Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toughening Elastomers with Sacrificial Bonds and Watching Them Break

Toughening Up Elastomers Elastomers are soft polymer materials widely used in industry and daily life. Inspired by recent work on double-network hydrogels, Ducrot et al. (p. 186; see the Perspective by Gong) designed interpenetrated network elastomers that contained isotropically prestretched chains as the first network. Double- and triple-network structures yielded elastomers with very high strength and toughness in comparison with the corresponding single networks. Network elastomers based on hydrogel structures show increased toughness through the incorporation of sacrificial bonds. [Also see Perspective by Gong] Elastomers are widely used because of their large-strain reversible deformability. Most unfilled elastomers suffer from a poor mechanical strength, which limits their use. Using sacrificial bonds, we show how brittle, unfilled elastomers can be strongly reinforced in stiffness and toughness (up to 4 megapascals and 9 kilojoules per square meter) by introducing a variable proportion of isotropically prestretched chains that can break and dissipate energy before the material fails. Chemoluminescent cross-linking molecules, which emit light as they break, map in real time where and when many of these internal bonds break ahead of a propagating crack. The simple methodology that we use to introduce sacrificial bonds, combined with the mapping of where bonds break, has the potential to stimulate the development of new classes of unfilled tough elastomers and better molecular models of the fracture of soft materials.
Differences in the chemical composition and carbohydrate metabolism of Echinococcus granulosus (horse and sheep strains) and E. multilocularis

Summary Metabolic studies in vitro and studies on chemical composition indicate basic biochemical differences between the horse and sheep strains of Echinococcus granulosus and between these and the closely related species, E. multilocularis. The horse strain of E. granulosus has a similar level of DNA, but significantly more polysaccharides and lipids, with less RNA and protein than the sheep strain. E. multilocularis has significantly more lipids and DNA but less polysaccharides than the horse and sheep strains of E. granulosus, more RNA and protein than the horse strain but similar protein to and less RNA than the sheep strain. Incubations under air and under 95% N2-5% CO2 for 3 h show that only E. multilocularis takes up glucose, that all three forms consume different amounts of oxygen and endogenous glycogen and produce different concentrations of lactate, succinate, acetate, malate, pyruvate, propionate and ethanol as end products of carbohydrate metabolism.
Line x tester analysis across locations and years in Sudanese x exotic lines of forage sorghum

Combining ability in forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] was not as much investigated as in grain sorghum. In the present study, 4 local stocks (Testers) and 7 exotic stocks in A3 cytoplasm were crossed in line x tester fashion to investigate combining ability in forage sorghum. The hybrids and their parents were evaluated across two years (2002 - 2003) and at two locations in Khartoum State, Sudan. Forage yield, days to flower, plant height, leaf to stem ratio and stem diameter were studied. Significant general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects in desirable direction were detected for most traits. The best general combiners for forage yield and earliness in flowering were identified. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were important in the expression of all characters with the preponderance of additive actions for days to flower, forage yield, stem diameter, leaf to stem ratio and non-additive actions for plant height. GCA effects were more stable over years than specific ones. Selection in early generations was suggested for characters predominately controlled by additive genes. Heterosis breeding was recommended for forage yield improvement. For leaf to stem ratio, selection must be based on more genetically diverse materials. Key words: A3 cytoplasm, additive, ankolib, combining ability, islang, hybrid sorghum, shambat.
Combination therapy an ACE inhibitor and an angiotensin receptor blocker for IgA nephropathy: a meta‐analysis

Objective: The pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is still unknown. Combination therapy with angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) plus angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) might provide more benefits to IgAN patients. We conducted a systematic review to assess the efficacy of combination therapy for IgAN.
Basic evaluation of signal transmission coil in transcutaneous magnetic telemetry system for artificial hearts

In implantable medical devices such as artificial hearts, it is important to communicate device control and monitoring signals across the skin for its stable operation. Using the signal transmission coil pairs we have proposed, we studied through measurements and experiments the best carrier frequency, based on the frequency characteristics of the L/C resonance circuit that inherits in the coil geometry.
Diversification Benefits of Sector Investments in Indian Capital Market

Since inception of sector indices in India there hasn’t been sufficient and adequate study done to understand the benefits of sector investments and their diversification. This paper analysis the risk, return and diversification benefits of Indian sector investments. Fast moving consumer goods (BSE-FMCG), consumer durable (BSE-CD), health care (BSE-HC), and automobile (BSE-AUTO) sectors have outperformed the benchmark as well as other sectors and have provided positive alpha. But, the sectors like banking (BANKEX), technology (BSE-TECH), oil and gas (BSE-OILGAS), infotech (BSE-INFOTECH), and metal (BSE-METAL) had negative alphas. Mean variance optimization analysis indicates that fast moving consumer goods (48.04%), consumer durable (47.37%), and health care (4.56%) sectors should have maximized the risk adjusted performance measures (Sharpe Ratio, Trenor’s Ratio, Information Ratio).
The operative treatment of full thickness cartilage defects in the knee joint with autologous chondrocyte transplantation.

