Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of genetic damage in peripheral blood of human volunteers exposed (whole-body) to a 200 μT, 60 Hz magnetic field

Aim: To investigate the extent of damage in nucleated cells in peripheral blood of healthy human volunteers exposed to a whole-body 60 Hz, 200 μT magnetic field. Materials and methods: In this study, 10 male and 10 female healthy human volunteers received a 4 h whole-body exposure to a 200 μT, 60 Hz magnetic field. In addition, five males and five females were treated in a similar fashion, but were exposed to sham conditions. For each subject, a blood sample was obtained prior to the exposure period and aliquots were used as negative- (pre-exposure) and positive- [1.5 Gray (Gy) 60Cobalt (60Co) γ-irradiation] controls. At the end of the 4 h exposure period, a second blood sample was obtained. The extent of DNA damage was assessed in peripheral human blood leukocytes from all samples using the alkaline comet assay. To detect possible clastogenic effects, the incidence of micronuclei was assessed in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocytes using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. Results: There was no evidence of either increased DNA damage, as indicated by the alkaline comet assay, or increased incidence of micronuclei (MN) in the magnetic field exposed group. However, an in vitro exposure of 1.5 Gy γ-irradiation caused a significant increase in both DNA damage and MN induction. Conclusions: This study found no evidence that an acute, whole-body exposure to a 200 μT, 60 Hz magnetic field for 4 hours could cause DNA damage in human blood.
Baccalaureate nursing student civic engagement study

Brown, Lori A. Baccalaureate Nursing Student Civic Engagement Study. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2011. The purpose of this study was to describe the civic engagement of traditional baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in the final semester of their nursing program. The data were used to examine the relationships among socialization variables, participatory variables, and the outcome of civic engagement as identified in the Civic Engagement Model. Baccalaureate nursing students in the final semester of a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program were asked to complete the National Civic Education Survey-BSN. The survey was administered via Qualtrix® software in an online format. The investigator sent requests for survey participation to the directors of 165 CCNE nursing programs from nine census regions. The survey link was sent to designated faculty who then forwarded the link to potential participants. A total of 256 students completed the survey. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods in Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) 18, also known as Predictive Analytics SoftWare (PASW). Students overwhelmingly preferred civic activity over political. Findings also revealed significant correlations between socialization variables including high school extracurricular involvement, plans for further education, and religious participation.
Carbamazepine and Carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide Pharmacokinetics in an Overdose Patient

1 A case report on a 13-year-old girl with idiopathic grand mal epilepsy who ingested 34 g carbamazepine (CBZ) and 80 mg clonazepam is presented. 2 The patient survived but suffered severe temporary neurological toxicity characteristic of CBZ. 3 CBZ was 79.6 ± 2.8% bound to serum protein and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) binding was essentially concentration dependent. 4 CBZ and CBZ-E elimination half-lives were 26 and 16.5 h respectively. An inhibitory metabolic interaction with the co-ingested clonazepam is suggested.
Compact UWB Monopole Antenna for Automotive Communications

This communication presents a bandwidth-enhanced, compact, monopole antenna with modified ground plane for modern automotive ultra wide-band (UWB) applications. The proposed antenna has hybrid geometry and is constructed using half circular ring and half square ring. The ground plane of the fundamental radiator is curved and defected to improve the VSWR bandwidth. An extended ground stub is added to further enhance the bandwidth to suit the modern automotive requirements. The designed antenna covers 3.1-10.9 GHz frequency spectrum with VSWR ≤ 2. This antenna can be conveniently placed inside the shark fin housing or it can be printed along with the existing print circuit board (PCB) electronics nullifying the need for dedicated location for in-car communications. Furthermore, a simple two-port multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna is constructed and its diversity performance is estimated. The prototype is fabricated and tested for impedance and radiation characteristics.
Effective inactivation of a wide range of viruses by pasteurization

Careful selection and testing of plasma reduces the risk of blood‐borne viruses in the starting material for plasma‐derived products. Furthermore, effective measures such as pasteurization at 60°C for 10 hours have been implemented in the manufacturing process of therapeutic plasma proteins such as human albumin, coagulation factors, immunoglobulins, and enzyme inhibitors to inactivate blood‐borne viruses of concern. A comprehensive compilation of the virus reduction capacity of pasteurization is presented including the effect of stabilizers used to protect the therapeutic protein from modifications during heat treatment.
Mode-pursuing sampling method for global optimization on expensive black-box functions

