Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen Dioxide at an Ambient Level Improves the Capability of Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus) to Decontaminate Cadmium

As reported previously, atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at an ambient level increased plant size and the contents of cell constituents. We investigated this effect of atmospheric NO2 on decontamination of cadmium (Cd) by kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus). Seventeen-day-old seedlings of kenaf were grown in air either with NO2 or without NO2. (Plants were exposed to 100 ± 50 ppb NO2 for 10 d under irrigation of 0.1% Hyponex supplemented with 20 μM CdCl2.) Plants were then harvested and the biomass of stems, leaves, and roots, as well as the content of Cd in the organs, was determined. The stem and root biomass per plant were 1.25–1.27-fold greater in +NO2 plants than in –NO2 plants. The Cd content per stem was more than 30% greater in +NO2 plants than in –NO2 plants.
Beliefs about learning play a significant role in behaviours in the learning process so that they affect teachers ’ thoughts about how learning happens ( Clark

The aim of this study was to investigate teachers’ beliefs about learning. So, we investigated the level of teachers’ beliefs about the traditional and constructivist approach (cognitive, social and radical). Further, it was questioned how teachers developed qualifications needed for the constructivist approach. The study was conducted on 233 teachers working in the city centre of Gaziantep in Turkey during 2011-2012 school year. “Beliefs about Learning Scale”, developed by the researchers, was used for data collection. The results revealed that the teachers adopted the constructivist approach at a higher level than the traditional approach. Speaking about the constructivist approach dimensions, the teachers adopted the social constructivist approach at a higher level than cognitive and radical constructivist approaches. According to the gender variable, the extent to which the female teachers adopted the constructivist approach was higher in comparison with the male teachers. Moreover, it was found that the level of classroom teachers’ beliefs about the traditional approach was higher than that of subject teachers’ beliefs according to seniority. Another finding was that the increase in seniority increased the teachers’ beliefs about the traditional approach. The findings indicated that the teachers adopted qualifications for the constructivist approach mostly during their undergraduate and post-graduate education.
Commissural neuron identity is specified by a homeodomain protein, Mbh1, that is directly downstream of Math1

Proneural basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins are key regulators of neurogenesis. However, downstream target genes of the bHLH proteins remain poorly defined. Mbh1 confers commissural neuron identity in the spinal cord. Enhancer analysis using transgenic mice revealed that Mbh1 expression required an E-box 3′ of the Mbh1 gene. Mbh1 expression was lost in Math1 knockout mice, whereas misexpression of Math1 induced ectopic expression of Mbh1. Moreover, Math1 bound the Mbh1 enhancer containing the E-box in vivo and activated gene expression. Generation of commissural neurons by Math1 was inhibited by a dominant negative form of Mbh1. These findings indicate that Mbh1 is necessary and sufficient for the specification of commissural neurons, as a direct downstream target of Math1.
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles with High Fungicidal Activity from Olive Seed Extract

Silver nanoparticles in the form of silver based chemicals trace back their origin to time immemorial since the dilute forms of silver nitrate were used in place of antibiotics before they dominated the field of medicine. But, it has now become necessary to explore the anti-microbial properties of silver based chemicals again due to the microbes gaining resistance against the wide range of present day antibiotics. The advancements in the field of medicine and technology started to coalesce to combat the adaptability of microbes as they successfully become tolerant to antibiotics and it manifested in the form a current technology, Nanomedicine. Nanomedicine deals about the medicines at a nano scale to rarefy the intensity of medicine to unaffected tissues and reduce the volume of medicine used. In the present context, our attempt is to develop potential anti-microbial particles in the form of silver nanoparticles by using the biological phenomena which we call Green synthesis an eco-friendly approach to conventional chemical synthesis. The enzymatic machinery of the olive seeds has been exploited to produce silver nanoparticles and test their efficacy as antifungal agents before we characterized their physical properties using UV-Vis, TEM, and FTIR analysis. The efficacy of these particles as antagonists on fungal pathogen Aspergillus niger a causative agent of Aspergillosis in human beings and is promising and they have a lot of scope for the purpose and hope the technology leads the next generation of anti-microbials.
The Gout Assessment Questionnaire 2.0: cross-cultural translation into Dutch, aspects of validity and linking to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