OBJECTIVE The high clinical and socio-economical impact of cartilage defects and chondral degeneration is well-known. After trauma or without a known etiology, often young patients suffer from pain and a loss of function leading into a decrease of physical activity and, more severe, into long term disability and unemployment. The clinical use of autologous chondrocyte transplantation was introduced in 1994 reporting the data of a pilot study. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of this method of surgery. METHODS Autologous chondrocyte transplantation has been established in our department since 1995 for the treatment of large, full thickness cartilage defects which can be completely covered with hyaline-like cartilage without harming the subchondral bone plate. Our first patients (n=24) all showed Grade IV lesions and an average defect size of 6.27 cm2. All but 4 of the patients had at least 1 cartilage defect related operation on the knee. RESULTS The patients and the clinicians rating indicated an increase of a modified Cincinnati Knee score from 3.6 point pre-operation to 6.9 points after 6 months and 8.1 points at 12 months on a scale from 1 (bad) to 10 (excellent). These results support the data of an international multicenter study with almost 2000 patients. The 5 year results described by the originate authors are good to excellent in 85%-95% with an adverse event rate of 5%. CONCLUSION Autologous chondrocyte transplantation has to be considered a safe and effective method for the treatment of large full thickness cartilage defects. Alternative treatments are symptomatical: drilling, abrasion, lavage, chondroplasty, or osteotomies. The short term results are promising but a lot of patients have to be treated for osteoarthritis as a consequence of failure with total joint arthroplasty. Osteochondral transplantations have the disadvantage of limited harvesting sites and the impairment of the subchondral bone plate.
Version 6.0.1, Anyone? An Investigation of Consumer Software Upgrading Behavior

Software upgrades are unique “modular” products in that they are neither new nor are they repeat purchases. This study sought to identify consumer attributes related to their upgrading likelihood for word processing and spreadsheet software used at home. Surveys incorporating questions related to the study were given to a sample of individual consumers. Individuals more likely to upgrade software tended to be those who 1) attached symbolic or status value to upgrading, 2) perceived themselves to be software experts, or 3) found the upgraded software to be of great value relative to the cost of upgrading. Females showed a greater inclination to upgrade than males. Managerial implications of these findings for targeting, segmentation, positioning, and promotion are also discussed.
Improving Culinary Education by Examining the Green Culinary Behaviors of Hospitality College Students

ABSTRACT This study developed a checklist and used it to examine the green culinary behaviors of college students to improve culinary education. A total of 64 hospitality students were recruited to participate in a designed cooking competition, and a structured nonparticipant observation method was used to collect data on the culinary behaviors of the participants. A culinary behavior checklist was developed that comprised 14 items allocated to five dimensions: energy saving, water saving, waste reduction, chemical pollution reduction, and recycling. According to the observation results, most of the nongreen culinary behaviors were performed by participants. Among these nongreen behaviors, discarding reusable ingredients as kitchen waste was the most severe (28.8% of ingredients were considered kitchen waste and discarded), followed by failing to categorize waste correctly and using dish detergents directly without dilution. Some suggestions for enhancing catering and culinary education are made based on the research results.
Assessing quantitative post‐mortem changes in the gray matter of the human frontal cortex proteome by 2‐D DIGE

