Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An AC Impedance Spectroscopic Study of LixCoO2 at Different Temperatures

An AC impedance spectroscopic study of the LixCoO2 electrode in the temperature range of 0−30 °C is presented. The results are interpreted on the basis of an equivalent circuit that includes elements related to the electronic and ionic transport in addition to the charge transfer process. The evolution of the impedance spectra with the temperature shows that a thermally activated insulator to metal transition occurs at the beginning of the deintercalation process. At intermediate intercalation degrees, the effects of the finite electronic conductivity of the material and of the charge transfer process clearly appear as separate features in the spectra at low temperature.
Pathogenesis and treatment of sickle cell disease.

In 1949, the discovery that sickle hemoglobin (α2 βS2) has an abnormal electrophoretic mobility prompted Linus Pauling and his colleagues to christen sickle cell anemia “a molecular disease. ”1 The ensuing five decades have produced a wealth of information on the mechanisms by which a single base substitution in the gene encoding the human β-globin subunit, with the resulting replacement of β6 glutamic acid by valine, leads to the protean and devastating clinical manifestations of sickle cell disease. Until recently there was a disappointing lag in the application of this knowledge to the design of safe and effective .
Compressive strength, microstructure and hydration products of hybrid alkaline cements

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is the dominant binder in the construction industry with a global production that currently reaches a total of 3 Gt per year. As a consequence, the cement industry's contribution to the total worldwide CO2 emissions is of about 7% of the total emissions. Publications on the field of alkali-activated binders (also termed geopolymers), state that this new material is, potentially, likely to fbecome an alternative to Portland cement. However, recent LCA studies show that the environmental performance of alkali-activated binders depends, to great extent, of their composition. Also, researchers report that these binders can be produced in a more eco-efficient manner if the use of sodium silicate is avoided. This is due to the fact that the referred component is associated to a high carbon footprint. Besides, most alkali-activated cements suffer from severe efflorescence, a reaction originated by the fact that the alkaline and/or soluble silicates that are added during processing cannot be totally consumed. This paper presents experimental results on hybrid alkaline cements. The compressive strength results and the efflorescence observations show that some of the new mixes already exhibit a promising performance.
Ileal Peyer’s Patches Are Not Necessary for Systemic B Cell Development and Maintenance and Do Not Contribute Significantly to the Overall B Cell Pool in Swine

Based on studies of sheep, ileal Peyer’s patches (IPP) have been regarded as a type of primary lymphoid tissue similar to the bursa of Fabricius in chicken. Because bursectomy results in B cell deficiency, we wondered whether resection of the IPP of piglets would have a similar effect. Comparison of IPP-resected, surgical shams and untreated germ-free piglets, all of which were later colonized with a defined commensal flora, demonstrated that resection of the IPP did not alter the level and phenotype of B and T cells in lymphoid tissues and the blood 10 wk after surgery. Additionally, colonization of IPP caused a shift from the fetal type of lymphocyte distribution to the adult type that is characterized by prevalence of B cells, with many of them representing IgA+ switched B cells or displaying a more mature CD2−CD21+ and CD2−CD21− phenotype. Moreover, colonization leads to appearance of effector CD4+CD8+ αβ T helper and CD2+CD8− γδ T cells. Comparison of germ-free with colonized pigs and experiments utilizing surgical transposition of jejunal Peyer’s patch into terminal ileum or construction of isolated ileal loops indicated that lymphocyte development in IPP is dependent on colonization. Although our studies confirmed higher mitotic and apoptotic rates in IPP, they failed to identify any cell populations that resemble developing B lineage cells in the bone marrow. These results indicate that porcine IPP are not required for systemic B cell generation or maintenance, but they are secondary lymphoid tissue that appears important in immune responses to colonizing bacteria.
Field investigation of advanced oxidation of secondary effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plant

