Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of Xanthan gum-assisted hydroxyapatite microspheres for bone regeneration

ABSTRACT The physiochemical properties of xanthan gum have been altered chemically, promoting its use for biological applications. This article reports fabrication of chemically modified xanthan gum and hydroxyapatite based microspheres by water in oil emulsion cross linking method. The prepared microspheres with smooth and porous surface were evidenced by scanning electron microscope. FTIR spectroscopy and XRD analyses validated interaction of xanthan gum - hydroxyapatite in the fabricated microspheres. The microspheres exhibited optimized swelling ratio during prolonged exposure to SBF. Additionally SEM analysis of the SBF immersed microspheres showed uneven surface morphology with moderate degradation. In vitro evaluation by MTT assay confirmed the nonimmunogenic characteristics of XG-HA microsphere in lymphocyte culture. The fabricated microspheres were asserted to be used as a drug carrier for bone regeneration.
Tectonic Regionalization of the Southern California Crust From Tomographic Cluster Analysis

We map crustal regions in Southern California that have similar depth variations in seismic velocities by applying cluster analysis to 1.5 million P and S velocity profiles from the three‐dimensional tomographic model CVM‐S4.26. We use a K‐means algorithm to partition the profiles into K sets that minimize the inter‐cluster variance. The regionalizations for K ≤ 10 generate a coherent sequence of structural refinements: each increment of K introduces a new region typically by partitioning a larger region into two smaller regions or by occupying a transition zone between two regions. The results for K ≤ 7 are insensitive to initialization and trimming of the model periphery; nearly identical results are obtained if the P and S velocity profiles are treated separately or jointly. The regions for K = 7 can be associated with major physiographic provinces and geologic areas with recognized tectonic affinities, including the Continental Borderland, Great Valley, Salton Trough, and Mojave Desert. The regionalization splits the Sierra Nevada and Peninsular Range batholiths into the western and eastern zones consistent with geological, geochemical, and potential‐field mapping. Three of the regions define a geographic domain comprising almost all of the upper crust derived from continental lithosphere. Well‐resolved regional boundaries coincide with major faults, topographic fronts, and/or geochemical transitions mapped at the surface. The consistent alignment of these surface features with deeper transitions in the crustal velocity profiles indicates that regional boundaries are typically narrow, high‐angle structures separating regions with characteristic crustal columns that reflect different compositions and tectonic histories.
Aspirin Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism after Total Hip Replacement

Abstract We assessed aspirin prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in a prospective, controlled, double-blind study of patients over 40 years of age, who had undergone total hip replacement. Radiographic phlebography was the diagnostic end point. Thromboembolism developed in 11 of 44 patients receiving aspirin, as compared to 23 of 51 receiving the placebo (P<0.03). Unexpectedly, this protection was limited to men. In four of 23 men on aspirin thrombi developed, as compared to 14 of 25 receiving placebo (P<0.01). Corresponding figures for women were seven of 21 versus nine of 26. Review of a similar group of patients receiving aspirin revealed significantly greater protection (P<0.03) in men (three of 15) than in women (15 of 27). These data establish statistically significant prophylaxis in men over the age of 40 by 600 mg of aspirin given twice daily. The absence of a protective effect in women remains unexplained. (N Engl J Med 297:1246–1249, 1977)
Hepatitis C virus infection in spouses

SUMMARY Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the concomitant levels of seropositivity for anti-HCV, in the spouses of patients with chronic HCV infection. Design: A case control study. Place and du ration o f t he s tudy: Specialist Satellite Clinic of Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad. The study was carried out from Sept 2000 to Sept 2002. Methods: 23 consecutive patients found positive for HCV Ab and their spouses were enrolled in the study. 23 age and sex matched patients c oming for other problems and found Hepatitis C Virus Antibody (HCV A b) Negative were included a s controls. Their spouses were a lso included in the study. A detailed h istory (of risk factors) and examination was done. Their Serum ALT, bilirubin, alkaline ph osphatase and HCV A b were requested. PCR for HCV RNA was done for the patients found positive for HCV Ab. Results: The mean age of the pa tients was 40.18 years(sd=5.47) and that of t he spouses was 39.54 years(sd=10.29). In the history only 7(30.43%)patients vs 0% spouse had suffered an episode of jaundice. There was history of, parental exposure in all the patients and their spouses (100%),ear piercing in all female patients and female spouses, shave or haircut by a ba rber in a ll male patients and male spouses, transfusions in 7(30.43%) patients vs 0% spouses, some surgical procedure 6 patients(26%) vs 1(4.34%)spouse. Three (13.04%) patients had six risk factor, 2(8.69%) patients had 5 risk factors, 2(8.69%) patients had 4 risk factors, 4(17.39%) patients had 3 risk factors, 2(8.69%) patients had 2 risk factors, 10(43.27%) patients had 1 risk factor only. The mean period of cohabitation was 16.44(sd=7.62) years in the observation groups and 15.33(sd=6.833) years in the controls. The positive couple had been living together for 17 years. The mean ALT was higher in the patients (176i.u[sd 207.49]) than their spouses (33i.u) or the controls (28 i.u). The po sitive couple had the risk factors of injections, ear piercing, multiple sexual partners and surgical procedure in the patient and history of injections, razor blades and multiple partners in her spouse. The PCR for HCV RNA of the patient was positive but her spouse was HCV RNA negative. Out of the 23 spouses of the patients of Hepatitis C only one was found positive for HCVAb giving a prevalence of 4.34%. The same prevalence( 4.34%) was seen in the spouses of t he controls. Odds Ratio is 1(95% CI, 0.005 to 1.04). An odd ratio o f 1 indicates that the spouse o f a pa tient or control have a n equal of risk of acquiring the disease. Conclusions:The finding of our study suggest that the risk of sexual transmission is low. Used syringes, used razor blades and ear piercing are important risk factors in our patients.
Road Crossings Increase Methane Emissions From Adjacent Peatland

