Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Latin American registry of renal involvement in COVID-19 disease. The relevance of assessing proteinuria throughout the clinical course

The Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension carried out a cohort prospective, multinational registry of patients with kidney impairment associated to COVID-19 in Latin America through open invitation in order to describe the characteristics of the disease in the region. A population of 870 patients from 12 countries were included. Median age was 63 years (54-74), most of patients were male (68.4%) and had comorbidities (87.2%). Acute kidney injury (AKI) was hospital-acquired in 64.7% and non-oliguric in 59.9%. Multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) due to COVID-19 and volume depletion were the main causes of AKI (59.2% and 35.7% respectively). Kidney replacement therapy was started in 46.2%. Non-recovery of renal function was observed in 65.3%. 71.5% of patients were admitted to ICU and 72.2% underwent mechanical ventilation. Proteinuria at admission was present in 62.4% of patients and proteinuria during hospital-stay occurred in 37.5%. Those patients with proteinuria at admission had higher burden of comorbidities, higher baseline sCr, higher mortality and MODS was severe. On the other hand, patients with de novo proteinuria had lower burden of comorbidities and near normal sCr at admission, but showed adverse course of disease and higher in-mortality. COVID-19 MODS was the main cause of AKI in both groups. All-cause mortality was 57.4%, and it was associated to age, chronic cardiac disease, fluid depletion, COVID-19 MODS, non-recovery of renal function, ICU admission, vasopressors, in-hospital complications and hospital stay. In conclusion, our study contributes to a better knowledge of this condition and highlights the relevance of the detection of proteinuria throughout the clinical course.
Effect of biodegradable chitosan–rice‐starch nanocomposite films on post‐harvest quality of stored peach fruit

A nanocomposite degradable chitosan-rice starch (CRS) film was prepared by incorporation of Commercial (Comm.) and microbial synthesized silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) using solvent casting technique. The prepared films were characterized for thickness, surface color measurement, transparency, presence of crystalline features, surface topography and surface elemental composition. The fabricated nanocomposite films were evaluated for antimicrobial activity and were observed to curb growth of test Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) as well as Gram-positive microorganism (Staphylococcus aureus) in in vitro media petri plate study. The screened nanocomposite films were then tested to improve the shelf life of peach fruits (cv. Shan-i-Punjab) on packaging. The NPs incorporated nanocomposite films decreased the overall surface microbial load and enhanced the shelf life of packed peach fruits as compared to unpackaged and packaged fruits with control film. The lowest percentage loss in weight (4.75%) was recorded in peach fruits packaged with film incorporated with Comm. Ag NPs. Lowest change in diameter (4.25 cm to 4.05 cm) and highest ascorbic acid content (0.51 mg per g) was found in peach fruits packaged with Comm. ZnO NPs incorporated films. The lowest percent (9.6%) increase in total soluble solids was observed in fruits packaged with Comm. AgNPs incorporated film. The microbial counts on fruits surface was highest in unpackaged control treatment and lowest in fruits packaged with Comm. AgNPs. The Scanning EM study of the peach fruit surface showed the presence and adherence of microbial cells (bacteria, yeast and fungi) on the trichomes and fruit surface.
Sun Protection Behaviors in Patients with Actinic Keratosis

