Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of minor doping elements on lead free solder joint quality

During lead free transition, board level drop test reliability has become an important issue since current Sn3~4Ag0.5Cu lead free solder showed poorer reliability than SnPb solder. In order to improve the reliability, solder composition change to Sn1Ag0.8Cu is one of the potential solutions by preventing solder joint from brittle interface failure. In this study, four kind of minor doping elements, including Ni, Ge, Sb and Zn, in Sn1Ag0.8Cu lead free solder were used to confirm if the solder joint quality could be further improved by modification in bulk or interface properties. The properties checked in this study included DSC analysis, wetibility, IMC formation and ball pull test result on Ni/Au and OSP surface finish after multi-reflow and 150degC high temperature storage. The DSC result indicated that minor doping elements did not cause the significant difference in melting time so the impact to the reflow profile could be negligible. Sb doping caused highest undercooling and then refined the microstructure but Zn doping showed small undercooling and coarse microstructure. Regarding the joint quality on Ni/Au surface finish, only Zn doping could slightly reduce interfacial failure mode after multi-reflow or high temperature storage. As change to OSP surface finish, Ni and Zn doping were very effective to slow down Cu3Sn IMC and total IMC formation, respectively. However, the correlation between IMC thickness and interface failure rate was very poor. Ni and Zn doping could reduce the risk of interface failure after multi-reflow. After high temperature storage, the percentage of interface failure became higher even though the Cu3Sn IMC or total IMC still kept very thin by Ni or Zn doping
Physical activity and cancer prevention--mechanisms.

PURPOSE This paper presents potential mechanisms by which exercise or physical activity may affect cancer development. METHODS Analysis of published and unpublished experimental and epidemiological data from the cancer-activity literature and from other fields of study are compiled to provide a summary of potential mechanisms by which exercise may mediate cancer development. RESULTS Exercise appears to have a beneficial effect relative to cancer development, and the reader is referred to other sections of this symposium. To date however, the mechanism(s) remains unknown. Potential mechanisms influenced by exercise include alterations in steroid hormones or insulin/insulin-like growth factors, immune modulation, alterations in free radical generation, changes in body composition or weight, and direct effects on the tumor. Cancer is a complex process. It is clear that multiple mechanisms may be operative and that the characteristics of the individual, type of exercise, as well as type of cancer and stage of carcinogenesis will affect which mechanisms may affect the disease. More experimental research in both animal models and in human clinical studies is needed to understand the basic biological mechanisms underlying the effect of physical activity on cancer. CONCLUSION In general, physical activity is associated with reduced risk of cancer development, yet to date, the mechanisms remain unknown.
Application of triune parallel-serial robot system for full-mission tank training

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to build a seven‐degrees of freedom (DOF) parallel‐serial robot system which has the advantage of mechanical novelty and simplicity compared with the existing platforms, and to share the experience of converting a popular motion base to an industrial robot for use in full‐mission tank training processes of three armored arms.Design/methodology/approach – By studying the concept of the robot system, a novel parallel‐serial robot with seven DOF driven by electrical servo motors is built. And the transmission modules and Hooke joints are explored and designed in detail. Then the inverse kinematics based on coupling compensation and time‐jerk synthetic optimization methods for trajectory planning of the simulator are presented and further discussed in order to satisfy the requirements of high stability and perfect performance. In advance, the feasibility and applicability of this triune parallel‐serial robot system are verified.Findings – A prototyped test shows that the.
Preventing Post-Transfusion Hepatitis by screening blood donors for IgM Antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen

T hepatitis B viral infection (TAHBV) continues to be a major problem in India even after adoption of mandatory screening for HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) detection by ELISA (enzymelinked immunosorbent assay) method. The high incidence of TAHBV is reported in patients receiving multiple transfusions. It has been demonstrated that some HBsAgnegative and anti HBc antigen positive (anti-hepatitis B core antigen positive) individuals continue to replicate hepatitis B virus (HBV). The negative HBsAg in the blood of apparently healthy individuals may not be sufficient to ensure absence of circulating HBV. Thus the blood containing anti-HBc antigen with or without detectable presence of HBsAg might be infectious.
Ureteral Reconstruction after Renal Transplantation: Clinical Outcome and Risk Factors

