Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring NetMeeting Characteristics for Online Teaching and Learning Mathematics

Teaching and learning process have shifted to online since the advancement of technology few decades ago. Educators need to understand the purpose and types of technology before they can effectively incorporate it into their teaching and learning. The paper explores the characteristics of NetMeeting freeware in teaching and learning mathematics online. Open ended questionnaire and in-depth interview protocol were utilized for gathering the information. The respondents were students who enrolled mathematics courses conducted using NetMeeting software online in two of the learning institutions in Malaysia. Data from the study and literature review were coded and a set of NetMeeting characteristics for online teaching and learning mathematics was elicited.
Regulation of Glycogenolysis in the Uterus of the Mouse during Post-implantation Pregnancy : 2 . The Role of Phosphorylase Enzyme

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the activity of phosphorylase enzyme in uterus and liver during pregnancy in response to treatment with ethanol, epinephrine and glucagon. The intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (3.0 g/kg body weight) in day 9-pregnant mice significantly increased (P<0.05) glycogen phosphorylase a and t activities in the liver, but not in the uterus when measured 1 h after treatment. The subcutaneous administration of epinephrine to day 9-pregnant mice produced no significant increase in either the activity of phosphorylase a or total phosphorylase 1 hour after treatment, while intravenous injection of 10 ug of glucagon also show that the activities of phosphorylase a and t were not significantly altered in either the liver or uterus 1 h after treating day 9-pregnant mice.
A general characterisation of the mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) in the epidemic area for West Nile virus in the south of Romania

An epidemic of neurological infections (mainly meningoencephalitis) occurred between July 15 and October 12 1996 in the south of Romania. From a total of 767 clinical cases, 393 cases were diagnosed as acute West Nile fever infections. Roughly half of these 767 cases were registered. in Bucharest and its suburbs. The lethality was about 4.3% in persons over 50 years old Both disease incidence and fatality ratio increased with advanced age. The general incidence was 4.1 per 100,000 population (Tsai et al., in press). During the same period of 1997, 14 meningoencephalitis cases produced by West Nile virus were confirmed in the same area. The West Nile flavivirus persists in nature in the enzootic cycles involving birds and mosquitoes. Transmission to humans is tangential and dependent upon favourable weather patterns increasing vector populations and amplifying virus transmission rates. A West Nile virus strain was isolated from a Culex pipi ens mosquito pool collected inside a block of flats in Bucharest at the beginning of October 1996. This species seemed to be the epidemic vector, it was the predominant mosquito species over the area in the epidemic period The data relating to the mosquito fauna in the south of Romania could be relevant in explaining some of the aspects of West Nile virus circulation within this area, because the epidemic occurred in the lower Danube valley including Dobrudja and the whole Romanian Plain, including the capital city, Bucharest. The main results of more than 20 years investigation of the mosquito populations in the south of Romania are presented. The Romanian Plain is situated in the south of the country, between the hills which border the Carpathian mountains and Moldavian table land in the north and the Danube river with its meadow in the south and east. The plain is narrow in its western part (30-40 km) and it widens to the east (130-148 km). The height of the relief decreases both to the south and east from about 200m to 10-20 m. Dobrudja is bordered by the Danube River. Its north-eastern corner is represented by the Danube Delta. Dobruc:lja has a rather undulating relief of 100-200 m with lower areas on the Black Sea shore and in the Danube Delta. Climate factors are homogenous all over this low and even territory, so that the south of Romania is characterised by a continental temperature climate with a tendency to dryness. The annual mean temperature is 10-11°C; January isotherms are minus 3-4°C and July isotherms are 22-23°C. The annual rainfall totals 500550 mm (maximum 950-1100 mm) and even less on the Black Sea shore. They drop in an irregular manner and generally are quantitatively reduced in autumn. The dominant winds are easterly and north-easterly.
Profitability of ornamental plant business in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Ornamental plant enterprise contributes to income generation and socio-economic development of a state, but due to paucity of information on its cost-benefit analysis, it has not been embraced as a viable business venture in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study therefore, examined the profitability of ornamental plant business in the state. Forty-two ornamental plant nursery operators were identified from six Local Government Areas, namely Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Abak, Uyo and Etinan, which were purposively selected from the 31 Local Government Areas in the State. Data were generated from these operators using pre-tested questionnaire, oral interviews and direct observation, and analyzed using budgetary technique and multiple regression. The results showed that the business was profitable with mean return of $369.73 (₦131,622.62) per annum to farmer’s labour and management. Nursery size, polypots, seed/cuttings and fertilizer/manure had significant positive effects on revenue (p< 0.01) and (p<0.10) respectively, while rent had significant negative effect on revenue (p<0.05). About 88.66% of variations in the receipts from the business were explained by the variable used in the model. It is therefore recommended that people should be enlightened on the profitability potential of the enterprise in order to encourage young school leavers to go into the business thereby sustaining livelihood and also reduce youth unemployment currently experienced in the country.
Effect of Dillenia Indica leaves against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity

In the present investigations, the ethanolic extract of Dillenia indica Linn. leaves were subjected to screening for the hepatoprotective activity in Carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats. The study with ethanolic extract showed significant reduction (p<0.001) in various biochemical parameters (SGOT, SGPT, ALKP, T.Bil. and lipid peroxidation). Results of histopathological studies supported the findings. In conclusion it is stated that the extract is found to possess pronounced hepatoprotective activity.
The Place of Grammar Instruction in the Second/Foreign Language Curriculum

1. What are the four reasons that the author gives for learners’ failure to achieve a high level of grammatical competence? 2. Summarize the six aspects of SLA research that support grammar instruction? 3. Where and when should grammar be taught in the EFL/ESL curriculum? Why? 4. The author describes the kind of activities that need to be present in a unit to support grammar acquisition; what are these activities?
Precise and broad scope genome editing based on high-specificity Cas9 nickases

Abstract RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) based on CRISPR systems permit installing short and large edits within eukaryotic genomes. However, precise genome editing is often hindered due to nuclease off-target activities and the multiple-copy character of the vast majority of chromosomal sequences. Dual nicking RGNs and high-specificity RGNs both exhibit low off-target activities. Here, we report that high-specificity Cas9 nucleases are convertible into nicking Cas9D10A variants whose precision is superior to that of the commonly used Cas9D10A nickase. Dual nicking RGNs based on a selected group of these Cas9D10A variants can yield gene knockouts and gene knock-ins at frequencies similar to or higher than those achieved by their conventional counterparts. Moreover, high-specificity dual nicking RGNs are capable of distinguishing highly similar sequences by ‘tiptoeing’ over pre-existing single base-pair polymorphisms. Finally, high-specificity RNA-guided nicking complexes generally preserve genomic integrity, as demonstrated by unbiased genome-wide high-throughput sequencing assays. Thus, in addition to substantially enlarging the Cas9 nickase toolkit, we demonstrate the feasibility in expanding the range and precision of DNA knockout and knock-in procedures. The herein introduced tools and multi-tier high-specificity genome editing strategies might be particularly beneficial whenever predictability and/or safety of genetic manipulations are paramount.
Propane dissociation in a non-thermal high-pressure nitrogen plasma

