seal, resulted in a more reliable condenser, which functioned in a similar manner to previous designs. Additionally, the performance of the condenser under air restriction was addressed. Thesis Supervisor: Evelyn N. Wang Title: Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Are gastric, jejunal, or both forms of enteral feeding gastroprotective during stress?

BACKGROUND Clinical data suggest enteral nutrition prevents stress ulceration and intragastric nutrients prevent restraint-induced gastric injury. The purpose of these studies was to determine if jejunal nutrients can protect without gastric contact and to determine if gastric pH, motility, or mucosal perfusion is affected. METHODS In Experiment 1, 27 rats were restrained for 2 h at room temperature followed by 2 h in cold (4 degrees C), with intragastric (IG) or intrajejunal (IJ) 2 ml/h infusions of saline or 25% glucose. Gastric lesions, pH, volumes, and glucose concentrations were measured postmortem. In Experiment 2, 23 rats had gastric strain gauges implanted >5 days prior to a 0.5 ml/h IG or IJ infusion during stress. In Experiment 3, 40 rats were anesthetized for laser Doppler measurements of gastric mucosal perfusion and arterial catheter monitoring of systemic hemodynamics. Rats received 0.5-ml boluses of concentrated glucose or saline IG or IJ, and were monitored for 60 min. RESULTS (1) The 2 ml/h IJ and IG glucose infusions prevented gastric injury, but the elevated gastric glucose concentrations suggested equal gastric contact. (2) The 0.5 ml/h glucose IG and IJ infusions decreased gastric injury without reflux of the IJ glucose into the stomach and suppressed stress-induced hypercontractility, but not acidity. (3) Systemic perfusion pressures were unaffected by enteral glucose. IG glucose had little effect on gastric mucosal perfusion, while IJ glucose decreased gastric perfusion within 5 min. CONCLUSIONS These studies show that large volumes of enteral glucose prevent restraint injury but IJ glucose refluxes into the stomach. The gastroprotective effects of small, nonrefluxing volumes of IJ glucose are associated with suppression of stress-induced gastric hypercontractility, but not with suppressed acidity or enhanced perfusion.
Furocoumarin photolysis: chemical and biological aspects

Furocoumarins (psoralens) undergo photolysis when subjected to UVA radiation in solution. Several products are formed, depending on the molecular structure and experimental conditions. Some products are the result of anoxic mechanisms (cyclodimerisation, addition of solvent), others of oxic pathways, leading to oxidised products. The mechanisms thought to underlie photolysis are described and the possible biological relevance of the photoproducts and intermediates is discussed.
Candida dubliniensis does not show phospholipase activity: true or false?

INTRODUCTION The phospholipase activity in Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis isolated from oral candidiasis cases were studied. METHODS The phospholipase activity was evaluated in egg yolk agar. RESULTS All the C. albicans isolates (n = 48) showed phospholipase activity (mean Pz = 0.66). However, none of the C. dubliniensis isolates (n = 24) showed this activity. CONCLUSIONS The authors discuss whether these findings are a true characteristic of C. dubliniensis or a consequence of the methodology employed, which includes the possibility that NaCl may have inhibited the enzymatic activity of C. dubliniensis.
Does Education Pay in Urban China? Estimating Returns to Education Using Twins

This paper empirically estimates the returns to education using twins data that the authors collected from urban China. Our ordinary least-squares estimate shows that one year of schooling increases an individuali¦s earnings by 8.4 percent. However, once we use the within-twin-pair fixed effects model, the return is reduced to 2.7 percent, which suggests that much of the estimated returns to education in China that have been found in previous studies are due to omitted ability or the family effect. This finding suggests that well-educated people are faring well in China mainly because of their superior ability or family background advantages, rather than because of knowledge that they acquired at school. We further investigate why the true return is low and the omitted ability bias high, and find evidence that it may be a consequence of the distinct education system in China, which is highly selective and exam oriented. More specifically, we find that high school education mainly serves as a mechanism to select college students, and has zero returns in terms of earnings. In contrast, both vocational school education and college education have a large return that is comparable to that found in rich Western countries.
The social impact of multiple sclerosis - a study of 305 patients and their relatives

