Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Influence on the Peripheral Differentiation Signature of Vδ2+ γδ and CD4+ αβ T Cells in Adults

Adaptive as well as innate immune traits are variously affected by environmental and genetic influences, but little is known about the impact of genetics on the diversity, differentiation and functionality of γδ T cells in humans. Here, we analyzed a cohort of 95 middle-aged twins from the Danish Twin Registry. The differentiation status of peripheral αβ and γδ T cells was assessed by flow cytometry based on the surface expression of CD27, CD28 and CD45RA. Our data confirm the established associations of latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with an accumulation of late differentiated memory T cells in the αβ compartment as well as in the Vδ1+ γδ T cell subset. A comparison of differentiation phenotypes of γδ and αβ T cells that were not affected by CMV seropositivity identified a significant correlation of early differentiated (ED) Vδ2+ and intermediate differentiated (ID) CD4+ T cells in monozygotic (MZ), but not in dizygotic (DZ) co-twins. Thus, our data suggest a genetic influence on the differentiation of γδ and αß T cell subsets.
Place de la salive et des cheveux dans le dépistage d'un usage de stupéfiants en milieu professionnel

La procedure standard d'une recherche de stupefiants en milieu professionnel consiste en un criblage d'un echantillon d'urine par une technique immunochimique suivie d'une confirmation par chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplee a la spectrometrie de masse (CG/SM). Cette technique d'analyse en deux etapes est consensuelle, et apparait applicable a d'autres fluides biologiques. En effet, ces dernieres annees, les progres remarquables des techniques analytiques en terme de sensibilite ont permis l'identification de stupefiants a partir de matrices non-conventionelles telles la salive et les cheveux. Le principal avantage de ces matrices est un prelevement non invasif qui peut se faire sous surveillance etroite, diminuant ainsi les risques de modifications ou de substitutions des echantillons. La presence d'un stupefiant dans la salive peut etre consecutif a l'excretion du produit a partir du sang ou a une contamination de la cavite buccale lors de la consommation par voie orale, sniffee ou fumee. Un protocole de recueil salivaire bien defini et reproductible est important pour permettre l'interpretation des concentrations salivaires. Une approche immunochimique specifique et sensible a ete developpee pour le criblage au niveau du laboratoire. Compte tenu d'un volume d'echantillon relativement faible (1 a 2 ml) et des faibles concentrations retrouvees dans la salive, il est necessaire de faire appel a des techniques chromatographiques tres sensibles telles la CG/SM/SM, la CLHP/SM/SM ou la CG/SM/ICN pour la confirmation. Un test salivaire positif peut raisonnablement etre associe a une consommation recente, globalement jusqu'a 12 a 24 heures avant le depistage. Des etudes recentes ont demontre que la recherche de Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol dans la salive peut reveler une consommation recente d'une dose unique de marijuana alors meme que l'analyse d'un echantillon d'urine pourrait s'averer negative jusque 4 a 6 heures apres avoir fume un joint. En ce qui concerne l'analyse des stupefiants dans les cheveux, les resultats sont significatifs des semaines, voire des mois, apres consommation, ce qui pourrait etre tres utile, par exemple, dans le cas de depistage de futurs collaborateurs au sein d'une entreprise. De nombreuses substances psycho-actives ont ete identifiees dans les cheveux. Comme pour la salive, la recherche des stupefiants dans les cheveux doit cibler la substance mere, que ce soit pour le depistage ou pour la confirmation. Certains aspects de l'interpretation des analyses sont encore en discussion : difficulte a detecter un usage recent, influence de la couleur des cheveux, de l'origine ethnique et du sexe, et distinction entre utilisation active et exposition passive. Des programmes d'assurance qualite pour les cheveux, la salive et la sueur commencent a etre inities aux Etats-Unis et en Europe (Society of Hair Testing) avec des recommandations de societes savantes, comme par exemple, l'emploi de seuils de positivite pour le depistage et la confirmation.
Alignment Layer of Liquid Crystal Using Plant-Based Isoeugenol-Substituted Polystyrene

We synthesized a series of renewable and plant-based isoeugenol-substituted polystyrenes (PIEU#, # = 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20, where # is the molar percent content of isoeugenol moiety), using polymer modification reactions to study their liquid crystal (LC) alignment behavior. In general, the LC cells fabricated using polymer film with a higher molar content of isoeugenol side groups showed vertical LC alignment behavior. This alignment behavior was well related to the surface energy value of the polymer layer. For example, vertical alignments were observed when the polar surface energy value of the polymer was smaller than approximately 3.59 mJ/m2, generated by the nonpolar isoeugenol moiety with long and bulky carbon groups. Good alignment stability at 100 °C and under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of 15 J/cm2 was observed for the LC cells fabricated using PIEU100 as a LC alignment layer. Therefore, renewable isoeugenol-based materials can be used to produce an eco-friendly vertical LC alignment system.
Equation of state of hot dense hyperonic matter in the Quark–Meson-Coupling (QMC-A) model