Introduction: The incidence of urological complications after renal transplantation ranges from 2.5 to 30%. Often surgical revision is necessary. The risk factors for surgical revision and which surgical techniques to apply are not elucidated. This study investigates the outcome and risk factors for surgical revision of the ureterocystostomy. Materials and Methods: Between January 1995 and March 2009, 1,157 consecutive kidney transplantations were performed. All patient charts and surgical reports were reviewed. Results: Urological complications occurred in 142 (12.3%) patients. In 60 patients (5.2%) surgical revision was necessary. Of these 60 patients, 43 (71.7%) received neoureterocystostomy, 10 (16.7%) ureteropyelostomy reconstruction and 7 (11.7%) other techniques. Independent risk factors for surgical revision were donor ureteral reconstruction (odds ratio (OR) 48.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.01–472.97), recipient age <18 years (OR 4.85, 95% CI 1.50–15.72) and delayed graft function (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.36–5.36). Ureteral stenting was a protective factor for surgical revision (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.12–0.81). The urological complication rates after neoureterocystostomy, ureteropyelostomy reconstruction and other techniques were 16, 0 and 0%, respectively. The overall surgical success rate was 92%. Conclusions: Ureteral stenting, recipient age, delayed graft function and perioperative ureteral reconstruction are significant factors associated with surgical revision of the ureterocystostomy. Surgical revision of the ureterocystostomy is a successful therapy with a low recurrence rate.
The role of HRM in facilitating team ambidexterity

Although the role of HRM in supporting ambidexterity has been loosely conceptualised, little is known about how HRM contributes to exploitative and explorative activities in practice. Further, whereas research has linked HRM to innovation broadly at individual and organisational levels, there has been minimal focus on how HRM supports innovation in teams. Using qualitative case studies in two software development firms, we examine how different approaches to HRM support different types of ambidexterity in teams. The findings demonstrate that there is no one best way for HRM to facilitate team ambidexterity, but it is critical to align the HRM practices with the team context. Additionally, our findings suggest that while an integrated HRM system that exploits synergies between HRM practices can encourage ambidexterity for some organisations, an approach aimed at emphasising the independent effects of a few key HRM practices may be an effective alternative for others.
Moderate exercise and post-prandial metabolism: issues of dose-response

In this study, we examined the effects of 1 and 2 h of brisk walking on post-prandial metabolism. Eleven pre-menopausal women participated in three oral fat tolerance tests with different pre-conditions: control (no exercise), 1 h walk(1 h of walking at 50% maximal oxygen uptake, V O 2max , on the day before) and 2 h walk (2 h walking at 50% V O 2max on the day before). Venous blood samples were taken in the fasted state and for 6 h after ingestion of a high-fat mixed meal. Compared with the control trial, the 1 h walk reduced post-prandial lipaemia by a mean of 9.3%, whereas the 2 h walk reduced it by 22.8% ( P ≪ 0.01 for trend). Similarly, the 2 h walk reduced the post-prandial insulin response to a greater extent than the 1 h walk (17.3 vs 7.6%; P ≪ 0.05 for trend). The results demonstrate that the beneficial effects of exercise on post-prandial metabolism are related to the duration and, therefore, the energy expenditure of the exercise session.
Measuring Replicative Life Span in the Budding Yeast

