Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dependence of microstructure of Al-44 at% and Al-48 at% zn alloys on temperature

The temperature dependence of microstructure of the title alloys was studied in situ by XRD. Each alloy had been subjected to two different thermal treatments: (i) rapid quenching from the solid-solution temperature, T_SS, in water at room temperature (RT) and ageing at RT (samples WQ) and (ii) cooling slowly from TSS to RT and ageing at RT (samples SC). As the samples SC were closer to the equilibrium state than the samples WQ, the microstructure of the two sets of samples dependeded on temperature in a different way. The solid solution, aSS, was formed at about 720 K for the samples SC, and at about 880 K for the samples WQ. During the slow cooling to RT the samples SC and WQ behaved in a similar way. Instead of the phase transitions expected according to the phase diagram, the following sequence of transitions was observed for both alloys: α(M/β)+β(Zn) - α¢+β(Zn)+a(M/α¢,β) - α_SS. A similar thermal behaviour was also found for the Zn-rich alloys, Al-54 at% Zn and Al-62 at% Zn.
Ductility and Toughness Improvement of Injection-Molded Compostable Pieces of Polylactide by Melt Blending with Poly(ε-caprolactone) and Thermoplastic Starch

The present study describes the preparation and characterization of binary and ternary blends based on polylactide (PLA) with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) to develop fully compostable plastics with improved ductility and toughness. To this end, PLA was first melt-mixed in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with up to 40 wt % of different PCL and TPS combinations and then shaped into pieces by injection molding. The mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical properties of the resultant binary and ternary blend pieces were analyzed and related to their composition. Although the biopolymer blends were immiscible, the addition of both PCL and TPS remarkably increased the flexibility and impact strength of PLA while it slightly reduced its mechanical strength. The most balanced mechanical performance was achieved for the ternary blend pieces that combined high PCL contents with low amounts of TPS, suggesting a main phase change from PLA/TPS (comparatively rigid) to PLA/PCL (comparatively flexible). The PLA-based blends presented an “island-and-sea” morphology in which the TPS phase contributed to the fine dispersion of PCL as micro-sized spherical domains that acted as a rubber-like phase with the capacity to improve toughness. In addition, the here-prepared ternary blend pieces presented slightly higher thermal stability and lower thermomechanical stiffness than the neat PLA pieces. Finally, all biopolymer pieces fully disintegrated in a controlled compost soil after 28 days. Therefore, the inherently low ductility and toughness of PLA can be successfully improved by melt blending with PCL and TPS, resulting in compostable plastic materials with a great potential in, for instance, rigid packaging applications.
Exposure to the 2014 Gaza War and Support for Militancy: The Role of Emotion Dysregulation

How do wars shape emotions and attitudes in intractable conflicts? In two studies conducted in the aftermath of the 2014 Gaza War in the Middle East, we tested a new theoretical model wherein the ability to regulate emotions is central in determining the influence of war exposure on emotions (i.e., group-based humiliation) and support for militancy, through posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS). Results supported our model: (a) higher exposure to the war predicted group-based humiliation in both studies and in Study 2 also greater support for militancy; in both studies, (b) higher exposure predicted more PSS only among participants high in emotion dysregulation, and, for them, (c) higher exposure predicted greater group-based humiliation, through increased levels of PSS. Results from Study 2 suggest that (d) group-based humiliation will ultimately lead to greater support for militancy. The findings’ contribution to the different literatures and their integration is discussed.
Las cooperativas de mujeres en España: ¿empoderamiento o perpetuación de roles de género?