OBJECTIVES The Gout Assessment Questionnaire 2.0 (GAQ2.0) is a disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure for gout that distinguishes five different subscales and comprises overall 31 questions. The aims of this study were to translate the GAQ2.0 into Dutch and to test clinimetric properties. METHODS Recommendations for translation and cross-cultural adaptation were followed and no cultural adaptations were needed. The resulting Dutch GAQ2.0 was administered to patients registered at the rheumatology outpatient clinic diagnosed with gout. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach's α, reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), content validity by linkage to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and construct validity by correlating the subscales of the GAQ2.0 with the HAQ disability index (HAQ-DI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS A total of 126 patients [106 (84%) male, mean age 66.6 years (s.d. 10.4), mean disease duration 11.2 years (s.d. 10.6)] completed a number of questionnaires, including the GAQ2.0, HAQ-DI and SF-36, and underwent a clinical examination. Internal consistency was sufficient (Cronbach's α = 0.83-0.94), except for the subscale gout medication side effects (Cronbach's α = 0.51). Test-retest reliability was good (ICCs 0.73-0.86) for all subscales, but moderate for the subscale unmet gout treatment need (ICC 0.56). Gout impact (GI) subscale scores showed only weak to moderate correlations with HAQ-DI and SF-36, but stronger emphasis on the emotional consequences of gout. Also, it correlated better with gout-specific outcomes such as the number of gout flares and pain. CONCLUSION The Dutch GAQ2.0 shows sufficient evidence of validity to assess disease-specific functioning and health in patients with gout and seems to capture different aspects than those represented in the HAQ and SF-36.
Detection of candida enolase antibody in patients with candidiasis

The serodiagnostic value of candidaenolase antibody was evaluated in 27 patients with systemic candidiasis. The glycolytic enzyme enolase was prepared from Candida albicans IFM 40009 and used as the antigen for immunoblot assays. IgG class antibody was found in the sera of 17 of 27 patients (62.9%) obtained during the early course of the infection. Serial sampling of sera increased the number of patients with positive Candida enolase antibody, which was detected in 25 of 27 patients (92.5%). None of the patients with localized candidiasis showed a positive IgG titer more than 1:100. The specificity of Candida enolase IgG antibody was 95%. This antibody was observed in various candida species: Candida albicans (6/7, 85.7%); C. parapsilosis (7/9, 77.9%); C. tropicalis (5/5, 100%); C. guilliermondii (4/4, 100%); and C. glabrata (1/3, 33.3%). © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Malnutrition Identified by the Nutritional Risk Index and Poor Prognosis in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma

ABSTRACT Ovarian cancer is a chronic disease with a risk of malnutrition. Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) has been reported as a simple and accurate tool to assess the nutritional status. We sought to explore the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with survival in ovarian cancer. A retrospective study was conducted in 213 advanced ovarian cancer patients. NRI was calculated before and at the end of treatment using patients’ body weight and serum albumin level. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method, and associations were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards analysis adjusted for known prognostic variables. Moderate to severely malnourished patients had lower 5-yr OS (45.3%) compared to normal to mild group (64.0%), respectively (P = 0.024). Adjusted for covariates, the relative risk of death was 5.8 times higher in moderate/severely malnourished group identified at the last course of chemotherapy (HR = 5.896, 95% CI = 2.723-12.764, P < 0.001). Similarly, this cohort had shorter PFS compared with normal to mild risk group (median 15 vs. 28 months, P = 0.011). Malnutrition is prevalent among ovarian cancer patients and is found to be a significant predictor for mortality.
Evaluation in undergraduate medical education: Conceptualizing and validating a novel questionnaire for assessing the quality of bedside teaching

Abstract Background: Evaluation is an integral part of curriculum development in medical education. Given the peculiarities of bedside teaching, specific evaluation tools for this instructional format are needed. Development of these tools should be informed by appropriate frameworks. The purpose of this study was to develop a specific evaluation tool for bedside teaching based on the Stanford Faculty Development Program’s clinical teaching framework. Methods: Based on a literature review yielding 47 evaluation items, an 18-item questionnaire was compiled and subsequently completed by undergraduate medical students at two German universities. Reliability and validity were assessed in an exploratory full information item factor analysis (study one) and a confirmatory factor analysis as well as a measurement invariance analysis (study two). Results: The exploratory analysis involving 824 students revealed a three-factor structure. Reliability estimates of the subscales were satisfactory (α = 0.71–0.84). The model yielded satisfactory fit indices in the confirmatory factor analysis involving 1043 students. Discussion: The new questionnaire is short and yet based on a widely-used framework for clinical teaching. The analyses presented here indicate good reliability and validity of the instrument. Future research needs to investigate whether feedback generated from this tool helps to improve teaching quality and student learning outcome.
Impaired cardiorespiratory responses when wearing an upper body compression garment during recovery in a hot environment (40 ºC).

