Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MOISTURE ABSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF MALEIC ANHYDRIDE GRAFTED POLYETHYLENE MODIFIED ETHYLENE VINYL ACETATE COPOLYMER / HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE NANOCOMPOSITES

The compatibilized poly ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) /organo- modified montmorillonite (OMMT) blend nanocomposites were prepared in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder followed by injection molding. Montmorillonite clay was modified by octadecylamine and aminopropyltriethoxysilane to make it organophilic. Maleic anhydride grafted high-density polyethylene was used as a Compatibilizer. Nanoclay was added in different proportions to the selected EVA/HDPE blend composition. The concentration of nanoclay was varied from1 to 5 phr in the polymer blend. The resulting nanocomposites were evaluated in terms of their water absorption behavior. Moisture absorption behavior of compatibilized blends is lower than their corresponding blend. On adding the nanoclay the moisture absorption behavior of blend nanocomposites changed at 4 phr nanoclay loading.
Evidence-based spiritual care: a literature review

Purpose of reviewAs spiritual care has increasingly been considered an integral component of a healthcare treatment plan, spiritual care practitioners have been encouraged to adopt an evidence-based orientation, just as evidence-based practice is encouraged in every other aspect of healthcare. Though the notion of ‘evidence-based spiritual care’ is still developing, increasingly research is conducted in order to provide an evidence base to the practice of spiritual care. This article reviews spirituality and spiritual care literature from June 2010 to December 2011 that employ empirical research methods. Recent findingsThe majority of patient-focused studies concentrate on oncology and palliative care patients. In the review period, studies of care giver perceptions and experience came from multiple disciplines, including medicine, nursing, and chaplaincy. A discrepancy exists between the provision of spiritual care and the theoretical commitment of practitioners to offer such care. Practitioners continue to view spiritual care as part of their role to a greater extent than they provide it. This is often attributed to the absence of consensus in the field regarding the definition of spirituality, a lack of clarity of disciplinary role, and inadequate education for nurses and doctors about spiritual care. Research has further indicated that care givers’ explorations of their own spirituality correlate with the provision of spiritual care. Although historically spiritual care has been most integrated into the care of palliative and oncology patients, researchers are developing and testing spiritual care assessment tools with other medical populations. In addition, they are evaluating these tools in diverse religious, cultural and national contexts. SummaryConceptual analysis combined with empirical study of care giver understandings of spiritual care will assist in developing clarity and consensus about the definition of spirituality and spiritual care. Investigation and conceptualization of interdisciplinary roles and provision of spiritual care is needed for optimizing collaborative care. More knowledge is needed about how to effectively teach spiritual care.
Evaluation of Feature Selection Methods for Object-Based Land Cover Mapping of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery Using Random Forest and Support Vector Machine Classifiers

The increased feature space available in object-based classification environments (e.g., extended spectral feature sets per object, shape properties, or textural features) has a high potential of improving classifications. However, the availability of a large number of derived features per segmented object can also lead to a time-consuming and subjective process of optimizing the feature subset. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the effect of the advanced feature selection methods of popular supervised classifiers (Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forest (RF)) for the example of object-based mapping of an agricultural area using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery, in order to optimize their usage for object-based agriculture pattern recognition tasks. In this study, several advanced feature selection methods were divided into both types of classifiers (SVM and RF) to conduct further evaluations using five feature-importance-evaluation methods and three feature-subset-evaluation methods. A visualization method was used to measure the change pattern of mean classification accuracy with the increase of features used, and a two-tailed t-test was used to determine the difference between two population means for both repeated ten classification accuracies. This study mainly contribute to the uncertainty analysis of feature selection for object-based classification instead of the per-pixel method. The results highlight that the RF classifier is relatively insensitive to the number of input features, even for a small training set size, whereby a negative impact of feature set size on the classification accuracy of the SVM classifier was observed. Overall, the SVM Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE) seems to be an appropriate method for both groups of classifiers, while the Correlation-based Feature Selection (CFS) is the best feature-subset-evaluation method. Most importantly, this study verified that feature selection for both classifiers is crucial for the evolving field of Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA): It is highly advisable for feature selection to be performed before object-based classification, even though an adverse impact could sometimes be observed from the wrapper methods.
The Role of Gender in Students' Decisions to Major in Information Systems

