Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Binary star progenitors of long gamma-ray bursts

Context. The collapsar model for long gamma-ray bursts requires a rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet star as progenitor. Aims. We test the idea of producing rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars in massive close binaries through mass accretion and consecutive quasi-chemically homogeneous evolution — the latter had previously been shown to provide collapsars below a certain metallicity threshold. Methods. We use a 1-D hydrodynamic binary evolution code to simulate the evolution of a 16+15 M⊙ binary model with an initial orbital period of 5 days and SMC metallicity (Z=0.004). Internal differential rotation, rotationally induced mixing and magnetic fields are included in both components, as well as non-conservative mass and angular momentum transfer, and tidal spin-orbit coupling. Results. The considered binary system undergoes early Case B mass transfer. The mass donor becomes a helium star and dies as a Type Ib/c supernova. The mass gainer is spun-up, and internal magnetic fields e ffi ciently transport accreted angular momentum into the stellar core. The orbital widening prevents subseq uent tidal synchronization, and the mass gainer rejuvenates and evolves quasi-chemically homogeneously thereafter. The mass donor explodes 7 Myr before the collapse of the mass gainer. Assuming the binary to be broken-up by the supernova kick, the potential gamma-ray burst progenitor would become a runaway star with a space velocity of 27 km s −1 , traveling about 200 pc during its remaining lifetime. Conclusions. The binary channel presented here does not, as such, provide a new physical model for collapsar production, as the resulting stellar models are almost identical to quasi-che mically homogeneously evolving rapidly rotating single stars. However, it may provide a means for massive stars to obtain the required high rotation rates. Moreover, it suggests that a possibly la rge fraction of long gamma-ray bursts occurs in runaway stars.
Medicinal plants with antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects (part 2): plant based review

-Previous studies showed that a wide range of medicinal plants exerted antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. These plants included: Achillea santolina, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Agrimonia eupatoria, Ailanthus altissima, Alhagi maurorum, Allium cepa, Allium porrum, Allium sativum, Allium schoenoprasum, Alpinia galangal, Althaea officinalis, Ammannia baccifera, Ammi visnaga, Anchusa italica, Anchusa strigosa, Anethum graveolens, Antirrhinum majus, Arachis hypogaea, Arctium lappa, Artemisia campestris, Asparagus officinalis, Astragalus hamosus, Avena sativa, Bacopa monniera, Ballota nigra, Bauhinia variegata, Bellis perenni, Bidens tripartite, Brassica rapa, Bryophyllum calycinum, Caesalpinia crista Calamintha graveolens, Calendula officinalis, Calotropis procera, Canna indica, Capparis spinosa, Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Carthamus tinctorius, Carum carvi, Cassia occidentalis, Casuarina equisetifolia, Centaurea cyanus, Chenopodium album and Chrozophora tinctoria. This review was designed to highlight the antioxidant effects of medicinal plants as a second part of our previous review.
The Impact of the 2008 Crisis on UK Prices: What We Can Learn from the CPI Microdata1

This paper takes the locally collected price-quotes used to construct the CPI index in the UK for the period 1996-2013 to explore the impact of the crisis on the pricing behavior of firms. We develop a time-series framework which is able to capture the link between macro- economic variables (in? ation and output) and the behavior of prices in terms of the frequency of price change, the dispersion of price levels and the dispersion of price-growth. Whilst these effects are present, they are small and do not have significant effects for monetary policy.
Nail Involvement in Alopecia Areata: A Questionnaire-based Survey on Clinical Signs, Impact on Quality of Life and Review of the Literature

Alopecia areata (AA) is an immune-mediated disease causing temporary or permanent hair loss. Up to 46% of patients with AA also have nail involvement. The aim of this study was to determine the presence, types, and clinical implications of nail changes in patients with AA. This questionnaire-based survey eva-luated 256 patients with AA. General demographic variables, specific nail changes, nail-related quality of life (QoL), and treatment history and need were evalu-ated. Prevalence of nail involvement in AA was 64.1%. The specific nail signs reported most frequently were pitting (29.7%, p = 0.008) and trachyonychia (18.0%). Red spots on the lunula were less frequent (5.1%), but very specific for severe AA. Nail-related QoL was only minimally affected by nail changes. In conclusion, nail involvement is common in patients with AA and presents mostly with pitting and trachyonychia. The presence of these nail changes reflects the severity of the disease, with red spots on the lunula as a predictor for severe alopecia.
Smoking cessation interventions following acute coronary syndrome: a missed opportunity?