The purpose of this project was to increase sun protection discussion and education in patients with actinic keratosis at a dermatology clinic. Actinic keratosis is one of the most common dermatologic diagnoses in patients 45 and older. Fifty-eight million Americans have one or more actinic keratoses and they are caused by years of UV sun exposure without sun protection. They are often a precursor to squamous cell carcinoma and adequate sun protection can prevent future lesions from developing and slow or stop the progression of current lesions. The Sun Exposure and Protection Index was implemented for patients with actinic keratosis to facilitate discussion and education. A total of 39 patients were screened. After completion of the survey, patients received sun protection education that was personalized according to their individual risk factors and situation. Although a majority of patients admitted to protecting themselves from the sun, a large percentage could improve their habits. The implementation of the Sun Exposure and Protection Index increased patient knowledge about sun protection and reinforced the importance of consistently protecting themselves from the sun. SUN PROTECTION BEHAVIORS IN PATIENTS WITH AK 3 Sun Protection Behaviors in Patients with Actinic Keratosis Problem Identification Every day, approximately 9,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer making it the most common cancer in the United States (American Cancer Society, 2020). According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) affect more than 3 million Americans each year (2017). From the years 1976-1984 and 2000-2010, rates of BCC increased 145% and rates of SCC increased 263% (Muzic et al., 2017). Even more common than skin cancer is a precancerous skin lesion called actinic keratosis (AK). Fifty-eight million Americans have one or more AKs (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2021). From the period of 1993-2010, AK was the most common diagnosis in patients 45 and older among all dermatologist visits (Landis et al., 2014). Some cases of AKs will progress into squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, AKs are considered pre-cancerous lesions (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2021). They are the result of years and years of inadequate sun protection and damage by UV radiation to the skin and are most likely to appear on areas of the body that are the most severely damaged by the sun such as the face, ears, scalp, hands, neck, and lips (AAD, n.d.). In addition to being a precursor to SCC, there is a strong correlation between AK lesions and development of BCC and malignant melanoma (MM) (Guorgis et al., 2020). Several factors are associated with an increased skin cancer risk but reducing exposure to UV sunlight is the single most effective way to prevent skin cancer. Many organizations including the AAD (n.d.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020) encourage routine practice of safe sun protection behaviors. SUN PROTECTION BEHAVIORS IN PATIENTS WITH AK 4
Segregation of charged particles in shear induced diffusion

We study segregation of a binary mixture of similarly charged particles under shear using particle-based simulations. We simulate particle dynamics using a discrete-element model including electrostatic interactions and find that particles segregate according to their net charge. Particles that are charged twice as strong as other particles of the same electrical sign are seen more at insulating boundaries with which we shear the system. Weakly charged particles, on the other hand, stay more in the center of the sheared bed. We propose a simple model based on electrostatic potential energy to understand this segregation. The model shows that the segregated system we observe in our simulations is indeed the most favorable configuration in terms of electrostatic potential energy. Our simulations further show that for a given packing fraction there is an optimal shear velocity where the segregation maximally intensifies. We show that this maximum results from a competition between diffusional and Coulomb fluxes. For a larger shear velocity, diffusion suppresses segregation.
New Methods To Assess Protein Folding And Conformational Dynamics

A protein’s folding and conformational energy landscape depends on a large number of molecular degrees of freedom and interactions. As a result, different proteins can follow different sequences of events moving toward the native state along the course of folding. For example, the underlying structural organization and ordering can occur locally first and then globally, or vice versa. In addition, the associated conformational transitions can take place over a wide range of timescales. Because of these complexities, arriving at a detailed assessment and understanding of the folding dynamics and mechanism of any protein via a single type of experiment is challenging, and sometimes impossible. As such, over the past two decades, many different experimental methods have been employed to study how proteins fold among which, the laser-induced temperature-jump (T-jump) technique has emerged as a powerful tool to measure protein folding kinetics occurring on the nanosecond and microsecond timescales. Herein, we further expand the utility of the Tjump technique. First, we introduce a new form of the T-jump technique (referred to as VIPT-jump) that can be used to distinguish between different folding mechanisms. Second, we apply the VIPT-jump concept to better understand the folding dynamics of an alanine-based -helix, and, in conjunction with theoretical modeling, we are able to determine the long-sought microscopic rate constants of the helical nucleation and propagation processes. Third, we develop a new method to extend the time window of observation in a Tjump experiment to the millisecond timescale. In a parallel effort, we demonstrate that quenching the fluorescence of a dye molecule by a tryptophan residue via photoinduced electron transfer mechanism can be used to interrogate the conformational dynamics of proteins that are crucial for function. Applying this method to the M2 proton channel of the Influenza A virus allow us to determine, for the first time, the gating dynamics of the tryptophan tetrad in this membrane protein. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemistry First Advisor Gai Feng
Quality parameters of fermented kvass extract