We report a new equation of state (EoS) of cold and hot hyperonic matter constructed in the framework of the quark-meson-coupling (QMC-A) model. The QMC-A EoS yields results compatible with available nuclear physics constraints and astrophysical observations. It covers the range of temperatures from T=0 to 100 MeV, entropies per particle S/A between 0 and 6, lepton fractions from Y$_L$=0.0 to 0.6, and baryon number densities n$_B$=0.05-1.2 fm$^{-3}$. Applications of the QMC-A EoS are made to cold neutron stars (NS) and to hot proto-neutron stars (PNS) in two scenarios, (i) lepton rich matter with trapped neutrinos and (ii) deleptonized chemically equilibrated matter. We find that the QMC-A model predicts hyperons in amounts growing with increasing temperature and density, thus suggesting not only their presence in PNS but also, most likely, in NS merger remnants. The nucleon-hyperon phase transition is studied through the adiabatic index and the speed of sound c$_s$. It is shown that the lowering of (c$_s$/c)$^2$ to and below the conformal limit of 1/3 is a general consequence of instabilities due to any phase transition and is not a unique fingerprint of the hadron-quark matter transition. Rigid rotation of cold and hot stars, their moments of inertia and Kepler frequencies are also explored. The QMC-A model results are compared with two relativistic models, the chiral mean field model (CMF), and the generalized relativistic density functional with hyperons (GRDF-Y). Similarities and differences are discussed.
Two-Dimensional Infrared (2D IR) Spectroscopy: Theory and Applications

A novel concept in vibrational spectroscopy called two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy is described. In 2D IR, a spectrum defined by two independent wavenumbers is generated by a cross-correlation analysis of dynamic fluctuations of IR signals induced by an external perturbation. 2D IR spectra are especially suited for elucidating various chemical interactions among functional groups. Notable features of the 2D IR approach are: simplification of complex spectra consisting of many overlapped peaks; enhancement of spectral resolution by spreading peaks over the second dimension; and establishment of unambiguous assignments through correlation analysis of bands selectively coupled by various interaction mechanisms. The procedure for generating 2D IR correlation spectra and the properties of the 2D spectra are discussed in detail. Examples of 2D IR spectra are presented for atactic polystyrene and the proteinacious component of human stratum corneum to demonstrate the utility of this technique.
Time series analysis of atmospheric mercury in Kuujjuarapik/Whapmagoostui (Québec)

Recent mercury depletion events observed in the Arctic have opened the horizon to numerous new aspects on mercury fate and cycling in the environment. Total Gaseous Mercury and other Atmospheric Mercury speciations are measured in Kuujjuarapik/Whapmagoostui (Lat.: 55.30°N; Long.: 77.73°O) along the Hudson Bay (Quebec) with Tekran 2537A, 1130 and 1135 units. The former is measured since August 1999 whereas the latter are measured during springtime periods over the last three years. Mercury Depletion Events are observed at this low latitude region. MDEs are observed between February and April and are occurring during both the day and nighttime periods. Typically, MDE in Kuujjuarapik are related to air temperature. During MDEs, a significant speciation conversion from Hg 0 to RGM and TPM is operating. However, ratios of TPM to RGM conversion are variable in time.
L'image, fruit de la taxonomie des sites Internet ?

L’objectif de cet article est d’identifier les positionnements percus des sites en fonction de la categorie a laquelle ils appartiennent. Une premiere etude dresse une taxonomie des sites Internet sur la base de l’utilisation que les internautes en font. Trois categories se degagent : les sites informationnels, les sites transactionnels et les sites de partage. L’etude de leur image a travers la confiance, la qualite de la relation, la personnalite et l’attitude montre via une deuxieme etude empirique une difference significative entre les categories de sites identifies. Un certain nombre de recommandations manageriales, limites et voies futures de recherche sont presentees et discutees.
Crystalline silicon etching in quiescent concentrated aqueous HF solutions