Successful treatment of the secondary effluent ensures its safe disposal and water reclamation for water reuse. To understand the effect of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in combination with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on secondary effluent under field conditions, an advanced oxidation system, UV+H2O2, was installed and fed with the effluent at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m3 h− 1 over a period of 6 months. The electrical energy density for the UV reactor was varied between 0.5 and 5.2 kWh m− 3 and H2O2 added at concentrations of 0, 13 or 26 mg L− 1. The feed and product water samples were taken periodically and analyzed for biological (heterotrophic plate count-HPC, total and fecal coliform-TC and FC) and chemical (NH4 +-N, NO3 −-N, NO2 −-N and total organic carbon-TOC) parameters. For the treatment of UV+26 mg L− 1 H2O2, flow rates of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m3 h− 1 resulted in > 4-log removal of HPC with a maximum survivor of 20 CFU mL− 1 and > 4 log reduction of FC with a survivor of 8 CFU (100 mL)− 1. The electrical energy density of 1.5 kWh m− 3 was optimum for the inactivation. The NO2 −-N concentrations of the product water were 0.09–0.42 mg L− 1 compared with 0.04–0.09 mg L− 1in the feed. With or without H2O2 addition, NO2 −-N concentration increased with increases in UV electrical energy density. The highest increase in NO2 −-N was associated with the maximum energy density of 5.2 kWh m− 3. Increase in H2O2 dose reduced NO3 −-N concentration by 2.0 to 5.7%. The overall results showed that the advanced oxidation technology prepared the effluent for safe disposal and/or for water reclamation for reuse.
Endometriosis: A possible cause of uterine rupture in labour?

Introduction Uterine rupture is a well-known complication during labour where there is uterine scarring, most commonly after previous Caesarean section (Kaczmarczyk et al. 2007; Zwart et al. 2009). Pro-labour mediators, which cause cervical ripening, are known to soften uterine scar tissue (Kaczmarczyk et al. 2007; Zwart et al. 2009). Exclusion of scar dehiscence in those presenting with severe pain in early labour with a history of previous Caesarean section is vital. The incidence of uterine rupture among women attempting vaginal birth after previous Caesarean section (VBAC) is approximately 1% (Kaczmarczyk et al. 2007). However, rupture of an unscarred uterus is an extremely rare event with an incidence of 0.6 per 10 000 deliveries meaning it is not routinely discussed with those with no risk factors (Hofmeyer et al. 2005; Zwart et al. 2009). Risk factors for uterine rupture have not been well examined but one study identified endometriosis as one possible alternative cause (Zwart et al. 2009).
Identification and Characterization of Human MUS81-MMS4 Structure-specific Endonuclease*

Replication forks may stall when they reach a block on the DNA template such as DNA damage, and the recovery of such stalled replication forks plays a crucial role in the maintenance of genomic stability. Holliday junctions, which are X-shaped DNA structures, are formed at the stalled replication forks and can accumulate if they are not cleaved by structure-specific endonucleases. Recently, a novel nuclease involved in resolving Holliday junction-like structures, Mus81, has been reported in yeast and humans. MUS81 has sequence homology to another DNA nuclease, XPF, which, with its partner ERCC1, makes the 5 ′ incision during nucleotide excision repair. MUS81 also has a binding partner named Mms4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Eme1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, but no such partner was identified in human cells. Here, we report identification of the binding partner of human MUS81, which we designate hMMS4. Using immunoaffinity purification we show that hMUS81 or hMMS4 alone have no detectable nuclease activity, but that the hMUS81 ·hMMS4 complex is a structure-specific nuclease that is capable of resolving fork structures.
Approximating Voronoi Diagrams of Convex Sites in any Dimension

