Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mathematical modelling of liquid transport in porous materials at low levels of saturation

Persistent (low volatility) liquids can disseminate significantly in porous substrates and wet large volumes before they are removed by evaporation or chemical processes. The liquid saturation during this kind of dissemination process quickly reaches very low levels, well below 10% of the available void space, and the liquid dispersion enters a special regime of spreading, when the transport predominantly occurs over surface elements of the porous matrix. On the ’macroscopic’ level, this phenomenon can be described by a special super-fast non-linear diffusion model. But, the model requires the knowledge of permeability coefficients defined by ’microscopic’ mechanisms. The focus of this study is on the mathematical problems associated with the ’microscopic’ level, that is on the details of the surface diffusion processes to obtain accurate definitions of the ’macroscopic’ parameters. We consider two kinds of porous structures with representative properties, paper-like and particulate porous materials, and as a result, two different model approaches, a network model and a surface diffusion model based on the Laplace-Beltrami operator and on the associated LaplaceBeltrami boundary value problems. We demonstrate their feasibility by applying numerical methods, specifically, surface finite elements techniques. We will show, in the Thesis, that the network model is capable of accurately reproducing macroscopic descriptions of the fibrous material, while at the same time providing necessary permeability coefficients of the porous network with minimal assumptions. In the case of particulate porous media, we will demonstrate that, solutions to the Laplace-Beltrami boundary value problem can be used to obtain surface permeability of both single porous matrix elements and their interconnected compositions. We will also demonstrate, for the first time, how effects of tortuosity of the surface flow can be easily obtained while analysing solutions of the Laplace-Beltrami boundary value problem set in the multiply-connected domains formed by mutually coupled particles. Overall, results of this study will improve our understanding of microscopic dispersion processes central to applications of macroscopic descriptions formulated at low saturation levels. Numerical studies of the Laplace-Beltrami boundary value problem using the surface finite element method are interesting on their own, since they demonstrate that similar convergence rates (using relatively standard surface element settings) can be achieved in the domains with smooth boundaries to those regularly observed in the problems without domain boundaries. Therefore, due to the fundamental advances achieved in the study, the macroscopic descriptions used in practice at low saturation levels obtained rigorous foundation and practical recipes, which can be directly used in applications.
Cytomegalovirus reactivation in critically ill immunocompetent patients.

CONTEXT Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in immunosuppressed persons, but the incidence and association of CMV reactivation with adverse outcomes in critically ill persons lacking evidence of immunosuppression have not been well defined. OBJECTIVE To determine the association of CMV reactivation with intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay in critically ill immunocompetent persons. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We prospectively assessed CMV plasma DNAemia by thrice-weekly real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and clinical outcomes in a cohort of 120 CMV-seropositive, immunocompetent adults admitted to 1 of 6 ICUs at 2 separate hospitals at a large US tertiary care academic medical center between 2004 and 2006. Clinical measurements were assessed by personnel blinded to CMV PCR results. Risk factors for CMV reactivation and association with hospital and ICU length of stay were assessed by multivariable logistic regression and proportional odds models. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Association of CMV reactivation with prolonged hospital length of stay or death. RESULTS The primary composite end point of continued hospitalization (n = 35) or death (n = 10) by 30 days occurred in 45 (35%) of the 120 patients. Cytomegalovirus viremia at any level occurred in 33% (39/120; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24%-41%) at a median of 12 days (range, 3-57 days) and CMV viremia greater than 1000 copies/mL occurred in 20% (24/120; 95% CI, 13%-28%) at a median of 26 days (range, 9-56 days). By logistic regression, CMV infection at any level (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.3; 95% CI, 1.6-11.9; P = .005) and at greater than 1000 copies/mL (adjusted OR, 13.9; 95% CI, 3.2-60; P < .001) and the average CMV area under the curve (AUC) in log(10) copies per milliliter (adjusted OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.2; P < .001) were independently associated with hospitalization or death by 30 days. In multivariable partial proportional odds models, both CMV 7-day moving average (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.9-9.1; P < .001) and CMV AUC (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.1-4.7; P < .001) were independently associated with a hospital length of stay of at least 14 days. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings suggest that reactivation of CMV occurs frequently in critically ill immunocompetent patients and is associated with prolonged hospitalization or death. A controlled trial of CMV prophylaxis in this setting is warranted.
Variables Predictive of Survival in Patients with Coronary Disease: Selection by Univariate and Multivariate Analyses from the Clinical, Electrocardiographic, Exercise, Arteriographic, and Quantitative Angiographic Evaluations

