Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inaccuracies in the dielectric permittivity due to thickness variation

The dielectric properties of materials play a fundamental role in the description of physical phenomena in many branches of modern science and engineering. Dielectric spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the investigations of soft matter because it is sensitive to material changes on the molecular level. One of the vital questions that arises when we deal with any equipment is about the measurement error and measurement accuracy. In this study we make an attempt to understand and warn about possible challenges in the measurement of the complex permittivity using dielectric spectroscopy. It is shown in the paper that the problems related to the sources of inaccuracies due to bad contact, edge capacities and electrode polarization can be tackled more easily than the error due to thickness variation within a sample.
Manidipine plus delapril in patients with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension: reducing cardiovascular risk and end-organ damage

In patients with hypertension and diabetes, atherothrombosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and there is now compelling evidence demonstrating that lowering elevated blood pressure (BP) is one of the most beneficial aims of therapy in this high-risk population. Indeed, major international guidelines have set a target BP goal of 130/80 mmHg in high-risk patients and recommend combination treatment with two or more drug classes to help achieve this objective. Manidipine plus delapril is a fixed-dose combination of a third-generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonist and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, which is effective in mild-to-moderately hypertensive patients with an inadequate response to monotherapy. It is also effective in the long-term (50 weeks) management of essential hypertension. Comparative studies have demonstrated that manidipine plus delapril is as effective as enalapril plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in patients with hypertension that is unresponsive to monotherapy, and as effective as ramipril plus HCTZ, valsartan plus HCTZ, irbesartan plus HCTZ and olmesartan plus HCTZ in patients with essential hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, manidipine plus delapril exhibited renoprotective effects in normotensive Type 2 diabetic patients, and improved fibrinolytic function (significantly more than irbesartan plus HCTZ) in hypertensive patients with Type 2 diabetes. Manidipine 10 mg plus delapril 30 mg once daily was generally well tolerated, with no unexpected adverse effects and evidence of a low incidence of ankle edema. Thus, manidipine plus delapril is a fixed-dose combination treatment that significantly reduces elevated BP with once-daily administration. It is well tolerated and has ancillary properties, such as nephroprotective activity and improvement of fibrinolytic balance, which may help reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly in high-risk patients, such as those with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Key Establishment and Management for Secure Cellular Machine-to-Machine Communication

M2M(Machine-to-Machine) communication is considered to be one of the major issues in future network. Especially, M2M will bring various benefits in wireless communications when it is interconnected with cellular network. Considering the characteristics of cellular M2M network, traditional security solutions are not practical to apply because the cellular M2M network is more vulnerable to various attacks. In this work, we consider security aspects for cellular M2M communication and propose a key management. Our proposal can provide reliability and efficiency for secure cellular M2M communication network.
Swelling and time-dependent subcritical debonding of underfill during temperature-humidity aging of flip chip packages

Stress corrosion cracking and the associated time-dependent subcritical debonding of the underfill-die interface is believed to be responsible for a large disparity between the reliabilities of flip chip-underfill packages subjected to two different aging conditions: 1) 85/spl deg/C/85% RH (>3500 h) and 2) 121/spl deg/C/100% RH (/spl sim/100 h). The ratio of the transverse stress at the bump (Sy) to the shear stress at the die edge (Sxy) has been found to correlate well with the two characteristic autoclave failure signatures: random local failure and die edge delamination. The first failure mode is promoted by a high Sy-Sxy ratio. A practical finding from this study is that raising the curing temperature of the underfill offers a simple and effective means of enhancing the autoclave performance of the flip chip-underfill package.
A computational study on transport properties of square graphene nanoconstriction

Continuous scaling of device dimension allows the integration of an increasing number of transistors on a single chip. As its move beyond the Moore's Law, carbon - based nanoelectronics such as Graphene emerges. The purpose of this study is to investigate the transport behaviour of Graphene Nanoconstriction (GNC) with square geometry. The transmission spectra and current - voltage (I-V) characteristic are simulated. From the simulation, markable change in I-V trend is achieved when the GNC dimension was vary where saturation region appear. The length of the constriction is found to have considerable effect to the transport properties. The result provides physical insight for better understanding the transport properties of GNC.
A novel staging system for caries severity in the primary dentition

