Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in the preparation and utilization of carbon nanotubes for hydrogen storage.

Recent progress in the production, purification, and experimental and theoretical investigations of carbon nanotubes for hydrogen storage are reviewed. From the industrial point of view, the chemical vapor deposition process has shown advantages over laser ablation and electric-arc-discharge methods. The ultimate goal in nanotube synthesis should be to gain control over geometrical aspects of nanotubes, such as location and orientation, and the atomic structure of nanotubes, including helicity and diameter. There is currently no effective and simple purification procedure that fulfills all requirements for processing carbon nanotubes. Purification is still the bottleneck for technical applications, especially where large amounts of material are required. Although the alkalimetal-doped carbon nanotubes showed high H2 weight uptake, further investigations indicated that some of this uptake was due to water rather than hydrogen. This discovery indicates a potential source of error in evaluation of the storage capacity of doped carbon nanotubes. Nevertheless, currently available single-wall nanotubes yield a hydrogen uptake value near 4 wt% under moderate pressure and room temperature. A further 50% increase is needed to meet U.S. Department of Energy targets for commercial exploitation. Meeting this target will require combining experimental and theoretical efforts to achieve a full understanding of the adsorption process, so that the uptake can be rationally optimized to commercially attractive levels. Large-scale production and purification of carbon nanotubes and remarkable improvement of H2 storage capacity in carbon nanotubes represent significant technological and theoretical challenges in the years to come.
Association of in vitro oxidative stress, serum ferritin concentration and C-reactive protein in febrile emergency room patients.

BACKGROUND Both C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin have been reported to reflect the extent of oxidative stress and inflammation in individual patients and may be useful markers of disease activity and mortality risk. Exposure to oxidative stress has been reported to increase ferritin synthesis. We investigated the relationship between oxidative stress with CRP and ferritin concentrations in febrile emergency room patients to test the hypothesis whether the intensity of oxidative stress correlated with serum ferritin concentration. METHODS Six normal healthy volunteers and 59 emergency room, febrile patients with body temperature >38.3 we enrolled before receiving medical treatment. Baseline measurements included complete blood count, blood biochemistry, CRP and serum ferritin concentrations, and transferring saturation (TSAT). The intensity of lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence (LucCL), corresponding to the level of superoxide, was detected by luminometer. RESULTS In febrile patients, plasma LucCL intensity was higher than in normal healthy volunteers (P<0.05). The group with bacterial infection had higher serum ferritin (319.4+/-53.7 vs 102.0+/-21.2 ng/dL, P<0.05) and CRP concentrations (7.2+/-1.2 vs 2.2+/-0.6 mg/dL; P<0.05) than the group without bacterial infection. There were no differences in leukocytes (9790+/-606 vs 9577+/-656 /mm3) or plasma LucCL intensity (423.7+/-10.8 vs 409.5+/-6.9 relative light unit? RLU? ;) between the two groups. LucCL intensity showed no correlation with serum ferritin concentration (r= -0.0599, P>0.05), TSAT(r= -0.0592, P>0.05), CRP(r= 0.1027, P>0.05) and absolute neutrophil counts (r= 0.1059; P >0.05). CONCLUSION In this sample of emergency room febrile patients, plasma LucCL intensity was higher than in normal healthy control volunteers. A single point measurement of oxidative stress, particularly plasma LucCL intensity, may not be sufficient to differentiate the origin of fever in febrile patients. These data demonstrate that patients with bacterial infection had increased levels of CRP and ferritin, but this was not associated with LucCL intensity.
Sociocultural Attitudes Surrounding Menstruation and Alternative Menstrual Products: The Explanatory Role of Self-Objectification

