Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Storage Fungi

Mycotoxins are the secondary metabolites, produced by filamentous fungi and cause toxic response when ingested by higher animals. Cereal grain may be contaminated by mycotoxins by the fungi growing on plants as pathogens or associated with postharvest transportation and storage. Temperature and water activity have boosted the growth and development of fungi in stored seed/grains. Detection and control of fungi is a continuous concern since the fungi can become established and remain with the commodity anywhere along the production, storage, transportation and consumption. Mycotoxins are toxic by product of mould infestations affecting as much as one fourth global food and feed output. Food grains contaminated with mycotoxins particularly aflatoxins, a subcategory can cause fatal acute illness and associated with increased cancer risk. Although, a few fungal strain are toxigenic under the natural conditions, and about 30% isolates of Aspergillus flavus and A. terreus are capable of elaborating aflatoxins on suitable substrate such as sorghum and wheat grains. Developing countries like India, where a large population survive below poverty line are likely to require modern technology and economic support to implement these strategies and increase awareness among the farmers, traders and consumers, which would minimize mycotoxins contamination and adopt good agricultural practices (GAPs), good trader practices (GTPs) and good consumer practices (GCPs).
Using flow geometry for drifter deployment in Lagrangian data assimilation

Methods of Lagrangian data assimilation (LaDA) require carefully chosen sites for optimal drifter deployments. In this work, we investigate a directed drifter deployment strategy with a recently developed LaDA method employing an augmented state vector formulation for an Ensemble Kalman filter. We test our directed drifter deployment strategy by targeting Lagrangian coherent flow structures of an unsteady double gyre flow to analyse how different release sites influence the performance of the method.We consider four different launch methods; a uniform launch, a saddle launch in which hyperbolic trajectories are targeted, a vortex centre launch, and a mixed launch targeting both saddles and centres. We show that global errors in the flow field require good dispersion of the drifters which can be realized with the saddle launch. Local errors on the other hand are effectively reduced by targeting specific flow features. In general, we conclude that it is best to target the strongest hyperbolic trajectories for shorter forecasts although vortex centres can produce good drifter dispersion upon bifurcating on longer time-scales.
Does sponsoring charity sport events improve customer behavioral intention

The purpose of the study was to investigate and analyze the relationships among four research variables: participation motivation, event attachment, sponsor’s brand image and participants’ behavioral intention. This study used on-site convenience sampling. Survey questionnaires were administered to 297 people who had personally participated in the Fubon Taipei International Marathon. The study then used structural equation modeling to run path analysis. The results showed that: (1) participation motivation had an effect on event attachment and sponsor’s brand image, (2) event attachment had an effect on participants’ behavioral intention, and (3) sponsor’s brand image had an effect on participants’ behavioral intention. The study found that participation motivation influenced event attachment directly and influenced behavioral intention indirectly. The total effect of the attachment-behavioral intention path was greater than the total effect of the brand image-behavioral intention path. It is suggested that only longterm sponsorship of charity sport events would create the event attachment necessary to influence customers’ behavioral intention.
COLLAPSAR ACCRETION AND THE GAMMA-RAY BURST X-RAY LIGHT CURVE

