Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Novel bioactive scaffolds with fibronectin recognition nanosites based on molecular imprinting technology

Biomimetic materials for application in the field of tissue engineering are usually obtained through covalent bonding between the polymer backbone and the bioactive molecules. A totally new approach, proposed for the first time by our research group, for the creation of advanced synthetic support structures for cell adhesion and proliferation is represented by molecular imprinting (MI) technology. In this article, we describe the synthesis and characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers with recognition properties toward a fibronectin peptide sequence and their application as functionalization structures. Polymers, in the form of densely fused microgel particles, were obtained by precipitation polymerization. The imprinted particles showed good performance in terms of recognition capacity and quantitative rebinding; moreover, the epitope effect was observed, with the particles able to recognize and rebind not only the specific peptide sequence but also a larger fibronectin fragment. The cytotoxicity tests showed normal vitality in C2C12 myoblasts cultured in a medium that was put in contact with the imprinted particles. Therefore, imprinted particles were used to functionalize synthetic polymeric films by deposition on their surface. The deposition of the imprinted particles did not alter their specific recognition and rebinding behavior. The most remarkable result was obtained by the biological characterization: in fact, the functionalized materials appeared able to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. These results are very promising and suggest that MI can be used as an innovative functionalization technique to prepare bioactive scaffolds with an effective capacity for improving tissue regeneration. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Efficient tuning of attention to narrow and broad ranges of task-relevant feature values

ABSTRACT Feature-based attention is the ability to select relevant information based on visual features, such as a particular colour or motion direction. In contrast to spatial attention, where the attentional focus has been shown to be flexibly adjustable to select small or large regions in space, it is unclear whether feature-based attention can be efficiently tuned to different feature ranges. Here, we establish that the focus of feature-based attention can be adjusted more broadly or narrowly to select currently relevant features. Participants attended to a set of target-coloured dots among distractor dots to detect brief decreases in luminance (Experiments 1a, 1b, 2) or bursts of coherent motion (Experiments 3a, 3b, 4), while varying the range of colours that the target dot spanned across trials. We found that while participants’ performance decreased with larger feature ranges to select, but remained at a relatively high level even at the largest colour range. Our findings suggest that broadening the focus of feature-based attention comes only at a small cost and that selecting large swaths of feature space is surprisingly efficient. These results are consistent with accounts that propose a flexible and generalized set of attentional mechanisms that act across both spatial and feature-based domains.
2-Aminopyrimidine and p-phenylenediacetic acid (1:1) co-crystal

In the title co-crystal, each 2-aminopyrimidine molecule, C 4 H 5 N 3 , participates in two eight-membered hydrogen-bonded rings with carboxylic acid groups from two different phenylenediacetic acid molecules, C 10 H 10 O 4 . This results in infinite hydrogen-bonded chains. In the supramolecular structure, the chains are held together by weak C-H.O contacts.
Effect of Additive on Pressure Drop and Rheological Characteristics of Fly Ash Slurry at High Concentration

The present study reports the effect of additive on pressure drop and rheological characteristics of fly ash slurry at high concentration (above C w ≈ 60% by weight). Pressure drop has been measured using a pilot plant test loop for fly ash slurry at various concentrations with and without additive. Mixture of sodium carbonate and Henko detergent has been used as a additive. Rheological studies are also carried out for fly ash slurry at the same concentrations. By using the rheological data, pressure drop has been predicted in a straight pipeline of 40 mm diameter at higher concentrations. Experimental results obtained from a pilot plant test loop were compared to the analytical results based on the Darby and Melson (1981) algorithm. The comparison showed very good agreement between these sets of data, and it is found that there is reduction in pressure drop when additive like soap solution is added to the fly ash slurry at higher concentrations.
BANK SPECIFIC AND MACRO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES COMMERCIAL BANKS PROFITABILITY: A PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