Aging is a degenerative process characterized by a progressive deterioration of cellular components and organelles resulting in mortality. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used extensively to study the biology of aging, and several determinants of yeast longevity have been shown to be conserved in multicellular eukaryotes, including worms, flies, and mice 1. Due to the lack of easily quantified age-associated phenotypes, aging in yeast has been assayed almost exclusively by measuring the life span of cells in different contexts, with two different life span paradigms in common usage 2. Chronological life span refers to the length of time that a mother cell can survive in a non-dividing, quiescence-like state, and is proposed to serve as a model for aging of post-mitotic cells in multicellular eukaryotes. Replicative life span, in contrast, refers the number of daughter cells produced by a mother cell prior to senescence, and is thought to provide a model of aging in mitotically active cells. Here we present a generalized protocol for measuring the replicative life span of budding yeast mother cells. The goal of the replicative life span assay is to determine how many times each mother cell buds. The mother and daughter cells can be easily differentiated by an experienced researcher using a standard light microscope (total magnification 160X), such as the Zeiss Axioscope 40 or another comparable model. Physical separation of daughter cells from mother cells is achieved using a manual micromanipulator equipped with a fiber-optic needle. Typical laboratory yeast strains produce 20-30 daughter cells per mother and one life span experiment requires 2-3 weeks.
Mass Flux Solution in the Tibetan Plateau Using Mascon Modeling

Mascon modeling is used in this paper to produce the mass flux solutions in the Tibetan Plateau. In the mascon modeling, the pseudo observations and their covariance matrices are derived from the GRACE monthly gravity field models. The sampling density of the pseudo observations is determined based on the eigenvalues of the covariance matrices. In the Tibetan Plateau, the sampling density of per 1.5° is the most appropriate among all choices. The mass flux variations from 2003 to 2014 are presented in this paper, which show large mass loss (about −15.5 Gt/year) in Tianshan, North India, and Eastern Himalaya, as well as strong positive signals (about 9 Gt/year) in the Inner Tibetan Plateau. After the glacier isostatic adjustment effects from Pau-5-AUT model are removed, the mass change rates in the Tibetan Plateau derived from CSR RL05, JPL RL05, GFZ RL05a, and Tongji-GRACE02 monthly models are −6.41 ± 4.74 Gt/year, −5.87 ± 4.88 Gt/year, −6.08 ± 4.65 Gt/year, and −11.50 ± 4.79 Gt/year, respectively, which indicate slight mass loss in this area. Our results confirm that mascon modeling is efficient in the recovery of time-variable gravity signals in the Tibetan Plateau.
Sensitivity Mapping of the Human Foot: Thresholds at 30 Skin Locations

Background: Mechanoreceptors in the skin provide sensory input for the central nervous system about foot placement and loading. This information is used by the brain to actively control or regain balance and is important to establish memory traces for subsequent movement. A sensitivity map of the human foot could help to understand the mechanisms of the foot as a sensory organ for movement adjustment and balance control. Materials and Methods: Touch and vibration perception threshold values from 30 plantar and dorsal foot locations were determined in more than 40 women and men between 20 and 35 years. Semmes Weinstein monofilaments and a vibrotactile neurothesiometer were used for skin sensitivity threshold detection. Results: Large sensitivity differences were present between the 30 different foot sites. Gender effects were not present for touch but women had better sensitivities for vibration (p < 0.01), especially on the dorsal aspect of the foot. Age, in our cohort of 20- to 35-year-olds, did not have an influence on vibration or touch sensitivity. The heel had the highest detection thresholds for touch but was very sensitive for vibration stimuli. Compared to the dorsum, the plantar foot was substantially more sensitive, especially for vibration detection. Conclusion: The results suggest that primarily the fast adapting plantar mechanoreceptors are important in assisting balance control during human locomotion. Clinical Relevance: The sensitivity map of the foot will help in understanding the function of the foot as a sensory organ and could be useful in creating footwear for better balance control and for the design of comfortable shoes.
A meta-analysis of interventions to improve care for chronic illnesses.

