Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Reliability Study: Strong Inter-Observer Agreement of an Expert Panel for Intestinal Ultrasound in Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Background Intestinal ultrasound [IUS] is a promising and non-invasive cross-sectional imaging modality in the diagnosis and monitoring of ulcerative colitis [UC]. Unlike endoscopy, where standardized scoring for evaluation of disease activity is widely used, scoring for UC with IUS is currently unavailable. Therefore, we conducted a study to assess the reliability of IUS in UC among expert sonographists in order to identify robust parameters. Methods Thirty patients with both clinically active [25] and quiescent [five] UC were included. Six expert sonographers first agreed upon key IUS parameters and grading, including bowel wall thickness [BWT], colour Doppler signal [CDS], inflammatory fat [i-fat], loss of bowel wall stratification [BWS], loss of haustrations and presence of lymph nodes. Thirty video-recorded cases were blindly reviewed. Results Inter-observer agreement was almost perfect for BWT (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC]: 0.96) and substantial for CDS [κ = 0.63]. Agreement was moderate for presence of lymph nodes [κ = 0.41] and fair for presence of i-fat [κ = 0.36], BWS [κ = 0.24] and loss of haustrations [κ = 0.26]. Furthermore, there was substantial agreement for presence of disease activity on IUS [κ = 0.77] and almost perfect agreement for disease severity [ICC: 0.93]. Most individual parameters showed a strong association with IUS disease activity as measured by the six readers. Conclusion IUS is a reliable imaging modality to assess disease activity and severity in UC. Important individual parameters such as BWT and CDS are reliable and could be incorporated in a future UC scoring index. Standardized acquisition and assessment of UC utilizing IUS with established reliability is important to expand the use of IUS globally.
Capital Account Convertibility: Benefits, Costs and Challenges

With the wake of globalization and liberalization, Capital Account Convertibility (CAC) regime has been widely induced by both developed as well as developing countries of the world. CAC has pros and cons. The theory of CAC spells that the primary aim to move towards CAC regime is to help countries to acquire the advantages of improved risk sharing and thereby lowering the volatility in the macro economic aggregates, and enhancing welfare mingling the national economy with the world economy. It is suggested that the developing countries could move towards CAC through correctifying and improving macro economic variables via prudential policies. Nepal could move towards CAC regime via gradualist approach as having done by India in 1990s decade. Nepal moved through CAC regime from the beginning of 1990s decade. Followingly, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, trade policy and exchange policy were amended, correctified and were formulated backing liberalized economic philosophy. Prevailing inflation, trade deficit and Non-Performing Assets (NPA) level are the hurdles to speed up towards CAC regime for Nepal. Gradual approach would be viable for Nepal to move towards meaningful CAC regime. Nepal could learn much from India's process of CAC and could use its selective devices so as to move towards CAC regime. Socio-Economic Development Panorama , Vol. 1, No. 2(2007) pp. 83-92
Growth of GaSe and GaS single crystals

The paper describes principal manipulations to prepare single crystals of GaSe and GaS. A new simple method of synthesis with single‐zone heating furnace is proposed. Growth of crystals was performed by modified Bridgman method with the use of rotating heat field. Raman and optical depth spectra show high structural and optical quality of obtained crystals. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Adsorption of Basic α-Amino Acids in an Aqueous Solution by Titanium(IV) Oxide

TiO2 showed a pronounced activity in the adsorption of basic α-amino acids, such as L-lysine and L-arginine, in an aqueous solution. The adsorptive activity of TiO2 containing sulfate ions was lower than that of the sulfate ion-free TiO2, and it was suppressed by phosphate ions. The pH of the aqueous solution hardly affected the adsorption, while the heat-treatment of TiO2 above 500 °C noticeably lowered the adsorption. The Langmuir equation was applicable to the adsorption of L-lysine, showing that the amount of saturated adsorption was about 0.7 mmol/g TiO2 heat-treated at 500 °C. The heat of adsorption of L-lysine, as determined from the adsorption isotherms at 10, 30, and 50 °C, was 2257 J/mol. A linear relationship was observed between the amount of L-lysine adsorbed and that of the surface OH groups.
Tissue-resident CD4+ T helper cells assist the development of protective respiratory B and CD8+ T cell memory responses