We extend objectification theory research to consider the relationship between self-objectification and attitudes toward an alternative menstrual product in a diverse sample of female undergraduates from the United States (N = 151). We use a survey design to investigate attitudes toward one's menstruation as a potential mechanism that may explain this relationship. Reactions to an alternative menstrual product were predominantly negative, supporting prior research on stigma and shame surrounding menstruation. Exploratory structural equation modeling revealed attitudes toward one's menstruation mediated the relationship between self-objectification and participants’ reactions to an alternative menstrual product. Implications for women's health are discussed.
BRICS Engagement with International Institutions for Better Governance

Since its establishment in 2008, the BRICS group of Brazil, Russia, India and China, joined by South Africa in 2011, has constantly deepened its cooperation, working on a positive agenda in a wide range of areas, including finance, economy, trade, health, science, innovation, security and development. Similar to other informal summit institutions, the BRICS aims to increase the efficiency of collective actions on its priorities through using accountability instruments, creating its own special mechanisms and institutions, and engaging with international institutions at different levels. The BRICS usually uses two types of engagement with international organizations: a “catalytic engagement” approach of stimulating or supporting changes in international organizations and “parallel treatment” by creating its own institutions. Since 2012, the BRICS has begun establishing its own financial institutions, often considered to be alternatives to existing elements in the international system. At the same time, the BRICS rarely uses the “core group” engagement approach typical of other informal institutions, primarily the Group of 20 (G20), based on leadership in defining new priorities on the global agenda and stimulating work on these priorities by relevant organizations. By participating in key international organizations, BRICS countries actively establish consultation mechanisms to coordinate national positions. By strengthening intra-institutional cooperation and interacting with international organizations, the BRICS addresses its priorities, enhances its role in global governance, and improves the sustainability, legitimacy and efficiency of the global governance architecture as a whole.
Childhood body composition in relation to body mass index.

OBJECTIVE The aim is to describe body composition in relation to body mass index (BMI; body weight/stature(2)) to provide health care professionals insight into the meaning, significance, and limitations of BMI as an index of adiposity during childhood. METHODS Data from 387 healthy, white children 8 to 18 years of age from the Fels Longitudinal Study were analyzed. Measurements were scheduled annually and each child was examined 1 to 11 times, totaling 1748 observations. Total body fat (TBF) and fat-free mass (FFM) were determined from hydrodensitometry. Stature and weight were measured using standard methods and BMI and the components of BMI, TBF/stature(2), and FFM/stature(2) were calculated. Analyses included correlations between BMI and body composition variables; age-related patterns of BMI, TBF/stature(2), and FFM/stature(2); and annual changes in BMI, TBF/stature(2), and FFM/stature(2). RESULTS Generally, correlations between BMI and body composition variables were strong and significantly different from zero. Means for BMI throughout childhood were similar for boys and girls, although significantly larger values were observed for girls at ages 12 to 13 years. Age-related patterns of TBF/stature(2) and FFM/stature(2) differed between sexes. In each sex, annual increases in BMI were driven primarily by increases in FFM/stature(2) until late adolescence, with increases in TBF/stature(2) contributing to a larger proportion of the BMI increases in girls than in boys. CONCLUSIONS Unlike adults, annual increases in BMI during childhood are generally attributed to the lean rather than to the fat component of BMI. Because the properties of BMI vary during childhood, health care professionals must consider factors such as age and sex when interpreting BMI.
Nexus among Energy Consumption, Economic Growth, Urbanization and Carbon Emissions: Heterogeneous Panel Evidence Considering China’s Regional Differences

This article examines the relation among carbon emissions, energy consumption, economic growth and urbanization in four panels: national level, developed areas, medium developed areas, and underdeveloped areas, which fully considers the differences across Chinese provinces. Due to the heterogeneity among Chinese provincial panels, the heterogeneous panel analysis technique is used, which includes heterogeneous panel estimation based on dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified least squares (FMOLS), and the heterogeneous panel Granger test based on Dumitrescu and Hurlin is also used. The empirical results indicate that there are long-term equilibrium relationships between carbon emissions, GDP, energy consumption structure and urbanization rate in the four panels. GDP and energy consumption structure had obvious impacts on carbon emissions in all panels, but the urbanization rate significantly affected carbon emissions only in the national and medium developed areas. The heterogeneous Granger causality test reveals that the relationship between carbon emissions and various influencing factors in different regions varies. Finally, according to the empirical research results, policy implications of reducing carbon emissions in different regions were proposed.
Evaluating Performance of Government Inspection Bodies: A Possible Approach

