Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Degradation of C.I. Acid Red 51 and C.I. Acid Blue 74 in Aqueous Solution by Combination of Hydrogen Peroxide, Nanocrystallite Zinc Oxide and Ultrasound Irradiation

Journal of Advanced Oxidation Technologies2018; 21(1)www.jaots. netDOI:10.26802/jaots.2017. 0022Journal of Advanced Oxidation Technologies 2018; 21(1)Article ID-20170022Article:Degradation of C.I. Acid Red 51 and C.I. Acid Blue 74 in Aqueous Solution by Combination of Hydrogen Peroxide, Nanocrystallite Zinc Oxide and Ultrasound IrradiationInsaf Ould Brahim*1,3, Mohamed Belmedani1,Ahmed Haddad3, Hocine Hadoun2,Ahmed Belgacem11Laboratory of transfer phenomena, Faculty of Mechanical and Processes Engineering, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, BP n 32 El Alia bab ezzouar 16111 Algiers, Algeria2Nuclear Research Center of Algiers, 2 Bd Frantz Fanon, 16035, Algiers, Algeria3Research Center in Industrial TechnologiesCRTI, P.O. Box 64, Cheraga 16014 Algiers, Algeria *iouldbrahim@gmail.comPhone: 00213-20-77-67Fax: 00213-21-34 -20-19AbstractThis study illustrates the degradation of food dyes, C.I. Acid Red 51 (erythrosine E127) and C.I. Acid Blue 74 (indigo carmine E132) by sonocatalysis using an ultrasonic frequency of 37 kHz and a power of 150 W in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts ZnO and peroxide hydrogen (H2O2). The adsorption process for the two dyes on the ZnO nanocrystalline which satisfies the Freundlich model appears not effective because the elimination of the two food dyes does not exceed 35%. In order to improve the removal, the sonocatalytic process (AD-OX) has been investigated. At this purpose, effect of operating parameters such as initial dye concentrations, H2O2(0-0.75M) and initial pH on the sonochemical degradation was investigated. It was observed that when the adsorption-catalysis was assisted by the ultrasonic and H2O2 a considerable yields has been achieved and about 86% and 97% of E127 and E132 were removed for 10 mg L-1and 50 mg L-1respectively. To understand the behavior of dye degradation, structure of the zinc catalyst before and after the sonocatalytic process was characterized by meanX-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed thatthe ZnO particles before and after sonocatalysis were crystallized in the hexagonal wurtzite phase and the size distribution indicates that most of the particles are in the range of 300 and 600 nm. Finally, ADMI and COD analysis were performed in order toquantify the residual color in solution and evaluate the efficiency of the dye mineralization. Results showed that the treatment of food dyes by US-ZnO-H2O2process increased color degradation (ADMI)and mineralization efficiency (COD) by more than 50% and 76% respectively.
Thematic role assignment in non-default verb classes: A cross-linguistic comparison of English and German

The influence of sentential cues (such as animacy and word order) on thematic role interpretation differs as a function of language (MacWhinney et al. 1984). However, existing cross-linguistic research has typically focused on transitive sentences involving agents, and interpretation of non-default verb classes is less well understood. Here, we compared the way in which English and German native speakers – languages known to differ in the cue prominence of animacy and word order – assign thematic roles. We compared their interpretation of sentences containing either default (agent-subject) or non-default (experiencer-subject) verb classes. Animacy of the two noun phrases in a sentence was either animate-inanimate and plausible (e.g. “The men will devour the meals.”) or inanimate-animate and implausible in English (e.g. “The meals will devour the men…”). We examined role assignment by probing for either the actor or undergoer of the sentence. Mixed effects modelling revealed that role assignment was significantly influenced by noun animacy, verb class, question type, and language. Results are interpreted within the Competition Model framework (Bates et al. 1982; MacWhinney et al. 1984), and show that English speakers predominantly relied on word order for thematic role assignment. German speakers relied on word order to a comparatively lesser degree, with animacy a prominent cue. Non-default verbs (experiencer-subject) promoted a non-default comprehension strategy regarding the prominence of sentential cues, particularly in German. Intriguingly, responses were modulated by the probe task, with undergoer probes promoting object-initial interpretations, particularly for German speakers. This suggests that task focus may retroactively influence sentence interpretation.
Monitoring the vegetative organs' structure of several species from the Crișuri basin ecosystem (NV Romania-E Hungary), in order to identify a possible pharmaceuticals and metabolites pollution.

