Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atomistic simulations of atomic force microscopy

An important milestone in exploration of physical phenomena on the nanometer scale was the invention of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in 1982 by G. Binig and H. Rohrer. Later, using noncontact atomic force microscopy (AFM) atomic resolution has been achieved so far on a variety of surfaces. A good understanding of the tip-apex structures is indispensable to the scientists in the field of scanning probe microscopy. Nowadays, this information is hardly obtained by the experiments, only atomistic simulations are able to provide detailed insight into the tip-apex structures and also the atomic relaxations processes induced by the tip-sample interaction. For large scale simulations such as atomistic simulations of tip-apex structure prediction, one needs efficient, fast but still accurate tools. We use global optimizations algorithms together with fast and sufficiently accurate tight binding schemes to investigate tip-apex structures. In this dissertation, recently developed methods such as P3S, P3D, and a new Si-H tight-binding scheme are presented. These methods will be of great help for the atomistic simulations of the atomic force microscopy. The Coulomb interaction is dominant in ionic systems so that the accurate and efficient evaluation of Coulomb interactions is crucial for the atomistic simulations of the ionic systems such as alkali halides, etc.
Modeling and simulation of the aid exerted by an exoskeleton robot for different situations of lower limb disability in humans

The purpose of this study is proposing the modeling for human-exoskeleton joint structure. The model of the exoskeleton human union implies a mechanical structure with cinematic constraints. Starting out from this model, we present some simulation tests, which allow analyze some human disabilities that may be presented in lower limbs. Finally, it is demonstrated how the use of our proposed mechanism for walking assistance, compensates mobility problems that may be presented in humans during the walking cycle.
Sleeping Beauty transposon vectors for therapeutic applications: advances and challenges

Transposable elements are natural, non-viral gene delivery vehicles capable of mediating stable genomic integration. The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon has the ability to cut-and-paste the 'gene of interest' into the genome, providing the basis for long-term, permanent transgene expression in transgenic cells and organisms. The SB transposon system is relatively well characterized, and has been extensively engineered for efficient gene delivery and gene discovery purposes in a wide range of vertebrates, including humans. The SB system is a safe and simple-to-use vector that enables cost-effective, rapid preparation of therapeutic doses of cell products. Recently, there has been a growing interest in using the SB system for therapy as evidenced by the large number of pre-clinical studies. SB moved swiftly from pre-clinical to clinical trials in almost a decade. In this article, we highlight the advancements and challenges associated with the SB system in various therapeutic applications. We also provide an overview that has been exploited by spin-off companies based on the SB system.
Transient outward potassium current, ‘Ito’, phenotypes in the mammalian left ventricle: underlying molecular, cellular and biophysical mechanisms

At least two functionally distinct transient outward K+ current (Ito) phenotypes can exist across the free wall of the left ventricle (LV). Based upon their voltage‐dependent kinetics of recovery from inactivation, these two phenotypes are designated ‘Ito,fast’ (recovery time constants on the order of tens of milliseconds) and ‘Ito,slow’ (recovery time constants on the order of thousands of milliseconds). Depending upon species, either Ito,fast, Ito,slow or both current phenotypes may be expressed in the LV free wall. The expression gradients of these two Ito phenotypes across the LV free wall are typically heterogeneous and, depending upon species, may consist of functional phenotypic gradients of both Ito,fast and Ito,slow and/or density gradients of either phenotype. We review the present evidence (molecular, biophysical, electrophysiological and pharmacological) for Kv4.2/4.3 α subunits underlying LV Ito,fast and Kv1.4 α subunits underlying LV Ito,slow and speculate upon the potential roles of each of these currents in determining frequency‐dependent action potential characteristics of LV subepicardial versus subendocardial myocytes in different species. We also review the possible functional implications of (i) ancillary subunits that regulate Kv1.4 and Kv4.2/4.3 (Kvβ subunits, DPPs), (ii) KChIP2 isoforms, (iii) spider toxin‐mediated block of Kv4.2/4.3 (Heteropoda toxins, phrixotoxins), and (iv) potential mechanisms of modulation of Ito,fast and Ito,slow by cellular redox state, [Ca2+]i and kinase‐mediated phosphorylation. Ito phenotypic activation and state‐dependent gating models and molecular structure–function relationships are also discussed.
CHITINASE-LIKE1/POM-POM1 and Its Homolog CTL2 Are Glucan-Interacting Proteins Important for Cellulose Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis[W][OA]