The presence of black-box functions in engineering design, which are usually computation-intensive, demands efficient global optimization methods. This article proposes a new global optimization method for black-box functions. The global optimization method is based on a novel mode-pursuing sampling method that systematically generates more sample points in the neighborhood of the function mode while statistically covering the entire search space. Quadratic regression is performed to detect the region containing the global optimum. The sampling and detection process iterates until the global optimum is obtained. Through intensive testing, this method is found to be effective, efficient, robust, and applicable to both continuous and discontinuous functions. It supports simultaneous computation and applies to both unconstrained and constrained optimization problems. Because it does not call any existing global optimization tool, it can be used as a standalone global optimization method for inexpensive problems as well. Limitations of the method are also identified and discussed.
The effect of oxidation on the mineralogy and magnetic properties of olivine

Abstract Although nucleation of magnetite and/or hematite along dislocations upon oxidation of olivine has been observed by many workers, the effect of oxidation on the magnetic properties of the sample with specific mineralogical alterations has not been studied. Therefore, we investigate this problem using a set of time series 1 bar oxidation experiments at 600 and 900 °C. Results show rapid olivine oxidation and alteration at both 600 and 900 °C, forming magnetite and hematite associated with a change from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic behavior after oxidation. Magnetite and hematite nucleate along dislocations and impurities in the crystal structure, along with surface coatings and within cracks in the crystals. Fresh, unaltered mantle xenoliths containing magnetite have been interpreted as having formed in cold tectonic regimes in the mantle, rather than through oxidation during or after ascent. Mantle xenoliths rapidly ascend through the mantle with estimates of the ascent of up to 90 km/h (3 GPa/h) based on the diffusion profile of water in mantle olivine. The rates correspond to xenoliths ascending through the mantle over hours and not days or weeks. Our results show that olivine oxidation and alteration can occur in days to weeks at 600 °C and within minutes at 900 °C. Therefore, if the xenolithic material is transported to the surface in a cold magma (at temperatures ≤600 °C), then the timescale of ascent is likely not long enough for oxidation to cause magnetite formation or a ferromagnetic signature to occur. However, if the material is transported in a hot oxidized basaltic magma (with temperatures ≥900 °C), then oxidation can cause magnetite formation and a ferromagnetic signature.
The “politics” of sexual identities in Zimbabwe: a social work perspective?

Any sexual orientation other than heterosexuality is treated with scorn in most African societies. This paper focus on homosexuality as a sexual minority problem in Zimbabwe. Homosexuals live secluded lives due to prejudice and discrimination. The paper also argues that despite disapproval that homosexuality in un-African, it is as African as the baobab tree and as Zimbabwean as the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. It traces the incidence of same sex relations in pre-colonial and post colonial Zimbabwe. It also argues that based on their professional values, social workers in Zimbabwe should promote social justice through assisting the gay community.
Windsor, Ontario Exposure Assessment Study: Design and Methods Validation of Personal, Indoor, and Outdoor Air Pollution Monitoring

ABSTRACT The Windsor, Ontario Exposure Assessment Study evaluated the contribution of ambient air pollutants to personal and indoor exposures of adults and asthmatic children living in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition, the role of personal, indoor, and outdoor air pollution exposures upon asthmatic children's respiratory health was assessed. Several active and passive sampling methods were applied, or adapted, for personal, indoor, and outdoor residential monitoring of nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter (PM; PM ≤ 2.5 μm [PM2.5] and ≤ 10 μm [PM10] in aerodynamic diameter),elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, ozone, air exchange rates, allergens in settled dust, and particulate-associated metals. Participants completed five consecutive days of monitoring during the winter and summer of 2005 and 2006. During 2006, in addition to undertaking the air pollution measurements, asthmatic children completed respiratory health measurements (including peak flow meter tests and exhaled breath condensate) and tracked respiratory symptoms in a diary. Extensive quality assurance and quality control steps were implemented, including the collocation of instruments at the National Air Pollution Surveillance site operated by Environment Canada and at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality site in Allen Park, Detroit, MI. During field sampling, duplicate and blank samples were also completed and these data are reported. In total, 50 adults and 51 asthmatic children were recruited to participate, resulting in 922 participant days of data. When comparing the methods used in the study with standard reference methods, field blanks were low and bias was acceptable, with most methods being within 20% of reference methods. Duplicates were typically within less than 10% of each other, indicating that study results can be used with confidence. This paper covers study design, recruitment, methodology, time activity diary, surveys, and quality assurance and control results for the different methods used. IMPLICATIONS It is important to obtain data to identify any factors that can influence the relationships among personal, indoor, and outdoor concentrations for a range of air pollutants. Ensuring that the methods used are valid and comparable to reference methods used in typical air pollution, monitoring is crucial for data to be of use to regulators. These exposure data can then be used to develop risk management policies that reduce personal and indoor exposures to air pollutants.
THE FIRM REDSHIFT LOWER LIMIT OF THE MOST DISTANT TeV-DETECTED BLAZAR PKS 1424+240