This study attempts to identify the Bank Specific and Macro-economic Determinants of The United Arab Emirates Commercial Banks Profitability measured by Return on Assets, Return on Equity and Net Interest Margin. The study uses bank-specificand microeconomic factors as independentvariables. The bank-specific factors include bank size, capital adequacy, assets quality, liquidity, deposits, diversification ,business mix, and efficiency, while the macroeconomic factors include real Gross Domestic Product growth, Inflation Rate, and Real Interest Rate.Regression models were used to relate bank profitability ratios to the independent variables built on panel data for the period 2013-2019 of sixteen commercial banks operating in the United Arab Emirates.The results of the study show thatassetsize, liquidity, off-balance sheet activities, and diversification have significant impact on profitability as measured by theNet Interest Margin. In addition, loans under follow-up to total loans, and managerial efficiency are found to behighlysignificantvariables of profitability in the context of the United Arab Emirates commercial banks as measured by Return on Assets and Return on Equity. Furthermore, diversification has a significant impact on profitability as measured by Return on Assets. The remaining bank-specific factors (capital adequacy, loans to total assets, liquidity, deposits to assets ratio, and operating expenses to total assets ratio) and macroeconomic factors have no significant effect on bank profitability. The results of the study suggest that banks can improve their profitability through maintaining high operating income, decreasing the size of non-performing loans, full utilization of liquid assets, more concentration on the main activities, efficiently managing their operating expenses, and taking advantage of the Gross Domestic Productgrowth , inflation and Interest Rate changes to improve the banks performance and profitability. In addition, it is recommended to make further studies on the banks performance with an expanded scope which is tobe extended to other industries.
The Pattern of Eosinophil Count among Nigerians with Frequent Use of the Commonly Available Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Introduction: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use is very common. NSAIDs use could be associated with elevated eosinophil count which could be a class effect or patient-related. Inflammation could be the link between NSAIDs use and eosinophilia. Aims: To compare the pattern of eosinophil count in the peripheral blood of frequent users of NSAIDs and healthy controls. Methodology: Two hundred (one hundred frequent users of NSAIDs and 100 healthy controls) participants who had no known risk factor for kidney disease and had given informed consent were recruited. Blood was taken to determine the white cell count and differentials, serum electrolyte and creatinine, and random blood sugar. Results: The mean age of NSAIDs users was not significantly different from controls, P = 0.3. The mean eosinophil count was higher in males than females. The incidence of eosinophilia in NSAIDs users was 4%. The mean Eosinophil count of NSAIDs users was insignificantly higher than controls, 164.3 ± 51 6 vs 135. 6 ± 53.4, P = 0.4. The mean platelet count of NSAIDs users was significantly higher compared to controls, P = 0.04. The mean hematocrit of NSAIDs users was significantly lower than the controls, P = 0.02. Propionic acid derivatives were associated with the highest eosinophil count. Eosinophil count was positively related to age and serum creatinine and inversely related to blood glucose, hematocrit and glomerular filtration rate. Conclusion: The incidence of eosinophilia was 4%. The eosinophil count was higher in frequent NSAIDs users than occasional and non-users, in males than females and with use propionic acid derivatives compared to other NSAIDs. The Eosinophil count was positively related to age and platelet count. Being commoner in inflammatory states, the tissue destruction associated with elevated EC can be avoided by the prevention and prompt treatment of inflammatory conditions.
On some fixed point theorems in abstract duality pairs

We study the existence of ﬁxed points for some functional problems. We focus on bilinear operators which are extensions of the product of operators (Bana´s–Dhage-type results) and obtain some results on abstract duality pairs (abstract triples). However, we do not restrict ourselves to these cases; in fact, some special cases which do no ﬁt in the above description are indicated. In particular, our approach allows us to study some diﬀerential or integral problems, for which the operators are not acting on a ﬁxed Banach space.
Theory of Stationary Electrode Polarography. Single Scan and Cyclic Methods Applied to Reversible, Irreversible, and Kinetic Systems.

was developed for solving the integral equations obtained from the boundary value problems, and extensive data were calculated which permit construction of stationary electrode polarograms from theory. Correlations of kinetic and experimental parameters made it possible to develop diagnostic criteria so that unknown systems can be characterized by studying the variation of peak current, half-peak potential, or ratio of anodic to cathodic peak currents as a function of rate of voltage scan.
Relação entre características físicas e o rendimento de polpa de maracujá-amarelo

The work was carried out in the Federal University of Vicosa (UFV), with the aim to evaluate the relations among fruit traits of the yellow passion fruit and its direct and indirect effects on fruits weight and pulp content. The evaluations had been made in the first year yield with 200 randomly sampled fruits in an essay with 42 half-sib progenies. The data were submitted to Pearson's correlation and Path coefficient analysis. The evaluated traits were: length and equatorial diameter of the fruit, weight of the fruit, weight of the rind and the pulp, thickness of the rind, pulp weight/fruit weight ratio and length/diameter ratio. Significant correlations among the traits and yield were verified. The pulp weight had greater favorable direct effect for fruit weight selection. The equatorial diameter of the fruit was better associated with the length of the fruit than with pulp weight. The selection of fruits with greater equatorial diameter makes possible the attainment of passion fruits with higher pulp contents. Correlation between pulp content and length/diameter ratio (oval fruits) were not observed.
Modular assembly–based approach of loosely packing co-cultured hepatic tissue elements with endothelialization for liver tissue engineering

