Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Novel Blood Indicators of Progression and Prognosis in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Red Cell Distribution Width-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Albumin-to-Fibrinogen Ratio

Objective To evaluate the value of preoperative red cell distribution width-to-lymphocyte ratio (RLR) and albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) to the prognosis of patients after renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods From 2012 to 2016, a total of 273 RCC patients underwent radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy. This study retrospectively analyzed this group of patients. X-tile software was used to determine the optimal values of RLR and AFR in the peripheral blood. The nomogram constructed with independent factors was used to predict the survival outcome of the patients after RCC. Results The RLR of the RCC group was higher than that of the normal control group (P=0.002), whereas the AFR of the RCC group was lower than that of the normal control group (P < 0.001). RLR and AFR are related to tumour type and tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P < 0.05 for all). Cox regression analysis showed that the independent prognostic factors affecting overall survival and disease-free survival in the RCC group were symptom, tumour type, TNM stage, Fuhrman grade, RLR, and AFR (P < 0.05 for all). The nomogram constructed by multiple factors has better predictive power for patients after RCC. Conclusion Preoperative RLR and AFR can serve as potential biomarkers to predict the prognosis of postoperative RCC patients and improve the predictability of patient recurrence and survival.
Effects of Manual Therapy and Mechanical Massage on Spinal Alignment, Extension Range of Motion, Back Extensor Electromyographic Activity, and Thoracic Extension Strength in Individuals with Thoracic Hyperkyphosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Manual therapy has been recommended to reduce and prevent musculoskeletal problems related to thoracic hyperkyphosis. With recent rapid technological developments, manual techniques can now be implemented by mechanical devices; hence, mechanical massage can manipulate the back muscles and mobilize the spine. Purpose Here, we aimed to 1) determine the effects of mechanical massage and manual therapy and 2) compare their effects on spinal posture, extension range of motion, trunk extensor electromyographic activity, and thoracic extension strength in individuals with thoracic hyperkyphosis. Methods Participants with thoracic hyperkyphosis were randomly assigned to the manual therapy (n = 16) or mechanical massage (n = 19) group. Each intervention was applied for 8 weeks. The participants' spinal posture, extension range of motion, trunk extensor electromyographic activity, and thoracic extension strength were measured before and after intervention. Results Intergroup analyses revealed no significant differences in any variables. However, thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, longissimus thoracis electromyographic activity, iliocostalis lumborum pars lumborum activity, and thoracic extension strength differed significantly in intertime analyses. The results of paired t-test analysis showed that thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, longissimus thoracis electromyographic activity, and thoracic extension strength were significantly different after intervention in both groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions Mechanical massage and manual therapy effectively improve thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. Therefore, mechanical massage is an alternative intervention to manual therapy for improving thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength in participants with hyperkyphosis. This trail is registered with KCT0004527.
Complexation interfaciale de polymères : propriétés et stabilité d'émulsions millimétriques

Ce travail de these porte sur l’etude d’une interface eau-huile ou a lieu une complexation de deux polymeres. La phase aqueuse est une solution de microgels de polyacide acrylique reticule (carbomer) et la phase organique comprend un polyelectrolyte possedant des fonctions amines (amodimethicone). Cette interface polymerique permet la stabilisation d’emulsions directes dont la taille des gouttes atteint le millimetre. Les gouttes sont ici fabriquees une a une via une technique millifluidique, ce qui permet d’obtenir une emulsion calibree. Ce procede a ete mis au point par la societe Capsum afin d’encapsuler des parfums ou bien des principes actifs pour la cosmetique. L’adsorption et la complexation des polyelectrolytes a l’interface eau-huile sont tout d’abord caracterisees a l’aide de methodes de tensiometrie, en statique et en dynamique. Les proprietes mecaniques de la membrane polymerique ainsi que son potentiel stabilisateur d’emulsions sont ensuite etudies a l’echelle d’une collection de gouttes, en compression par gravite ou bien par centrifugation, ainsi que pour des gouttes uniques en ecoulement dans un tube. Ces diverses approches experimentales permettent de mettre en lumiere differents regimes de stabilisation des emulsions en fonction des conditions physico-chimiques. Une observation majeure est que la quantite d’amodimethicone controle l’ancrage du carbomer a l’interface ainsi que l’etat fluide ou bien solide de l’interface et donc la stabilite de l’emulsion correspondante. De plus, lorsque la membrane est solide, c’est-a-dire lorsqu’il y a reticulation des microgels via l’amodimethicone, un phenomene remarquable de propagation de la rupture de la membrane au sein d’une emulsion sous compression est revele.
Iodine chemistry in the remote troposphere