OBJECTIVE To use empirical data from previously published literature to address 2 research questions: (1) Do interventions that incorporate at least 1 element of the Chronic Care Model (CCM) result in improved outcomes for specific chronic illnesses? (2) Are any elements essential for improved outcomes? STUDY DESIGN Meta-analysis. METHODS Articles were identified from narrative literature reviews and quantitative meta-analyses, each of which covered multiple bibliographic databases from inception to March 2003. We supplemented this strategy by searching the MEDLINE database (1998-2003) and by consulting experts. We included randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials of interventions that contained 1 or more elements of the CCM for asthma, congestive heart failure (CHF), depression, and diabetes. We extracted data on clinical outcomes, quality of life, and processes of care. We then used random-effects modeling to compute pooled standardized effect sizes and risk ratios. RESULTS Of 1345 abstracts screened, 112 studies contributed data to the meta-analysis: asthma, 27 studies; CHF, 21 studies; depression, 33 studies; and diabetes, 31 studies. Interventions with at least 1 CCM element had consistently beneficial effects on clinical outcomes and processes of care across all conditions studied. The effects on quality of life were mixed, with only the CHF and depression studies showing benefit. Publication bias was noted for the CHF studies and a subset of the asthma studies. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that contain at least 1 CCM element improve clinical outcomes and processes of care--and to a lesser extent, quality of life--for patients with chronic illnesses.
Nonselective Persistence of a Rickettsia conorii Extrachromosomal Plasmid during Mammalian Infection

ABSTRACT Scientific analysis of the genus Rickettsia is undergoing a rapid period of change with the emergence of viable genetic tools. The development of these tools for the mutagenesis of pathogenic bacteria will permit forward genetic analysis of Rickettsia pathogenesis. Despite these advances, uncertainty still remains regarding the use of plasmids to study these bacteria in in vivo mammalian models of infection, namely, the potential for virulence changes associated with the presence of extrachromosomal DNA and nonselective persistence of plasmids in mammalian models of infection. Here, we describe the transformation of Rickettsia conorii Malish 7 with the plasmid pRam18dRGA[AmTrCh]. Transformed R. conorii stably maintains this plasmid in infected cell cultures, expresses the encoded fluorescent proteins, and exhibits growth kinetics in cell culture similar to those of nontransformed R. conorii. Using a well-established murine model of fatal Mediterranean spotted fever, we demonstrate that R. conorii(pRam18dRGA[AmTrCh]) elicits the same fatal outcomes in animals as its untransformed counterpart and, importantly, maintains the plasmid throughout infection in the absence of selective antibiotic pressure. Interestingly, plasmid-transformed R. conorii was readily observed both in endothelial cells and within circulating leukocytes. Together, our data demonstrate that the presence of an extrachromosomal DNA element in a pathogenic rickettsial species does not affect either in vitro proliferation or in vivo infectivity in models of disease and that plasmids such as pRam18dRGA[AmTrCh] are valuable tools for the further genetic manipulation of pathogenic rickettsiae.
Identification of 33 polymorphisms in the adipocyte‐derived leucine aminopeptidase (ALAP) gene and possible association with hypertension

Adipocyte‐derived leucine aminopeptidase (ALAP) inactivates angiotensin II and/or generates bradykinin in the kidney, suggesting a possible role for ALAP in the regulation of blood pressure. We considered the hypothesis that genomic variants of the ALAP gene are associated with hypertension or individual variations in blood pressure. We screened for mutations in the ALAP gene in 48 unrelated Japanese individuals and identified 33 polymorphisms including 15 novel polymorphisms. We then performed a two‐stage analysis. In the first stage, the eight missense polymorphisms were evaluated for associations with blood pressure in 96 apparently healthy individuals. In the second stage, only the most promising polymorphisms were evaluated for association with essential hypertension in 143 hypertensive and 348 normotensive subjects. Among the eight missense polymorphisms, the Ile276Met and Lys528Arg polymorphisms showed significant association with blood pressure. Subsequent analysis confirmed association between the Lys528Arg polymorphism and essential hypertension. The estimated odds ratio for essential hypertension was 2.3 for presence of the Arg allele at codon 528, in comparison with presence of the Lys/Lys genotype (P = 0.004). These findings support involvement of ALAP in the regulation of blood pressure. Hum Mutat 19:251–257, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Postnatal differentiation and development of the rat epididymis: A stereological study