In order to understand the reasons for women’s underrepresentation in IS, we extended the IS Major Choice Goals Model, which identifies the major factors that influence students’ pursuit of IS majors and careers. There were significant differences between female and male students in terms of self-efficacy, interests, and choice goals. Significant gender differences were also found in the relationships among the key determinants of the model meaning that females and males differed with respect to how they developed aspirations to major in IS. The relationship between self-efficacy and interest was stronger in females than in males, as well as the relationship between self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Self-efficacy influenced choice goals more strongly for males than it influenced females. The relationship between outcome expectations and interest was stronger in males than in females. Interest influenced choice goals more strongly for female students than it influenced male students.
Analysis of Mucolipidosis II/III GNPTAB Missense Mutations Identifies Domains of UDP-GlcNAc:lysosomal Enzyme GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase Involved in Catalytic Function and Lysosomal Enzyme Recognition*

Background: Mutations in GNPTAB cause the lysosomal disorders mucolipidosis II and III αβ. Results: All reported missense mutations were studied and showed various consequences on its gene product, αβ GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. Conclusion: Domains responsible for catalytic activity and lysosomal hydrolase recognition were identified. Significance: Analysis of patient mutations provided new insight into the functional domains of αβ GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. UDP-GlcNAc:lysosomal enzyme GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase tags newly synthesized lysosomal enzymes with mannose 6-phosphate recognition markers, which are required for their targeting to the endolysosomal system. GNPTAB encodes the α and β subunits of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, and mutations in this gene cause the lysosomal storage disorders mucolipidosis II and III αβ. Prior investigation of missense mutations in GNPTAB uncovered amino acids in the N-terminal region and within the DMAP domain involved in Golgi retention of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase and its ability to specifically recognize lysosomal hydrolases, respectively. Here, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of the remaining missense mutations in GNPTAB reported in mucolipidosis II and III αβ patients using cell- and zebrafish-based approaches. We show that the Stealth domain harbors the catalytic site, as some mutations in these regions greatly impaired the activity of the enzyme without affecting its Golgi localization and proteolytic processing. We also demonstrate a role for the Notch repeat 1 in lysosomal hydrolase recognition, as missense mutations in conserved cysteine residues in this domain do not affect the catalytic activity but impair mannose phosphorylation of certain lysosomal hydrolases. Rescue experiments using mRNA bearing Notch repeat 1 mutations in GNPTAB-deficient zebrafish revealed selective effects on hydrolase recognition that differ from the DMAP mutation. Finally, the mutant R587P, located in the spacer between Notch 2 and DMAP, was partially rescued by overexpression of the γ subunit, suggesting a role for this region in γ subunit binding. These studies provide new insight into the functions of the different domains of the α and β subunits.
Long‐term outcome of intractable constipation treated by sacral neuromodulation: a comparison between children and adults

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a minimally invasive therapy for functional constipation (FC) and is most often used to treat adults. Recent studies suggest that SNM may also beneficial in children. However, comparative data regarding preferred age of SNM for FC are lacking. Therefore, long‐term results of SNM for FC were compared between children and adults.
Genetic Analysis of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Russia

ABSTRACT Genetic analysis of wild-type Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus strains recovered in the European part of Russia was performed. Reverse transcriptase PCR followed by direct sequencing was used to recover partial sequences of the CCHF virus medium (M) genome segment (M segment) from four pools of Hyalomma marginatum ticks and six human patients. Phylogenetic analysis of the M-segment sequences from Russian strains revealed a close relatedness of the strains (nucleotide sequence diversity, ≤5.0%). The strains differed significantly from CCHF viruses from other regions of the world (nucleotide sequence diversity, 10.3 to 20.4%), suggesting that CCHF virus strains recovered in the European part of Russia form a distinct group.
Oral EBV and KSHV Infection in HIV

The gamma herpesviruses, Kaposi’s-sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are tightly associated with the development of AIDS-associated oral disease and malignancy during immune suppression. The objective of this investigation was to characterize oral infection and pathogenesis in healthy and immune-suppressed individuals. To characterize oral EBV and KSHV infection, we examined throat washings and oral epithelial cells from HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals. Quantitative/real-time polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) assays, transmission electronmicroscopy, immunostaining, and sequence analysis were used to identify viral infection. Virus was isolated from throat-wash samples and was used to infect epithelial and lymphoid cell lines. We detected EBV and KSHV in the oral cavity in healthy and immune-suppressed individuals. Viral strain analysis of KSHV K1 in multiple clones from the oral cavities of healthy persons and immunosuppressed patients detected several strains previously detected in KS lesions, with minor strain variation within individuals. Immunoelectron microscopy for multiple viral antigens detected consistent expression of viral proteins and oral epithelial specimens. In oral epithelial cells infected with wild-type KSHV in vitro, the K8.1 glycoprotein associated with lytic KSHV infection was detected in both primary and telomerase immortalized oral epithelial cultures by 24 hours post-infection. Virions were detected, subsequent to infection, by scanning electron microscopy. Oral epithelial cells were also infected in vitro with wild-type EBV originating from throat washes. Analysis of these data suggests that, like EBV, KSHV infection is present in the oropharynx of healthy individuals, is transmissible in vitro, and may be transmitted by saliva.
Survey of nosocomial infections and causative bacteria : A hospital-based study