We conducted a multi‐year study in two boreal peatlands to determine the impacts of resource access roads on methane (CH4) emission from adjacent peatland. Data were collected from transects aligned perpendicular to, and on both sides of two roads, one cutting through a bog and one cutting through a fen and from reference areas at each peatland. During the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017, we measured CH4 flux, water table, and peat temperature every second week. At the bog, the road associated impacts (changes to water table, peat temperature, and vegetation cover) were visible up to 20 m on both sides of the road (disturbed areas) with CH4 emission from disturbed areas being significantly higher compared to the reference areas in both years. There were no significant differences in CH4 emissions from disturbed areas compared to reference areas at the fen due to the limited hydrologic impact of the road crossing at this site. Bog plots located upstream of the road on transects located at >20 m from culverts and closer to the road emitted significantly more CH4 (124.6‐mg CH4·m−2·day−1) than other disturbed (10.2 mg CH4·m−2·day‐1) and reference areas (0.7‐mg CH4·m−2·day−1) due to shallower water table and warmer peat temperature. The road induced CH4 emissions (90.8 and 212.2 kg CH4/year for each kilometer of road, in 2016 and 2017, respectively) indicated that road construction across peatlands enhances CH4 emissions from these ecosystems, creating an additional source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas.
Seismic model low wavenumber extrapolation by a deep convolutional neural network

Summary Conventional seismic data are naturally mainly sensitive to the very smooth velocity variations that alter transmission traveltimes (low-model wavenumbers) and very abrupt discontinuities that cause reflections (high-model wavenumbers). Full-waveform inversion (FWI) of seismic data inherits this lack of middle model wavenumber illumination, which results into ringy artifacts in the gradients. Multiple methods have been suggested to overcome this issue. Here we tackle the problem of missing wavenumbers with a deep-learning approach. Namely, we filter out the wavenumbers that are expected to be missing from the acquisition design and then train a deep convolutional neural network to provide the missing wavenumbers trace-by-trace. We test several network configurations and several training sets derived from the Marmousi II model. The neural network shows limited capabilities in generalizing from the input data sets. We also report a tradeoff between the generalization abilities and accuracy on the training data set.
Cytomegalovirus Infection in Liver Transplant Recipients

Abstract Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common opportunistic infections in liver transplant recipients and has significant impact on patient outcomes. A number of strategies to prevent and treat CMV disease in these patients have been developed, but despite these advances, CMV infection still poses a unique and significant risk to liver transplant recipients. Liver transplant patients provide distinctive challenges, and a significant amount of controversy exists in their management compared to other organ transplant recipients because many studies evaluating the management of CMV are not specific to this population. This article reviews the effect of CMV on liver transplant recipients and the ongoing challenges in treatment and prevention of these complications.
Absorption, Porosity, Capillarity and Chloride Diffusion in Ultra High Performance Concretes

Concrete durability performance can be assessed by a number of parameters, among which permeability properties are key. In this experimental work, the permeability to water and the diffusion of chlorides in Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) are studied. To this end, three types of concrete were made: two Ultra High Performance (one with fibers and one without fibers) and a Conventional Concrete (CC) of w/c ratio equal to 0.5. The compressive strength of Ultra High Performance Concretes was 130 MPa, and that of conventional concrete was 50 MPa. All of them were cured at a temperature of 20°C and RH greater than 95% until the age of 28 days. In the case of UHPCs with fibers, some of the specimens were not placed in the curing chamber but were allowed to air dry in a laboratory environment in order to study the influence of curing on this type of concrete. The results show that UHPCs have remarkably lower water permeability than CC, with the water absorption and water porosity being in the order of 8 times lower, the water absorption by capillarity being in the order of 30 times lower, and the non-steady-state chloride migration coefficient more than 100 times inferior. The values recorded of absorption and capillarity in UHPCs with and without fibers were very similar. However, the permeability to chlorides was somewhat higher in concretes with steel fibres. With regard to the influence of curing, in air-dried UHPCs there was a significant increase in permeability to both water and chlorides. Despite this, the chloride migration coefficient registered remained very close to the values proposed by some recommendations for very high durability concrete.
Assessment of syntactic awareness: Effects of plausibility in solving tasks and in its relation to sentence comprehension

