Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
“Ultralow” sliding wear polytetrafluoro ethylene nanocomposites with functionalized graphene

The dry friction and sliding wear behavior of sintered polytetrafluoro ethylene containing various amounts of functionalized graphene were studied in this work. Graphene was incorporated in 0, 0.25, 0.75, 1, 2 and 4 vol.%, respectively. Sliding wear tests were performed in ring(metal)-on-plate(polytetrafluoro ethylene) test rig under ambient temperature setting 1 m/s sliding speed and 1 MPa contact pressure. The dynamic coefficient of friction and specific wear rate (ws) data were determined. Very low coefficient of frictions (0.12–0.14) were measured for polytetrafluoro ethylene containing 2 or 4 vol.% graphene, which was attributed to the formation of a tribofilm on the countersurface. Specific wear rate went through a maximum (peaked at doubling that of the unmodified polytetrafluoro ethylene at about 0.75 vol.% graphene) as a function of graphene content. Ultralow wear rate data in the range of 10−6 mm3/(N.m) were measured for the polytetrafluoro ethylene nanocomposites with 2 and 4 vol.% graphene. This was reasoned by the formation of a robust tribofilm, the development of which was followed by scanning electron microscopy by inspecting the worn surface of polytetrafluoro ethylene nanocomposites and that of the steel ring of the ring(metal)-on-plate(polytetrafluoro ethylene) test rig. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic results confirmed the formation of carboxyl groups in the tribofilm. They were supposed to react with the functional groups of graphene and to create complexes with the metal countersurface ensuring the tribofilm with high adhesion and cohesion strengths.
Revitalising the evidence base for public health: an assets model

Historically, approaches to the promotion of population health have been based on a deficit model. That is, they tend to focus on identifying the problems and needs of populations that require professional resources and high levels of dependence on hospital and welfare services. These deficit models are important and necessary to identify levels of needs and priorities. But they need to be complemented by some other perspectives as they have some drawbacks. Deficit models tend to define communities and individuals in negative terms, disregarding what is positive and works well in particular populations. In contrast `assets' models tend to accentuate positive capability to identify problems and activate solutions. They focus on promoting salutogenic resources that promote the self esteem and coping abilities of individuals and communities, eventually leading to less dependency on professional services. Much of the evidence available to policy makers to inform decisions about the most effective approaches to promoting health and to tackling health inequities is based on a deficit model and this may disproportionately lead to policies and practices which disempower the populations and communities who are supposed to benefit from them. An assets approach to health and development embraces a `salutogenic' notion of health creation and in doing so encourages the full participation of local communities in the health development process. The asset model presented here aims to revitalise how policy makers, researchers and practitioners think and act to promote a more resourceful approach to tackling health inequities. The model outlines a systematic approach to asset based public health which can provide scientific evidence and best practice on how to maximise the stock of key assets necessary for promoting health. Redressing the balance between the assets and deficit models for evidence based public health could help us to unlock some of the existing barriers to effective action on health inequities. This re-balancing would help in better understanding the factors that influence health and what can be done about them. It would promote a positive and inclusive approach to action. (Promotion & Education, 2007, Supplement (2): pp 17-22).
DNA Barcoding and the Associated PhylAphidB@se Website for the Identification of European Aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Aphids constitute a diverse group of plant-feeding insects and are among the most important crop pests in temperate regions. Their morphological identification is time-consuming and requires specific knowledge, training and skills that may take years to acquire. We assessed the advantages and limits of DNA barcoding with the standard COI barcode fragment for the identification of European aphids. We constructed a large reference dataset of barcodes from 1020 specimens belonging to 274 species and 87 genera sampled throughout Europe and set up a database-driven website allowing species identification from query sequences. Results In this unbiased sampling of the taxonomic diversity of European aphids, intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.0% to 3.9%, with a mean value of 0.29%, whereas mean congeneric divergence was 6.4%, ranging from 0.0% to 15%. Neighbor-joining analysis generated a tree in which most species clustered in distinct genetic units. Most of the species with undifferentiated or overlapping barcodes belonged to the genus Aphis or, to a lesser extent, the genera Brachycaudus, Dysaphis and Macrosiphum. The taxa involved were always morphologically similar or closely related and belonged to species groups known to present taxonomic difficulties. Conclusions These data confirm that COI barcoding is a useful identification tool for aphids. Barcode identification is straightforward and reliable for 80% of species, including some difficult to distinguish on the basis of morphological characters alone. Unsurprisingly, barcodes often failed to distinguish between species from groups for which classical taxonomy has also reached its limits, leading to endless revisions and discussions about species and subspecies definitions. In such cases, the development of an effective procedure for the accurate identification of aphid specimens continues to pose a difficult challenge.
Fish Intake and Risk of Liver Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background Increasing laboratory findings indicate that n-3 fatty acids, mainly derived from fish, inhibit cancer development and progression, but results from epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent and inconclusive. Objective To evaluate the association of fish intake with risk of liver cancer by conducting a meta-analysis. Methods Published case-control/cohort studies that evaluated the relationship between total fish intake and risk of liver cancer were found on PubMed and EMBASE. The pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained with the random-effects model. Results Five retrospective case-control studies and 5 prospective cohort studies were included in the final analysis, involving a total of 3 624 liver cancer cases. Comparing the highest with the lowest category of total fish intake, the pooled RRs of liver cancer were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.59-1.06) for case-control studies, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.70-0.96) for cohort studies and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.71-0.94) for all studies combined. The protective effects of total fish intake against liver cancer were confirmed by stratified and sensitivity analyses. In addition, an increase in fish intake of 1 serving/week was estimated to be significantly associated with 6% lower risk of liver cancer (RR = 0.94, 95% CI, 0.91-0.98). Conclusions Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that a higher fish intake is associated with reduced risk of liver cancer.
Reflection of Coherent Millimeter-Wave Wavelets on Dispersive Materials: A Study on Porcine Skin