Purpose: to assess the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) on the patients' ability to fulfil their chosen family and social roles and to examine the impact of the disease on their relatives. Methods: a population-based survey of all known patients with MS and their relatives in Hampshire County, England, between 1986 and 1989. Results: Seventy-four % of the total study population of 411 completed the study. The patients' mean age was 48.3 years (range 19-82) and the mean disease duration was 15.8 years. About 16% of patients were depressed on a mood rating scale and a similar number also exhibited symptoms of anxiety. The marital status of most patients had not changed since the onset of MS but 53% of those who were employed at the time of diagnosis gave up their jobs and the standards of living of 37% of patients and their families had declined as a direct result of the disease. The ability to continue in gainful employment or to maintain social contacts and leisure activities correlated with the course and severity of the disease and cognitive function. Most carers reported symptoms that clearly related to organic pathologies, anxiety and symptoms of depression. The occurrence of these symptoms was associated with disease severity. The professional career of 57% of relatives was also adversely affected by the patient's illness. Conclusions: MS has a profound impact on the patients' social roles and their relatives' well-being. In contrast to previous studies, a high divorce / separation rate among patients with MS was not observed. Severe disability and cognitive impairment are predictors of loss of employment, decline in the standards of living and withdrawal from social and leisure activities among patients and are strong indicators of stress among relatives.
Interleukin-6 gene promoter methylation in rheumatoid arthritis and chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND Methylation status of the cytokine genes may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis (CP). This study was undertaken to evaluate whether the DNA methylation profile of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene promoter was unique to individuals with RA and CP. METHODS The study participants consisted of 30 patients with RA, 30 patients with CP, and 30 age-, sex-, and smoking status-balanced healthy controls. Genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood was modified by sodium bisulfite and analyzed for DNA methylation levels of IL-6 gene with direct sequencing. Levels of IL-6 were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS The region of IL-6 gene promoter from -1200 to +27 bp was shown to contain 19 CpG motifs. The methylation levels of the CpG motif at -74 bp were significantly lower in patients with RA and CP than those in controls (P = 0.0001). Both levels of serum IL-6 and IL-6 production by mononuclear cells were significantly different between individuals with and without the methylation at -74 bp (P = 0.03). The +19 bp motif exhibited differential levels of the methylation among the groups, which was not associated with serum levels of IL-6. The other 17 CpG motifs exhibited comparable levels of the methylation between the groups. CONCLUSION These results suggest that hypomethylated status of a single CpG in the IL-6 promoter region may lead to increased levels of serum IL-6, implicating a role in the pathogenesis of RA and CP.
Effects of a question prompt sheet on active patient behaviour: A randomized controlled trial with depressed outpatients

Background: A deeper engagement into medical decision-making is demanded by treatment guidelines for patients with affective disorders. There is to date little evidence on what facilitates active behaviour of patients with depression. In general medicine ‘question prompt sheets’ (QPSs) have been shown to change patients’ behaviour in the consultation and improve treatment satisfaction but there is no evidence for such interventions for mental health settings. Aims: To study the effects of a QPS on active patient behaviour in the consultation. Methods: Randomized controlled trial (involving N = 100 outpatients with depression) evaluating the effects of a QPS on patients’ behaviour in the consultation. Results: The QPS showed no influence on the number of topics raised by patients (p = .13) nor on the external rater’s perception of ‘Who made the decisions in today’s consultation? ’ (p = .50). Conclusions: A QPS did not change depressed patients’ behaviour in the consultation. More complex interventions might be needed to change depressed patients’ behaviour within an established doctor–patient dyad. Patient seminars addressing behavioural aspects have been shown to be effective in other settings and may also be feasible for outpatients with affective disorders.
Fourth-Arm Common-Mode Voltage Mitigation

The adverse effect of common-mode voltage (CMV) in pulse-width modulation inverters is widely acknowledged. Various approaches for mitigating CMV effect in PWM inverters have been proposed in the literature but they either show limited effect or impair the utilization of the drive. This paper proposes an active method for eliminating CMV in multilevel inverters which is independent on the inverter topology or its modulation scheme. In particular, the proposed method does not restrict the modulation index range of the drive. A detailed analysis of the active filter circuitry and a closed-form feed-forward control law are provided. Finally, selected simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the theoretical part.
Manifestations digestives chez le sportif Gastrointestinal disorders in athletes

Trois facteurs physiopathologiques sont clairement identifies comme etant a l’origine des troubles digestifs survenant a l’effort. L’ischemie mesenterique est consideree comme ➤ le facteur determinant de ces manifestations. L’effort physique entraine une augmentation de l’activite sympathique et une diminution de l’activite parasympathique. La stimulation des recepteurs alpha-adrenergiques par augmentation de l’activite sympathique induit une vasoconstriction splanchnique. Il existe alors une redistribution des flux privilegiant les territoires musculaires aux depens, entre autres, des organes digestifs. Ce phenomene, plus communement connu sous le nom de “vol vasculaire”, peut etre objective par echographie doppler. Ainsi, le debit sanguin splanchnique peut passer de 25 % du debit cardiaque au repos a 12 % pour un effort leger et a 3 % pour un effort modere. L’intensite de l’exercice effectue determinera l’importance de la reduction du flux splanchnique : pour un effort Manifestations digestives chez le sportif Gastrointestinal disorders in athletes
Clinical Significance of Pulmonary Aspiration during the Perioperative Period

