Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Eco-friendly Degumming of Apocynum Venetum with Ionic Liquid Pretreatment

ABSTRACT A novel pretreatment process for degumming of apocynum venetum is developed firstly using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate-water mixtures. The effect of the four independent parameters on the residue of gum of apocynum venetum fibers was investigated. The results showed that the effect of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate concentration on the residue of gum is the most significant, followed by time, temperature, and liquor ratio. The optimal solution of ionic liquid pretreatment for the degumming of apocynum venetum fiber is obtained with a concentration of ionic liquid 80%, liquor ratio 1:20, temperature 90°C, and time 4 h. The residual gum contents for the chemical degummed apocynum venetum fibers were 3.90% with ionic liquid pretreatment. Moreover, the physicochemical properties of the degummed apocynum venetum fibers were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM).
Increased Control Demand Results in Serial Processing

Increased demands on cognitive control trigger changes in processing mode. One such modulation involves a shift from parallel to serial processing. This study assessed the role of control demand in determining whether dual-task processing is performed serially or in parallel. We used two critical indices, based on the response-selection bottleneck model, to show that response selection was serial when a task switch was involved, but partly parallel when the simultaneous performance of the tasks did not involve task switching.
Changes in HIV risk behavior and seroincidence among clients presenting for repeat HIV counseling and testing in Moshi, Tanzania

Abstract While HIV counseling and testing (HCT) has been considered an HIV preventive measure in Africa, data are limited describing behavior changes following HCT. This study evaluated behavior changes and estimated HIV seroincidence rate among returning HCT clients. Repeat and one-time testing clients receiving HCT services in Moshi, Tanzania were identified. Information about sociodemographic characteristics, HIV-related behaviors and testing reasons were collected, along with HIV serostatus. Six thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven clients presented at least once for HCT; 1235 (18.4%) were HIV seropositive, median age was 29.7 years and 3712 (55.3%) were women. 1382 repeat and 4272 one-time testers were identified. Repeat testers were more likely to be male, older, married, or widowed, and testing because of unfaithful partner or new sexual partner. One-time testers were more likely to be students and testing due to illness. At second test, repeat testers were more likely to report that partners had received HIV testing, not have concurrent partners, not suspect partners have HIV, and have partners who did not have other partners. Clients who intended to change behaviors after the first test were more likely to report having changed behaviors by remaining abstinent (OR 2.58; p<0.0001) or using condoms (OR 2.00; p=0.006) at the second test. HIV seroincidence rate was 1.49 cases/100 person-years (PY). Clients presenting for repeat HCT reported some reduction of risky behavior and improved knowledge of sexual practices and HIV serostatus of their partners. Promoting behavior change through HCT should continue to be a focus of HIV prevention efforts in sub-Saharan Africa.
Activity budget, diet, and habitat use in the critically endangered Ka'apor capuchin monkey (Cebus kaapori) in Pará State, Brazil: A preliminary comparison to other capuchin monkeys

The Ka'apor capuchin, Cebus kaapori, is perhaps the most endangered primate of the Brazilian Amazon. Endemic to a region with extreme intensification of habitat‐degrading activities, it survives in remnant populations in a completely fragmented landscape. Before now, the only data available were isolated observations of feeding, locality records, and information on population densities and group size obtained during census. Here we present the first data on the activity budget, diet, and daily path length of the species, and compare our preliminary results with those for other capuchin monkeys. A group of nine Ka'apor capuchins was monitored over a period of four months during the dry season in the Goianésia do Pará municipality, Pará, Brazil. We used instantaneous scan sampling (n = 4,647 scans) to construct an activity budget for the monkeys, and we identified the plants in their diet to species level (n = 41 plant taxa), allowing us to compare dietary overlap with other gracile capuchin species, as well as with the robust capuchin (Sapajus spp.), a potential competitor present throughout the range of the Ka'apor capuchin. Like other species of gracile capuchins, C. kaapori was highly frugivorous, with the vast majority of the feeding records of arils and fruit pulp (74%), supplemented by arthropods (13%) and seeds (10%), although diet composition was highly variable across months. The group used a total area of 62.4 ha during the study period, and average daily path length was 2,173 m (±400 m), with the entire home range utilized in every month of the study. We found significant overlap in the diet of the Ka'apor capuchin and Sapajus, highlighting the urgency to increase knowledge of the ecological needs of C. kaapori and understand synergistic effects of sympatry with competitive species, increasing forest fragmentation, and widespread human impact on C. kaapori sustainability. Am. J. Primatol. 76:919–931, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diversity partitioning during the Cambrian radiation