Generalized Voronoi diagrams of objects are difficult to compute in a robust way, especially in higher dimensions. For a number of applications an approximation of the real diagram within some predetermined precision is sufficient. In this paper we study the computation of such approximate Voronoi diagrams. The emphasis is on practical applicability, therefore we are mainly concerned with fast (in terms of running time) computation, generality, robustness, and easy implementation, rather than optimal combinatorial and computational complexity. Given a set of disjoint convex sites in any dimension, we describe a general algorithm that approximates their Voronoi diagram with arbitrary precision. The only primitive operation that is required is the computation of the distance from a point to a site. The method is illustrated by its application to motion planning using retraction. To justify our claims on practical applicability, we provide experimental results obtained with implementations of the method in two and three dimensions.
About a switch: how P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) harnesses the energy of ATP binding and hydrolysis to do mechanical work

The efflux of drugs by the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp; ABCB1) is one of the principal means by which cancer cells evade chemotherapy and exhibit multidrug resistance. Mechanistic studies of Pgp-mediated transport, however, transcend the importance of this protein per se as they help us understand the transport pathway of the ATP-binding cassette proteins in general. The ATP-binding cassette proteins comprise one of the largest protein families, are central to cellular physiology, and constitute important drug targets. The functional unit of Pgp consists of two nucleotide-binding domains (NBD) and two transmembrane domains that are involved in the transport of drug substrates. Early studies postulated that conformational changes as a result of ATP hydrolysis were transmitted to the transmembrane domains bringing about drug transport. More recent structural and biochemical studies on the other hand suggested that ATP binds at the interface of the two NBDs and induces the formation of a closed dimer, and it has been hypothesized that this dimerization and subsequent ATP hydrolysis powers transport. Based on the mutational and biochemical work on Pgp and structural studies with isolated NBDs, we review proposed schemes for the catalytic cycle of ATP hydrolysis and the transport pathway. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(1):13–23]
Alcohol-related flushing and the risk for alcoholism in sons of alcoholics.

Ethanol-induced facial flushing was measured in 30 men, aged 21 to 25, who had family histories of alcoholism and in 30 matched controls. The drug was administered as 0.75 ml of 95% ethanol per kilogram of body weight, mixed with a sugar-free soft drink and consumed over 5 minutes. Facial flushing was assessed over 90 minutes using both observational ratings and a plethysmograph. Family history positive (FHP) subjects demonstrated significantly higher levels of flushing than family history negative (FHN) controls on objective measures. Correlations with the flushing response were . 83 for blood acetaldehyde, and at least . 60 for heart rate and skin temperature. This is the first known demonstration in Caucasians of a possible association between flushing and blood acetaldehyde levels in individuals hypothesized to be at risk for the development of alcoholism.
Approximability and the Effective Width of Probability Distributions

Our work is motivated by the goal of learning probabilistic graphical models that are both accurate and eÆcient for inference. In this paper, we investigate the "degree of approximability" of joint probability distributions by introducing the parameter k(Æ), called the e ective treewidth. This parameter captures the tradeo between the accuracy of approximation Æ, measured as the information divergence from the true distribution, and model's inference complexity, which is exponential in its treewidth k. We show that both treewidth and information divergence exhibit a threshold behavior. The relative location of such thresholds is an inherent property of the underlying distribution. Finally, we propose an eÆcient sampling algorithm for estimating these thresholds from data, thereby predicting the effective treewidth (the approximability) of the underlying distribution. This provides a principled approach to model selection when learning bounded-treewidth models.
Amelioration of Cadmium Stress in Crop Plants by Nutrient Management : Morphological , Physiological and Biochemical Aspects