BackgroundPulmonary aspiration of gastric contents during the perioperative period may be associated with postoperative mortality or pulmonary morbidity. Recent determination of the incidence of perioperative pulmonary aspiration and evaluation of factors related to clinical outcomes is lacking. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the perioperative courses of 172,334 consecutive patients 18 yr of age or older who underwent 215,488 general anesthetics for procedures performed in all surgical specialties from July 1985 to June 1991. Pulmonary aspiration was defined as either the presence of bilious secretions or particulate matter in the tracheobronchial tree or, in patients who did not have their tracheobronchial airways directly examined after regurgitation, the presence of an infiltrate on postoperative chest roentgenogram that was not identified by preoperative roentgenogram or physical examination. ResultsPulmonary aspiration occurred in 67 patients (1: 3,216 anesthetics). Fifteen aspirations occurred in 13,427 (1: 895) anesthetics of patients undergoing emergency surgery, and 52 occurred in 202,061 (1:3,886) anesthetics of patients undergoing elective surgery (P <.001). Of the 66 patients who survived their surgery, 42 (64%) did not develop a cough or wheeze, a decrease in arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation while breathing room air >10% less than the preoperative value, or radiographic abnormalities within 2 h of aspiration. These 42 patients had no respiratory sequelae. Of the 24 patients who had one or more of these findings, 13 required mechanical ventilatory support for more than 6 h. Three of the six patients whose lungs required mechanical ventilation for more than 24 h died from pulmonary insufficiency (overall mortality = 1:71,829 anesthetics). ConclusionsThis study suggests that patients with clinically apparent aspiration who do not develop symptoms within 2 h are unlikely to have respiratory sequelae.
The statins in preventive cardiology.

n engl j med 360;5 nejm.org january 29, 2009 541 concentration is key in the mediation of its cellular effects.4,5 Thus, it will also be important to determine how clinical interventions act on serum concentrations and intracellular levels of uric acid. Oh et al. comment on the potential role of uric acid in congestive heart failure. Space was limited for our review, but we agree that more studies are indicated to determine the role of uric acid in this important cardiovascular condition. Hebert suggests that a more liberal application of hypouricemic therapy would be prudent, given current physiological and epidemiologic data. We agree that “asymptomatic hyperuricemia” may be a misnomer in light of evidence of the link between uric acid and hypertension, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk. Additional clinical trials may determine whether the lowering of uric acid may be beneficial not only in the treatment but also in the prevention of some forms of hypertension. All treatments must be evaluated in terms of both efficacy and side effects. Although allopurinol has been used for more than 40 years, side effects may occur in 1 to 3% of patients and rarely can be life-threatening (www.drugs.com/ pro/allopurinol.html). Given these concerns, we believe that more clinical trials are needed to assess efficacy and potential adverse events before any general treatment recommendations can be made. Daniel I. Feig, M.D., Ph.D.
Cocaine‐Associated Chest Pain

R cocaine use dates back more than 5000 years among the Incas, and since then, its popularity has been waxing and waning. Sigmund Freud popularized the drug in Europe in the late 1800s. Cocaine reached the United States in the early 1900s and its immediate popularity led President Taft to declare it public enemy no. 1 in 1910. Cocaine became popular again in the 1980s and has since reached epidemic proportions. An estimated 23 million persons have used cocaine at least once (30% of men and 20% of women between the ages of 26 and 34 years) and 1.5 million are regular users.1,2 Cocaine produces potent euphoric effects rapidly, which probably explains its popularity; however, its actions on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems can also result in significant morbidity and occasional mortality. In fact, among all illicit drugs, cocaine is responsible for the highest number of emergency room (ER) visits. Cocaine-associated chest pain is the most frequent presenting complaint and accounts for more than 64,000 ER evaluations per year.1,3 Most cocaine users are young and otherwise at a low risk for coronary artery disease; however, there are now more than 200 reported cases of myocardial infarction associated with cocaine use. Consequently, more than 50% of patients with cocaine-associated chest pain evaluated in the ER are admitted to the hospital at a cost approximating $85 million annually.1,3 These numbers reflect cases with documented cocaine use based on toxicology testing and probably underestimate the true public health burden of cocaine abuse, because routine toxicologic screening is not part of chest pain evaluation in most ERs.3 There are distinct pathophysiologic and clinical features of cocaine-associated chest pain that can make the diagnosis and management of such patients challenging. A case recently encountered at the University of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill highlighted some of these issues. We will review this case and outline the current knowledge on the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of cocaine-associated chest pain.
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans suppresses rat natural killer cell activity in vivo