We present axisymmetric hydrodynamical simulations of the long-term accretion of a rotating gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitor star, a “collapsar,” onto the central compact object, which we take to be a black hole. The simulations were carried out with the adaptive-mesh-refinement code FLASH in two spatial dimensions and with an explicit shear viscosity. The evolution of the central accretion rate exhibits phases reminiscent of the long GRB γ-ray and X-ray light curve, which lends support to the proposal by Kumar et al. that the luminosity is modulated by the central accretion rate. In the first “prompt” phase, the black hole acquires most of its final mass through supersonic quasiradial accretion occurring at a steady rate of ∼0.2 M☉ s−1. After a few tens of seconds, an accretion shock sweeps outward through the star. The formation and outward expansion of the accretion shock is accompanied with a sudden and rapid power-law decline in the central accretion rate , which resembles the LX ∝ t−3 decline observed in the X-ray light curves. The collapsed, shock-heated stellar envelope settles into a thick, low-mass equatorial disk embedded within a massive, pressure-supported atmosphere. After a few hundred seconds, the inflow of low angular momentum material in the axial funnel reverses into an outflow from the thick disk. Meanwhile, the rapid decline of the accretion rate slows down, which is potentially suggestive of the “plateau” phase in the X-ray light curve. We complement our adiabatic simulations with an analytical model that takes into account the cooling by neutrino emission and estimate that the duration of the prompt phase can be ∼20 s. The model suggests that the steep decline in GRB X-ray light curves is triggered by the circularization of the infalling stellar envelope at radii where the virial temperature is below 1010 K, such that neutrino cooling is inefficient and an outward expansion of the accretion shock becomes imminent; GRBs with longer prompt γ-ray emission should have more slowly rotating envelopes.
DO MEDICAID AND PRIVATE-PAY NURSING HOME RESIDENTS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE IN TEXAS NURSING HOME MARKET ?

HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE IN TEXAS NURSING HOME MARKET? QING SU , Department of Economics and Finance , Northern Kentucky University BC 338 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099, Phone: 859.572. 6590 Email: suq1@nku.edu Abstract Using panel data from nursing homes in Texas over a 12-year period and applying a system panel data approach, this paper investigates whether Medicaid and private-pay nursing home residents have equal access to quality care. Our regression results suggest that even in the nursing home market with excess capacity, Medicaid patients do not have the same level of access to quality care measured in terms of the proportion of residents with pressure and the proportion of residents with bowel or bladder incontinence.
The singular $H_\infty$ control problem with dynamic measurement feedback

This paper is concerned with the $H_\infty$ problem with measurement feedback. The problem is to find a dynamic feedback from the measured output to the control input such that the closed loop system has an $H_\infty$ norm strictly less than some a priori given bound $\gamma$ and such that the closed loop system is internally stable. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given under which such a feedback exists. The only assumptions we have to make is that there are no invariant zeros on the imaginary axis for two subsystems. Contrary to recent publications no assumptions are made on the direct feed through matrices of the plant. It turns out that this problem can be reduced to an almost disturbance decoupling problem with measurement feedback and internal stability, i.e. the problem in which we can make the $H_\infty$ norm arbitrarily small. Keywords: Quadratic matrix inequality, Riccati equation, Almost disturbance decoupling, Measurement feedback, Internal stability.
Bleaching of Bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) Kraft-AQ Pulp with Sodium Perborate Tetrahydrate (SPBTH) after Oxygen Delignification

The most prominent environmental problems facing the paper industry are those due to bleaching processes that use chlorine compounds. In this study, totally chlorine free (TCF) bleaching sequences were applied to Phyllostachys bambusoides bamboo unbleached kraft anthraquinone (AQ) pulp, using different conditions with Oxygen (O) delignification and Sodium Perborate Tetrahydrate (SPBTH) stages. The effects of oxygen pressure, SPBTH ratio, and bleaching time were studied to maximize the brightness gain at the lowest viscosity loss. Unbleached kraft-AQ bamboo pulp was applied to first stage oxygen delignification for bleaching with under 5 bar, 3% NaOH, and 12% concentration conditions. Following the chelated bleaching, Sodium Perborate Tetrahydrate (SPBTH) bleaching was carried out as the final stage. The optimum bamboo kraft pulp bleaching conditions were SPBTH level: 4%, MgSO4: 0.5%, Na2SiO3: 3%, bleaching time: 80 min., reaction temperature: 70°C, and concentration: 12%. An overall increase in the physical properties of paper was evident up to an SPBTH level of 4%. When the SPBTH level and bleaching time increased, the kappa number, viscosity, opacity, and yellowness were decreased, but the brightness was increased. Oxygen delignification with chelatation and SPBTH as a bleaching sequence was shown to be a promising alternative to produce high-quality pulp from bamboo for cleaner paper.
Vertical variability of wild fish assemblages around sea-cage fish farms: implications for management