Measurements of the flux of I2 and HOI from the heterogeneous reaction of gaseous ozone with aqueous iodide were performed by conversion to iodine oxide particles and detection using a nano-differential mobility analyser. Fluxes were measured as a function of [O3], [I-], salinity, temperature, and in the presence of organic species. A linear response was observed for O3 and salinity; iodide showed some deviation at higher concentrations. The temperature dependence of the I- + O3 reaction was found not to be significant and none of the organic species investigated had a significant effect on the resulting I2 and HOI fluxes. A kinetic model of the interfacial layer was then employed to verify the experimental results and good agreement was found, apart from observations at high iodide where the I2 flux was over-predicted. Parameterised expressions for the flux of I2 and HOI were then produced from the model outputs using multiple linear regression analysis. The differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) technique was used to measure IO on the Galapagos Islands in the Eastern Pacific. The long path (LP) DOAS instrument was unable to measure IO above the detection limit (0.9 pptv) and measurements from the multi-axis (MAX) DOAS instrument ranged from below the detection limit to 0.9±0.2 pptv. IOx (IO + I) was inferred from the measured O3 concentrations and correlation analyses were conducted with available ancillary measurements (O3, wind speed, temperature) and satellite data (Chl-a, CDOM, SST, and salinity). A significant positive correlation was observed with both SST and salinityand this was linked to variations in sea surface I-. The parameterised expressions for I2 and HOI were then input into the 1-D chemistry-transport model THAMO (Tropospheric HAlogen chemistry MOdel) to compare the predicted IO and IOx mixing ratios with measurements performed on the Cape Verde islands in the Atlantic ocean and during the HaloCarbon Air Sea Transect-Pacific (HaloCAST-P) cruise in the Eastern Pacific. The predicted fluxes were in agreement at higher wind speeds, however, at lower wind speeds, IO was over-predicted byaround a factor of three; O3 concentrations were reduced to 2 ppb (20 times lower than calculated) to match the observations.
Practical servoing of VTOL UAVs from object of unknown 3D geometry: new hybrid approach

This paper presents a new solution for the visual servoing of the translational kinematics of vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. While previous works mainly focused on the servoing from known objects under controlled conditions, the present paper deals with the servoing from objects of unknown three-dimensional (3D) geometry. The proposed technique is a hybrid controller that combines the global stability of position based visual servoing with the robustness of image based schemes. This is achieved using a switching strategy, which favours the advantageous controller based on the disparity between the reference and actual image. Although using a monocular camera, our technique supposes no knowledge about the 3D location of the features of interest. Only an approximation of the average depth of these features is required to realise a good tradeoff between performance and robustness. We validate the proposed control strategy on a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle in a mission of power assets inspection. To achieve real time performance, we consider a framework that combines optical flow based tracking with a periodic reinitialisation using scale invariant feature transform descriptor. Results from real world experiments as well as from a realistic simulator are provided to validate the proposed solution.
Ionic Transport in Alkali Halides with Doping-Induced Defects and Colour Centre Migration by Thermal Bleaching