The number of proteomics studies concerning human brain samples has been increasing in recent years, in particular in the discovery of biomarkers for neurological diseases. The human brain samples are obtained from brain banks, which are interested in providing high quality human nervous tissue. In order to provide brain banks as well as scientists working in the proteomics field with measures for tissue quality, the critical factors after death, the effect of post‐mortem interval (PMI) and storage temperature on the human brain proteome were investigated. This study was focused on the gray matter of the frontal cortex. The PMI was artificially prolonged from the time of autopsy (2 h after death) by storing samples at 4°C or room temperature over 18, 24, and 48 h. The samples were analyzed by 2‐D DIGE using a pH 4–7 gradient, revealing a time course of quantitative protein changes. The degradation of three proteins, peroxiredoxin‐1, stathmin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein were further confirmed by Western‐blot analysis. Proteins vulnerable to PMI were analyzed by the 2‐D DIGE analysis of cortex samples from three donors, and were derived from a variety of functional groups, including metabolic, structural, stress response, antioxidants, synaptosomal, and neuronal proteins.
Carbon Monoxide Releasing Pharmaceuticals

Carbon monoxide (CO) was ignored by the medical research community for decades, who thought that no biological relevance could emerge from exploring the physiological effects of a gas that had earned itself a reputation over the years as a ‘silent killer’ [2] . The well-known poisoning by carbon monoxide is a result of it binding to Hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier in blood with very high affinity. Against this dogma is the fact that every cell in a mammalian organism expresses Heme Oxygenase (HO) enzymes and thus has the potential to continuously generate CO [4] .
Insulin-like growth factor-I activates gene transcription programs strongly associated with poor breast cancer prognosis.

PURPOSE Substantial evidence implicates insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) signaling in the development and progression of breast cancer. To more clearly elucidate the role of IGF in human breast cancer, we identified and then examined gene expression patterns of IGF-I-treated breast cancer cells. METHODS MCF-7 cells were stimulated with IGF-I for 3 or 24 hours and were profiled for greater than 22,000 RNA transcripts. We defined an IGF-I signature pattern of more than 800 genes that were up- or downregulated at both time points. The gene signature was examined in clinical breast tumors and in experimental models that represented other oncogenic pathways. The signature was correlated with clinical and pathologic variables and with patient outcome. RESULTS IGF-I caused temporal changes in gene expression that were strongly associated with cell proliferation, metabolism, and DNA repair. Genes with early and sustained regulation by IGF-I were highly enriched for transcriptional targets of the estrogen receptor (ER), Ras/extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. In three large, independent data sets of profiled human breast tumors, the IGF-I signature was manifested in the majority of ER-negative breast tumors and in a subset (approximately 25%) of ER-positive breast tumors. Patients who had tumors that manifested the IGF-I signature (including patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy) had a shorter time to a poor outcome event. The IGF gene signature was highly correlated with numerous poor prognostic factors and was one of the strongest indicators of disease outcome. CONCLUSION Transcriptional targets of IGF-I represent pathways of increased aggressiveness and possibly hormone independence in clinical breast cancers.
Insulin in general practice - barriers and enablers for timely initiation.

BACKGROUND Insulin is effective at lowering blood glucose, and most people with type 2 diabetes need insulin within 10 years of diagnosis. However, initiating insulin is often delayed in general practice. This study explores barriers and enablers to insulin initiation in general practice. METHOD A qualitative study using semistructured, in-depth interviews. Ten general practitioners, four diabetes nurse educators and 12 patients were interviewed. Participants were purposively selected and recruited through snowballing. Data analysis drew on the Normalisation Process Model framework. RESULTS The understanding of the primary aim of diabetes care and its context (improving pathophysiology, complex multimorbidity, the patient-doctor relationship, impact of living with the condition) was important. There was disagreement and uncertainty about whose role it is to initiate insulin. It was also important whether insulin initiation was conceptualised as a simple, protocol driven intervention, or as a complex and demanding addition to an overwhelming clinical picture. DISCUSSION Insulin initiation seems more likely if the multiple perspectives on the primary aim of clinical care are acknowledged, and if roles are explicitly discussed and clarified.
A Research Journey into Entrepreneurial Finance

The aim of this chapter is to discuss entrepreneurial finance in the realm of modern entrepreneurship. We focus in particular on two forms of public entrepreneurial finance: IPOs and crowdfunding. We explain the evolution of IPO research and identify how research on crowdfunding might evolve. Our perspective with regard to crowdfunding is that of a parallel between this equity crowdfunding and IPOs, as research on the former might draw models and intuitions from that on the latter.
Performance modeling of Indian business schools: a DEA‐neural network approach