OBJECTIVES Caries in the primary dentition (CIPD) has a high prevalence in U.S. children compared to other diseases, with substantial disparities among different population groups. Few reports correlate CIPD prevalence with clinical impairment of children's quality of life, such as tooth pain, speech delay or trauma to the child from operative restorations, which we collectively term morbidity. Likewise, current case definitions (ECC, S-ECC) and disease metrics (mean dmfs/dmft) are not helpful in assessing morbidity for individual or groups of children. We describe a construct to stage caries severity for children ages 0 -5, called "CIPD Levels. " This metric is based on small interval age-group dmft scores, and has a direct link to current and predicted morbidity for the child. It is modeled after staging systems for medical diseases in which the various stages or levels are correlated with the probability of morbidity or mortality. METHODS We created a matrix in which CIPD Levels 0-4 are assigned for dmft scores 0-7 depending on a child's age. CIPD Level-4 is the highest level, and frequently results in clinical adverse outcomes, including pain and extensive restorations. We next tested this matrix with data from a high-risk population. RESULTS Among children with any cavitated caries at age <24 months, 82.8% reached the adverse outcomes threshold (CIPD Level-4) at age 36 months. For children with dmft = 0 at 24 months, 71.4% did not reach CIPD Level-4 at age 36 months. CONCLUSION Our new metric is useful for quantifying disease burden from caries for high-risk children.
Living donor versus deceased donor liver transplantation for early irresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Hypothetical studies that favour living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) assumed a comparable outcome after LDLT and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). The aim of this study was to compare the outcome after LDLT with that after DDLT, and to identify factors that might account for any differences.
Transitions in Symptom Cluster Subgroups Among Men Undergoing Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy

Background: Prostate cancer is a common type of cancer worldwide and in the United States. However, little information has been reported on the symptoms of men over time who receive radiation therapy. Objective: The objectives of this study were to identify subgroups of men at pre– and post–radiation therapy on general and treatment-related symptoms and to determine transitions in subgroup membership over time. Methods: Men (n = 84) receiving radiation therapy completed questionnaires on fatigue, insomnia, pain, depression, anxiety, and sexual, urinary, and bowel problems at pretreatment and posttreatment. Latent class analysis identified subgroups. One-way analyses of variance determined subgroups differed on symptoms, participant characteristics, and quality of life. Latent transition analysis examined subgroup transitions over time. Results: At pretreatment, 4 subgroups were identified: resilient group, with little to no symptom reporting; adjusted group, with moderately high treatment-related symptoms, low insomnia, depression, and anxiety; distressed group, consistently high on most symptoms; and emerging group, with moderately high fatigue, depression, and anxiety with few treatment-related symptoms. At posttreatment, similar results were seen in groups to those at pretreatment: resilient, adjusted. and distressed groups with an impacted group having high pain, insomnia, depression, and urinary and bowel symptoms. Quality of life and participant characteristics further distinguished groups at pretreatment and posttreatment. Income level predicted a transition in group membership. Conclusions: Men can be classified into distinctly different subgroups over time. Implications for Practice: Assessment and intervention with men in subgroups such as distressed and emerging before and during treatment may lessen potential for remaining distressed or moving into impacted group where symptom severity is high at posttreatment. Interventions to reduce multiple symptoms are vitally needed.
Innovation failure in the eye of the beholder: towards a theory of innovation shaped by competing agendas within higher education

ABSTRACT This paper examines a case of perceived innovation failure in higher education, a service dominated by conflicting institutional logics of professionalism and markets. Through a mixed methodology investigating student attitudes to, and behaviour around, technological innovation, the paper makes a contribution to the public service innovation literature by focusing on duality in innovation outcomes. This is suggestive of an innovation typology in public services: professionalism-driven and consumerism-driven innovation.
Prematurity is associated with abnormal airway function in childhood

