Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Absorbent Foam Based on Softwood Kraft Pulp: Advancing from Gram to Kilogram Scale

Absorbent foams were produced at both the gram scale and the kilogram scale by treating bleached softwood kraft pulp fibers to TEMPO oxidation, followed by washing, fiber disintegration, and freeze drying. Two reaction temperatures and three different dosages of primary oxidant were evaluated to find suitable oxidation conditions. It was found that the absorption and retention capacities were 50 to 70% lower for kilogram-scale foams than for gram-scale foams. SEM studies showed that the kilogram-scale foams had larger pores than the gram-scale foams; this explains the major differences in absorption and retention. The oxidation treatments performed in both scales resulted in a major increase in the amount of carboxylate groups and a major decrease in DPV, but only minor differences in these factors were found in a comparison between pulps from gram-and kilogram-scale experiments. However, the kilogram-scale dispersing equipment appeared to cause more fiber cutting, while the equipment used in the gram-scale experiments promoted the liberation of microfibrils to a greater extent. Furthermore, in both the gram- and kilogram-scale samples, a high dosage of primary oxidant and a low oxidation temperature were found to maximize the retention of liquid.
DETERMINANTS OF HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM OGUN STATE

This study examines household energy consumption in Ogun State. Primary data on socio- economic characteristics of household head, expenditure on energy and non energy sources were collected from 150 respondents using stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logit were used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze socio economic characteristics of household head and to determine the share of each energy source on total expenditure on energy. Multinomial Logit and Tobit regression models were employed for the analysis of the determinants of fuel choice, the determinants of energy consumption. The determinants of fuel choice (solids) are prices of wood and kerosene and family size squared significantly and positively influence the choice of fuels while prices of wood, kerosene and electricity determines the monthly household’s expenditure on fuels. The effect of family size on the choice of fuels is negative and nonlinear
The role of telemedicine and mobile health in the monitoring of sleep-breathing disorders: improving patient outcomes

php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php). Smart Homecare Technology and TeleHealth 2017:4 1–11 Smart Homecare Technology and TeleHealth Dovepress
Safe tremor suppression through arm movement control

Among aging populations, tremors are becoming an ever greater barrier to autonomy. The purpose of this study is to design a tremor suppressing robotic system for the human arm. This system is designed to be linked to the back of the user's hand using a magnetic link, preventing the user from being hurt should the system be subject to malfunction. The presented control law consists of a velocity-force hybrid control using the computed torque method. Results show the tremors attenuation capability but highlight a minor delay in the motion's transmission.
The management of anaemia and haematinic deficiencies in pregnancy and post‐partum

Anaemia is one of the most common disorders in the world (24·8% of the world population) (de Benoist 2008) and affects patients of all ages and ethnic origins. Underlying causes and prevalences vary by age group and socioeconomic background, but pregnant women everywhere are at high risk of anaemia, the vast majority of cases being due to iron deficiency. One in four pregnant women in Europe are thought to have iron deficiency anaemia (Daru et al., March 2016), whereas in parts of Africa, where hookworm infestation is common, this has been estimated to be as high as 38% (Stevens et al., 2013) to 50% (Bah et al., June 2017). Women of menstruating age are rarely iron replete (Low et al., 18 April 2016) and then enter pregnancy, which carries a major negative iron balance (Bentley, October 1985). Despite a good understanding of the causes of anaemia in pregnancy, there is still uncertainty about how best this should be investigated, prevented and managed. This reflects the limitations of laboratory tests, as well as the poor understanding of how best to replace iron, given the complex physiological mechanisms of iron absorption and distribution. A strategy for iron replacement in a population of anaemic pregnant women needs to be developed not only based on what is biologically and clinically most appropriate but also in the context of each organisation's delivery of care structure, taking into consideration aspects of cost effectiveness. For this reason, management algorithms must be adapted locally, ensuring they meet basic clinical imperatives.
Describing function‐based approximations of biomolecular systems

Mathematical methods provide useful framework for the analysis and design of complex systems. In newer contexts such as biology, however, there is a need to both adapt existing methods as well as to develop new ones. Using a combination of analytical and computational approaches, the authors adapt and develop the method of describing functions to represent the input–output responses of biomolecular signalling systems. They approximate representative systems exhibiting various saturating and hysteretic dynamics in a way that is better than the standard linearisation. Furthermore, they develop analytical upper bounds for the computational error estimates. Finally, they use these error estimates to augment the limit cycle analysis with a simple and quick way to bound the predicted oscillation amplitude. These results provide system approximations that can add more insight into the local behaviour of these systems than standard linearisation, compute responses to other periodic inputs and to analyse limit cycles.
Human organotypic retinal flat‐mount culture (HORFC) as a model for retinitis pigmentosa11

