pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Effect of thermal aging on the crystal structural characteristics of poly(tetra fluoro ethylene)

The residual effects of cumulative thermal aging on the crystal structural characteristics of the fluoro carbon poly(tetra fluoro ethylene) (PTFE) have been studied by X-ray diffraction methods. The initial hexagonal arrangement of the PTFE chains in a 157 helical conformation is left unaffected by the exposures to temperatures (T), up to and beyond its melting point, Tm. The unit cell registers a residual anisotropic volume expansion. The anisotropy arises from the enhanced enlargement of the basal plane dimension a compared with the axial dimension c. Conformational changes contributing to the observed increase in the chain length have been examined. Enhancement of residual crystallinity of samples aged at T's lt; Tm suggests that the selective thermal aging could be used as an effective tool to improve the initial crystallinity of commercially available PTFE. The activation energy for 50% enhancement in initial crystallinity has been estimated as 53.9 kJ mol-1. Aging at 400xB0;C, a temperature above Tm, is accompanied by markedly different features viz., deterioration in crystallinity and other structural characteristics. The overall behavior of thermally aged PTFE bears a marked similarity to many polyamides. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1724-1729, 2007. xA9; 2007 Society of Plastics Engineer
Improved prognosis in Norwegian patients with glomerulonephritis associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies

Background: Glomerulonephritis associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) is associated with increased mortality and a high risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Here, we investigated whether the prognosis has improved over the last 25 years. 


Methods: Patients were identified in the Norwegian Kidney Biopsy Registry. We included all patients with pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis and a positive ANCA test from 1988 to 2012. Deaths and ESRD in the cohort were identified through record linkage with the Norwegian Population Registry (deaths) and the Norwegian Renal Registry (ESRD). Outcomes of patients diagnosed in 1988–2002 were compared with outcomes of patients diagnosed in 2003–12. 


Results: A cohort of 455 patients with ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis was identified. The mean follow-up was 6.0 years (range, 0.0–23.4). During the study period, 165 (36%) patients died and 124 (27%) progressed to ESRD. Compared with patients diagnosed in 1988–2002, those diagnosed in 2003–12 had higher mean initial estimated glomerular filtration rates (37 versus 27 mL/min/1.73 m2) and lower risk of ESRD (1-year risk: 13 versus 19%; 10-year risk: 26 versus 37%). The composite endpoint, ESRD or death within 0–1 year after diagnosis, was reduced from 34 to 25%. In patients over 60 years old, 1-year mortality fell from 33 to 20%. 


Conclusions: In Norwegian patients with ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis, prognosis was significantly better in 2003–12 compared with 1988–2002. This improvement was probably partly due to a shorter diagnostic delay, and better therapeutic management in older patients.© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERAEDTA. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
A philosophical evaluation of adaptationism as a heuristic strategy

Adaptationism has for decades been the topic of sophisticated debates in philosophy of biology but\ud
methodological adaptationism has not received as much attention as the empirical and explanatory\ud
issues. In addition, adaptationism has mainly been discussed in the context of evolutionary biology\ud
and not in fields such as zoophysiology and systems biology where this heuristic is also used in design\ud
analyses of physiological traits and molecular structures. This paper draws on case studies from these\ud
fields to discuss the productive and problematic aspects of this heuristic in different research\ud
practices, in functional as well as evolutionary studies on different levels of biological organization.\ud
Gould and Lewontin’s Spandrels-paper famously criticized adaptationist methodology for implying\ud
the risk of generating ‘blind spots’ with respect to non-selective effects on evolution. Some have\ud
claimed that this bias can be accommodated through the testing of evolutionary hypotheses. Although\ud
this is an important aspect of overcoming naïve adaptationism, I argue that the issue of\ud
methodological biases is broader than the question of testability. I demonstrate the productivity of\ud
adaptationist heuristics but also discuss the deeper problematic aspects associated with the\ud
methodological imperialism that is part of the strong adaptationist position
Visual Cortex Plasticity Following Peripheral Damage To The Visual System: fMRI Evidence

Over the last two decades, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become a powerful research method to investigate cortical visual plasticity. Abnormal fMRI response patterns have been occasionally detected in the visually deprived cortex of patients with bilateral retinal diseases. Controversy remains whether these observations indicate structural reorganization of the visual cortex or unmasking of previously silent cortico-cortical connections. In optic nerve diseases, there is weak evidence showing that early visual cortex seems to lack reorganization, while higher-order visual areas undergo plastic changes which may contribute to optimise visual function. There is however accumulating imaging evidence demonstrating trans-synaptic degeneration of the visual cortex in patients with disease of the anterior visual pathways. This may preclude the use of restorative treatments in these patients. Here, we review and update the body of fMRI evidence on visual cortical plasticity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
On serendipity in science: discovery at the intersection of chance and wisdom