Background: It is recommended that general practitioners (GPs) offer cessation advice and pharmacological interventions to smokers with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The study objective was to describe the extent to which this is done, and to describe outcomes by smoking status. Design: Patients aged 30+ hospitalised for troponin-positive ACS from 2002 to 2009, discharged home alive, were identified in the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project registry. Patient data were linked to the General Practice Research Database, Hospital Episode Statistics, and Office of National Statistics mortality data, enabling a unique perspective of longitudinal smoking data. Patients who smoked prior to the hospitalisation had GP interventions and quitting status established in the 3 months following discharge, and were followed up for major clinical outcomes. Methods: The outcomes evaluated included death, repeat ACS, stroke, heart failure, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Results: Of the 4834 patients included, 965 (20%) were smokers at the time of their ACS. After the ACS event, only 225 (24%) received any GP smoking intervention within 3 months, with 82 (9%) receiving advice only, and 143 (15%) receiving a pharmacological intervention. Patients who quit (320; 33%) were at a decreased risk of mortality (relative risk (RR) 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.69) and MACE (RR 0.61; 0.46–0.80) compared with patients who did not. Conclusions: Whilst a high proportion of patients with ACS are smokers, there is a low level of GP cessation intervention following hospital discharge. This missed opportunity of patient care is important given the decreased risk of mortality and MACE found amongst those who quit.
SVM Optimization for Sentiment Analysis

Exponential growth in mobile technology and mini computing devices has led to a massive increment in social media users, who are continuously posting their views and comments about certain products and services, which are in their use. These views and comments can be extremely beneficial for the companies which are interested to know about the public opinion regarding their offered products or services. This type of public opinion otherwise can be obtained via questionnaires and surveys, which is no doubt a difficult and complex task. So, the valuable information in the form of comments and posts from micro-blogging sites can be used by the companies to eliminate the flaws and to improve the products or services according to customer needs. However, extracting a general opinion out of a staggering number of users’ comments manually cannot be feasible. A solution to this is to use an automatic method for sentiment mining. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is one of the widely used classification techniques for polarity detection from textual data. This study proposes a technique to tune the SVM performance by using grid search method for sentiment analysis. In this paper, three datasets are used for the experiment and performance of proposed technique is evaluated using three information retrieval metrics: precision, recall and f-measure.
FLUORIDE GEOCHEMISTRY OF GROUNDWATER IN NALHATI-1 BLOCK OF THE BIRBHUM DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Summary: The concentration of fluoride ion (F) in groundwater samples from different sites in Nalhati-1 block of the Birbhum district, West Bengal, was determined by SPADNS colorimetric analysis. Most of the F levels were within permissible limits, whereas a significantly higher concentration of 1.95 mg/L was found in artesian well samples of Nasipur village. The F in groundwater appears to be controlled by the distribution of Ca 2+ and to some extent SO4 2– , ionic strength, and the presence of complex ions. From correlation coefficient analysis, F was found to be inversely related to Ca 2+ and positively related to Na + . Basaltic rock and water interaction with it may be responsible for the increased F in the artesian well samples from the study area.
Lexical Features in Corporate Annual Reports: a Corpus-based Study

nnual reports (ARs) are the most important external documents and the most used channels for communication between organizations and stakeholders. The study uses self-built one self-built large corpus and nine small self-built sub-corpora to investigate lexical features in ARs to help AR users understand written financial discourses. The corpus consists of 120 pieces of 2011 annual reports. The results showed that financial aspect is mostly concerned in CARs; vocabulary of chairman’s statements is the richest while that of auditor’s report is not rich; words in auditor’s reports and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports are longer and more complex than those in chairman’s statements and financial statements; fuzzy words are noticeably more frequent in the section of chairman’s statements and business overview; the personal pronoun “our” is the most frequently used personal pronouns in ARs especially in chairmen’s statement; more positive words are used than negative words in CARs.
2D-Based Nanofluids: Materials Evaluation and Performance

Advancement in technology demands the successful utilization of energy and its management in a greater extent. Thermal energy management plays a crucial role from high-payload electrical instruments to ultra-small electronic circuitries. The advent of nanofluids that happened in the 1990s successfully addressed the low thermal efficiency of conventional fluids in a significant manner. The ground-breaking report on the concept of “nanofluids for thermal management” led to the development of numer‐ ous thermal fluids using nanofillers of ceramics, metals, semiconductors, various carbon nanostructures, and composite materials. Later, demonstration of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials and their successful bulk synthesis led to the development of highly efficient fluids with even very low filler fractions. Introduction of 2D materials into fluids also brought out the multifunctional aspects of fluids by using them in tribolo‐ gy. In this chapter, we narrate the advances in thermal nanofluids and the develop‐ ment of novel fluids with the discovery graphene. Multifunctional aspects of these fluids are discussed here. To support the experimental observation, a theoretical platform is discussed and its predictions are correlated on the basis of existing data. The chapter has been concluded with a brief discussion on futuristic aspects of nanofluids in real-life applications. This chapter aims to focus on the description of the thermal trans‐ port, tribological behavior, and aspects that involve the use of 2D-based nanofluids, from various 2D nanostructures such as h-BN, MoS 2 , WS 2 , graphene, among others. The homogeneous nanoparticle distribution within conventional fluids and the results from the thermal transport and tribological tests and observations are included. The nanofluids under investigation belong mainly to dielectric and metal-mechanic lubricants. Also, the mechanisms that promote these effects on the improvement of nanofluids properties are considered. stability, dispersion, viscosity, and conductive heat transfer properties of
Examination on the Aggression Levels of Turkish National Skiing Athletes