The splicing factor PRPF31 is the most commonly mutated general splicing factor in the retinitis pigmentosa. We used a rapid, convenient and cost effective transfection method with an efficient PRPF31 knockdown in HORFC in order to study the effect of PRPF31 downregulation on retinal gene expressions in an ex vivo model. Modified calcium phosphate method was used to transfect HORFC by PRPF31 siRNA. Different times and doses of siRNA for transfection were assayed and optimum condition was obtained. PRPF31 mRNA and protein downregulation were assessed by qRTPCR and Western blot. The tissue viability of HORFC was measured using the MTT. ImageJ analysis on stained retinal sections by immunohistochemistry was used for thickness measurement of outer nuclear photoreceptor layer. The PRPF31 gene downregulation effects on retinal specific gene expression were analyzed by qRTPCR. A total of 50 nM of PRPF31 siRNA transfection after 63 h in HORFC, showed the optimum reduction in the level of PRPF31 mRNA and protein as shown by qRTPCR and Western blot (over 90% and 50% respectively). The PRPF31 mRNA silencing with calcium phosphate had no effect on cell viability in the period of the experiment. Thickness measurement of outer nuclear photoreceptor layer with IHC showed the significant reduction after 63 h of study (P value = 0.02). siRNA induced PRPF31 knockdown, led to reduction of retinal specific mRNA gene expression involved in phototransduction (RHO, GNAT1, RP1), photoreceptor structure (ROM1, FSCN2, CA4, SEMA4) and transcription factor (CRX) (fold change >5), after 63 h.
A novel interference rejection scheme for DS-CDMA using adaptive noise cancellation

This paper proposes a novel solution to the interference cancellation problem in mobile direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) systems. Conventional adaptive interference cancellation techniques rely on a training sequence to update the taps of an adaptive filter or decision feedback equaliser (DFE). The strategy proposed in this paper replaces this conventional optimal filtering approach by one based on the principles of adaptive noise cancellation (ANC). As opposed to the conventional optimal filtering approach, the ANC approach exploits the cyclo-stationary properties of the multiple access interference, in order to model the interference generation process. Silent periods (c.f. voice activity factor) can be exploited to derive the interference model. This removes the need for a training sequence and associated system overheads. The scheme employs a conjugate matched filter (CMF) to generate an interference reference input to the adaptive noise canceller. A preliminary investigation of the performance of the proposed scheme is undertaken. The ANC scheme is shown to have a significantly better performance than the conventional receiver and the DFE in the multiple access interference limited environment. It is shown that the scheme can be extended to provide blind interference cancellation in the case of acute near-far conditions. <<ETX>>
Bipolar Bozuklukta Nörogörüntüleme Neuroimaging in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by recurrent attacks, significantly disrupts the functionality of a chronic mental disorder. Although there is growing number of studies on the neurobiological basis of the disorder, the pathophysiology has not yet been clearly understood. Structural and functional imaging techniques present a better understanding of the etiology of bipolar disorder and has contributed significantly to the development of the diagnostic approach. Recent developments in brain imaging modalities have let us learn more about the underlying abnormalities in neural systems of bipolar patients. Identification of objective biomarkers would help to determine the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder, a disorder which causes significant deterioration in neurocognitive and emotional areas.
Book Review: J. Murphy McCaleb, Embodied knowledge in ensemble performance

for example, and the nature of these modifications in comparison to the ‘essence’ of the track we are searching for. The final chapter of the book deals with the ‘grand challenge’ of music source separation. Three scenarios are considered: harmonic/percussive separation, melody separation, and nonnegative matrix factorisation (NMF) to produce a note-wise decomposition of the music signal. Discussion centres around source separation, and the recognition that achieving this goal to a consistently high quality is still an unsolved problem. Along the way several key topics are discussed in considerable detail, including spectrogram filtering and masking, signal reconstruction from the modified short-time Fourier transform, predominant F0 estimation following, harmonic summation, salience representations, and discussion on key applications such as query by humming and score-informed audio editing. The stated aim of this book is to introduce readers to MIR, exploring well-established applications as a context to explain salient algorithms, concepts and techniques in depth. In this regard, it is a great success. Considerable effort and thought has gone into the structure and content of this book, to the benefit of those who will use it. Each chapter ends with a summary of key points discussed in the context of the wider literature, practical implementations and limitations, followed by a list of exercises toward supporting the reader’s understanding of each topic area. It’s worth noting that the solutions to the exercises are not contained in the book, rather they are provided via an accompanying website. Another of the author’s aims is to make the book relevant and accessible to students from varied backgrounds and study areas. Presenting technological concepts in the context of practical applications, and the liberal use of excellent, clear and informative diagrams has undoubtedly resulted in a broadly accessible book. However, as one would expect in a text adopting a computational perspective, there is rigorous mathematical treatment of all the key processes and concepts covered in the book. For readers from other disciplines, who perhaps have less of a firm background in signal processing terminology and notation, this may present somewhat of an obstacle to engaging with some parts of the text. But overall, Müller strikes an excellent balance between the mathematics, intuitive descriptions and illustrations. The mathematical treatment of processes and algorithms will be invaluable to many students, researchers and tutors exploring the world of computational music analysis. The scope of the book is well pitched in terms of the research topics it covers, although perhaps the range of music features discussed could have been broadened to encompass the large variety of music and sound parameters employed in MIR endeavours. Overall though, this is a very impressive book, and an excellent course in music processing. This is essential reading for the MIR community.
Interleukin 10 Treatment Ameliorates High-Fat Diet–Induced Inflammatory Atrial Remodeling and Fibrillation