Measurements of ionic conductivity in pure alkali halides and in alkali halides with doping-induced defects were made to determine the activation energies and mobility of F-centres. The activation energies in NaCl:Cd were found large in comparison with NaCl with other divalent impurities. The mobilities of F-centre migration on bleaching of injected electrons were measured and the activation energies of bleaching WF have been found. The results for space-charge-limited conduction of F-centres are explained with the determined values of activation energies W and WF .
100 Familias que cambiaron el Mundo. Las empresas familiares y la industrialización

El libro recoge las historias de 100 empresas organizadas por paises, en orden alfabetico, y dentro de el, por orden de antiguedad. La contribucion del libro reside en las cien historias contadas: lo novedoso es la presentacion conjunta de cien historias de empresas que, de alguna forma, contribuyeron al desarrollo de la revolucion industrial o la aprovecharon ventajosamente. Aunque en el epilogo apuntamos algunas de las reflexiones que surgen tras la lectura de estas historias desde la perspectiva que sugerimos en esta introduccion, la autentica novedad de estas paginas se encuentra en el propio aprendizaje que el lector puede extraer al comprender como estas 100 empresas han logrado sobrevivir mas de cien anos. Esperamos que muchas de esas «lecciones de la historia» sean aplicables en la actualidad a los negocios de los potenciales lectores. Al igual que en las escuelas de direccion consideramos al participante como una parte esencial de su propio proceso de formacion, que se va forjando en la discusion, a traves del metodo del caso, hemos considerado al lector parte esencial de las oportunidades de aprendizaje que ofrecen las cien historias. En la mayoria de los libros escritos por academicos, estos exponen de manera sistematica sus conclusiones y las ilustran con ejemplos. Nuestra pretension es, mas bien, la contraria: presentar las cien historias, llenas de sabiduria, para que el lector las lea y extraiga sus propias conclusiones.
Mixing and Demixing Processes in Multiphase Flows With Application to Propulsion Systems

A workshop on transport processes in multiphase flow was held at the Marshall Space Flight Center on February 25 and 26, 1988. The program, abstracts and text of the presentations at this workshop are presented. The objective of the workshop was to enhance our understanding of mass, momentum, and energy transport processes in laminar and turbulent multiphase shear flows in combustion and propulsion environments.
Variational calculations of rotational-vibrational spectra and properties of small molecules

ABSTRACT The main goal of this work was the development of theoretical methods for calculating the rotational-vibrational spectra and properties of small molecules in the ground electronic state. The functionality of the computer program TROVE, devised for variational calculations of the rotational-vibrational states, was extended in three major areas: (i) calculation of accurate potential energy surfaces (PES) by refinement against spectroscopic data, (ii) calculation of high-resolution rotational-vibrational spectra, (iii) calculation of rotational-vibrational and temperature corrections to electromagnetic properties, as well as high-temperature partition functions and related thermodynamic properties. PES. In our work we have developed, based on the variational TROVE method, an efficient method for refining an ab initio PES to spectroscopic data, which allows us to treat up to penta-atomic molecules. It combines the high flexibility of the quantum chemical methods in predicting global PESs with the high accuracy of the spectroscopic methods. Using this approach we have obtained PESs for NH3 and H2CO of unprecedented accuracy unreachable for state-of-the-art quantum chemical methods so far. SPECTRA. We have developed and implemented in TROVE a general method for calculating the transition line strengths and intensities for arbitrary molecules. Due to algorithmic improvements the computations have become feasible for tetra- and penta-atomic molecules and for spectra comprising millions of lines. We have applied this method for calculating the spectra of HSOH, SbH3, and NH3. For NH3 we have produced an astrophysical line list consisting of 3.25 million transitions between states with energies up to 12 000 cm-1. PROPERTIES. We have addressed the problem of calculating the rovibrational contributions to molecular properties and developed two such approaches. The first one treats the rovibrational and temperature contributions variationally, by averaging the corresponding electronic property over the rovibrational states. Our study of the rovibrational contributions to the indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants of ammonia has shown that the effects of large amplitude motion and Coriolis coupling are quite substantial and cannot be recovered even with a high-order perturbation treatment. The second approach directly deals with the spectroscopic observables, namely rovibrational energy levels, their derivatives, and the spectra of a molecule in an electromagnetic field.
Determination of Soil-Available Micronutrients using the DTPA and Mehlich 3 Methods for Greek Soils Having Variable Amounts of Calcium Carbonate