Purpose – The main purpose of the present study is to develop an integrated approach combining data envelopment analysis (DEA) and neural network (NN) for assessment and prediction of performance of Indian B‐schools for effective decision making as error and biasness due to human intervention in decision making is appreciably reduced.Design/methodology/approach – DEA, being a robust mathematical tool, has been employed to evaluate the efficiency of B‐schools. DEA, basically, takes into account the input and output components of a decision‐making unit (DMU) to calculate technical efficiency (TE). TE is treated as an indicator for performance of DMUs and comparison has been made among them. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to study robustness of the ranking of schools obtained through DEA. Finally, NN is used to predict the efficiency when changes in inputs are caused due to market dynamism so that effective strategies can be evolved by the managers with limited available data.Findings – A total .
Human Chronotype Is Determined in Bodily Cells Under Real-Life Conditions

Individuals differ in their preferred timing of sleep and activity, which is referred to as a chronotype. The timing shows a wide distribution; extremely early chronotypes may wake up when the extremely late chronotypes fall asleep. The chronotype is supposed to be determined by the central circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus because the phasing of the pineal melatonin rhythm, which is driven by the SCN, correlates with the sleep timing preference. In addition to the SCN, circadian oscillators are also present in most if not all bodily cells. These peripheral clocks are synchronized by the central SCN clock and by other tissue-specific entraining cues. At the molecular level, the circadian oscillations are based on a complex, self-sustaining mechanism that drives the rhythmical expression of clock genes and their proteins. The aim of the present field study was to elucidate whether the changes in the internal timing of early and late chronotypes, as expressed by changes in the phases of their mid-sleep and melatonin secretion, can also be detected at the molecular clockwork level in subjects examined under real-life conditions. Ninety-five adult volunteers were chronotyped using an adapted Munich chronotype questionnaire to assess their mid-sleep phase, and 6 subjects with early chronotypes and 6 with late chronotypes were chosen for the study. For the assessment of the circadian phase, the subjects provided samples of saliva for the melatonin assay and samples of oral mucosa for the determination of clock gene Per1, Per2, and Rev-erbα mRNA levels every 4 h during a 24-h period. The significant correlation between the phase of the melatonin profile and timing of mid-sleep confirmed the classification of the subjects according to their chronotype. The circadian phases of the Per1, Per2, and Rev-erbα expression profiles in the oral mucosa were advanced in the early chronotypes compared with those in the late chronotypes (p < .001) and correlated significantly with the mid-sleep phase of the individual subjects. Moreover, the circadian phases of the Per1 expression profiles of individual subjects correlated significantly with the phases of their melatonin profiles (p < .05), whereas the correlation for the Per2 and Rev-erbα phases was nonsignificant, although the trend was the same. Our results demonstrate that the individual chronotype in humans living in real-life conditions affects not only the phasing of the daily melatonin rhythm in saliva but also the phasing of Per1, Per2, and Rev-erbα clock gene expression profiles in buccal mucosa cells. This report represents the first demonstration that the human peripheral circadian clock may sense the individual's chronotype under field study conditions. The data contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying human chronotypes in real life. (Author correspondence: sumova@biomed.cas.cz)
The MIREX grand challenge: A framework of holistic user‐experience evaluation in music information retrieval

Music Information Retrieval (MIR) evaluation has traditionally focused on system‐centered approaches where components of MIR systems are evaluated against predefined data sets and golden answers (i.e., ground truth). There are two major limitations of such system‐centered evaluation approaches: (a) The evaluation focuses on subtasks in music information retrieval, but not on entire systems and (b) users and their interactions with MIR systems are largely excluded. This article describes the first implementation of a holistic user‐experience evaluation in MIR, the MIREX Grand Challenge, where complete MIR systems are evaluated, with user experience being the single overarching goal. It is the first time that complete MIR systems have been evaluated with end users in a realistic scenario. We present the design of the evaluation task, the evaluation criteria and a novel evaluation interface, and the data‐collection platform. This is followed by an analysis of the results, reflection on the experience and lessons learned, and plans for future directions.
İSTANBUL MENKUL KIYMETLER BORSASI’NDA KAZANÇ VE HİSSE SENEDİ GETİRİSİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN TEST EDİLMESİ

The purpose of this study to investigate whether there is an association between stock returns and the annual earnings, derived from the new financial reporting standards (IFRS) of firms listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) National Market over the period 2005 -2009. To explore the association between stock returns and the annual earnings, the Return Valuation Model(s) devoloped by Easton and Harris (1991) is used. The model is linking both current earnings levels and earnings changes to stock returns. The empirical results of model indicate that there is a positive and significant association between stock returns and annual earnings for ISE national market