Objective To examine the immune suppressive effect of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) on rat natural killer (NK) cell activity in vivo. Material and Methods Sprague–Dawley rats were given Aa in 2 different manners: (i) by mixing Aa with food at a dose of 108 cells/rat/day for 3 months; or (ii) by a single i.m. injection of live Aa at doses of 106 and 107 cells/rat/day. NK cell activity was measured by means of a 51Cr-release assay using YAC-1 tumor cells as targets. Results Rats that had been infected by Aa mixed with food experienced significant suppression of their NK cell activity; this reached ≈50% of control values at 2 and 3 months post-Aa infection. The suppression in NK cell activity was related to decreases in the extent of conjugate formation between effectors and YAC-1 target tumor cells (51.7%) and the extent of lysis of target cells (75.7%). The results also showed that addition of an admixture of Aa-treated NK cells to the control NK cells caused 75% and 53% decreases in activity at effector:target ratios of 25:1 and 50:1, respectively. In addition, a significant increase in the extent of T-suppressor cells (154.8% of control) was detected at 3 months post-Aa infection. In contrast, the single injection of live bacteria resulted in a remarkable, dose-dependent inhibition of NK cell activity (55% and 71% at doses of 106 and 107 cells/rat/day, respectively) as early as 2 days post-treatment. This also reflected significant suppression in the effector:target conjugate formation ratio (52% of control). The data also revealed a 150–188% increase in the number of splenic lymphocytes post-Aa injection. These effects were transient and normal levels were re-established by the fifth day. Conclusion Aa treatment causes suppression of NK cell activity and the mode of action may be due to induction of T-suppressor cells or dilution of NK cells with other lymphoid cell populations. The degree of suppression is affected by the way in which Aa is introduced to the host. These results may contribute to the understanding of how Aa evades host defense.
Finite element modeling of 3 D turning of titanium

The finite element modeling and experimental validation of 3D turning of grade two commercially pure titanium are presented. The Third Wave AdvantEdge machining simulation software is applied for the finite element modeling. Machining experiments are conducted. The measured cutting forces and chip thickness are compared to finite element modeling results with good agreement. The effects of cutting speed, a limiting factor for productivity in titanium machining, depth of cut, and tool cutting edge radius on the peak tool temperature are investigated. This study explores the use of 3D finite element modeling to study the chip curl. Reasonable agreement is observed under turning with small depth of cut. The chip segmentation with shear band formation during the Ti machining process is investigated. The spacing between shear bands in the Ti chip is comparable with experimental measurements. Results of this research help to guide the design of new cutting tool materials and coatings and the studies of chip formation to further advance the productivity of titanium machining.
Replication of adeno-associated virus in synchronized cells without the addition of a helper virus

We investigated the helper-independent replication of adeno-associated virus (AAV) in cells synchronized by pretreatment with hydroxyurea, reversal of polyamine depletion, or physical mitotic detachment. In Chinese hamster cells (OD4 line) treated with hydroxyurea prior to infection. AAV underwent a complete cycle of replication. Transfection of such cells with plasmid-cloned AAV DNAs also gave rise to infectious viral progeny. Synchronization of OD4 cells by reversal of polyamine depletion or mitotic detachment led to independent AAV DNA synthesis (and infectious viral progeny in the case of the former procedure), but these procedures were not as effective as hydroxyurea pretreatment. Independent AAV DNA synthesis was also detected in some other cell lines of Chinese hamster, human, and monkey origin treated with hydroxyurea prior to infection. The results demonstrate that, in contrast to previous notions, the AAV infectious process is not absolutely dependent upon the addition of a coinfecting helper virus.
Reduced Apoptosis Rates in Human Schwannomas

Schwannomas, tumors originating from Schwann cells, represent a frequent neurological tumor and can occur both in a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and sporadically. In both cases the genetic background is identical as all schwannomas are caused by biallelic mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF2 coding for merlin. Mutations in this gene have also been found to be responsible for 50% to 60% of spontaneous and 100% of the NF2 associated meningiomas. The NF2 gene product, merlin, links transmembrane proteins to the cytoskeleton and is involved in intracellular signaling processes. It has previously been shown that reexpression of wild‐type merlin in primary human schwannoma cells leads to an increase in the number of apoptotic cells. Here, we report in vivo and in vitro evidence that the basal apoptosis rate of primary human schwannoma cells is reduced in comparison to that of normal Schwann cells, supporting the idea that in this benign tumor type, apoptosis has a role in tumorigenesis.