Significance Many mechanisms of the Cambrian Explosion have been proposed, but rigorous quantitative analyses of biodiversity dynamics are scarce, although they may shed light on important factors. Using a comprehensive database and sampling standardization, we dissect global diversity patterns. The trajectories of within-community, between-community, and global diversity during the main phase of the Cambrian radiation revealed a low-competition model, which was probably governed by niche contraction and the increase of predation at local scales. At continental scales, the increase of beta diversity was controlled by the high rate of community turnover among adjacent continents. This finding supports the general importance of plate tectonics in large-scale diversifications. The fossil record offers unique insights into the environmental and geographic partitioning of biodiversity during global diversifications. We explored biodiversity patterns during the Cambrian radiation, the most dramatic radiation in Earth history. We assessed how the overall increase in global diversity was partitioned between within-community (alpha) and between-community (beta) components and how beta diversity was partitioned among environments and geographic regions. Changes in gamma diversity in the Cambrian were chiefly driven by changes in beta diversity. The combined trajectories of alpha and beta diversity during the initial diversification suggest low competition and high predation within communities. Beta diversity has similar trajectories both among environments and geographic regions, but turnover between adjacent paleocontinents was probably the main driver of diversification. Our study elucidates that global biodiversity during the Cambrian radiation was driven by niche contraction at local scales and vicariance at continental scales. The latter supports previous arguments for the importance of plate tectonics in the Cambrian radiation, namely the breakup of Pannotia.
Characterization of a temperature-sensitive influenza B virus mutant defective in neuraminidase

ts5, a temperature-sensitive mutant of influenza B virus, belongs to one of seven recombination groups. When the mutant infected MDCK cells at the nonpermissive temperature (37.5 degrees C), infectious virus was produced at very low levels compared with the yield at the permissive temperature (32 degrees C) and hemagglutinating and enzymatic activities were undetectable. However, viral protein synthesis and transport of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) to the cell surface were not affected. The NA was found as a monomer within cells even at 32 degrees C, in contrast to wild-type virus NA, existing mostly as an oligomer, but the mutant had oligomeric NA, like the wild-type virus. Its enzymatic activity was more thermolabile than that of wild-type virus. Despite the low yield, large aggregates of progeny virus particles were found to accumulate on the cell surface at the nonpermissive temperature, and these aggregates were broken by treatment with bacterial neuraminidase, with the concomitant appearance of hemagglutinating activity, suggesting that NA prevents the aggregation of progeny virus by removal of neuraminic acid from HA and cell receptor, allowing its release from the cells. Further treatment with trypsin resulted in the recovery of infectivity. When bacterial NA was added to the culture early in infection, many hemagglutinable infectious virus was produced. We also suggest that the removal of neuraminic acid from HA by NA is essential for the subsequent cleavage of HA by cellular protease. Nucleotide sequence analysis of RNA segment 6 revealed that ts5 encoded five amino acid changes in the NA molecule but not in NB.
End‐tidal carbon dioxide monitoring in very low birth weight infants: Correlation and agreement with arterial carbon dioxide

We aimed to determine the correlation and the agreement between end‐tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) and partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI); furthermore, we assessed factors that could affect the ETCO2–PaCO2 relationship.
Identifying Complications in Distraction Osteogenesis

Distraction osteogenesis as an alternative to conventional rehabilitation surgery revolutionized the addressing of critical-sized defects in children and adults. Considering the advantages, the method was preferred by many surgical units across the world to prevent additional surgeries, donor site morbidities, prolonged anesthetic use as well as to minimize the graft-associated reactions. [1] Literature cites that the complication in relation to distraction osteogenesis is much similar to that of the other standard treatment procedures; up to 40% were noted. [1,2] The number of devices placed increases, as in bilateral distractors, the chance of complications increases. The complications that arise with distraction osteogenesis of the jaw bone (DOJB) can be broadly divided into three groups intraoperative, intradistraction, and postdistraction complications. [1]
Putting Mental Health on the Agenda for HIV+ Women: A Review of Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

This article reviews the scientific literature regarding mental health services for poor HIV-infected women in sub-Saharan Africa and argues that they should constitute part of the healthcare agenda for these women. Key evidence points to the growing feminization of the HIV epidemic, as well as the differential social and economic impact of HIV on women. Further, HIV and poverty, both disproportionately affecting women, contribute independently and cumulatively to the risk for poor mental health. The limited empirical evidence regarding the mental health of this population is discussed. Multi-level psychosocial services, integrated within general health provision, are required to ensure long-term psychological benefits for HIV-infected women in the region.
On the determination of oxygen abundances in chromospherically active stars

