Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of the Effects of an Upper-Level Anticyclone and a Lower-Level Cyclone on Tropical Cyclogenesis in Idealized Simulations

This study examined the effects of an upper-level anticyclonic circulation and a lower-level cyclonic circulation on tropical cyclone (TC) genesis. We ran idealized simulations using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model. The simulation results show that the upper-level anticyclonic circulation makes a negative contribution to TC genesis, while the lower-level cyclonic circulation makes a positive contri bution. The upper-level anticyclonic circulation results in slower TC genesis due to a substantial vertical zonal wind shear that shifts the upper-level vortex eastward from its initial position. This shift is unfavorable for the vortex’s vertical alignment and warm core maintenance. This substantial vertical zonal wind shear is associated with the asymmetric vertical motion and associated diabatic heating, induced by the lower-level beta gyre. The upper-level anticyclonic circulation increases the westerly wind north of the vortex, resulting in a substantial vertical westerly wind shear. Thus, the initial upper-level anticyclonic circulation is unnecessary for TC genesis. The strong upper-level anticyclonic circulation, generally observed with a strong TC, should be considered a result of deep convection. The strong lower-level winds induce large surface heat fluxes and vorticity due to the superposition of the large-scale lower-level cyclonic circulation and vortex. These conditions lead to strengthened convection and diabatic heating and a quick build-up of positive vorticity, resulting in rapid TC genesis.
Ordering the Cell Death Pathway DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF BCL2, AN INTERLEUKIN-1-CONVERTING ENZYME FAMILY PROTEASE INHIBITOR, AND OTHER SURVIVAL AGENTS ON JNK ACTIVATION IN SERUM/NERVE GROWTH FACTOR-DEPRIVED PC12 CELLS*

Previous studies indicate that activation of c-Jun ki- nase (JNK) is necessary for apoptosis of trophic factor-deprived PC12 cells and that death in this system is suppressed by multiple agents, including BCL2, inhibitors of the interleukin-1-converting enzyme (ICE) family of proteases, blockers of transcription, and a variety of small molecules with differing modes of action. Here, we determine the order in which these agents block apoptosis relative to JNK activation. Overexpression of BCL2 promotes PC12 cell survival and blocks JNK activation caused by trophic factor withdrawal. Similarly, the survival-promoting agents aurintricarboxylic acid, N -acetylcysteine, the nitric oxide generator diethylenetri- amine nitric oxide, 8-bromo-cGMP, and 8-(4-chlorophe-nylthio)-cAMP act upstream to inhibit JNK activation. In contrast, zVAD-fluoromethylketone (a permeant ICE family inhibitor), actinomycin D, and the G 1 /S cell cycle inhibitor deferoxamine, all promote survival after trophic factor withdrawal, but do not affect JNK activa- tion. These findings are consistent with the presence of an ordered cell death pathway triggered by trophic fac- tor deprivation in which 1) BCL2 and a number of sur-vival-promoting agents act upstream of JNK, 2) ICE fam- ily protease actions, regulated genes required for cell death, and certain cell cycle blockers lie either down- stream of JNK or
Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Dynamic Poverty Decomposition Analysis: An Application to the Philippines

In this paper, we propose a new method of poverty decomposition. Our method remedies the shortcomings of existing methods and has some desirable properties such as time-reversion consistency and subperiod additivity. It integrates the existing methods of growth-redistribution decomposition and sector-based decomposition, because it allows us to decompose the change in poverty into growth and redistribution components for each group (e.g., regions or sectors) in the economy. We extend our method to include six components and provide an empirical application to the Philippines for the period 1985–2009.
Recovery of lignin and lignans enriched fractions from thermomechanical pulp mill process water through membrane separation technology: Pilot-plant study and techno-economic assessment