Objective: To determine the frequency of Nosocomial Infections (NI) presenting during the in-patient stay and their causative bacteria in Golestan teaching hospital, Iran. Methodology: In a prospective cross-sectional study, all patients admitted in Golestan teaching hospital of Ahvaz from Sep 2009 to March 2010 were included in the study. NNIS questionnaire was used for data collection and essential cultures were done. Results: From 9407 hospitalized patients, 296 cases (3.1%) proved to have NI. They consisted of 118 women (39.9%) and 178 men (60.1%) (Mean age 46.1±24.1). The rate of NI in Intensive Care Units (ICU wards) was 12% and in other wards was 1% (P=0.003). The mortality rate among patients with NI was 23.3%. The most common types of infection were: UTI (43.6%), pneumonia (35.1%), surgical wound infection (14.5%) and blood infection (6.8%). The most common infection in ICU was pneumonia (45%) and in other wards was UTI (P=0.001). The most common causative bacteria were enterobacter (59.8%) followed by Escherichia coli (34.5%) and pseudomonas aeroginosa (25.3%). Conclusion: Nosocomial Infections (NI) rate in our study was low compared to many centers and significantly higher in ICU than other wards. Gram negative bacteria were the most common cause of Nosocomial Infections (NI).
Factoring integers with elliptic curves

This paper is devoted to the description and analysis of a new algorithm to factor positive integers. It depends on the use of elliptic curves. The new method is obtained from Pollard's (p - 1)-method (Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 76 (1974), 521-528) by replacing the multiplicative group by the group of points on a random elliptic curve. It is conjectured that the algorithm determines a non-trivial divisor of a composite number n in expected time at most K( p)(log n)2, where p is the least prime dividing n and K is a function for which log K(x) = /(2 + o(1))log x log log x for x -x o. In the worst case, when n is the product of two primes of the same order of magnitude, this is
Radiation characteristics of printed meander antennas

Meander type antennas have low-profile and are generally smaller than conventional dipoles. In this paper the effect of changing the parameters of a meander dipole on its radiation characteristics is investigated using the FDTD technique. For the antenna without any substrate, it is observed that the E and H-plane patterns are similar to a straight dipole. The gain is larger than that of a straight dipole of the same length. However, gain decreases when the antenna length exceeds about 0. 6Λ. The cross-polarization increases with the increase in antenna length for a constant number of meanders. For a constant length when the number of meanders is reduced, the cross-polarization increases. For a meander dipole printed on a dielectric substrate (∊r = 10.2), the H-plane pattern is uniform for an antenna of length L = 0. 25Λ, whereas, the pattern is nonuniform (< 2.0 dB) for an antenna of length L = 0. 50Λ.
Cocirculation of measles virus genotype B2 and B3.1 in Central African Republic during the 2000 measles epidemic

Many African countries have begun implementation of national programs to eliminate measles by the year 2015. However, measles continues to be endemic in Africa. This study describes the first molecular epidemiological study of measles virus circulating in Central African Republic. Two hundred and ten blood samples were tested for measles IgM. Sixty‐seven urine samples were collected during measles outbreak in Bangui in 2000 and 2004 and used for genotyping studies. Two different methods were used to determine measles virus genotypes; the recently described real‐time PCR‐based method and the nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis methods. These tests revealed the cocirculation of two distinct viruses in Bangui. The proposed subgroup of the B3 genotype, B3.1 was found in 14 samples. This virus has been found in other neighboring countries. More surprising, genotype B2 was found in samples from four patients. The first measles genotype B2 viruses were isolated in Gabon in 1984, but have not been detected until recently when they were identified during a measles outbreak in 2003 in South Africa. This suggests that the circulation of measles genotype B2 has continued in Central Africa during the last 20 years. This study provides the baseline for genetic surveillance of measles virus in Central African Republic. Knowledge of currently circulating measles virus genotype in Central African Republic will help in monitoring the success of measles elimination program. J. Med. Virol. 78:964–970, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Primary care management of chronic dialysis patients : emerging challenges

also in our study ‘good sleepers’ have Hb values significantly higher than the ‘poor sleepers’, even if they do not reach the values obtained by Iliescu et al.: this confirms that a clinical trend to a better sleep quality exists by raising Hb levels. In summary, although the data of statistical analysis must be clearly kept in mind, to raise Hb levels above our reported values remains a possible way to challenge the bad quality of sleep and to diminish the clinical risks associated with sleep disorders [2].
Title Unfolding the Spatial and Temporal Neural Processing of MakingDishonest Choices

