Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PDADMAC as a flocculant for lignosulfonate of NSSC pulping process

The spent liquor (SL) of neutral sulfite semi‐chemical (NSSC) pulping process contains about 8 wt% lignocelluloses that can be extracted and used in the production of value‐added materials. In this work, a flocculation process followed by centrifugation was considered for isolating lignosulfonate and hemicelluloses from SL. It was observed that, by adding 20 mg/g of polydiallyldimethylammuniom chloride (PDADMAC) with 100,000–200,000 g/mol molecular weight to SL, 45% of lignosulfonate and 39% of hemicelluloses were removed at 30°C. The lignocellulose removal was more efficient for the dual flocculation system of low and high molecular weights PDADMAC than for individual PDADMAC systems. Overall, 49% of lignosulfonate, 47% of hemicelluloses and 97% of turbidity were removed from SL from the dual system when 10 mg/g low molecular weight PDADMAC and 10 mg/g high molecular weight PDADMAC were added to the SL at 30°C, subsequently. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of generated flocs showed that all samples had similar thermal behaviour and 13–16 wt% of flocs remained as ash after burning at 700°C in nitrogen. As the flocs are made of lignocellulosic materials and they are thermally stable, they could be used as fillers in paper board production. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 32:686–691, 2016
Barriers for early detection of cancer amongst Indian rural women

Abstract Context: Breast and cervical cancer are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women worldwide, but actually they are largely preventable diseases. Healthcare providers in developing countries regularly see women with advanced, incurable cancers. Health of a rural Indian women and her access to health facility is compromised due to sociocultural, economical, and environmental factors. Aims: To know the problems associated with early detection of cancers in rural women. Settings and Design: Rural area and cross-sectional. Subjects and Methods: Study subject: Women of 35 years and above. Exclusion criteria: Not willing to participate. Sample size: All eligible women of selected villages. Sampling Technique: Random selection of villages. Study duration: 2 months. Study tools: Pretested questionnaire. Statistical Analysis Used: Percentages, χ2 test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis. Results: Awareness about symptoms, possibility of early detection, available tests, possibility of cure of disease was low. Main barrier for screening was cognitive, that is, ′don′t know′ answer by 83.99% women for cancer cervix, 84.93%, for cancer breast, and 67.26% for oral cancer. Awareness score was significantly associated with age (χ2 = 17.77, P = 0.001), education (χ2 = 34.62, P = 0.000), and income (χ2 = 16.72, P = 0.002); while attitude score with age (χ2 = 16.27, P = 0.012) and education (χ2 = 25.16, P = 0.003). Practice score was significantly associated with age (χ2 = 11.28, P = 0.023), education (χ2 = 32.27, P = 0.003), and occupation (χ2 = 10.69, P = 0.03). Awareness, attitude, and practice score of women having history of cancer in family or relative was significantly high than women without history. Conclusions: Cognitive barrier was the important barrier which has to be taken care of.
The Views of Educational Psychologists about Neuroscience:A Discourse Analysis

The field of neuroscience has received more and more publicity over recent years, specifically by its claims to contribute to the understanding of childrens' learning, education and development. However, progress in neuroscience findings and its links with education have also been subject to controversy, particularly with regard to how far the brain can inform understanding of social processes. While educational psychologists have been identified as a discipline potentially central to the debates about neuroscience (Hall, 2004), little research has yet investigated the views of educational psychologists about the value or relevance of this field in their discipline. This research presents an analysis of views of ten educational psychologists from two Local Authority services. The researcher carried out semi-structured interviews and analysed the data using two approaches from the Discourse Analytic tradition. Methods from Discursive Psychology and Foucauldian Discourse Analysis were used to investigate how educational psychologists discursively constructed the role of neuroscience in their discipline. The combination of research tools yielded rich interview data. Ten discursive sites were identified. Neuroscience was simultaneously viewed and identified discursively as the Identification of Pathology or Deficit, an Additional Explanatory Model, A Challenge to the Social Constructionist Worldview, and Knowledge for Responsibility and Duty. Implications of these findings for Educational Psychology practice are discussed. The prevalence of professional eclecticism in the discipline was evident. Reference to educational psychologists’ frameworks and models for practice were notable and was considered as points for discussion. Educational psychologists’ constructions gave rise to a variety of different subject positions, and therefore the actions that are made possible by these positions. Methodological issues are also considered, together with suggestions for future research.
CRISPR-Cas9–based treatment of myocilin-associated glaucoma