Differences in the material reflection are required for any contrast in microwave- and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) imaging systems. Therefore, the dielectric properties, which determine the reflection of materials, need to be characterized. The characterization of skin and other biological tissue is, therefore, necessary, to apply imaging systems for instance in cancer diagnosis. In this paper, short, coherent mm-wave pulses (wavelets) are generated and their reflection on dispersive materials is studied. The reflections of wavelets on porcine skin and water are examined in time and frequency domain. A first-order Debye model is fitted to the reflection coefficient in frequency domain to quantify material dispersion. The frequency-dependent reflection on dispersive materials causes a distortion of the wavelets in the time domain. The startup behavior of the pulses is examined by simulation and measurements. The rise time of the pulses is identified as a feature in time domain for wavelets reflected on dispersive media. Together with other features characteristic for a pulse, for instance the wavelet amplitude, this enables identification of dispersive materials by reflectometry measurements, making it suitable for applications in mm-wave imaging systems.
Quantifying turfgrass-available N from returned clippings using anion exchange membranes

Returning clippings can provide N to turf, but the amount of plant-available N derived from clippings is not easy to quantify. An accurate estimate of N released by clippings would be useful in guiding turf N fertilizer recommendations. The objective of this study was to determine if anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) could be used to quantify plant-available soil N when clippings are returned. A greenhouse and two field experiments were set out in randomized block designs using a factorial arrangement of 2 clipping practices [removed (CRM) and returned (CRT)] and 4 rates of N fertilization (0 to 392 kg N ha yr) on a cool-season lawn turf. Cumulative N uptake in the clippings was determined and correlated to AEM desorbed NO3–N. Returning clippings resulted in greater overall N uptake and AEM desorbed NO3–N. However, the response of N uptake to AEM desorbed NO3–N was not the same for CRM and CRT treatments. Uptake was greater for CRT than CRM at any given AEM desorbed NO3–N level past the minimum values. This suggests that, in addition to NO3–N, other N forms (most likely NH4–N) are being released from the clippings and taken up by the turf. Anion-exchange membranes alone are not adequate to quantify the plant-available N provided by returned clippings. To accurately assess the total pool of plant-available N to turf when clippings are returned with ion-exchange technology, cationand anion-exchange resins are needed to quantify the total plant-available N pool derived from clippings. Abbreviations: AEM-anion exchange membrane, CRT-clippings returned, CRM-clippings removed
High Frequency of Multidrug Resistant Urinary Isolates in Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Nepal

High Frequency of Multidrug Resistant Urinary Isolates in Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Nepal Bhandari Pashupati1*, Dipak Raj Joshi2, Sharma Khem Raj2, Khanal Santosh1, Acharya Ganesh3, Adhikari Nabaraj2 1Department of Microbiology, National College (NIST), Khusibu, Kathmandu, Nepal 2Department of Microbiology, Kantipur College of Medical Sciences, Sitapaila, Kathmandu, Nepal 3Department of Pathology Laboratory, Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal SOJ Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Open Access Research Article
Antiradical and antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of indigenous termitarian mushroom from Tanzania