The removal and the conversion processes of propane in N2/C3H8 mixtures (concentration of hydrocarbon molecules up to 5500 ppm) energized by a photo-triggered discharge (homogeneous plasma) are studied at 460 mbar total pressure, both experimentally and theoretically. A self-consistent 0D discharge and kinetic model is used to interpret chromatographic measurements of propane and some by-products' concentrations (hydrogen and hydrocarbons with two or three carbon atoms). It is suggested, from the comparison between measurements and model predictions, that quenching processes of nitrogen metastable states by C3H8 lead to the dissociation of the hydrocarbon molecule, and are the most important processes for the removal of propane. Such a result is obtained using the quenching coefficient value previously determined by Callear and Wood (1971 Trans. Faraday Soc. 67 272) for the state, whereas the coefficient for collisions of the singlet states with C3H8 is estimated to be 3.0 × 10−10 cm3 s−1 in order to explain the measured propane disappearance in the N2/C3H8 mixture excited by the photo-triggered discharge. The hydrogen molecule is the measured most populated by-product and, also from the comparison between experimental results and model predictions, the most probable dissociation products of propane appear to be H2 and C3H6. The propene molecule is also efficiently dissociated by the quenching processes of N2 states, and probably leads to the production of hydrogen atoms and methyl radicals with equivalent probabilities. The kinetic model predicts that the carbon atom is distributed amongst numerous molecules, including HCN, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6 and C3H6.
Current rectification in a double quantum dot through fermionic reservoir engineering

Reservoir engineering is a powerful tool for the robust generation of quantum states or transport properties. Using both a weak-coupling quantum master equation and the exact solution, we show that directional transport of electrons through a double quantum dot can be achieved through an appropriately designed electronic environment. Directionality is attained through the interference of coherent and dissipative coupling. The relative phase is tuned with an external magnetic field, such that directionality can be reversed, as well as turned on and off dynamically. Our work introduces fermionic-reservoir engineering, paving the way to a new class of nanoelectronic devices.
Identification model and PI and PID controller design for a novel electric air heater

ABSTRACT In this article, the software and hardware control architecture for a novel high-temperature three-phase electric air heating furnace is presented. It consists of a multiple-input single-output (MISO) nonlinear plant designed to heat air at flow rates in a range between 10 and 60 Nm3/h, from ambient temperature up to 1000 °C. A divide-and-conquer (D&C) approach is applied. It consists in discretizing the air flow rates and working temperatures in intervals where the system behaviour is considered as single-input single-output (SISO) linear plant. Process identification techniques have been used to obtain empiric models for different operation ranges of the electric furnace. The controller parameters have been calculated using the Ziegler–Nichols tuning method. The resulting output air temperature control is composed of a set of 12 PI and PID controllers. The switch among controllers as a function of air flow rates and temperatures is carried out using programming logic and gain scheduling technique, respectively. The resulting multiple controller has been tested under real conditions and the results are presented and discussed.
Human Nutrition and Metabolism Maturation of Visual Acuity Is Accelerated in Breast-Fed Term Infants Fed Baby Food Containing DHA-Enriched Egg Yolk 1 , 2

Between 6 and 12 mo of age, blood levels of the (n-3) long-chain PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in breast-fed infants typically decrease due to diminished maternal DHA stores and the introduction of DHA-poor solid foods displacing human milk as the primary source of nutrition. Thus, we utilized a randomized, clinical trial format to evaluate the effect of supplemental DHA in solid foods on visual development of breast-fed infants with the primary outcome, sweep visual-evoked potential (VEP) acuity, as an index for maturation of the retina and visual cortex. At 6 mo of age, breast-fed infants were randomly assigned to receive 1 jar (113 g)/d of baby food containing egg yolk enriched with DHA (115 mg DHA/100 g food; n 25) or control baby food (0 mg DHA; n 26). Gravimetric measures were used to estimate the supplemental DHA intake which was 83 mg DHA/d in the supplemented group and 0 mg/d in controls. Although many infants in both groups continued to breast-feed for a mean of 9 mo, RBC DHA levels decreased significantly between 6 and 12 mo (from 3.8 to 3.0 g/100 g total fatty acids) in control infants, whereas RBC DHA levels increased by 34% from 4.1 to 5.5 g/100 g by 12 mo in supplemented infants. VEP acuity at 6 mo was 0.49 logMAR (minimum angle of resolution) and improved to 0.29 logMAR by 12 mo in controls. In DHA-supplemented infants, VEP acuity was 0.48 logMAR at 6 mo and matured to 0.14 logMAR at 12 mo (1.5 lines on the eye chart better than controls). At 12 mo, the difference corresponded to 1.5 lines on the eye chart. RBC DHA levels and VEP acuity at 12 mo were correlated (r 0.50; P 0.0002), supporting the need of an adequate dietary supply of DHA throughout 1 y of life for neural development. J. Nutr. 134: 2307–2313, 2004.
Diagnostic value of chest CT in Iranian patients with suspected COVID-19