The aim of this research was to compare the commercially available kvass concentrate to the kvass extract which was experimentally produced from the naturally fermented kvass. Dry matter was determined according to the standard ISO 2173:2003, active acidity – ISO 10523:2012, and apparent viscosity was measured with a DV-III Ultra Brookfield rheometer, using a spindle SC4-18 with the speed 50 rpm at 26.9 °C. Sugars were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The sensory evaluation of kvass drinks (recombined kvass concentrate and extract) was performed according to the ISO 4121:2003. The dry matter content in the kvass concentrate (Ltd. Ilgzeem) was 69 %; it was diluted with distilled water to the dry matter content 32.4 ± 0.2 % of kvass extract (made from Ltd. Liepzeme kvass). Active acidity in the kvass concentrate was significantly ( p = 0.012) lower ( pH 2.86) than in the kvass extract ( pH 4.18). Apparent viscosity in the kvass extract was 13.68 mPa×s and in the kvass concentrate 5.22 mPa×s. Major sugars in the kvass extract were fructose and glucose and in the commercial kvass concentrate – fructose. Hedonic evaluation showed that there were no significant differences ( p > 0.05) in the preference of kvass drinks. The intensity of aroma, flavour and acidity was significantly more pronounced in the kvass drink made from the commercial kvass concentrate. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.ct. 67.1. 15828
Microbiological evaluation of street foods in Bhubaneswar

The investigation was carried out on the bacterial load in different street foods like Gup Chup (Pani Puri or Gol Gopa), Chat, Dahibara, ice cream sold in the city of Bhubaneswar. The total bacterial load, total aerobic bacterial load and presence of coliforms in different food samples were determined by employing total plate count (TPC), pour plate (PP), spread plate (SP) and most probable number (MPN) techniques, respectively. The highest bacterial load was recorded in Gup Chup followed by Chat and ice cream and Dahibara. The predominant bacteria isolated from the samples were species of Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Shigella and E. coli. The antibiogram pattern of these isolates is also presented. Cette etude evalue la contamination bacterienne d'aliments vendus dans la rue a Bhubaneswar. Les plus fortes contaminations sont detectees dans un Gup Chup, un Chat, une creme glacee et un Dahibara. Les bacteries predominantes isolees sont des especes de Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Shigella et E. coli. Les profils antibiotiques des ces bacteries sont aussi presentes.
Electrochemical Determination of Dopamine Using a Carboxyl-functionalized Carbon Nanotube-Modified Carbon Paste Electrode Doped with Polymeric Ferric Sulfate

ABSTRACT A novel electrochemical device for the sensitive determination of dopamine was developed based on a carbon paste electrode with polymeric ferric sulfate doped in the carbon paste and a carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotube thin film on the surface. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The conditions for the preparation of electrode were optimized. The carbon nanotubes were shown to be stable on the surface of carbon paste electrode. The novel electrochemical device provided excellent activity toward dopamine. Amperometry and differential pulse voltammetry were used for the determination of dopamine in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer with a long linear range from 0.8 to 261 µM and a detection limit of 0.2 µM. The modified electrode showed excellent repeatability, good stability, and satisfactory reproducibility, thus demonstrating potential for practical applications.
Biomass ash-based heterogeneous catalysts to produce fatty acid methyl esters from waste cooking oil.

Biodiesel is widely accepted for blending with conventional fuels such as diesel and gasoline. The development of cheap, durable heterogeneous catalysts for its production is a rapidly growing field of scientific investigation. Two heterogeneous catalysts were prepared from ashes of wood gasification (GA) and wood pellet combustion (PBA). They were characterized and subsequently used in the transesterification of waste cooking oil (>1% FFA) to produce biodiesel. The methanol to oil ratio was 12:1 and 5 wt% catalyst was used over temperatures of 65°C, 80°C, 120°C. ¹H-NMR was used to establish yield of the trans-esterification reaction. The maximum yield using PBA catalyst was 95% at 120°C and 155 minutes, for GA catalyst, it was 95% yield at 120°C and 160 minutes. The re-use of both catalysts was also investigated at 120°C, 12:1 methanol to oil ratio and 5 wt% catalyst. The PBA catalyst upon reuse at 120°C gave a yield of 75% at 160 minutes and fared better than the GA catalyst, which gave 60% yield after 300 minutes at 120°C. --Leaf ii.
Characterization of a copper spark discharge plasma in argon atmosphere used for nanoparticle generation