Plants are sessile organisms therefore, cannot avoid adverse environmental conditions (such as soil salinity, drought, heat, cold, flooding and heavy metal contamination). These stress factors are a menace for plants, prevent them from reaching their full genetic potential and limit crop productivity worldwide. Soil contamination with heavy metals has become a world wide problem leading to losses in agricultural yield and hazardous health effects as they enter the food chain. Among heavy metals, Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and is a non-essential highly toxic metal for plants. It significantly damages general plant metabolism and induces oxidative stress. In response to Cd stress, the cells of Cd-resistant plant species can produce metallothioneins, phytochelatins and stress proteins to detoxify Cd ions. The plant cells can also resort to other defense systems to detoxify Cd ions, e.g., exclusion of Cd through the action of plasma membrane, the immobilization of Cd by cell wall and compartmentalization of Cd to vacuols. It has also been found that mineral nutrient status of plants can play a critical role in increasing plant resistance to environmental stress factors. Among mineral nutrients, sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) are major macronutrients necessary for the plant life cycle, the two processes the uptake and assimilation of S and N in higher plants are the crucial factors determining plant growth and vigor, crop yield and these nutrients play a particular role in contributing to the survival of crop plants under environmental stress conditions. In this review, we focus on the alterations in morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics in crop plants under Cd stress. Further, the importance of plant mineral nutrients especially S and N in the amelioration of Cd stress has also been reviewed. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Curved Panel Integration Technique for Molecular Surfaces

In this paper we present a surface formulation and curved panel integration method for computing the van der Waals interaction energy between a molecular solute and aqueous solvent. This modeling problem arises in computational drug design, where one wishes to understand the energetic tradeoff between a trial drug’s interactions with solvent and its interactions with the target. We use the divergence theorem to convert a volume integral to an integral over the solute‐ solvent boundary. Validation of the surface formulation reveals strong dependence on the accuracy of the boundary representation; to improve the surface discretization qua lity, we define a type of curved panel called a generalized spherical triangle. A straightforward extension of an earl ier curved panel integration method allows us to integrate functions over the curved surfaces. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy of the improved surface representation and the integration technique.
PRFM Enhance Wound Healing Process in Skin Graft

Abstract Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery often used skin graft on defects that cannot be covered primarily by a local flap. However, wound healing using skin graft is slow, most of the time the graft is contractured and the take of graft is not optimal. Platelet rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) is a new generation of concentrated platelets that produce natural fibrin and reported to speed up the healing process. Application of PRFM in the skin graft implants is expected to increase the survival of the graft. We used porcine as animal models to elucidate the effect of autologous PRFM on wound healing in full-thickness (FTSG) and split-thickness (STSG) skin grafts. Survival level of the skin graft was determined by using ImageJ software based on the formation of collagen type 1 and graft take. We observed that the use of PRFM in FTSG and STSG increased type 1 collagen formation. We also found that PRFM addition in STSG gave the best skin graft take.
Establishing properties of interaction systems

We exhibit sufficient conditions for generic properties of component based systems. The model we use to describe component based systems is the formalism of interaction systems. Because the state space explosion problem is encountered in interaction systems (i.e., an exploration of the state space gets unfeasible for a large number of components), we follow the guideline that these conditions have to be checkable efficiently (i.e., in time polynomial in the number of components). Further, the conditions are designed in such a way that the information gathered is reusable if a condition is not satisfied. Concretely, we consider deadlock-freedom and progress in interaction systems. We state a sufficient condition for deadlock-freedom that is based on an architectural constraint: We define what it means for an interaction system to be tree-like, and we derive a sufficient condition for deadlock-freedom of such systems. Considering progress, we first present a characterization of this property. Then we state a sufficient condition for progress which is based on a directed graph. We combine this condition with the characterization to point out one possibility to proceed if the graph-criterion does not yield progress. Both sufficient conditions can be checked efficiently because they only require the investigation of certain subsystems. Finally, we consider the effect that failure of some parts of the system has on deadlock-freedom and progress. We define robustness of deadlock-freedom respectively progress under failure, and we explain how the sufficient conditions above have to be adapted in order to be also applicable in this new situation.
Patient education and access of ESRD patients to renal replacement therapies beyond in-center hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND Nephrologists report that patients' choice should play an important role in the selection of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In the United States, kidney transplant rates remain low and <10% of patients utilize home dialysis therapies. This study examined the effect of pre-ESRD processes on the selection of RRT among incident ESRD patients. METHODS Using surveys, data were collected for all patients admitted to 229 dialysis units in ESRD Network 18 between April 1, 2002 and May 31, 2002. A total of 1365 patients began chronic dialysis and 1193 facility (87%) and 428 patient (31%) surveys were returned. RESULTS Substantial proportions of patients were unaware of their kidney disease (36%) or were not seeing a nephrologist (36%) until <4 months before first dialysis. The presentation of treatment options was delayed (48% either after or < 1 month before the first dialysis). The majority of ESRD patients were not presented with chronic peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis, or renal transplantation as options (66%, 88%, and 74%, respectively). Using multivariate analyses, variables significantly associated with selection of chronic peritoneal dialysis as dialysis modality were the probability of chronic peritoneal dialysis being presented as a treatment option and the time spent on patient education. CONCLUSION An incomplete presentation of treatment options is an important reason for under-utilization of home dialysis therapies and probably delays access to transplantation. Improvements in and reimbursement for pre-ESRD education could provide an equal and timely access for all medically suitable patients to various RRTs.
Contribution : Photon optimizer ( PO ) vs progressive resolution optimizer ( PRO ) : a conformality-and complexity-based comparison for intensity-modulated arc therapy plans