The Mehlich 3 method for the extraction of available micronutrients, such as copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), is more advantageous compared to the diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) method, because it can also be used for the extraction of macronutrients. The aim of this study was to compare the Mehlich 3 and DTPA methods for 172 soils in Greece having different levels of pH and calcium carbonate. Single and multiple regression analyses were employed to evaluate the relationship between Mehlich 3 and DTPA tests. Mehlich 3 results correlated well with DTPA-extractable Cu and Zn, but the correlation was poor for DTPA-extractable Mn. Also, a high correlation was found between Mehlich 3 and DTPA-extractable Fe for calcareous soils (R2 = 0.89), while a moderate relationship was found for noncalcareous soils (R2 = 0.65), which was improved to 0.78 when the pH was taken into account in multiple regression analysis.
NK cells in pancreatic cancer demonstrate impaired cytotoxicity and a regulatory IL-10 phenotype

ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most common tumor subtypes and remains associated with very poor survival. T cell infiltration into tumor tissue is associated with improved clinical outcome but little is known regarding the potential role of NK cells in disease control. Here we analyze the phenotype and function of NK cells in the blood and tumor tissue from patients with PDAC. Peripheral NK cells are present in normal numbers but display a CD16hiCD57hi phenotype with marked downregulation of NKG2D. Importantly, these cells demonstrate reduced cytotoxic activity and low levels of IFN-γ expression but instead produce high levels of intracellular IL-10, an immunoregulatory cytokine found at increased levels in the blood of PDAC patients. In contrast, NK cells are largely excluded from tumor tissue where they display strong downregulation of both CD16 and CD57, a phenotype that was recapitulated in primary NK cells following co-culture with PDAC organoids. Moreover, expression of activatory proteins, including DNAM-1 and NKP30, was markedly suppressed and the DNAM-1 ligand PVR was strongly expressed on tumor cells. As such, in situ and peripheral NK cells display differential features in patients with PDAC and indicate local and systemic mechanisms by which the tumor can evade immune control. These findings offer a number of potential options for NK-based immunotherapy in the management of patients with PDAC.
Evaluation as antioxidant agents of 1,2,4-triazole derivatives: effects of essential functional groups

Article history: Received on: 27/03/2015 Revised on: 08/04/2015 Accepted on: 03/05/2015 Available online: 27/06/2015 A series of 1,2,4-triazole derivative compounds substituted with groups of phenol and pyridine were synthesized in high yields and screened against several antioxidant activity parameters such as DPPH, ABTS, metal chelating, reducing power and the total antioxidant activity. The compounds showed better than expected antioxidant activity between the studied biological activity parameters. Among these, compound G(2-(5mercapto-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)phenol) had a high total antioxidant activity potential with value of 232.12±6.89 mmol/ml. Also showed fairly good ABTS cation radical and DPPH radical scavenging activity with values of IC50 = 4.59±4.19 and IC50 = 7.12±2. 32μg/mL respectively. Further, the antioxidant potential of heterocyclic compounds that 1,2,4-triazole derivatives containing different functional groups were compared with various tests performed and has been shown to increase the activity of electron donating groups. Therefore, the present study demonstrates that phenol and pyridine substituted 1,2,4-triazole compounds would be a better prospective in the development of antioxidant agent.
Flexible solar cells based on graphene-ultrathin silicon Schottky junction

