Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary problems among quarry workers of stone crushing industrial site at Umuoghara, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Respiratory problem is one of the major health hazards in dust-exposed workers; it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of respiratory problems and lung function impairment among quarry workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. METHODS Respiratory problems and lung function were studied in 403 quarry workers aged 10-60 years. Respiratory problems were investigated with a questionnaire based on international models adapted for the study population. Lung function was assessed by spirometry and chest roentgenography. RESULTS The respiratory problems found were chest pain (47.6%), occasional cough (40.7%), occasional shortness of breath (6.5%) and wheezing (5.2%). The mean±SD FEV1 and FVC values were significantly decreased with length of exposure-respectively, 3.52±0.77 and 3.91±0.72 L for <5 years; 2.79±0.68 and 3.09±0.87 L for 5-10 years; and 2.03±0.92 and 2.86±0.83 L for >10 years of exposure. Moreover, the mean±SD FEV1 and FVC values of smoker (3.37±0.81 and 3.56±1.02 L, respectively) were significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of non-smokers (3.68±1.02 and 3.89±0.99 L, respectively) working in the quarry site. CONCLUSION Chronic exposure to dust due to stone quarrying may increase the risk of respiratory problems and impaired lung function-cigarette smokers are at higher risk.
Protective Effects of Sodium Selenite against Aflatoxin B1-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Broiler Spleen

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of sodium selenite on aflatoxin B1-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in spleen of broilers. Two hundred one-day-old male broilers, divided into five groups, were fed with basal diet (control group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 (AFB1 group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.2 mg/kg Se (+Se group I), 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.4 mg/kg Se (+Se group II) and 0.3 mg/kg AFB1 + 0.6 mg/kg Se (+Se group III), respectively. According to biochemical assays, AFB1 significantly decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, catalase and the level of glutathione hormone, while it increased the level of malondialdehyde. Moreover, AFB1 increased the percentage of apoptosis cells by flow cytometry and the occurrence of apoptotic cells by TUNEL assay. Simultaneous supplementation with sodium selenite restored these parameters to be close to those in control group. In conclusion, sodium selenite exhibited protective effects on AFB1-induced splenic toxicity in broilers by inhibiting oxidative stress and excessive apoptosis.
What Motivate End-Users To Transfer Gained Knowledge From Enterprise Systems Training?

Organisational motivations for adopting Enterprise Systems (ES) include the achievement of a competitive advantage in production and provision of better control on operations. In spite of its contributions to business successes, an estimated 5075% of ES projects failed to justify the enormous financial investment into the projects. Research has attributed ES failure to training-related factors. Suggesting the criticalness of training and education in Enterprise System success; nonetheless enterprise systems researchers have constantly ignored training potential on post adoption behaviours. Regardless of the importance of ES training, it is noted that users resist and hesitate to apply gained skills on the systems. The disproportionate use of learned skills results in low utilisation of the systems and partly ES failures. Post training behaviours are critical in the ES success; however knowledge on the determinants of transfer of skills and knowledge gained from enterprise systems training environment is scarce. This study proposes a model of motivational mechanism of effective use of skills and knowledge in Enterprise Systems.
POLESTAR: collaborative knowledge management and sensemaking tools for intelligence analysts

In this paper, we describe POLESTAR (POLicy Explanation using STories and ARguments), an integrated suite of knowledge management and collaboration tools for intelligence analysts.POLESTAR provides built-in support for analyst workflow, including collection of textual facts from source documents, structured argumentation, and automatic citation in analytic product documents. Underlying POLESTAR is a scalable dependency repository, which provides traceability from product documents to source snippets. The repository's notification engine allows POLESTAR to alert analysts when dependent sources are discredited and aid them in repairing affected arguments. The paper then discusses recent extensions to POLESTAR to support collaborative analysis through community-of-interest finding, portfolio sharing, and peer review of arguments. We conclude with a preview of future research and summary of POLESTAR's primary benefits from the point of view of its deployed users.
Primary dengue virus infections induce differential cytokine production in Mexican patients

Severe dengue pathogenesis is not fully understood, but high levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been associated with dengue disease severity. In this study, the cytokine levels in 171 sera from Mexican patients with primary dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) from dengue virus (DENV) 1 (n = 116) or 2 (n = 55) were compared. DF and DHF were defined according to the patient’s clinical condition, the primary infections as indicated by IgG enzymatic immunoassay negative results, and the infecting serotype as assessed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Samples were analysed for circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-12p70, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, and IL-8 using a commercial cytometric bead array. Significantly higher IFN-γ levels were found in patients with DHF than those with DF. However, significantly higher IL-12p70, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were associated with DHF only in patients who were infected with DENV2 but not with DENV1. Moreover, patients with DF who were infected with DENV1 showed higher levels of IL-12p70, TNF-α, and IL-6 than patients with DHF early after-fever onset. The IL-8 levels were similar in all cases regardless of the clinical condition or infection serotype. These results suggest that the association between high proinflammatory cytokine levels and dengue disease severity does not always stand, and it once again highlights the complex nature of DHF pathogenesis.
Development of Reverse Genetics Systems for Bluetongue Virus: Recovery of Infectious Virus from Synthetic RNA Transcripts

