Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Production of Cassava Starch Bioplastic Film Reinforced with Poly-Lactic Acid (PLA)

Biodegradable thermoplastic starch from cassava starch was produced in this study. The thermoplastic starch (TPS) produced was reinforced with Polylactic Acid (PLA) so as to improve their physical properties. The TPS was produced using a casting method of polymer preparation and later subject to a compression moulding to form a 2 mm film. Glycerol was used as the plasticizer with content varying from 10 to 30% along with the varying amount of water (40 - 60%) and acetic acid (0 – 10%) content. The results show that glycerol has a significant effect on the tensile strength of the material while the effect of water was more significant in the elongation and water absorption properties of the TPS. An optimum value of tensile strength (11 MPa), percentage elongation at break (12%) and percentage water absorption (32%) was derived at 28, 60, and 2% of glycerol, water and acetic acid respectively. Addition of Poly-Lactic Acid (PLA) to the TPS at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% results in a significant positive improvement on the tensile strength (11 MPa to 38 MPa) and reduction in the percentage water absorption (30% to 10%) of the TPS with no significant improvement on the percentage elongation of the material. The TPS/PLA composite with higher tensile strength and lower water absorption can be utilized in some applications to replace the non-biodegradable synthetic plastic so as to reduce the unsustainable waste generation from the use of synthetic plastic.
Rho/Rho-Kinase Pathway Contributes to C-Reactive Protein–Induced Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Expression in Endothelial Cells

Objective— Rho/Rho-kinase pathway plays pivotal roles in cardiovascular diseases including arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Recently it has become evident that C-reactive protein (CRP), a powerful marker for cardiovascular events, has direct proatherothrombotic effects on vascular cells. However, its molecular mechanism has not been fully investigated. We examined the involvement of Rho/Rho-kinase signaling in CRP-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Methods and Results— PAI-1 expression was determined by Western blotting. RhoA activation was determined by an affinity pull-down assay using Rho-binding fragment of rhotekin. NF-κB activity was determined using the luciferase reporter gene. Incubation of BAECs with human recombinant CRP (≥25 μg/mL) induced a significant increase in PAI-1 expression. Stimulation of BAECs with CRP significantly increased RhoA activation. Pretreatment with TAT-C3 (a membrane-permeable RhoA inhibitor) and Y-27.
CLINICAL EVALUATION OF DIRECT PHOTOCOMPOSITIONAL DENTAL RESTORATION IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS OF LIGHT POLYMERIZATION OF ADHESIVE SYSTEM

Photocomposite materials and adhesive systems are used for direct tooth restoration, among which 5th generation systems are most often used. To ensure curing, they are exposed to the light flux of the dental photopolymerizer, but the requirements and conditions of such exposure are insufficiently studied. The aim – clinical evaluation of direct photocomposite restorations of teeth performed using an adhesive system, the curing of which was carried out in different light conditions. Materials and methods. 185 people aged from 19 to 44 years were examined, in which 185 lateral teeth with carious cavities of the 1st class according to Black for medium and deep caries were restored by direct method from nanophotocomposite material. In patients of group 1 during the restoration of 62 teeth the polymerization of the adhesive system of the 5th generation was performed with a light flux of constant intensity 1500 mW/cm², in patients of group 2 were restored 60 teeth with polymerization of the same adhesive system with light flux by "soft start" with a final intensity of 1500 mW/cm², 63 teeth in persons of group 3 were restored with a gradual light effect of 1500 mW/cm² on the adhesive system at the bottom and each of the cavity walls using an additional device. The state of recovery was examined after 12 and 24 months. Results. Within 12 months, the largest total number of disorders according to the clinical criteria "marginal adhesion", "marginal staining", "postoperative sensitivity" and "secondary caries" was found in patients of agroups 1 and 2, violations were found in 10 and 13 restorations, respectively (16.1±4.9 % and 21.7±5.8 % of the number of restorations in each group). In persons of group 3, disorders were identified in 3 restored teeth (4.8±2.6 %), which is statistically significant (p<0.05) better. After 24 months, statistically significant (p<0.05) the best indicators were again in patients of group 3, violations were found only in 4 restorations (6.7±3.2 % of them in this period). The worst was the state of recovery in persons of group 2, they had disorders in 20 restorations (42.6±10.4 %), in patients of group 1 – in 16 restorations (30.8±8.0 %). Conclusions. Direct restoration of teeth from nanophotocomposite material, performed using the 5th generation adhesive system under the condition of its gradual polymerization at the bottom and each of the walls of the carious cavity of сlass 1 according to Black, showed high clinical efficiency, which in 12 and 24 months amounted to, respectively, 93.7±3.4 % and 88.9±3.5 %.
Syndecan-4 Prevents Cardiac Rupture and Dysfunction After Myocardial Infarction