To understand the neural processing that underpins dishonest behavior in an economic exchange game task, this study employed both functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potential (ERP) methodologies to examine the neural conditions of 25 participants while they were making either dishonest or honest choices. It was discovered that dishonest choices, contrary to honest choices, elicited stronger fMRI activations in bilateral striatum and anterior insula. It also induced fluctuations in ERP amplitudes within two time windows, which are 270–30 milliseconds before and 110–290 milliseconds after the response, respectively. Importantly, when making either dishonest or honest choices, human and computer counterparts were associated with distinct fMRI activations in the left insula and different ERP amplitudes at medial and right central sites from 80 milliseconds before to 250 milliseconds after the response. These results support the hypothesis that there would be distinct neural processing during making dishonest decisions, especially when the subject considers the interests of the counterpart. Furthermore, the fMRI and ERP findings, together with ERP source reconstruction, clearly delineate the temporal sequence of the neural processes of a dishonest decision: the striatum is activated before response, then the left insula is involved around the time of response, and finally the thalamus is activated after response.
Development of in-house multiplex real time PCR for human papillomavirus genotyping in Iranian women with cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

BACKGROUND HPV related cervical cancer as one of the most common women cancers in developing countries. Regarding accessibility of commercial vaccines, any long or short term modality for integrating preventive immunization against HPV in a national program needs comprehensive information about HPV prevalence and its genotypes. The important role of selecting most accurate diagnostic technologies for obtaining relevant data is underlined by different assays proposed in the literature. The main objective of the present study was to introduce an in-house HPV typing assay using multiplex real time PCR with reliable results and affordable cost for molecular epidemiology surveys and diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS 112 samples of formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues and liquid based cytology specimens from patients with known different grades of cervical dysplasia and invasive cancer, were examined by this method and the result were verified by WHO HPV LabNet proficiency program in 2013. RESULTS HPV was detected in 105 (93.7%) out of 112 samples. The dominant types were HPV 18 (61.6%) and HPV 16 (42.9%). Among the mixed genotypes, HPV 16 and 18 in combination were seen in 12.4% of specimens. CONCLUSIONS According to acceptable performance, easy access to primers, probes and other consumables, affordable cost per test, this method can be used as a diagnostic assay in molecular laboratories and for further planning of cervical carcinoma prevention programs.
Human MxA Protein Inhibits the Replication of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus

ABSTRACT Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) belongs to the genus Nairovirus within the family Bunyaviridae and is the causative agent of severe hemorrhagic fever. Despite increasing knowledge about hemorrhagic fever viruses, the factors determining their pathogenicity are still poorly understood. The interferon-induced MxA protein has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on several members of the Bunyaviridae family, but the effect of MxA against CCHFV has not previously been studied. Here, we report that human MxA has antiviral activity against CCHFV. The yield of progeny virus in cells constitutively expressing MxA was reduced up to 1,000-fold compared with control cells, and accumulation of viral genomes was blocked. Confocal microscopy revealed that MxA colocalizes with the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of CCHFV in the perinuclear regions of infected cells. Furthermore, we found that MxA interacted with NP by using a coimmunoprecipitation assay. We also found that an amino acid substitution (E645R) within the C-terminal domain of MxA resulted in a loss of MxA antiviral activity and, concomitantly, in the capacity to interact with CCHFV NP. These results suggest that MxA, by interacting with a component of the nucleocapsid, prevents replication of CCHFV viral RNA and thereby inhibits the production of new infectious virus particles.
Nap1: taking a closer look at a juggler protein of extraordinary skills

The nucleosome assembly protein Nap1 is used extensively in the chromatin field to reconstitute nucleosomal templates for structural and functional studies. Beyond its role in facilitating experimental investigation of nucleosomes, the highly conserved Nap1 is one of the best‐studied members of the histone chaperone group. Here we review its numerous functions, focusing mainly on its roles in assembly and disassembly of the nucleosome particle, and its interactions with chromatin remodeling factors. Its presumed role in transcription through chromatin is also reviewed in detail. An attempt is made to clearly discriminate between fact and fiction, and to formulate the unresolved questions that need further attention. It is beyond doubt that the numerous, seemingly unrelated functions of this juggler protein have to be precisely channeled, coordinated, and regulated. Why nature endowed this specific protein with so many functions may remain a mystery. We are aware of the enormous challenge to the scientific community that understanding the mechanisms underlying these activities presents. —Zlatanova, J., Seebart, C. , Tomschik, M. Nap1: taking a closer look at a juggler protein of extraordinary skills. FASEB J. 21, 1294–1310 (2007)