We discuss oxygen abundances derived from (O ) λ6300 and the O  triplet in stars spanning a wide range in chromo- spheric activity level, and show that these two indicators yield increasingly discrepant results with higher chromospheric/coronal activity measures. While the forbidden and permitted lines give fairly consistent results for solar-type disk dwarfs, spuriously high O  triplet abundances are observed in young Hyades and Pleiades stars, as well as in individual components of RS CVn bi- naries (up to 1.8 dex). The distinct behaviour of the (O )-based abundances which consistently remain near-solar suggests that this phenomenon mostly results from large departures from LTE affecting the O  triplet at high activity level that are currently unaccounted for, but also possibly from a failure to adequately model the atmospheres of K-type stars. These results suggest that some caution should be exercised when interpreting oxygen abundances in active binaries or young open cluster stars.
Markedly increased incidence and improved survival of testicular cancer in the Netherlands

Abstract Background. Worldwide marked changes have been observed in the incidence and survival of testicular cancer (TC) during the last decades. We conducted a study on trends in TC incidence, treatment, survival, and mortality in the Netherlands during the period 1970–2009 with specific focus on trends according to age, histology and stage of disease. Methods. Data from the Eindhoven cancer registry, the Netherlands cancer registry and Statistics Netherlands was used. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates and five-year relative survival were calculated. Treatment was categorized into five major groups. Results. TC incidence showed a substantial annual increase of 3.9% in the period 1989–2009. The incidence increased for all stages of both seminoma and non-seminoma TC. Stage distribution for the non-seminoma patients shifted towards more localized disease. Most patients received primary treatment according to the guidelines. Five-year relative survival improved (non-significantly) for most groups of stage and histology. TC mortality dropped sharply in the 1970s and 1980s and remained relatively stable thereafter. Conclusion. This study shows that incidence of TC has increased sharply in the Netherlands. Relative survival is high and improved in most disease stages. There is a growing demand for medical care of newly diagnosed TC patients and for the rapidly increasing number of prevalent TC patients.
A new design of double edge triggered flip-flops

The logic construction of a double-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flop, which can receive input signal at two levels of the clock, is analyzed and a new circuit design of CMOS DET flip-flop is proposed. Simulation using SPICE and a 1 /spl mu/ technology shows that this DET flip-flop has ideal logic functionality, a simpler structure, lower delay time, and higher maximum data rate compared to other existing CMOS DET flip-flops. By simulating and comparing the proposed DET flip-flop with the traditional single-edge-triggered (SET) flip-flop, it is shown that the proposed DET flip-flop reduces power dissipation by half while keeping the same date rate.
Evaluation of a novel triple-channel radiochromic film analysis procedure using EBT2

A novel approach to read out radiochromic film was introduced recently by the manufacturer of GafChromic film. In this study, the performance of this triple-channel film dosimetry method was compared against the conventional single-red-channel film dosimetry procedure, with and without inclusion of a pre-irradiation (pre-IR) film scan, using EBT2 film and kilo- and megavoltage photon beams up to 10 Gy. When considering regions of interest averaged doses, the triple-channel method and both single-channel methods produced equivalent results. Absolute dose discrepancies between the triple-channel method, both single-channel methods and the treatment planning system calculated dose values, were no larger than 5 cGy for dose levels up to 2.2 Gy. Signal to noise in triple-channel dose images was found to be similar to signal to noise in single-channel dose images. The accuracy of resulting dose images from the triple- and single-channel methods with inclusion of pre-IR film scan was found to be similar. Results of a comparison of EBT2 data from a kilovoltage depth dose experiment to corresponding Monte Carlo depth dose data produced dose discrepancies of 9.5 ± 12 cGy and 7.6 ± 6 cGy for the single-channel method with inclusion of a pre-IR film scan and the triple-channel method, respectively. EBT2 showed to be energy sensitive at low kilovoltage energies with response differences of 11.9% and 15.6% in the red channel at 2 Gy between 50–225 kVp and 80–225 kVp photon spectra, respectively. We observed that the triple-channel method resulted in non-uniformity corrections of ±1% and consistency values of 0–3 cGy for the batches and dose levels studied. Results of this study indicate that the triple-channel radiochromic film read-out method performs at least as well as the single-channel method with inclusion of a pre-IR film scan, reduces film non-uniformity and saves time with elimination of a pre-IR film scan.
Epidemiologic analysis of nosocomial Salmonella infections in hospitalized horses.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between abdominal surgery and nosocomial Salmonella infections and the relationship between high caseload in combination with abdominal surgery and nosocomial Salmonella infections in hospitalized horses with signs of gastrointestinal tract disease. ANIMALS 140 horses. DESIGN Case-control study. PROCEDURES To accomplish the first objective, 1 to 4 control horses were matched with each nosocomial case horse on the basis of admission date of a primary case horse. The frequency of abdominal surgery and other investigated exposure factors were compared between nosocomial case horses and control horses. For the second objective, 4 control horses were matched with each nosocomial case horse on the basis of year of admission. The frequency of high caseload (>or=26 inpatients), abdominal surgery, and other factors was compared between nosocomial case horses and control horses. RESULTS The odds of nosocomial Salmonella infection were 8 times as high (odds ratio=8.2; 95% confidence interval=1.11, 60.24) in horses that underwent abdominal surgery, compared with the odds for horses that did not undergo surgery. High caseload alone or in combination with abdominal surgery was not associated with increased risk of nosocomial Salmonella infection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Abdominal surgery was identified as a risk factor for nosocomial Salmonella infections in horses. Horses that undergo abdominal surgery require enhanced infection control and preventative care. Risk of nosocomial Salmonella infections may be reduced by implementation of biosecurity measures (such as the use of plastic boots, gloves, and footbaths) immediately after surgery.
Reinforcement magnitude modulates the rate-dependent effects of fluvoxamine and desipramine on fixed-interval responding in the pigeon