Wild fish were counted in 4 depth-related strata (bottom, midwater, cage and surface) around 3 floating sea-cage fish farms (Altea, Campello, Guardamar) along the Spanish coastline and 2 farms (Los Cristianos, San Andres) in the Canary Islands. Almost 200000 wild fish belonging to 53 species were seen; representatives of Sparidae (8 species), Carangidae (6 species), Mugilidae (5 species) and Chondrichthyid rays (7 species) were commonly observed. At all 5 farms, 1 to 3 taxa accounted for >74% of the abundance and >94% of the biomass of aggregated wild fish. Abun- dances (5.7 to 162 times) and biomasses (42 to 1728 times) of wild fish were higher in the cage stratum at the 3 Mediterranean farms than at the bottom. In contrast, abundances and biomasses of wild fish at the Canary Island farms were highest at the bottom at San Andres and highest at the sur- face at Los Cristianos. Large differences in the sizes of associated fish existed among farms, with low percentages of fish >20 cm total length at Guardamar, Los Cristianos and San Andres (11 to 25%) compared to Altea and Campello (81 to 95%). However, the greatest proportions of large fish were present in the cage stratum at each of the 5 farms. This variability suggests that assemblage structure and aggregated biomass of wild fish at farms cannot be predicted prior to their installation, causing uncertainty in modelling of nutrient dispersal. Further, the sedimentation 'footprint' of temperate sea- cage fish farms may vary depending on (1) the species and biomass of associated wild fish, and (2) where these fish are distributed in the water column. As wild fish consume lost feed and assimi- late nutrients, we suggest that coastal managers prohibit fishing of large planktivorous species at farms to fully harness their ability to ameliorate benthic impacts.
The effects of ethanol on hydrolysis of cellulose and pretreated barley straw by some commercial cellulolytic enzyme products

The effect of ethanol at levels ranging from 2.5% v/v to 15% v/v on the activities of two recently developed commercial cellulosic biomass hydrolytic enzyme products, Accellerase® 1500 and Accellerase® XY, was investigated. The substrates used for study of the effect of ethanol on Accellerase® 1500 included α-cellulose, cellobiose and barley straw pretreated by the soaking in aqueous ammonia method. The initial rates of glucose production and final glucose concentrations obtained at 48 h of hydrolysis were used as the response factors. To study the effect of ethanol on Accellerase® XY, beechwood xylan and the pretreated barley straw were used as substrates. The response factors included the initial rates of xylose production and final xylose concentrations obtained at 48 h of hydrolysis. It was found that ethanol acted as either activator or inhibitor depending on its concentration and the type of substrate used. At 10% v/v, which is expected to be the final concentration of ethanol in a commercial cellulosic biomass-based process, ethanol acted as an inhibitor in all cases. However, even at this ethanol level, both commercial enzymes still retained at least about 50% of their activities.
Mechanisms of prey size selection in a suspension-feeding copepod, Temora longicornis

We examined size-dependent prey detection and prey capture in free-swimming Temora longicornis using video observations, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and bottle incuba- tions with phytoplankton prey sizes within the range 6�60 µm equivalent spherical diameter (ESD). T. longicornis generates feeding currents by oscillating its appendages at about 25 Hz. Prey cells >10 µm ESD are perceived and captured individually. A capture response was elicited when prey was touched by (or within a few cell radii from) the setae on the feeding appendages. The extension of the setae defines the prey encounter cross section, which is therefore independent of prey size. The flux of water through the encounter area, estimated from PIV, was ca. 150 ml ind. �1 d �1 , which represents the maximum possible clearance rates and was similar to that estimated in incubation experiments. However, while the detection probability was nearly 100% for cells >10�15 µm, it declined rapidly for smaller cells. Conversely, the probability that a cell which elicited a capture response was actually ingested declined with increased cell size, from nearly 100% for small cells, to ~0% for the largest cells examined. The resulting prey size spectrum, pre- dicted as the product of the cell-size-specific encounter rates and capture probabilities, was dome- shaped, with a maximum around 20�30 µm ESD. The prey size spectrum from incubation ex - periments had a similar shape and an optimum range of 30�50 µm ESD. The mechanistic underpinning of the prey size spectrum suggested here deviates from previous descriptions mainly in the mechanism and range of prey detection.
Monoclonal antibodies against GARP / TGF-b 1 complexes inhibit the immunosuppressive activity of human regulatory T cells in vivo