This study presents a monitoring of vegetative structure of some species from the Crisuri Rivers basin ecosystem, in order to identify a possible accumulation of pharmaceuticals and metabolites in this area. The research was part from a complex project which was carried out to survey the pharmaceuticals in water, sediment, fishes and macrophytes with the working knowledge of lie of the lands. Basic chemical constituents (pH, oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, phosphates) were determined by standard methods. Analysis of the pharmaceutical compounds has supposed the screenings of the different antibiotics with ELISA tests. The concentrations of the most abundant antibiotics (e.g. oxitetracycline, and basic nitrofuran compounds) were studied by HPLC with fluorimetric detection. Non steroid inflammatory (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and indomethacin) was analysed by GS-MS method in gas-chromatographic laboratory. Dates of plants structure was corroborated with chemical dates. At the end of research, we concluded that the pollution in Crisuri Rivers Basin is not so high as to affect the structure of plant vegetative organs from the aquatic ecosystem.
Antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of carvacrol against Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium

The present study evaluated the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of carvacrol against Salmonella Typhimurium. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined and the time-kill curve and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to evaluate antibacterial activity. Antibiofilm activity was evaluated by quantifying total biomass using crystal violet assay, and metabolic activity was determined using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The action of carvacrol against preformed biofilm on polypropylene and stainless steel was also evaluated by colony counting and SEM. The MIC and MBC was 312 µg mL-1. Carvacrol at MIC and 2 x MIC eliminated cells after 6 and 1 h of treatment, respectively, as exhibited in the time-kill curve. The greatest reduction in biofilm biomass and metabolic activity was 1,719 OD550 and 0,089 OD550 respectively, both at 4 x MIC of carvacrol. In carvacrol treated biofilms of S. Typhimurium on polypropylene, a reduction of 5.12 log was observed with 4 x MIC, while on stainless steel, carvacrol at 4 x MIC reduced bacterial counts by 5 log. The results showed that carvacrol exhibits antibacterial activity and can be used as an alternative for the control of S. Typhimurium biofilms.
Stored Whole Blood Transfusion Initiate Serum Amyloid A Activation Monitored by Real-Time Dynamic Imaging

Yulong Zhang Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Zhengjun Wang Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Lei Liu Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Qianqian Zhou Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Sujing Sun Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Ping Ma Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Liping Lv Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Xiaohui Wang Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine Linsheng Zhan (  lszhan91@yahoo.com ) Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine
Regret Minimization with Function Approximation in Extensive-Form Games