Significance A mutation in myocilin is the most common known genetic cause of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). These mutations, which are dominant in nature, affect trabecular meshwork (TM) health and/or function and cause elevated intraocular pressure. Using in vitro human trabecular meshwork cells, an in vivo mouse model, and ex vivo human eyes, our study demonstrates the potential of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated genome editing in human myocilin-associated POAG. By disrupting the mutant myocilin gene and its function using CRISPR-Cas9, we were able to reduce associated endoplasmic reticulum stress, lower intraocular pressure, and prevent further glaucomatous damage in mouse eyes. We also show the feasibility of using the CRISPR-Cas9 system in cultured human eyes. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide, with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) a major risk factor. Myocilin (MYOC) dominant gain-of-function mutations have been reported in ∼4% of POAG cases. MYOC mutations result in protein misfolding, leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the trabecular meshwork (TM), the tissue that regulates IOP. We use CRISPR-Cas9–mediated genome editing in cultured human TM cells and in a MYOC mouse model of POAG to knock down expression of mutant MYOC, resulting in relief of ER stress. In vivo genome editing results in lower IOP and prevents further glaucomatous damage. Importantly, using an ex vivo human organ culture system, we demonstrate the feasibility of human genome editing in the eye for this important disease.
DO YOU HAVE TO BE SMART TO KNOW WHAT THE OTHERS ARE THINKING

Research concerning mindreading has dealt extensively with its (in)dependence on executive functions. However, surprisingly few studies focused on direct relationship of mindreading with intelligence, although it has been proposed that high level mindreading in older children and adults is dependent on general cognitive skills. In the study reported here, two advanced mindreading tests were employed and data about participants' verbal abilities were obtained. There was no significant correlation of verbal ability and memory with any of the mindreading tasks. Our results demonstrate a lack of significant linear relationship of mindreading with the intelligence domains, language and memory as well as support the argument that mindreading exists as a specific independent cognitive domain.
Online Nonparametric Bayesian Activity Mining and Analysis From Surveillance Video

A method for online incremental mining of activity patterns from the surveillance video stream is presented in this paper. The framework consists of a learning block in which Dirichlet process mixture model is employed for the incremental clustering of trajectories. Stochastic trajectory pattern models are formed using the Gaussian process regression of the corresponding flow functions. Moreover, a sequential Monte Carlo method based on Rao-Blackwellized particle filter is proposed for tracking and online classification as well as the detection of abnormality during the observation of an object. Experimental results on real surveillance video data are provided to show the performance of the proposed algorithm in different tasks of trajectory clustering, classification, and abnormality detection.
Computing Cryptographic Algorithms in Portable and Embedded Devices

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) and Pairings get more research attentions for computational constraint devices such as Pocket PCs and wireless sensors. As a result, computational evaluations of various cryptographic algorithms are highly desired to guide researchers to design effective communication protocols. In order to achieve this goal, we conduct comparative performance evaluations for Pocket PC and wireless sensors to study the computational ability to process cryptographic functions, such as point multiplication, Pairings, AES, and hash functions. Our study shows that current Pocket PC level devices are capable to process computational intensive cryptographic functions, such as Parings. However, purely software cryptographic solutions require long time to process cryptographic algorithms and special optimization methods must be used to improve the computation performance.
Settling Down and Aging Out: Toward an Interactionist Theory of Desistance and the Transition to Adulthood1