Membrane process is a viable option for valuable compounds such as lignin and lignans recovery in aqueous discharges of thermomechanical pulp industries. Recovery of lignin and lignans with continuous mode ultrafiltration/nanofiltration installation has not been studied in detail previously. After flotation used to remove lipophilic matter of pulp mill effluent, the three steps membrane process was composed of a clarification step by a 150 kDa ultrafiltration used to remove suspended matter, followed by two nanofiltrations of 1 kDa and 300 Da to respectively retain lignin and lignans. A techno-economic evaluation of this process has been performed. The process with a plant capacity of 60 m 3 . h -1 was able to produce 12 tons of lignin and 825 kg of lignans per month. The influence of plant capacity between 0.1 and 60 m 3 . h -1 on extracts production cost allows determining a production cost equal or below 10 €. kg -1 as plant capacity reached 10 m 3 . h -1 . Valorization of lignin and lignans as parts of the formulas of high added value products could allow thermomechanical plants to biorefinery and cleaner production concepts. Furthemore, the 300 Da permeate possessed the required characteristics to be re used and save fresh water utilization.
Gebelerin Psikososyal Sağlık Durumları ve Sağlık Uygulamalarının Değerlendirilmesi/ Evaluation of Psychosocial Health Status and Health Practices of Pregnant Women

Aim: This study was performed to evaluate psychosocial health status and health practices of pregnant women in Turkey. Metarials and Methods: This comparative descriptive study was conducted at a pregnancy polyclinic of Zonguldak Maternity and Children's Hospital in T between 12.04. 2012-03.04. 2013. A total of 1086 pregnant women participated in the study. Data were collected by using Pregnant Information Form, Pregnancy Psychosocial Health Assessment Scale and Health Practices Questionnaire in Pregnancy-II. Numerical and percentage values, student t test, Mann Whitney-U test, One-Way Analysis of Variance, Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis and correlation analysis were used for data analysis. Results: In this study, there is a positive correlation between psychosocial health status and health practices of pregnant women (p<.050). However, psychosocial health status and health practices of pregnant women show significant differences based on some characteristics of pregnant women such as age, marital status, family type, education level, employment status, presence of social insurance, economic income, number of children, number of abortion and curettage, chronic disease status, Body Mass Index before pregnancy, number of pregnancy, pregnancy planning status, complication associated with pregnancy and social support (p<.050). Conclusion and suggestions: Besides physical assessments, evaluation of psychosocial health status and health practices of pregnant women, early diagnosis of risky conditions and provision of protective and therapeutic services are recommended during pregnancy follow-ups.
Effect of processing and oil type on carotene bioaccessibility in traditional foods prepared with ﬂour and puree from orange-ﬂeshed sweetpotatoes

Summary Consumption of Orange-Fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) and products as source of provitamin A is being pro-moted to tackle vitamin A deﬁciency (VAD) in sub-Saharan Africa. However, limited information is available on b -carotene retention in foods and delivery after digestion. The study assessed carotene retention and bioaccessibility following in vitro digestion on traditional foods having OFSP among the ingredients. Sunﬂower oil, margarine and beef fat were evaluated on their eﬀect on b -carotene bioaccessibility. Porridge and chapatis were prepared with either OFSP puree or ﬂours in the formulations. Carotene retention was highest in chapatis (83%) as compared to porridge (65%). Micerallisation eﬃciency of all-trans b -carotene was comparable between similar products but greater in chapatis (62%) than porridge (11%). Sunﬂower oil had the highest all-trans b -carotene bioaccessibility compared to margarine and beef fat. The results support the promotion of consumption of OFSP-based products as good source of provitamin A to ﬁght VAD.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF MOBILE BANKING SERVICE QUALITY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY: A CASE STUDY OF STANDARD CHARTERED BANK OF ZIMBABWE

We examine in this paper debt maturity determinants in a different context, petroleum country. We test the validity of different internal and external factors susceptible to have an influence on debt maturity choices. Inversely to previous studies, we find that even if Saudi economy is relatively corrupted and underdeveloped, low-profitable and low-quality Saudi listed companies can obtain long-term banking debts.
The Critical Role of 12-Methyl Group of Anthracycline Dutomycin to Its Antiproliferative Activity