Computing a Nash equilibrium in zero-sum games, or more generally saddle point optimization, is a fundamental problem in game theory and machine learning, with applications spanning across a wide variety of domains, from generative modeling and computer vision to super-human AI in imperfect information games like poker. Despite the broad application of Nash equilibria, traditional methods from optimization and machine learning are not directly applicable. However, in zero-sum games an effective and simple method exists – self-play with online learning. In this setup, an equilibrium is computed by pitting two algorithms against each other to play out a game repeatedly. Online learning with self-play via Counterfactual Regret Minimization (CFR) is the leading approach for saddle point computation in large games with sequential decision making and imperfect information. For very large games, CFR can be scaled in various dimensions such as sampling, subgame decomposition, and function approximation. Despite the growing interests in scaling algorithms with function approximation in areas such as reinforcement learning, current theoretical guarantees for CFR and function approximation are minimal. In this thesis we extend theoretical results for CFR when using function approximation, and complement these worst-case guarantees with experiments on several common benchmark games with sequential decision making and imperfect information. The thesis is outlined as follows. First, relevant background is given by defining external regret – a quantity to evaluate online learning algorithms. ii Then the connection between regret, self-play, and general concave-convex saddle point problems is given. A generalization of external regret in the specific online decision problem is also reviewed. The main theoretical contributions are then presented, generalizing previous work to different types of regret in the online decision problem and with different algorithms. The new theoretical guarantees with function approximation give rise to two new families of algorithms, presented as f -RCFR and f -RCFR+, combining function approximation and CFR like algorithms. Both f -RCFR and f -RCFR+ algorithms are then compared across different games, with f -RCFR+ demonstrating superior performance and better management of function approximator capacity.
Influence of antepartum hemorrhage on placenta previa: A multi-center, retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Placenta previa can be a serious, life-threatening obstetric complication that causes painless but potentially catastrophic bleeding. It is unclear as to whether the frequency of antepartum hemorrhage (APH) relative to the specific gestational week in placenta previa will lead to negative perinatal outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between APH and gestational week number, and to ascertain the different perinatal outcomes in women with placenta previa. METHODS This was a multi-center, retrospective study in which we enrolled all women with placenta previa between October of 2015 and September of 2018. Patients with placenta previa were divided into two groups: women with APH and women without APH. RESULTS A total of 247 patients were included in this study: 121 women with APH and 126 women without. The incidence of APH was 49.0% (121/247). The mean bleeding frequency was 2.2 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD), with the majority having experienced a one-time bleeding episode (36.4%, 44/121), followed by 26.4% with 2 episodes (32/121), and 23.1% with 3 (28/121). The APH was distinct in every gestational-week category, with bleeding occurring at 31.4 ± 3.3 weeks, ranging from 24 to 37 gestational weeks. The incidence of bleeding varied from 2.6–14.6%, with the highest incidence at 32 gestational weeks. Patients categorized as having complete placental coverage included a greater number of women experiencing bleeding than women who did not bleed (72.9% vs 47.4%, P < 0.001), indicating that a complete placenta was an independent risk factor for APH (odds rations [OR], 4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.805–9.634). In addition, although APH did not augment the rates of hysterectomy (6.6% vs 7.1%, P = 0.869), it was associated with critical neonatal outcomes that included lower weight, lower Apgar score at 1 minute, preterm age, and more frequent neonatal intensive care unit admissions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The gestational week and frequency of each APH varied in patients with placenta previa and might result in an increase in adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The 32nd gestational week appeared to be the most precarious time—exhibiting the highest incidence of bleeding—and we consider complete placenta previa to be an independent risk factor for APH.
Regulatory focus and perceived safety with casual partners: implications for perceived risk and casual sex intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Motives for security (i.e. prevention focus) or pleasure (i.e. promotion focus) help regulate risk perceptions. Individuals focused on prevention (vs. promotion) tend to be more aware of health risks, more careful in their sexual behaviours, and less likely to take risks with casual partners. However, feeling safer with casual partners seem to mitigate some of these risks. We administered an online survey in English, Spanish, and German at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to 550 participants who were single (57.6% women). Participants more focused on prevention were less fearful of COVID-19 infection, perceived to be well informed about COVID-19, and retrieved their information from scientific sources. Participants more focused on promotion were more fearful of COVID-19 infection and perceived to be well informed about COVID-19 but retrieved their information from non-scientific sources. These participants also had stronger intentions to have casual sex if they felt safer (vs. less safe) with their casual partners. Our findings show the importance of individual motivations and interpersonal dynamics for risk perception and sexual activity during the pandemic.
A Descriptive Study of the Trends of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe from March – June 2020: Policy and Strategy Implications