We present the redshift lower limit of z ⩾ 0.6035 for the very high energy (VHE; E ⩾ 100 GeV) emitting blazar PKS 1424+240 (PG 1424+240). This limit is inferred from Lyβ and Lyγ absorption observed in the far-ultraviolet spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. No VHE-detected blazar has shown solid spectroscopic evidence of being more distant. At this distance, VHE observations by VERITAS are shown to sample historically large gamma-ray opacity values at 500 GeV, extending beyond τ = 4 for low-level models of the extragalactic background light (EBL) and beyond τ = 5 for high levels. The majority of the z = 0.6035 absorption-corrected VHE spectrum appears to exhibit a lower flux than an extrapolation of the contemporaneous Large Area Telescope power-law fit beyond 100 GeV. However, the highest energy VERITAS point is the only point showing agreement with this extrapolation, possibly implying the overestimation of the gamma-ray opacity or the onset of an unexpected VHE spectral feature. A curved log parabola is favored when fitting the full range of gamma-ray data (0.5–500 GeV). While fitting the absorption-corrected VHE data alone results in a harder differential power law than that from the full range, the indices derived using three EBL models are consistent with the physically motivated limit set by Fermi acceleration processes.
Thrombolytic therapy vs primary percutaneous coronary intervention for myocardial infarction in patients presenting to hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Trials comparing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thrombolytic therapy for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI) suggest primary PCI is the superior therapy, although they differ with respect to the durability of benefit. Because PCI is often limited to hospitals that have on-site cardiac surgery programs, most acute MI patients do not have access to this therapy. OBJECTIVE To determine whether treatment of acute MI with primary PCI is superior to thrombolytic therapy at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery and, if so, whether superiority is durable. DESIGN The Atlantic Cardiovascular Patient Outcomes Research Team (C-PORT) trial, a prospective, randomized trial conducted from July 1996 through December 1999. SETTING Eleven community hospitals in Massachusetts and Maryland without on-site cardiac surgery or extant PCI programs. PATIENTS Four hundred fifty-one thrombolytic-eligible patients with acute MI of less than 12 hours' duration associated with ST-segment elevation on electrocardiogram. INTERVENTIONS After a formal primary PCI development program was completed at all sites, patients were randomly assigned to receive primary PCI (n = 225) or accelerated tissue plasminogen activator (bolus dose of 15 mg and an infusion of 0.75 mg/kg for 30 minutes followed by 0.5 mg/kg for 60 minutes; n = 226). After initiation of assigned treatment, all care was determined by treating physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Six-month composite incidence of death, recurrent MI, and stroke; median hospital length of stay. RESULTS The incidence of the composite end point was reduced in the primary PCI group at 6 weeks (10.7% vs 17.7%; P =.03) and 6 months (12.4% vs 19.9%; P =.03) after index MI. Six-month rates for individual outcomes were 6.2% vs 7.1% for death (P =.72), 5.3% vs 10.6% for recurrent MI (P =.04), and 2.2% vs 4.0% for stroke (P =.28) for primary PCI vs thrombolytic therapy, respectively. Median length of stay was also reduced in the primary PCI group (4.5 vs 6.0 days; P =.02). CONCLUSIONS Compared with thrombolytic therapy, treatment of patients with primary PCI at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery is associated with better clinical outcomes for 6 months after index MI and a shorter hospital stay.
Associations of emotion-related regulation with language skills, emotion knowledge, and academic outcomes.

Recently there has been extensive discussion of the construct of emotion-related regulation, including its conceptualization, measurement, and relation to developmental outcomes. Definitions of the construct vary, but in general emotion-related regulation refers to processes used to manage and change if, when, and how one experiences emotions and emotion-related motivational and physiological states, and how emotions are expressed behaviorally. It is accomplished in diverse ways, notably through attentional and planning processes, inhibition or activation of behavior, and management of the external context. Children’s emotion-related regulation (labeled herein regulation) is increasingly viewed as a core skill relevant to many aspects of their socio-emotional and cognitive functioning. A recent Academy of Science committee concluded that “the growth of self-regulation is a cornerstone of early childhood development that cuts across all domains of behavior” (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000, p. 3). Similarly, in a report funded by the National Institutes of Health concerning risk factors for academic and behavioral problems at the beginning of school, Huffman, Mehlinger, and Kerivan (2000) concluded that emotion regulation is critical for children’s competence. Like the members of the National Academy of Science committee, we believe that regulatory skills, including those involved in managing emotions and their expression, are central to many aspects of children’s functioning. However, children’s emotion-related regulation and other early developing abilities likely influence one another while they are emerging. In this chapter, we discuss links between children’s regulation and two emerging skills: language and emotion understanding. In addition, we review findings on the relation of all three of these constructs to developmental outcomes that have infrequently been studied in relation to regulation: school readiness and academic skills. Finally, we propose a heuristic model for the interrelations among these variables, a model that has implications for research and for interventions with young people.
Structure and functional characterization of the periplasmic N‐terminal polypeptide domain of the sugar‐specific ion channel protein (ScrY porin)