Cell wall and cellulose structure is imperative for proper cell elongation and, consequently, the architecture of plants, but components regulating cellulose structure are still elusive. This article shows that the secreted CTL1/POM1 and its close homolog CTL2 interact with glucan-based polymers and influence cellulose crystallinity and cell expansion. Plant cells are encased by a cellulose-containing wall that is essential for plant morphogenesis. Cellulose consists of β-1,4-linked glucan chains assembled into paracrystalline microfibrils that are synthesized by plasma membrane–located cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes. Associations with hemicelluloses are important for microfibril spacing and for maintaining cell wall tensile strength. Several components associated with cellulose synthesis have been identified; however, the biological functions for many of them remain elusive. We show that the chitinase-like (CTL) proteins, CTL1/POM1 and CTL2, are functionally equivalent, affect cellulose biosynthesis, and are likely to play a key role in establishing interactions between cellulose microfibrils and hemicelluloses. CTL1/POM1 coincided with CESAs in the endomembrane system and was secreted to the apoplast. The movement of CESAs was compromised in ctl1/pom1 mutant seedlings, and the cellulose content and xyloglucan structures were altered. X-ray analysis revealed reduced crystalline cellulose content in ctl1 ctl2 double mutants, suggesting that the CTLs cooperatively affect assembly of the glucan chains, which may affect interactions between hemicelluloses and cellulose. Consistent with this hypothesis, both CTLs bound glucan-based polymers in vitro. We propose that the apoplastic CTLs regulate cellulose assembly and interaction with hemicelluloses via binding to emerging cellulose microfibrils.
Beam-Induced Motion of Adatoms in the Transmission Electron Microscope

Abstract Equations governing the elastic scattering of electrons are applied to the knock-on displacement of atoms along a substrate, yielding analytical expressions for the surface-translation energy, threshold incident energy, and displacement rate. For a surface perpendicular to the incident beam, scattering angles around 90° contribute most to the kinetic energy of surface atoms. Tilting the specimen lowers the threshold incident energy for displacement and leads to anisotropy in the atomic motion but has little effect on the directionally-averaged displacement rate. The rate of beam-induced adatom motion is predicted to exceed that of room-temperature thermal motion when the surface-diffusion energy is greater than about 0.5 eV.
A System for Near Real-Time 3D Reconstruction from Multi-view Using 4G Enabled Mobile

Rapid or real time dense 3D reconstruction of indoor or outdoor model using mobile phone camera has become an active research topic because of the importance of 3D models in different application like remote monitoring system and visualization. In this paper we propose an application as well a system architecture which captures images using a hand held mobile Smart phone and generate an accurate and dense 3D model in a connected server using parallel computation. The method performs near real time accurate dense 3D model generation from streaming data. The application is capable of adaptive data transmission based on available network bandwidth. A comparison is presented for different amount of data transmission. The main computation is performed on a high end server system that reconstructs an accurate and complete 3D model with registration between all created models.
Association of Hospitalization With First-Line Antidepressant Polypharmacy Among Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Examining the Influence of Methodological Approaches.

OBJECTIVE To compare the influence of various statistical analysis approaches while assessing the marginal effect of polypharmacy (prescription of multiple psychotropics including a first-line antidepressant) on all-cause hospital admission among veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. METHODS Data were obtained on 398 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans being followed in a southwestern U.S. health care system from October 2005 through September 2009, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and receiving first-line antidepressants (serotonin selective or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). High-dimensional propensity score (hd-PS) approaches were considered, examining both covariate adjustment per PS deciles and propensity weighting, with results compared to those of standard multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Veterans prescribed polypharmacy did not appear to have increased odds of admission in either the decile-adjusted hd-PS model (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-4.9, not significant [ns]) or traditional covariate-adjusted logistic model (OR = 2.1; 0.9-5.0, ns). Inverse probability of treatment (OR = 2.1; 1.3-3.3) and standardized-morbidity-ratio-weighted (OR = 2.2; 1.3-3.6) hd-PS models estimated similar odds of admission with narrower CIs. CONCLUSIONS Future research should incorporate alternate analytical methods for observational data and investigate their respective biases relative to clinician treatment decision-making. For several analytical approaches, greater risk of admission among patients prescribed antidepressant-related polypharmacy was observed despite recommended guidelines, suggesting the need to investigate why clinicians may deviate from guidelines.
Acute effects of air pollution on enteritis admissions in Xi’an, China

