Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The “work” of being a bilingual: Exploring effects of forced language switching on language production and stress level in a real-world setting

Abstract Research using single-word paradigms has established that forced language switching incurs processing costs for some bilinguals, yet, less research has addressed this phenomenon at the utterance level or considered real-world applications. The current study examined the impacts of forced language switching on spoken output and stress using a simulated virtual meeting. Twenty Spanish–English heritage bilinguals responded to general work-oriented questions in monolingual English (control) or language-switching (experimental) conditions. Responses were analyzed for mean length of utterance (MLU) and type-token-ratio (TTR). Multilevel modeling revealed an interaction effect of Condition (control vs. experimental) and question order on MLU, such that participants in the experimental condition produced significantly shorter utterances by the end of the task. Participants also had significantly lower lexical variation (TTR) overall in the experimental than the control condition. A 2 × 2 ANOVA revealed a significant effect of Condition and an interaction of Task (pre- vs. posttask) and Condition, such that participants in the control condition reported significantly lower stress after the activity. Results demonstrated the impact of a forced switching condition on production at the utterance level. Findings have implications for theory and scenarios in which heritage bilinguals are asked to use multiple languages in the workplace.
Fecal pH and starch concentrations in relation to prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in feedlot cattle

Escherichia coli O157, a food-borne human pathogen, causes hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Cattle are a major reservoir and the organism resides in the hindgut and is shed in the feces. Cattle feces are a major source of food and water contamination. Houseflies feed on cattle manure and are a source of E. coli O157 transmission. We have observed that houseflies have an affinity for a steam-flaked corn product (SFC-36) made from tempered whole corn that is more ruminally digestible than the traditional SFC (SFC-18). Therefore, we investigated whether SFC-36 diets contained and resulted in higher E. coli concentrations in the feces of cattle compared to SFC-18 diets. Concentrations of E. coli were not different between the two SFC diet samples, but resulted in higher coliforms in diets containing the SFC-36 after exposure to the environment. However, E. coli concentrations in feces from cattle fed the two diets were similar. In fact, cattle fed the diet containing SFC-18 flakes actually shed higher concentrations of coliforms. This led us to speculate that starch digestion may have an effect on the growth of E. coli O157 in the hindgut. We determined whether fecal E. coli O157 was related to fecal starch concentration. Steers (n=263) were sampled for E. coli O157 and fecal starch concentration determinations. Steers positive for E. coli O157 contained 21% more (P < 0.05) fecal starch than steers that were negative for E. coli O157. We attempted to alter the concentration of starch escaping rumen fermentation by feeding diets based on SFC and dry-rolled corn (DRC) to 30 heifers prescreened for being culture positive for fecal E. coli O157. Heifers were sampled for feces and by rectoanal mucosal swab (RAMS) weekly to monitor fecal pH and fecal starch concentration, and prevalence of E. coli O157. Based on RAMS, prevalence of E. coli O157 tended to be higher (P = 0.08) for heifers fed SFC than DRC diet. Fecal starch and pH were similar (P > 0.05) between positiveor negative-E. coli O157 heifers. Apparently, fecal E. coli O157 was not related to fecal pH or starch concentration in
Implementation of an infection control program with emphasis on cohorting to patients with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The experience of 2 years in a tertiary teaching hospital in northern Portugal