Background: In the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is a rising need for a rapid and reliable diagnostic tool. We hypothesized that chest computed tomography (CT) can be a potential alternative for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of chest CT and RT-PCR in Iranian patients with suspected COVID-19. Methods: In a retrospective, single-center case series, 568 consecutive hospitalized or outpatient patients with suspected COVID-19 underwent chest CT and/or RT-PCR testing at Imam Reza Hospital, the tertiary teaching hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, from February 21 and March 28, 2020. Results: The sensitivity of chest CT for signifying COVID-19 was 64% (95% CI: 56%–71%) on the basis of positive RT-PCR results as a standard method. CT imaging also had a specificity of 77% (95% CI: 73%–81%), positive predictive value of 35% (95% CI: 0.31–0.39), negative predictive value of 66% (95% CI: 0.61–0.69), positive likelihood ratio of 2.79 (95% CI: 2.26–3.46), and negative likelihood ratio of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.38–0.57). Conclusion: Chest CT had higher specificity in the diagnosis of COVID-19 than that of the previous studies. Therefore, it can play a crucial role in the early diagnosis. Similar to the previous studies, the typical CT features were patchy ground-glass opacities as well as peripheral aspects of the lungs consolidations.
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Way Crossover Clinical Trial of ORADUR-Methylphenidate for Treating Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Methylphenidate (MPH) is efficacious in reducing symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but there are no data about the efficacy and safety of its new formulation (ORADUR®-MPH extended release, ORADUR-MPH) in patients with ADHD, which is the study objective. Method: This was a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover clinical trial. One hundred children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD (72.7% male) received at least one dose of ORADUR-MPH or a placebo during the 2-week treatment period of each phase. The primary efficacy measure was the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV-teacher (SNAP-IV-T) form. Secondary efficacy measures included the SNAP-IV-parent form, the Clinical Global Impression: ADHD-Severity score, the Conner's Teacher's Rating Scale score, and the investigator's rating for 18 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition ADHD symptoms. In addition, data related to vital signs, body weight, physical examination, laboratory testing, and adverse events (AEs) were also collected. All data were analyzed on an intent-to-treat basis. Results: Without adjusting for differences in demographics and baseline measures, both treatment groups showed significant reductions in ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms after a 2-week treatment with greater effect sizes (Cohen's d) in the ORADUR-MPH group (Cohen's d ranging from −0.41 to −1.64; placebo, Cohen's d ranging from −0.26 to −1.18), except for oppositional symptoms, regardless of the informants. For the primary efficacy measure, ORADUR-MPH was significantly superior to the placebo, as evidenced by lower values for and greater reductions in the SNAP-IV-T scores at the endpoint (Cohen's d = −0.16, p = 0.005) and from baseline to the endpoint (Cohen's d = −0.19, p = 0.006), respectively. There were no serious AEs during the clinical study period. The most frequently observed AE was decreased appetite (49.1%). Most physical and laboratory test variables remained within the normal range. Conclusions: Once-daily ORADUR-MPH is an effective, well-tolerable, and safe treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02450890.
Platelet mass cytometry: Optimization of sample, reagent, and analysis parameters