Resumen En este estudio se presenta una tarea de evaluacion de la conciencia sintactica. La tarea consiste en ordenar frases previamente desordenadas. Las frases se diferencian en longitud (corta-larga), complejidad sintactica (activa-pasiva, simple-compuesta, coordinada-subordinada) y verosimilitud (la mitad de las oraciones son semanticamente verosimiles y la mitad inverosimiles). Se analiza la informacion proporcionada por esta tarea en su aplicacion a un grupo de 97 estudiantes del tercer ciclo de educacion primaria (5o y 6o curso) y se comparan los resultados en funcion de cada una de las condiciones contempladas, asi como del nivel de comprension de oraciones. Los resultados confirman mayores dificultades cuando el contenido es semanticamente inverosimil, haciendo imprescindible el uso de estrategias de procesamiento sintactico. Los datos muestran tambien que si bien la longitud y algunos elementos de complejidad sintactica muestran efectos significativos sobre los resultados, la introduccion de oraciones semanticamente inverosimiles constituye una mayor dificultad de forma generalizada, modulando el efecto producido por las anteriores condiciones. Los datos no revelan diferencias en comprension entre estudiantes con un perfil lector ‘sintactico’ y aquellos con perfil ‘semantico’. Finalmente, constatamos que aquellos items de la tarea que permiten un procesamiento semantico, se relacionan mejor con la medida de comprension que los items que solo admiten un procesamiento sintactico. Los resultados sugieren que la tarea aplicada permite obtener informacion diferenciada en relacion a los componentes sintactico y semantico del lenguaje escrito en procesos de evaluacion de la lectura.
Quantifying Water Quality Improvements through Use of Precision Herbicide Application Technologies in a Dry-Tropical, Furrow-Irrigated Cropping System

This study compared water quality effects of using precision herbicide application technologies and traditional spraying approaches across several regulated ‘priority’ and alternative pre- and post-emergent herbicides in a northern Australian cane farming system. Use of herbicide banding spray technologies resulted in pre-emergent herbicide load reductions, extending substantially beyond simple proportionate decreases in the amount of herbicide ingredient applied to paddocks. Aquatic risk assessment from resultant chemical mixtures leaving paddocks, and upscaled to local catchment concentrations, highlighted that precision application technologies could markedly reduce the ecological risk of pre-emergent herbicides. These risk reductions were, however, often complicated by the additional toxicity of post-emergent herbicides in mixtures, some associated with the adoption of band-spraying weed treatments. While the currently regulated priority herbicide, diuron, posed the greatest risk to the environment, alternative herbicides could still pose significant environmental risks, although these relative risks were lower at more ecologically relevant concentrations, typically found in the local freshwater ecosystems. Results underline the need for a carefully considered approach to integrating alternative herbicides and precision application technologies into improved weed management by irrigating cane farmers. Recent government changes to the appraisal of water quality improvement progress, from load-based to ecosystem-based targets, involving a much broader suite of herbicides, also appear likely to complicate assessment of the environmental impacts of practice change adoption for the industry.
The social determinants and ecological consequences of indiscriminate hunting in tropical Asia

Overexploitation is one of the most prominent threats facing IUCN Red-Listed mammals and birds, particularly in the tropics. Classical bioeconomic models focused on single species have proposed techniques for managing exploited populations. Unfortunately, such models and policy instruments based on these principles have failed to prevent population collapse. I posit that this is due to the fact that hunting exploits multiple prey species simultaneously, particularly in open-access systems typical of the developing world. Moreover, the assumption that hunting is driven by economic or subsistence aims alone may be inaccurate. Using illegal hunting of mammals and birds Southwest China as a case study, I found that hunting activity was largely sustained by resilient ungulate and passerine stocks. As hunting effort has persisted, more sensitive species have been driven locally extinct. Recreation was the main motivator of hunting, which may be widespread in the developing world but heretofore under-appreciated. Recreational hunters may be less likely to reduce effort when prey populations and catch decline, increasing the likelihood of hunting-mediated extirpations. Monitoring trends in hunting effort largely depends on human subjects interviews, and indirect surveys are powerful tools when hunting is criminalized. However, analyzing indirect survey data has been challenging: practitioners often lack the means to analyze their findings in a scientifically sound manner. I have developed an open-source software package that permits for several novel analyses and can control for evasive responses. I then applied these techniques to determine what factors are associated with illegal hunting in Southwest China. I explored what rules may structure hunter prey choice decisions, in order to understand how salient traits could simplify otherwise complex indiscriminate harvesting systems. In many hunting systems, the most relevant trait is body mass. I then incorporated the predicted lower bound on body mass into a theoretical model that combines indiscriminate harvesting with allometric scaling for population growth rates. This model explores the conditions under which large-bodied mammals and birds can be harvested to extinction.
Blood Loss and Intraoperative Salvage Procedure in Patients Underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Reoperative Surgery