Background: Obesity, characterized by systemic low-grade inflammation, is considered a well-known risk for atrial fibrillation. In fact, IL-10 (interleukin 10), which is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, has been reported to decrease in obese and diabetic patients. We tested the hypotheses forwarding that genetic deletion of IL-10 exacerbates high-fat diet (HFD)–induced obesity-caused atrial inflammation, lipidosis, fibrosis, and fibrillation and that IL-10 therapy inhibits this pathology. Methods: Eight- to 10-week-old male CL57/B6 (wild-type) mice and IL-10 knockout mice were divided into a 12-week HFD group and a 12-week normal-fat diet (NFD) group, respectively. In addition, the effect of IL-10 administration was also investigated. Results: HFD-induced obesity for 12 weeks significantly depressed serum levels of IL-10 but were found to increase several proinflammatory cytokines in wild-type mice. Adverse atrial remodeling, including atrial inflammation, lipidosis, and fibrosis, was induced in both wild-type and IL-10 knockout mice by HFD. Vulnerability to atrial fibrillation was also significantly enhanced by HFD. With regard to epicardial and pericardial adipose tissue, the total amount of epicardial adipose tissue+pericardial adipose tissue volume was increased by HFD. Besides, proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines of epicardial adipose tissue+pericardial adipose tissue were also upregulated. In contrast, the protein level of adiponectin was downregulated by HFD. These HFD-induced obesity-caused adverse effects were further exaggerated in IL-10 knockout mice in comparison to wild-type mice. Systemic IL-10 administration markedly ameliorated HFD-induced obesity-caused left atrial remodeling and vulnerability to atrial fibrillation, in addition to improving the quality of epicardial adipose tissue+pericardial adipose tissue. Conclusions: Our results highlight IL-10 treatment as a potential therapeutic approach to limit the progression of HFD-induced obesity-caused atrial fibrillation.
Radial basis function neural network for views prediction on Black-Litterman model

Views prediction on Black-Litterman model has interested many researchers to develop it. We purpose radial basis neural network (RBFNN) model to predict the views. It is a one type of neural network model that has been successfully applied to many area. Numerical analysis are performed to demonstrate the performance of the views prediction yielded by RBFNN model for constructing portfolio on BlackLitterman model.
Anisotropic Spatiotemporal Regularization in Compressive Video Recovery by Adaptively Modeling the Residual Errors as Correlated Noise

Many approaches to compressive video recovery proceed iteratively, treating the difference between the previous estimate and the ideal video as residual noise to be filtered. We go beyond the common white-noise modeling by adaptively modeling the residual as stationary spatiotemporally correlated noise. This adaptive noise model is updated at each iteration and is highly anisotropic in space and time; we leverage it with respect to the transform spectra of a motion-compensated video denoiser. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed adaptive correlated noise model outperforms state-of-the-art methods both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Discovery of the novel autophagy inhibitor aumitin that targets mitochondrial complex I

Macroautophagy is a conserved eukaryotic process for degradation of cellular components in response to lack of nutrients. It is involved in the development of diseases, notably cancer and neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease. Small molecule autophagy modulators have proven to be valuable tools to dissect and interrogate this crucial metabolic pathway and are in high demand. Phenotypic screening for autophagy inhibitors led to the discovery of the novel autophagy inhibitor aumitin. Target identification and confirmation revealed that aumitin inhibits mitochondrial respiration by targeting complex I. We show that inhibition of autophagy by impairment of mitochondrial respiration is general for several mitochondrial inhibitors that target different mitochondrial complexes. Our findings highlight the importance of mitochondrial respiration for autophagy regulation.
Trough level of infliximab is useful for assessing mucosal healing in Crohn's disease: a prospective cohort study