Rationale:Syndecan-4 (Syn4), a cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, has been detected in the infarct region after myocardial infarction (MI), but its functional significance has not been elucidated. Objective:We examined whether and how Syn4 regulates the cardiac healing process after MI. Methods and Results:Although the heart in Syn4-deficient (Syn4−/−) mice was morphologically and functionally normal, Syn4−/− mice exhibited impaired heart function and increased mortality rate as a result of cardiac ruptures after MI. Cardiac ruptures in Syn4−/− mice were associated with reduced inflammatory reaction and impaired granulation tissue formation during the early phase of MI, as evidenced by reduced numbers of leukocytes, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, macrophages, and capillary vessels, along with reduced extracellular matrix protein deposition in the infarct region after MI. Transforming growth factor-β1–dependent cell signaling was preserved, whereas cell migration, fibronectin-induced cell signaling, .
Maximum Ratio Principle-Based Estimation of Difference Inter-System Bias

The tight combination model improves the positioning accuracy of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in complex environments by increasing the redundancy of observation. However, the ambiguity cannot be calculated directly because of the correlation between it and the phase difference inter-system bias (DISB) in the model. This paper proposes a method of DISB estimation based on the principle of maximum ratio. From the data analysis, for the standard deviation of code DISB, the improvement of the method can up to 0·179 m with the poor quality data. In addition, compared to the parameter combination method, the standard deviation of all the phase DISB was deceased with the method in the paper. About the phase DISB of GPS L1/Galileo E1, the standard deviation decreased from 0·014/0·022/0·009/0·051 cycles to 0·006/0·015/0·004/0·029 cycles of four baselines, which represents the improvement of 57·14/31·82/55·56/43·14%. About the phase DISB of GPS L1/BDS B1, the standard deviation decreased from 0·014/0·061/0·010/0·052 cycles to 0·002/0·005/0·009/0·004 cycles of four baselines, which represents the improvement of 85·71/91·80/10·00/92·31%.
Normative Data for Myocardial Native T1 and Extracellular Volume Fraction in Children.

Purpose To establish normative data for myocardial T1, including extracellular volume (ECV) fraction, in healthy children. Materials and Methods In this retrospective, single-center study, T1 mapping data were collected from 48 healthy pediatric patients (14 years ± 3 [standard deviation]; range, 9-18 years; 27 of 48 [56%] male) referred for cardiac screening 1.5-T MRI between 2014 and 2017. T1 relaxometry was performed using a 5(number of heartbeats [nHB])3 modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequence, where nHB was three to five heartbeats depending on the heart rate, and was repeated 15 minutes following the administration of 0.2 mmol per kilogram of body weight of gadobenate dimeglumine, with 19 patients receiving contrast material. T1 values were calculated using a curve-fitting algorithm on average region-of-interest signal and corrected for imperfect inversion pulse efficiency. Comparisons within patients were performed with paired Student t test, between groups with unpaired Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression was performed to examine for associations with other variables. Results Average native T1 was 1008 msec ± 31, with a nonsignificant increase in females (1017 msec ± 27 vs 1001 msec ± 33, P = .066). Average ECV was 20.8% ± 2.4, with a nonsignificant increase in values in females (21.7% ± 1.9 vs 20.0% ± 2.6, P = .123). T1 and ECV values were increased in the septum versus the free wall. Conclusion Normative data are presented for myocardial native T1 and ECV using the MOLLI T1 mapping sequence at 1.5 T.Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2020.
Do female frogs have higher resting metabolic rates than males? A case study with
 Xenopus allofraseri