To evaluate the long‐term effect of prematurity and/or hyaline membrane disease (HMD) on pulmonary function and airway reactivity, we studied 49 prematurely born children aged 10 to 13 years. They were divided into three groups according to birth weight and HMD status: Groups I and II comprised the children weighing less than 1,500 g at birth, and Group III those whose birth weight exceeded 1,500 g. Children without HMD at birth were classified as Group I and those with HMD as Group II or III. We performed both pulmonary function tests and methacholine (MCh) challenges and compared the results with those of 27 age‐matched controls born at term. We found that FEV1 and RV/TLC ratios were significantly different from control values in the groups with birth weights less than 1,500 g, regardless of their HMD status (Groups I and II). In Group I, results for FEF25–75%, V̇max50%, and DLCO were lower than those of controls. Airway reactivity was significantly increased in Groups I and II. A 20% drop in FEV1 after MCh challenge was found in 88%, 62%, 53%, and 36% of children in Groups I, II, and III and controls, respectively, and a 35% drop in SGaw occurred in 87%, 88%, 53%, and 59%. We conclude that prematurity and not HMD per se leads to long‐term pulmonary abnormalities and to an increase in nonspecific airway reactivity. Pediatr Pulmonol 1989; 7:259–264.
MAGIC 2.0: A web tool for false positive prediction and prevention for gesture recognition systems

False positives are a common problem for interfaces that rely on gesture recognition. Often a gesture can seem fine in development but is found to trigger accidentally during an initial deployment of the interface, restarting development and increasing expense. In this work we introduce MAGIC 2.0, a technique for false positive prediction and prevention that can be used interactively during the interface design process. To ground our research, we implement MAGIC 2.0 as a web service and develop gesture interfaces using sensors on common Android mobile phone platforms. We use iSAX (indexable Symbolic Aggregate approXimation) to enable interactive searching (<2 sec/example) of a large database (>1,500,000 sec) of everyday user movements on a standard workstation to determine if a candidate gesture will trigger accidentally during use of an interface. We perform a user-independent study that suggests that the number of matches to this Everyday Gesture Library (EGL) database is indeed predictive of a candidate gesture's suitability. We compare iSAX to hidden Markov models (HMMs) and nearest neighbor with respect to accuracy and speed for the EGL search. Using iSAX on the EGL, we also develop a “garbage” class and show that including this class in recognition reduces errors.
Frost Bulb Growth with or without Groundwater Flow on a Buried Chilled Alaskan Pipe

When a chilled pipe line is buried in an Alaskan environment, where the pipe fluid temperature is less than that of the surroundings, frost bulb forms due to the groundwater and or moisture migrations from the water table. Besides the concern of pipe realignment due to frost heave, the primary concern is that of the chilled pipe-line upsetting the thermal balance of the streams and adversely affecting the environment for the fish. A simplified thermo-fluid model involving the important effects with a flavour of bond graphs is presented followed by a practical sample problem.
Importance of the HIF pathway in cobalt nanoparticle-induced cytotoxicity and inflammation in human macrophages