Background/Aims Decreased trough levels of infliximab (TLI) and antibodies to infliximab (ATI) are associated with loss of response (LOR) in Crohn's disease. Two prospective studies were conducted to determine whether TLI or ATI better correlates with LOR (Study 1), and whether TLI could become a predictor of mucosal healing (MH) (Study 2). Methods Study 1 was conducted in 108 patients, including those with LOR and remission to compare ATI and TLI in discriminating the 2 conditions based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Study 2 involved 35 patients who were evaluated endoscopically. Results In Study 1, there were no differences between the 2 assays in ROC curve analyses; the TLI cutoff value for LOR was 2.6 µg/mL (sensitivity, 70.9%; specificity, 79.2%), and the ATI cutoff value was 4.9 µg/mL (sensitivity, 65.5%; specificity, 67.9%). The AUROC (area under the ROC curve) of TLI was greater than that of ATI. AUROC was useful for discriminating between the 2 conditions. In Study 2, the TLI was significantly higher in the colonic MH group than in the non-MH group (2.7 µg/mL vs. 0.5 µg/mL, P=0.032). Conclusions TLI is better than ATI for clinically diagnosing LOR, and a correlation was observed between TLI and colonic MH.
RP 2 Phenotype and Pathogenetic Correlations in X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa

Results: Of 11 boys younger than 12 years, 10 (91%) had macular involvement and 9 (82%) had bestcorrected visual acuity worse than 20/50. Two boys from different families (aged 8 and 12 years) displayed a choroideremia-like fundus, and 9 boys (82%) were myopic (mean error, −7.97 diopters [D]). Of 10 patients with electroretinography data, 9 demonstrated severe rod-cone dysfunction. All 3 female carriers had macular atrophy in 1 or both eyes and were myopic (mean, −6.23 D). All 9 nonsense and frameshift and 5 of 7 missense mutations (71%) resulted in severe clinical presentations.
Statistical characterisation of intact rock properties at a Canadian underground mining project

At the early stages of an underground mining project in the Canadian arctic, two successive field and laboratory campaigns were undertaken to evaluate intact rock properties (tensile strength and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). All tests were performed according to the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) suggested methods. Intact rock properties were evaluated for several rock types. The obtained results were compared to target levels of confidence associated with different stages of a mining project. This was done using various statistical analysis methods. The results obtained for the different rock types are presented and discussed. A discussion is also provided on the level of confidence required for permanent versus temporary openings at underground mines. The approach can also be used as a tool to identify geotechnical drilling targets for subsequent characterisation campaigns.
Entyloma helianthi: identification and characterization of the causal agent of sunflower white leaf smut

ABSTRACT White leaf smut is a minor foliar disease of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in the United States. The disease occurs primarily in greenhouse-grown sunflowers in California and causes leaf spot, defoliation, and a reduction in yield and crop value. Historically, many Entyloma specimens with similar morphological characters, but infecting diverse plant genera including Helianthus, were called Entyloma polysporum. Recent comparative morphological and molecular work has shown that Entyloma species infect hosts within a single genus or species, suggesting that the sunflower Entyloma species may not be E. polysporum. In 2015, sunflower leaf smut material was collected from ornamental sunflowers in a greenhouse in Santa Barbara County, California. Morphologically, this species differed from E. polysporum in having smaller, more regular-shaped teliospores and prominently developed conidiophores with cylindrical conidia. The rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer [ITS]) region of the sunflower leaf smut was phylogenetically distinct from all previously sequenced Entyloma species and found only on H. annuus. This study confirms that the sunflower leaf smut pathogen represents a novel species, Entyloma helianthi. Possible misidentification of the anamorphic stage of Entyloma helianthi as another leaf spot pathogen, Ramularia helianthi, is also discussed.
Adolescent-Parent College Aspiration Discrepancies and Changes in Depressive Symptoms

There is a growing interest in identifying stressors affecting adolescents and the conditions under which they compromise well-being. This study uses Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to investigate discrepancies between adolescents’ college aspirations and the aspirations they perceive their parents to have for them, and their impact on changes over time in depressive symptoms. Findings from generalized estimating equation (GEE) linear regression analyses suggest that, with one exception, college aspiration discrepancies with either parent predict increases in adolescents’ depressive symptoms, but the degree of change varies by direction of discrepancy and by the parent implicated in the discrepancy. Discrepancies indicating that adolescents perceive their parents to have higher college aspirations for them than they have for themselves and discrepancies involving fathers are particularly influential in predicting depressive symptoms. Implications for adolescent educational attainment and future theory and research are discussed.