Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phosphate Adsorption on Granular Palygorskite: Batch and Column Studies

A method to prepare granular palygorskite (GPA) was put forward in this research, and its potential use to remove phosphate species from aqueous solution was assessed. Batch experiments were performed to study the adsorption equilibrium and influence of contact time and pH on the adsorption and desorption of phosphate onto GPA in water. The maximum phosphate adsorption capacity of GPA was 13.1 mg/g. Kinetic data revealed that more than 90% of phosphate was adsorbed onto GPA within 2 hours. Phosphate adsorption capacity was 0.10 mg/g in column experiments, and co‐existing anions could decrease phosphate removal. The saturated column was regenerated by 0.2 mol/L sodium hydroxide, and the GPA could be reused in phosphate removal. The data obtained from both batch and column studies indicated that GPA could be used effectively to remove phosphate from water.
Predicting bacterial growth in raw, salted, and cooked chicken breast fillets during storage

Growth curves were evaluated for aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus spp. , grown in raw, salted, and cooked chicken breast at 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, and 20 ℃, respectively, using the modified Gompertz and modified logistic models. Shelf life was determined based on microbiological counts and sensory analysis. Temperature increase reduced the shelf life, which varied from 10 to 26 days at 2 ℃, from nine to 21 days at 4 ℃, from six to 12 days at 7 ℃, from four to eight days at 10 ℃, from two to four days at 15 ℃, and from one to two days at 20 ℃. In most cases, cooked chicken breast showed the highest microbial count, followed by raw breast and lastly salted breast. The data obtained here were useful for the generation of mathematical models and parameters. The models presented high correlation and can be used for predictive purposes in the poultry meat supply chain.
Prognostic significance of circulating IL-10 and IL-6 serum levels in colon cancer patients undergoing surgery.

The prognostic significance of IL-10 and IL-6 serum levels in colon cancer patients undergoing surgery was investigated. To this end, 50 candidate patients with colon cancer for surgery were admitted to the study. Of these, 30 could be subjected to a potentially curative surgery. Cytokine serum levels at several time points before and after surgery were measured by ELISA. Circulating levels of IL-10 and IL-6 were found to be elevated in cancer patients with respect to controls. Both IL-10 and IL-6 serum levels were demonstrated to predict the likelihood of curative surgery (predictive accuracy, 83.3%). IL-10 serum levels returned to normal in all but 6 patients who underwent curative surgery. These latter had tumor recurrence (predictive accuracy, 100%). In contrast, IL-6 serum levels significantly decreased in all patients, regardless of whether cure was surgically achieved, but did not normalize. On multivariate analysis, basal IL-10 serum levels were found to be among the variables significantly predicting the disease-free survival rate. Stepwise regression selected tumor stage, basal IL-10 serum level, and basal CEA serum level as the best combination of variables for prediction of the likelihood of tumor recurrence. In conclusion, preoperative serum levels of IL-10 were shown to be useful markers for predicting both likelihood to perform curative surgery and, in combination with the 16th postoperative day IL-10 serum levels, tumor recurrence (predictive accuracy, 73.6 and 96%, respectively). IL-6 serum levels were found to have a more limited prognostic role.
The Integration of the Image Sensor with a 3-DOF Pneumatic Parallel Manipulator

The study aims to integrate the image sensor for a three-axial pneumatic parallel manipulator which can pick and place objects automatically by the feature information of the image processed through the SURF algorithm. The SURF algorithm is adopted for defining and matching the features of a target object and an object database. In order to accurately mark the center of target and strengthen the feature matching results, the random sample and consensus method (RANSAC) is utilized. The ASUS Xtion Pro Live depth camera which can directly estimate the 3-D location of the target point is used in this study. A set of coordinate estimation calibrations is developed for enhancing the accuracy of target location estimation. This study also presents hand gesture recognition exploiting skin detection and noise elimination to determine the active finger count for input signals of the parallel manipulator. The end-effector of the parallel manipulator can be manipulated to the desired poses according to the measured finger count. Finally, the proposed methods are successfully to achieve the feature recognition and pick and place of the target object.
Calcimimetics in the Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder

Mineral and bone disorders (MBD) are both an early and very common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is now accepted that they represent a significant risk factor, explaining the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in CKD patients. During the last decade, we have been witnessing many advances in the nomenclature, classification, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of CKD and some of its complications, such as CKD-MBD. The identification of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) involvement in the pathogenesis of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and the availability of a new class of drugs called calcimimetics are two outstanding examples. Cinacalcet, the only available calcimimetic, has been shown to be a very effective therapeutic tool in CKD-MBD. Many clinical trials with cinacalcet in hemodialysis patients with SHPT have shown a reduction in parathyroid hormone, calcium (Ca), phosphate (P) and Ca x P product levels, allowing far greater success in reaching therapeutic goals as recommended by international guidelines. Additionally, some studies have shown that the use of cinacalcet may improve other aspects of CKD-MBD, reducing the risk of vascular calcification and parathyroidectomy, among others. Prospective studies on dialysis patients, with hard endpoint data, are currently underway. This review summarizes the most significant aspects of calcimimimetics based on both experimental and clinical results, underlining their possibilities not only for the treatment of isolated SHPT but also for other CKD-MBD related conditions.
Black experimenters and the intellectual test performance of White participants : The tables are turned

This research examined the effect of race of test administrator, White vs Black, on the intellectual test performance of White participants. Social dominance orientation was also assessed as a potential moderator of effects obtained. Results indicated that participants who were tested by a Black experimenter performed better on the ability test than did those who were tested by a White experimenter. This effect was moderated by social dominance orientation such that the tendency to perform better when tested by a Black experimenter was especially evident in participants who were higher in social dominance orientation. Results are interpreted in terms of perceived threat of competition from minority group members and the motivation of majority, or dominant, group members to maintain their group dominance.
Backward Reachability of Array-based Systems by SMT solving: Termination and Invariant Synthesis

The safety of infinite state systems can be checked by a backward reachability procedure. For certain classes of systems, it is possible to prove the termination of the procedure and hence conclude the decidability of the safety problem. Although backward reachability is property-directed, it can unnecessarily explore (large) portions of the state space of a system which are not required to verify the safety property under consideration. To avoid this, invariants can be used to dramatically prune the search space. Indeed, the problem is to guess such appropriate invariants. In this paper, we present a fully declarative and symbolic approach to the mechanization of backward reachability of infinite state systems manipulating arrays by Satisfiability Modulo Theories solving. Theories are used to specify the topology and the data manipulated by the system. We identify sufficient conditions on the theories to ensure the termination of backward reachability and we show the completeness of a method for invariant synthesis (obtained as the dual of backward reachability), again, under suitable hypotheses on the theories. We also present a pragmatic approach to interleave invariant synthesis and backward reachability so that a fix-point for the set of backward reachable states is more easily obtained. Finally, we discuss heuristics that allow us to derive an implementation of the techniques in the model checker MCMT, showing remarkable speed-ups on a significant set of safety problems extracted from a variety of sources.
A Survey of Question Answering for Math and Science Problem

Turing test was long considered the measure for artificial intelligence. But with the advances in AI, it has proved to be insufficient measure. We can now aim to mea- sure machine intelligence like we measure human intelligence. One of the widely accepted measure of intelligence is standardized math and science test. In this paper, we explore the progress we have made towards the goal of making a machine smart enough to pass the standardized test. We see the challenges and opportunities posed by the domain, and note that we are quite some ways from actually making a system as smart as a even a middle school scholar.
Implicit memory and aging: A cognitive neuropsychological perspective