Background: The first cases of COVID-19 were reported in China in December 2019. Since then, the disease has evolved to become a global pandemic. Zimbabwe reported its first case on 20 March 2020, and the number has been increasing steadily. However, Zimbabwe has not witnessed the exponential growth witnessed in other countries so far, and the trajectory seems different. Objectives: We set out to describe the epidemiological trends of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe from when the first case was confirmed to June 2020. Based on the analysis, policy and strategy implications were drawn. Methodology: Data were collected from daily situation reports that were published by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care from 20 March to 27 June 2020. Confirmation of COVID-19 positive cases was from daily RT-PCR and Rapid test reports conducted in various parts of the country and stratified by provinces. Missing data on the daily situation reports was not imputed. Findings: As of 27 June 2020, Zimbabwe had 567 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Eighty-two percent of these were returning residents and 18% were local transmission. The testing was heavily skewed towards returnees despite a comprehensive testing strategy. Of the confirmed cases, 142 were reported as recovered. However, demographic data for the cases were missing from the reports. It was not possible to estimate the probable period of infection of an active case, and case fatality in Zimbabwe was about 1% for the first 4 months of the pandemic. Conclusion: The epidemiological trends of COVID-19 experienced in Zimbabwe between March and June 2020 are somewhat different from what has been observed elsewhere. Further research to determine the reasons for the differences is warranted, to inform public health practice and tailor make suitable interventions. Funding Statement: No funding was sought. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This is a description of data widely made available to the public, and therefore no ethical or institutional review board approval was necessary.
PREPARATION OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES STABILIZED BY CHITOSAN USING IRRADIATION AND SONICATION METHODS

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized, in the absence of any reducing agent, using ionizing radiation or ultrasound in aqueous solutions of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4). Chitosan (average molecular weight 158 kDa, degree of deacetylation 90 %) was used as a stabilizing agent. Both techniques yielded AuNPs which were stable in solution at RT for at least 3 months after synthesis. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to follow substrate decay, nanoparticles formation, size of the gold core and particles stability. Hydrodynamic radii and polydispersion of the chitozan-stabilized AuNPs (i.e. the whole core-shell nanoparticles) were determined by dynamic light scattering. Zeta potential measurements were performed to assess the surface charge and stability of the particles. Influence of synthesis parameters and presence of isopropanol on the formation and properties of the products have been described and reaction mechanisms have been discussed. Radiation and sonochemical methods are demonstrated to be very efficient, fast and easyto-control methods of synthesizing gold nanoparticles, leaving behind no unreacted reducing agent or unwanted side products, while stabilization by chitosan provides AuNPs with excellent stability and long shelf life.
Association of AGT rs2493132 Polymorphism and the Risk of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chinese Han Population

Background: Previous studies proved that AGT gene polymorphisms were associated with the serum lipids metabolism; however, it is not clear whether AGT rs2493132 increases the risk of NAFLD and CAD. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between AGT rs2493132 gene polymorphism and the developing risk of NAFLD and CAD in Chinese Han population.Methods: A total of 142 NAFLD patients, 109 NAFLD + CAD patients, and 246 health controls were included in this study. PCR method was used to measure AGT genotype. The anthropometric and clinical data were measured in clinical laboratory department of Qingdao Municipal Hospital. Statistical analyzes were conducted using the SPSS statistical software, version 21.0. Results: The AGT rs2493132 CT + TT genotype was an important risk factor for CAD in patients with NAFLD (OR = 1.785; 95%CI: 1.061-3.003; P = 0.029), and the risk of CAD in patients with NAFLD was still marked after adjusted for gender, age, and BMI (OR = 4.718; 95%CI: 1.502-14.824; P = 0.008). The T allele of AGT rs2493132 also significantly increased the risk of CAD in NAFLD patients (OR = 2.436; 95% CI: 1.184-5.011, P = 0.016) after adjusted for age, gender, and BMI. In addition, AGT rs2493132 T allele carriers possess the higher TC and LDL levels compared to the non-carriers in all the participants (Both P < 0.05). Conclusions: AGT rs2493132 CT + TT genotype and T allele significantly increased the developing risk of CAD in the patients with NAFLD in Chinese Han population. AGT rs2493132 T allele associated with the increased serum TC and LDL levels.
Interactive chemistry in the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique general circulation model: Description and background tropospheric chemistry evaluation: INTERACTIVE CHEMISTRY IN LMDZ