Este artículo presenta la experiencia de tres cooperativas dirigidas por mujeres en Andalucía (España) para ilustrar un contexto del sur de Europa donde el alto nivel desempleo y las políticas de austeridad han aumentado la importancia de las empresas sociales. Estas cooperativas se desarrollaron después de la crisis económica de 2008, en un contexto marcado por necesidades sociales emergentes, junto con recortes presupuestarios y cambios en las políticas sociales que afectaron particularmente a los países del sur de Europa. A las mujeres que fundaron estas cooperativas les atrajo un modelo empresarial que colocaba a las personas antes del capital para lograr objetivos sociales, junto con el objetivo económico de asegurar los medios de subsistencia de sus socias. Al discutir el concepto de empoderamiento de Kabeer, este artículo explora cómo, en el contexto andaluz, el modelo cooperativo permite a las mujeres mejorar sus condiciones de vida en general, creando empleos que se adaptan mejor a sus necesidades, mejorando su autoestima y fortaleciendo su sentido de empoderamiento, proporcionándoles a la vez las condiciones necesarias para una mayor flexibilidad y conciliación familiar. Sin embargo, dada la relativa ausencia de oportunidades alternativas, la búsqueda de flexibilidad de las mujeres y el predominio de su misión social por encima de fines lucrativos, también sugiere que el riesgo de perpetuar ciertos roles de género tradicionales permanece.
Social effects of space availability on the breeding behaviour of elephant seals in Patagonia

Abstract The Patagonian breeding colony of southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina , of Peninsula Valdes, Argentina is characterized by long, continuous, homogeneous and spacious beaches. Reproduction in this colony occurs at the lowest group densities reported for the species. The availability of ample space resulted in the dispersion of reproductive females along 160 km of coastline, with a range of 0–300 reproductive individuals per km. Females grouped together in small harems (median=11 females, range 2–122, N =432), and individual distance between females was one to two female body lengths. Body contact within the harem was rare. Consequently, agonistic interactions (AIs) between females and female aggression (Ag) towards alien pups occurred infrequently (median rate=4 AIs/female per 100 h and 1 Ag/pup per 100 h, respectively). Pup mortality rate was low for an elephant seal rookery (3.5% for 3487 pups). Most dead pups were stillborn, and only three of 38 pups whose cause of mortality could be determined died from trauma or starvation following mother–pup separation. Female dispersal allowed many males to have access to females. About 45% of all males of reproductive size in the colony (about 1000 individuals) had a harem. Most adult males mated with receptive females. Low-density breeding conditions benefited female reproductive success through an increase in pup survival. Female dispersal resulted in small harem size, however, and limited the potential for polygyny. 1996 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Trends of critical care management of obstetric patients in a tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan Africa

Background: The maternal mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa is high compared to other regions of the world. Management of critically ill obstetric patients is very challenging. We therefore evaluate the trends, clinical characteristics and outcome of the obstetric patients admitted into the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in sub Saharan Africa.Methods: This was a 9- year retrospective study carried out at the multidisciplinary Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a University Teaching Hospital which serves as a referral centre for the south east region of the country. Data were collected from the patients’ record, ICU admission and discharge register. Also collected was data concerning labor ward admission and deliveries. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The total admission into the ICU during the study period was 1243 patients of which 73 (5.87%) were obstetric patients. They were between the ages of 17 and 54 years with mean of 32.05±5.96 years. The total number of deliveries within the period was 11224 (1247 per year). The commonest obstetric cases admitted into the ICU were (pre) eclampsia 28.8% followed by obstetric hemorrhage 24.7%. The overall mortality rate in this study was 39.7%. The commonest intervention carried out in the ICU was mechanical ventilation.Conclusions: The two leading indications for ICU admission and maternal mortality are (pre)eclampsia and obstetric hemorrhage.
Determination of the Three-Dimensional Rate of Cancer Cell Rotation in an Optically-Induced Electrokinetics Chip Using an Optical Flow Algorithm