Identification of a CD4+ helper T cell population providing in situ help to B and CD8+ T cells in the respiratory mucosa. Resident help for fighting influenza Memory T cells take up residence in the lung after respiratory virus infection to facilitate rapid and localized immune responses during reinfection. Two studies in this week’s issue identify a population of CD4+ tissue–resident helper T cells in mice that are BCL6-dependent and support antiviral B cell responses within inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue after influenza infection. Swarnalekha et al. used single-cell RNA sequencing of antigen-specific T cells across different tissues to characterize lung T resident helper cells and demonstrated that their development also requires B cells. Son et al. showed that T resident helper cells rely on Bhlhe40 for their survival and support protective CD8+ T cell responses by producing IL-21. These studies provide insight into the function of mucosal tissue-resident CD4+ T cells during viral infection. See related Research Article by Swarnalekha et al. and Focus by Schattgen et al. in this issue. Much remains unknown about the roles of CD4+ T helper cells in shaping localized memory B cell and CD8+ T cell immunity in the mucosal tissues. Here, we report that lung T helper cells provide local assistance for the optimal development of tissue-resident memory B and CD8+ T cells after the resolution of primary influenza virus infection. We have identified a population of T cells in the lung that exhibit characteristics of both follicular T helper and TRM cells, and we have termed these cells as resident helper T (TRH) cells. Optimal TRH cell formation was dependent on transcription factors involved in T follicular helper and resident memory T cell development including BCL6 and Bhlhe40. We show that TRH cells deliver local help to CD8+ T cells through IL-21–dependent mechanisms. Our data have uncovered the presence of a tissue-resident helper T cell population in the lung that plays a critical role in promoting the development of protective B cell and CD8+ T cell responses.
Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Using Stem Cells: A Review

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder that affects the quality of life and the sexual relations of more than half of the male population aged over 40 years. The prediction regarding the incidence of ED is devastating as it is expected that this disorder will affect more than 300 million men in the next five years. Several studies have suggested the use of stem cells for the treatment of ED and showed that this type of treatment is promising in terms of damaged tissue repair as well as of clinical efficacy; however, there are several gaps in the knowledge and evidence is lacking. In order to highlight a few of them in this review, we performed a research of the literature focusing on currently available clinical studies regarding the clinical efficacy of stem cell administration for the treatment of ED. We reviewed the methods of administration, the cell types used in the performed clinical trials and the safety and efficiency of such procedures. We conclude that there are rapidly expanding and promising results from the reported clinical studies indicating that stem cells could indeed be a potential treatment for patients with ED although more studies are necessary.
Thermodynamic study of a pressure‐temperature phase diagram for poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) gels

The volume change, ΔVh,, accompanying the hydrophobic hydration associated with the volume phase transition in Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gels was measured by a simple method. The hydration accompanies a negative ΔVh′−2.5 cm3/mol. The P-T phase diagram, the coexistence curve, for the gels was determined from the swelling ratio-pressure curves up to 350 MPa for various constant temperatures. The contour of the coexistence curve is shaped like an ellipsoid on the P-T plain, which is a feature peculiar to the reversible pressure-temperature denaturation of a protein. The thermodynamic analysis of the Clausius–Clapeyron relation for the measured ΔVh elucidates that the obtained coexistence curve represents the phase boundary between thermodynamic different phases like the two phases, native and denatured, of a protein and gives the transition enthalpy, ΔH, 5.2kJ/mol by estimate, which well coincides with the transition heat measured by a calorimetric method. Considering the volume-dependent free energy, Δvmi · P, for the mixing free energy of the gel, we can fit the calculated curve to the measured swelling ratio-pressure curve of PNIPA gels. The value of Δvmi changes the sign from negative to positive above around 100MPa. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 405–412, 2005
Middle cerebral artery pressure laterality in patients with symptomatic ICA stenosis

An internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis can potentially decrease the perfusion pressure to the brain. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to study if there was a hemispheric pressure laterality between the contra- and ipsilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) in patients with a symptomatic ICA stenosis. We further investigated if this MCA pressure laterality (ΔPMCA) was related to the hemispheric flow laterality (ΔQ) in the anterior circulation, i.e., ICA, proximal MCA and the proximal anterior cerebral artery (ACA). Twenty-eight patients (73±6 years, range 59–80 years, 21 men) with symptomatic ICA stenosis were included. Flow rates were measured using 4D flow MRI data (PC-VIPR) and vessel geometries were obtained from computed tomography angiography. The ΔPMCA was calculated from CFD, where patient-specific flow rates were applied at all input- and output boundaries. The ΔPMCA between the contra- and ipsilateral side was 6.4±8.3 mmHg (p<0.001) (median 3.9 mmHg, range -1.3 to 31.9 mmHg). There was a linear correlation between the ΔPMCA and ΔQICA (r = 0.85, p<0.001) and ΔQACA (r = 0.71, p<0.001), respectively. The correlation to ΔQMCA was weaker (r = 0.47, p = 0.011). In conclusion, the MCA pressure laterality obtained with CFD, is a promising physiological biomarker that can grade the hemodynamic disturbance in patients with a symptomatic ICA stenosis.
Expression of the ace operon in Escherichia coli is triggered in response to growth rate-dependent flux-signal of ATP.

The signal that triggers the expression of the ace operon and, in turn, the transition of central metabolism's architecture from acetogenic to gluconeogenic in Escherichia coli remains elusive despite extensive research both in vivo and in vitro. Here, with the aid of flux analysis together with measurements of the enzymic activity of isocitrate lyase and its aceA-mRNA transcripts, we provide credible evidence suggesting that the expression of the ace operon in Escherichia coli is triggered in response to growth rate-dependent threshold flux-signal of ATP. Flux analysis revealed that the shortfall in ATP supply observed as the growth rate ($\mu $) diminishes from µmax to ≤ 0.43h-1 ($\pm 0.02;n4)\,\,$is partially redressed by up-regulating flux through succinyl CoA synthetase (SCoA-S). Unlike glycerol and glucose, pyruvate cannot feed directly into the two glycolytic ATP-generating reactions catalyzed by phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) and pyruvate kinase (PK). On the other hand, glycerol, which upon its conversion to D-glyceraldehyde, feeds into the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation parts of glycolysis including the SLP-ATP generating reactions, thus preventing ATP flux from dropping to the critical threshold signal required to trigger the acetate-diauxic switch until glycerol is fully consumed. The mRNA transcriptional patterns of key gluconeogenic enzymes, namely, ackA, acetate kinase (AK); pta, phosphotransacetylase (PTA); acs, acetyl CoA synthetase (ACoA-S), and aceA; isocitrate lyase (ICL), suggest that the pyruvate phenotype is better equipped than the glycerol phenotype for the switch from acetogenic to gluconeogenic metabolism.
Heat of adsorption of oxygen on uranium dioxide at ‒183° C

A number of specimens of uranium dioxide have been prepared and studied in a non-adiabatic non-isothermal calorimeter at ‒183° C. Uptake of oxygen by the oxide is rapid. Incremental addition of oxygen has yielded differential heats of adsorption which decrease on all specimens as the surface becomes covered. The initial heat of adsorption is 55 ± 2 kcal/mole. The rate of evolution of heat becomes increasingly slow for successive increments of oxygen adsorbed. This slow process takes place after the disappearance of all the oxygen from the gas phase and must therefore be a reaction in or on the oxide. It is discussed in terms of a slow change to the chemisorbed state of oxygen molecules rapidly adsorbed initially in the physical state.
Sonochemical destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons in dilute aqueous solution