ABSTRACT The correlation between enteritis, a common digestive disease, and exposure to ambient air pollutants has not been examined in a comprehensive manner. The aim of this study was to determine whether an association between short-term air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for enteritis in Xi’an, China, occurred using a time-series investigation. Daily baseline data from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2015, were obtained. The overdispersed Poisson generalized additive model was used to analyze the association between air pollutant levels and frequency of enteritis. A total of 12,815 outpatient hospital visits for enteritis were identified. A 10-µg/m3 increase in average concentrations of particulate matter (PM)10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), and a 0.1-mg/m3 rise of carbon monoxide (CO) were associated with a significantly elevated number of outpatient visits for enteritis on concurrent days, while ozone (O3) did not markedly affect the frequency of enteritis clinical visits. There were no significant positive effects between two-pollutant and single-pollutant models. Lag models showed that the most prominent responses occurred on concurrent days. Confounding factors of gender and age played a significant role in the observations. Taken together, data indicate that air pollution may result in enhanced occurrence of enteritis attack.
Derivation of the full-wave equivalent model of via hole in a two-layered substrate

This paper presents closed-form expressions for a equivalent circuit model of a via hole in a two-layered dielectric substrate. Analytical expressions are obtained from the formally exact mode-matching formulation of the problem. Numerical results obtained by our closed-form expressions for the scattering parameters are compared to those by Ansoft's high frequency structure simulator (HFSS). Excellent agreement between them is observed, which verifies the validity of our derived expressions.
P6 Stimulation for the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Associated with Cesarean Delivery Under Neuraxial Anesthesia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: A number of studies investigated the use of P6 stimulation for the prevention of intraoperative and postoperative nausea and vomiting (IONV and PONV) in women having cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia. We performed a systematic review to determine the overall efficacy of these techniques in preventing IONV and PONV in this patient population. METHODS: We performed a literature search of all randomized controlled trials (1966–2007) that compared different methods of P6 stimulation with placebo in women having cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia. Data were extracted on the primary outcomes including the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and the need for rescue antiemetic therapy, both intraoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: Six studies involving 649 patients were included in this review. Five studies reported on intraoperative outcomes. Of these, two studies reported a significant reduction in the incidence of intraoperative nausea with P6 stimulation, and one study reported a significant reduction in rescue antiemetic requirement. However, none of the studies reported any differences between the treatment and control groups with respect to vomiting. Four studies reported postoperative outcomes. Of these, one study reported a significant reduction in postoperative nausea, two studies reported a significant reduction in postoperative vomiting, and one study reported a significant reduction in the need for postoperative rescue antiemetic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: While some studies showed a benefit of P6 stimulation, this finding was not consistent. The presence of heterogeneity and inconsistent results among the included trials prevents any definitive conclusions on the efficacy of P6 stimulation in reducing IONV and PONV associated with cesarean delivery performed under neuraxial anesthesia.
The Assimilation of SSMIS Radiances in Numerical Weather Prediction Models

The measurement uncertainty requirements imposed by numerical weather prediction (NWP) data assimilation applications for temperature sounding radiances are very demanding. For an ensemble of observations collected during an orbit, (postbias correction) measurement uncertainties of ~ 0.2 K (at 1 sigma) or better are required in tropospheric sounding channels to improve analyses, and hence forecasts, from current NWP models. A significant fraction of F-16 Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) observations are affected by calibration errors caused by solar intrusions into the warm calibration load and by thermal emission from the main reflector. The magnitude of these effects is as large as 1.5 K for the lower atmospheric temperature sounding channels. This paper describes the approach to correct for these effects, which involves data averaging, flagging solar intrusions, and modeling reflector emission. The resulting quality of the radiances is improved by a factor of three to four for mid-tropospheric temperature sounding channels. Observation minus background field differences are reduced from 0.5-0.8 K (at one standard deviation) for uncorrected data to 0.2 K for corrected data. Although localized biases remain in the corrected data, assimilation experiments using SSMIS data at four operational NWP centers (Met Office, ECMWF, NCEP, and NRL) show a neutral-to-positive impact on forecast quality in the Southern Hemisphere with, for example, mean sea-level pressure forecast errors at days 1-4 reduced by 0.5%-2.5%. Impacts in the Northern Hemisphere are neutral in most assimilation experiments.
SMILE silencing and PMA activation gene networks in hela cells: Comparison with kidney transplantation gene networks