Preoperative patients` characteristics can predict the need for perioperative blood component transfusion in cardiac operations. Currently, a large number of patients are on antiplatelet therapy. A group of these patients require reoperative surgery (redo) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We aimed to compare blood loss in patients having CABG with patients undergoing reoperative CABG surgery. Fifty-four patients (16% female, 84% male; ages 60.5 ± 6 vs. 66.2 ± 7 years) were divided in: Group 1–CABG, and Group 2–redo CABG. Blood samples were collected: 24h prior, 6h and 24h after the operation. We measured hematological parameters and total amount of blood products substituted. Preoperative clopidogrel and aspirin therapy were not statistically significant (p=0.094), while platelet count (p=0.002) was significantly lower in Group 2. Although we have found some differences in the blood drained (868.5 ± 587 vs. 1088 ± 819 mL) it was not statistically relevant (p=0. 28). Allogenic erythrocytes substituted intraoperatively were not statistically different (p=0.61), while autologous blood salvage procedure was weakly significant (p=0.05). Platelets transfused (p=0.88), fresh frozen plasma (p=0.68), and packed red blood cells transfused postoperatively (p=0.32) have not reached statistical significance. Length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) was not influenced by used blood components transfusion, either allogenic or autologous. We have found positive correlation between blood loss and ICU stay (r=0.49, p=0.021). Monitoring of these parameters offers an important addition to the preoperative risk assessment.
Deterioration of Weldability of Long Term Aged HP Heat-Resistant Cast Steel Containing Nb, Mo and W.

The purpose of this study was to make clear the mechanism of weld cracking in HAZ of long term used HP heat-resistant cast steel containing Nb, Mo and W when this steel was repaired.According to observation of fracture surface of weld cracking, a crack was regarded as a ductility-dip cracking. Moreover a crack propagated in microconstituents on dendrite boundaries.The amount, the structure and the precipitating site of microconstituents changed during aging at the temperature of 1323 K, which was the average temperature of materials during operating. On the other hand, the hot ductility at 773 K of these aged materials was evaluated using the Gleeble tester. It declined with the lapse of aging time. Comparing the change of microstructure with the change of hot ductility at 773 K, the decline of hot ductility was related to η phase (Nb3Ni2Si) and M23C6 precipitating like a network on dendrite boundaries for long aging. As a result, the decline of hot ductility of the base metal promoted weld crack in HAZ.
The Rational Alternative for Feeding Children with Cow's Milk Allergy: State of the Art

For a long time has been known that every food contain potential allergens, and can thereby trigger allergic reactions in sensitized children. The first step in the management of food allergy (FA) is the identification and elimination of the triggering food. The subsequent step is the replacement with CM substitutes which should not induce the relapse of symptoms. When a food is not a necessary nutrient, it can be easily eliminated from the diet provided that the child will not be exposed to nutritional derangements. Thus, treatment of FA is necessary only when children younger than two years are affected by CMA [1]. Received Date: 11th May 2015 Accepted Date: 2nd June 2015 Published Date: 6th June 2015 Research Article Enliven: Pediatrics and Neonatal Biology ISSN: 2379-5824
An Evaluation of Pile-Raft Interaction in Cohesive Soils using 3D Finite Element Method

This paper presents the results of a numerical study of soil-structure interaction in a piled-raft foundation system in clay soil by reviewing the deformation and load transfer mechanism of the piled-raft foundation system. ABAQUS was used to evaluate the interaction in the system, while a Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model was chosen to model the clay soil. Verification of the model was conducted by comparing the simulation result to an experimental laboratory result. The verification result showed that the model used in this research agreed well with the experimental laboratory research. Subsequently, a parametric study was performed by varying the pile spacing, raft size, pile length, and raft thickness. A parametric study was conducted on very stiff and hard clays. This study concludes that the load transfer mechanism in a piled-raft foundation system between the pile and raft foundation occurs after the pile reaches its ultimate capacity and is in the plastic zone.