Power ultrasound in the range of 20-100 kHz has found application in cleaning (the common laboratory ultrasonic cleaner operated in this frequency range), plastic welding, emulsification, and chemical reactivity. The authors are currently exploring the use of homogeneous ultrasound in destroying chlorinated hydrocarbons in dilute aqueous solution. They have thus far examined the sonochemical destruction of methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene in concentrations in the 100-1000 ppmv range. Ultrasound appears to be quite effective in destruction of the compounds examined thus far. Quantitative results with GC/MS have been obtained for methylene chloride, qualitative results from pH measurements have been obtained for the other compounds. Sonochemical destruction of chlorinated hydrocarbons appears to be a potentially powerful method of remediation, which may compete with or serve as an adjunct to other advanced oxidation processes.
Non-destructive characterization and selection of x/γ-ray detector-grade CdZnTe crystals

Infrared (IR) transmission spectra and IR microscopy images were measured to evaluate the sliced CdZnTe crystals grown under different starting charges using modified vertical Bridgman method. Upon comparing the corresponding electric properties and charge transport performance, IR absorption within the wave-number range from 500 to 2500 cm-1 was potentially attributed to the free carrier absorption caused by the ionized impurities. The size and density of Te particles were not sensitive to IR transmission spectra over the same wave-number range. However, the electric field was modified around isolated Te particles, in such a way that the impurities gettering in the Te inclusions. With respect to the high resistive CdZnTe crystals, IR transmission measurements demonstrated that the mean transmittance is higher than 60% in the wave-number region from 500 to 4000 cm-1. IR microscopy shown the typical diameters of Te particles present in the material were in the range of 6-9 μm, and the density of the particles was 1-4×105 cm-3. The obtained electron mobility lifetime product (μτ)e value was in the range of 1-3×10-3 cm2·V-1 by using well-known alpha particle spectra at room temperature. The fabricated CdZnTe thin planar detector showed the typical energy resolution was approximately 5.7% for the 59.5 keV peak at room temperature, without any additional signal processing.
Assessment of Rhizobacterial Diversity of Tomato Rhizosphere From South Andaman

In the present study rhizobacteria isolated from tomato rhizosphere of South Andaman were analysed for their biochemical characters, antagonistic activity test and genetic diversity using molecular tool PCR-RFLP. The biochemical characterization showed most of the isolates as plant growth promoting as depicted by IAA production, siderophore production and phosphate utilisation. However level of these biochemical production significantly varies with in rhizosphere. Antagonistic activity of these isolates were tested against single but one of major fungal plant pathogen i.e. Sclerotium rolfsii by dual culture on PDA plate. Level of antagonism ranges from 13–47%. PCR-RFLP of 16s rDNA amplified by PA and PH primers shows largely homogenous population distributed randomly at 57% similarity. The 16s rDNA gene sequencing and BLAST similarity search showed that these isolates belongs to genus Bacillus and Pseudomonas. The present study has resulted in the isolation of plant growth promoting and antagonistic Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. isolates that can be utilised for sustainable agriculture production.
Crystallization and phase separation mechanism of silicon oxide thin films fabricated via e‐beam evaporation of silicon monoxide

In this work, silicon oxide thin films were synthesized via e-beam evaporation of silicon monoxide. Subsequent annealing experiments were carried out to induce Si nanocrystals (Si NCs) formation. A broad range of annealing durations and temperatures were studied. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to study the mechanism of phase separation in silicon oxide films and crystallization of Si. Raman spectroscopy results show that SiO cannot be considered as a composite mixture of Si and SiO2. Results suggest that phase separation and crystallization are two separate processes even at relatively high temperatures. Amorphous Si formation was observed at annealing temperatures as low as 800 °C. A minimum annealing temperature of between 800 and 900 °C is required to form Si NCs. XPS results show a strong phase separation at annealing temperature of 1100 °C. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Agave biomass is excellent for production of bioethanol and xylitol using Bacillus strain 65S3 and Pseudomonas strain CDS3.

