Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Permeability Characteristics Of Beneficiated And Natural Zeolite Concrete

Natural Zeolite is a pozzolana that occurs naturally. Its calcination leads to beneficiation in terms of the strength of concrete in which it is incorporated as a dmixture. In the present investigation permeability characteristics of concrete with calcined zeolite, natural zeolites were presented. Results are also given for fly ash for comparison, along with a reference concrete. From the test results, in general, it can be concluded that concretes with calcined zeolite normally perform better than natural zeolite, in terms of permeability. The performance of natural zeolite as well as fly ash concretes was observed to be similar in terms permeability characteristics and better than the normal concrete. As a result, calcined zeolite shows promise to be used as a beneficiated in the manufacture of high performance concrete. Index Terms Zeolite; compressive strength; permeability; calcination. ——————————  ——————————
How Changes in Potential Benet Duration A¤ect Equilibrium Unemployment

This paper uses microdata to evaluate the impact of an increase in maximum bene t duration on the steady-state unemployment rate. We draw on policy changes in Austria that extended maximum bene t duration from 30 to 52 weeks for individuals above age 50 and from 30 to 39 weeks for individuals between ages 40 and 49. We use these changes to estimate the causal impact of bene t duration on labor market ows and nd that (i) the policy changes lead to an increase in the steady-state unemployment rate between 20 % and 50 %; (ii) surprisingly, most of the increase is due to an increase in the inow into unemployment, whereas the decrease in the outow from unemployment is modest; (iii) the e¤ects are stronger for women than for men, but are otherwise rather robust across population subgroups. JEL Classi cation: C41, J64, J65 Keywords: maximum bene t duration, unemployment duration, unemployment inow, equilibrium unemployment IEW, University of Zurich, IZA, CEPR, and CESifo; e-mail: rlalive@iew.unizh. ch. yDepartment of Economics, Tilburg University, CentER, CEPR, and IZA; e-mail: vanours@uvt.nl. zIEW, University of Zurich, IZA, CEPR, and CESifo; e-mail: zweim@iew.unizh. ch.
THERAPEUTIC POTENTIALS OF PREMNA LATIFOLIA

In the present study antibacterial, antiviral, anthelmintic and phytochemical screening of Premna latifolia extract was evaluated. Turbidimetric method and disc method were used for antibacterial analysis. The strains of bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhi were used for this study. In turbidimetric method, there was a concentration dependent inhibition of growth of bacteria observed in Premna latifolia treated cultures. In disc method, Premna latifolia extract showed potential inhibitory action against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhi. The diameter zone of inhibition was found to be 14.7 mm (100 μg/ ml) against Klebsiella pneumonia and 23.7mm (100 μg/ ml) against Salmonella typhi. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanolic extract of Premna latifolia against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhi was found to be 6.25 μg/ml and 3.125 μg/ml respectively. In Newcastle Disease (NDV) virus alone treated embryonated chik eggs, the embryos were poorly developed and were shown haemorrhage and developmental abnormalities. Treatment with the plant extract at 500 μg/egg reversed the NDV induced cytopathic changes. The heamagglutination titre was found to be 512 in NDV virus alone treated group, while in Premna latifolia extract (500 μg/egg) treated group it was reduced to 4. Anthelmintic activity was also performed with the ethanolic extract of Premna latifolia against Indian adult earthworm, Pheretima posthuma. When compared to standard drug Albendazole, in 50 mg/ml of Premna latifolia treated groups the earthworm get paralyzed after 2 min and died after 5 min. It was found to be closer to control treated groups. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloid and phenols in this extract.
Correlation of structure, mobility, and morphological information in heterogeneous polymer materials by two-dimensional wideline-separation NMR spectroscopy

A novel version of the two-dimensional heteronuclear experiment, achieving 1 H wideline separation (WISE), is presented. It allows for the correlation of mobility and structure in organic solids. Differences of molecular dynamics are probed by 1 H wideline shapes, wich are separated in the second dimension by 13 C chemical shifts. With a mixing time inserted before cross polarization from 1 H to 13 C, 1 H spin diffusion allows one to determine the mobility at interfaces and to mesure domain sizes approximately. The technique is demonstrated on poly(siloxane-b-styrene) and on a polystyrene/poly(methyl vinyl ether) blend
Application of machine learning in the diagnosis of gastric cancer based on noninvasive characteristics

