Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contingent self-esteem structures related to cardiac, exhaustive, and immunological disease: A comparison between groups of outpatients

Abstract Hostile resentful contra repressive avoidant behaviors, widely associated with different health processes, are considered to arise from people’s specific contingent self-esteem strategies. The present study examines competence-based self-esteem (CBSE), referring to self-critical strivings, and relation-based self-esteem (RBSE), referring to rejection sensitivity and compliance, in three groups of outpatients (n = 85) and healthy controls (n = 37). Patients diagnosed with exhaustion syndromes displayed significantly higher CBSE and RBSE than all other groups. Patients diagnosed with cardiac type of disease showed significantly higher CBSE than those with immunological type of disease and healthy controls, whereas the immunological group reported significantly higher RBSE than the cardiac group and healthy controls. Further, cardiac patients displayed significantly higher CBSE than RBSE, whereas immunological patients reported significantly higher RBSE than CBSE. A discriminant analysis, incorporating the theoretical constituents of the contingent SE scales, showed that the four groups could be predicted by their SE profiles. The systematic patterns found in the present results shed light on the role of self-esteem contingency for differential psychosocial coping and health processes.
Perception of Students on Computer Utilization and Academic Performance in the North-Central Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

The introduction and application of computer as a resource in teaching and learning process in education has contributed to the achievement of educational objectives. Students at all levels of education use computers for specified purpose. Do computers really help students to achieve academic excellence? The study investigated the perception of students on computer utilization and academic performance. It is a descriptive research with emphasis on survey design. The population comprised all Colleges of Education in North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria: made up of six states and FCT-Abuja; out of which six colleges were selected as sample. A 20-item questionnaire (CUSAPQ) was designed and validated through expert judgment and reliability co-efficient of 0.86 was obtained. The null hypotheses were tested using Chi-square and ANOVA statistical analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that there was positive perception of computer utilization on students’ academic performance in the selected zone. Based on the findings, recommendations were made; seminar and workshops on computer utilization should be organised for the lecturers and the students to facilitate active and effective learning.
Mean platelet volume as short-term follow-up biomarker in children with celiac disease

Objective: To assess the mean platelet volume (MPV) as a short-term follow-up biomarker in celiac disease (CD) and to compare it with anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (TTGA) assay in Indian children. Material and Methods: Newly diagnosed 35 children aged <12 years who were positive for TTGA and further confirmed by intestinal biopsy with histological Grade 2 and 3 based on modified Marsh Classification were enrolled. TTGA, MPV, and clinical parameters were assessed at enrollment and after 3 months of gluten free diet (GFD). Results: Short stature (94.3%) and diarrhea (80%) were the most common presenting features. 33 (94.3%) children were found to have anemia. MPV reduced significantly from 9.28±1.88 fl to 8.55±1.10 fl after 3 months of GFD, (p<0.001). The mean TTG level reduced from 166.80±59.23 U/ml to 86.45±39.67 U/ml (p<0.001) after 3 months of GFD. Conclusion: MPV is one of the biomarkers that can be used to monitor dietary transgressions in CD in short term.
Ionospheric imaging in Africa

Accurate ionospheric specification is necessary for improving human activities such as radar detection, navigation, and Earth observation. This is of particular importance in Africa, where strong plasma density gradients exist due to the equatorial ionization anomaly. In this paper the accuracy of three‐dimensional ionospheric images is assessed over a 2 week test period (2–16 December 2012). These images are produced using differential Global Positioning System (GPS) slant total electron content observations and a time‐dependent tomography algorithm. The test period is selected to coincide with a period of increased GPS data availability from the African Geodetic Reference Frame (AFREF) project. A simulation approach that includes the addition of realistic errors is employed in order to provide a ground truth. Results show that the inclusion of observations from the AFREF archive significantly reduces ionospheric specification errors across the African sector, especially in regions that are poorly served by the permanent network of GPS receivers. The permanent network could be improved by adding extra sites and by reducing the number of service outages that affect the existing sites.
Predicting Perceived Cycling Safety Levels Using Open and Crowdsourced Data

Cycling communities have been related to lower obesity rates and lower stress levels. Nevertheless, one of the main obstacles to increase ridership in cities is the lack of information regarding perceived cycling safety at the street level. City planners have typically used extensive road network and traffic information to approximate cycling safety levels. However, this approach requires the deployment of expensive sensors thus making it hard for many cities to get access to accurate cycling safety maps. In this paper, we evaluate several methods to predict urban cycling safety at the street level, exclusively using public information from open and crowdsourced datasets. We evaluate the proposed approach in the city of Washington D.C. and achieve F1 scores of 66%, 70% and 88% when five, four or three different cycling safety levels are considered.
Transfer, hybridization and analogy in L2 usage: the case of Estonian object marking