Conceptions of adulthood have changed dramatically in recent decades. Despite such changes, however, the notion that young people will eventually “settle down” and desist from delinquent behaviors is remarkably persistent. This article unites criminology with classic work on age norms and role behavior to contend that people who persist in delinquency will be less likely to make timely adult transitions. The empirical analysis supports this proposition, with both arrest and self‐reported crime blocking the passage to adult status. The authors conclude that desisting from delinquency is an important part of the package of role behaviors that define adulthood.
Weight homeostasis & its modulators in hyperthyroidism before & after treatment with carbimazole

Background & objectives: Hyperthyroidism is associated with increased food intake, energy expenditure and altered body composition. This study was aimed to evaluate the role of adipocytokines in weight homeostasis in patients with hyperthyroidism. Methods: Patients (n=27, 11men) with hyperthyroidism (20 Graves’ disease, 7 toxic multinodular goiter) with mean age of 31.3±4.2 yr and 28 healthy age and body mass index (BMI) matched controls were studied. They underwent assessment of lean body mass (LBM) and total body fat (TBF) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometer (DXA) and blood sample was taken in the fasting state for measurement of leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, insulin, glucose and lipids. Patients were re-evaluated after 3 months of treatment as by that time all of them achieved euthyroid state with carbimazole therapy. Results: The LBM was higher (P<0.001) in healthy controls as compared to hyperthyroid patients even after adjustment for body weight (BW), whereas total body fat was comparable between the two groups. Serum leptin levels were higher in patients with hyperthyroidism than controls (22.3±3.7 and 4.1±0.34 ng/ml, P<0.001), whereas adiponectin levels were comparable. Plasma acylated ghrelin was higher in patients than in controls (209.8±13.3 vs 106.2±8.2 pg/ml, P<0.05). Achievement of euthyroidism was associated with significant weight gain (P<0.001) and significant increase in lean body mass (P<0.001). The total body fat also increased but insignificantly from 18.4±1.8 to 19.9±1.8 kg. There was significant decrease (P<0.05) in serum leptin and acylated ghrelin but adiponectin levels remained unaltered after treatment. Serum leptin positively correlated with TBF and this correlation persisted even after adjustment for BW, BMI, gender and age (r=0.62, P=0.001). However, serum leptin and acylated ghrelin did not correlate with the presence or absence of hyperphagia. Interpretation & conclusion: Patients with hyperthyroidism predominantly had decreased lean body mass which increased after achievement of euthyroidism with carbimazole. The hyperphagia and the alterations in weight homeostasis associated with hyperthyroidism were independent of circulating leptin and ghrelin levels.
Bmc Medical Informatics and Decision Making Comparison of Artificial Neural Network and Logistic Regression Models for Prediction of Mortality in Head Trauma Based on Initial Clinical Data

Background: In recent years, outcome prediction models using artificial neural network and multivariable logistic regression analysis have been developed in many areas of health care research. Both these methods have advantages and disadvantages. In this study we have compared the performance of artificial neural network and multivariable logistic regression models, in prediction of outcomes in head trauma and studied the reproducibility of the findings.
Thermoelectric Properties of Flexible PEDOT:PSS/Polypyrrole/Paper Nanocomposite Films