Our group has reported that Melan-A cells and lymphocytes undergo self-rotation in a homogeneous AC electric field, and found that the rotation velocity of these cells is a key indicator to characterize their physical properties. However, the determination of the rotation properties of a cell by human eyes is both gruesome and time consuming, and not always accurate. In this paper, a method is presented to more accurately determine the 3D cell rotation velocity and axis from a 2D image sequence captured by a single camera. Using the optical flow method, we obtained the 2D motion field data from the image sequence and back-project it onto a 3D sphere model, and then the rotation axis and velocity of the cell were calculated. After testing the algorithm on animated image sequences, experiments were also performed on image sequences of real rotating cells. All of these results indicate that this method is accurate, practical, and useful. Furthermore, the method presented there can also be used to determine the 3D rotation velocity of other types of spherical objects that are commonly used in microfluidic applications, such as beads and microparticles.
A Structural Model of Academic Buoyancy, Aptitude, and School Environment on the Mathematics Achievement of Pre-service Teachers

The study determined the direction and magnitude of the relationships of academic buoyancy, aptitude and school environment towards mathematics achievement of the pre-service teachers through Structural Equation Modeling. Maximum Likelihood was used to estimate while Chi-square/degrees of freedom, Goodness of Fit Index, Normal Fit Index, Tucker-Lewis Index, Comparative Fit Index, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation indices were used to evaluate the goodness of fit of the hypothesized models. The best fit model for the mathematics achievement of pre-service teachers is best anchored on aptitude supported by school environment. Academic buoyancy is necessary but insufficient for mathematics achievement.
Flexible Symbiotic Associations of Symbiodinium With Five Typical Coral Species in Tropical and Subtropical Reef Regions of the Northern South China Sea

The coral symbiont Symbiodinium plays important roles in the adaptation of coral to environmental changes. However, coral-Symbiodinium symbiotic associations are not well-understood in the South China Sea (SCS) whilst considering environmental factors and host taxa. In this study, next-generation sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) marker gene was used to explore the symbiotic associations between Symbiodinium and five typical coral species across tropical and subtropical reef regions of the SCS. The results showed that Acropora sp. , Galaxea fascicularis, Platygyra lamellina, and Sarcophyton glaucum exhibited distinct Symbiodinium compositions between tropical and subtropical reef regions, whereas Porites lutea had stable Symbiodinium compositions. More heterogeneous Symbiodinium compositions among different coral species were observed in the tropical region, but there were no statistically significant differences in Symbiodinium compositions among different coral species in subtropical reef regions. There was a correlation between the Symbiodinium compositions and environmental factors, except for the composition of P. lutea. Symbiodinium subclades D1, D2, C71, C71a, C21, C3b, and C161 were primarily explained by the seawater temperature, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate. Several host-specific Symbiodinium subclades (e.g., C15, C15.6, and C91) were observed in P. lutea as well. The findings of this study demonstrate the relationship of Symbiodinium diversity with coral hosts and the environment are helpful for elucidating the adaptation of corals to global climate change and anthropogenic disturbance.
A Local Block Coordinate Descent Algorithm for the Convolutional Sparse Coding Model