The behaviour of n- and p-type crystalline silicon wafers in quiescent concentrated aqueous HF solutions has been studied for immersion times up to 205 days. The etch rate, as determined from weighing experiments, decreased with time to values as low as after prolonged etching. The experimental findings are consistent with the view that the oxidation of the hydrogenated Si surface is the rate-limiting step, which is most likely carried out via a hydroxyl ion until the defect-poor surface becomes predominantly oxidized by direct attack of HF molecules. The formation of a new type of etch pit has been observed in weakly doped p-type Czochralski-grown material.
In situ determination of the spinel–post-spinel transition in Fe3O4 at high pressure and temperature by synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Abstract The position of the spinel-post-spinel phase transition in Fe3O4 has been determined in pressuretemperature space by in situ measurements using a multi-anvil press combined with white synchrotron radiation. Pressure measurement using the equation of state for MgO permitted pressure changes to be monitored at high temperature. The phase boundary was determined by the first appearance of diffraction peaks of the high-pressure polymorph (h-Fe3O4) during pressure increase and the disappearance of these peaks on pressure decrease along several isotherms. We intersected the phase boundary over the temperature interval of 700-1400 °C. The boundary is linear and nearly isobaric, with a slightly positive slope. Post-experiment investigation by TEM confirms that the reverse reaction from h-Fe3O4 to magnetite during decompression leads to the formation of microtwins on the (311) plane in the newly formed magnetite. Observations made during the phase transition suggest that the transition has a pseudomartensitic character, explaining in part why magnetite persists at conditions well within the stability field of h-Fe3O4, even at high temperatures. This study emphasizes the utility of studying phase transitions in situ at simultaneously high temperatures and pressures since the reaction kinetics may not be favorable at room temperature.
Lag-invariant detection of interactions in spatially-extended systems using linear inverse modeling

Measurements on physical systems result from the systems’ activity being converted into sensor measurements by a forward model. In a number of cases, inversion of the forward model is extremely sensitive to perturbations such as sensor noise or numerical errors in the forward model. Regularization is then required, which introduces bias in the reconstruction of the systems’ activity. One domain in which this is particularly problematic is the reconstruction of interactions in spatially-extended complex systems such as the human brain. Brain interactions can be reconstructed from non-invasive measurements such as electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG), whose forward models are linear and instantaneous, but have large null-spaces and high condition numbers. This leads to incomplete unmixing of the forward models and hence to spurious interactions. This motivated the development of interaction measures that are exclusively sensitive to lagged, i.e. delayed interactions. The drawback of such measures is that they only detect interactions that have sufficiently large lags and this introduces bias in reconstructed brain networks. We introduce three estimators for linear interactions in spatially-extended systems that are uniformly sensitive to all lags. We derive some basic properties of and relationships between the estimators and evaluate their performance using numerical simulations from a simple benchmark model.
Structural modification of chitosan biopolymer as a novel polyelectrolyte membrane for green power generation

In the present study, a series of bioresource polyelectrolytes based on chitosan were synthesized and assessed for applicability in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). A binary cross-linking agent (sulfosuccinic acid/glutaraldehyde) was used for the structural modification of chitosan and membranes comprising various amounts of sulfosuccinic acid (0, 8, 12, and 16 wt% SSA/wt chitosan) were prepared. It was found that by increasing the sulfonate groups' content up to 16 wt%, proton conductivity and methanol permeability properties reach the values of 0.0452 S cm−1 and 9.6 × 10−7 cm2 sec−1, respectively. Based on the membrane selectivity evaluation and activation energy measurements of proton conduction, the optimum composition of cross-linking agent was determined. The optimum composition resulted in a relatively high proton conductivity of 0.0452 S cm−1 and a low methanol permeability of 9.6 × 10−7 cm2 sec−1. Moreover, the optimum proton exchange membrane exhibited selectivity value of 47,100 in comparison with the corresponding value of 40,500 for Nafion® 117. The fabricated membranes showed acceptable oxidative and hydrolytic stability. Furthermore, single cell DMFC performance test revealed a power density of 17 mW cm−2 at 30°C and 41 mW cm−2 at 60°C in a 2 M methanol feed. Hence, prepared proton-conducting bioresource ionomers could have promising potential in the field of green power generation as a low cost and biodegradable polyelectrolyte. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Observing cooperative behavior with molecular surface structures