Flexible poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/polypyrrole/paper (PEDOT:PSS/PPy/paper) thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposite films were prepared by a two-step method: first, PPy/paper nanocomposite films were prepared by an in situ chemical polymerization process, and second, PEDOT:PSS/PPy/paper TE composite films were fabricated by coating the as-prepared PPy/paper nanocomposite films using a dimethyl sulfoxide-doped PEDOT:PSS solution. Both the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of the PEDOT:PSS/PPy/paper TE nanocomposite films were greatly enhanced from 0.06 S/cm to ~0.365 S/cm, and from 5.44 μV/K to ~16.0 μV/K at ~300 K, respectively, when compared to the PPy/paper TE nanocomposite films. The thermal conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS/PPy/paper composite film (0.1522 Wm−1K−1 at ~300 K) was, however, only slightly higher than that of the PPy/paper composite film (0.1142 Wm−1K−1 at ~300 K). As a result, the ZT value of the PEDOT:PSS/PPy/paper composite film (~1.85 × 10−5 at ~300 K) was significantly enhanced when compared to that of the PPy/paper composite film (~4.73 × 10−7 at ~300 K). The as-prepared nanocomposite films have great potential for application in flexible TE devices.
The age of interactivity: An historical analysis of public discourses on interactivity in Ireland 1995 - 2009.

Interactivity is integral to media and communications and yet is a contested concept in the literature. There is little agreement on its meaning not least because of its multidisciplinary nature. Previous research, concerned with finding a single definition of interactivity, has focused narrowly on specific contexts of communication using limited methodologies. This thesis argues that several meanings of interactivity are in circulation and that the search for one bounded definition constrains understanding of its role and fails to recognise its analytical potential. The study makes an original contribution to research by presenting findings from an analysis of public discourses on interactivity, a valuable source of material neglected in research to date. It shows that at least nine thematic representations of interactivity are in circulation representing different aspects of its role in communicative events. These are identified as the Empowering, Commercial, Pedagogical, Aesthetic, Ludological, Futuropia, Hula-hoop, Sceptical and Information Society themes. The results are based on a longitudinal content and discourse analysis of fifteen years of newspaper coverage in Ireland, an original methodological addition to research, reflecting both a unique national perspective on the concept and the flow of influential international discourses within a small state. The content analysis draws a detailed quantitative picture of how and where interactivity arises in news coverage while the discourse analysis examines qualitative aspects of the dominant, overlapping and conflicting discourses around interactivity and the discourse communities operating behind the talk. The analysis illustrates how thematic representations of interactivity coexist both in discourse and in individual communicative events, suggesting the potential for layered interactivities in communication. The ‘age of interactivity’ describes a wide range of discourses from hype and myths around interactivity to its potentially transformative role in communication. Overall this thesis highlights the value of interactivity as a communication concept and analytical tool with rich research potential.
Paediatric obesity: a neurodevelopmental perspective

1.Department of Endocrinology and Obesity at Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden 2.Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gothenburg University, Sweden and National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy, London University/Strathclyde University, Glasgow, U.K. 3.Department of Neuropaediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Current address: Unit of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Skaraborgs Hospital, Mariestad, Sweden
Person-Job Fit: Do Job Characteristics Moderate the Relationship of Personality with Burnout, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment?

ii Acknowledgments. iii List of Tables . vii List of Figures . viii List of Abbreviations . ix Introduction . 1 Literature Review . 6 The Person-Situation Debate . 6 The Interactionist Framework . 8 Situational strength . 9 Person-job fit . 10 Job Characteristics Model . 11 Personality Variables . 17 Perfectionism . 17 Perfectionism and job characteristics. 19 Five Factor Model of personality . 20 FFM and job characteristics . 21 Work Outcome Variables . 23 Burnout . 23
Enhancing the Strength of Conventional Cryptosystems

We look at various ways of enhancing the strength of conventional cryptosystems such as DES by building a new system which has longer keys and which uses the original system as a building block. We propose a new variant of two-key triple encryption which is not vulnerable to the meet in the middle attack by van Oorschot and Wiener. Under an appropriate assumption on the security of DES, we can prove that our system is at least as hard to break as single DES.
The effect of posture category salience on decision time and errors when using video-based posture assessment methods.