Background In liver tissue engineering, co-culturing hepatocytes with typical non-parenchymal hepatic cells to form cell aggregates is available to mimic the in vivo microenvironment and promote cell biological functions. With a modular assembly approach, endothelialized hepatic cell aggregates can be packed for perfusion culture, which enables the construction of large-scale liver tissues. Since tightly packed aggregates tend to fuse with each other and block perfusion flows, a loosely packed mode was introduced in our study. Methods Using an oxygen-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microwell device, highly dense endothelialized hepatic cell aggregates were generated as hepatic tissue elements by co-culturing hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells, Swiss 3T3 cells, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The co-cultured aggregates were then harvested and applied in a PDMS-fabricated bioreactor for 10 days of perfusion culture. To maintain appropriate interstitial spaces for stable perfusion, biodegradable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold fibers were used and mixed with the aggregates, forming a loosely packed mode. Results In a microwell co-culture, Swiss 3T3 cells significantly contributed to the formation of hepatic cell aggregates. HUVECs developed a peripheral distribution in aggregates for endothelialization. In the perfusion culture, compared with pure HepG2 aggregates, HepG2/Swiss 3T3/HUVECs co-cultured aggregates exhibited a higher level of cell proliferation and liver-specific function expression (i.e., glucose consumption and albumin secretion). Under the loosely packed mode, co-cultured aggregates showed a characteristic histological morphology with cell migration and adhesion to fibers. The assembled hepatic tissue elements were obtained with 32% of in vivo cell density. Conclusions In a co-culture of HepG2, Swiss 3T3, and HUVECs, Swiss 3T3 cells were observed to be beneficial for the formation of endothelialized hepatic cell aggregates. Loosely packed aggregates enabled long-term perfusion culture with high viability and biological function. This study will guide us in constructing large-scale liver tissue models by way of aggregate-based modular assembly.
Measuring Rural P-12 Teachers’ Attitudes, Perceptions, and Utilizations of Social Media

Social media continues to evolve and change the way people interact, learn, and communicate. As social media continues to grow in importance within societies, it is critical to better understand how teachers view social media as an educational resource. This quantitative study examines the general attitudes, perceptions, and utilizations of social media among P-12 teachers in a rural school district. Findings indicate that most teachers view social media as a high risk proposition for student use in the classroom, but do see social media as potentially useful and relevant to learning in the P-12 classroom.
Water infiltration rate in the soil under different uses and covers in the Poxim River basin, Sergipe, Brazil

Watersheds are units of planning and environmental management having a great importance in the management of water resources and their use. To this end, knowledge about the soil's physical and water attributes is of paramount importance in the context of water dynamics in aquifer recharge areas. Water infiltration rate into the soil is considered an important variable in the hydrological cycle, as the increase in this process can lead to a reduction in erosion and consequently greater groundwater recharge. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the soil water infiltration rate in the phytophysiognomy of the Poxim River basin in the State of Sergipe, in the agriculture, eucalyptus and forest areas, and to observe the effect of the infiltration water rate in areas of no-till, minimum and conventional cultivation. The soil water infiltration rate was obtained through the use of double cylinder infiltrometer and estimated through the mathematical models of Kostiakov, Kostiakov-Lewis, Horton and Philip. When making comparisons between the models for estimating of soil water infiltration rates, the Horton model showed a better fit compared to the other models used, and the type of soil cover that obtained the highest infiltration rate was the forest. No-till areas provided higher water infiltration rates in the soil, contributing to greater groundwater recharge.
Characterisation of artisanal catches in selected fishing areas of the Lower Tana Delta and Malindi-Ungwana Bay, Kenya