Abstract Background: The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) represents a major public health threat. Our purpose was to evaluate a surveillance and cohorting program implemented in patients infected or carriers of CPE. Methods: A prospective registry of CPE carriers or infected patients was analyzed from October 2015 until December 2017. All inpatients presenting with CPE were included in a hospital cohort with dedicated healthcare staff and contact precaution measures. Results: A total of 480 patients were identified, of which 15.8% (n = 76) were infected. Men comprised 56.7% of the cohort (n = 272) and 69.2% (n = 332) were elderly. About 46.3% (n = 222) had a previous hospital admission and 81.7% (n = 392) had at least 1 antibiotic course in the previous 90 days. There was a decline in infected patients in 2017. Periodic and admission screenings accounted for 63% and 74% of cases in 2016 and 2017, with increased detection rate comparing with contact/investigation screenings. In 2017, significantly fewer patients were identified outside the admission/point of prevalence screening (P = .009). In 2017 the proportion of invasive carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae amongst CPE in our center was below the national average (2016: 13.3% vs 5.2%; 2017: 6.6% vs 8.6%). A reduction of the consumption of carbapenems was also observed in 2017. Conclusion: The implementation of the program has increased the number of patients identified by the preventive method and stabilized the emergence of new CPE cases. Furthermore, the program cohort compared well with the national picture, with a lower number of infected patients and a lower proportion of carbapenem-resistant K pneumoniae in invasive specimens. These indicators reflect the added value of the CPE surveillance and cohorting program.
Intra-articular Injections With Either Triamcinolone Hexacetonide, Stanozolol, Hylan G-F 20, or a Platelet Concentrate Improve Clinical Signs in Police Working Dogs With Bilateral Hip Osteoarthritis

Objectives: To compare the effect of intra-articular treatment with triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH), stanozolol, hyaluronan, and a platelet concentrate in police working dogs with bilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA). Study Design: Prospective, longitudinal, double-blinded, negative controlled study. Sample Population: Fifty police working dogs with naturally occurring hip OA. Methods: Animals were randomly assigned to a control group (CG, n = 10), TH group (THG, n = 10), platelet concentrate group (PCG, n = 10), stanozolol group (SG, n = 10), and Hylan G-F 20 group (HG). On days 0 (T0), 8, 15, 30, 90, and 180 days post-treatment, weight-bearing distribution was evaluated. In those days, and on days 60, 120, and 150, four clinical metrology instruments were completed. Kaplan–Meier estimators were conducted and compared with the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to determine treatment survival. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Patients had a mean age of 6.5 ± 2.4 years and body weight of 26.7 ± 5.2 kg. At T0, hips were classified as mild (n = 35), moderate (n = 10), and severe (n = 5), according to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals grading scheme. No differences were found between groups at that moment considering age, body weight, OFA hip score, and all assessments performed. All treatments improved clinical signs in various OA dimensions in some groups, with a broad effect interval. PCG showed a lower range of variation while maintaining a positive result for more extended periods (p < 0.01 for symmetry index and 0.01 < p < 0.04 in the majority of scores). Breed, age, sex, and OFA grade did not significantly influence response to treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This is the first prospective, negative controlled, double-blinded study to compare the effect of a single administration of these IA treatments in dogs with hip OA. HG and PCG recorded more significant improvements throughout the 180-day follow-up. In particular, PCG also registered a lower variation in results, seemingly the best therapeutic option. Nevertheless, improvements were still observed in THG and SG, and these treatment options can be considered, mainly when the first two treatments are not available.
Simple CMOS Square Wave Generator with Variable Mode Output

A novel square-wave generator based on a single CCCII (current controlled conveyor), with only two external grounded passive components is proposed in this paper. The circuit provides precise, electronic controllable, voltage or current output square-wave signals. The simulation results using 0.18mm CMOS parameters and experimental verification confirm the feasibility of the proposed circuit. The proposed generator can operate very well up to 25MHz with nonlinearity less than 5%.
Setting the scene: Filling the Gaps in Populism Studies

This article introduces the conceptual and analytical framework for the special issue, which explores the cultural side of populism: the relationships between politics, emotions, music, and subcultures in populist contexts. We highlight the role that cultural and symbolic 'products' (such as music, emotions, narratives, and visual symbols) play in the emergence and spread of populism. First, we explore the opportunities afforded by understanding the concept of populism from a cultural/symbolic point of view, reaching beyond the traditional party politics literature to which it is usually confined. Second, we suggest different ways in which populism has been articulated in various European countries (e.g. popular cultures, subcultures) since the economic crisis of 2008, emphasizing music, narratives, visuals, and emotions as means of the populist symbolic construction of the political and social reality. Third, from a social movement perspective, we reflect on the mechanisms (cognitive, emotional, normative) that may help understanding the current populist 'momentum', as well as on the methods to empirically grasp them.
Attitude of farmers towards domestication of shea tree cultivation in Niger State, Nigeria