ABSTRACT Bluetongue virus (BTV), an insect-vectored emerging pathogen of both wild ruminants and livestock, has had a severe economic impact in agriculture in many parts of the world. The investigation of BTV replication and pathogenesis has been hampered by the lack of a reverse genetics system. Recovery of infectious BTV is possible by the transfection of permissive cells with the complete set of 10 purified viral mRNAs derived in vitro from transcribing cores (M. Boyce and P. Roy, J. Virol. 81:2179-2186, 2007). Here, we report that in vitro synthesized T7 transcripts, derived from cDNA clones, can be introduced into the genome of BTV using a mixture of T7 transcripts and core-derived mRNAs. The replacement of genome segment 10 and the simultaneous replacement of segments 2 and 5 encoding the two immunologically important outer capsid proteins, VP2 and VP5, are described. Further, we demonstrate the recovery of infectious BTV entirely from T7 transcripts, proving that synthetic transcripts synthesized in the presence of cap analogue can functionally substitute for viral transcripts at all stages of the BTV replication cycle. The generation of BTV with a fully defined genome permits the recovery of mutations in a defined genetic background. The ability to generate specific mutants provides a new tool to investigate the BTV replication cycle as well as permitting the generation of designer vaccine strains, which are greatly needed in many countries.
Protein modifications by 4-hydroxynonenal and 4-hydroxyhexenal in light-exposed rat retina.

PURPOSE 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 4-hydroxyhexenal (4-HHE) are reactive aldehydes derived from the nonenzymatic oxidation of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. Increasing evidence suggests that protein modifications by reactive aldehydes are involved in various diseases. The present study was undertaken to test whether protein modifications by 4-HNE and 4-HHE increase in retinal tissues after exposure of rats to damaging levels of light. METHODS Albino rats were exposed to 1 or 5 klux white fluorescent light for 3 hours and, at various times thereafter, the levels and localizations of aldehyde-modified proteins in retinas were assessed by densitometric analysis of semiquantitative Western dot blots and by immunohistochemistry, using 4-HNE- and 4-HHE-specific antibodies. In some rats, the protective antioxidant phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) was injected (50 mg/kg) before exposure to light. To assess retinal damage, outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness was measured on hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-stained sections, and apoptosis was semiquantitatively analyzed by TUNEL staining. RESULTS By dot blot analysis, 4-HNE- and 4-HHE-modified proteins were significantly increased in retina (both by 1.7-fold) and RPE fraction (1.5- and 1.8-fold, respectively) after 5-klux exposure. In retina, increases in 4-HNE- and 4-HHE-modified proteins were more prominent at 3 hours than at 24 hours or 48 hours after exposure to light. In rod outer segments, only 4-HHE-modified proteins increased significantly (1.4-fold). Retinal thinning, TUNEL staining in ONL, 4-HNE-, and 4-HHE protein modifications were all found in the same retinal regions. PBN treatment inhibited the light-induced increase of 4-HNE and 4-HHE modified proteins in retina and RPE fractions. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to intense light increases 4-HNE and 4-HHE protein modifications in the retina, suggesting that free radical initiated, nonenzymatic reactions are involved in this process. These modifications may be early events that precede photoreceptor cell apoptosis.
Clinical, pathological and biochemical diversity in progressive supranuclear palsy

This thesis examines the clinical, pathological and biochemical diversity of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The material and patients used for these studies involved 23 clinically diagnosed living patients and 127 pathologically confirmed cases of PSP, archived at the Queen Square Brain Bank (QSBB). Differences between 'classic' PSP and 'atypical' PSP were identified, and a number of clinical features that separate them from other bradykinetic rigid syndromes were explored. In addition to the clinical phenotype associated with PSP-tau pathology initially described by Richardson in 1963 (Richardson's syndrome, RS) two other distinct clinical syndromes were identified: PSP-Parkinsonism (PSP-P) and pure akinesia with gait freezing (PAGF). The following clinical features, in addition to the operational diagnostic criteria, were supportive of underlying PSP-tau pathology in patients presenting with Parkinsonism: an absence of drug induced dyskinesias, autonomic failure and visual hallucinations the presence of falls within 6 years of disease onset UPSIT scores above the 12th percentile for gender and age and abnormalities in auditory startle response and auditory blink reflex. PSP-tau pathology always involved the subthalamic nucleus (STN), globus pallidus (GP) and substantia nigra (SN), but involvement outside these structures was variable and could be sub-divided into at least three different patterns. Severe tau pathology in PSP-P and PAGF was restricted to the GP, STN and SN. Co-existent pathological diagnoses did not differ between RS, PSP-P and PAGF. The ratio of pathological 4-repeat:3-repeat tau in PSP was variable. In RS the mean ratio was higher than in PSP-P (2.84 vs. 1.63 (p<0.003). Mutations of MAPT did not account for the diversity of clinical features The proposed clinical and pathological sub-classification of PSP will be helpful in clinical practice. Pathological and biochemical correlates raise the possibility that PSP-P and PAGF may represent discrete nosological entities. Further research may ultimately lead to their absolute distinction from Richardson's syndrome and related tauopathies.
The Effects of (within and with EU) Regional Integration Impact on Real Effective Exchange Rate Volatility, Institutional Quality and Growth for MENA Countries