In the work at hand the interplay between molecules as well as molecules and substrate is studied in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). In Chapter 3 hydrogen-bond (H-bond) recognition, which is based on an H-bonding motif well-known in supramolecular chemistry, is investigated on Ag(111) for a three component system. Moreover, for one of the molecules a thermally induced phase transition from a porous network to a close-packed structure is found. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) show that both surface structures exhibit long-range order and are commensurate with the Ag-substrate. In particular, this transition involves a conformational change of each molecule that is not observed in solution. Chapter 4 deals with the study of intermolecular interactions of the perylene derivative 1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrene (TAPP) on Cu(111). Different surface structures are observed which exhibit different types of intermolecular interactions. Surface structures formed by TAPP molecules interacting via weak van-der-Waals forces are transformed into a long-range-ordered porous network upon annealing. For this network, which is commensurate to the substrate, the intermolecular interactions are based on the coordination of Cu-adatoms to the N-atoms of TAPP. Upon further annealing covalent C-C couplings between TAPP molecules result in the formation of chains. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) show that the N-atoms of the chains can coordinate to Cu-adatoms as well. Moreover, in a preliminary study the attempt was undertaken to create polymerized structures in two dimensions. However, the formation of ordered structures is a challenging task since self-correction that is inherent to weak reversible interactions is missing. The molecule-surface interaction of a long-range-ordered porous network formed by the perylene derivative 4,9-diaminoperylene-quinone-3,10-diimine (DPDI) on Cu(111) is studied in Chapter 5. This network whose molecular building-blocks interact via H-bonds exhibits an extraordinary stability. In particular, the molecular adsorption height above the Cu surface determined by X-ray standing wave experiments (XSW) indicates that the molecular perylene core is not directly involved in a strong interaction with the surface. Thus, it is assumed that Cu-adatoms interact with the molecular N-atoms in order to explain the stability of the network. Moreover, scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) reveal the formation of an electronic band which is induced by the periodic influence of the molecular network on the surface state of Cu(111).
Sulfate Chemistry for High‐Voltage Insertion Materials: Synthetic, Structural and Electrochemical Insights

Rechargeable batteries based on Li and Na ions have been growing leaps and bounds since their inception in the 1970s. They enjoy significant attention from both the fundamental science point of view and practical applications ranging from portable electronics to hybrid vehicles and grid storage. The steady demand for building better batteries calls for discovery, optimisation and implementation of novel positive insertion (cathode) materials. In this quest, chemists have tried to unravel many future cathode materials by taking into consideration their eco-friendly synthesis, material/process economy, high energy density, safety, easy handling and sustainability. Interestingly, sulfate-based cathodes offer a good combination of sustainable syntheses and high energy density owing to their high-voltage operation, stemming from electronegative SO42- units. This review delivers a sneak peak at the recent advances in the discovery and development of sulfate-containing cathode materials by focusing on their synthesis, crystal structure and electrochemical performance. Several family of cathodes are independently discussed. They are 1) fluorosulfates AMSO(4)F], 2) bihydrated fluorosulfates AMSO(4)F2H(2)O], 3) hydroxysulfate AMSO(4)OH], 4) bisulfates A(2)M(SO4)(2)], 5) hydrated bisulfates A(2)M(SO4)(2)nH(2)O], 6) oxysulfates Fe-2(SO4)(2)O] and 7) polysulfates A(2)M(2)(SO4)(3)]. A comparative study of these sulfate-based cathodes has been provided to offer an outlook on the future development of high-voltage polyanionic cathode materials for next-generation batteries.
Using Predictive Modeling and Machine Learning to Identify Patients Appropriate for Outpatient Anterior Cervical Fusion and Discectomy

Study Design. Retrospective, case–control. Objective. The aim of this study was to use predictive modeling and machine learning to develop novel tools for identifying patients who may be appropriate for single-level outpatient anterior cervical fusion and discectomy (ACDF), and to compare these to legacy metrics. Summary of Background Data. ACDF performed in an ambulatory surgical setting has started to gain popularity in recent years. Currently there are no standardized risk-stratification tools for determining which patients may be safe candidates for outpatient ACDF. Methods. Adult patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class 1, 2, or 3 undergoing one-level ACDF in inpatient or outpatient settings were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were deemed as “unsafe” for outpatient surgery if they suffered any complication within a week of the index operation. Two different methodologies were used to identify unsafe candidates: a novel predictive model derived from multivariable logistic regression of significant risk factors, and an artificial neural network (ANN) using preoperative variables. Both methods were trained using randomly split 70% of the dataset and validated on the remaining 30%. The methods were compared against legacy risk-stratification measures: ASA and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using area under the curve (AUC) statistic. Results. A total of 12,492 patients who underwent single-level ACDF met the study criteria. Of these, 9.79% (1223) were deemed unsafe for outpatient ACDF given development of a complication within 1 week of the index operation. The five clinical variables that were found to be significant in the multivariable predictive model were: advanced age, low hemoglobin, high international normalized ratio, low albumin, and poor functional status. The predictive model had an AUC of 0.757, which was significantly higher than the AUC of both ASA (0.66; P < 0.001) and CCI (0.60; P < 0.001). The ANN exhibited an AUC of 0.740, which was significantly higher than the AUCs of ASA and CCI (all, P < 0.05), and comparable to that of the predictive model (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Predictive analytics and machine learning can be leveraged to aid in identification of patients who may be safe candidates for single-level outpatient ACDF. Surgeons and perioperative teams may find these tools useful to augment clinical decision-making. Level of Evidence: 3