Despite the socio-economic potentials of shea tree and it ability to grow well in Niger State, the tree crop is yet to be domesticated in farms. Thus, the study examined the attitude of farmers towards the cultivation of shea tree in Niger State, Nigeria. To achieve the study objectives, 210 respondents were randomly selected for the study and data were collected using validated interview schedule with reliability coefficient of 0.85. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logit regression model. Result indicated that the mean age of the respondents was 52 years. Number of shea trees owned by 50.48% of the respondents ranged from15–20 trees which mostly grow naturally. Result further revealed that the respondents had favourable attitude towards most of the issues bordering on shea trees domestication. The issues that attracted least unfavourable attitude were long gestation period and inadequate awareness on the need to plant and manage wild trees. Factors that influenced willingness to plant shea trees were sex, attitude, land ownership, educational level and marital status. Therefore, it was recommended that youths, women and married couples should be encouraged by government to go into shea trees cultivation. It was also suggested that farmers should be educated by extension agents to encourage on-farm shea tree planting culture and agroforestry initiatives.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(2): 271-275, August 2018
EFFECTS OF TREATED POULTRY LITTER ON POTENTIAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION AND FIELD APPLICATION

This study examined the effects of different treatments of poultry faecal matter on potential greenhouse gas emission and its field application. Poultry litters were randomly assigned to four treatments viz; salt solution, alum, air exclusion and the control (untreated). Alum treated faeces had higher (p 0.05; 2.83×106cfu/ml) in air-excluded treatment. Maize seeds planted on alum treated and air-excluded litter soils had an average germination percentage (GP) range of 65 – 75% and 54 – 75%, respectively. These figures were found to be mildly comparable to the control which averaged a germination index of 75%. Sorghum plots recorded a mean value of 99% GP on alum treated soil two weeks after planting, slightly surpassing air-tight treated soils with mean value of 89% GP. Average maize height was 48cm and 23cm for alum and air-tight treatment, respectively after 21 days of planting, in contrast to mean height of 25cm on the sorghum plots. Seeds planted on salt treated plots did not germinate. The study suggests that alum treated poultry litter was superior in mitigating the tendency for nitrogenous losses as evident in its lower nitrogen depletion rate, pH, weight, temperature and potential field application index. Keywords : Greenhouse gas, Field application, Poultry litter, Alum, Air exclusion, Germination
Extending phylogeography to account for lineage fusion

Secondary contact between long isolated populations has several possible outcomes. These include the strengthening of preexisting reproductive isolating mechanisms via reinforcement, the emergence of a hybrid lineage that is distinct from its extant parental lineages and which occupies a spatially restricted zone between them, or complete merging of two populations such that parental lineages are no longer extant (“lineage fusion” herein). The latter scenario has rarely been explicitly considered in single‐species and comparative phylogeographic studies, yet it has the potential to impact inferences about population history and levels of congruence. In this paper, we explore the idea that insights into past lineage fusion may now be possible, owing to the advent of next‐generation sequencing. Using simulated DNA sequence haplotype datasets (i.e., loci with alleles comprised of a set of linked nucleotide polymorphisms), we examined basic requirements (number of loci and individuals sampled) for identifying cases when a present‐day panmictic population is the product of lineage fusion, using an exemplar statistical framework—approximate Bayesian computation. We found that with approximately 100 phased haplotype loci (each 400 bp long) and modest sample sizes of individuals (10 per population), lineage fusion can be detected under rather challenging scenarios. This included some scenarios where reticulation was fully contained within a Last Glacial Maximum timeframe, provided that mixing was symmetrical, ancestral gene pools were moderately to deeply diverged, and the lag time between the fusion event and gene pool sampling was relatively short. However, the more realistic case of asymmetrical mixing is not prohibitive if additional genetic data (e.g., 400 loci) are available. Notwithstanding some simplifying assumptions of our simulations and the knowledge gaps that remain about the circumstances under which lineage fusion is potentially detectable, we suggest that the recent release from data limitation allows phylogeographers to expand the scope of inferences about long‐term population history.
Fire-regime changes in Canada over the last half century