or g Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential to prevent autoimmunity, but excessive Treg function contributes to cancer progression by inhibiting antitumor immune responses. Tregs exert contact-dependent inhibition of immune cells through the production of active transforming growth factor–b1 (TGF-b1). On the Treg cell surface, TGF-b1 is in an inactive form bound to membrane protein GARP and then activated by an unknown mechanism. We demonstrate that GARP is involved in this activation mechanism. Two anti-GARP monoclonal antibodies were generated that block the production of active TGF-b1 by human Tregs. These antibodies recognize a conformational epitope that requires amino acids GARP137–139 within GARP/TGF-b1 complexes. A variety of antibodies recognizing other GARP epitopes did not block active TGF-b1 production by Tregs. In a model of xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease in NSG mice, the blocking antibodies inhibited the immunosuppressive activity of human Tregs. These antibodies may serve as therapeutic tools to boost immune responses to infection or cancer via a mechanism of action distinct from that of currently available immunomodulatory antibodies. Used alone or in combination with tumor vaccines or antibodies targeting the CTLA4 or PD1/PD-L1 pathways, blocking anti-GARP antibodies may improve the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy. g.
Women Play Sport, But Not on TV

One of the long-standing trends in research on gender in sports media is the lack of coverage of women’s sport and the lack of respectful, serious coverage of women’s sport. In this article, we critically interrogate the assumption that the media simply provide fans with what they “want to see” (i.e., men’s sports). Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, we examine 6 weeks of the televised news media coverage on the local news affiliates in Los Angeles (KABC, KNBC, and KCBS) and on a nationally broadcast sports news and highlight show, ESPN’s SportsCenter. Part of an ongoing longitudinal study, the findings demonstrate that the coverage of women’s sport is the lowest ever. We argue that the amount of coverage of women’s sports and the quality of that coverage illustrates the ways in which the news media build audiences for men’s sport while silencing and marginalizing women’s sport. Moreover, the overall lack of coverage of women’s sport, despite the tremendous increased participation of girls and women in sport at the high school, collegiate, and professional level, conveys a message to audiences that sport continues to be by, for, and about men.
Preliminary validation of a brazilian version of the sport motivation scale

a b S t r a c t The Sport Motivation Scale was firstly developed in French and later translated into English and validated by Pelletier et al. (1995). It is based on the principles of self-determination theory. The present study translated the English version into Portuguese to access and validate it with Brazilian athletes using a sample of 419 athletes (127 women and 292 men) from ten sports. The Brazilian version of the scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency and temporal stability over a four-week period. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis partially supported the seven-factor structure. Finally, gender differences were found in all subscales. Taken together, these findings support the use of the Brazilian version of the scale for the assessment of motivation in sport.
The Effect of Smoking and Opium on Bladder Cancer in Yazd Province: A Case - Control Study

