Sci-Hub

1775886801

Trust Region Minimization of Orbital Localization Functions

J. Chem. Theory Comput., 2012

The trust region method has been applied to the minimization of localization functions, and it is shown that both local occupied and local virtual Hartree–Fock (HF) orbitals can be obtained. Because step sizes are size extensive in the trust region method, large steps may be required when the method is applied to large molecular systems. For an exponential parametrization of the localization function only small steps are allowed, and the standard trust radius update therefore has been replaced by a scheme where the direction of the step is determined using a conservative estimate of the trust radius and the length of the step is determined from a line search along the obtained direction. Numerical results for large molecular systems have shown that large s...

1775886800

Unimpaired negative but enhanced positive priming in Parkinson's disease: Evidence from an identity and a location priming task

Neuropsychologia, 2006

Mechanisms of selective attention are frequently reported to be impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD). Fundamental to selective attention is attending to relevant information and, concurrently, ignoring irrelevant information. Both processes can be assessed by positive priming (PP) and negative priming (NP) tasks, respectively. Unlike previous studies, in the present experiment, two separate identity- and location-based priming tasks were applied to 48 PD patients and 48 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Results indicated that identity and location PP were reliably enhanced in PD patients compared to controls. Both groups showed significant location NP of almost identical magnitude but no identity NP. However, there was evidence for a positive functional...

1775886800

Depletion of brain functional connectivity enhancement leads to disability progression in multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal resting-state fMRI study

Mult Scler, 2016

Background: The compensatory effect of brain functional connectivity enhancement in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) remains controversial. Objective: To characterize the relationships between brain functional connectivity changes and disability progression in RRMS. Methods: Long-range connectivity, short-range connectivity, and density of connections were assessed using graph theoretical analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired in 38 RRMS patients (disease duration: 120 ± 32 months) and 24 controls. All subjects were explored at baseline and all patients and six controls 2 years later. Results: At baseline, levels of long-range and short-range brain functional connectivity were higher in patients com...

1775886800

Barriers to using clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: systematic review

BJPsych Bull, 2018

Aims and methodTo systematically review the literature on barriers to the use of clozapine and identify any interventions for optimizing clozapine use in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Journal databases were searched from 1972 to March 2018. The following search terms were used: treatment-resistant schizophrenia, clozapine, barriers, use, prescription rates, implementation, clozaril and prescribing practices. Following a review of the literature, 15 papers were included in the review. RESULTS: The major barriers that were identified included mandatory blood testing, fear of serious side-effects and lack of adherence by the patients, difficulty in identifying suitable patients, service fragmentation, and inadequate training in or exposure to using clozapi...

1775886800

Effects of dietary supplementation with palygorskite on nutrient utilization in weaned piglets

Livestock Science, 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary palygorskite supplementation on nutrient utilization in weaned piglets. Twenty-seven weaned piglets (age, 24 days; weight, 7.32±0.12 kg) were allocated to three treatment groups (n=9 each) and each pig was considered to be a replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet and the two palygorskite treatments groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with either 2000 or 3000 mg/kg palygorskite for 42 days. On days 21 and 42, blood samples were collected for measurement of serum biochemical parameters, and three piglets from each group were sacrificed to collect intestinal digesta to assess the activities of gastrointestinal tract digestive enzymes. Titanium dioxide was added to all diets ...

1775886800

Formation of superhydrophobic soda-lime glass surface using femtosecond laser pulses

Applied Surface Science, 2013

▸ We formed superhydrophobic soda-lime glass surface by femtosecond laser pulses. ▸ Periodic microstructures are printed on the glass surface for superhydrophobicity. ▸ The contact angle of water droplet on the microstructured glass surface is 155°. ▸ The transparency of superhydrophobic glass is higher than 77% in visible spectrum. ▸ We explain the formation mechanism of superhydrophobic soda-lime glass surface. This paper demonstrates the fabrication of superhydrophobic soda-lime glass surface by engineering periodic microgratings with self-formed periodic micro-ripples inside the microgratings using a single beam femtosecond laser. The wetting property of the microstructured surface is improved from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic, presenting a...

1775886800

Cambios en la calidad de vida tras UCI según grupo diagnóstico. Comparación de dos instrumentos de medida

Medicina Intensiva, 2008

Assessment of health related quality of life (HRQOL) before and 12 months after discharge from a mixed intensive care unit (ICU) according to diagnostic category and the relationship between both instruments.Prospective observational study.The combined medical/surgical ICU in a secondary university hospital with 450 beds.Patients admitted to the ICU over an 18-month period.Variables on demography, diagnosis on admission, severity of acute illness score (APACHE II), length of stay, procedures, mortality and the HRQOL were collected using the Short Form SF-36 and EQ-5D questionnaires. Health status prior to admission was evaluated retrospectively.Both questionnaires were answered by 189 patients. A significant deterioration in the quality of life was observed ...

1775886800

Nondestructive evaluation of jujube quality by visible and near-infrared spectroscopy

LWT - Food Science and Technology, 2011

This study compared prediction ability of interactance, transmission measurements of visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy in detecting the soluble solids content (SSC) of jujubes. Calibration models relating Vis/NIR spectra to SSC were developed based on partial least squares regression (PLSR) with respect to the logarithms of the reciprocal absorbance (log (1/R)), its first and second derivatives (D1log (1/R), D2log (1/R)). The PLSR models for prediction samples resulted correlation coefficients (rp) of 0.74–0.91 and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 2.018–3.200 °Brix for interactance; rp of 0.63–0.73 and RMSEP of 3.517–3.863 °Brix for transmission, respectively. The results indicate that interactance displays an obvious ...

1775886800

Design of Compensated Coupled-Stripline 3-dB Directional Couplers, Phase Shifters, and Magic-T's—Part II: Broadband Coupled-Line Circuits

IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Techn., 2006

The problem of discontinuities in broadband multisection coupled-stripline 3-dB directional couplers, phase shifters, high-pass tapered-line 3-dB directional couplers, and magic-T's, regarding the connections of coupled and terminating signal lines, is comprehensively investigated in this paper for the first time. The equivalent circuit of these discontinuities proposed in Part I has been used for accurate modeling of the broadband multisection and ultra-broadband high-pass coupled-stripline circuits. It has been shown that parasitic reactances, which result from the connections of signal and coupled lines, severely deteriorate the return losses and the isolation of such circuits and also-in case of tapered-line directional couplers-the coupling responses. M...

1775886800

Algal bloom transport in Lake Erie using remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling: Sensitivity to buoyancy velocity and initial vertical distribution

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2019

Abstract In this study, we simulate three-dimensional transport of algal blooms in Lake Erie using a combination of remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling. The remote sensing algorithms use data from the Sentinel-3 OLCI satellite sensor to derive chlorophyll-a concentration from cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Erie. The derived chlorophyll-a concentration initializes an algal bloom transport model driven by the lake component of the Water Cycle Prediction System for the Great Lakes, a system of coupled atmosphere-lake-hydrological models operated out of Environment and Climate Change Canada. The bloom is modelled as Microcystis aeruginosa, a buoyant species that is often dominant in harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie. Short-term (a few days) predictio...

1775886799

Alignment of Liquid Crystals with Patterned Isotropic Surfaces

Science, 2001

The molecules of a nematic liquid crystal exposed to an isotropic surface adopt a mean tilt relative to the normal but have no in-plane alignment-that is, they are free to have any azimuthal orientation in the surface plane. Pursuing the theoretical suggestion by Meyer that, in spite of this azimuthal degeneracy, spatially inhomogeneous isotropic surfaces combine with liquid crystal elastic anisotropy to produce alignment, we show that a boundary line between two isotropic regions that differ in mean tilt does indeed align the liquid crystal. The boundaries on a patterned surface of distinct isotropic regions thus act as a system of lines that the molecular orientation locally follows. This enables the development of liquid crystal alignment surfaces based o...

1775886799

Anisotropic magnetic excitations of a frustrated bilinear-biquadratic spin model: Implications for spin waves of detwinned iron pnictides

Phys. Rev. B, 2020

Elucidating the nature of spin excitations is important to understanding the mechanism of superconductivity in the iron pnictides. Motivated by recent inelastic neutron scattering measurements in the nearly 100% detwinned BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$, we study the spin dynamics of an $S=1$ frustrated bilinear-biquadratic Heisenberg model in the antiferromagnetic phase with wavevector $(\pi,0)$. The biquadratic interactions are treated in a dynamical way using a flavor-wave theory in an $SU(3)$ representation. Besides the magnon (dipolar) excitations, the biquadratic interactions give rise to quadrupolar excitations at high energies. We find that the quadrupolar wave significantly influences, in an energy dependent way, the anisotropy between the spin excitation spectr...

1775886799

Eliminating Leakage in Reverse Fuzzy Extractors

IEEE Trans.Inform.Forensic Secur., 2018

In recent years, physically unclonable functions (PUFs) have been proposed as a promising building block for key storage and device authentication. PUFs are physical systems, and as such, their responses are inherently noisy, precluding a straightforward derivation of cryptographic key material from raw PUF measurements. To overcome this drawback, fuzzy extractors are used to eliminate the noise and guarantee robust outputs. A special type is reverse fuzzy extractors, shifting the computational load of error correction toward a computationally powerful verifier. However, the reverse fuzzy extractor reveals error patterns to any eavesdropper, which may cause privacy issues (due to a systematic drift of the PUF responses, the error pattern is linkable to the i...

1775886799

Glycine and l-glutamic acid-based dendritic gelators

Tetrahedron, 2007

Novel dendrons based on glycine and l-glutamic acid from the first generation (G1) to the third generation (G3) were synthesized and studied for their gelation properties by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), fluorescence, IR, circular dichroism (CD), and 1H NMR spectroscopy. It was found that the gelation capability of these dendrons increased from the first generation (G1) to the third generation (G3), and that G3 exhibited the highest efficiency in forming gels. Both the focal and peripheral groups of dendrons had great effects on the formation of organogels. Hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions were proved to be the main driving forces to form the fibrous networks at low concentrations (0.5 wt %). S...

1775886799

Determination of berberine-type alkaloids in Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Cortex and their oriental pharmaceutical preparations by ion pair high performance liquid chromatography.

BUNSEKI KAGAKU, 1986

Berberine, palmatine and coptisine in Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Cortex and their oriental pharmaceutical preparations were determined by ion pair high performance liquid chromatography. Coptidis Rhizoma obtained in China had two unknown peaks which were not detected in that of Japan, and the ratios of palmatine to berberine in Chinese sample were ranged from 9.1 to 41.5%, meanwhile those in Japanese sample were from 1.4 to 4.8%. Discrimination between Chinese sample and Japanese one is possible from the ratio of these alkaloids. On the other hand, regarding Phellodendri Cortex constitutive difference between Chinese sample and Japanese one was not obtained. The recoveries of the alkaloids in the decoction of oriental pharmaceutical preparation were lowe...

1775886799

Controlled electrodeposition of Au monolayer film on ionic liquid

Applied Surface Science, 2016

Abstract Gold (Au) nanoparticles have been attractive for centuries for their vibrant appearance enhanced by their interaction with sunlight. Nowadays, there have been tremendous research efforts to develop them for high-tech applications including therapeutic agents, sensors, organic photovoltaics, medical applications, electronics and catalysis. However, there remains to be a challenge to fabricate a monolayer Au coating with complete coverage in controlled fashion. Here we present a facile method to deposit a uniform Au monolayer (ML) film on the [BMIM][PF6] ionic liquid substrate using an electrochemical deposition process. It demonstrates that it is feasible to prepare a solid phase coating on the liquid-based substrate. Moreover, the thickness of the m...

1775886799

A new broadband radiomagnetotelluric instrument: applications to near surface investigations

Near Surface Geophysics, 2008

A new radiomagnetotelluric (RMT) instrument has been developed that can record time series of electric and magnetic fields in the frequency range from 10 kHz to 1 MHz. Military and civilian radio stations broadcasting in this frequency range are used as transmitters. Transfer functions (e.g., apparent resistivities and phases as a function of frequency) are determined by spectral analysis using a newly developed processing software. The transfer functions presented here are the first ones ever at frequencies above 300 kHz and they can lead to a better resolution of the shallow structure. The new RMT instrument enables quick and efficient mapping of shallow structures and supports tensor measurements thereby allowing a 2D or 3D interpretation of field data. T...

1775886799

Full-volume displacement mapping of anterior cruciate ligament bundles with dualMRI

Extreme Mechanics Letters, 2018

Full-field displacement measurement techniques can be used for more accurate, comprehensive constitutive characterization of biological materials than traditional mechanical testing methods. In this study, displacements under applied loading by magnetic resonance imaging (dualMRI) was used to produce full-volume displacement maps of six anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundles of ovine anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) pulled in the mean fiber direction at four force levels. The Lagrange strain fields computed from these displacement fields show large transverse strains as well as large and inhomogeneous shear strains. Mean volumetric strains were positive and large. These results suggest that the ACL bundles are not incompressible as previously as...

1775886799

In vivo efficacy of human recombinant factor IX produced by the human hepatoma cell line HuH‐7

Haemophilia, 2015

Post-translational modifications of the CHO-cell-derived-recombinant human factor IX (FIX) currently used for the treatment of hemophilia B (HB) are different from plasma derived FIX. Our previous studies described a rFIX (HIX) having better profile of post-translational modifications than rFIX produced by CHO cells. The aim of the study consisted to verify the improved post-translational modifications effect of HIX on in vivo recovery.HIX has been produced in a bioreactor and then purified from supernatants. In vitro activation and activity were evaluated measured by thrombin generation tests (TGT) and compared to commercial molecules, Benefix(®) , Mononine(®) . The three molecules were then administrated (i.v.) to FIX-knockout mice and two minutes after ...

1775886799

Displaying Desire and Distinction in Housing

Cultural Sociology, 2009

The article discusses the significance of cultural capital for the understanding of the field of housing in contemporary Britain. It explores the relationship between housing and the position of individuals in social space mapped out by means of a multiple correspondence analysis. It considers the material aspects of housing and the changing contexts that are linked to the creation and display of desire for social position and distinction expressed in talk about home decoration as personal expression and individuals' ideas of a `dream house'. It is based on an empirical investigation of taste and lifestyle using nationally representative survey data and qualitative interviews. The article shows both that personal resources and the imagination of home are lin...

1775886799

Does economic policy uncertainty matter for commodity market in China? Evidence from quantile regression

Applied Economics, 2019

This paper investigates the effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on China’s agricultural and metal commodity futures returns across quantiles. We address this issue using the panel quantile regression approach, which allows for a more complete analysis of various conditions in the commodity market (i.e. bearish, normal, and bullish markets). Our empirical results reveal that domestic EPU shocks have a significantly negative effect on agricultural futures returns in bearish markets and a significantly positive effect on metal futures returns in bullish markets. The impacts of both domestic and U.S. EPU shocks on commodity markets are heterogeneous across quantiles and are sector specific. Additionally, by isolating positive and negative EPU shocks, t...

1775886798

Effect of applied voltage and frequency on extraction parameters and extracted essential oils from Mentha piperita by ohmic assisted hydrodistillation

Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2015

Ohmic-assisted hydrodistillation (OAHD) is a new method proposed for extraction of essential oils in which ohmic heating technology is combined with distillation. In this study, different frequencies (25, 50 and 100 Hz) as well as high and low intensity OAHD (220 and 380 V) were applied on aerial parts of Mentha piperita L. and the results were compared with those of the conventional hydrodistillation (HD). The results showed that high and low intensity OAHD methods had the extraction times of 13.54 and 19.71 min, respectively, while this value was about 1 h for HD. Scanning electron micrographs of mint showed a sudden eruption of essential oil glands for all OAHD samples. GC–MS analysis did not indicate any noticeable changes in the compounds of all extra...

1775886798

Effects of large deformation and material nonlinearity on spherical indentation of hyperelastic soft materials

Mechanics Research Communications, 2017

Abstract Up to now, the indentation of hyperelastic soft materials has not been completely understood. In this paper, the spherical indentation on hyperelastic soft solids was systematically investigated through theoretical analysis and finite element method (FEM). The validation and application of the Hertzian load-displacement relation for indentation of hyperelastic soft materials were clarified, the effects of large deformation and material nonlinearity on spherical indentation of hyperelastic soft materials were analyzed and discussed. It was found that the complicated indentation behaviors of hyperelastic soft solids mainly depended on the coupling interactions of large deformation and material nonlinearity. Besides, we proposed two new nonlinear elast...

1775886798

Differentially abundant proteins associated with heterosis in the primary roots of popcorn

PLoS ONE, 2018

Although heterosis has significantly contributed to increases in worldwide crop production, the molecular mechanisms regulating this phenomenon are still unknown. In the present study, we used a comparative proteomic approach to explore hybrid vigor via the proteome of both the popcorn L54 ♀ and P8 ♂ genotypes and the resultant UENF/UEM01 hybrid cross. To analyze the differentially abundant proteins involved in heterosis, we used the primary roots of these genotypes to analyze growth parameters and extract proteins. The results of the growth parameter analysis showed that the mid- and best-parent heterosis were positive for root length and root dry matter but negative for root fresh matter, seedling fresh matter, and protein content. The comparative prot...

1775886798

Prognostic Role of Pretreatment Plasma D-Dimer in Patients with Solid Tumors: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cell Physiol Biochem, 2018

Background/Aims: Elevated pretreatment plasma D-dimer level has been reported as an unfavorable prognostic indicator in several malignancies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognostic value of elevated D-dimer level in solid tumors. Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases up to June 10, 2017 was carried out by two independent reviewers. We included studies exploring the association between pretreatment plasma D-dimer level and patients’ survival outcomes in solid tumors. Overall survival (OS) was regarded as primary outcome and progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS) as well as cancer-specific survival (CSS) were chosen as secondary outcomes. Hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracte...

1775886798

Effects of lesion between bone, periosteum and muscle on fracture healing in rats

Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica, 1998

We assessed the effects of periosteal detachment from bone and musculature on the healing of diaphyseal fracture. In 30 male Wistar rats we produced a partial osteotomy, which was manually broken in the middiaphysis of the left femur. All fractures were reamed and stabilized with an 1.6 mm steel pin. The animals were randomly assigned to 3 groups. In group 1, a subperiosteal detachment between cortex and periost was created in the middle third of the diaphysis. An extraperiosteal detachment between periost and the surrounding musculature was performed in group 2. In group 3, the periosteum was isolated from the musculature by an extraperiosteal detachment and application of an e-PTFE sheath (Gore-Tex expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) around the shaft between...

1775886798

Mediaeval metal threads and their identification using micro-XRF scanning, confocal XRF, and X-ray micro-radiography

Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2019

Abstract Fabrics with metal threads were discovered in mediaeval well during excavations in the Mecova 2 Street in Brno. These are thin braids woven of metal threads using a small loom and sewed together into a broader strip. The textile materials are in a relatively good state, because the environment of the well preserved organic materials (fabrics, leather, wood). Furthermore, the positive effect of metal corrosion on the preservation of organic parts of the fabric occurred here. If metal threads are found in graves or dwelling backfills, only spiral-shaped metal fragments with microscopic relics of organic fibers are preserved. Based on microphotographs, we assume that metal threads were made by cutting or scissoring thin strips of metal sheets. The stri...

1775886798

Mechanistically based probability modelling, life prediction and reliability assessment

Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2004

Life prediction and reliability assessment are essential components for the life-cycle engineering and management (LCEM) of modern engineered systems. These systems can range from microelectronic and bio-medical devices to large machinery and structures. To be effective, the underlying approach to LCEM must be transformed to embody mechanistically based probability modelling, vis-a-vis the more traditional experientially based statistical modelling, for predicting damage evolution and distribution. In this paper, the probability and statistical approaches are compared and differentiated. The process of model development on the basis of mechanistic understanding derived from critical experiments is illustrated through selected examples. The efficacy of this a...

1775886798

Electrical and Thermal Properties of Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composite Films

MRS Proc., 2007

AbstractThe electrical and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT)-polymer nanocomposite materials have been studied. The carbon nanostructures were analyzed by several analytical techniques, including Electronic Microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Carbon nanotubes were grown by catalytic chemical vapor deposition on metal/metal oxide catalytic systems using acetylene or other hydrocarbons. Raman Spectroscopy was used to analyze the CNT and CNT-polymer nanocomposite materials. The thermal and electrical properties of these CNT-polymer nanocomposite materials depend on the amount of CNTs in the polymer and also on the uniformity of the CNTs dispersed in the polymer. A reduction in electri...

1775886797

Advanced Oxidation Processes in Water/Wastewater Treatment: Principles and Applications. A Review

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2014

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) constitute important, promising, efficient, and environmental-friendly methods developed to principally remove persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from waters and wastewaters. Generally, AOPs are based on the in situ generation of a powerful oxidizing agent, such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), obtained at a sufficient concentration to effectively decontaminate waters. This critical review presents a precise and overall description of the recent literature (period 1990–2012) concerning the main types of AOPs, based on chemical, photochemical, sonochemical, and electrochemical reactions. The principles, performances, advantages, drawbacks, and applications of these AOPs to the degradation and destruction of POPs in aquatic...

1775886797

Statistical distribution of the temperature rise of an overhead-line conductor carrying constant current

Electric Power Systems Research, 1992

The statistical distribution of the temperature, or temperature rise, of an overhead-line conductor carrying a constant current depends on the stochastic variation of the atmospheric parameters, particularly the wind speed and direction, the air temperature and the intensity of solar radiation. The paper presents probability density functions for the temperature, temperature rise, radial temperature difference, and thermal inertia of the 54/7/3.5 mm ACSR conductors in three spans of an outdoor test line erected in the form of a horizontal equilateral triangle at a height of 10 m. The experiment was conducted for a period of 32 months, with a constant current of 1500 A and a constant tension of 30 kN. An unenergized similar conductor was also studied. The res...

1775886797

A new justification of the Hartung‐Knapp method for random‐effects meta‐analysis based on weighted least squares regression

Research Synthesis Methods, 2019

The Hartung-Knapp method for random-effects meta-analysis, that was also independently proposed by Sidik and Jonkman, is becoming advocated for general use. This method has previously been justified by taking all estimated variances as known and using a different pivotal quantity to the more conventional one when making inferences about the average effect. We provide a new conceptual framework for, and justification of, the Hartung-Knapp method. Specifically, we show that inferences from fitted random-effects models, using both the conventional and the Hartung-Knapp method, are equivalent to those from closely related intercept only weighted least squares regression models. This observation provides a new link between Hartung and Knapp's methodology for meta...

1775886797

Harmonic wave diffraction by two circular cavities in a poroelastic formation

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 2007

This study investigates the dynamic interaction of time harmonic plane waves with a pair of parallel circular cylindrical cavities of infinite length buried in a boundless porous elastic fluid-saturated medium. The novel features of Biot dynamic theory of poroelasticity along with the appropriate wave field expansions, the pertinent boundary conditions, and the translational addition theorems for cylindrical wave functions are employed to develop a closed-form solution in the form of infinite series. The analytical results are illustrated with numerical examples in which two empty cavities are insonified by a fast compressional or a shear wave at end-on incidence. The basic dynamic field quantities such as the hoop stress amplitude and the radial displacemen...

1775886797

Rutin promotes activation and reduces apoptosis of primordial follicles by regulating Akt phosphorylation after in vitro culture of ovine ovarian tissue

Theriogenology, 2021

The aims of this study were to analyze the effects of different concentrations of rutin on primordial follicle survival and development after in vitro culture of sheep ovarian tissue, and to verify the possible involvement of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway in the rutin actions. Ovarian fragments were fixed for histological analysis (fresh control) or cultured in α-minimum essential medium alone (α-MEM+: control medium) or in α-MEM+supplemented with different concentrations of rutin (0.1; 1 or 10 μg/mL) for 7 days. Inhibition of the PI3K activity was performed in fragments cultured with 50 μM LY294002. Thereafter, immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of cleaved caspase-3 (apoptosis) and Akt ...

1775886797

Irrigation History Estimation Using Multitemporal Landsat Satellite Images: Application to an Intensive Groundwater Irrigated Agricultural Watershed in India

Remote Sensing, 2018

Groundwater has rapidly evolved as a primary source for irrigation in Indian agriculture. Over-exploitation of the groundwater substantially depletes the natural water table and has negative impacts on the water resource availability. The overarching goal of the proposed research is to identify the historical evolution of irrigated cropland for the post-monsoon (rabi) and summer cropping seasons in the Berambadi watershed (Area = 89 km2) of Kabini River basin, southern India. Approximately five-year interval irrigated area maps were generated using 30 m spatial resolution Landsat satellite images for the period from 1990 to 2016. The potential of Support Vector Machine (SVM) was assessed to discriminate irrigated and non-irrigated croplands. Three indices, N...

1775886797

Impacts of energy management practices on energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction: A survey of malaysian manufacturing firms

Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2017

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent Greenhouse gas (GHG) produced by human activities. Industrialization has been among the primary factors for increased CO2 production, mostly through the consumption of electricity and the burning of fossil fuels. To investigate the current practices of energy management in Malaysian manufacturing firms, this study collected survey data from ISO 14000 certified firms. The study found that energy management practices are still very much in their infancy, and concern for carbon emissions is limited in the Malaysian manufacturing context. A lack of competitive pressure for developing environmentally friendly management practices generally prevails among industrial firms, although marginal improvements in energy manageme...

1775886797

Stress Intensity Factor Solution for a Naturally Emanating Crack Out of a V-Notched Round Bar

International Journal for Computational Methods in Engineering Science and Mechanics, 2015

During the estimation of Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) of a notched round bar, standard crack geometries such as elliptical, semi-circular, and straight crack fronts are commonly considered at the notch root region. In the present work, the SIF solution for a naturally initiating crack out of a V-notched round bar has been estimated experimentally and the results are compared with data obtained from 3D finite element analysis. The fractographic investigation of the fractured surface suggested a non-symmetric crack propagation and the strong influence of stress concentration factor on SIF, especially in the early stages of crack growth (up to a/d ratio of 0.15, where “a’” is crack length and “d” is notch root diameter). Four aspect ratios (a/c = 0.4...

1775886797

Coating of uniform inorganic particles with polymers: III. Polypyrrole on different metal oxides

J. Mater. Res., 1995

Five kinds of uniform metal oxide particles (α-Fe2O3, CeO2, CuO, NiO, and SiO2) were coated with polypyrrole by reacting the dispersed solids with pyrrole in a water/ethanol medium without the use of a soluble oxidant. When the process was carried out in air, all particles were coated with the polymer, although the thickness of the layer varied on different cores. In CuO dispersions, independent polypyrrole particles were produced in addition to coated spheres. While oxygen is the major oxidant that initiates the polymerization of pyrrole, some metal oxides may also affect the reaction both in terms of the amount and the composition of the shell. Thus, α-Fe

1775886797

Rehabilitating the Region: The New Deal, Gender, and the Remaking of the Rural South

sgo, 2010

There have been many studies on the impact(s) of the New Deal in the South, but few works analyze the role of nationalism within the New Deal’s southern programming. The New Deal was predicated on economic nationalism, which encouraged consumerism to combat the Great Depression. The South’s laggard economy and largely impoverished rural population were viewed as obstacles to creating this new consumerist society; New Deal planners, therefore, set out to “rehabilitate” the region. This paper concerns one of the New Deal’s southern reform programs, a series of community farms that relocated landless farmers into government-built communities. The purpose of these communities was to economically, socially and culturally prepare poor southerners for par...

1775886797

Size-Dependent Coherent-Phonon Plasmon Modulation and Deformation Characterization in Gold Bipyramids and Nanojavelins

ACS Photonics, 2016

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) arising from metallic nanoparticles offer an array of prospective applications that range from chemical sensing to biotherapies. Bipyramidal particles exhibit particularly narrow ensemble LSPR resonances that reflect small dispersity of size and shape but until recently were only synthetically accessible over a limited range of sizes with corresponding aspect ratios. Narrow size dispersion offers the opportunity to examine ensemble dynamical phenomena such as coherent phonons that induce periodic oscillations of the LSPR energy. Here, we characterize transient optical behavior of a large range of gold bipyramid sizes, as well as higher aspect ratio nanojavelin ensembles with specific attention to the lowest-order ...

1775886796

Formation and Dissolution of Gold Nanocrystal Superlattices in a Colloidal Solution

J. Phys. Chem. B, 1999

Gold nanocrystal superlattices were synthesized in colloidal form by ligating the nanocrystal surface with dodecanethiol ligand. Formation and dissolution of the superlattices in the colloid were studied by UV−vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The phase boundary between nanocrystals and their superlattices in solution was found to be similar to the case of macroscopic crystals made of atoms or molecules. Lowering the temperature across the phase boundary resulted in nucleation of nanocrystals into superlattices and the superlattice size depended on the rate of nucleation. UV−vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering also showed that thermal dissolution of the superlattices occurred after the temperature of the colloid was raised across t...

1775886796

Transport phenomena in food engineering: basic concepts and advances

Journal of Food Engineering, 2005

Food Engineering development is related to the knowledge advances of different areas of Chemical Engineering and other engineering fields. One of these areas is Transport Phenomena, and the advances in mathematical analysis and computer tools help to solve complex problems involving momentum, heat and mass transfer. Transport Phenomena applied to food processing presents special challenges regarding the complexity of biological material and how it changes during the application of different transformation or preservation treatments. Study of the basic concepts of Transport Phenomena and their applications to analyzing, predicting and designing any process is an important step in the advance of Food Engineering. Some of those basic concepts and examples of re...

1775886796

The Effects of Nasal Massage of the “Yingxiang” Acupuncture Point on Nasal Airway Resistance and Sensation of Nasal Airflow in Patients with Nasal Congestion Associated with Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

American Journal of Rhinology, 1999

The aim of our study was to determine whether nasal massage of the “yingxiang” acupuncture point in patients with nasal congestion had any effect on nasal airway resistance (NAR) measured by posterior rhinomanometry and sensation of nasal airflow measured on a visual analog scale (VAS). Twenty patients were randomized into two groups; one group self massaged the yingxiang point for 30 seconds, while the other group acted as control group without nasal massage. NAR and VAS were measured at baseline, and at 2 and 10 minutes after massage. At the end of the study, patients were asked to score any change in their nasal congestion. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in percentage change in NAR or VAS from baseline at any ...

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Development and validation of a CpG island methylator phenotype‐related prognostic signature for cholangiocarcinoma

Journal Cellular Physiology, 2020

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) still has a very unfavorable prognosis with a very high mortality, which is complicated by a lack of prognostic biomarkers. In this study, CCA patients in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort were categorized into two subtypes. Differentially expressed and methylated genes were identified, and the impact of DNA methylation in the trans-regulation of gene expression was investigated. Finally, a CIMP-related methylation signature specific for CCA (CMSC) was trained in GEO and validated in the Tongji cohort. A subset of patients with CIMP-H was identified, which was correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. Gene enrichment analysis implied the potential mechanism of CIMP as a promoter of carcinogenesis by regulating proliferation. T...

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2-Thioalkyl penems: an efficient synthesis of sulopenem, a (5R,6S)-6-(1(R)-hydroxyethyl)-2-[(cis-1-oxo-3-thiolanyl)thio]-2-penem antibacterial

J. Org. Chem., 1992

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXT2-Thioalkyl penems: an efficient synthesis of sulopenem, a (5R,6S)-6-(1(R)-hydroxyethyl)-2-[(cis-1-oxo-3-thiolanyl)thio]-2-penem antibacterialRobert A. Volkmann, Paul R. Kelbaugh, Deane M. Nason, and V. John JasysCite this: J. Org. Chem. 1992, 57, 16, 4352–4361Publication Date (Print):July 1, 1992Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 July 1992https://doi.org/10.1021/jo00042a010RIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views1660Altmetric-Citations70LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last...

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The role of molecular monitoring in autotransplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Bone Marrow Transplant, 2002

Seventy-two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were evaluated for the presence of molecular markers (IgH, bcl-1, bcl-2 rearrangement) on bone marrow, at diagnosis and after PBSCT, and on harvests in order to find a possible predictive role of minimal residual disease on treatment outcome. At diagnosis, 41 (59%) out of 69 available bone marrows showed molecular involvement. Fifty-six percent of leukaphereses were involved, mainly indolent lymphoma (P = 0.001) or advanced disease (P = 0.01). Ex vivopurging cleared only one stem collection out of 31 PCR-positive leukaphereses. Aggressive lymphomas showed both a longer overall survival (OS) (P = 0.03) and relapse-free survival RFS (P = 0.02) when transplanted with unpurged stem cells, whereas indolent NHL surv...

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Structural Insight Into hnRNP A2/B1 Homodimerization and DNA Recognition

Journal of Molecular Biology, 2023

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNP A2/B1) has been identified as a nuclear DNA sensor. Upon viral infection, hnRNP A2/B1 recognizes pathogen-derived DNA as a homodimer, which is a prerequisite for its translocation to the cytoplasm to activate the interferon response. However, the DNA binding mechanism inducing hnRNP A2/B1 homodimerization is unknown. Here, we show the crystal structure of the RNA recognition motif (RRM) of hnRNP A2/B1 in complex with a U-shaped ssDNA, which mediates the formation of a newly observed protein dimer. Our biochemical assays and mutagenesis studies confirm that the hnRNP A2/B1 homodimer forms in solution by binding to pre-generated ssDNA or dsDNA with a U-shaped bulge. These results depict a potential functiona...

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Design and Control of a Complete Azeotropic Distillation System Incorporating Stripping Columns for Isopropyl Alcohol Dehydration

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2012

As demonstrated by Pham and Doherty [Chem. Eng. Sci.1990, 45, 1823] in an ethanol dehydration process and by Arifin and Chien [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.2007, 46, 2535] in an isopropyl alcohol dehydration process, a three-column heterogeneous distillation sequence which contains a preconcentrator column, an azeotropic column, and an entrainer recovery column is more energy saving than two-column and four-column sequences. The three-column sequence for the isopropyl alcohol (IPA) dehydration process, according to Arifin and Chien, is more energy-saving than the two-column sequence, but the capital cost of the entire sequence is more expensive than that of the two-column sequence. Because the reflux ratio used either in the preconcentration column or the recovery co...

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Long-term Exposure to Cadmium in Food and Cigarette Smoke, Liver Effects and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

CDM, 2012

Rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been noted in recent years along with diabetes for which reasons and mechanisms are unclear. The rise in HCC is attributed to increasing rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections while increases in diabetes are attributed to obesity. Increased HCC risk has also been noted in diabetes and obesity. Cadmium, a common food contaminant and a constituent of cigarette smoke, is one of ten chemicals considered by the World Health Organization to be of major public health concern. A correlation of cadmium intakes and increased HCC mortality risk has been noted in an ecological study while both hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic adenoma occurred in cadmium-exposed mice. In the U.S. NHANES III, urinary cadmium ...

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A universal pathway for kinesin stepping

Nat Struct Mol Biol, 2011

Kinesin-1 is a motor protein that transports cargo unidirectionally along microtubules by alternatively advancing each of its two heads. Here single-molecule approaches show that kinesin-1 mutants in which both motor heads remain bound to the microtubule are able to step forward as well as backward, allowing the development of a five-state kinetic model that accounts quantitatively for both forward and backward stepping by kinesin-1. Kinesin-1 is an ATP-driven, processive motor that transports cargo along microtubules in a tightly regulated stepping cycle. Efficient gating mechanisms ensure that the sequence of kinetic events proceeds in the proper order, generating a large number of successive reaction cycles. To study gating, we created two mutant construc...

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Structure and flexibility in cold-adapted iron superoxide dismutases: The case of the enzyme isolated from Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis

Journal of Structural Biology, 2010

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are metalloenzymes catalysing the dismutation of superoxide anion radicals into molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Here, we present the crystal structure of a cold-adapted Fe-SOD from the Antarctic eubacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis (PhSOD), and that of its complex with sodium azide. The structures were compared with those of the corresponding homologues having a high sequence identity with PhSOD, such as the mesophilic SOD from Escherichia coli (EcSOD) or Pseudomonas ovalis, and the psychrophilic SOD from Aliivibrio salmonicida (AsSOD). These enzymes shared a large structural similarity, such as a conserved tertiary structure and arrangement of the two monomers, an almost identical total number of inter- and intramo...

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SIRT3 ameliorates osteoarthritis via regulating chondrocyte autophagy and apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of joint disease. The aim of this study was to explore the functions of SIRT3 on OA pathophysiology and the mechanism involved. Rat chondrocytes and destabilized medial meniscus (DMM) rat OA model were used as in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, lentivirus and plasmid were used to overexpress SIRT3, while siRNA was applied to establish SIRT3 knockdown. IL-1β induced inflammation, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chondrocyte degeneration were inhibited by SIRT3 overexpression, which were enhanced in SIRT3-knockdown rat chondrocytes. Furthermore, overexpression of SIRT3 could restore IL-1β-induced autophagy inhibition. We also found that IL-1β-induced PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation was i...

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The Rights of Persons With Dementia and Their Meanings

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2021

Concern about the lack of human rights afforded to persons living with dementia has emerged in recent years. Although the literature addresses certain rights, it does not include a holistic framework of rights in terms of the lived experience of older persons with cognitive impairment. Inspired by the 20 rights advocated for children by physician-educator Janusz Korczak, this article analyzes his formulation of rights in the context of persons with dementia, linking them to the ethical principles of Beneficence, Autonomy, and Justice. The analysis thus provides a holistic framework for addressing the human rights of persons with dementia, and their meanings for the lived experiences of persons with dementia and their caregivers. It offers new insights into t...

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Efficacy of fresh fruit from Cucumis myriocarpus as Nemarioc-AL phytonematicide on suppression of root-knot nematodes in tomato plant production

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science, 2017

ABSTRACTExperimental System: Fermented dried fruit of wild cucumber (Cucumis myriocarpus Naude.) Had been successfully used as Nemarioc-AL phytonematicide in managing plant-parasitic nematodes in various cropping systems. However, the specialised oven-drying equipment are inaccessible to most resource-poor smallholder farmers in marginalised communities. Procedures: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of fermented crudes extracts of C. myriocarpus fruit when used in fresh form as Nemarioc-AL phytonematicide on management of population densities of root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematodes and growth of tomato (Solanum lycorpersicum L.) plants. Seedlings at five leaf-stage were transplanted into pots containing 2700 ml steam-pasteurise...

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Interactive Computing Framework for Engineering Applications

Journal of Computer Science, 2011

Problem statement: Even though the computational steering state-of-the-art environments allow users to embed their simulation codes as a module for an interactive steering without the necessity for their own expertise in high-performance computing and visualisation, e.g., these environments are limited in their possible applications and mostly entail heavy code changes in order to integrate the existing code. Approach: In this study, we introduce an integration framework for engineering applications that supports distributed computations as well as visualization on-the-fly in order to reduce latency and enable a high degree of interactivity with only minor code alterations involved. Moreover, we tackle the problem of long communication delays in the case of ...

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Mesoscale simulations of curvature-inducing protein partitioning on lipid bilayer membranes in the presence of mean curvature fields

Molecular Physics, 2012

The membrane-surface migration of curvature-inducing proteins in response to membrane curvature gradients has been investigated using Monte Carlo simulations of a curvilinear membrane model based on the Helfrich Hamiltonian. Consistent with theoretical and experimental data, we find the proteins that generate curvature can also sense the background membrane curvature, wherein they preferentially partition to the high curvature regions. The partitioning strength depends linearly on local membrane curvature and the slope (or the coupling constant) of the partitioning probability versus mean curvature depends on the membrane bending rigidity and instantaneous curvature field caused by different proteins. Our simulation study allows us to quantitatively characte...

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An ex vivo approach to the differential parenchymal responses induced by cigarette whole smoke and its vapor phase

Toxicology, 2012

Using a rat lung slice model, this study compared the stress responses induced by cigarette whole smoke (WS) to that induced by the vapor phase (VP) of the smoke. Following a 3-day exposure, lung slices exposed to 4, 10 and 20% WS retained 85, 42 and 16% relative survival respectively in comparison to the air-exposed ones. Consistently, histological observations revealed concentration-related alveolar damages in the lung slices. Expression of 5 stress-response genes was examined following a single 30 min exposure to 4% WS or VP. WS exposure resulted in 4, 11 and 50-fold induction of IL-1β, kinin type I receptor (B₁R) and CYP1A1 genes, respectively, while CYP1B1 and TNF-α genes expression was found only two times higher in comparison to VP group. Since ci...

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A gas cell for thermalizing, storing and transporting radioactive ions and atoms. Part II: On-line studies with a laser ion source

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2004

The application of a gas cell filled with noble gas (helium or argon) for thermalizing, storing and transporting trace radioactive ions and atoms has been studied in on-line conditions. Radioactive ions produced in nuclear reactions and stable energetic ions have been resonantly re-ionized by laser light via a two-step resonant process after thermalization and neutralization in high-pressure noble gas. The influence of the ion–electron density created by the projectile beam on the recombination of exotic ions has been investigated in different experimental conditions, including DC and RF electrical fields in the gas cell. Results for the laser ion source efficiency and selectivity for heavy-ion induced fusion reaction products are given. For the Rh isotope...

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Optical Wireless for Intravehicle Communications: A Channel Viability Analysis

IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol., 2012

This paper provides an initial analysis into the viability of implementing an optical wireless system for intravehicle communications. Based on the use of a simple linearly scalable infrared light-emitting-diode transmitter, the results for received power, bandwidth, and root-mean-square (RMS) delay spread are shown at more than 3000 locations within a sports utility vehicle. Several of these locations, including the rear passenger seats, backs of the driver and front passenger seats, and the dashboard, are highlighted as having advantageous channel characteristics for the deployment of mobile communications equipment, audio-visual (AV) displays, computer consoles, or human-vehicle interface devices such as air conditioning or window controllers. Within the ...

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Set aside programmes: Using U.S. experience to evaluate U.K. proposals

Journal of Rural Studies, 1988

Abstract The lengthy U.S. experience with cropland diversion is helpful in evaluating U.K. set aside proposals. Acreage reduction for supply control in the U.S. has never reached its promised potential. Now, a new programme is using set aside for erosion control. Despite 50 years of practice, the past and current U.S. cropland diversions suffer serious problems. Three major U.K. set aside proposals have surfaced, two aimed at supply control and one at the provision of conservation and environmental services from farmland. Each has strengths and disadvantages, but none suffer all of the problems of American programmes, at least in their proposed forms. Too much can easily be expected of set aside which in barest form is just a land use constraint. Its best ro...

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The health‐related quality of life among patients on maintenance haemodialysis: Evaluation using the “EQ‐5D”

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2019

Purpose We conducted a cross-sectional investigation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients, and determined important predictive factors of HRQOL in these patients. Methods Psychological factors were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). HRQOL was evaluated with the EQ-5D. Laboratory data (albumin, haemoglobin and C-reactive protein) were collected for medical evaluation. We also collected participants’ demographic data, including gender, age, et al. This study was in compliance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. Results The mean EQ-5...

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Usability methods’ familiarity among map application developers

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 2007

Developments in hardware and software have led to new innovative methods for visualising geospatial data. At the same time user-centred design (UCD) and usability engineering methods have a fundamental role in designing applications for new technical environments, which involve entirely new ways of interacting. However, applying methods from other research disciplines may not always be straightforward, as the product developers have to operate in a challenging interdisciplinary field. The aim of this study was to find out how usability engineering is currently included in the development of map services. Seven companies developing different types of map applications in Finland were interviewed. The results support the suitability of usability engineering for...

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Effect of tempering temperature and microstructure on the corrosion behavior of a tempered steel

Prot Met Phys Chem Surf, 2013

In this study, a tempered martensitic matrix was obtained in a low carbon steel, by applying austenization, quenching and tempering heat treatments. After austenization at 1000°C for 30 minutes, steel samples were quenched in water and then tempered at 200, 540 and 600°C for 30 minutes. Hardness measurements were done and then immersion tests were carried out in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution for periods ranging between 1–7 days. Weight losses of the samples were determined after each immersion period and microstructural studies were performed on the corroded surfaces. Corrosion rates were calculated using weight loss data and verified by potentiodynamic tests. Results revealed that corrosion behavior of the experimental steels was directly affected by temperi...

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Single-Institution Experience in the Management of Patients with Clinical Stage I and II Cutaneous Melanoma

Dermatologic Surgery, 2005

Background Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been developed as a minimally invasive technique to determine the pathologic status of regional lymph nodes in patients without clinically palpable disease and incorporated in the latest version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for cutaneous melanoma. Objective To analyze the results of SLNB and the prognostic value of the micrometastases and the pattern of early recurrences in patients according to sentinel lymph node (SLN) status. Method Patients with cutaneous melanoma in stages I and II (AJCC 2002) who underwent lymphatic mapping and SLNB from 1997 to 2003 were included in a prospective database for analysis. Results The rate of identification of the SLN...

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Measuring Blood Pressure in Mice using Volume Pressure Recording, a Tail-cuff Method

JoVE, 2009

The CODA 8-Channel High Throughput Non-Invasive Blood Pressure system measures the blood pressure in up to 8 mice or rats simultaneously. The CODA tail-cuff system uses Volume Pressure Recording (VPR) to measure the blood pressure by determining the tail blood volume. A specially designed differential pressure transducer and an occlusion tail-cuff measure the total blood volume in the tail without the need to obtain the individual pulse signal. Special attention is afforded to the length of the occlusion cuff in order to derive the most accurate blood pressure readings. VPR can easily obtain readings on dark-skinned rodents, such as C57BL6 mice and is MRI compatible. The CODA system provides you with measurements of six (6) different blood pressure parameter...

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Feeding Habits of the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) in the Northwestern Pacific Based on Stomach Contents and Stable Isotope Ratios

Pacific Science, 2018

The blue shark, Prionace glauca (L.), is one of the most abundant pelagic sharks, and determining their feeding habits is important for understanding the ocean ecosystem. Generally, stomach contents analysis has been used to evaluate its feeding habits; however simply analyzing stomach contents reveals short-term feeding habits. In this study, we examined feeding habits of blue sharks in the Northwestern Pacific based on results of both stomach contents and stable isotope analyses. The most dominant species and taxonomic group in the stomach were identified as anchovy and Oegopsida species, respectively.Mean δ13C and δ15N values of blue sharks were 18.5‰ and 12.1‰, respectively, which were higher than those of the prey items. Estimated proportional dis...

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Treatment of Experimentally InducedPasteurella multocidaInfections in Broilers and Turkeys: Comparative Studies of Different Oral Treatment Regimens

Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series B, 2002

Experimental fowl cholera was induced in 60 healthy 10-week-old broiler chickens and 8-week-old turkeys by intramuscular inoculation with approximately 80 colony-forming units (cfu) of Pasteurella multocida X-73 strain and with approximately 70 cfu of P. multocida P-1059 strain, respectively. This method of infection proved to be useful for evaluating the efficacy of anti-microbial medication, by measuring mortality, weight gain, pathological responses and frequency of re-isolation of P. multocida. The efficacies of two different dosing methods, continuous and pulse dosing, were compared. Using the continuous-dosing method, norfloxacin was administered to drinking water at 100 mg/l for 5 days in chickens. Efficacies were slightly improved compared with pulse...

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Design and Implementation of Robot Skin Using Highly Sensitive Sponge Sensor

IEEE Trans. Med. Robot. Bionics, 2020

Robot skin, as a key component to collect tactile information, plays an important role in human-robot interaction (HRI). Conventional robot skin is mainly made of rigid components and bendable films, which cannot provide a fully soft physical interface in HRI. In addition, the sensitivity of robot skin is still to be enhanced so that robot could perceive touch behavior more precisely from a human. Here, a novel robot skin with features of high sensitivity and softness is designed in this article. The proposed robot skin is composed of a matrix of carbon black-polyurethane sponge sensor units through a foaming process. The sensitivity of the sensor is further enhanced by optimizing its geometric structure, based on the finite element method and physical exper...

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Finite element modelling of nanoindentation based methods for mechanical properties of cells

Journal of Biomechanics, 2012

The viscoelastic properties of the living cells are for quantifying the biomechanical effects of drug treatment, diseases and aging. Nanoindentation techniques have proven effective to characterize the viscoelastic properties of living cells. However, most studies utilized the Hertz contact model and assumed the Heaviside step loading, which does not represent real tests. Therefore, new mathematical models have been developed to determine the viscoelastic properties of the cells for nanoindentation tests. Finite element method was used to determine the empirical correction parameter in the mathematical model to account for large deformation, in which case the combined effect of finite lateral and vertical dimensions of the cell is essential. The viscoelastic...

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Investigation into dielectric behaviour and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of conducting styrene butadiene rubber composites containing ionic liquid modified MWCNT

Polymer, 2017

Designing new conducting materials with a promise for electromagnetic shielding applications attracted a wide spread interest in recent years. Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is a widely used low cost synthetic rubber for a large number of applications. However, their use in providing an effective barrier for electromagnetic radiations is limited by its poor electrical conductivity. Herein we report a facile synthesis of conducting polymer nanocomposite by incorporating non-covalently functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) with ionic liquid into SBR matrix and achieve a shielding efficiency of ca.35.06 dB @ 18 GHz (i.e ∼99.99% shielding attenuation). Importantly, ionic liquid embedded MWCNT makes it dispersible facilitated through cation–π in...

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Transient Absorption Imaging of P3HT:PCBM Photovoltaic Blend: Evidence For Interfacial Charge Transfer State

J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2011

Solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) based on electron-donor (D) polymer and acceptor (A) fullerene is a promising technology for organic photovoltaics. Geminate charge recombination is regarded as one of the main loss mechanisms limiting device performances. This stems from the dynamics of the initial charge transfer state (CTS), which depend on the blend morphology, the molecular conformation, and the energetics of the D:A interface. Here we study the photophysics of a crystalline phase-separated blend of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with a coarsened morphology, by mapping the transient absorption signal with submicrometer space and subpicosecond time resolution. At the P3HT:PCBM ...

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Ag Embedded Li₃VO₄ as Superior Anode for Li-Ion Batteries

J. Electrochem. Soc., 2019

Highly conductive Ag is proven effective to improve the electrochemical performance of Li3VO4. Ag@Li3VO4 composite with unique architecture of Ag nanoparticles embedded homogeneously in Li3VO4 matrix is prepared by a facile intermediate solution method. The Ag@Li3VO4 delivers high initial discharge and charge capacities of 651 and 479 mAh g−1 at a specific current of 0.15 A g−1, maintaining of 498 and 492 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles. Superior rate capability (364 mAh g−1) can be achieved at 1.5 A g−1, with more than 5 times improvement compared the one without Ag decoration. Herein, conductive but inert Ag is found facilitating fast Li+ ion storage of the Li3VO4 owing to enhanced electronic conductivity, Li ion diffusion, and structure stability, dist...

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Translationally invariant calculations of form factors, nucleon densities and momentum distributions for finite nuclei with short-range correlations included

Eur. Phys. J. A, 2012

Relying upon our previous treatment of the density matrices for nuclei (in general, nonrelativistic self-bound finite systems) we are studying a combined effect of center-of-mass motion and short-range nucleon-nucleon correlations on the nucleon density and momentum distributions in light nuclei (4He and 16O). Their intrinsic ground-state wave functions are constructed in the so-called fixed center-of-mass approximation, starting with mean-field Slater determinants modified by some correlator (e.g., after Jastrow or Villars). We develop the formalism based upon the Cartesian or boson representation, in which the coordinate and momentum operators are linear combinations of the creation and annihilation operators for oscillatory quanta in the three different s...

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Humidity‐Responsive Starch‐Poly(methyl acrylate) Films

Macro Chemistry & Physics, 2008

Blown films prepared from starch-poly(methyl acrylate) graft copolymers plasticized with urea and water display shrinkage at relative humidities greater than 50%. Shrinkage at relative humidities below approximately 75% is strongly correlated with the urea/starch weight ratio, which controls the equilibrium moisture content (MC) in the films. Above 75% relative humidity, film shrinkage is essentially independent of composition. At relative humidities below 90%, films plasticized with urea and water exhibited greater shrinkage than films plasticized with water only. A master curve can be constructed by shifting shrinkage data with respect to a reference relative humidity, indicating that relaxation processes in the starch phase control film shrinkage. This co...

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Core losses of Mn-Zn Ferrites with Fine Grain Size.

J. Jpn. Soc. Powder Powder Metallurgy, 1993

Mn-Zn ferrite with fine grains of about 2.1μ m in size was synthesized by sintering of hydrothermal-precipitated ferrite powders, and its core losses were evaluated. At room temperature, based on the dependence of frequency, the core losses of the ferrite at 0.2MHz to 2MHz with 50mT and at 0.5MHz to 5MHz with 5mT are smaller than those of the commercial ferrites with grains of 7.7 μ m to 10.9 μm in size. So, the core loss is 70% at 500kHz, 50mT and 50% at 1MHz, 5mT of that of the commercial ferrites, respectively. At 80°C, which is almost actual circumstance, the core loss of the ferrite is also smaller than that of the commercial ferrite at 0.5MHz to 1MHz. Therefore, the fine grain ferrite is expected to be useful as material for high-frequency transfor...

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Spatial and non-spatial aspects of visual attention: Interactive cognitive mechanisms and neural underpinnings

Neuropsychologia, 2016

In humans and non-human primates, the parietal lobe plays a key role in spatial attention – the ability to extract information from regions of space. This role is thought to be mediated by “priority” maps that highlight attention-worthy locations, and provide top-down feedback for motor orienting and attentional allocation. Traditionally, priority signals within the parietal cortex have been characterized as being purely spatial, i.e., encoding the desired locus of gaze or attention regardless of the context in which the brain generates that selection. Here, we highlight evidence from human behavior and neuroimaging as well as monkey physiology, to argue that non-spatial responses are critical to the establishment of priority maps in parietal cortex. T...

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A Nonparametric Clustering Algorithm with a Quantile-Based Likelihood Estimator

Neural Computation, 2014

Clustering is a representative of unsupervised learning and one of the important approaches in exploratory data analysis. By its very nature, clustering without strong assumption on data distribution is desirable. Information-theoretic clustering is a class of clustering methods that optimize information-theoretic quantities such as entropy and mutual information. These quantities can be estimated in a nonparametric manner, and information-theoretic clustering algorithms are capable of capturing various intrinsic data structures. It is also possible to estimate information-theoretic quantities using a data set with sampling weight for each datum. Assuming the data set is sampled from a certain cluster and assigning different sampling weights depending on the...

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A Novel Co ₃ O ₄ /MnO ₂ /C Electrode with Hierarchical Heterostructure for High‐performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries

ChemistrySelect, 2020

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are promising materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries while the lithium storage and cycling stability of TMOs are still limited. Herein, a novel Co3O4/MnO2/C composite using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as sacrificial templates is reported. MnO2 and C shells are layer by layer coated on the MOF-derived Co3O4/C samples via hydrothermal technique and heat treatment. When employed as anode materials for LIBs, the hierarchically heterostructured Co3O4/MnO2/C composites incorporate the merits of Co3O4, MnO2, and C, showing high Li storage performances at a current density of 0.2 A g−1 with an initial capacity of ∼1245.7 mAh g−1 and a reversible capacity of ∼854.9 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles, remarkable cycling ...

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Dynamics of the flame surface area in turbulent non-premixed combustion

Symposium (International) on Combustion, 1994

The dynamic equations for integral quantities relevant to turbulent flames are developed based on atheorem of geometric measure theory. The total area of level surfaces is considered in detail using mixture fraction, a quantity which is important for non-premixed combustion, to define the level surfaces. The level surface corresponding to its stoichiometric value is defined as the flame surface. It is shown that the rate of strain generated by the motion of the fluid, coupled with molecular diffusion and source terms of the scalar variable defining the level surface, determines the evolution of the surface properties. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) results obtained for a low-Reynolds-number turbulent non-premixed flame are used to evaluate the effects of ...

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A Lyapunov theory based UPFC controller for power flow control

International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems, 2009

Unified power flow controller (UPFC) is the most comprehensive multivariable device among the FACTS controllers. Capability of power flow control is the most important responsibility of UPFC. According to high importance of power flow control in transmission lines, the proper controller should be robust against uncertainty and disturbance and also have suitable settling time. For this purpose, a new controller is designed based on the Lyapunov theory and its stability is also evaluated. The Main goal of this paper is to design a controller which enables a power system to track reference signals precisely and to be robust in the presence of uncertainty of system parameters and disturbances. The performance of the proposed controller is simulated on a two bus ...

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Our Designs and the Social Agendas They Carry

Journal of the Learning Sciences, 2007

Although the work of learning scientists and instructional designers has brought about countless curricula, designs, and theoretical claims, the community has been less active in communicating the explicit and implicit critical social agendas that result (or could result) from their work. It is our belief that the community of learning scientists is well positioned to build transformative models of what could be, to develop learning and teaching interventions that have impact, and to advance theory that will prove valuable to others. This potential, we argue, would be significantly heightened if we as a community embrace the critical agendas that are central to so many discussions in anthropology, philosophy, or even curriculum development more generally. In...

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