Contemporary fire regimes of Canadian forests have been well documented based on forest fire records between the late 1950s to 1990s. Due to known limitations of fire datasets, an analysis of changes in fire-regime characteristics could not be easily undertaken. This paper presents fire-regime trends nationally and within two zonation systems, the homogeneous fire-regime zones and ecozones, for two time periods, 1959–2015 and 1980–2015. Nationally, trends in both area burned and number of large fires (≥200 ha) have increased significantly since 1959, which might be due to increases in lightning-caused fires. Human-caused fires, in contrast, have shown a decline. Results suggest that large fires have been getting larger over the last 57 years and that the fire season has been starting approximately one week earlier and ending one week later. At the regional level, trends in fire regimes are variable across the country, with fewer significant trends. Area burned, number of large fires, and lightning-caused fires are increasing in most of western Canada, whereas human-caused fires are either stable or declining throughout the country. Overall, Canadian forests appear to have been engaged in a trajectory towards more active fire regimes over the last half century.
Biological Age in COPD Patients Reveals an Accelerated Lung Aging

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third leading cause of death worldwide, shows striking clinical aging-associated features of lung. We tested the hypothesis that lung biological aging in COPD is accelerated. Biological aging was assessed by mitotic telomere length (TL) and non-mitotic age-dependent methylation changes in specific CpGs (DNAmAge) of lung cells, obtained from induced sputum, and peripheral blood leucocytes in 18 COPD patients (72.4±7.7 years; 50% males), clinically appraised by lung function and blood parameters. DNAmAge (67.4±5.80 vs 61.6±5.40 years; p=0.0003), AgeAcc (-4.5±5.02 vs -10.8±3.50 years; p=0.0003) and TL attrition (1.05±0.35 vs 1.48±0.21 T/S; p=0.0341) are higher in lung than blood in the same patients. Blood DNAmAge (r=0.927245; p=0.0026) and AgeAcc (r=0.916445; p=0.0037), but not TL, highly correlate with that of lung. Therefore, blood can be a proxy indicator of lung biological age. Multiple regression analyses show that both blood DNAmAge and AgeAcc decrease (i.e., younger) in patients with combined inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) therapy (p=0.0494 and p=0.0553) and FEV1% enhancement (p=0.0254; p=0.0296). In conclusion, the new finding, that lung of COPD patients is remarkably biologically older than blood, opens new research challenge on novel therapeutic approaches to counteract this key aspect of the disease.
PATRÓN DE DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL Y FLUCTUACIÓN POBLACIONAL DE EUTETRANYCHUS BANKSI (MCGREGOR) (ACARI: TETRANYCHIDAE) Y SU DEPREDADOR EUSEIUS MESEMBRINUS (DEAN) (ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE)

Se determinó la distribución espacial; fluctuación poblacional y la posible sincronización espacio temporal entre la araña texana Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor) y su depredador natural Euseius mesembrinus (Dean) en Güemez; Tamaulipas; Se realizaron 24 muestreos; Del 7 de octubre del año 2000 al 22 de septiembre de 2001; Eutetranychus banksi presentó una distribución agregada en la mayoría de las fechas de muestreo; mientras que Euseius mesembrinus presentó una distribución aleatoria; Se presentaron dos picos poblacionales sincrónicos en ambas especies; uno el día 25 de noviembre con una densidad promedio de (3;53 y 0;131 ind;/hoja; para E; banksi y E; mesembrinus; respectivamente) y otro el día 7 de abril de 2001 (12;22 ind;/hoja para E; banksi y 0;411 ind;/hoja para E; mesembrinus); Así como un coeficiente de correlación entre la abundancia de E; banksi y la de E; mesembrinus de (r= 0;982; g;l;= 20 y P= 0;05);
Forced degradation studies and stability-indicating liquid chromatography method for determination of tirofiban hydrochloride and synthetic impurities