‘Serendipity’ is a category used to describe discoveries in science that occur at the intersection of chance and wisdom. In this paper, I argue for understanding serendipity in science as an emergent property of scientiﬁc discovery, describing an oblique relationship between the outcome of a discovery process and the intentions that drove it forward. The recognition of serendipity is correlated with an acknowledgment of the limits of expectations about potential sources of knowledge. I provide an analysis of serendipity in science as a defense of this deﬁnition and its implications, drawing from theoretical and empirical research on experiences of serendipity as they occur in science and elsewhere. I focus on three interrelated features of serendipity in science. First, there are variations of serendipity. The process of serendipitous discovery can be complex. Second, a valuable outcome must be obtained before reﬂection upon the signiﬁcance of the unexpected observation or event in respect to that outcome can take place. Therefore, serendipity is retrospectively categorized. Third, the primacy of epistemic expectations is elucidated. Finally, I place this analysis within discussions in philosophy of science regarding the impact of interpersonal competition upon the number and signiﬁcance of scientiﬁc discoveries. Thus, the analysis of serendipity offered in this paper contributes to discussions about the social-epistemological aspects of scientiﬁc discovery and has normative implications for the structure of epistemically effective scientiﬁc communities
Electrophoretic Deposition of Transparent ZnO Thin Films from Highly Stabilized Colloidal Suspensions

The parameters that control the stability of ZnO-nanoparticles suspensions and their deposition by electrophoretic deposition were studied, so as to organize the assembly and compaction of nanoparticles. The addition of cationic polyelectrolyte - Polyethylenimine (PEI) - with different molecular weights was investigated, in order to study their effectiveness and the influence of the molecular weight of the organic chain on suspensions dispersion. It was found that PEI with the highest molecular weight provided better dispersion conditions. Cathodic EPD was performed under previously optimized suspensions conditions and over electropolished stainless steel substrates. Experimental results showed that the EPD process in these conditions allows obtaining dense transparent ZnO thin films. Deposition times and intensities were optimized by analyzing the resulting thin films characteristics. Finally, the deposits were characterized by FE-SEM, AFM, and different spectroscopic techniques
A Study in Mauve: Unveiling Perkin's Dye in Historic Samples

The analysis of different historic mauve samples - mauve salts and dyed textiles - was undertaken to establish the exact nature of the iconic dye produced by W. H. Perkin in the nineteenth century. Fourteen samples from important museum collections were analyzed, and it was determined that, in contrast to the general wisdom that mauveine consists of C26 and C27 structures, Perkin's mauveine is a complex mixture of at least thirteen methyl derivatives (C24 to C28) with a 7-amino-5-phenyl-3-(phenylamino)phenazin-5-ium core. A fingerprint was established in which mauveines A or B were dominant, and in which mauveines B2 and C25 were found to be important tracers to probe the original synthesis. Counterion analysis showed that all the mauve salts should be dated after 1862. Perkin's original recipe could be identified in three textile samples, and in these cases, mauveines A and C25 were found to be the major chromophores. These are now shown to be the samples containing the ldquooriginal mauverdquo.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/chem.20080071
Imposed Deformations Measured on a Real Integral Structure: New Airport Terminal Barajas, Madrid, Spain

Experimental research on imposed deformation is generally conducted on small scale laboratory experiments. The attractiveness of field research lies in the possibility to compare results obtained from full scale structures to theoretical prediction. Unfortunately, measurements obtained from real structures are rarely described in literature. The structural response of integral edifices depends significantly on stiffness changes and constraints. The New Airport Terminal Barajas in Madrid, Spain provides with large integral modules, partially post?tensioned concrete frames, cast monolithically over three floor levels and an overall length of approx. 80 m. The field campaign described in this article explains the instrumentation of one of these frames focusing on the influence of imposed deformations such as creep, shrinkage and temperature. The applied monitoring equipment included embedded strain gages, thermocouples, DEMEC measurements and simple displacement measurements. Data was collected throughout construction and during two years of service. A complete data range of five years is presented and analysed. The results are compared with a simple approach to predict the long?term shortening of this concrete structure. Both analytical and experimental results are discussed
ApoD, a Glia-Derived Apolipoprotein, Is Required for Peripheral Nerve Functional Integrity and a Timely Response to Injury