This study aimed to provide guidance on the advantages and limitations of a new optimizer, “photon optimizer” (PO), when compared with its predecessor, “progressive resolution optimizer” (PRO), for intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMAT) plans. Eleven study plans that included a cohort of prostate, head and neck, and brain treatment sites were optimized using both PRO and PO algorithms. A plan template using the same objectives for the same number of iterations was used for each optimized plan to obtain hypothetical treatment plans that would be comparable with a clinical plan. Analysis was performed using plan conformity-based parameters such as target volume coverage factor, conformation number and homogeneity indices, and plan complexity assessment parameters such as small aperture score, modulation indices, and monitor unit variation with arc angle for prostate, brain and head, and neck IMAT treatment plans. Plan conformality analysis demonstrated that conformation numbers, target volume coverage factors, and homogeneity indices produced by the 2 optimizers were comparable for most anatomic sites. IMAT treatment plans produced using the PRO optimizer were found to be less complex than plans produced using the PO optimizer, in terms of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf position variability and modulation complexity scores. Similarly, the PRO optimizer was shown to produce treatment plans that used fewer monitor units (and generally fewer monitor unit per degree of arc rotation) than PO optimizer. This study demonstrated that the PO optimizer can produce IMAT treatment plans with a similar degree of dose conformity to the target volume and generally improved organ at risk sparing, compared with the PRO optimizer. Better coverage to organs at risk produced by plans optimized using PO was observed to have higher MLC variability and monitor units. Therefore, careful evaluation of treatment plan conformity and complexity before assessing its deliverability is recommended when implementing the routine use of PO optimizer. Crown Copyright © 2017 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. All rights reserved. Reprint requests to Diana Binny, MSc. Q.M. P.S. , M.A.C.P.S.E. M. , Radiation Oncology Centres, Cleveland, QLD. E-mail: dianabinny8@gmail.com https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos. 2017.10. 003 0958-3947/Crown Copyright © 2017 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. All rights reserved Medical Dosimetry ■■ (2017) ■■–■■ ARTICLE IN PRESS
Molecular analysis of the progression from Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic gastritis to mucosa-associated lymphoid-tissue lymphoma of the stomach.

Several lines of evidence suggest a link between chronic gastritis due to Helicobacter pylori and mucosa-associated lymphoid-tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the stomach.1,2 A close epidemiologic association has been reported.3–5 The microorganism can be found in the gastric mucosa in nearly all cases, and regression of low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma has been demonstrated after the eradication of H. pylori. 6,7 The suggested progression from H. pylori–associated chronic gastritis to overt MALT lymphoma8 has not been formally demonstrated, although if it exists, such a mechanism may have important implications for the treatment of H. pylori–associated gastritis. Each B .