The structure of the sucrose‐specific porin (ScrY) from Salmonella typhimurium has been elucidated by X‐ray crystallography to consist of 18 antiparallel β‐strands, associated as a trimer complex similar to ion‐transport channels. However, the 71‐amino‐acid‐residue N‐terminal periplasmic domain was not determined from the crystal structure due to the absence of sufficient electron density. The N‐terminal polypeptide contains a coiled‐coil structural motif and has been assumed to play a role in the sugar binding of ScrY porin. In this study the proteolytic stability and a specific proteolytic truncation site at the N‐terminal domain were identified by the complete primary structure characterization of ScrY porin, using MALDI mass spectrometry and post‐source‐decay fragmentation. The secondary structure and supramolecular association of the coiled‐coil N‐terminal domain were determined by chemical synthesis of the complete N‐terminal polypeptide and several partial sequences and their spectroscopic, biophysical, and mass spectrometric characterization. Circular dichroism spectra revealed predominant α‐helical conformation for the putative coiled‐coil domain comprising residues 4–46. Specific association to both dimer and trimer complexes was identified by electrospray ionization mass spectra and was ascertained by dynamic light scattering and electrophoresis data. The role of the N‐terminal domain in sugar binding was examined by comparative TR‐NOE‐NMR spectroscopy of the complete ScrY porin and a recombinant mutant, ScrY(Δ1–62), lacking the N‐terminal polypeptide. The TR‐NOE‐NMR data showed a strong influence of ScrY porin on the sugar‐binding affinity and suggested a possible function of the periplasmic N terminus for supramolecular stabilization and low‐affinity sugar binding.
The Order Bacillales Hosts Functional Homologs of the Worrisome cfr Antibiotic Resistance Gene

ABSTRACT The cfr gene encodes the Cfr methyltransferase that methylates a single adenine in the peptidyl transferase region of bacterial ribosomes. The methylation provides resistance to several classes of antibiotics that include drugs of clinical and veterinary importance. This paper describes a first step toward elucidating natural residences of the worrisome cfr gene and functionally similar genes. Three cfr-like genes from the order Bacillales were identified from BLAST searches and cloned into plasmids under the control of an inducible promoter. Expression of the genes was induced in Escherichia coli, and MICs for selected antibiotics indicate that the cfr-like genes confer resistance to PhLOPSa (phenicol, lincosamide, oxazolidinone, pleuromutilin, and streptogramin A) antibiotics in the same way as the cfr gene. In addition, modification at A2503 on 23S rRNA was confirmed by primer extension. Finally, expression of the Cfr-like proteins was verified by SDS gel electrophoresis of whole-cell extracts. The work shows that cfr-like genes exist in the environment and that Bacillales are natural residences of cfr-like genes.
Antimicrobial Activity of Broth Fermented with Kombucha Colonies

The kombucha is a consortium of yeast and bacterias originally from China, and able to produce a fermented broth, which presents antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic microorganisms. The goal of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of fermented broth by kombucha colonies in the same condition used in a hospital in the Northeast of Brazil and to optimize the medium of kombucha growth. The fermented growth was efficient against Microsporum canis (LM-828), Escherichia coli (CCT-0355) and Salmonella typhi (CCT-1511). The best conditions of inhibition against M. canis (> 32mm) and E. coli (16 mm) was observed at pH 4.0, 55% of commercial sugar and 0.10 g/l of MgSO4, and for S. typhi (32 mm) without MgSO4. The conditions and time of fermentation used in the hospital are wrong.
The efficient market hypothesis and calendar anomalies: a literature review

One of the most important principles used in measuring the market's efficiency is the ability of prices to reflect all currently available information. The Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) is the proposition that current stock prices fully reflect all available information about the value of the firm and that there is no way to earn excess profits by using this information. The EMH has received an abundance of attention since its inception. However, evidence against the EMH is growing, and numerous studies have documented return predictability. In fact, despite its relative simplicity, this hypothesis has also generated considerable controversy. After all, the EMH questions the ability of investors to consistently detect mispriced securities. For these reasons, scholars have recently been studying the calendar anomalies that are one of the characteristics of financial markets, and these anomalies are found to contradict the EMH. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of the existing literature on calendar anomalies. This critical examination of the relationship between the EMH and calendar anomalies provides new insights for scholars and executives.