The article presents the results of a quantitative study of Estonian object marking by L2 speakers with Russian as their L1 (N = 91). A written production task was used to obtain the data. This task consisted of a coherent Estonian text where the informants needed to fill the blanks left for the direct objects. The data revealed large-scale variability: informants did not only transfer Russian features to Estonian L2. There was also evidence for analogical extension of productive patterns of Estonian object case assignment and compromise forms. This indicates that direct transfer of L1 patterns is just one and not the major source of L2 innovations. Apart from this, L2 productive patterns, universal cognitive preferences and analogical extension of error patterns are in part responsible for the non-standard forms found. The article argues that all these phenomena rely on analogy in the broadest sense, and therefore it is to be assumed that analogy is the main mechanism behind contact-induced phenomena in L2 usage and that copying, replication and pivot-matching are all specific manifestations of the same analogical mechanism.
Multiwavelength observations of the γ-ray flaring quasar S4 1030+61 in 2009-2014

We present a study of the parsec-scale multi-frequency properties of the quasar S4 1030+61 during a prolonged radio and gamma-ray activity. Observations were performed within Fermi gamma-ray telescope, OVRO 40-m telescope and MOJAVE VLBA monitoring programs, covering five years from 2009. The data are supplemented by four-epoch VLBA observations at 5, 8, 15, 24, and 43 GHz, which were triggered by the bright gamma-ray flare, registered in the quasar in 2010. The S4 1030+61 jet exhibits an apparent superluminal velocity of (6.4+-0.4)c and does not show ejections of new components in the observed period, while decomposition of the radio light curve reveals nine prominent flares. The measured variability parameters of the source show values typical for Fermi-detected quasars. Combined analysis of radio and gamma-ray emission implies a spatial separation between emitting regions at these bands of about 12 pc and locates the gamma-ray emission within a parsec from the central engine. We detected changes in the value and direction of the linear polarization and the Faraday rotation measure. The value of the intrinsic brightness temperature of the core is above the equipartition state, while its value as a function of distance from the core is well approximated by the power-law. Altogether these results show that the radio flaring activity of the quasar is accompanied by injection of relativistic particles and energy losses at the jet base, while S4 1030+61 has a stable, straight jet well described by standard conical jet theories.
Development of Potassium Polytitanates Nanoadsorbents for the Removal of Lead Ions from Water - Dynamic Processes

Lead (Pb) is a toxic element that accumulates in the body by inhaled air or ingested in food or water. Lead has been used for centuries to make water pipes and cooking utensils. In fact, lead is a very rare element in the lithosphere. Lead is one of the heavy metal that has a great number of applications in industrial activities that are necessary to life and its contact effects have been studied by some of researchers. Lead is present in applications such as: manufacture of accumulators, centralized waste landfill, copper smelter, electric-electronic components, electrowinning, inorganic chemicals, cast iron and steel, metal finishing, fusion and metal forming, powder metallurgy ferrous and non-ferrous, non-ferrous metal casting, organic chemicals plastics and synthetic fibers, chemical pesticides, storage batteries, antiknock gasoline, pigments porcelain enamel, plastics manufacturing, electricity generating by steam, transportation of cleaning equipment and combustion wastes. All these applications are due to its physicochemical properties than allows it to be compatible and shape easily to others materials with modified properties. It can be mixed with other metals to form useful materials. Most of these materials can be largely recovered, so that lead can be recycled. The environmental threat comes from the one used in chemical compounds. Its asymptomatic presence is one of the most important aspects in different diseases and also of environment caused by its contact or consumption of waters with low contents of this element (Naicker et al, 2010, Albalak et al, 2003 & Noona et al, 2001 ). There is great concern in cities of underdeveloped countries on five continents by the fact that lead influence in the human body can develop: anemia, kidney disease, brain damage, impaired nervous system function peripheral, high blood pressure, reproductive abnormalities, developmental defects, abnormal metabolism of vitamins, low intelligence quotient and sometimes death, (Hrudey et al., 1995 USEPA, 1992). The greatest concern that its presence there affects mainly children under 6 years and unborn babies (Zhang et al., 2005, Naicker et al., 2010, & Riddell et al., 2007). On the other hand, lead plays an important role in the food chain and is of vital environmental importance because it alters the ecosystems and natural soils(Tong et al, 2000). The lethal dose of lead absorbed is estimated at 0.5 mg. The accumulation and toxicity appear if was adsorbed more than 0.5 mg per day. The half life of lead in bone is 32 years and in the kidney of 7 years. The exposure limit for lead in air is 0.15 mg/m3. The exposure
Simulation of the acceleration of relativistic electrons in the inner magnetosphere using RCM-VERB coupled codes