Background The diagnosis of gastric cancer mainly relies on endoscopy, which is invasive and costly. The aim of this study is to develop a predictive model for the diagnosis of gastric cancer based on noninvasive characteristics. Aims To construct a predictive model for the diagnosis of gastric cancer with high accuracy based on noninvasive characteristics. Methods A retrospective study of 709 patients at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital was conducted. Variables of age, gender, blood cell count, liver function, kidney function, blood lipids, tumor markers and pathological results were analyzed. We used gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), a type of machine learning method, to construct a predictive model for the diagnosis of gastric cancer and evaluate the accuracy of the model. Results Of the 709 patients, 398 were diagnosed with gastric cancer; 311 were health people or diagnosed with benign gastric disease. Multivariate analysis showed that gender, age, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, hemoglobin, albumin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) and carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199) were independent characteristics associated with gastric cancer. We constructed a predictive model using GBDT, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the model was 91%. For the test dataset, sensitivity was 87.0% and specificity 84.1% at the optimal threshold value of 0.56. The overall accuracy was 83.0%. Positive and negative predictive values were 83.0% and 87.8%, respectively. Conclusion We construct a predictive model to diagnose gastric cancer with high sensitivity and specificity. The model is noninvasive and may reduce the medical cost.
Research progress of radiation-induced hypothyroidism in head and neck cancer

This paper reviews the factors related to hypothyroidism after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer to facilitate the prevention of radiation-induced hypothyroidism and reduce its incidence. Hypothyroidism is a common complication after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer, wherein the higher the radiation dose to the thyroid and pituitary gland, the higher the incidence of hypothyroidism. With prolonged follow-up time, the incidence of hypothyroidism gradually increases. Intensity modulated radiotherapy should limit the dose to the thyroid, which would reduce the incidence of hypothyroidism. In addition, the risk factors for hypothyroidism include small thyroid volume size, female sex, and previous neck surgery. The incidence of radiation-induced hypothyroidism in head and neck cancer is related to the radiation dose, radiotherapy technique, thyroid volume, sex, and age. A prospective, large sample and long-term follow-up study should be carried out to establish a model of normal tissue complications that are likely to be related to radiation-induced hypothyroidism.
Targeting the CtBP1-FOXM1 transcriptional complex with small molecules to overcome MDR1-mediated chemoresistance in osteosarcoma cancer stem cells

Chemoresistance is a major barrier for the chemotherapy of osteosarcoma. The induction of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), an ATP-dependent transporter, can efflux anti-cancer drugs, thereby decreasing chemosensitivity. However, an actual involvement of MDR1 in the chemoresistance of osteosarcoma cells has not been established. We obtained two cisplatin (CDDP)-resistant osteosarcoma cancer stem cell (CSC) lines using sphere formation medium supplemented with CDDP. These two CDDP-resistant CSC cell lines showed substantial cell proliferation, colony formation, cell invasion, and in vivo tumor growth in the presence of CDDP. Microarray analysis revealed that three genes, MDR1, FOXM1 (forkhead box M1), and CtBP1 (C-Terminal binding protein 1), showed significant overexpression in both cell lines. Mechanistically, CtBP1 assembled with FOXM1 to form a transcriptional complex, which docked onto the MDR1 promoter to activate MDR1 expression. Knockdown or inhibition of the CtBP1-FOXM1 components with specific small molecules, including NSM00158 and NSC95397 for CtBP1 and RCM1 for FOXM1, significantly repressed MDR1 expression. Administration of these three small molecules also significantly inhibited tumor growth in mouse tumor xenograft model. The MDR1-mediated chemoresistance could be reversed by NSM00158 and RCM1. Collectively, our data revealed that the CtBP1-FOXM1 complex activated MDR1 expression and that targeting this complex with their specific inhibitors could reverse MDR1-mediated chemoresistance both in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate a new therapeutic strategy for overcoming chemoresistance during osteosarcoma treatment.
USP43 directly regulates ZEB1 protein, mediating proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract. In this study, we had examined the biological role of USP43 in colorectal cancer. USP43 protein and mRNA abundance in clinical tissues and five cell lines were analyzed with quantitative real-time PCR test (qRT-PCR) and western blot. USP43 overexpression treated DLD1 cells and USP43 knockdown treated SW480 cells were used to study cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, invasion, and the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) biomarkers. Moreover, ubiquitination related ZEB1 degradation was studied with qRT-PCR and western blot. The relationships between USP43 and ZEB1 were investigated with western blot, co-immunoprecipitation, migration, and invasion. USP43 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues. USP43 overexpression and knockdown treatments could affect cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and the expression of EMT associated biomarkers. Moreover, USP43 can regulate ZEB1 degradation through ubiquitination pathway. USP43 could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer. Meanwhile, USP43 can deubiquitinate and stabilize the ZEB1 protein, which plays an important role in the function of colorectal cancer.
Prevalence and determinants of the place of delivery among reproductive age women in sub–Saharan Africa