Introduction: Bladder cancer is regarded as the most common urinary malignancy in the world. As other cancers, its incidence has increased in recent years. Hence, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between smoking and opium and bladder cancer in residents of Yazd province. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 200 patients with bladder cancer and 200 matched healthy individuals in Yazd province. Research data was gathered through interview and administration of a researcher-made questionnaire. Furthermore, chi-square and regression tests were carried out with SPSS software (version 18). Results: The mean and standard deviation of age in case and control groups were reported to be 61.54 ± 13.61 and 61.45 ± 13.3 respectively. Education level, type of oil consumed, weekly frequency of smoking and fried foods, white meat, red meat consumption involve the predictive factors for bladder cancer; as consumption of hydrogenated fats, animal fats, fried foods more than 4 times per week and red meat had (OR=1.31;95% CL,0.63-2.71), (OR= 6.32;95% CL,2.03-19.8), (OR=2.86;95% CL,1.2-6.8) and (OR=51.18;95% CL,14.78177.03) times greater risk for bladder cancer respectively and also low education level. White meat intake had a protective effect. Moreover, in line with increasing number of cigarettes per day, the risk of bladder cancer increased. Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed that smoking and opium are risk factors of bladder cancer. Thus, appropriate training and intervention program need to be taken into account in order to prevent the cancer.
Does the Effect of Impulsivity on Delinquency Vary by Level of Neighborhood Disadvantage?

The authors examine the importance of the person-context nexus in adolescent deviance. Using the nationally representative National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data set of more than 20, 000 male and female adolescents, the authors are interested in testing whether the relationship between impulsivity and a variety of deviance measures varies as a function of neighborhood disadvantage. Results suggest that whereas levels of impulsivity and deviance vary by level of neighborhood disadvantage, relationships between impulsivity and deviance do not. This same finding is made for both male and female study participants, though there is some modest evidence of moderation in female youth. Together, these results have important implications for social disorganization theory, the general theory of crime, and for personality research on the etiology of crime and deviance.
Chemical and Pharmacological Properties of Dehydroleucodine, A Lactone isolated from Artemisia douglasiana Besser

Plant medicines have commonly been used in basic health care in many countries throughout the centuries. One of the fairly well documented preparations in Argentinean traditional medicine is an infusion of the leaves of Artemisia douglasiana Besser, popularly known as ‘matico’. Dehydroleucodine, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia douglasiana Besser, prevents gastrointestinal damage in response to necrosisinducing agents in a dose-dependent manner. The mechanisms of action of dehydroleucodine, confirmed by biochemical and morphological studies, are mainly related to the ability of the drug to stimulate mucus production and to inhibit pro-inflammatory mediator release from mast cells. The purpose of this review, based on studies from our laboratory as well as from others, is to summarize salient features of the ethnobotany of Artemisia douglasiana Besser, as well as the chemistry, pharmacology and mechanisms involved in the cytoprotective action of dehydroleucodine. It may be expected that the lactone will be a promising drug in the treatment of disease processes involving the gastrointestinal tract, such as peptic ulcer and food hypersensitivity.
Igneous stratigraphy and internal structure of the Little Minch Sill Complex, Trotternish Peninsula, northern Skye, Scotland

Abstract Detailed sampling of the Little Minch Sill Complex reveals that it is composed of both single and multiple sills. These are formed of three main, genetically related units: picrite, picrodolerite and crinanite, which are the result of differentiation of an alkali-olivine basalt magma (approximately 10% MgO) in an upper-crustal magma chamber. Variations in igneous stratigraphy and the presence of internal chills in the Trotternish sills suggest that they were emplaced by multiple intrusion and subsequently differentiated in situ. Changes in petrography adjacent to pegmatite veins and textures within picrite units indicate compaction and filter-pressing were important processes after emplacement. Rhythmic layering (1 cm to 1 m thick) is conspicuous in the sills near contacts but does not involve cryptic mineral variation. Such modal layering may be more common than realised in relatively small-scale intrusions and maybe modelled in terms of in situ differentiation under conditions of significant undercooling in a changing thermal gradient at the synthetic for-sterite-diopside-anorthite eutectic.
STABLE EXPANSIONS IN HOMOGENEOUS POLYNOMIALS

An expansion for a class of functions is called stable if the partial sums are bounded uniformly in the class. Stable expansions are of key importance in numerical analysis where functions are given up to certain error. We show that expansions in homogeneous functions are always stable on a small ball around the origin, and evaluate the radius of the largest ball with this property.