Some doses of fluvoxamine can decrease ethanol-maintained behavior more than food-maintained behavior. This might be explained by differences in reinforcement magnitude. In a previous study, the effects of fluvoxamine on fixed-ratio responding did not depend upon reinforcement magnitude. Response rates, however, differed with reinforcement magnitude. These differences in response rates might explain the failure to observe differences in the potency of fluvoxamine with changes in reinforcement magnitude. In this study, we examined whether the effects of fluvoxamine and desipramine depended on the reinforcement magnitude and response rate, by administering these drugs to pigeons responding under a multiple fixed-interval schedule, in which responding in three components was maintained by differing durations of food presentation (2, 4, and 8 s). The effects of fluvoxamine and desipramine depended jointly on control rate, reinforcement magnitude, and dose. Low fluvoxamine doses had rate-dependent effects in all three components, increasing lower rates more than higher rates: as dose increased, these rate-dependent effects became greater in the components maintained by the 2-s or 4-s food presentation; whereas, in the component maintained by the 8-s presentations, they declined. Low desipramine doses had rate-dependent effects only in the component maintained by the 2-s presentations, whereas higher doses had rate-dependent effects in components maintained by 2-s or 4-s presentations. Still higher doses had rate-dependent effects in all the three components. Although the effects of fluvoxamine and desipramine might not depend on reinforcement magnitude when studied under fixed-ratio schedules, reinforcement magnitude can modulate their effects when they are studied over a wider range of control response rates.
Measuring the performance of the Electronic Service Acceptance Model (E-SAM)

Web-based electronic service (e-service) end-user adoption and implementation require an assessment of consumer contextual factors. This paper investigates factors which affect end-user experience and perception, motivation, support, control and usage frequency in the online/offline user task environment and the affect on web-based e-service adoption and implementation. Understanding end-users' continuous usage behaviour and developing web-based e-services to meet user specific requirements is the centre of attention for web-based e-service providers. Integrating end-user situation-specific personalisation factors into web-based e-service tasks may enhance web-based e-service usability. The survey captured 403 responses on user attributes towards a specific university website. This paper concludes by suggesting a conceptual framework for a web-based Electronic Service Adoption Model (E-SAM).
Measuring prions by bioluminescence imaging

Prions are infectious proteins that cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases. Because astrocytic gliosis marked by the deposition of fibrils composed of GFAP is a prominent feature of prion disease, we asked whether GFAP might be used as a surrogate marker for prions. To interrogate this posit, we inoculated prions into transgenic (Tg) mice expressing luciferase (luc) under the GFAP gene (Gfap) promoter, denoted Tg(Gfap-luc) mice. Weekly noninvasive, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) detected an increase in light emitted from the brains of Tg(Gfap-luc) mice at ≈55 d after inoculation and ≈62 d before neurologic deficits appeared. To determine whether BLI could be used as a proxy bioassay for prion infectivity, we performed endpoint titrations of prions in Tg(Gfap-luc) mice. BLI bioassays were as or more sensitive than those determined by the onset of neurological dysfunction, and were completed in approximately half the time. Our studies argue that BLI is likely to be a suitable surrogate for measuring prion infectivity, and might be useful in the study of Tg mouse models for other neurodegenerative illnesses.
The effects of gender differences on the use of annotatable multimedia e-readers

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how gender differences influence students’ reactions to the use of the annotatable multimedia e-reader (AME). To reach this aim, we develop an AME where various annotation tools are provided to help students learn English in-class and after-class. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical study was conducted with 63 fifth-grade students from an elementary school. A pre-test and post-test were used to identify their prior knowledge and learning achievement, respectively. A questionnaire was applied to identify participants’ perceptions towards the AME. Findings – The results show that students’ post-test scores are significantly related to after-class behaviour, instead of in-class behaviour. Females prefer to use the text annotation and teachers’ voice, but it is voice annotation that is beneficial to improve their learning achievement. Conversely, males prefer to use the text-to-speech only, but it is text annotation that is helpful to improve their learning achievem.