The energetic costs of body maintenance can have a profound influence on the energy that an individual can allocate to other functions such as growth, locomotion, or reproduction. Therefore, resting metabolism can ultimately affect an individual’s survival or reproductive success, especially when food is limited. Although males and females often differ in their body composition (e.g. sex organs and fat accumulation) and body size, the occurrence and direction of sexual dimorphism in resting metabolism remains poorly understood in anurans. In the present study, we investigated whether males and females of the false Fraser’s clawed frog Xenopus allofraseri differ in their resting metabolic rates. We used an open-flow pushthrough respirometry system to measure the volume of carbon dioxide (VCO2) produced by animals at rest. Variation in VCO2min was explained by ambient temperature, body size, and sex. For a similar body size, our results revealed that females had about a 50% higher resting metabolic rate (RMR) than males. We suggest that the enhanced investment in gamete production in females compared to males may explain this difference. We further suggest that a lower RMR in males compared to females at similar body size could be selectively advantageous as unallocated energy may be devoted to costly mating, in support of the ‘compensation’ hypothesis.
Comparison among Different Rewetting Strategies of Degraded Agricultural Peaty Soils: Short-Term Effects on Chemical Properties and Ecoenzymatic Activities

In 2013, a pilot experimental field of about 15 ha was set up within the basin of Lake Massaciuccoli (Tuscany, Italy) in order to compare different management strategies—a paludicultural system (PCS), a constructed wetland system (CWS), a nearly-natural wetland system (NWS)—for peatland restoration after almost a century of drainage-based agricultural use (CS). After five years, changes in peat soil quality were investigated from a chemical, biochemical, and ecoenzymatic perspective. The soil in CS was mainly characterized by oxidant conditions, higher content of overall microbial activity, low levels of easily available phosphorus for vegetation, and medium total carbon content ranging from 25.0% to 30.7%. In PCS, the levels of total carbon and the content of bioavailable P were higher, while the oxidant conditions were lower compared to the other systems. As expected, the soils in CWS and NWS were characterized by the most reduced conditions and by the highest levels of arylsulphatase activity. It was noteworthy that soils in the NWS systems were characterized by the highest level of nonavailable P. Outputs from ecoenzymatic activity confirmed the physico-chemical and biochemical results.
Haplotype assignment of longitudinal viral deep sequencing data using covariation of variant frequencies

Longitudinal deep sequencing of viruses can provide detailed information about intra-host evolutionary dynamics including how viruses interact with and transmit between hosts. Many analyses require haplotype reconstruction, identifying which variants are co-located on the same genomic element. Most current methods to perform this reconstruction are based on a high density of variants and cannot perform this reconstruction for slowly evolving viruses. We present a new approach, HaROLD (HAplotype Reconstruction Of Longitudinal Deep sequencing data), which performs this reconstruction based on identifying co-varying variant frequencies using a probabilistic framework. We test this method with synthetic data sets of mixed cytomegalovirus and norovirus genomes, demonstrating high accuracy when longitudinal samples are available.
Multiple C2 domains and transmembrane region proteins (MCTPs) tether membranes at plasmodesmata

In eukaryotes, membrane contact sites (MCS) allow direct communication between organelles. Plants have evolved a unique type of MCS, inside intercellular pores, the plasmodesmata, where endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–plasma membrane (PM) contacts coincide with regulation of cell‐to‐cell signalling. The molecular mechanism and function of membrane tethering within plasmodesmata remain unknown. Here, we show that the multiple C2 domains and transmembrane region protein (MCTP) family, key regulators of cell‐to‐cell signalling in plants, act as ER‐PM tethers specifically at plasmodesmata. We report that MCTPs are plasmodesmata proteins that insert into the ER via their transmembrane region while their C2 domains dock to the PM through interaction with anionic phospholipids. A Atmctp3/Atmctp4 loss of function mutant induces plant developmental defects, impaired plasmodesmata function and composition, while MCTP4 expression in a yeast Δtether mutant partially restores ER‐PM tethering. Our data suggest that MCTPs are unique membrane tethers controlling both ER‐PM contacts and cell‐to‐cell signalling.
Numerical Verification of Interaction between Masonry with Precast Reinforced Lintel Made of AAC and Reinforced Concrete Confining Elements