Abstract Ensuring the public safety and limiting administrative barriers have been the two core objectives of most reforms in the area of business inspections and regulatory enforcement for the past decade. However, measuring these efforts has proved quite challenging both in OECD countries and in Russia. Lack of attention to the results achieved or misinterpretation of progress may affect the success of the reform efforts. Th e objective of this paper is to develop a framework for defining and evaluating both the effectiveness and the efficiency of regulatory enforcement and to apply this framework to several areas of inspection activities (such as occupational and food safety) in Russia. Th e proposed framework advances the existing international approaches to measuring the performance of government inspection bodies and accounts for perspectives of citizens, businesses and governments as crucial stakeholders of inspection reforms. Th e paper is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods (sociological surveys and statistical research). Th e results suggest that evaluating the performance of business inspections should include all aspects of minimizing risks and losses in the controlled area - from prevention of violations (reducing risks) to ensuring the reimbursement, should the risk event happen. Various levels of results, including final outcomes (impact), intermediate outcomes and outputs, are needed as they allow for detecting important inconsistencies and gaps in the performance of government inspection bodies. Th e use of various sources of performance data, independent from inspection bodies, is critical for the successful implementation of the proposed framework.
Cooperative learning projects as a strategy to foster oral interaction in EFL learners

La Universidad de La Sabana informa que el(los) autor(es) ha(n) autorizado a usuarios internos y externos de la institución a consultar el contenido de este documento a través del Catálogo en línea de la Biblioteca y el Repositorio Institucional en la página Web de la Biblioteca, así como en las redes de información del país y del exterior con las cuales tenga convenio la Universidad de La Sabana.
Dpb2p, a Noncatalytic Subunit of DNA Polymerase ε, Contributes to the Fidelity of DNA Replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Most replicases are multi-subunit complexes. DNA polymerase epsilon from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is composed of four subunits: Pol2p, Dpb2p, Dpb3p, and Dpb4p. Pol2p and Dpb2p are essential. To investigate a possible role for the Dpb2p subunit in maintaining the fidelity of DNA replication, we isolated temperature-sensitive mutants in the DPB2 gene. Several of the newly isolated dpb2 alleles are strong mutators, exhibiting mutation rates equivalent to pol2 mutants defective in the 3′ → 5′ proofreading exonuclease (pol2-4) or to mutants defective in mismatch repair (msh6). The dpb2 pol2-4 and dpb2 msh6 double mutants show a synergistic increase in mutation rate, indicating that the mutations arising in the dpb2 mutants are due to DNA replication errors normally corrected by mismatch repair. The dpb2 mutations decrease the affinity of Dpb2p for the Pol2p subunit as measured by two-hybrid analysis, providing a possible mechanistic explanation for the loss of high-fidelity synthesis. Our results show that DNA polymerase subunits other than those housing the DNA polymerase and 3′ → 5′ exonuclease are essential in controlling the level of spontaneous mutagenesis and genetic stability in yeast cells.
Risk of second primary cancer among patients with head and neck cancers: A pooled analysis of 13 cancer registries