Leading the aggression in some athletes ensures productivity; however, misleading does not give the same result. The aggression may reach dangerous extents. Nevertheless, aggressive behavior can be regarded as a relaxation. One of the important reasons of violence and aggression seen in sports is the belief that it increases the performance or success. Based upon these arguments, we aim to examine the aggression levels of Turkey national skiing athletes. The study has been conducted on 9 female and 11 male national skiing athletes who participated in International Alpine Skiing Cup held in Sarikamis in 2012. An assessment instrument that comprises 2 parts was used to acquire data. At the first part, demographic data of the participants were gathered; at the second part, a 30-item Aggression Scale of which reliability has been developed by Ipek Ilter was used to analyze the participants’ aggression and factors influencing aggression. Consequently, the aggression levels were observed below the average pursuant to the gender, age and year of sports. Furthermore, assertiveness level was observed as high while disruptive and passive dimensions of aggression were found low. It is believed the athletes’ being national athletes at the elite level has importance in both team success and individual success.
Enhancing student engagement in pre-vocational and vocational education: a learning history

Abstract Interest in student engagement has increased over the past decade, which has resulted in increased knowledge about this concept and about the aspects that facilitate engagement. However, as yet, only a few studies have focused on engagement from the perspective of the teacher. In this study, we capture the experiences of teachers who were explicitly working with their teams on fostering student engagement. We used the learning history method to capture those experiences and at the same time to stimulate learning within the participating teams. A learning history includes the voices of the different participants involved in order to stimulate reflection and learning. Three teams of teachers participated in the writing of this learning history. Several teachers (n = 10), students (n = 10), and managers (n = 5) from or related to the teams were interviewed. The learning history shows that, on the one hand, teachers emphasized positive relationships and structure in relation to student engagement, yet, on the other hand, students continued to provide examples of negative relationships and mentioned a lack of structure, although they also mentioned improvements. Furthermore, the learning history showed that teachers in all teams reflected on their experiences and learned from the activities employed to foster student engagement, which included taking a more positive approach, conversations about a skills form, and being more consequent. These results taken together indicate that it is possible for teachers to do a better job of engaging their students and that their repertoire can be expanded to include more engagement-related actions. Finally, the learning history produced offers insight into the difficulties experienced by the teams. An important limitation mentioned by all teams was that teachers found it difficult to address each other’s behavior when someone did not act as agreed upon.
Release of bFGF, an endothelial cell survival factor, by osmotic shock.

PURPOSE To test the effects of osmotic change on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) release from cultured endothelial cells (ECs). METHODS Bovine aortic and bovine retinal ECs were exposed to hypoosmotic shock for 2 minutes, were allowed to recover for 15 minutes, and had bFGF release assayed. The role of bFGF in cell recovery was assessed by including neutralizing antibody against bFGF or the addition of exogenous bFGF. Cell number and viability were determined under varying conditions. Apoptosis was assessed by immunoperoxidase detection of digoxigenin-labeled DNA. RESULTS After shock and recovery, both ECs released significantly greater amounts of bFGF than untreated control. bFGF release after shock for 2 minutes was lower than release after shock and recovery. Bovine retinal endothelial (BRE) cell number was reduced at 48 hours after shock, recovery, and removal of released bFGF compared with cells left in the presence of released bFGF. Cell number was significantly lower when BRE cells were shocked and recovered in the presence of a neutralizing anti-bFGF antibody (P<0.05). Exogenous bFGF reversed this effect. Apoptosis was significantly increased in BRE cells shocked and recovered or in the presence of bFGF antibody (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS bFGF is released by cultured ECs in response to osmotically induced cell injury. These results support the concept of bFGF as a "wound" hormone and survival factor for ECs. In further compromised tissue, release of bFGF in this manner may play a role in the pathogenesis of disease.
Acceleration Receptors in the Femoral Chordotonal Organ of the Stick Insect, Cuniculina Impigra