A progression of univariate followed by multivariate analyses was applied to 46 variables selected from the clinical examination, exercise test, coronary arteriography, and quantitative angiographic assessment of left ventricular function in patients with coronary disease to determine those variables most predictive of survival. For the 733 medically treated patients, the final Cox's regression analysis showed that the left ventricular ejection fraction was most predictive of survival, followed by age, number of vessels with stenosis(es) . 70%, and ventricular arrhythmia on the resting electrocardiogram. For the 1870 surgically treated patients, ventricular arrhythmia on the resting electrocardiogram was most predictive of survival followed by ejection fraction, heart murmur, left main coronary artery stenosis . 50%, and use of diuretic agents.
Amphetamine-induced conditioned activity in rats : comparison with novelty-induced activity and role of the basolateral amygdala

A within-subject design was used to investigate the behavioral and neural basis of the conditioned activity induced by amphetamine in male Wistar rats. In this design, conditioned activity was inferred when the activity of a given rat following a vehicle injection was greater in its amphetamine-paired environment (CS+) than in its vehicle-paired environment (CS-). Conditioned activity (a) did not change in magnitude with the number of conditioning sessions, (b) did not differ from the level of activity recorded during the first exposure to the CS- (novelty), (c) had an extinction rate that was similar to the rate of habituation to the CS-, and (d) was not impaired by a bilateral excitotoxic lesion of the basolateral amygdala. Results are discussed in light of the incentive conditioning and habituation theories of conditioned activity.
Preparation of pesticide-loaded microcapsules by liquid-driven coaxial flow focusing for controlled release

Abstract Microencapsulation of pesticide can reduce mammalian toxicity, phyto-toxicity, and protect the pesticides from rapid environmental degradation. The aim of this study was to develop a liquid-driven coaxial flow focusing (LDCFF) process for fabricating pesticide-loaded microcapsules having high encapsulation efficiency, loading efficiency and yield. We have optimized and evaluated the effects of process parameters on the size and morphology of pesticide-loaded microcapsules. The release of pesticides from pesticide-loaded microcapsules has sustained release profiles, which depends on their core-shell structure and shell material degradation process. LDCFF process enables successful encapsulation of pesticides in microcapsules with tunable characteristics important in pesticide applications. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Impact of the Polymorphic Form of Drugs/
 NCE
 s on Preformulation and Formulation Development

Polymorphism is a well-established phenomenon which describes the ability of a solid-state molecular structure to be repetitively positioned in at least two different arrangements in three-dimensional space. These different arrangements can result in different sets of physicochemical properties of the same molecular structure, which can significantly affect material behavior during handling, processing, and storing. Hence, polymorphism is crucial for many applications, including the pharmaceutical industry. Most drugs, whether already produced or newly discovered candidates, and usually referred to as new chemical entities (NCEs), are found as solids under normal conditions of temperature and pressure. Eighty-five percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) display pseudopolymorphism, including 50% having real polymorphism [1]. In addition, Cruz-Cabeza et al. have listed polymorphic incidence of single-component NCEs from the Cambridge Structure Database (CSD), European Pharmacopeia, and data from the extensive screening procedures performed in Roche and Lilly (Table 1.1) [2]. Consequently, polymorphism must be taken into consideration during every processing stage starting from early steps such as preformulation and formulation development, passing through processing, manufacturing, and storage, and eventually until consumption in humans.
GLASS MATERIALS FOR OPTICAL FIBERS

Optical fibers represent the key component of modern optical telecommunication networks. Such fibers are based on silica glass of high purity usually modified with several percent of glassforming oxides such as GeO2 and P2O5. These materials with minimum optical losses around 1.5 μm are transparent up to ~2 μm. In this paper, the attention is focused on silica glass materials doped with ions of rare-earth elemens for fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers. Since rare earths cause phase separation only in small amount incorporated into silica glass, ternary systems containing P2O5 or Al2O3 have been investigated. Latest results in GeO2-based glasses transparent in mid infrared region are also presented.
Controllable Interlayer Charge and Energy Transfer in Perovskite Quantum Dots/ Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures

Efficient interlayer charge and energy transfer are explored in CsPbBr2I quantum dots/MoS2 heterostructure. When perovskite QDs directly contact MoS2, charge transfer from QDs to MoS2 dominates the nonradiative exciton relaxation in QDs/MoS2 heterostructure. With the layer number of MoS2 reducing to a monolayer, nonradiative exciton relaxation rate increases due to reduced dielectric effect and changed energy band structure of MoS2. Then an hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) spacer is inserted between QDs and a monolayer MoS2, in which nonradiative exciton relaxation rate is dominated by excitonic energy transfer from QDs to MoS2. With the spacer thickness increasing, nonradiative exciton relaxation rate decays as 1/d3.03 that is slower than the result 1/d4 of Förster theory. This is attributed to strong near‐field dipole–dipole coupling interaction in QDs/h‐BN/MoS2 heterostructure. Controllable interlayer charge and energy transfer potentially enable new avenues for designing optoelectronic devices, as well as for studying fundamental issue of tunable light–matter interaction at nanoscale vision.
The effects of smoking and drinking on blood lead and cadmium levels: data from the fourth Korea national health and nutrition examination survey

Objectives The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of smoking and drinking on blood lead and cadmium levels based on a dose-response relationship in the general Korean adult population. Methods The study population consisted of 1901 Koreans, who took part in the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in which blood lead and cadmium levels were measured. Geometric mean concentrations and their 95% CIs of metals in blood were estimated by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors. Results We observed a statistically significant dose-response relationship with daily smoking amount/alcohol intake and blood lead/cadmium levels. While daily smoking amount was more consistent with blood cadmium level (0.1–0.2 µg/l per 5 cigarettes), blood lead concentrations were higher as daily alcohol intake increased (0.1–0.2 µg/dl per 10 gram of alcohol). Conclusions Our findings clearly support a relationship between daily smoking amount/alcohol intake and blood lead/cadmium levels, suggesting an additional reason towards efforts to reduce smoking and drinking habits.
Highly Textured Seed Layers for the Growth of Vertically Oriented ZnO Nanorods

One dimensional ZnO nanostructures prepared by favorable and simple solution growth methods are at the forefront of this research. Vertically oriented ZnO nanorods with uniform physical properties require high-quality seed layers with a narrow size distribution of the crystallites, strong c-axis orientation, and low surface roughness and porosity. It has been shown that high quality seed layers can be prepared by the sol–gel process. The sol–gel process involves three essential steps: preparation of the sol, its deposition by dip coating, and thermal treatment comprising preheating and annealing. We put emphasis on the investigation of the heat treatment on the properties of the seed layers and on the vertical alignment of the nanorods. It was demonstrated that for the vertical alignment of the nanorods, the preheating step is crucial and that the temperatures reported in the literature have been too low. With higher preheating temperatures, conditions for the vertical alignment of the nanorods were achieved in both investigated annealing atmospheres in air and in argon.
Is Multiple Sclerosis Patients Receiving Adequate Medical Assesment for Urological Problems

DOI: 10.4328/JCAM.3711 Received: 29.06. 2015 Accepted: 31.07. 2015 Printed: 01.08. 2015 J Clin Anal Med 2015;6(suppl 4): 519-22 Corresponding Author: Halil Murat Şen, Nöroloji ABD, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Terzioğlu Kampüsü, 17000, Çanakkale, Türkiye. T. : +9
Perceptions of Teachers towards Assessment Techniques at Secondary Level Private School of Karachi

This paper sets out to explore the perceptions of teachers towards assessment techniques at a secondary level private school of Karachi. This was conjectured on the basis of the circumstances of parallel boards in the education system of Pakistan and its effectiveness within the context with respect to the curriculum. This was gauged in line with the forms and techniques of assessment corresponding with the curriculum. A qualitative research design based on interviews was chosen for this study. Purposive sampling was used to select the teachers from a school. The findings of the study revealed that the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is best suited to assess students’ knowledge and skills and the teachers viewed that in order for students to be accomplished in this board, the ways of assessment must take a more meaningful measure of evaluating student’s progress.
Performance assessment of junior public health nurse in maternal and child health services in a district of Kerala, India

Background: Performance assessment of health services provided to maternal and child population is an important area of concern especially in developing countries including India. Aim: This study was conducted to assess the performance of Junior Public Health Nurses (JPHN) on services provided to maternal and child health at sub-centers in Malappuram district of Kerala, India. Methods: Maternal and child health services were assessed based on record analysis and interviewing JPHN in 30 randomly selected sub-centers using a predesigned questionnaire prepared according to Indian Public Health Standards for sub-centers. The work performed by the JPHNs was graded as excellent, very good, good, satisfactory, and poor based on the standard guidelines. Results: Population covered by the 30 JPHNs at their sub-centers ranges from 5050 to 9869. Services were excellent in all the sub-centers for tetanus toxoid immunization and institutional deliveries. Although antenatal care (ANC) registration was excellent in 70% of the sub-centers, it was poor for the 1 st trimester ANC registration in 50% of sub-centers. In the case of referral services and postnatal care (PNC), 27% and 33% of the centers were excellent, respectively. 50% of the centers have had poor performance in PNC. Detection of beneficiaries for immunization by JPHNs was excellent in 60% of the sub-centers. Measles and full immunization coverage was poor in 40% of sub-centers. Around 77% JPHNs attended in-service training, and 90% of them could prepare sub-center annual action-plan. Conclusion: There is a variation in performance of JPHNs at a sub-district level which highlights the importance of further studies to elucidate the factors associated with it.
Experimental study on the longitudinal resistance of WJ-8 fasteners subjected to torque and vertical loading in continuously welded rails

The key functions of the fastener system are to hold the rail against the sleepers and to restrain the rail from all forms of movements that could lead to loss of geometry and stability of the track. Thus, fastener resistance is an important parameter in the continuously welded rail technology. This study investigates the characteristics of the longitudinal resistance of WJ-8 fasteners subjected to varying torques and vertical loadings. The vertical loading was applied to the rail section through a reaction frame, while the torque was applied using a digital torque wrench. Two types of fasteners, conventional-resistance and small-resistance fasteners, were tested in this study. The study shows that: (1) The growth rate of the longitudinal resistance of the fastener is independent of the vertical loading until the fastener slips. (2) The slip resistance of fasteners increases as the torque and vertical loading are increased. (3) The relationship between the longitudinal resistance and the displacement of fasteners at varying torques and vertical loadings fits a power index function. (4) The relationship between the longitudinal resistance and the displacement of the fastener exhibits hysteresis. The study serves as a reference for verifying and improving future calculation methods for the longitudinal resistance of fasteners in continuously welded rails.
Metal artifact correction strategies in MRI-based attenuation correction in PET/MRI

In hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI systems, attenuation correction for PET image reconstruction is commonly based on processing of dedicated MR images. The image quality of the latter is strongly affected by metallic objects inside the body, such as e.g. dental implants, endoprostheses, or surgical clips which all lead to substantial artifacts that propagate into MRI-based attenuation images. In this work, we review publications about metal artifact correction strategies in MRI-based attenuation correction in PET/MRI. Moreover, we also give an overview about publications investigating the impact of MRI-based attenuation correction metal artifacts on the reconstructed PET image quality and quantification.
The role of the collagen type 1 alpha 1 gene polymorphism in the prediction of osteoporosis and fracture risk in Turkish postmenopausal women

Objectives: In this pilot study, we investigated whether the collagen type 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1) gene polymorphism is a predictor factor for bone mineral density and vertebral fractures in Turkish women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Patients and methods: October 2007 and February 2010, a total of 170 consecutive postmenopausal women (mean age 59 years; range, 40 to 75 years) referring to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic, School of Medicine, Ankara University were included in the study. All patients had bone mineral density (BMD) measurement by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) at the lomber vertebra (L1-4) and femoral neck as well as vertebral fracture assessment. Of 170 women, 113 were diagnosed as postmenopausal osteoporosis based on the World Health Organization criteria. Remaining 57 women were assigned as the control group. All patients had genetic analysis of DNA samples from peripheral blood with respect to COL1A1 gene polymorphism by PCR method. Binary and linear regression analyses were done to reveal the role of evaluated factors (polymorphism, age, menopause duration, body mass index (BMI), smoking, low calcium intake, daily mild to moderate physical activity) in predicting fracture risk and BMD. Allele ratios found in the patient and control groups were searched for compatibility with the Hardy Weinberg equality. The allele groups (GG, GT, TT) were examined whether there is any difference with respect to clinical parameters. Results: The rate of allele was consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: GG 62.9% (n=107), GT 35.3% (n=60), and TT 1.8% (n=3). Of the patients, 49 (43%) had radiographically vertebral fractures. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that there is no relationship between the COL1A1 gene polymorphism and bone mineral density and vertebral fractures.
Electron pulse control with terahertz fields

Almost all macroscopically observable physical, chemical and biological processes originate from the atomic level. The initial dynamics of these processes typically unfolds on length scales in the range of picometers (10−12 m) and time scales in the range of down to a few femtoseconds (10−15 s) and even faster. Ultrashort pulses of free electrons with de-Broglie wavelengths of only few picometers can be used to resolve the atomic structure of a sample via microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy. In combination with methods of optical excitation they offer the possibility of investigating the finest structural changes in a time-resolved manner. This method of time-resolved electron imaging is typically limited in temporal resolution by the duration of the electron probe pulse and its synchronization with the optical pump pulse. Coulomb interactions of the charged particles in the pulse and their massinduced dispersion in vacuum limit the electron pulse duration to typically several hundred femtoseconds. Using only a few electrons per pulse as well as microwavebased compression schemes in principle allow for the generation of almost arbitrarily short electron pulses. However, the synchronization between the optical pulses and the microwave phase imposes a major technical obstacle, which makes the aim to achieve temporal resolution in the subfemtosecond range by these means appear rather remote. The present dissertation therefore deals with a novel approach of generation, manipulation and characterization of ultrashort electron pulses by purely optical means. The control of optically generated waveforms and their interplay with femtosecond electron pulses is the basis of all experiments shown herein. A key theme is the tailored interaction of electron pulses with an electromagnetic subcycle, which enables the acceleration, deceleration, and deflection of particles within a pulse as a function of space and time. This multidimensional control, which is inherent to the concept demonstrated here, not only allows substantial compression of electron pulses, but also the ability to tilt them almost arbitrarily with respect to their propagation axis, which creates a broad range of new possibilities for pump-probe experiments with electrons. It is shown that with this approach a more than 17-times reduction of the