Recent findings indicated that the SMILE gene may be involved in kidney graft operational tolerance in human. This gene was found to be up‐regulated in blood from patients with a well functioning kidney transplant in the absence of immunosuppression compared to other transplanted recipients with clinically different status. A microarray study of SMILE knock‐down and phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) activation in HeLa cells was herein compared to our earlier analysis based on microarray data of kidney allograft tolerance and rejection in humans and in a rat model of allograft transplantation to determine possible new genes and gene networks involved in kidney transplantation. The nearest neighbors at the intersection of the SMILE knock‐down network with the human tolerance/rejection networks are shown to be NPHS1 and ARRB2, the former (Nephrin) being involved in kidney podocyte function, and the decrease of the latter (Arrestin β2) being recently shown to be involved in monocyte activation during acute kidney allograft rejection in rat. Moreover, another one of the neighbors at the intersection of SMILE network and tolerance/rejection networks is XBP‐1, that we report previously to be increased, at a transcript level, after ER stress in SMILE silenced cells. Finally, in this study, we also show that topological properties (both local and global) of joint SMILE knock‐down network—tolerance/rejection networks and joint PMA activation network—tolerance/rejection networks in rat and human are essentially different, likely due to the inherent nature of the gene SMILE and the mitogen PMA, that do not act the same way on genes and do not interfere the same way on networks. We also show that interestingly SMILE networks contain more feed‐forward loop (FFL) motifs and thus SMILE calls for a more fine‐tuned genetic regulation. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1820–1832, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Working with Elementary and Middle School Science Teachers

Have you ever seen a fellow high school science teacher throw up his or her hands and say, "What are they teaching kids in elementary- and middle-level science? " Perhaps rather than pointing fingers, we should be working together with these teachers to ensure quality science education for K-12 students. Young students have a natural curiosity. I am always amazed at the number and depth of questions my elementary-age grandsons ask when we are outdoors. This curiosity must be cultivated. It is never too early to develop inquiry and problem-solving skills, and elementary science education is the perfect place to start. Students should learn to solve different kinds of problems in both conventional and innovative ways. We high school teachers depend on the development of these scientific skills. However, since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, elementary science education has suffered. As elementary teachers must make adequate yearly progress in reading and math, science lessons often get left out (Griffith and Scharmann 2008). Other factors, such as lack of money and supplies, diminished content preparation, limited support from administration, inadequate professional development, and even low self-confidence in teaching science, contribute to the decreasing amount of science taught in the elementary classroom. In both 2008 and 2009, the National Congress for Science Education recognized the importance of elementary science instruction. State leaders in science education tackled questions, such as: What transformation needs to happen to make science a core subject in the K-12 curriculum? Why is elementary science critical to the development of a scientifically literate nation? How can K-12 educators in state science associations and affiliated groups become better advocates for elementary science in K-12 curriculum? As high school teachers, there are number of things we can do to enhance science education: * Get to know your K-8 colleagues and offer to loan them equipment, discuss any questions they may have, or demonstrate lessons for them. * Ask your high school students to help with science lessons at local elementary schools. * Plan an elementary science evening and ask elementary teachers to attend so they can see a science lesson in action. * Form elementary science professional learning communities to learn how to best restore science to the curriculum and advance K-6 science learning. …
The changing patterns of hypertension in Ghana: a study of four rural communities in the Ga District.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence, distribution and risk factors of hypertension among rural residents in Ghana. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross sectional study in four rural communities in the Ga District of Ghana. SUBJECTS AND METHODS All adults aged > or = 18 years in four rural communities were asked to participate. The average of two blood pressure readings taken with a mercury sphygmomanometer after 10 minutes of rest was used in the analysis. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure > or = 140/90 mm Hg. RESULTS 362 subjects with a mean age of 42.4 +/- 18.6 years participated in the study. The prevalence of hypertension was 25.4%. Of those with hypertension, only 32.3% (n-30) had prior knowledge of their condition, and less than half of these (n=12) were on treatment. Of those on treatment 16.7% were well controlled (blood pressure < or = 140/90 mm Hg). The adjusted odds ratios for developing hypertension for overweight or obesity were 5.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4-24.3) and 6.9 (95% confidence interval 1.7-28.2), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for hypertension for age groups 45-54, 55-64, and > or = 65 years were 31.9 (95% confidence interval 1.88-539.11), 31.8 (95% confidence interval 1.6-624.2), and 58.8 (95% confidence interval 2.9-1168.7), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for hypertension with respect to smoking, alcohol consumption, job-related physical activity, family history, education, occupation, and diabetes status did not attain statistical significance. CONCLUSION Hypertension is now of public health significance in rural Ga District of Ghana. The high rate of hypertension was associated with low levels of awareness, drug treatment, and blood pressure control. Overweight and obesity are modifiable risk factors for hypertension that can be addressed through lifestyle interventions. Additionally, integrating hypertension care into primary care in rural health facilities may prove beneficial.
Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L.) Fruit Peels

The antioxidant activity of pomegranate fruit peels was evaluated using in vitro tests. 80% methanolic extracts (ME) of peels had higher yield (45.4%) and total phenolics (27.4%) than water (WE) or ether extracts (EE). The reducing power of ME was more potent (P α-catechin. Pomegranate peels contained phenolics, exhibited DPPH scavenging activity and reducing power.