SUMMARY The femoral chordotonal organ of the stick insect Cuniculina itnpigra was stimulated by moving its apodeme with staircase-like waveforms having independently controllable acceleration and velocity values. Intracellular recordings were made of receptor units in the sensory nerve. Apart from receptors encoding position and velocity (see preceding paper, Hofmann, Koch & Bassler, 1985) specific acceleration receptors and also receptors responding to both the acceleration and the velocity of the stimulus could be distinguished. The pure acceleration receptors fall into two categories: units reacting only to one sign of acceleration (e.g. onset of relaxation and end of elongation) and units reacting to both signs of accelerations. Individual thresholds for each sign of acceleration were measured and analysed. Latencies of the receptors were determined and found to be dependent on the degree of acceleration. A possible role for the acceleration receptors in an alarm system of the animal is discussed.
A Study of Pleasure Travelers' Cognitive Distance Assessments

Distance was cited by respondents as their most important consideration when selecting a destination to which to drive for a seven-day pleasure vacation. Their cognitive distance estimates to 14 potential destinations were substantially different from the actual distances to those destinations. As actual distance increased, respondents' estimates of cognitive distance increased, but less than proportionately. Hypotheses postulating the direction of cognitive distance distortion were derived from the hierarchical theory, but they were not supported. In contrast, the results supported hypotheses derived from the nonhierarchical theory, postulating that active travelers, males, and longer-tenured residents in a commu nity would exhibit less cognitive distance distortion.
The Effects of Extensive Reading on Reading Comprehension, Reading Rate, and Vocabulary Acquisition

Several empirical studies and syntheses of extensive reading have concluded that extensive reading has positive impacts on language learning in second- and foreign-language settings. However, many of the studies contained methodological or curricular limitations, raising questions about the asserted positive effects of extensive reading. The present research adds to the limited set of well-controlled studies by investigating the impact of an extensive reading approach over a 15-week semester on the reading comprehension, reading rate, and vocabulary acquisition of Korean university students studying English as a foreign language. A quasi-experimental research design was employed using four intact classes: two control (n = 88) and two experimental (n = 83). The control classes received 100-minute intensive reading instruction per week, whereas the experimental classes received equivalent 70-minute intensive reading instruction and 30-minute extensive reading instruction per week. A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the experimental classes significantly outperformed the control classes on the combination of the three dependent variables (i.e., reading comprehension, reading rate, vocabulary acquisition). Subsequent analyses of variance confirmed the positive impacts of extensive reading on all three areas. Instructional implications for extensive reading in second-language curricula are discussed.
Solid Matrix Priming Improves Seedling Vigor of Okra Seeds

(L.) Moench. were primed in solid matrices to improve germination performanceand vigor. Ten solid carriers (6 formulations of clays, 2 formulations of humicacid, and 2 other types of formulations) were evaluated for their ability to improvevigor of okra seeds at 25°C in laboratory studies. Super Absorbent 500 (SA 500)consistently increased (
Comparing the Social Images of Youth In and Out of Residential Care

The literature indicates that youths in residential care have been associated with negative social images. However, there have been few studies focused on these social images, specifically, comparing them with the images of youths in normative contexts. To address this issue, we conducted two studies comparing the social images people have about youths in residential care to those they hold about youths living out of care. Both studies were conducted in Portugal: Study 1 explores these images through an open-ended questionnaire; Study 2 examines these images with a quantitative instrument. Overall, the results indicate that the perception about youths in residential care was more negative than the perception about youths out of care. Additionally, the first study probed the effect of socioeconomic status of the youths on the social images held about them and the second examined the role of the respondents' professional contact with youth in care population on these social images. The implications of the social images people have about youth in residential care for the research and intervention towards the wellbeing of this population are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Induced Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Activate Human Macrophages

Neutrophils activated by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), containing DNA and several biologically active cytosolic and granular proteins. These NETs may assist in the innate immune defense against different pathogens. We investigated whether the NET-forming neutrophils mediate an activating signal to macrophages during the early multicellular inflammatory reaction and granuloma formation. Mtb-induced NETs were found to be reactive oxygen species dependent and phagocytosis dependent. A neutrophil elastase inhibitor also delayed NET formation. However, NET formation occurred independently of Mtb-induced apoptosis. We observed close interactions between macrophages and Mtb-activated neutrophils, where macrophages bound and phagocytosed NETs. Significant secretion of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β and IL-10 were detected from macrophages cocultured with NETs from Mtb-activated but not phorbol myristate acetate-activated neutrophils. NETs binding heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) or recombinant Hsp72 were able to trigger cytokine release from macrophages. Only Mtb-induced NETs contained Hsp72, suggesting that these NETs can transfer this danger signal to adjacent macrophages. We propose that Hsp72 sequestered in NETs plays an important role in the interaction between neutrophils and macrophages during the early innate immune phase of an Mtb infection. The immunomodulatory role of NETs and proteins derived from them may influence not only chronic inflammation during tuberculosis but also immune regulation and autoimmunity.