The objective of the study was to assess the risk of second primary cancers (SPCs) following a primary head and neck cancer (oral cavity, pharynx and larynx) and the risk of head and neck cancer as a SPC. The present investigation is a multicenter study from 13 population‐based cancer registries. The study population involved 99,257 patients with a first primary head and neck cancer and contributed 489,855 person‐years of follow‐up. To assess the excess risk of SPCs following head and neck cancers, we calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) by dividing the observed numbers of SPCs by the expected number of cancers calculated from accumulated person‐years and the age‐, sex‐ and calendar period‐specific first primary cancer incidence rates in each of the cancer registries. During the observation period, there were 10,826 cases of SPCs after head and neck cancer. For all cancer sites combined, the SIR of SPCs was 1.86 (95% CI = 1.83–1.90) and the 20‐year cumulative risk was 36%. Lung cancer contributed to the highest proportion of the SPCs with a 20‐year cumulative risk of 13%. Excess second head and neck cancer risk was observed 10 years after diagnosis with lymphohaematopoietic cancers. The most common SPC following a first primary head and neck cancer was lung cancer. However, the highest excess of SPCs was in the head and neck region. These patterns were consistent with the notion that the pattern of cancer in survivors of head and neck cancer is dominated by the effect of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Low resolution adaptive compressed sensing for mmWave MIMO receivers

Due to the high bandwidths and carrier frequencies to be used at millimeter wave (mmWave), high resolution and high sampling rate analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with their corresponding interfacing cards become power hungry devices in the reception chain. One solution is to employ low resolution ADCs in the receiver. Acquiring channel state information is challenging in low-resolution systems. In this paper, we design an adaptive compressed sensing strategy to recover the sparse mmWave channel. The simulation results show that the new adaptive strategy outperforms conventional compressed sensing schemes based on fixed measurement matrices, while requiring a lower number of training pilots.
Tyrosine Nitration of PA700 Activates the 26S Proteasome to Induce Endothelial Dysfunction in Mice With Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension

The ubiquitin-proteasome system has been implicated in oxidative stress–induced endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanism by which oxidative stress alters the ubiquitin-proteasome system is poorly defined. The present study was conducted to determine whether oxidative modifications of PA700, a 26S proteasome regulatory subunit, contributes to angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced endothelial dysfunction. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to low concentrations of Ang II, but not vehicle, for 6 hours significantly decreased the levels of tetrahydro-l-biopterin (BH4), an essential cofactor of endothelial NO synthase, which was accompanied by a decrease in GTP cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme for de novo BH4 synthesis. In addition, Ang II increased both tyrosine nitration of PA700 and the 26S proteasome activity, which were paralleled by increased coimmunoprecipitation of PA700 and the 20S proteasome. Genetic inhibition of NAD(P)H oxidase or administration of uric acid (a peroxynitrite scavenger) or NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (nonselective NO synthase inhibitor) significantly attenuated Ang II–induced PA700 nitration, 26S proteasome activation, and reduction of GTP cyclohydrolase I and BH4. Finally, Ang II infusion in mice decreased the levels of both BH4 and GTP cyclohydrolase I and impaired endothelial-dependent relaxation in isolated aortas, and all of these effects were prevented by the administration of MG132, a potent inhibitor for 26S proteasome. We conclude that Ang II increases tyrosine nitration of PA700 resulting in accelerated GTP cyclohydrolase I degradation, BH4 deficiency, and consequent endothelial dysfunction in hypertension.
Asset Price Booms, Busts and Financial Crises

While historical market busts and financial crises are usually preceded by asset price booms, booms may not necessarily be predictive of busts or crises, given the rarity of these adverse events in history. This paper therefore aims to study the ability of asset price booms in the stock and the housing market to predict asset market busts as well as financial crises. This paper replicates Goetzmann’s 2015 study of global stock market bubbles, showing that the probability of a bust conditional on a boom is only slightly higher than the unconditional probability. Based on empirical evidence drawn from global market data, this paper also extends the conclusion from the stock market to the housing market, as well as from asset price busts to macroeconomic financial crises. In other words, stock and housing price booms are not strong indicators of impending busts or financial crises.
The Competitiveness of the European ICT Industry