This paper describes results of numerical analyses of reinforced lintels made of autoclaved aerated concrete built into unconfined walls and walls confined with reinforced concrete. The combination of the Menétrey–Willam elastic-plastic failure criterion (M-W-3) and the Rankine criterion was used for numerical analysis of masonry. The parameters were determined by laboratory tests. Rebars were modelled using the Huber–Mises–Hencky yield criterion. The numerical model included interface elements att the interface between masonry units, at interfaces between reinforced concrete and masonry, and at interfaces between elements of test stands with a model using the Coulomb–Mohr (C-M) criterion. The majority of parameters of interface elements were assumed from laboratory tests. Results of numerical analysis were compared with laboratory tests. Results of numerical analysis and experiments were compatible in the range of load-carrying capacity of models and the failure method.
Xylem structure and function in three grapevine varieties

Xylem vessels are responsible for conducting water, in a metastable state, to the transpiring leaves. As tension increases, hydraulic failure may occur. At any given tension, the resistance of the xylem vessels to cavitation depends on their morphology, of which vessels diameter has been pointed out as relevant. Grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) are often cultivated in Mediterranean climates and mostly under controlled water deficit conditions. Besides, a high variability in the stomatal sensitivity exists in different varieties. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (CS) is recognized as isohydric, ‘Syrah’ (S) as anisohydric, and no clear information exist for ‘Carménère’ (C), an important grapevine variety for the Chilean wine industry. In the present study, xylem morpho-anatomical traits from stems in CS, S, and C, growing in a single vineyard, were analyzed, inferring their specific theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Also, the maximal hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to cavitation, the latter expressed as the xylem water potential reducing a 50% loss in hydraulic conductivity (PLC50) were assessed in stems collected from the field. Higher vessels diameter was found in S and C, followed by CS, in general ranging from 21 to 120 μm, resulting in an expected proportional theoretical hydraulic conductivity of nearly 40 to 43 kg s-1 m-1 MPa-1 in C and S, and merely 23 kg s-1 m-1 MPa-1 in C. This values were similar -but not proportionallyto maximal actual hydraulic conductivity measured in stems with median values, in average, of 28, 17, and 13 kg s-1 m-1 MPa-1 in S, C, and CS, respectively. Even though wider xylem vessels have been correlated with higher xylem vulnerability to cavitation, PLC50 was significantly higher in S (-2.3 MPa) compared to C (-1.1 MPa), and even though xylem vessels diameter were similar between S and C, C was as vulnerable as CS. We found no such tradeoff between hydraulic efficiency and vulnerability.
A Matter of Perspective: The Benefits to Students, Faculty, and Future Employers of Positioning Students as Consultants on Learning and Teaching

Abstract Perspective is a central tenet of seemingly disparate theories and practices: situated learning; communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation; metacognition developed through reflective practice; standpoint theory; student voice; and pedagogical partnership. We integrate key insights from these into a single interpretive framework to inform our comparison of two different approaches to positioning students as consultants on learning and teaching. Drawing on reflections of student and faculty participants, we affirm previous findings regarding both groups’ expanded perspectives on learning and teaching and movement toward greater legitimacy and expertise, and we share the under-explored finding of preparing students for future employment.
Aspectos centrales de la identificación y desarrollo de talentos deportivos: revisión sistemática (Central aspects of the identification and development of sports talents: a systematic review)