Termitomyces mushrooms grow symbiotically with termites. They are abundantly distributed in the country, mostly consumed and liked by people. However, their antiradical and antioxidants activities are not yet established. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative values of antiradical and antioxidant of crude methanolic extracts of six Termitomyces species ( T. titanicus , T. aurantiacus , T. letestui , T. clypeatus, T. microcarpus and T. eurhizus ) were investigated. The investigation used DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical as a substrate to determine both scavenging abilities and antiradical activities. Antioxidant was further analysed quantitatively for b-carotene, flavonoid content, total phenolic compounds and vitamin C content in the crude methanolic extracts using spectrophotometric assay at 515 hm. The result showed that they all exhibited scavenging ability and antiradical activity although the ability differed markedly among the species. The highest antiradical activity unit (EAU 515 ) was from T. microcarpus (EAU 515 1.48) followed by T. aurantiacus (EAU 515 1.43) while the lowest was from T. eurhizus (EAU 515 0.7). The scavenging power was also highest in T. microcarpus (EC 50 < 0.1 mg/ml) followed by T. letestui (EC 50 = 0.14 mg/ml); while T. eurhizus showed the least power (EC 50 = 0.36 mg/ml). In quantitative analysis, T. microcarpus was also found having high content of phenols, Flavonoid, and b-carotene except lycopene and Vitamin C content which were high in T. aurantiacus and T. eurhizus respectively. Based on these results, all studied termitarian mushroom are good source of antioxidants while T. microcarpus could be considered as potential antiradicals of high profile thus thought for selection in preparation of mushroom-based nutraceutics. The results also endorse the continuing harvesting of these wild mushrooms for including them in our daily food for healthy diets. Keywords: Antioxidant, antiradical, Termitomyces , Termitarian, Tanzania
Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Rural Malawi

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) the disease burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) is rising considerably. Given weaknesses in existing financial arrangements across SSA, expenditure on CNCDs is often borne directly by patients through out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. This study explored patterns and determinants of OOP expenditure on CNCDs in Malawi. We used data from the first round of a longitudinal household health survey conducted in 2012 on a sample of 1199 households in three rural districts in Malawi. We used a two-part model to analyze determinants of OOP expenditure on CNCDs. 475 respondents reported at least one CNCD. More than 60% of the 298 individuals who reported seeking care incurred OOP expenditure. The amount of OOP expenditure on CNCDs comprised 22% of their monthly per capita household expenditure. The poorer the household, the higher proportion of their monthly per capita household expenditure was spent on CNCDs. Higher severity of disease was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of incurring OOP expenditure. Use of formal care was negatively associated with the possibility of incurring OOP expenditure. The following factors were positively associated with the amount of OOP expenditure: being female, Alomwe and household head, longer duration of disease, CNCDs targeted through active screening programs, higher socio-economic status, household head being literate, using formal care, and fewer household members living with a CNCD within a household. Our study showed that, in spite of a context where care for CNCDs should in principle be available free of charge at point of use, OOP payments impose a considerable financial burden on rural households, especially among the poorest. This suggests the existence of important gaps in financial protection in the current coverage policy.
Urinary exosomes reveal protein signatures in hypertensive patients with albuminuria

Albuminuria is an indicator of cardiovascular risk and renal damage in hypertensive individuals. Chronic renin–angiotensin system (RAS) suppression facilitates blood pressure control and prevents development of new-onset-albuminuria. A significant number of patients, however, develop albuminuria despite chronic RAS blockade, and the physiopathological mechanisms are underexplored. Urinary exosomes reflect pathological changes taking place in the kidney. The objective of this work was to examine exosomal protein alterations in hypertensive patients with albuminuria in the presence of chronic RAS suppression, to find novel clues underlying its development. Patients were followed-up for three years and were classified as: a) patients with persistent normoalbuminuria; b) patients developing de novo albuminuria; and c) patients with maintained albuminuria. Exosomal protein alterations between groups were identified by isobaric tag quantitation (iTRAQ). Confirmation was approached by target analysis (SRM). In total, 487 proteins were identified with high confidence. Specifically, 48 proteins showed an altered pattern in response to hypertension and/or albuminuria. Out of them, 21 proteins interact together in three main functional clusters: glycosaminoglycan degradation, coagulation and complement system, and oxidative stress. The identified proteins constitute potential targets for drug development and may help to define therapeutic strategies to evade albuminuria progression in hypertensive patients chronically treated.
Impact of land‐use change and soil organic carbon quality on microbial diversity in soils across Europe