We developed a flexible graphene–silicon (Gr–Si) photovoltaic device with high reliability and stability. Ultrathin Si film was fabricated via an anisotropic Si etching method, and exhibited excellent flexibility. Different from the traditional graphene transfer approach, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) film remained, by which the physical damage of graphene resulting from the PMMA dissolution process is avoided. Moreover, PMMA film could serve as an antireflection layer that reduces the reflectance from 40% to lower than 20%. The power conversion efficiency of a PMMA–Gr–Si film solar cell reached 5.09%, which far exceeds the efficiency of a Gr–Si solar cell with the same thickness of Si film of 10.6 μm. More importantly, the PMMA film worked as a packaging material to improve the device stability. The PMMA–Gr–Si solar cell could keep 93% of the original efficiency after bending 60 times. The simple, low-cost and flexible photovoltaic device shows promising prospects in potential applications for portable and wearable electronic products.
Avaliação de Alimentos pela Técnica Semi-Automática In Vitro de Produção de Gases: uma revisão

in the present study sought tried to show, the application of the semi-automated in vitro gas production technique for evaluation of foods. It is a technique no invasive that reproduces the model of fermentation of the microbiological population of the digestive tubule effi e s t u d o s , G o iâ n ia , v. 3 5 , n . 3 , p . 3 5 7 -3 7 4 , m a io /j u n . 2 0 0 8 . 374 ciently. Besides it is cheap, accessible and of easy execution, being able to, with minimum resources, to be implanted quickly and effi ciency. In spite of recent, that technique comes if diff using with good acceptance for simulation laboratorial of the kinetics of the digestion, as well as of the quality of the foods.
Effect of modification of citraconic anhydrides on catalytic activity and thermostability of enzymes

BACKGROUND Activation and stabilization of enzymes have received considerable attention. In recent years, chemical modification has re-emerged as a powerful complementary approach to site-directed mutagenesis and directed evolution because it is simple and effective. Chemical modification of enzymes by dicarboxylic acid anhydride enhanced their activities and stabilities. RESULTS Lipase, α-chymotrypsin and subtilisin modified by citraconic anhydride were examined. Lipase and α-chymotrypsin were successfully modified by citraconic anhydride, while subtilisin showed poor reactivity with it. Optimum pH range for lipase and α-chymotrypsin, and the secondary structure of α-chymotrypsin was found to be unchanged by the modification process. Effect of the modification on the activity and thermostability of lipase was small. On the other hand, modification of lysine residues on the enzyme surface enhanced the catalytic activity and thermostability of α-chymotrypsin. Further modification of lysine residues caused the reduction of thermostability. Modification of more hydrophobic dicarboxylic acid anhydride resulted in an increase in thermostability. CONCLUSION The modification of the lysine residues on the enzyme surface with citraconic anhydride shows a small effect on the catalytic reactivity and enhances the thermostability of the enzymes. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
A STUDY OF ANTI-HYPERLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF MARKETED FORMULATIONS OF TERMINALIA ARJUNA POWDER USING EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODEL

Hyperlipidemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism which is major risk of coronary heart disease. Now a day’s synthetic drugs have been associated with number of side effects but herbal medicines have lipid lowering and antioxidant activities without any side effects. Some traditionally herbs like: - Commiphora mukul (Gugglul), Terminalia Arjuna (Arjun), Picrorrhiza Kurroa(Kutki), Allium Sativum (Lasuna), etc. are used as Antihyperlipidemic drug in ayurvedic literature. Hence the present study was undertaken to investigate the antihyperlipidemic effect of marketed formulations of terminalia arjuna against Triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemia in rats at 200 and 400 mg/kg dose inhibited the elevation of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in hyperlipidemic rats. Marketed formulations also significantly decreased 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl- CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) activity at the dose of 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg; p.o. showed good antihyperlipidemic activity in Triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats. The probable mechanism of action of the marketed formulations may be inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase enzyme pathway. Key Words: Antihyperlipidemic activity, marketed formulations, Triton WR 1339, HMG-CoA reductase, Sprague–Dawley rats.