Abstract. The detection and development of sports talents has been for decades a strategy used internationally with the purpose of obtaining elite athletes, for this, it recruits boys and girls from a very early age who are subjected to high levels of training. Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify and synthesize the most important literature on the effects of relative age (ER), training volume (TV), early specialization (ES), and diversification of sports practice. (DSP) in sports success. Methodology: online search was made in PubMed, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus (EBSCOhost), Science, Social Science, Web of Science, Scirus, Hinari, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus and Ovid using the keywords: relative age effect, early sport specialization, volume training, sports diversification. After selection based on the established criteria, 77 articles were included. They were completely reviewed and contained relevant data on ER, TV, ET, and DSP. The quality of the evidence reviewed was excellent in general terms. Conclusion: scientific evidence indicates that success in elite and super-elite athletes is not correlated with TV, ES, ER. These findings must be carefully considered by all those involved in the identification and development of athletes.
Dynamical changes of diversity and community assembly during recovery from a plant functional group removal experiment in the alpine meadow

: Recently, numerous studies have used functional trait or phylogeny to infer the mechanisms of community assembly. However, different processes may lead to similar patterns of diversity. In an alpine meadow plant community in Gannan, we compared the dynamical changes in species diversity, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity with experimental removal of plant functional groups. We assessed how colonization and extinction affected diversity dynamics after removing functional groups. We found that for communities receiving removals of different number of functional groups, species richness ( SR ), Shan-non-Wiener index ( H ′ ), Simpson index ( D ), and evenness index ( J ) rapidly converged to the levels for natural communities. Moreover, functional diversity ( FD ) and phylogenetic diversity ( PD ) showed the similar trends as species diversity, while the mean pairwise distances ( MPD/MPDa and MFD/MFDa ) converged to medium levels. Next, species and functional group compositions recovered to the levels of natural communities within a short period. Finally, we found that functional patterns of species colonization and extinction was the main driver of the community recovery. This study indicates that the diversity of species, functions, and phylogeny of plant communities in alpine meadows can recover quickly from functional group removal at small scales when close to natural alpine meadows.
DOES THE TERM OF DEFINITIVE OSTEOSYNTHESIS OF MULTIPLE LONG BONE FRACTURES OF LOWER EXTREMITIES IMPACT ON TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN POLYTRAUMA PATIENTS

The aim: to determine the timing impact of definitive multiple long bone fracture osteosynthesis of lower extremities on complications development, duration of Mechanical Ventilation (MV), Length of Stay in Intensive Care Unit (LOS-ICU), Hospital length of Stay (H-LOS) in patients with polytrauma treated according to Damage Control Orthopedics (DCO). Materials and methods: a prospective controlled non-randomized trial in parallel groups conducted in polytrauma department of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 17 from February 2016 to January 2020, which included 107 adult patients with polytrauma, multiple long bone fractures of lower extremities, one of which femur treated according to DCO. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I included 51 patients who underwent definitive osteosynthesis of long bone fractures of lower extremities after patient condition stabilization ≥24 hours ≤5 days; Group II included 56 patients who underwent definitive osteosynthesis of long bone fractures of lower extremities during the period >5 days after injury. Results: there were no statistically significant differences between Group I and Group II patients in demographics, injury mechanism, trauma severity and general patient condition. Group I patients who underwent osteosynthesis from 2nd to 5th days after injury had lower pneumonia incidence, compared to Group II patients (17.6 % vs. 26.8 %, p=0.047), shorter MV duration (9.3±6.9 vs. 14.9±9.1, p=0.048), ICU-LOS (13.5±8.3 vs. 19.1±11.0, p=0.037), and H-LOS (30.3±13.9 vs. 38.9±15.5, p=0.046). Conclusion: performing definitive multiple fracture osteosynthesis of lower extremity long bones after polytrauma patient stabilization from 2nd to 5th days after injury allowed to reduce the frequency of pneumonia, shorten the duration of MV, LOS-ICU and H-LOS, compared with its implementation after 5th days
Variance reduction approach for the volatility over a finite-time horizon

Abstract The volatility is a measure for the uncertainty of an asset’s return and is used to reflect the risk level of a financial asset. In this article, we consider the double kernel nonparametric estimator for the volatility function in a diffusion model over a finite-time span based on high frequency sampling data. Under the minimum conditions, the asymptotic mixed normality for the underlying estimator is derived. Moreover, the better finite-sample performance as variance reduction and even mean squared error reduction of the proposed estimator is verified through a Monte Carlo simulation study and an empirical analysis on overnight Shibor in China.