This paper investigates the international competitiveness of the European ICT sector. We use Labour productivity, R&D expenses and trade performance as proxies of competitiveness. The empirical analysis of 39 countries between 1999 and 2004 confirms our main hypothesis that the EU is performing better in the ICT services industry relative to manufacturing. In general, the average EU production efficiency is larger in the services sector, than in manufacturing. The study has important policy implications. Appropriate policies should be implemented – especially in the ICT manufacturing sector – for making EU more competitive in “non- price factors”, such as policies that facilitate the transformation of R&D expenses into product innovation. There are clearly areas for improvement in the way R&D is carried out in the ICT sector within the EU, with respect to both the allocation of R&D investment and the process of producing results from R&D.
Diet creates metabolic niches in the "immature gut" that shape microbial communities.

Although diet composition has been implicated as a major factor in the etiology of various gastrointestinal diseases, conclusive evidence remains elusive. This is particularly true in diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis where breast milk as opposed to commercial formula appears to confer a "protective effect" to the "immature gut. " Yet the mechanism by which this occurs continues to remain speculative. In the present study we hypothesize that the basic chemical composition of diet fundamentally selects for specific intestinal microbiota which may help explain disparate disease outcome and therapeutic direction. Complimentary animal and human studies were conducted on young piglets (21 d.)(n = 8) (IACUC protocols 08070 and 08015) and premature infants (adjusted gestational age 34-36 weeks) (n = 11) (IRB Protocol 15895A). In each study, cecal or stool contents from two groups (Breast milk-fed (BF) vs. Formula-fed (FF)) were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and comprehensive metabolic profiles generated and compared. Concurrently, bacterial community structure was assayed and respective representative microbiota of the groups determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing. Statistical modeling and analysis was done using SIMCA-P+ and R software. GC/MS metabolomics identified clear differences between BF and FF groups in the intestinal environment of piglets and humans. Sugars, amino-sugars, fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, and sterols were identified as being among the most important metabolites for distinguishing between BF and FF groups. Joint analysis of microbiota and metabolomics pinpointed specific sets of metabolites (p < 0.05) associated with the dominant bacterial taxa. The chemical composition of diet appears to have a significant role in defining the microbiota of the immature gut. Tandem analysis of intestinal microbial and metabolic profiles is potentially a powerful tool leading to better understanding of the role of diet in disease perhaps even leading to specific strategies to alter microbial behavior to improve clinical outcome.
Effectiveness of Operative and Nonoperative Care for Adult Spinal Deformity: Systematic Review of the Literature

Study Design: Systematic review. Objective: There is a need for synthesizing data on effectiveness of treatments for patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) due to its increasing prevalence and health care costs for these patients. The objective of this review was to estimate the effectiveness of surgery versus nonoperative care in patients with ASD. Methods: A systematic review of articles in published in English using PubMed between 2005 and 2015. Surgical and nonsurgical series that reported baseline and follow-up health-related quality of life measures of patients with ASD with a minimum 2 years of follow-up were selected. Independent extraction of articles by 2 authors using predefined data fields, including risk of bias assessment. Results: Surgery significantly reduces disability, pain, and improves patients’ quality of life. The average postoperative improvement in Oswestry Disability Index was −19.1 (±9.0), Numerical Rating Scale back pain −4.14 (±1.38), Numerical Rating Scale leg pain −3.36 (±1.33), Short-Form Health Survey 36-SF36-Physical Component score 11.2 (±5.07), and Short-Form Health Survey 36-Mental Component score 9.93 (±4.96). The complication rate ranged from 9.52% to 81.52% (mean = 39.62%), and the need for revision surgery ranged from 1.72% to 40.0% (mean = 15.71%). The best existing evidence about nonoperative care of ASD is provided from observational studies with very high risk of bias. Quantitative analyses of nonsurgical cohorts did not demonstrate significant changes in quality of life of patients after 2 years of observation. Conclusions: This data may assist clinicians to counsel patients, as well as to inform health care providers and policymakers about what to expect from the treatment for ASD.