[1] We provide a description and evaluation of LMDz-INCA, which couples the Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique general circulation model (LMDz) and the Interaction with Chemistry and Aerosols (INCA) model. In this first version of the model a CH4−NOx−CO−O3 chemical scheme representative of the background chemistry of the troposphere is considered. We derive rapid interhemispheric exchange times of 1.13–1.38 years and 0.70–0.82 years, based on surface and pressure-weighted mixing ratios of inert tracers, respectively. The general patterns of the nitrogen deposition are correctly reproduced by the model. However, scavenging processes remain a major source of uncertainty in current models, with convective precipitation playing a key role in the global distribution of soluble species. The global and annual mean methane (7.9 years) and methylchloroform (4.6 years) chemical lifetimes suggest that OH is too high by about 19–25% in the model. This disagreement with previous estimates is attributed to the missing nonmethane hydrocarbons in this version of the model. The model simulates quite satisfactorily the distribution and seasonal cycle of CO at most stations. At several tropical sites and in the Northern Hemisphere during summer, the OH overestimate leads, however, to a too intense CO chemical destruction. LMDz-INCA reproduces fairly well the distribution of ozone throughout most of the troposphere. A main disagreement appears in the Northern Hemisphere upper troposphere during summer, due to a too high tropopause in the GCM. When the GCM winds are relaxed toward assimilated meteorology, a much higher variability is obtained for ozone in the upper troposphere, reflecting more frequent stratospheric intrusions. The stratospheric influx of ozone increases from 523 Tg/yr in the base case simulation to 783 Tg/yr in the nudged version.
Gelled Emulsions Based on Amaranth Flour with Hemp and Sesame Oils

Gelled emulsion (GE) systems are one of the novel proposals for the reformulation of meat products with healthier profiles. The aim of this research was to obtain a better understanding of the impact of different oils in physicochemical properties, emulsion stability, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) level for two gelled emulsions based on amaranth flour with hemp oil (GAH) and amaranth flour with sesame oil (GAS). The characterization of these GE was carried out after 24 h in cooling of 4 °C (t0) and 15 days of freezing at −23 °C (t15). The spreadability was measured only at t0 and this revealed that the GAH sample had greater firmness and greater work of shear than the GAS sample. The GAS sample had a higher value of emulsion instability at t0, with an increase after freezing of 10% more. For the TBARs, the initial oxidation was higher for GAH, with 1.230 ± 0.074 mg for the ma/Kg sample, which after 15 days of freezing increased to 12% this amount. Between the emulsions studied, GAS has less consistence and emulsion stability than GAH, so it could be undesirable for some meat products. Thus, GE could be a potential alternative for their application in the development of functional foods.
Expectancy Effects Threaten the Inferential Validity of Synchrony-Prosociality Research

Abstract Many studies argue that synchronized movement increases prosocial attitudes and behavior. We reviewed meta-analytic evidence that reported effects of synchrony may be driven by experimenter expectancy, leading to experimenter bias; and participant expectancy, otherwise known as placebo effects. We found that a majority of published studies do not adequately control for experimenter bias and that multiple independent replication attempts with added controls have failed to find the original effects. In a preregistered experiment, we measured participant expectancy directly, asking whether participants have a priori expectations about synchrony and prosociality that match the findings in published literature. Expectations about the effects of synchrony on prosocial attitudes directly mirrored previous experimental findings (including both positive and null effects)—despite the participants not actually engaging in synchrony. On the basis of this evidence, we propose an alternative account of the reported bottom-up effects of synchrony on prosociality: the effects of synchrony on prosociality may be explicable as the result of top-down expectations invoked by placebo and experimenter effects.