Anthracycline dutomycin is a tetracyclic quinone glycoside produced by Streptomyces minoensis NRRL B-5482. SW91 is a C-12 demethylated dutomycin derivative, which was identified in our previous research. In vitro cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays of these two compounds were conducted to demonstrate their antiproliferation activities. The results showed that both dutomycin and SW91 block cells at the S phase, whereas dutomycin shows more significant inhibition of cell growth. Their interactions with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were investigated, with dutomycin exhibiting higher binding affinity. The molecular docking demonstrated that the 12-methyl group makes dutomycin attach to the groove of DNA. These findings suggest that dutomycin has binding higher affinity to DNA and impairs DNA replication resulting in more significant antitumor activity.
Outcome of dogs treated with chemotherapy for mesothelioma: A retrospective clinical study on 40 cases and a literature review

Abstract Mesothelioma is an uncommon cancer in dogs for which there is no established standard of care. Chemotherapy is often suggested despite no definitive proof of efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy on survival of dogs with mesothelioma. A retrospective multicentric study was carried out. To be included, dogs needed to present an evocative clinical evolution and a morphological diagnosis of mesothelioma. Exclusion of other cause of effusion and complete clinical follow‐up were also required. Fourty dogs were included, 27 received chemotherapy (group 1) and 13 did not (group 2). Groups were heterogeneous regarding the proportion of animals undergoing surgery as part of their treatment (16 in group 1, 2 in group 2; p = .016) and homogeneous otherwise. Univariate analysis showed that dogs from group 1 survived significantly longer than dogs from group 2 (MST: 366 vs. 74 days; p < .001). Complete resolution of effusion after the first chemotherapy administration positively correlated with survival in group 1 (MST: 415 vs. 160 days; p < .01). All other variable tested had no significant impact on survival in univariate analysis, but dogs undergoing surgery and dogs having serous membranes' modification at medical imaging tended to survive longer. Multivariate analysis confirmed that chemotherapy was the sole variable independently associated with survival in our study (odds ratio 5.57–6.12; p < .01).
An Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of a Trauma- Specific Intervention for Incarcerated Men

Prisons are saturated with trauma survivors; yet trauma has not been the focal point of corrections-based treatment. This is the first randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of a Peer-facilitated trauma-specific intervention among men incarcerated for violent offenses (Exploring Trauma: A 6-Session Brief Intervention for Men). The sample consisted of 221 participants (131 treatment / 90 waitlisted control group). Independent t tests determined change over 6-8 weeks on anxiety, depression, mental health, current traumatic distress, and anger. Hypotheses were predominantly supported. Significant improvement was found for the intervention group compared with the waitlisted control group on 11 of the 13 trauma-related outcomes. The greatest effect sizes ranged from . 46 for mental health functioning, . 42 for trait anger composite, and . 40 for anxiety. Support for the effectiveness of this brief intervention and capability of a Peer-facilitated model of delivery was demonstrated. Future research should replicate the methodology and incorporate records data and post-release outcomes.
Multichannel equalization applied to speech dereverberation

Speech signals acquired by a distant microphone inside an enclosed space is often degraded by reverberation. Reverberation results from the multipath propagation of a sound wave from its source to receivers. Reverberation can cause a detrimental effect on the perceived quality as well as the intelligibility of the speech signals. This results in performance degradation of systems such as hand-free telephony, hearing aids, and automatic speech/speaker recognition systems. One of the popular approaches to mitigate the effects of reverberation is to achieve channel equalization via a two-stage process where acoustic impulse responses (AIRs) are first estimated using blind channel identification (BCI) techniques after which the received signals are filtered using inverse filters computed from the estimated AIRs. This thesis focuses on speech dereverberation employing BCI and inverse filtering. A typical AIR is often non-minimum phase and its direct inversion will result in an unstable inverse filter. Multichannnel equalization (MCEQ) algorithms developed for use with a microphone array are employed for the equalization of such non-minimum phase AIRs. Existing MCEQ algorithms achieve equalization in the time domain and in this thesis, a generalized framework that allows one to achieve equalization in different transform domains is proposed first. This is motivated from the fact that when equalization is performed on different domains, the inherent properties of the transforms can be exploited to achieve better equalization performance. Noting that the computational complexity of the non-adaptive MCEQ algorithm is proportional to the AIR order, a set of adaptive time-domain MCEQ algorithms are proposed to achieve equalization of high-order AIRs with reduced complexity. These algorithms iteratively estimate the inverse filters by minimizing a cost function. To improve the convergence as well as equalization performance, the sparsity of the desired equalized response is taken into account in the cost function and update equation. Although the time-domain adaptive algorithms reduce complexity, they suffer from slow convergence. To overcome this limitation, complexity reduction in the frequency domain is exploited. The proposed algorithm which achieves equalization in each frequency bin is derived from the proposed
Prismatic Silver Nanoparticles Decorated on Graphene Oxide Sheets for Superior Antibacterial Activity

Spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and silver nanoprisms (Ag NPrsms) were synthesized and decorated on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The Ag contents were 29% and 23% in the GO–Ag NPs and GO–Ag NPrsms, respectively. The Ag NPrsms exhibited stronger (111) crystal signal than Ag NPs. The GO–Ag NPrsms exhibited higher Ag (I) content (75.6%) than GO-Ag NPs (69.9%). Increasing the nanomaterial concentration from 25 to 100 µg mL−1 improved the bactericidal efficiency, and the antibacterial potency was in the order: GO–Ag NPrsms > GO–Ag NPs > Ag NPrsms > Ag NPs > GO. Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was more vulnerable than Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) upon exposure to these nanomaterials. The GO–Ag NPrsms demonstrated a complete (100%) bactericidal effect against S. aureus at a concentration of 100 µg mL−1. The GO–Ag composites outperformed those of Ag or GO due to the synergistic effect of bacteriostatic Ag particles and GO affinity toward bacteria. The levels of reactive oxygen species produced in the bacteria–nanomaterial mixtures were highly correlated to the antibacterial efficacy values. The GO–Ag NPrsms are promising as bactericidal agents to suppress biofilm formation and inhibit bacterial infection.
Expression and mutation analysis of Tpit in the canine pituitary gland and corticotroph adenomas

Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) in dogs is caused by a pituitary corticotroph adenoma. Although PDH is a common disorder in dogs, little is known about the underlying pathogenesis. In the pituitary glands of humans and mice, the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing cell lineages, the corticotrophs and melanotrophs, have a specific marker in common, the T-box transcription factor Tpit (Tbx19), which is obligate for POMC expression. Tpit also regulates the late differentiation of the corticotrophs and melanotrophs, and therefore may contribute to the pathogenesis of the corticotroph adenomas. The aim of this study was to perform an expression and mutation analysis of Tpit in the normal canine pituitary and in corticotroph adenomas. The distribution of the Tpit protein in the pituitary gland was studied with immunohistochemistry and the expression of the gene with RT-PCR. The coding region of Tpit cDNA from 14 dogs with PDH was screened for mutations. Tpit was expressed in corticotroph and melanotroph cells of the normal and adenomatous canine pituitary, and remained present in non-adenomatous corticotrophs of pituitaries from PDH dogs. No tumor-specific mutation in the Tpit cDNA from the corticotroph adenomas was found. However, a missense polymorphism in the highly conserved DNA-binding domain, the T-box, was discovered in one dog. It is concluded that Tpit can be used as a reliable marker for the corticotroph and melanotroph cells in the canine pituitary tissue and that mutations in the Tpit gene are unlikely to play a major role in the pathogenesis of canine corticotroph adenomas. the effect of which is mediated by activated mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 1 (Smad1). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of Tpit in the normal canine pituitary gland and in corticotroph adenomas. It was hypothesized that Tpit gain-of-function mutations, may be involved in the pathogenesis of corticotroph tumors in the dog. The Tpit protein was detected immunohistologically, the coding part of Tpit mRNA was sequenced, and 14 adenomatous pituitary glands were screened for mutations.
The Influence of Periodontal Disease on Oral Health Quality of Life in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Observational Single-Center Study