Although it is well‐established that there are age deficits on measures of explicit memory, there is conflicting evidence as to whether implicit memory, as measured by performance on various repetition priming tasks, is impaired by age. In order to clarify the relation between aging and implicit memory, priming tasks were organized in the following categories: (a) perceptual‐item priming, (b) perceptual‐associative priming, (c) conceptual‐item priming, (d) conceptual‐associative priming, and (e) perceptual‐motor priming. The taxonomy took into account the type of mental representation that different priming tasks depend on, the neurological structures responsible for these representations, the extent to which priming tasks demand the formation of novel associations, and the various blends of data‐driven and conceptually driven processes that facilitate task performance. A literature review based on this taxonomy revealed two tentative conclusions. First, the processes associated with normal aging are like.
The Twinkling of a Bedstaff

ABSTRACT This article investigates the social history of the bed in England 1500–1700. It proposes an approach that uses legal records to recover the emotional resonances and social practices of an object in its context. The legal records are particularly useful for their use of narrative: their reliance on storytelling, it is argued, is not incidental but central for their importance as a source. Beds were sociable places, often shared: the crimes of illicit sex, infanticide, and theft encouraged witnesses to remember and recount the words and deeds of a shared bed in detail. An attention to these kinds of narratives both restores some of the emotional and social resonance of the material object, and adds depth and complexity to existing narratives of the transformation of the domestic sphere in this period.
An Abstract Architecture for Service Coordination in IP2P Environments

Intelligent agent-based peer-to-peer (IP2P) environments provide a means for pervasively providing and flexibly co-ordinating ubiquitous business application services to the mobile users and workers in the dynamically changing contexts of open, large-scale, and pervasive settings. In this paper, we present an abstract architecture for service delivery and coordination in IP2P environments that has been developed within the CASCOM project. Furthermore, we outline the potential benefits of a role-based interaction modelling approach for a concrete application of this abstract architecture based on a real-world scenario for emergency assistance in the healthcare domain.
Na(+) channel I-II loop mediates parallel genetic and phosphorylation-dependent gating changes.

In this issue of Circulation , Koval et al1 show that 2 arrhythmogenic human cardiac Na+ channel (hNaV1.5) variants mimic the altered channel gating effects induced by Ca2+-calmodulin–dependent protein kinase (CaMKII). They also show that phosphorylation of an adjacent CaMKII target site on NaV1.5 is enhanced in human heart failure (HF) samples and in the border zone of postinfarcted canine hearts. Article see p 2084 The cardiac Na+ channel, NaV1.5, is responsible for inward Na+ current ( I Na) that drives the cardiac action potential (AP) upstroke and electrical impulse propagation.2 Genetic variants of the SCN5A gene encoding NaV1.5 are associated with long QT syndrome-3 (LQTs; gain of function), Brugada syndrome (BRs; loss of function), conduction system disease, sudden infant death syndrome, sick sinus syndrome, and dilated cardiomyopathy.3,4 These inherited channelopathies have been tremendously important to our understanding of normal NaV1.5 function and arrhythmia mechanisms. However, acquired forms of altered NaV1.5 function attributable to posttranslational modification (eg, phosphorylation or oxidation) may have pathophysiological consequences during ischemia/reperfusion or HF and thus reach a larger patient population. Indeed, half of all HF deaths are sudden and presumed to be attributable to lethal ventricular arrhythmias.5,6 The pore forming α subunit (NaV1.5; ≈220 Kd predicted MW) has 4 homologous domains (I–IV) with 6 transmembrane segments each (S1–S6; Figure 1), is glycosylated, and has auxiliary regulatory β subunits (β1–β4; ≈30–35 Kd). 7 The S5–S6 linker includes the P-loops or pore region, the 4 S4 segments serve as voltage sensors (involved in activation gating), whereas an IFM motif in the DIII–IV linker is important for fast inactivation gating. Importantly, NaV1.5 forms a macromolecular complex with interacting proteins that …
Journal of Information Technology Education Faculty Integration of Technology into Instruction and Students' Perceptions of Computer Technology to Improve Student Learning