Spark discharge nanoparticle generation is a dynamically developing application of discharge plasmas. In the present study a spark plasma used for nanoparticle generation is characterized by means of spatially and temporally resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES) supplemented by fast imaging. The data acquired during the generation of copper nanoparticles in argon ambient is used to describe the spatial and temporal evolution of the species in the spark gap and to derive plasma parameters such as excitation temperature and electron concentration on one hand, and the concentration of the Cu species eroded by a single spark on the other. It is shown that temporally and spatially resolved OES together with a simple equilibrium model are efficient tools to estimate the characteristics of the spark discharge plasma that typically exists in spark discharge nanoparticle generators.
Markers of quality and genuineness of commercial extra virgin sacha inchi oils

This work tackles the study of the quality and authenticity of oils labeled and commercialized as extra virgin sacha inchi oil. Major and minor components as triglycerides, fatty acid methyl esters, tocopherols, sterols and hydrocarbons are determined as well as other physicochemical parameters (density, viscosity, acidity and peroxide value). The results showed that some of the commercialized oils do not fulfill the basic requirement established in the regulation such as the content of α-linolenic acid, higher than 44.7 or 55.0% in the cases of P. volubilis and P. huayllabambana , respectively. The calculated stigmasterol/campesterol ratio for genuine sacha inchi oils should be around 4, however not all commercial oils analyzed comply with this requirement. The presence of the flavons sesamin and sesamolin indicates the addition of compounds from sesame oils. Finally, some of the commercial oils showed to contain trans fatty acids although this was not accompanied by the sterene hydrocarbon presence.
Equilibrium,kinetic and thermodynamic study of the adsorption of uranium(VI) onto modified CMC

The acrylic acid(AA)-modified carboxymethyl cellulose(CMC) resin was prepared and was explored to adsorb uranium(VI) ions from aqueous solution in a batch system.The experimental results showed that on the condition of reaction temperature 70~80℃,CMC 30%~35%(w/w),CMC to AA(w/w) of 10:2.5 and reaction time 3.5~4h,the modification effect was the best.High removal efficient of U(VI) was obtained 97.1% at temperature of 25℃,pH value of 5.0,dosage of modified CMC resin 0.1 g/L and contact time of 60 min.It was found that the adsorption process was best described by Freundlich model and pseudo-first-order kinetic model(R2=0.9618),indicating that the adsorption was mainly on the surface of the resin.Thermodynamics parameters of negative value of ΔG0 and positive value of ΔH0 revealed the spontaneity and endothermic nature of the adsorption.The adsorption was primarily due to physical adsorption.
Lignopolymer Superplasticizers for Low-CO2 Cements

Grafting hydrophilic polyacrylamide from a kraft lignin core results in a lignopolymer that effectively plasticizes portland cement paste. Here, the potential of this sustainably sourced lignopolymer is examined for improving the workability of portland cement blended with two natural, finely divided mineral materials (kaolin clay and clinoptilolite zeolite), which can be potentially used in combination with portland cement as a means to reduce the cement clinker content and the concomitant embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions in concrete. Both mineral materials are known to affect cement hydration reactions but can significantly reduce workability when blended with portland cement, presenting a challenge for their practical large scale use.1,2 The plastic behavior of mineral-cement combinations dosed with polyacrylamide-grafted kraft lignin was compared to the behavior of those with a lignosulfonate developed for plasticizing portland cement and a commercial polycarboxylate ether (PCE). Compared .
Nutritional Status of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Children