Platelets mediate key biological processes, including hemostasis, immunity, and inflammation. Although platelets are often treated as a homogeneous cell population, they are known to be heterogeneous in size, age, surface receptor expression, and response to agonist stimulation, raising the possibility that distinct platelet subsets perform specialized functions and that such subsets may be altered in disease settings. Attempts to identify platelet subsets by flow cytometry have had limited success due in part to limits on the number of probes that can be used at the same time and due to the challenges of compensating for probes that have large spectral overlap. We recently reported a method to identify platelet subsets by mass cytometry using a panel of 14 metal‐tagged antibodies directed at platelet surface markers. Here, we describe the technical considerations and best practices for platelet sample preparation, processing, and analysis by mass cytometry. Specifically, we show that anticoagulant choice alters platelet phenotype and function and that antibody cocktail storage and sample processing are critical for reproducibility. Additionally, we optimize sample density and instrument setup for maximal platelet transmission. Lastly, we demonstrate the importance of panel design and compensation and the use of clustering and dimension reduction to map platelet heterogeneity across resting and stimulated samples.
A Novel Dietary Intervention Reduces Circulatory Branched-Chain Amino Acids by 50%: A Pilot Study of Relevance for Obesity and Diabetes

Elevated circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; isoleucine, leucine, and valine) are associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Reducing circulatory BCAAs by dietary restriction was suggested to mitigate these risks in rodent models, but this is a challenging paradigm to deliver in humans. We aimed to design and assess the feasibility of a diet aimed at reducing circulating BCAA concentrations in humans, while maintaining energy balance and overall energy/protein intake. Twelve healthy individuals were assigned to either a 7-day BCAA-restricted diet or a 7-day control diet. Diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric, with only BCAA levels differing between the two. The BCAA-restricted diet significantly reduced circulating BCAA concentrations by ~50% i.e., baseline 437 ± 60 to 217 ± 40 µmol/L (p < 0.005). Individually, both valine (245 ± 33 to 105 ± 23 µmol/L; p < 0.0001), and leucine (130 ± 20 to 75 ± 13 µmol/L; p < 0.05), decreased significantly in response to the BCAA-restricted diet. The BCAA-restricted diet marginally lowered Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) levels: baseline 1.5 ± 0.2 to 1.0 ± 0.1; (p = 0.096). We successfully lowered circulating BCAAs by 50% while maintaining iso-nitrogenous, iso-caloric dietary intakes, and while meeting the recommended daily allowances (RDA) for protein requirements. The present pilot study represents a novel dietary means by which to reduce BCAA, and as such, provides a blueprint for a potential dietary therapeutic in obesity/diabetes.
Clinical Features of Intra-Abdominal Abscess and Intestinal Free-Wall Perforation in Korean Patients with Crohn’s Disease: Results from the CONNECT Study

Abstract Background: In Crohn’s disease (CD), intra-abdominal abscess (IA) and intestinal free-wall perforation (IP) have a common mechanism of transmural inflammation; however, their manifestation is different. Objective: This study aimed to investigate differences in the clinical features between IA and IP in Korean patients with Crohn’s disease. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Setting: Thirty university hospitals and two local hospitals in Korea. Patients: Patients who were diagnosed with CD between July 1982 and December 2008 were enrolled. Main Outcome Measures: Clinical characteristics of IA and IP. Results: Among 1286 patients with CD, 147 (11.4%) had IA and 83 (6.5%) had IP. IA patients were younger than those of IP (24.2 ± 8.6 vs. 30.4 ± 11.1 years, p = 0.001). Location and behavior were significantly different between IA and IP (p = 0.035 and 0.021). In multivariate analyses, perianal fistula was not associated with increased risk of IA and IP, while intestinal stricture was associated with increased risk of IA (OR: 2.72, p < 0.0001) and IP (OR: 2.76, p < 0.0001). In subgroup analyses, 55 (36.5%) IA patients were diagnosed at the diagnosis of CD, and 92 (63.5%) during follow-up of CD, while 47 (56.6%) IP patients were diagnosed at the diagnosis of CD, and 36 (43.3%) during follow-up of CD. Conclusions: There are several differences in the clinical features of IA and IP in Korean patients with CD. The development mechanism is considered as identical, but further investigation should be needed for clinical implication.