Introduction Maternal mortality is an issue of global public health concern with over 300,000 women dying globally each year. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), these deaths mainly occur around childbirth and the first 24hours after delivery. The place of delivery is, therefore, important in reducing maternal deaths and accelerating progress towards attaining the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to maternal health. In this study, we examined the prevalence and determinants of the place of delivery among reproductive age women in SSA. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study among women in their reproductive age using data from the most recent demographic and health surveys of 28 SSA countries. Frequency, percentage, chi-square, and logistic regression were used in analysing the data. All analyses were done using STATA. Results The overall prevalence of health facility delivery was 66%. This ranged from 23% in Chad to 94% in Gabon. More than half of the countries recorded a less than 70% prevalence of health facility delivery. The adjusted odds of health facility delivery were lowest in Chad. The probability of giving birth at a health facility also declined with increasing age but increased with the level of education and wealth status. Women from rural areas had a lower likelihood (AOR = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.57–0.61) of delivering at a health facility compared with urban women. Conclusions Our findings point to the inability of many SSA countries to meet the SDG targets concerning reductions in maternal mortality and improving the health of reproductive age women. The findings thus justify the need for peer learning among SSA countries for the adaption and integration into local contexts, of interventions that have proven to be successful in improving health facility delivery among reproductive age women.
A recurring disease outbreak following litchi fruit consumption among children in Muzaffarpur, Bihar—A comprehensive investigation on factors of toxicity

Litchi fruits are a nutritious and commercial crop in the Indian state of Bihar. Litchi fruit contains a toxin, methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which is known to be fatal by causing encephalitis-related deaths. This is especially harmful when consumed by malnourished children. The first case of litchi toxicity was reported in Bihar in 2011. A similar event was recorded in 2014 among children admitted to the Muzaffarpur government hospital, Bihar. Litchi samples sent to ICMR-NIN were analyzed and MCPG was found to be present in both the pulp and seed of the fruit. Diethyl phosphate (DEP) metabolites were found in the urine samples of children who had consumed litchi fruit from this area indicating exposure to pesticide. The presence of both MCPG in litchi and DEP metabolites in urine samples highlights the need to conduct a comprehensive investigation that examines all factors of toxicity.
RNA Polymerase and Transcription Mechanisms: The Forefront of Physicochemical Studies of Chemical Reactions