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of global death with a rising prevalence and a heavy economic burden. Periodontal disease has been associated with cardiovascular diseases—including incident coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease and ischemic stroke. The study evaluates the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular and periodontal disease from the point of view of oral health by using the short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This study included a total of 221 patients (61.86 ± 15.03 years old) selected from the Emergency Hospital of Sibiu, Romania. The participants self-completed the OHIP-14 questionnaire and they benefited from an oral health examination conducted to assess the presence and the severity of periodontal disease. Results: Out of the 147 patients with cardiovascular disease, 77.5% had periodontal disease (32.6% stage I, 29.2% stage II, and 15.6% stage III and IV). The presence of periodontal disease was associated with a lower oral-health-related quality of life (p < 0.001, ANOVA) and with a higher OHIP-14 score in patients with cardiovascular disease (18.67 ± 8.17, p < 0.001 ANOVA). No significant difference was observed concerning patient sex and background; however, age, body mass index and the lack of an appropriate oral hygiene routine had a strong association with the individual quality of life. The general OHIP-14 score was higher in patients with periodontal disease and associated cardiovascular disease, the presence of both cardiovascular and periodontal disease being associated with a lower quality of life. Conclusions: By increasing the patients’ awareness to oral healthcare measures, better outcomes and improved oral-health-related quality of life could be observed.
The Use of Music to Manage Burnout in Nurses: A Systematic Review

Objective There is a high prevalence of burnout in nurses. This systematic review investigates the use of music to manage burnout in nurses. Data Source MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE InProcess/ePubs, Embase, APA PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Full-text articles were selected if the study assessed the use of music to manage burnout in nurses. Burnout was defined according to the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. Data Extraction Data were extracted using an Excel sheet. The second and third authors independently extracted study characteristics, frequency and type of music engagement, measures of burnout, and burnout outcomes (occupational stress, coping with stress, and related symptoms such as anxiety). Data Synthesis Study and outcome data were summarized. Results The literature search resulted in 2210 articles and 16 articles were included (n = 1205 nurses). All seven cross-sectional studies reported upon nurses’ self-facilitated use of music including music listening, playing instruments, and music entertainment for coping or preventing stress, supporting wellbeing, or enhancing work engagement. Externally-facilitated music engagement, including music listening, chanting, percussive improvisation, and song writing, was reported in the four randomized controlled trials and five cohort studies with reductions in burnout outcomes. Conclusions Self-facilitated and externally-facilitated music engagement can help to reduce burnout in nurses.
Therapeutic efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Child‐Pugh class A or B liver function in real‐world clinical practice

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) treatment is recommended for unresechepatocellular carcinoma (u‐HCC) patients classified as Child‐Pugh A (CP‐A). This study aimed to elucidate the prognosis of patients treated with Atez/Bev, especially CP‐A and ‐B cases.
Breathing Exercises for Improving Cognitive Function in Patients with Stroke

Patients with stroke may experience a certain degree of cognitive decline during the period of recovery, and a considerable number of such patients have been reported to show permanent cognitive damage. Therefore, the period of recovery and rehabilitation following stroke is critical for rapid cognitive functional improvements. As dysfunctional breathing has been reported as one of the factors affecting the quality of life post stroke, a number of studies have focused on the need for improving the breathing function in these patients. Numerous breathing exercises have been reported to enhance the respiratory, pulmonary, cognitive, and psychological functions. However, scientific evidence on the underlying mechanisms by which these exercises improve cognitive function is scattered at best. Therefore, it has been difficult to establish a protocol of breathing exercises for patients with stroke. In this review, we summarize the psychological, vascular, sleep-related, and biochemical factors influencing cognition in patients and highlight the need for breathing exercises based on existing studies. Breathing exercises are expected to contribute to improvements in cognitive function in stroke based on a diverse array of supporting evidence. With relevant follow-up studies, a protocol of breathing exercises can be developed for improving the cognitive function in patients with stroke.