[1] Radiation belt dynamics have been modeled by the modified Fokker-Planck diffusion equation with sources from the low-energy plasma sheet population and losses to the atmosphere and magnetopause. We perform a coupled simulation of the Rice Convection Model (RCM) and Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB) code. The RCM models magnetospheric convection and provides a low-energy electron seed population for the VERB diffusion code simulations of the Earth's radiation belts. VERB simulations are driven by the realistic time-dependent electron seed population and by the Kp index, which is used to specify rates of diffusion by ultralow frequency (ULF) and very low frequency wave activity and, therefore, diffusion processes. Radial diffusion is produced by ULF waves, while pitch angle and energy diffusion are produced by chorus waves outside the plasmasphere and by hiss waves inside the plasmasphere. The results of the simulation indicate that storm time enhanced magnetospheric convection combined with radial diffusion can bring electrons with tens of keV energy close to the Earth and can affect electron fluxes at 3–4 RE. These electrons can be further accelerated locally by chorus waves to MeV energies. Furthermore, outward radial diffusion smooths out the peak of the high-energy fluxes and produces MeV electron enhancement around geosynchronous orbit (6–7 RE) despite the absence of local electron acceleration in that region. Our coupled simulations indicate that local acceleration in the inner magnetosphere may be a dominant source of relativistic electrons that reach geosynchronous orbit.
Influence of Phytase on Tibia Bone Characteristics of Broiler Quail Fed on Corn-Soybean Meal Diets

BACKGROUND: Exogenous phytase enhances the utilization of plant phytate phosphorus in poultry. OBJECTIVES: In the present study the effects of exogenous phytase was investigated on tibia bone characteristics of white quail. METHODS: In a 2x2 factorial arrangement, eighty, 11-day old unsexed chicks were randomly divided into 4 treatments of 20 replicates. All birds received one of four experimental diets with two levels of aP (5.2 or 3.9 g kg-1) and two levels of phytase (0 or 500 FTU kg-1). On day 25, all birds were weighed, sacrificed, and blood samples were obtained for the determination of blood phosphorus. Both tibiae were excised for the determination of ash, calcium and phosphorus content, bone length and thickness, and breaking strength. RESULTS: Birds which had received lower aP diets showed lower levels of blood phosphorus as well as tibia bone weight, ash, calcium, phosphorus, bone thickness and strength when compared with the higher aP fed birds. CONCLUSIONS: Adding phytase to the lower aP diet was able to restore the above-mentioned variables. Phytase increases rigidity and strength of tibia by enhancing the availability of phytate phosphorus to the quail. This is important, particularly when the bird is grown for flight and hunting.
Pharmacological Conditioning of Brain Dead Donor Hearts with Erythropoietin and Glyceryl Trinitrate: Clinical Experience

Background: With the increasing success of heart transplantation, older and higher-risk donors and recipients are being accepted for transplantation. The risk of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is thus increased. We investigated a ‘pharmacological conditioning’ strategy, where Celsior preservation solution supplemented with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) and erythropoietin (EPO) was used for cardioplegia and hypothermic storage, and determined graft recovery and patient survival after cardiac transplantation.
The Primacy of Teacher Imperative Commentaries in the Improvement of Iranian English Majors’ Writing Ability

In this study, the researchers investigated a critical aspect of EFL/ESL writing pedagogy-the impact of teacher written commentary on student writer’s earlier drafts. Compositions of 80 Iranian undergraduate English majors were commented on using a trio of imperatives, statements, and questions on both content and form. Overall, the results indicated that the comments in the imperative form helped students improve their EFL/ESL writing ability more than the other two types. However, the difference between statements and questions was found not to be significant. The findings of this study, once again, emphasized the need for EFL/ESL writing instructors to communicate to learners with appropriate types of written comments. Moreover, employing imperative sentences can orient student writers towards a more accurate (i.e. form-focused) and appropriate (i.e. content-focused) composition writing.
Cashing Out, Cashing In: Rural change on the south coast of Western Australia

Over the past century the cultural and physical landscape of the Shire of Denmark on the south coast of Western Australia has been transformed by successive waves of in-migrants. The paper examines the period since the early 1970s when alternative lifestylers and early retirees, attracted by the district's natural beauty and low land prices, began moving in and acquiring former Group Settlement holdings. The activities of these and subsequent 'alternatives' and 'cashed out' early retirees settling in the district have raised the marketability of the Shire's cultural capital. These changes have occurred in association with broader processes of rural restructuring and changing notions of 'rurality'. Increasingly, Denmark's cultural and physical landscape has become a highly marketable product for consumption by Perth's affluent middle classes. In recent years land prices have risen rapidly as speculators and financiers seek to 'cash in' on the 'cashed out' society. The paper explores these issues and relates them to broader processes of economic and social change occurring at the national and international levels.
Repeated Autogenous Healing in Strain-Hardening Cementitious Composites by Using Superabsorbent Polymers