Producción CientíficaGlial cells are a key element to the process of axonal regeneration,
either promoting or inhibiting axonal growth. The study
of glial derived factors induced by injury is important to
understand the processes that allow or preclude regeneration,
and can explain why the PNS has a remarkable ability to
regenerate, while the CNS does not. In this work we focus on
Apolipoprotein D (ApoD), a Lipocalin expressed by glial cells
in the PNS and CNS. ApoD expression is strongly induced
upon PNS injury, but its role has not been elucidated. Here we
show that ApoD is required for: (1) the maintenance of peripheral
nerve function and tissue homeostasis with age, and (2)
an adequate and timely response to injury. We study crushed
sciatic nerves at two ages using ApoD knock-out and transgenic
mice over-expressing human ApoD. The lack of ApoD
decreases motor nerve conduction velocity and the thickness
of myelin sheath in intact nerves. Following injury, we analyze
the functional recovery, the cellular processes, and the protein
and mRNA expression profiles of a group of injury-induced
genes. ApoD helps to recover locomotor function after injury,
promoting myelin clearance, and regulating the extent of
angiogenesis and the number of macrophages recruited to the
injury site. Axon regeneration and remyelination are delayed
without ApoD and stimulated by excess ApoD. The mRNA and
protein expression profiles reveal that ApoD is functionally
connected in an age-dependent manner to specific molecular
programs triggered by injury.2015-09-1
Ignition conditions for inertial confinement fusion targets with a nuclear spin-polarized DT fuel

The nuclear fusion cross-section is modified when the spins of the interacting nuclei are polarized. In the case of deuterium?tritium it has been theoretically predicted that the nuclear fusion cross-section could be increased by a factor d = 1.5 if all the nuclei were polarized. In inertial confinement fusion this would result in a modification of the required ignition conditions. Using numerical simulations it is found that the required hot-spot temperature and areal density can both be reduced by about 15% for a fully polarized nuclear fuel. Moreover, numerical simulations of a directly driven capsule show that the required laser power and energy to achieve a high gain scale as d-0.6 and d-0.4 respectively, while the maximum achievable energy gain scales as d0.9
Nonlinear relaxation field in charged systems under high electric fields

The influence of an external electric field on the current in charged systems is investigated. The results from the classical hierarchy of density matrices are compared with the results from the quantum kinetic theory. The kinetic theory yields a systematic treatment of the nonlinear current beyond linear response. To this end the dynamically screened and field-dependent Lenard-Balescu equation is integrated analytically and the nonlinear relaxation field is calculated. The classical linear response result known as Debye - Onsager relaxation effect is only obtained if asymmetric screening is assumed. Considering the kinetic equation of one specie the other species have to be screened dynamically while the screening with the same specie itself has to be performed statically. Different other approximations are discussed and compared
Influence of projectile shape on dynamic behavior of steel sheet subjected to impact and perforation

Authors thank Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland for financial support under Grants: R00 0097 12. Authors thank also M. Tavian technician in electronics from ENIM for his contribution on the development of the residual velocity measurement sensors.The paper describes a work focused on the process of perforation of steel sheet.Experimental,analytical and numerical investigations have been carried out to analyze in details the perforation process.Based on these approaches,the ballistic properties of the material and the failure modes depending on the projectile nose shape(conical,blunt or hemispherical) have been studied.Different failure modes have been observed,including petaling, plug ejection and circumference necking.The special study about the number of petals has been done for different nose angles using conical shape projectiles.The complete energy balance is also reported and the absorbed energy by the steel sheet has been obtained by measuring initial and residual projectile velocities.A wide range of impact velocities from 35to180m/s has been covered during the tests.All the projectiles are 13mm in diameter and the plates are1mm thick.Moreover,the mass ratio(projectile mass/steel sheet mass) and the ratio between the span of the steel sheet and the diameter of the projectile are constant, equal to 0.38 and 3.85, respectively
Spawning stock and recruitment in North Sea cod shaped by food and climate

In order to provide better fisheries management and conservation decisions, there is a need to discern the underlying relationship between the spawning stock and recruitment of marine fishes, a relationship which is influenced by the environmental conditions. Here, we demonstrate how the environmental conditions (temperature and the food availability for fish larvae) influence the stock–recruitment relationship and indeed what kind of stock–recruitment relationship we might see under different environmental conditions. Using unique zooplankton data from the Continuous Plankton Recorder, we find that food availability (i.e. zooplankton) in essence determines which model applies for the once large North Sea cod (Gadus morhua) stock. Further, we show that recruitment is strengthened during cold years and weakened during warm years. Our combined model explained 45 per cent of the total variance in cod recruitment, while the traditional Ricker and Beverton–Holt models only explained about 10 per cent. Specifically, our approach predicts that a full recovery of the North Sea cod stock might not be expected until the environment becomes more favourable
A novel energy-driven computing paradigm for e-health scenarios

A first-rate e-Health system saves lives, provides better patient care, allows complex but useful epidemiologic analysis and saves money. However, there may also be concerns about the costs and complexities associated with e-health implementation, and the need to solve issues about the energy footprint of the high-demanding computing facilities. This paper proposes a novel and evolved computing paradigm that: (i) provides the required computing and sensing resources; (ii) allows the population-wide diffusion; (iii) exploits the storage, communication and computing services provided by the Cloud; (iv) tackles the energy-optimization issue as a first-class requirement, taking it into account during the whole development cycle. The novel computing concept and the multi-layer top-down energy-optimization methodology obtain promising results in a realistic scenario for cardiovascular tracking and analysis, making the Home Assisted Living a reality
Advanced background modeling with RGB-D sensors through classifiers combination and inter-frame foreground prediction

An innovative background modeling technique that is able to accurately segment foreground regions in RGB-D imagery (RGB plus depth) has been presented in this paper. The technique is based on a Bayesian framework that efficiently fuses different sources of information to segment the foreground. In particular, the final segmentation is obtained by considering a prediction of the foreground regions, carried out by a novel Bayesian Network with a depth-based dynamic model, and, by considering two independent depth and color-based mixture of Gaussians background models. The efficient Bayesian combination of all these data reduces the noise and uncertainties introduced by the color and depth features and the corresponding models. As a result, more compact segmentations, and refined foreground object silhouettes are obtained. Experimental results with different databases suggest that the proposed technique outperforms existing state-of-the-art algorithms
Protein diagenesis in Patella shells: implications for amino acid racemisation dating

Se analiza la racemización de aminoácidos en proteínas inter e intracristalinas en conchas de Patella y su utilización como herramienta geocronológica, fundamentalmente empleadas en yacimientos arqueológicos.The inter- and intra-crystalline fractions of Patella vulgata limpets recovered from archaeological sites in Northern Spain (covering Neolithic, Mesolithic, Magdalenian, Solutrean, and Aurignacian periods) were examined for amino acid composition and racemisation over time. The calcitic apex and rim areas of the shells were found to probably be composed of similar proteins, as the D/L values and amino acids were comparable and varied in the same way with increasing age; however, the mineral structures present in these areas differed. The aragonitic intermediate part of the shell showed a distinctly different amino acid composition and mineral structure. The main protein leaching from the inter-crystalline fraction occurred within the first 6000 yr after the death of the organism. In contrast, the intra-crystalline fraction — comprised of a different protein composition than the inter-crystalline fraction — appeared to behave as a closed system for at least 34 ka, as reflected by the lack of a significant decrease in the amino acid content; however, changes in the amino acid percentages occurred during this period. The concentration of aspartic acid remained almost constant with age both in inter- and intra-crystalline proteins, and its contribution to the total amino acid content increased with age at the expense of other amino acids such as glutamic acid, serine, glycine and alanine. Temperature is thought to play a key role in the amino acid racemisation of P. vulgata and could explain why in the localities belonging to the Gravettian and Solutrean period, which formed during relatively cold conditions, D/L values were similar to those detected in shells from sites formed during the Magdalenian
Attributions of Consciousness

Many philosophers and brain scientists hold that explaining consciousness is one of the major outstanding problems facing modern science today. One type of consciousness in particular—phenomenal consciousness—is thought to be especially problematic. The reasons given for believing that this phenomenon exists in the first place, however, often hinge on the claim that its existence is simply obvious in ordinary perceptual experience. Such claims motivate the study of people's intuitions about consciousness. In recent years a number of researchers in experimental philosophy of mind have begun to shed light on this area, investigating how people understand and attribute those mental states that have been thought to be phenomenally conscious. In this article, we discuss the philosophical concept of phenomenal consciousness and detail the work that has been done on the question of whether lay people have this concept
Light masses in short distance penguin loops

Penguin diagrams for decays such as $b\to (s,d)\gamma$ involve virtual loops
of $u$ or other light quarks. Logarithms of the virtual quark mass could, in
principle, influence the phenomenological analysis of the decay. It is thus
important to study these logarithms to all orders in QCD perturbation theory.
In this paper we show that, at arbitrary order, the matrix elements of
operators in the effective hamiltonian contributing to $b\to s\gamma$ are
finite for the limit of $m_u \to 0$ in penguin loops