Executive Summary There has been a remarkable improvement in access and rate of adoption of technology in higher education. Even so, reports indicate that faculty members are not integrating technology into instruction in ways that make a difference in student learning (Cuban, 2001; McCannon & Crews, 2000). To help faculty make informed decisions on student learning, there is need for current knowledge of faculty integration practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the nature of the relationship between faculty integration of technology into classroom instruction and students' perceptions of the effect of computer technology to improve their learning. A sample of at least 800 undergraduate students at a participating medium-sized midwest public university was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. The researcher delivered and administered the surveys to the participating students and collected them after completion. 98% of the questionnaires were complete and retained for analysis. Two major statistical techniques were used to analyze data obtained in the study: a multiple regression and a Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). A statistically significant relationship was found between the three predictor variables and the criterion. The Two-Way ANOVA results indicated no interaction effect between gender and course levels, and students' perceptions of the effect of computer technology use to improve their learning. The main effects of gender and course levels were not statistically significant. The results indicated that students lack computer skills in various computer applications that are necessary to support and enhance their learning experiences. Therefore, it can be suggested that students need to have direct instruction to efficiently use computer technology applications such as authoring and sophisticated hypermedia. These programs provide computer skills in advanced computer technology applications that will enable faculty members to expect more discipline-specific computer-based projects such as developing a webquest in a web editor.
Too Much versus Too Little: the Implications of Current Iodine Intake in the United States

Iodine intake influences the health of Americans today, but in different ways than it has in the past. In the early 1900s, iodine deficiency was responsible for widespread endemic goiter in the United States. The incidence of goiter was markedly reduced by the introduction of iodine supplementation of salt and other foods in the 1920s. By the middle of this century iodine-related problems in the Unites States were more likely to be associated with too much rather than too little of this essential nutrient. Recent and disturbing new data suggest that there has been a sharp decline in iodine intake during the last 20 years, especially in women of reproductive age. A brief comparison of thyroid response to insufficient and excessive intakes in normal and diseased thyroid tissue is presented. The population affected and the implications for therapy are also reviewed.
Spatial resolution for robot to detect objects

In this paper, we report on our development of a robotic system that assists people in accomplishing simple tasks in daily life (e.g., retrieving objects for handicapped and elderly people). These tasks, inevitably involve detecting various kinds of objects. In particular, here, we present an interactive method to detect objects using spatial information. Our experimental results confirm the usefulness and efficiency of our system. We also show how the approach can be improved and highlight necessary directions for future research.
Primitive communication and proto-alpha function in infants

Abstract The author explores the relationship between the ability to communicate and the capacity to represent or symbolize and how this first emerges in infants. Beginning from the hypothesis that with the help of a model of thought functioning we can imagine what the infant is experiencing when it communicates with mother or father through sounds, whimpers, howls, wails, cries, gestures and even with silence, the author integrates Bion's model of thought theory with data collected through infant observation.
Morphine inhibited respiratory burst of neutrophils and scavenged oxygen free radicals.

AIM To study the effects of morphine on active oxygen free radicals. METHOD Chemiluminescence method was used to measure (a) active oxygen generation induced by respiratory burst of neutrophils from human blood stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), (b) Superoxide anion (O2.-) induced by xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, (c) hydroxyl radical (.OH) generated by ascorbic acid (AA)-Cu(2+)-zymosan, and (d) the release of H2O2. RESULTS The (a), (b), (c), and (d) were scavenged by morphine and their median inhibitory concentrations (IC50 and 95% confidence limits) were 21.1 (13.0-34.0), 54.1 (50.0-58.5), 224.0 (128.2-390.8), and 66.9 (62.9-71.0), nmol L-1, respectively. CONCLUSION The immunosuppressant effect of morphine was related to its free radicals scavenging action.
Motor branch block of the rectus femoris: its effectiveness in stiff-legged gait in spastic paresis.