AbstractAutogenous healing is an already-present feature in strain-hardening cementitious materials, but it is an inferior mechanism because it can only heal small cracks in the presence of water. A cementitious material with synthetic microfibers and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) could provide a solution. In this study, the ability of repeatable promoted autogenous healing in fiber-reinforced, strain-hardening cementitious materials with and without SAPs is investigated by comparing their mechanical properties after they are subjected to two cycles of loading under a four-point-bending test. The results indicate that SAP particles promote self-healing. The main mechanisms of the autogenous healing are the hydration of unhydrated cementitious materials in cracks and the precipitation of calcium carbonate on the crack faces. The healed specimens are able to regain some of their mechanical properties (up to 75%). Even second reloading of those healed samples leads to partial additional regain in mechanical.
Psychological Antecedents of Risk-Taking Behavior in Construction

AbstractDespite strong advancements in construction safety performance over the past few decades, injuries still occur at an unacceptable rate. Researchers have shown that risk-taking behavior, originating mainly from inaccurate perception and unacceptable tolerance of safety risk, is a significant factor in a majority of construction injuries. Based on psychology research that suggests cognitive interactions between emotions and risk perception, the hypothesis was formed that there are objectively measureable differences in construction safety risk perception between people in different emotional states. To test this hypothesis, a controlled experiment was designed and conducted that (1) induced various positive and negative emotions in 69 subjects using validated movie excerpts; (2) measured emotional states using a validated post-film questionnaire; (3) exposed participants to construction hazards within a high fidelity virtual environment; and (4) measured subjects’ perceptions of the risk related to .
NGC 4370: A case study for testing our ability to infer dust distribution and mass in nearby galaxies

Context. A segment of the early-type galaxy population hosts a prominent dust lane, often decoupled from its stellar body. Methods of quantifying the dust content of these systems based on optical imaging data usually yield dust masses that are an order of magnitude lower than dust masses derived from the observed far-IR (FIR) emission. The discrepancy is often explained by invoking a diffuse dust component that is hard to trace in the UV or optical. Aims. High-quality optical data from the Next Generation Virgo cluster Survey (NGVS) and FIR/sub-mm observations from the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey (HeViCS) allow us to revisit previous methods of determining the dust content in galaxies and explore new ones. NGC 4370 is an edge-on, early-type galaxy with a conspicuous dust lane and regular morphology, making it suitable for several (semi-) analytical modelling techniques. We aim to derive the dust mass from both optical and FIR data and to investigate the need to invoke a putative diffuse dust component. Methods. We used different methods to determine the total dust mass in the dust lane. We used our exquisite optical data to create colour and attenuation maps, which are converted to approximate dust mass maps based on simple dust geometries. Dust masses were also derived from SED fits to FIR to sub-mm observations. Finally, inverse radiative transfer fitting was performed to investigate more complex dust geometries, such as an exponential dust disc and a dust ring and to treat the dust-starlight interaction in a self-consistent way. Results. We find that the empirical methods applied to the optical data yield lower limits of 3.4 x 10(5) M-circle dot, an order of magnitude below the total dust masses derived from SED fitting. In contrast, radiative transfer models yield dust masses that are slightly lower, but fully consistent with the FIR-derived mass. We find that the effect of a nuclear stellar disc on the derivation of the total dust mass is minor. Conclusions. Dust is more likely to be distributed in a ring around the centre of NGC 4370 as opposed to an exponential disc or a simple foreground screen. Moreover, by using inverse radiative transfer fitting, we are able to constrain most of the parameters that describe these geometries. The resulting dust masses are high enough to account for the dust observed at FIR/sub-mm wavelengths, so that no diffuse dust component needs to be invoked. We furthermore caution against interpreting dust masses and optical depths based on optical data alone, when using overly simplistic star-dust geometries and the neglect of scattering effects.
Saturated hydraulic conductivity of clayey tills and the role of fractures.

The background for the present knowledge about hydraulic conductivity of clayey till in Denmark is summarized. The data show a difference of 1-2 orders of magnitude in the vertical hydraulic conductivity between values from laboratory measurements and field measurements. This difference is discussed and based on new data, field observations and comparison with North American studies, it is concluded to be primarily due to fractures in the till.