Abstract Recent, unexpected high failure rates of metal-on-metal hip implants have reintroduced the issue of cobalt toxicity. An adverse reaction to cobalt ions and cobalt-induced lung injury occurs during environmental exposure and is now strictly controlled. Currently adverse reaction occurs to cobalt nanoparticles during wear and tear of metal-on-metal hip implants of which the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The putative role of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway in the mechanism of cobalt nanoparticle (Co-NPs) toxicity was examined using the U937 cell line, human alveolar macrophages and monocyte-derived macrophages. Co-NPs (5–20 μg/ml)-induced cytotoxicity (viability ranged from 75% to <20% of control, respectively) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas a comparable concentration of cobalt ions (Co(II); up to 350 μM) did not. Co-NPs induced HIF-1α stabilization. Addition of ascorbic acid (100 µM) and glutathione (1 mM) both prevented the increased ROS. However, only treatment with ascorbic acid reduced HIF-1α levels and prevented cell death, indicating that a ROS-independent pathway is involved in Co-NPs-induced cytotoxicity. Replenishing intracellular ascorbate, which is crucial in preventing HIF pathway activation, modified Co-induced HIF target gene expression and the inflammatory response, by decreasing interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) mRNA and protein expression. Addition of glutathione had no effect on Co-NPs-induced HIF target gene expression or inflammatory response. Thus, Co-NPs induce the HIF pathway by depleting intracellular ascorbate, leading to HIF stabilization and pathway activation. This suggests a strong, ROS-independent role for HIF activation in Co-NPs-induced cytotoxicity and a possible role for HIF in metal-on-metal hip implant pathology.
Aerosolized salbutamol accelerates the resolution of pulmonary edema after lung resection.

BACKGROUND Ischemia-reperfusion injuries, fluid overload, and cardiac insufficiency may all contribute to alveolar and interstitial lung edema. We hypothesized that aerosolized salbutamol would reduce extravascular lung water and improve oxygenation after lung resection by stimulating epithelial fluid clearance and cardiovascular function. DESIGN Blinded, randomized, cross-over trial. METHODS We selected 24 patients with risk factors for lung edema. Aerosolized drugs (salbutamol, 5 mg; vs ipratropium, 0.5 mg) were administered on two consecutive trials, with a 6-h washout period, on the day of surgery (postoperative day [POD]-0) as well as on POD-1. Before and 50 min after the end of drug administration, we determined the oxygenation index (Pao(2)/fraction of inspired oxygen [Fio(2)] ratio), the extravascular lung water index (EVLWI), the pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI), and the cardiac index (CI) using the single-indicator thermal dilution technique. RESULTS Complete data were obtained in 21 patients. On POD-0, the EVLWI was increased compared with preoperative values (13.0 +/- 3.8 vs 9.1 +/- 4.4, p < 0.001); salbutamol treatment induced significant increases in Pao(2)/Fio(2) ratio (+ 25 +/- 13%) that were associated with decreases in EVLWI (- 18 +/- 10%, p < 0.05) and in PVPI (- 19 +/- 10%, p < 0.05) along with increased CI (+ 23 +/- 11%, p < 0.05). On POD-1, repeated nebulization of salbutamol induced significant increases in Pao(2)/Fio(2) ratio and CI (+ 22 +/- 10% and 19 +/- 11%, respectively), whereas both EVLWI and PVPI remained unchanged. Nebulization of ipratropium bromide did not produce significant hemodynamic and respiratory changes on POD-0 and POD-1. CONCLUSIONS Aerosolized salbutamol accelerates the resolution of lung edema, improves blood oxygenation, and stimulated cardiovascular function after lung resection in high-risk patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION This protocol trial (CER03-160) has been registered at (Clinicaltrials.gov) under NCT00498251.
Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Encodes a Functional Regulator of Complement Activation

ABSTRACT Sequence analysis of the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68) genome revealed an open reading frame (gene 4) which is homologous to a family of proteins known as the regulators of complement activation (RCA proteins) (H. W. Virgin, P. Latreille, P. Wamsley, K. Hallsworth, K. E. Weck, A. J. Dal Canto, and S. H. Speck, J. Virol. 71:5894–5904, 1997). The predicted gene 4 product has homology to other virally encoded RCA homologs, as well as to the complement-regulatory proteins decay-accelerating factor and membrane cofactor protein. Analyses by Northern blotting and rapid amplification of cDNA ends revealed that gene 4 is transcribed as a 5.2-kb bicistronic transcript of the late kinetic class. Three γHV68 RCA protein isoforms (60 to 65 kDa, 50 to 55 kDa, and 40 to 45 kDa) were detected by Western blotting of infected murine NIH 3T12 fibroblast cells. A soluble 40- to 45-kDa isoform was detected in the supernatants of virally infected cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the γHV68 RCA protein was expressed on the surfaces of infected cells. Supernatants from virally infected cells contained an activity that inhibited murine complement activation as measured by inhibition of C3 deposition on activated zymosan particles. Recombinant γHV68 RCA protein, containing the four conserved short consensus repeats, inhibited murine C3 deposition on zymosan via both classical and alternative pathways and inhibited deposition of human C3 on activated zymosan particles. Expression of this inhibitor of complement activation, both at the cell surface and in the fluid phase, may be important for γHV68 pathogenesis via the inhibition of innate and adaptive immunity.
[POSTER] AR4AR: Using Augmented Reality for guidance in Augmented Reality Systems Setup