A high abundance of cellulose and low content of lignin make Agave americana an ideal feedstock for the biorefining industry. Eighteen cellulose-decomposing bacterial isolates were examined for their ability to decompose agave biomass and production of bioproducts. In agave-agar plate qualitative assay, 3 bacterial strains displayed better hydrolysis ability than the positive control, Cellumonas xylanilytica XIL11. In microplate quantitative assay using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid as substrate, a Bacillus strain (65S3) and a Pseudomonas strain (CDS3) were found superior for bioethanol and xylitol production. Bioethanol output of 65S3 was as high as 0.92 g/g, while CDS3 degraded agave and produced xylitol as high as 0.98 g/g. Significant structural degrading changes have been observed using scanning electron microscopy, after 14and 28-day treatments by using CDS3 and 65S3. CDS3 and 65S3 have great potentials in the biorefining industry for the production of value-added bioproducts.
MASS SPECTROMETRIC INVESTIGATION ON DENITRIFICATION

A quantitative mass spectrometric technique utilizing Ar of air as an internal standard was applied to investigate the denitrification process under air atmosphere in closed containers. The disappearance of O2 and nitrate and the production of CO2, N2O and N2 were investigated as a function of added NO3− concentrations, liming and flooding using a near neutral soil. The added NO3− acted as the electron acceptor whenever oxygen supply was depleted. The first product to appear was nitrite, and gaseous N2O and N2 followed. The microbial activity of unit weight of the soil as measured by CO2 production was not affected by the addition of varying concentrations of NO3−. Consequently, the initial rate of NO3− disappearnace which is probably proportional to microbial activity was independent of NO3− concentration. The accumulation of N2O gas as intermediate was dependent upon the NO3− concentration. Higher concentration of NO3− favored the accumulation of N2O, thus reducing the formation of N2 primarily because .
Selecting and Training a Panel to Evaluate the Metallic Sensation of Meat

The objective was to select and train assessors to evaluate metallic sensations in beef. The detection threshold of FeSO4.7H2O was determined using the method of limits. Twenty-six undergraduates participated in the test, and a single detection threshold was determined. Candidates with a threshold lower than or equal to the general value threshold were accepted. Next, the performance of the accepted candidates was evaluated using meat from the semimembranosus muscle of bovines at an internal cooking temperature of 65, 72 or 75°C. The metallic sensation in the meat was evaluated using the ranking test and an unstructured 9.0 cm line scale. The extremes of the scale have the expression not perceptible and highly perceptible. The assessors were selected to help the team analyze the discriminative power, reproducibility and overall use of scale. The results demonstrated that the processes for selecting and training assessors to evaluate the metallic sensation in meat were adequate.
Undulational instabilities of the columnar phase of diblock copolymers

We consider the problem of a thin film of fluid with a columnar mesostructure (i.e., hexagonal phase of a diblock melt) placed between two hard, flat surfaces. The columns form parallel to the surfaces and the thickness of the thin film is slightly greater than the bulk equilibrium spacing of the columns. We determine the stability of the columns to a Helfrich–Hurault instability where the columns take on an undulational mode and determine the elastic constants and critical strain for the instability.
Viscosity of dilute polyelectrolyte solutions: concentration dependence on sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate and lanthanum nitrate

Mesures de viscosite de poly(styrene sulfonate) completement neutralise par Na + par un dispositif permettant des mesures precises pour des concentrations faibles (< 1 ppm). Le passage d'un ion monovalent (Na + ) a un ion divalent (Mg 2+ ) puis trivalent (La 3+ ) deplace la position de la viscosite maximale vers les concentrations de polymere elevees et diminue la valeur absolue de la viscosite reduite. Bon accord entre les valeurs experimentales et theoriques
Ferrous Iron and Pyrite Oxidation by “Acidithiomicrobium” Species

Novel iron- and sulfur-oxidizing, moderate thermophiles were isolated from an acidic geothermal site and from a previously studied, pyrite-enrichment mixed culture (which also contained the related actinobacterium Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans). The novel species (proposed genus “Acidithiomicrobium”) grew autotrophically with ferrous iron at an optimum temperature of about 50°C, efficiently degraded pyrite at 55°C and also grew well autotrophically on sulfur. The extensive dissolution of pyrite during autotrophic growth contrasted with a requirement for yeast extract for significant growth of the related Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans.