Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Key Parameters on the Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Magnetic Nanoparticles for MRI Contrast Agents

Uniform iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized using a microwave assisted synthesis method in organic media and their colloidal, magnetic, and relaxometric properties have been analyzed after its transference to water and compared with those nanoparticles prepared by thermal decomposition in organic media. The novelty of this synthesis relies on the use of a solid iron oleate as precursor, which assures the reproducibility and scalability of the synthesis, and the microwave heating that resulted in being faster and more efficient than traditional heating methods, and therefore it has a great potential for nanoparticle industrial production. The effect of different experimental conditions such as the solvent, precursor, and surfactant concentration and reaction time as well as the transference to water is analyzed and optimized to obtain magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with sizes between 8 and 15 nm and finally colloids suitable for their use as contrast agents on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The r2 relaxivity values normalized to the square of the saturation magnetization were shown to be constant and independent of the particle size, which means that the saturation magnetization is the main parameter controlling the efficiency of these magnetic nanoparticles as MRI T2-contrast agents.
Childhood Growth and Hypertension in Later Life

Few studies have examined the effects of both prenatal and postnatal growth on hypertension. We report on hypertension in 2003 people aged 62 years who were randomly selected from the Helsinki birth cohort and examined in a clinic. Their heights and weights had been recorded serially up to age 11 years. A total of 644 had already been diagnosed with hypertension. Compared with normotensive people, they were obese and insulin resistant. At birth they were thin and short, and they gained weight slowly up to age 2 years; thereafter they grew rapidly so that at age 11 years their body size was around the average. The odds ratio associated with each kilogram of birthweight was 0.42 (95% CI: 0.32 to 0.56); with each 10 kg of current weight it was 1.85 (95% CI: 1.66 to 2.05). The blood pressures of another 802 people were classified as hypertensive under current definitions. They were overweight and had an atherogenic lipid profile. At birth they were short, and after birth they grew slowly so that at age 11 years they were short and thin. The odds ratio associated with each kilogram of weight at age 2 years was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.68 to 0.84); with each 10 kg of current weight it was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.28 to 1.57). We conclude that 2 different paths of childhood growth precede the development of hypertension. We suggest that they lead to hypertension through different biological mechanisms and may respond differently to medication.
Dynamic text management for see-through wearable and heads-up display systems

Reading text safely and easily while mobile has been an issue with see-through displays for many years. For example, in order to effectively use optical see through Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) or Heads Up Display (HUD) systems in constantly changing dynamic environments, variables like lighting conditions, human or vehicular obstructions in a user's path, and scene variation must be dealt with effectively. This paper introduces a new intelligent text management system that actively manages movement of text in a user's field of view. Research to date lacks a method to migrate user-centric content such as e-mail or text messages throughout a user's environment while mobile. Unlike most current annotation and view management systems, we use camera tracking to find dark, uniform regions along the route on which a user is travelling in real time. We then implement methodology to move text from one viable location to the next to maximize readability. A pilot experiment with 19 participants shows that the text placement of our system is preferred to text in fixed location configurations.
Laboratory quality improvement in Thailand's northernmost provinces.

PURPOSE In Thailand nearly 1000 public health laboratories serve 65 million people. A qualified indicator of a good quality laboratory is Thailand Medical Technology Council certification. Consequently, Chiang Rai Regional Medical Sciences Center established a development program for laboratory certification for 29 laboratories in the province. This paper seeks to examine this issue. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The goal was to improve laboratory service quality by voluntary participation, peer review, training and compliance with standards. The program consisted of specific activities. Training and workshops to update laboratory staffs' quality management knowledge were organized. Staff in each laboratory performed a self-assessment using a standard check-list to evaluate ten laboratory management areas. Chiang Rai Regional Medical Sciences Center staff supported the distribution of quality materials and documents. They provided calibration services for laboratory equipment. Peer groups performed an internal audit and successful laboratories received Thailand Medical Technology Council certification. FINDINGS By December 2007, eight of the 29 laboratories had improved quality sufficiently to be certified. Factors that influenced laboratories' readiness for quality improvement included the number of staff, their knowledge, budget and staff commitment to the process. Moreover, the support of each hospital's laboratory working group or network was essential for success. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS There was no clear policy for supporting the program. Laboratories voluntarily conducted quality management using existing resources. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS A bottom-up approach to this kind of project can be difficult to accomplish. Laboratory professionals can work together to illustrate and highlight outcomes for top-level health officials. A top-down, practical approach would be much less difficult to implement. ORIGINALITY/VALUE Quality certification is a critical step for laboratory staff, which also encourages them to aspire to international quality standards like ISO. The certification program is an important mechanism for addressing inadequate knowledge, budget, planning, policy and staff required to improve laboratory services.
Citation ranking versus peer evaluation of senior faculty research performance: A case study of Kurdish scholarship

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between citation ranking and peer evaluation in assessing senior faculty research performance. Other studies typically derive their peer evaluation data directly from referees, often in the form of ranking. This study uses two additional sources of peer evaluation data: citation content analysis and book review content analysis. Two main questions are investigated: (a) To what degree does citation ranking correlate with data from citation content analysis, book reviews, and peer ranking? (b) Is citation ranking a valid evaluative indicator of research performance of senior faculty members? Citation data, book reviews, and peer ranking were compiled and examined for faculty members specializing in Kurdish studies. Analysis shows that normalized citation ranking and citation content analysis data yield identical ranking results. Analysis also shows that normalized citation ranking and citation content analysis, book reviews, and peer ranking perform similarly (i.e., are highly correlated) for high-ranked and low-ranked senior scholars. Additional evaluation methods and measures that take into account the context and content of research appear to be needed to effectively evaluate senior scholars whose performance ranks relatively in the middle. Citation content analysis data did appear to give some specific and important insights into the quality of research of these middle performers, however, further analysis and research is needed to validate this finding. This study shows that citation ranking can provide a valid indicator for comparative evaluation of senior faculty research performance.
Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation Between an Ant Species of Hybrid Origin and One of its Parents

Abstract The establishment of new species by hybridization is difficult because it requires the development of reproductive isolation (RI) in sympatry to escape the homogenizing effects of gene flow from the parental species. Here we investigated the role of two pre- and two postzygotic mechanisms of RI in a system comprising two interdependent Pogonomyrmex harvester ant lineages (the H1 and H2 lineages) of hybrid origin and one of their parental species (P. rugosus). Similar to most other ants, P. rugosus is characterized by an environmental system of caste determination with female brood developing either into queens or workers depending on nongenetic factors. By contrast, there is a strong genetic component to caste determination in the H1 and H2 lineages because the developmental fate of female brood depends on the genetic origin of the parents, with interlineage eggs developing into workers and intralineage eggs developing into queens. The study of a mixed mating aggregation revealed strong differences in mating flight timing between P. rugosus and the two lineages as a first mechanism of RI. A second important prezygotic mechanism was assortative mating. Laboratory experiments also provided support for one of the two investigated mechanisms of postzygotic isolation. The majority of offspring produced from the few matings between P. rugosus and the lineages aborted at the egg stage. This hybrid inviability was under maternal influence, with hybrids produced by P. rugosus queens being always inviable whereas a small proportion of H2 lineage queens produced large numbers of adult hybrid offspring. Finally, we found no evidence that genetic caste determination acted as a second postzygotic mechanism reducing gene flow between P. rugosus and the H lineages. The few viable P. rugosus-H hybrids were not preferentially shunted into functionally sterile workers but developed into both workers and queens. Overall, these results reveal that the nearly complete (99.5%) RI between P. rugosus and the two hybrid lineages stems from the combination of two typical prezygotic mechanisms (mating time divergence and assortative mating) and one postzygotic mechanism (hybrid inviability).
Alterations of Monetary Reward and Punishment Processing in Chronic Cannabis Users: An fMRI Study

Alterations in reward and punishment processing have been reported in adults suffering from long-term cannabis use. However, previous findings regarding the chronic effects of cannabis on reward and punishment processing have been inconsistent. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to reveal the neural correlates of reward and punishment processing in long-term cannabis users (n = 15) and in healthy control subjects (n = 15) with no history of drug abuse. For this purpose, we used the well-established Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task, a reliable experimental paradigm that allows the differentiation between anticipatory and consummatory aspects of reward and punishment processing. Regarding the gain anticipation period, no significant group differences were observed. In the left caudate and the left inferior frontal gyrus, cannabis users were – in contrast to healthy controls – not able to differentiate between the conditions feedback of reward and control. In addition, cannabis users showed stronger activations in the left caudate and the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus following feedback of no punishment as compared to healthy controls. We interpreted these deficits in dorsal striatal functioning as altered stimulus-reward or action-contingent learning in cannabis users. In addition, the enhanced lateral prefrontal activation in cannabis users that is related to non-punishing feedback may reflect a deficit in emotion regulation or cognitive reappraisal in these subjects.
Issues of Blood: The Politics of Menstruation

This is a valuable book on three major counts. The academic/theoretical issues raised, the methodology employed and its potential for changing the lives of women. Academically, the socio-political aspects of menstruation prove a fascinating, yet neglected, area to be studied in such depth. It is a complex topic, posing many problems for feminists. Hence, Issues of Blood is not a simple book, but important in its attempts to expose and unravel the controversies surrounding menstruation and placing them within the wider field of sexual politics. The method of research used by Laws is of interest in its own right. This is in relation to the difficulties outlined in researching a sensitive area, and upon focusing on a power group in doing so. Her discussions regarding this could be of great value to others engaging in similar work. However, the interviews demonstrated in themselves some of the problems faced by researchers that Laws herself identifies. For, in order that the responses should be meaningful, their interpretation is so openly and deeply bound within a theoretical framework as to arguably remove from the actual words spoken. Thus, the responses should be viewed as illustrative examples, rather than conclusive. Laws correctly places emphasis on the necessity for feminist academic contributions to be of real value in improving the lives of women. The question must therefore be addressed as to how Issues of Blood meets this challenge. The book is partially culturally specific [Laws does not pretend her sample is in any way representative]. The key to helping women in different social groups understand . tnelr own experlences IS to examme further means by which to define underlying shared processes surrounding menstruation. Laws is able to start this by extending her theory to examine areas of change, notably in relation to PMT. This does help to demonstrate the applicability of her ideas of contemporary developments, whilst documenting in a tangible way how the afore-mentioned processes operate. Following from this there is scope to consider other related areas, such as the current medical focus on HRT. Similarly, it would be of interest to examine Laws' ideas in relation to other women's health matters, such as women who are HIV positive. Primarily lssues of Blood is a theoretical work. The valuable matters raised may not, as yet, be accessible and comprehensible to non-academic women. The book offers no solutions, but forms a firm basis from which to address the complex dilemmas clearly outlined. Fern Basnett
The Glasgow prognostic score: Useful information when prescribing palliative radiotherapy

The purpose of the present retrospective study was to investigate whether a score reflecting systemic inflammatory processes [the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS)] provides relevant information for radiation oncologists. GPS is a three-tiered score [0: normal C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin; 1: one abnormal result; 2: increased CRP and low albumin]. Correlations between disease type and extent, resource utilization, survival and GPS were analyzed in 703 patients. In the subgroup with GPS 2, significantly higher rates of lung, adrenal gland and liver metastases were observed. An increasing GPS score was associated with a higher likelihood of anemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytosis. Comparable findings were made regarding utilization of palliative care resources, need for blood transfusion and intravenous administration of antibiotics. Compared with GPS 0 or 1, more patients with GPS 2 did not complete their prescribed course of radiotherapy. One-third of patients with GPS 2 received treatment during the final month of life. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that GPS was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (median, 479, 136, and 61 days, for GPS 0, 1 and 2, respectively). In patients with GPS 2 and additional leukocytosis, the median survival was 38 days. In conclusion, GPS provides important prognostic information. This biomarker-based score may be considered for deciding fractionation, and should be validated further.
Food for Pollinators: Quantifying the Nectar and Pollen Resources of Urban Flower Meadows

Planted meadows are increasingly used to improve the biodiversity and aesthetic amenity value of urban areas. Although many ‘pollinator-friendly’ seed mixes are available, the floral resources these provide to flower-visiting insects, and how these change through time, are largely unknown. Such data are necessary to compare the resources provided by alternative meadow seed mixes to each other and to other flowering habitats. We used quantitative surveys of over 2 million flowers to estimate the nectar and pollen resources offered by two exemplar commercial seed mixes (one annual, one perennial) and associated weeds grown as 300m2 meadows across four UK cities, sampled at six time points between May and September 2013. Nectar sugar and pollen rewards per flower varied widely across 65 species surveyed, with native British weed species (including dandelion, Taraxacum agg.) contributing the top five nectar producers and two of the top ten pollen producers. Seed mix species yielding the highest rewards per flower included Leontodon hispidus, Centaurea cyanus and C. nigra for nectar, and Papaver rhoeas, Eschscholzia californica and Malva moschata for pollen. Perennial meadows produced up to 20x more nectar and up to 6x more pollen than annual meadows, which in turn produced far more than amenity grassland controls. Perennial meadows produced resources earlier in the year than annual meadows, but both seed mixes delivered very low resource levels early in the year and these were provided almost entirely by native weeds. Pollen volume per flower is well predicted statistically by floral morphology, and nectar sugar mass and pollen volume per unit area are correlated with flower counts, raising the possibility that resource levels can be estimated for species or habitats where they cannot be measured directly. Our approach does not incorporate resource quality information (for example, pollen protein or essential amino acid content), but can easily do so when suitable data exist. Our approach should inform the design of new seed mixes to ensure continuity in floral resource availability throughout the year, and to identify suitable species to fill resource gaps in established mixes.
Spillovers from Multinationals to Heterogeneous Domestic Firms: Evidence from Hungary

Firms cluster their economic activities to exploit technological and informational spillovers from other firms. Spillovers from multinational firms can be particularly beneficial to firms in less developed economies, because technological superiority and management expertise of foreign multinational firms yield various opportunities for learning. Yet, the importance of foreign firms’ spillovers might vary with respect to two key features of domestic firms: their productivity level and their export status. In line with theories on the absorptive capacity of firms, we argue on the basis of an empirical analysis of Hungarian firms that larger and more productive firms are more able than smaller firms to reap spillovers from multinationals. However, the export status is found to be of minor importance once higher productivity is controlled for.
Report suggests small link between depleted uranium and cancer

Depleted uranium in weapons results in a very small increased risk of lung cancer in people with high exposure, but soldiers exposed in the Gulf and the Balkan conflicts should undergo monitoring. This is the finding of a report published this week by an independent working group from the Royal Society. The report is the first of two being prepared by the Royal Society in an attempt to review the scientific evidence available on this highly contentious issue. The aim of the first report was to assess the amount of depleted uranium to which soldiers could be exposed on the battlefield and to calculate the risks of radiation from what has been seen previously in epidemiological studies. A second report, to be published later this year, will address the risks from toxic poisoning …
Contesting Capitalism at the Post-Soviet Dacha: The Meaning of Food Cultivation for Urban Russians

Nearly half of urban Russian households grow food on their dacha plots. This study investigates the meaning of this activity for both those who embrace it and those who reject it. Existing scholarship frames the post-Soviet dacha as a survival strategy and debates its efficiency. Ethnographic evidence reveals that the dacha provides not simply a source of food but a discursive arena for debating the rationality and morality of the transition to a market economy. Due to their rich history, dachas may be interpreted as sites of production or of consumption, as economic necessities or status signifiers. This ambiguity makes dachas particularly salient in disputes over the proper relationship between economic power and social esteem in the shifting stratification order.
Effect of screening on cervical cancer mortality in England and Wales: analysis of trends with an age period cohort model

The number of women dying from cervical cancer in 1997 was 7% lower than in 1996 and has fallen by over 25% since 1992.1 Such rapid change must be at least partly due to cervical screening, although strong cohort effects have caused large fluctuations in cervical mortality in the past.2 We modelled mortality data, taking into account the effects of age and year of birth and looking for trends in time within four age groups to estimate the beneficial effects of cervical screening. We obtained mortality data, in 5 year age bands, from death registrations in England and Wales and calculated rates using mid-year population estimates. Mortality since 1993 was adjusted upwards by 4% because of changes in classification of cause of death.3 We modelled the data assuming that the age specific mortality is the product of a smoothly varying age effect, birth cohort effect, and age dependent …
Assessment of Neutrophil Function in Patients with Septic Shock: Comparison of Methods

ABSTRACT Patients with septic shock are shown to have decreased neutrophil phagocytic function by multiple assays, and their assessment by whole-blood assays (fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis) correlates with assays requiring isolated neutrophils (microscopic and spectrophotometric assays). For patients with similar underlying conditions but without septic shock, this correlation does not occur.
THE ROLE OF EARNINGS PERSISTENCE IN VALUATION ACCURACY AND THE TIME HORIZON

En base al supuesto de que la persistencia de las ganancias tiene implicancias tanto en el analisis financiero como en los contratos de compensacion, el objetivo de este trabajo es investigar el rol de la persistencia de las ganancias, asumiendo que (i) es probable que las ganancias mas persistentes constituyan un mejor aporte a los modelos de valoracion y (ii) las ganancias mas persistentes tienen mas posibilidades de funcionar como una aproximacion al mercado de largo plazo y a la orientacion gerencial. El analisis se basa en empresas que cotizan en bolsa en Brasil desde 1995 hasta 2013 y si bien documentamos un sostenido apoyo a la relevancia de la persistencia de los ingresos en el analisis financiero y la valoracion, no hemos podido documentar una relacion significativa entre la persistencia de las ganancias y la orientacion de valor a largo plazo. Estos resultados son sensibles a diferentes especificaciones y otros resultados sugieren que el riesgo idiosincrasico de las empresas (riesgo total) resulta relevante para explicar la atencion centrada en los resultados de corto plazo (cortoplacismo) entre las diversas empresas. El aporte principal de este trabajo consiste en brindar evidencia empirica de la importancia de los numeros contables tanto en la valoracion como en las teorias contractuales, en un mercado emergente.