The Convolutional Sparse Coding (CSC) model has recently gained considerable traction in the signal and image processing communities. By providing a global, yet tractable, model that operates on the whole image, the CSC was shown to overcome several limitations of the patch-based sparse model while achieving superior performance in various applications. Contemporary methods for pursuit and learning the CSC dictionary often rely on the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) in the Fourier domain for the computational convenience of convolutions, while ignoring the local characterizations of the image. A recent work by Papyan et al. suggested the SBDL algorithm for the CSC, while operating locally on image patches. SBDL demonstrates better performance compared to the Fourier-based methods, albeit still relying on the ADMM. In this work we maintain the localized strategy of the SBDL, while proposing a new and much simpler approach based on the Block Coordinate Descent algorithm - this method is termed Local Block Coordinate Descent (LoBCoD). Furthermore, we introduce a novel stochastic gradient descent version of LoBCoD for training the convolutional filters. The Stochastic-LoBCoD leverages the benefits of online learning, while being applicable to a single training image. We demonstrate the advantages of the proposed algorithms for image inpainting and multi-focus image fusion, achieving state-of-the-art results.
Efficacy and safety of long-term thiopurine maintenance treatment for ulcerative colitis in Turkey: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Thiopurines are widely used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, but data are limited. Or aim was to determine the outcome of thiopurine application in children diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-eight patients with UC, diagnosed at our center between 2005 and 2016 and applied azathiopurine (AZA), were included in the study. Data were collected retrospectively. The diagnosis of UC was based on the conventional clinical, radiological, histological, and endoscopic assessment. All patients with UC at this intercept were analyzed at the 4- and 6-week and 3-month intervals after remission to determine patient characteristics, thiopurine properties, and its efficacy and toxicity. Determination of remission, relapse, and steroid refractoriness/dependency were guided according to the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation consensus. RESULTS Azathiopurine was started at the median 1 month (0-12 months), and it was applied thereafter for maintenance (n=43). Response to remission induction was obtained in 40 (93.7%) patients. The median duration of the AZA treatment was 24 months (5-63). In 34 (85%) of the 40 children, it was well tolerated until the last visit. During the follow-up, adverse events occurred in 6 patients. These are leucopenia, neutropenia, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rush. CONCLUSION Thiopurine is an appropriate treatment option for remission in patients with UC. For a long-term follow-up, it is very important to identify patients with UC who have clinical remission with side effects and with thiopurine application.
Do dogs respond to play signals given by humans?

Play signals are known to function in the solicitation and maintenance of intraspecific play, but their role in interspecific play is relatively unstudied. We carried out two studies to examine interspecific signalling when humans play with domestic dogs, Canis familiaris. In the first, we recorded dog–owner play sessions on video to identify actions used by 21 dog owners to initiate play with their dogs. Thirty-five actions were each used by three or more owners. These included postures, vocalizations and physical contact with the dog. The actions varied greatly in their apparent success at instigating play which was, surprisingly, unrelated to the frequency with which they were used. We then did an experiment to determine the effect of composites of commonly used signals upon the behaviour of 20 Labrador retrievers. The performance of both ‘Bow’ and ‘Lunge’ by a human altered the subsequent behaviour of the dogs. Both signals caused increases in play, and Lunge produced significant increases in play bout frequency and mean bout duration. The efficiency of both these postural signals was enhanced when they were accompanied by play vocalizations. Thus, specific actions used by humans do communicate a playful context to dogs and can be described as interspecific play signals.
Measuring relative investment: a case study of testes investment in species with alternative male reproductive tactics

Correspondence: J. L. Tomkins, School of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Bute Medical Building, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, U.K. (email: jtomkins@st-andrews.ac.uk). L. W. Simmons is at the Department of Zoology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia. Evolutionary biologists frequently want to quantify the investment made in a particular trait by individuals or groups. When the trait of interest is linearly related to body size the relative investment of individuals in the population can be described by the allometric relationship between the log-transformed variables (Gould 1966; Prothero 1986; Reiss 1989). The situation becomes more complex when researchers wish to compare the investment in a trait made by different size classes or determine whether the allometric relationships underlying trait expression are the same or different for two or more groups. To draw reliable conclusions, one must account for allometry in an appropriate manner. Here we present a case study from our field of sperm competition and alternative male reproductive tactics. However, the problems and the logic behind the solutions are likely to be the same in many other fields. Alternative reproductive tactics of males within a species (Gross 1996) are likely to give rise to situations in which there is an asymmetry in sperm competition risk among conspecific males (Parker 1990). This asymmetry arises as a consequence of the behavioural roles that characterize the different male tactics (Parker 1990). Males that guard females tend to be able to prevent rival males from copulating with their partner (Thornhill & Alcock 1983) and in general tend to face a low risk of sperm competition (Parker 1990). In contrast, males that adopt a sneak tactic face a high risk of sperm competition because the female is likely to be subject to previous and/or subsequent matings by the guarding male (Parker 1990). Parker’s (1990) models of sperm competition in systems
Arterial Responses to Acute Low-Level Ergot Exposure in Hereford Cows