The study of transcription and its regulation is an interdisciplinary field that is closely connected with genetics, structural biology, and reaction theory. Among these, although less attention has been paid to reaction theory, it is becoming increasingly useful for research on transcription. Rate equations are commonly used to describe reactions involved in transcription, but they tend to be used unaware of the timescales of relevant physical processes. In this review, we discuss the limitation of rate equation for describing three-dimensional diffusion and one-dimensional diffusion along DNA. We then introduce the chemical ratchet mechanism recently proposed for explaining the antenna effect, an enhancement of the binding affinity to a specific site on longer DNA, which deviates from a thermodynamic rule. We show that chemical ratchet cannot be described with a single set of rate equations but alternative sets of rate equations that temporally switch no faster than the binding reaction.
Applying Differential Wave-Front Sensing and Differential Power Sensing for Simultaneous Precise and Wide-Range Test-Mass Rotation Measurements

We propose to combine differential wave-front sensing (DWS) and differential power sensing (DPS) in a Mach-Zehnder type interferometer for measuring the rotational dynamics of a test-mass. Using the DWS method, a high sensitive measurement of 6 nrad Hz−1/2 in sub-Hz frequencies can be provided around the test-mass nominal position (±0.11 mrad), whereas the measurement of a wide rotation range (±5 mrad) is realized by the DPS method. The interferometer can be combined with deep frequency modulation (DFM) interferometry for measurement of the test-mass translational dynamics. The setup and the resulting interferometric signals are verified by simulations. An optimization algorithm is applied to find suitable positions of the lenses and the waist size of the input laser in order to determine the best trade of between the slope of DWS, dynamic range of DPS, and the interferometric contrast. Our simulation further allows to investigate the layout for robustness and design tolerances. We compare our device with a recent experimental realization of a DFM interferometer and find that a practical implementation of the interferometer proposed here has the potential to provide translational and rotational test-mass tracking with state-of-the-art sensitivity. The simple and compact design, and especially the capability of sensing the test-mass rotation in a wide range and simultaneously providing a high-precision measurement close to the test-mass nominal position makes the design especially suitable for example for employment in torsion pendulum setups.
Impact of soil amendments on metribuzin and DCPA half-lives and mobility into agricultural runoff water

The retention and behavior of two herbicides, metribuzin [4-amino-6-tert-butyl-4, 5-dihydro-3-methylthio-1, 2, 4-triazin-5-one] and DCPA [1, 4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachloro-, dimethyl] ester, in runoff and seepage water from agricultural fields were investigated. The objectives of this investigation were to: (i) determine the dissipation and half-life (T 1/2) of metribuzin and DCPA herbicides in soil under three management practices: chicken manure (CM), sewage sludge (SS), and no-mulch native soil (NM); (ii) monitor herbicides residues in runoff and infiltration water following addition of soil amendments; and (iii) determine the impact of soil amendments on the transport of NO3, NH4, and PO4 from soil into surface and subsurface water. Half-life (T 1/2) values of metribuzin were 24, 18, and 12 d in CM, SS, and NM treatments, respectively. Similarly, T 1/2 values of DCPA were greater in CM and SS incorporated soil (45.8 and 52.2 d, respectively) compared to NM native soil (26.2 d). Addition of CM and SS to native agricultural soil increased water infiltration, lowering runoff water volume and herbicide residues in runoff following natural rainfall events. We concluded that soil amendments could be used to intercept pesticide-contaminated runoff from agricultural fields. This practice might provide a potential solution to pesticide contamination of surface and seepage water from farmlands.
Archetypical Conductive Polymer Structure for Specific Interaction with Proteins

A series of 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) functionalized polypyrrole terpolymers, capable of specific binding to IgE antibodies (proteins), have been synthesized using oxidizing initiator, ammonium persulfate and were characterized by 1H-NMR, IR, DSC, Light Scattering etc. The terpolymers were composed of monomers and macromonomers: monomer (pyrrole), macromonomer A (pyrrole with pendant ethylene glycol) and macromonomer B (pyrrole with pendant DNP) with specific functionality of conductance, processiblity and binding, respectively. The terpolymers are found to be semiconductive, (5 × 10−6 S cm−1) by itself without the addition of doping agents. Molecular dynamics simulation of terpolymer shows that the DNP-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) functional group extends out from the polymer backbone and thus, is available for binding. The DNP functional groups on the terpolymer achieve steady state binding with anti-DNP IgE proteins at nanomolar concentrations in solution. The terpolymer was blended with sulfonated polystyrene and processed in fibers which exhibited effective specific binding to fluorescently tagged IgE proteins and therefore, possessed the potential to be an active component in biosensor.
The Proton-Resonance-Frequency-Shift Method Compared with Molecular Diffusion for Quantitative Measurement of Two-Dimensional Time-Dependent Temperature Distribution in a Phantom

Abstract Noninvasive thermometry methods with magnetic resonance imaging usually explore the temperature dependence of the molecular diffusion coefficient of water. A method based on the temperature dependence of the proton resonance frequency is proposed in this study and compared with the diffusion method. The comparison was made with a gel phantom with muscle characteristics and for a voxel size of 0.8 × 0.8 × 10 mm3. The root-mean-square deviation of the temperature images obtained with simulations of the thermal process is between 0.1 and 0.15°C for the proton-resonance-shift-based method with an acquisition time of 1 minute and 0.9-1°C for the diffusion-based method with an acquisition time of 4.5 minutes. Unfortunately, the proton-resonance-shift method is very sensitive to the drift of the external magnetic field and therefore a method of external references was proposed to correct for this drift. The method proves to be adequate as long as the thermal be of interest do not take more than 1 hour.
Bioinformatics Analyses of Potential miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Axis in HBV-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Aims: We aimed to explore the crucial miRNA-mRNA axis through bioinformatics analysis and provide evidences for the development of pathophysiological mechanisms and new therapies for HBV-related HCC. Methods: MiRNA (GSE76903) and mRNA (GSE77509) dataset were used to screen differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) using R software. Overlapping genes between DE-mRNAs and target genes of DE-miRNAs were identified as candidate genes. Hub genes were obtained via cytohubba analysis. The expression at protein and mRNA levels and prognostic value of hub genes were evaluated based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Key miRNA-mRNA axes were constructed according to predicted miRNA-mRNA pairs. MiRNA expression and prognostic role were respectively identified using starBase v3.0 and Kaplan-Meier plotter database. Real-time PCR was performed to verify the expression of crucial miRNAs and mRNAs. Coexpression of crucial miRNA and mRNA were analyzed using starBase v3.0. Results: CDK1, CCNB1, CKS2 and CCNE1 were screened as hub genes, which were significantly upregulated at protein and mRNA levels. These up-regulated hub genes were also significantly associated with poor prognosis. Hsa-mir-195-5p/CDK1, hsa-mir-5589-3p/CCNB1 and hsa-let-7c-3p/CKS2 were screened as critical miRNA-mRNA axes. Critical miRNAs were decreased in HCC, which indicates unfavourable prognosis. QPCR results showed that crucial miRNAs were decreased, whereas critical mRNAs were increased in HBV-related HCC. A reverse relationship between miRNA and mRNA in crucial axis was further verified. Conclusion: This study identified several miRNA-mRNA axes in HBV-related HCC. Hsa-mir-195-5p/CDK1, hsa-mir-5589-3p/CCNB1 and hsa-let-7c-3p/CKS2 might serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HBV-related HCC.
DFT Study of the Hydrogen Spillover Mechanism on Pt-Doped Graphite

The mechanism of hydrogen storage by atomic hydrogen spillover on a Pt-doped graphite (0001) surface was studied by means of density functional theory. The coronene molecule and a Pt4 cluster were used as primary models for the carbon surface and the metal nanoparticles, respectively. It was found that H2 dissociates spontaneously on a Pt cluster, but the dissociated H atoms have to overcome excessively large energy barriers (>60 kcal/mol) to migrate from Pt to the graphite surface. H atoms on a graphite (0001) surface can be either chemisorbed or physisorbed. The transition from the chemisorbed to the physisorbed state happens at sufficiently high rates. In the physisorbed state, H atom diffusion is essentially free of energy barriers. Physisorbed H atoms readsorb selectively adjacent to other chemisorbed H atoms. Our results indicate that H atom migration from a transition metal to the graphite surface is rate-limiting in the overall spillover process. The implications of the findings are discussed.