BACKGROUND Previous studies have not investigated the effects of a heat dissipating upper body compression garment (UBCG) during cycling in a hot environment. The present study examined the effects of a heat dissipating UBCG on thermoregulatory, cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses (thermal sensation and exertion scales), during cycling at a fixed workload (~50% VO2peak) and during active recovery (~25% VO2peak). METHODS Thirteen untrained males (mean±SD; age 21±6 years, VO2peak 53.7±5.0 ml·kg-1·min-1) completed two randomized cycling trials consisting of a 5 min rest on a cycling ergometer, followed by 4 bouts of 14 min at a fixed load + 1 min active recovery. Followed further by 10 min of active recovery. Testing occurred in a hot environment (~40±0.4 ºC, 35±2 % relative humidity, ~2.5 m·s-1 air velocity) and volunteers wore either a UBCG or non-UBCG (CON). RESULTS Wearing UBCG resulted in significantly smaller reduction in heart rate (31±11 bpm vs. 46±15 bpm) and higher VO2 and VCO2 values (P<0.05) during 10 min recovery period. No differences in rectal, skin and body temperature were observed during the trial between garment conditions. Clothing wetness sensation remained significantly higher wearing CON (P<0.05) during exercise although no significant differences in weight loss or in sweat rate were observed. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that wearing heat dissipating UBCG had no thermoregulatory benefits during exercise and it had impaired cardiorespiratory responses during active recovery when exercising in a hot environment.
Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal and salivary gland carcinoma in Greenland.

From 1950 to 1989 one hundred and forty-four cases of either undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or salivary gland carcinoma (SGC) were diagnosed in Greenlanders, all born in Greenland. The Greenland SGC is an anaplastic carcinoma with histopathology and electronmicroscopic cytopathological alterations as found in undifferentiated NPC. Both NPC and SGC from Greenland and Alaska are associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. The incidence rate of NPC based on newly diagnosed cases during the last 15 years is 12.7 for men and 9.2 for women. The same figures for anaplastic SGC are 3.4 and 3.1. These are among the highest incidence rates of Epstein-Barr virus associated carcinomas on record. From 1950 to 1989 there has been an increase in the rate of NPC. From the cumulated rate, it can be predicted that the number of cases will continue to increase during the years to come. During the ten year period 1980 to 1989 patients were questioned about their childhood life style and the family history was taken. The Inuit lifestyle is quite different from that of Europeans and Chinese, but in common with Chinese from Guangzhou (formerly Canton) Greenlanders have a high consumption of fish, fresh as well as dried. Familial clustering has been rarely reported, but in the present investigation 27% of the patients diagnosed between 1980 and 1990 had a positive familial history with one or more confirmed cases among first degree relatives. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Recent Undesirable Life Events and Psychiatric Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence

A sample of children and adolescents (n = 157) attending a child psychiatry outpatient clinic with conduct or emotional disturbance were compared with community controls (n = 76) for the number and type of recent life events. A Life Events Schedule for children and adolescents was developed and used as a semi-structured interview. Four clinical groups were identified according to their predominant presenting symptoms (conduct, mild mood, severe mood, or somatic). An excess of events carrying a severe degree of negative impact was found for all four groups, compared with matched controls. Eleven classes of events were examined: there is a suggestion that two classes (marital/family, accident/illness) may be more important for conduct and mild mood disorders, and that a further class (permanent separations, termed exits) may be more important for somatic and severe mood disorders.
Variation in crown light utilization characteristics among tropical canopy trees.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Light extinction through crowns of canopy trees determines light availability at lower levels within forests. The goal of this paper is the exploration of foliage distribution and light extinction in crowns of five canopy tree species in relation to their shoot architecture, leaf traits (mean leaf angle, life span, photosynthetic characteristics) and successional status (from pioneers to persistent). METHODS Light extinction was examined at three hierarchical levels of foliage organization, the whole crown, the outermost canopy and the individual shoots, in a tropical moist forest with direct canopy access with a tower crane. Photon flux density and cumulative leaf area index (LAI) were measured at intervals of 0.25-1 m along multiple vertical transects through three to five mature tree crowns of each species to estimate light extinction coefficients (K). RESULTS Cecropia longipes, a pioneer species with the shortest leaf life span, had crown LAI <0.5. Among the remaining four species, crown LAI ranged from 2 to 8, and species with orthotropic terminal shoots exhibited lower light extinction coefficients (0.35) than those with plagiotropic shoots (0.53-0.80). Within each type, later successional species exhibited greater maximum LAI and total light extinction. A dense layer of leaves at the outermost crown of a late successional species resulted in an average light extinction of 61% within 0.5 m from the surface. In late successional species, leaf position within individual shoots does not predict the light availability at the individual leaf surface, which may explain their slow decline of photosynthetic capacity with leaf age and weak differentiation of sun and shade leaves. CONCLUSION Later-successional tree crowns, especially those with orthotropic branches, exhibit lower light extinction coefficients, but greater total LAI and total light extinction, which contribute to their efficient use of light and competitive dominance.
Contribution of selected serum inflammatory mediators to the progression of chronic rheumatic valve disease, subsequent valve calcification and NYHA functional class.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY The mechanism of the underlying principle of the progression of chronic rheumatic valve disease (RVD) and subsequent valve calcification are yet not clearly understood. The study aim was to determine whether serum markers of inflammation impact on the severity of chronic RVD, subsequent valve calcification and NYHA functional class. METHODS The study group comprised 92 patients (27 males, 65 females; mean age 40 +/- 14 years) with RVD; the control group included 50 age- and gender-matched subjects without echocardiographic signs of RVD. All patients underwent echocardiographic of rheumatic valve severity, valve calcification and NYHA functional class. Levels of cytokines (interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)) and serum inflammatory markers (fibrinogen, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)) were measured in all subjects. RESULTS Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-2R, TNF-alpha and hs-CRP were significantly higher in patients with RVD than in controls (p < 0.001). Significant correlations were identified between mitral score and fibrinogen (p = 0.002), IL-6 (p = 0.007), TNF-alpha (p < 0.001) and hs-CRP levels (p < 0.001). Fibrinogen, hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-2R levels correlated with functional class severity, while IL-6 and TNF-a levels correlated strongly with valve calcification (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The chronic phase of RVD is associated with ongoing serum inflammatory mediators which correlate strongly with the severity of valve involvement, valve scarring, subsequent valve calcification and decreasing functional status. Future research in this area should focus on whether anti-inflammatory drugs might reduce progression, morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic RVD.
Reduced Sampling in NF Antenna Measurement Using Numerical Defined Expansion Functions