Shore-based assessment of fisheries resources in Ngomeni, Kipini and Ozi fishing areas of Malindi-Ungwana Bay and the Lower Tana Delta on the north coast of Kenya was conducted from January to December 2017 to establish catch composition, species richness, and fishing effort (catch-rate, number and types of fishing gears and crafts) in the marine, estuarine and riverine habitats. Distinct catch composition (R = 0.27, P < 0.05) was observed across the three habitats. Catch composition differed significantly spatially and seasonally across the three fishing areas, and between the north east (NE) and south east (SE) monsoon seasons (R = 0.332, P < 0.05). The wolf herring, Chirocentrus dorab, was the most abundant fish species in Ngomeni, centrally located in Malindi-Ungwana Bay, while the catfishes, Arius africanus and Clarias gariepinus, were the most abundant species in Kipini and Ozi, respectively. Gillnets operated from dhows (mashua) and fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats in Ngomeni (marine), and canoes using-basket traps in Ozi (riverine), landed significantly larger Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson, and sea catfish, Arius africanus (Kruskal Wallis test: Df = 2; F = 197.141; p < 0.001; Df = 2, F = 490, p < 0.001), respectively. Species diversity by area in combination with habitat and type of fishing craft showed higher diversity for Ngomeni in the marine habitat with mashua fishing crafts than in Kipini. Significantly different catch rates (Df = 2, F = 10.43, p<0.001; Df = 1, F = 5.897, p < 0.021) were observed in the three (3) fishing areas and during the NE monsoon and the SE monsoon, respectively. Canoes were the most common fishing craft used, especially in Ngomeni, accounting for 37.1%, and 97.5% in Ozi, while mashua crafts accounted for 44.5% of the total fishing craft in Kipini. Monofilament nets were most common in Ngomeni (34.0%) while basket traps dominated the Ozi site at 63.6%. The Kipini area was dominated by handlines (28.8%). It is therefore evident that the three (3) fishing areas of the Malindi-Ungwana Bay and Lower Tana Delta showed significant differences in catch composition and size of fish caught, attributed partly to the variation in habitat types and fishing methods between the sites. Overall, the Ngomeni area was characterized by more advanced fishing craft with the majority powered by engines, including mashua and FRP boats, compared to Kipini and Ozi fishing areas where canoes were dominant.
Unintentional Poisoning among Preschool Children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2014-2016) a Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Acute unintentional home intoxication in preschool age is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. In the United States, 2012 around half of youngsters younger than 6 years were accounted for as a poison occasion. Aim of the work: To estimate family and poison injury characters of preschool children who had unintentional home poisoning at poisoning department center under public health administration in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia during the duration between 2014-2016 and to recognize the relationship between unintentional poison' risk factors (personal, family character and injury factors) and poison types. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was proceeded in the Jeddah poison center. All preschool children (0-5) years involved reported as household unintentional harm (poisoning) cases at the chosen center. The questionnaire had developed and validated "from three public health experts" which filed from center files and completed by a researcher telephone call to child-parent. Result: 41.5% of the affected child were occupied the (>12-24 months) age cluster. 62.6% of the participants were male and most of the kids 44.4% had a low social class. Conclusion: inadvertent poisoning was associated with age cluster (1-2 years), male gender, families that having greater than 3 children, mother higher education, medicine poisoning and powder form, oral route, and morning time.
Binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate to bovine serum albumin layers adsorbed at the silica-water interface

One of the main difficulties in studying the interaction of protein and a surfactant at an interface is to establish the structural distributions of each component in the mixed layer. We demonstrate in this work that the distributions of the surfactant, protein, and water adsorbed at the hydrophilic solid/aqueous solution interface can be separately and unambiguously determined by using specular neutron reflection combined with deuterium labeling of the surfactant and water. Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) from a 0.15 g dm-3 solution onto a hydrophilic silicon oxide surface produced a densely packed uniform layer with a thickness of 35 ± 3 A. The binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) onto this preadsorbed BSA layer was studied at a constant SDS concentration of 1 × 10-4 M with different isotopic compositions of SDS and water. The surface excesses of BSA, SDS, and the structural distributions of BSA, SDS, and water were obtained by simutaneously fitting a single structural model to the set of me.
Mutual diffusion coefficients of water + ethylene glycol and water + glycerol mixtures

The experimental technique and mathematical treatment for holographic interferometry, applied for the measurement for mass diffusivity, are described in detail. Experimental results at 25 °C are presented for three mixtures, water + NaCl, water + ethylene glycol, and water + glycerol. The water + NaCl mixture was used as a reference system to check the accuracy of this method. Measurements were conducted at three concentrations within the range 0.00874−0.0699 mass fraction NaCl. The results were compared to literature data and found to be within the variance of this measuring method. Measurements were conducted for the water + ethylene glycol system within the concentration range 0.0250−0.950 mass fraction ethylene glycol and within 0.0200−0.800 mass fraction glycerol for the water + glycerol system. Experimental results are compared to literature data where these data are available. The agreement for both systems are not as good as for the reference system. The mass diffusivity of the water + ethylene gl.
Impact of Hydro-Climatic Changes on Coastal Dunes Landscape According to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (The Case Study of Curonian Spit)

Coastal dunes are recognized as one of the most threatened ecosystems, the formation of which mainly depends on two opposite processes—sand dunes overgrowth and formation of open dunes. The application of cost-effective remote sensing methods permits monitoring the interaction of these two processes over a large area and long periods of time. Therefore in this study we assessed the links between hydro-meteorological parameters and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in Curonian spit coastal dunes landscape-a creation of human and nature integrity situated in the South eastern part of the Baltic Sea. Time series of NDVI (2000–2019) were obtained from the moderate resolution imaging spectro-radiometer and compared with hydro-meteorological parameters in three different ecosystems—forest, herbaceous and open sands. Moderate and strong positive correlation between NDVI and average wind speed was detected in non-forested ecosystems. Moderate positive correlation was detected between NDVI and the Baltic sea water level in all three analyzed ecosystems. Moderate positive correlation between NDVI and air temperature was found in forest ecosystem. This confirms that NDVI could be treated as an appropriate indicator, showing the interaction of coastal dunes overgrowth and formation of open dunes, and could be applied in its management that should be reconsidered under nowadays climate change.