Introduction: There was no official study on nutritional status of vegetarian children in Indonesia. Vegetarian children have risk of nutrient deficiency affecting their physical growth and mental development. The objective of this study was to investigate the difference between nutritional status of vegetarian and non-vegetarian children. Methods: Cross-sectional design with purposive sampling from vegetarian and non-vegetarian children under-five in Jakarta, February to March 2008. There were 148 samples collected (75 vegetarians and 73 non-vegetarians). Data collected include children and mothers characteristics, weight, length / height. A 24-hour food recall was used for dietary intake. Weight-for-Age (WAZ), Height-for-Age (HAZ), Weight-for-Height (WHZ) and BMI-for-Age (BAZ) were used for nutritional status. Results: 5.3% of vegetarian and 12.3% of non-vegetarian children under-five were obese, 13.3% of vegetarian and 8.2% of non-vegetarian were overweight, 25.3% of vegetarian and 21.9% of non-vegetarian were at risk of overweight, 56% of vegetarian and 57.5% of non-vegetarian were normal. There was no significant relationship between diet (vegetarian, non-vegetarian) and nutritional status (BAZ). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in nutritional status (WAZ, HAZ, WHZ, BAZ) between vegetarian and non-vegetarian children under-
Fractionation process of surplus biomass by autohydrolysis in subcritical water obtaining added value products

9 Aims and contents. 15 Chapter 1. Hydrothermal hydrolysis of grape seeds to produce bio-oils. 39 Chapter 2. Hydrothermal fractionation of grape seeds in subcritical water to produce oil extract, sugars and lignin. 67 Chapter 3. Monitoring alternatives and main sugar products for the autohydrolysis of Holm oak hemicelluloses using pressurized hot water. 97 Chapter 4. Obtaining hemicelluloses from hardwood Holm oak (Quercus ilex) using subcritical water in a pilot plant . 131 Chapter 5. Hydrothermal fractionation of woody biomass: lignin effect over sugars recovery . 153 Conclusions. 183 Resumen. 189 Agradecimientos. 207 Acknowledgements. 207 About the author. 209
Transport and optical spectroscopy of a quantum point contact

A quantum point contact (QPC) is a short, one-dimensional channel in a two-dimensional electron system (2DES). At low temperatures of a few kelvin the electrical conductance of a QPC is quantized in multiples of the conductance quantum GQ = 2e /h. Additionally a shoulder can arise at ' 0.7GQ, known as the 0.7-anomaly. In this dissertation, QPCs defined by 2DES-depleting metal gates were investigated by means of electron transport spectroscopy. In transport experiments the low-temperature conductance of a novel gate design using additional metal gates for a controlled tuning of the QPC confinement potential was investigated. Moreover, a theoretical model was presented which provides a consistent explanation for the microscopic origin of the 0.7anomaly for the first time. It was shown that the measured and the calculated responses of the conductance of a QPC in the 0.7-anomaly regime to low-energy excitations of the external magnetic field, the temperature, and the voltage applied to the 2DES are in good qualitative agreement. The agreement strongly substantiates the theoretical model that explains the 0.7-anomaly as a consequence of electron-spin fluctuations emerging locally at the QPC. Furthermore, the theory predicts that the electron-spin fluctuations are accompanied by a strongly enhanced local electron-spin susceptibility at zero magnetic field which is inherently linked to the magnetoconductance response of the QPC. In preparation for an experimental test of the theoretically predicted interplay between the 0.7-anomaly and the local spin susceptibility by optical means, the characteristics of a QPC under optical excitation were investigated. Using a 2DES specifically adapted for optical studies, transport of a QPC under local resonant optical excitation of the 2DES in the QPC proximity was analyzed. It was shown that the dominant part of the transport response of a QPC to intensity-modulated optical excitation can be described by a relaxation model. The model suggests that the dominant transport response stems from an optically induced modulation of the static QPC current. The related QPC conductance modulation was attributed to optically induced charge carriers in the valence band of the 2DES. Moreover, the contribution of a small photocurrent, two orders of magnitude weaker than the dominant transport photoresponse, was identified in a detailed analysis. Overall, the relaxation model was shown to be instructive to quantify both the dynamic and the static transport responses of a QPC to proximal optical excitation.