This paper presents an advanced RF test methodology for time efficient antenna testing. The measured field is projected over precomputed basis functions obtained with simulations of the antenna platform using fast ray-tracing methods [1], [2]. The source antenna is treated as a black box and no material or dimensional information is needed. As the number of basis functions is significantly reduced with respect to the Nyquist criteria, the number of NF measurement points is equally reduced, or down-sampled, leading to a significant saving in overall measurement time. The methodology is particular efficient for relatively small antennas installed on large platforms. The new methodology performs faster antenna measurements, while maintaining a certain level of confidence. It can be directly implemented, without hardware changes in existing spherical near field (SNF) measurements range.In this paper we introduce the new methodology for the first time. The method has been validated using actual measurements of a small X-band antenna on a large satellite mock-up. The achievable measurement accuracy is investigated by determining the correlation with traditional measurements through the calculation of the Equivalent Noise Level (ENL). The new methodology achieves a sampling reduction, or down sampling factor of 5-9 in the tested scenarios, maintaining good accuracy levels with respect to standard measurement. The new methodology is highly applicable for verification testing due to the significant measurement time savings, with a moderate trade-off on measurement accuracy.
A review of trials investigating efavirenz-induced neuropsychiatric side effects and the implications

ABSTRACT Efavirenz is part of the first-line treatment for HIV patients including those in South Africa with approximately 50% experiencing neuropsychiatric side effects. A systematic review of papers reporting neuropsychiatric side effects with efavirenz published between January 2001 and December 2014 was performed, to provide guidance. 13 articles were reviewed. Patient ages ranged between 37 to 41 years, with a high percentage males. Scales used to measure incidence and severity of side effects were varied; with disease severity or stage not reported. Patients with psychoses were excluded. Most commonly reported side effects were a reduction in sleep quality, depression, dizziness and anxiety. These were generally mild and not warranting discontinuation of efavirenz. It is difficult to directly compare the studies. Standardised methods need to be introduced and all patient groups represented including the elderly, children, patients with active symptomatic illness and more women especially among the African population.
A Comparison among Several P300 Brain-Computer Interface Speller Paradigms

Since the brain-computer interface (BCI) speller was first proposed by Farwell and Donchin, there have been modifications in the visual aspects of P300 paradigms. Most of the changes are based on the original matrix format such as changes in the number of rows and columns, font size, flash/blank time, and flash order. The improvement in the resulting accuracy and speed of such systems has always been the ultimate goal. In this study, we have compared several different speller paradigms including row-column, single character flashing, and two region-based paradigms which are not based on the matrix format. In the first region-based paradigm, at the first level, characters and symbols are distributed over seven regions alphabetically, while in the second region-based paradigm they are distributed in the most frequently used order. At the second level, each one of the regions is further subdivided into seven subsets. The experimental results showed that the average accuracy and user acceptability for two region-based paradigms were higher than those for traditional paradigms such as row/column and single character.