AR systems have been developed for many years now, ranging from systems consisting of a single sensor and output device to systems with a multitude of sensors and/or output devices. With the increasing complexity of the setup, the complexity of handling the different sensors as well as the necessary calibrations and registrations increases accordingly. A much needed (yet missing) area of augmented reality applications is to support AR system engineers when they set up and maintain an AR system by providing visual guides and giving immediate feedback on the current quality of their calibration measurements. In this poster we present an approach to use Augmented Reality itself to support the user in calibrating an Augmented Reality system.
Planning to Meet the Needs of the Hospitalized Elderly

With the elderly population increasing, the number of elderly clients served by almost any type of health care organization will continue to increase. What kind of planning does a hospital nursing administrator need to do to assure that her or his nursing service can give better care to a larger numbers of elderly clients? What are the staffing considerations? Services and facilities considerations? Staff education needs? Budget considerations? Quality-of-care issues? This article will discuss these questions and present Eitel Hospital's comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of the hospitalized elderly.
Characterization of a Presenilin-mediated Amyloid Precursor Protein Carboxyl-terminal Fragment γ

A variety of investigations have led to the conclusion that presenilins (PS) play a critical role in intramembranous, γ-secretase proteolysis of selected type I membrane proteins, including Notch1 and amyloid precursor protein (APP). We now show that the generation of the S3/Notch intracellular domain and APP-carboxyl-terminal fragment γ (CTFγ) derivatives are dependent on PS expression and inhibited by a highly selective and potent γ-secretase inhibitor. Unexpectedly, the APP-CTFγ derivative is generated by processing between Leu-645 and Val-646 (of APP695), several amino acids carboxyl-terminal to the scissile bonds for production of amyloid β protein peptides. Although the relationship of APP-CTFγ to the production of amyloid β protein peptides is not known, we conclude that in contrast to the highly selective PS-dependent processing of Notch, the PS-dependent γ-secretase processing of APP is largely nonselective and occurs at multiple sites within the APP transmembrane domain.
Oral Treatment with a γ-Secretase Inhibitor Improves Long-Term Potentiation in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

The β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is thought to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To study the effects of Aβ on the brain, transgenic mouse models have been developed that express high levels of Aβ. These mice show some features of AD, including amyloid plaques and mild cognitive impairment, but not others such as progressive neurodegeneration. We investigated the age-dependent effects of Aβ on synaptic physiology in Tg2576 mice that express human Aβ. We report that both basal synaptic activity and long-term potentiation (LTP), as measured in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, were compromised by 7 months of age before plaque deposition. Despite a persistent increase in Aβ levels with age, LTP recovered in 14-month-old mice, with no further loss of basal activity compared with activity measured in 7-month-old mice. Previous work has shown that inhibitors of γ-secretase, an enzyme critical for Aβ synthesis, can significantly reduce Aβ production and plaque formation in Tg2576 mice. Our data demonstrate that 7-month-old Tg2576 mice treated with an orally available γ-secretase inhibitor showed a significant improvement in synaptic function and plasticity within days, and the effect was correlated with the extent and duration of Aβ reduction. These results indicate that recovery from Aβ-mediated synaptotoxicity can occur rapidly with Aβ-lowering therapies. These findings highlight some of the strengths and limitations of using Aβ-overexpressing mouse models for Alzheimer's drug discovery.