Video-based posture assessment methods require classification of body postures into categories, a visual search task that can be improved by introducing salience in the search field. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that posture category salience (borders, shading and colour) had on error rates and decision times. Ninety participants were instructed to select posture categories in five salience conditions (no salience (plain), grey and red borders, and grey and red shading) as quickly and accurately as possible, for images presented on a computer interface. Participants responded quickest in the border conditions, with classification times about 5% lower than the plain condition. The coloured diagrams significantly reduced classification errors by approximately 1.5%. Participants perceived the colour conditions to be the easiest and fastest to classify and to lead to the fewest classification errors. Incorporating a grey border can improve users' performance by reducing errors and decision times.
Strong Lexicalization of Tree Adjoining Grammars

Recently, it was shown (KUHLMANN, SATTA: Tree-adjoining grammars are not closed under strong lexicalization. Comput. Linguist., 2012) that finitely ambiguous tree adjoining grammars cannot be transformed into a normal form (preserving the generated tree language), in which each production contains a lexical symbol. A more powerful model, the simple context-free tree grammar, admits such a normal form. It can be effectively constructed and the maximal rank of the nonterminals only increases by 1. Thus, simple context-free tree grammars strongly lexicalize tree adjoining grammars and themselves.
Efficacy of sorafenib in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid cancer: experience in a Turkish population

Background Antivascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been used recently in the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Off-label sorafenib is used in Turkey with special permission by the Ministry of Health for this indication. Patients and methods Patients with advanced DTC and MTC were retrospectively identified from the Turkish Ministry of Health database. Data on these patients were prospectively collected before permission is granted to use sorafenib. Results Thirty patients with complete data were analyzed: 14 DTC (papillary number [n] =10; follicular n=4) and 16 MTC. The median age of the patients was 57 years (range: 28–79 years), and there were 18 males and 12 females. All DTC patients were iodine refractory and had received a median three doses of radioactive iodine (range: 1–7 doses). Sorafenib was used for a median of 12 months (range: 1–49 months). The overall response rate was 20%, all partial responses, with no complete response. The overall response rate was 14% in DTC and 25% in MTC patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 17.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.3–26.8) and overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 2-year PFS and OS were 39% and 68%, respectively. DTC and MTC patients had similar survival outcomes: median PFS of 21.3 months (95% CI: 5.8–36.7) versus 14.5 months (95% CI: 3.7–25.2), respectively (P=0.36), with the median OS not reached in either group (P=0.17). Tumor marker levels did not have any prognostic or predictive role. The toxicity profile was similar to that of other sorafenib trials. Conclusion Sorafenib is an effective and well-tolerated treatment in advanced thyroid cancers.
Identification of the Plant Steroid α-Spinasterol as a Novel Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Antagonist with Antinociceptive Properties

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor is relevant to the perception of noxious information and has been studied as a therapeutic target for the development of new analgesics. The goal of this study was to perform in vivo and in vitro screens to identify novel, efficacious, and safe TRPV1 antagonists isolated from leaves of the medicinal plant Vernonia tweedieana Baker. All of the fractions and the hydroalcoholic extract produced antinociception in mice during the capsaicin test, but the dichloromethane fraction also had antioedematogenic effect. Among the compounds isolated from the dichloromethane fraction, only α-spinasterol reduced the nociception and edema induced by capsaicin injection. Moreover, α-spinasterol demonstrated good oral absorption and high penetration into the brain and spinal cord of mice. α-Spinasterol was able to displace [3H]resiniferatoxin binding and diminish calcium influx mediated by capsaicin. Oral administration of the dichloromethane fraction and α-spinasterol also produced antinociceptive effect in the noxious heat-induced nociception test; however, they did not change the mechanical threshold of naive mice. The treatment with α-spinasterol did not produce antinociceptive effect in mice systemically pretreated with resiniferatoxin. In addition, α-spinasterol and the dichloromethane fraction reduced the edema, mechanical, and heat hyperalgesia elicited by complete Freund's adjuvant paw injection. The dichloromethane fraction and α-spinasterol did not affect body temperature or locomotor activity. In conclusion, α-spinasterol is a novel efficacious and safe antagonist of the TRPV1 receptor with antinociceptive effect.