ABSTRACT Land‐use and their change have dramatic consequences for above‐ground biodiversity, but their impact on soil microbial communities is poorly understood. In this study, soils from 19 European sites representing conversion of croplands to grasslands or forests and of grasslands to croplands or forests were characterized for microbial abundance and bacterial diversity. The abundance of Bacteria and Fungi but not Archaea responded to land‐use change. Site was the major determinant of the soil bacterial community structure, explaining 32% of the variation in 16S rRNA gene diversity. While the quantity of soil organic carbon (SOC) only explained 5% of the variation, SOC when differentiated by its quality could explain 22%. This was similar to the impact of soil pH (21%) and higher than that of land‐use type (15%). Croplands had the highest bacterial diversity. Converting croplands to grassland caused an increase of Verrucomicrobia; croplands to forest increased Rhizobiales but decreased Bacteroidetes and Nitrospirae; and grasslands to cropland increased Gemmatimonadetes but decreased Verrucomicrobia and Planctomycetes. Network analysis identified associations between particular SOC fractions and specific bacterial taxa. We conclude that land‐use‐related effects on soil microorganisms can be consistently observed across a continental scale. &NA; Graphical Abstract Figure. Soil microbial abundance and bacterial diversity respond specifically and consistently across a continental scale to land‐use and land‐use changes with soil organic carbon as a key factor.
Variable AC polarity GTAW fusion behavior in 5083 aluminum

Aluminum alloys are typically welded on AC with the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. Many power sources have "max penetration" indicated when more than 50% of the AC cycle is spent on electrode negative polarity and "max cleaning" when more than 50% of the cycle is on electrode positive polarity. In the work reported here, weld bead dimensions, notably penetration and bead width, increase with the percentage of electrode positive polarity during the unbalanced square wave AC welding of aluminum alloys with the GTAW process. This is in direct contradiction of conventional assumptions about the role of electrode positive and electrode negative contributions to surface cleaning and fusion behavior during AC welding. The primary source of the extra base metal melting during electrode positive operation is in the nature of cold cathode field emission of electrons from the base metal. The dielectric breakdown of surface oxide as electrons are emitted also contributes to the increased fusion, but this is not a contributory factor once the weld metal surface is completely clean. Both phenomena require extra energy to be supplied to the cathode, which results in the increased fusion. Earlier works on the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process confirm this behavior of enhanced melting at the cathode. Positive ion bombardment, thermal convection from the plasma jet, and radiation from the plasma complete the thermal input to the cathode for metal fusion.
What Drives Users' Website Registration? A Randomized Field Experiment

User registration is an important prerequisite for the success of many websites by enabling users to gain access to domain information and often personalized content. It is not always desirable for users, however, because they need to disclose personal information. This paper examines what drives user registration. The results show that brand awareness is an important determinant of user registration by negatively moderating (attenuating) the negative effect of information privacy concerns on user registration and positively moderating (reinforcing) the positive effect of trust on user registration. Furthermore, to alleviate information privacy concerns and build trust in the website, we conducted a randomized field experiment and empirically examined the effectiveness of advertising two types of information, i.e., word-of-mouth information and popularity information, and measured their economic value. Interestingly, when both types of information are shown, the website achieved over 12% higher conversion rate than without any information.
The Pathology of Severe Dengue in Multiple Organs of Human Fatal Cases: Histopathology, Ultrastructure and Virus Replication

Dengue is a public health problem, with several gaps in understanding its pathogenesis. Studies based on human fatal cases are extremely important and may clarify some of these gaps. In this work, we analyzed lesions in different organs of four dengue fatal cases, occurred in Brazil. Tissues were prepared for visualization in optical and electron microscopy, with damages quantification. As expected, we observed in all studied organ lesions characteristic of severe dengue, such as hemorrhage and edema, although other injuries were also detected. Cases presented necrotic areas in the liver and diffuse macro and microsteatosis, which were more accentuated in case 1, who also had obesity. The lung was the most affected organ, with hyaline membrane formation associated with mononuclear infiltrates in patients with pre-existing diseases such as diabetes and obesity (cases 1 and 2, respectively). These cases had also extensive acute tubular necrosis in the kidney. Infection induced destruction of cardiac fibers in most cases, with absence of nucleus and loss of striations, suggesting myocarditis. Spleens revealed significant destruction of the germinal centers and atrophy of lymphoid follicles, which may be associated to decrease of T cell number. Circulatory disturbs were reinforced by the presence of megakaryocytes in alveolar spaces, thrombus formation in glomerular capillaries and loss of endothelium in several tissues. Besides histopathological and ultrastructural observations, virus replication were investigated by detection of dengue antigens, especially the non-structural 3 protein (NS3), and confirmed by the presence of virus RNA negative strand (in situ hybridization), with second staining for identification of some cells. Results showed that dengue had broader tropism comparing to what was described before in literature, replicating in hepatocytes, type II pneumocytes and cardiac fibers, as well as in resident and circulating monocytes/macrophages and endothelial cells.