Ergot alkaloids are toxic secondary metabolites produced by the fungus Claviceps purpurea that contaminate cereal grains. Current Canadian standards allow 2 to 3 parts per million of ergot alkaloids in animal feed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hemodynamic parameters were altered when beef cows were fed permissible levels of ergot alkaloids (i.e., <3 ppm) on a short-term basis. A dose-response relationship between ergot alkaloid concentration and hemodynamic changes in caudal (coccygeal), median sacral, and internal iliac arteries was hypothesized. Beef cows were randomly allocated to: Control (<15 μg total ergot alkaloids/kg dry matter), Low (132 μg/kg), Medium (529 μg/kg), and High (2115 μg/kg) groups (n = 4 per group). Animals were fed 8.8 kg of dry matter daily for 4 days (pre-treatment), 7 days (treatment), and 4 days (post-treatment). The caudal, median sacral, and internal iliac arteries were examined daily using ultrasonography in B-mode and Doppler (color and spectral) mode and hemodynamics endpoints were analyzed by repeated measures mixed model analyses. Caudal artery diameter decreased in the Medium (p = 0.004) and High (p < 0.001) groups compared to pre-treatment values and the pulsatility index increased (p ≤ 0.033) in all ergot treatments during the post-exposure period compared to the Control group. Blood volume per pulse (mL) and blood flow (mL/min) through the caudal artery during the treatment period were reduced in the Medium (−1.0 mL reduction; p ≤ 0.004) and High (−1.1 mL p ≤ 0.006) groups compared to pre-treatment values. The median sacral artery diameter decreased in the Medium (p = 0.006) and High (p = 0.017) treatments compared to the Control group. No differences were detected in any hemodynamic endpoints for the internal iliac artery except changes in pulse rate (p = 0.011). There was no treatment (p > 0.554) or Treatment*Time interaction (p > 0.471) for plasma prolactin concentration or body temperature. In conclusion, alterations in caudal artery hemodynamics were detected when cows were fed 529 and 2115 μg ergot alkaloids per kg dry matter per day for 1 week. The caudal artery was more sensitive to ergot alkaloids than the median sacral and internal iliac arteries. Our results partially support the hypothesis of a dose-response effect of ergot alkaloids in feed on hemodynamics.
Five-year Changes in Methamphetamine Use, Dependence, and Remission in a Community-recruited Cohort

Objectives: Investigate patterns of methamphetamine use over time, specifically factors associated with remission from dependent and harmful patterns of use; and examine drug treatment and health/support service utilization pathways among people who use methamphetamine. Methods: People who regularly use methamphetamine were recruited from nontreatment settings in Melbourne, Australia, in 2010, and followed up twice over 5 years. Trajectories of past-month methamphetamine use and methamphetamine dependence were mapped. Random-effects logistic regression modeling identified factors associated with these outcomes. Results: Overall, past-month methamphetamine use and methamphetamine dependence decreased among the cohort over the study period. Variability in methamphetamine use and dependence trajectories was observed; 56% of participants achieved past-month abstinence; however, 14% subsequently relapsed and 44% reported past-month use at every time-point. During the study period, 27% of participants were never classified methamphetamine-dependent, 30% remitted from dependence, and 23% were consistently classified dependent. Factors independently associated with past-month methamphetamine use included male sex and poor physical health. Factors independently associated with methamphetamine dependence included poor physical health, low self-perceived social support, current mental health medication prescription, and current engagement with drug treatment services for methamphetamine use. Engagement with treatment and health/support services remained low (12%–22%) over the study period. Conclusions: Our findings indicate people who remit from methamphetamine dependence, reduce their frequency of use or cease entirely can maintain this over long periods. Initiatives addressing social determinants of health could be optimal for combating methamphetamine dependence. Community-based frontline service providers should be educated in relation to appropriately addressing methamphetamine use.