OBJECTIVE To verify the efficacy of motor branch block of the rectus femoris for stiff-legged gait in spastic patients. DESIGN Before-after treatment trial. SETTING University hospital physical medicine and rehabilitation department outpatient clinic. PATIENTS Thirty-one adult spastic patients with stiff-legged gait. INTERVENTION Motor branch block of the rectus femoris with 2% lidocaine and 5% phenol. OUTCOME MEASURES Subjective assessment of gait performance by patients themselves and objective assessment of gait speed and sagittal knee kinematics. RESULTS Seventy-four percent (23/31) of patients felt an improvement (improved knee bending, disappeared toe dragging) after nerve block with lidocaine. Sixteen of 17 patients with an abnormal swing phase activity of the rectus femoris without that of the vastus medialis or lateralis and 20 of 23 patients with a sufficient hip flexor strength expressed an improvement subjectively. Gait analysis showed increased maximal knee flexion at swing phase and increased slope of knee flexion curve at toe off (p < .05). Phenol block was performed in 19 of 23 patients who had had a subjective improvement in their gait performance after nerve block with lidocaine. Gait speed, maximal knee flexion angle at swing phase, and slope of knee flexion curve at toe off increased significantly after phenol block (p < .05). CONCLUSION Motor branch block of the rectus femoris can be an effective treatment in stiff-legged gait. Its effect is varied with hip flexor strength and dynamic electromyographic findings of quadriceps.
Quantification of segregation dynamics in ice mixtures

Context. The observed presence of pure CO 2 ice in protostellar envelopes, revealed by a double peaked 15 μ m band, is often attributed to thermally induced ice segregation. The temperature required for segregation is however unknown because of lack of quantitative experimental data and this has prevented the use of ice segregation as a temperature probe. In addition, quantitative segregation studies are needed to characterize diffusion in ices, which underpins all ice dynamics and ice chemistry. Aims. This study aims to quantify the segregation mechanism and barriers in different H 2 O:CO 2 and H 2 O:CO ice mixtures. Methods. The investigated ice mixtures cover a range of astrophysically relevant ice thicknesses and mixture ratios. The ices are deposited at 16–50 K under (ultra-)high vacuum conditions. Segregation is then monitored, at 40–70 K in the CO 2 mixtures and at 23–27 K in the CO mixtures, through infrared spectroscopy. The CO 2 and CO band shapes are distinctly different in pure and mixed ices and can thus be used to measure the fraction of segregated ice as a function of time. The segregation barrier is determined using rate equations and the segregation mechanism is investigated through Monte Carlo simulations. Results. Thin (8–37 ML) H 2 O ice mixtures, containing either CO 2 or CO, segregate sequentially through surface processes, followed by an order of magnitude slower bulk diffusion. Thicker ices (>100 ML) segregate through a bulk process, which is faster than even surface segregation in thin ices. The thick ices must therefore be either more porous or segregate through a different mechanism, e.g. a phase transition, compared to the thin ices. The segregation dynamics of thin ices are reproduced qualitatively in Monte Carlo simulations of surface hopping and pair swapping. The experimentally determined surface-segregation rates follow the Ahrrenius law with a barrier of 1080 ± 190 K for H 2 O:CO 2 ice mixtures and 300 ± 100 K for H 2 O:CO mixtures. Though the barrier is constant with ice mixing ratio, the segregation rate increases with CO 2 concentration. Conclusions. Dynamical ice processes can be quantified through a combination of experiments and different model techniques and they are not scale independent as previously assumed. The derived segregation barrier for thin H 2 O:CO 2 ice mixtures is used to estimate the surface segregation temperature during low-mass star formation to be 30 ± 5 K. Both surface and bulk segregation is proposed to be a general feature of ice mixtures when the average bond strengths of the mixture constituents in pure ice exceeds the average bond strength in the ice mixture.