Postnatal development and differentiation of the rat epididymis was studied in the rat from 15 to 120 days of life using stereological techniques. Both the relative volume (volume density) and absolute volume of the epithelial, interstitial, and luminal compartments in the initial segment, caput, corpus, and cauda epididymides were determined. In all segments the volume density of the epithelial compartment increased between days 15 and 30 before falling to adult values at 45 days in the initial segment (0.476 ± 0.031), at 60 days in the caput (0.258 ± 0.028) and at 90 days in the corpus (0.245 ± 0.007) and cauda (0.140 ± 0.004). The relative volume of the interstitium decreased, whilst that of the lumen increased over the same period with adult values being achieved earlier in the proximal segments than in the distal segments. In contrast to volume fraction the absolute volume of all compartments in all segments increased from day 15 to day 90. Between 90 and 120 days the absolute volumes of compartments in the initial segment and caput showed little volume change. All compartments in the corpus and cauda showed significant increases in volume over the same period. A similar pattern of development was observed with respect to the surface area of both the luminal and basement membrane aspects of the epithelium; surface area per unit volume (surface density) in all segments reached adult values at approximately 60 days, whilst the increase in absolute area of the surfaces ceased at 90 days in the initial segment and caput and continued to 120 days in the corpus and cauda. The total length of the epididymal tubule showed the same pattern with no increase in length apparent in the initial segment and caput after 90 days. Length however continued to increase in the corpus and cauda between 90 and 120 days. Tubule and luminal diameter reached their definitive values in the initial segment on day 60 but continued to increase until day 90 in the distal segments. Epithelial height increased between 15 and 30 days in all segments; in the caput, epithelial height was greatest on day 30 before decreasing slightly; and in the corpus and cauda maximal epithelial height was observed on day 45 decreasing to stable values on day 60 and 90, respectively. All the data is consistent with a proximal to distal differentiation and development of the epididymis with growth continuing in all segments after the establishment of the definitive architecture. Growth of the distal segments continued after its cessation in the proximal segments. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: quantification of bronchodilator effects by using hyperpolarized ³He MR imaging.

PURPOSE To evaluate short-acting bronchodilator effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by using hyperpolarized helium 3 (³He) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, spirometry, and plethysmography. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourteen ex-smokers with COPD provided written informed consent to a local ethics board-approved and Health Insurance and Portability Accountability Act-compliant protocol and underwent hyperpolarized ³He and hydrogen 1 MR imaging, spirometry, and plethysmography before and a mean of 25 minutes ± 2 (standard deviation) after administration of 400 μg salbutamol. Distribution of ³He gas was evaluated by using semiautomated segmentation of ³He voxel intensities, where cluster 1 represented regions of signal void or ventilation defect volume (VDV), and clusters 2-5 (C2-C5) represented gradations of signal intensity from hypointensity (C2) to hyperintensity (C5). ³He ventilation defect percentage (VDP) was calculated as VDV normalized to the thoracic cavity volume. Comparisons of pre- and post-salbutamol means were performed by using a two-way mixed-design repeated measures analysis of variance, and comparisons of the magnitude of the treatment effect between pulmonary function and ³He MR imaging measurements were performed by using effect size (ES) calculations. The relationships between pulmonary function and ³He MR imaging findings were determined by using Spearman correlation coefficients. RESULTS After salbutamol administration, there were significant changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) (P = .001), total lung capacity (P = .04), and functional residual capacity (P = .03), as well as VDP (P < .0001) and ³He gas distribution (C2, P = .01; C3, P = .03; C4, P < .0001; and C5, P = .02). Treatment ES was greater for ³He VDP than for FEV(1) (0.50 vs 0.22). There was a significant correlation between baseline VDP and post-salbutamol FEV₁ change (r = -0.77, P = .001). Although five patients were classified as bronchodilator responders and nine patients were classified as bronchodilator nonresponders according to American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society criteria, there was no significant difference in the magnitude of the ³He MR imaging changes after salbutamol administration between responder groups. CONCLUSION ³He MR imaging depicted significant improvements in the distribution of ³He gas after bronchodilator therapy in ex-smokers with COPD with and those without clinically important changes in FEV₁.