This study aimed to develop and validate a stability-indicating liquid chromatography method for the determination of tirofiban hydrochloride and two synthetic impurities (impurity A and impurity C). The method utilizes a RP-18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm; 5 μm) with the PDA detector for quantitation. A mixture of triethylamine 0.1% (acidified to pH 5.5 with phosphoric acid) and acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min−1 with gradient elution. The method presented satisfactory linearity, precision, accuracy and robustness, as well as low limits of detection and quantification, which demonstrate sensitivity in the determination of tirofiban and impurities A and C. It was selective for the determination of the drug and impurities analysed, without interference of the degradation products generated under forced conditions, demonstrating the stability-indicating capacity of the proposed method. Tirofiban showed to be practically stable to oxidative (30% H2O2 for 24 h) and thermal (75 ºC for 24 h) conditions, but presented degradation to UVA light and acid hydrolysis, obeying the first order kinetics for both. In this way, it can be used as a stability-indicating method in the quality control of the raw material of tirofiban hydrochloride, as well as of the finished product. The obtained results demonstrate the importance of deepening the studies in this area, in order to guarantee the quality of commercialized pharmaceutical products.
Substitution kinetics of platinum N,N,N’,N’-Tetrakis (2-pyridyl methyl) octane diamine aqua complex with thiourea, glutathione and L-cysteine nucleophiles

The ligand substitution kinetics of the platinum(II) complex, [Pt2(L)(OH2)2](ClO4)4 (L = N, N,N’,N’-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) octane diamine) by a series of nucleophiles, viz. thiourea (TU), L-cystein (L-CYST), and glutathione (GLT) were investigated in 0.2 M NaClO4 ionic strength. The reactions were studied under pseudo-first order conditions at different temperatures and nucleophile concentrations. Reactions involving glutathione and L-cysteine were investigated using UV-Vis spectrophotomer while the faster reactions of thiourea were monitored on the stopped-flow spectrofluorimeter. Second order rate constants (M-1s-1) at 298 K are 0.194, 0.567, and 1.505 for GLT, L-CYST, and TU, respectively. The activation parameters obtained for the three nucleophiles in the same order of GLT, L-CYST, and TU, are ΔH≠ (kJ mol-1): 58.0, 13.0, 41.6 and ΔS≠ (J K-1 mol-1): -63.6, -206.1 and -101.8, respectively.
MODELING OF TURBULENT DIFFUSION FLAMES AND FIRE PLUMES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF FIRE GROWTH.

Measurements of temperature, velocity and irradiance, and observation of flame height were made in the near field of the turbulent diffusion flames from a porous burner with propane as fuel located in a large area simulating semi-infinite space, on a thermally thick wall and in a wall-corner. The data on the upward currents in the semi-infinite space were compared with an integral model of turbulent diffusion flames derived without assuming the entrainment hypothesis. The nature of diffusion flame as an external radiation source is also studied based on the model. The experiments on wall plumes have shown that the maximum excess temperature and velocity at each height are proportional to z/sup -1/ and z/sup 0/, respectively, and that the width of the flame or plume normal to the wall does not develop significantly with height. The experiments on the flames in a wall-corner show that the height of flame in a wall-corner is approximately proportional to 3/5 power of heat input, instead of its 2/5 power in a free space or on a wall.
Compilation of Sandia coal devolatilization data: Milestone report. Milestone report

This is the first study in which single particle temperatures were measured during devolatilization in an entrained flow reactor. After publication of pyrolysis rates from the first set of experiments from the Sandia coal devolatilization laboratory, attention shifted to characterization of the chemical and physical properties of tar and char produced from different coals. This is the first set of detailed measurements of the chemical structure of coal char and tar formed during devolatilization at rapid heating conditions. These data provide a unique test of current devolatilization models, in that the correct volatiles yields must be obtained in addition to the correct chemical structure (and hence reaction mechanism).