We analyse two potential effects arising from regional (and with EU) integration—increased quality of institutions (including the quality of financial institutions) and, economic policies and reduced multilateral exchange rate volatility—in a conditional convergence growth framework for MENA countries. To this purpose we outline an ad hoc methodology which implements the traditional bilateral exchange rate measures to test effects of multilateral exchange rate volatility on growth of per capita GDP. Our estimates show that both factors (quality of institutions and reduction of multilateral volatility) significantly and positively affect growth and conditional convergence. We observe that MENA countries are not far from EU and OECD countries in terms of exchange rate volatility, but much below in terms of institutional quality. We finally simulate the potential effects of an improvement in institutional quality in MENA countries on their process of growth and conditional convergence. We conclude arguing that regional integration may be highly beneficial for such countries, mainly because of its effects on institutional quality.
Downregulation of Cortical Inhibition Mediates Ocular Dominance Plasticity during the Critical Period

Monocular deprivation (MD) during the critical period (CP) shifts ocular dominance (OD) of cortical responsiveness toward the nondeprived eye. The synaptic mechanisms underlying MD-induced OD plasticity, in particular the contribution of cortical inhibition to the plasticity, have remained unsolved. In this study, using in vivo whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings, we revealed eye-specific excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs to layer 4 excitatory neurons in mouse primary visual cortex (V1) at a developmental stage close to the end of CP. We found in normally reared mice that ocular preference is primarily determined by the contralateral bias of excitatory input and that inhibition does not play an active role in shaping OD. MD results in a parallel reduction of excitation and inhibition driven by the deprived eye, while reducing the inhibition but preserving the excitation driven by the nondeprived eye. MD of longer periods causes larger changes in synaptic amplitude than MD of shorter periods. Furthermore, MD resulted in a shortening of onset latencies of synaptic inputs activated by both contralateral and ipsilateral eye stimulation, while the relative temporal relationship between excitation and inhibition driven by the same eye was not significantly affected. Our results suggest that OD plasticity is largely attributed to a reduction of feedforward input representing the deprived eye, and that an unexpected weakening of cortical inhibitory connections accounts for the increased responsiveness to the nondeprived eye.
Equol status and changes in fecal microbiota in menopausal women receiving long-term treatment for menopause symptoms with a soy-isoflavone concentrate

The knowledge regarding the intestinal microbial types involved in isoflavone bioavailability and metabolism is still limited. The present work reports the influence of a treatment with isoflavones for 6 months on the fecal bacterial communities of 16 menopausal women, as determined by culturing and culture-independent microbial techniques. Changes in fecal communities were analyzed with respect to the women’s equol-producing phenotype. Compared to baseline, at 1 and 3 months the counts for all microbial populations in the feces of equol-producing women had increased strongly. In contrast, among the non-producers, the counts for all microbial populations at 1 month were similar to those at baseline, and decreased significantly by 3 and 6 months. Following isoflavone intake, major bands in the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles appeared and disappeared, suggesting important changes in majority populations. In some women, increases were seen in the intensity of specific DGGE bands corresponding to microorganisms known to be involved in the metabolism of dietary phytoestrogens (Lactonifactor longoviformis, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium sp., Ruminococcus sp.). Real-Time quantitative PCR revealed that the Clostridium leptum and C. coccoides populations increased in equol producers, while those of bifidobacteria and enterobacteria decreased, and vice versa in the non-producers. Finally, the Atopobium population increased in both groups, but especially in the non-producers at three months. As the main findings of this study, (i) variations in the microbial communities over the 6-month period of isoflavone supplementation were large; (ii) no changes in the fecal microbial populations that were convincingly treatment-specific were seen; and (iii) the production of equol did not appear to be associated with the presence of, or increase in the population of, any of the majority bacterial types analyzed.
Universal scent blackbox: engaging visitors communication through creating olfactory experience at art museum

This paper describes the experience of experimental artwork "Universal Scent Blackbox", which encourages visitors interaction through creating olfactory experience in art museum. Smell is used as the evocative interface between the artwork and the visitors. When a visitor passed by a certain area, it would trigger the odor emission in another area for the other visitors. The visitors on another side could trigger the odor emission back as well. Throughout the experience, visitors can freely explore the scents around the area of the artwork. In addition, the visitors can express their memories of smell through writing onto origami boxes which contribute as a part of the city model of the artwork. The artwork consisted of all the visitors' memories expression and communication at the end of exhibition. The aim of this paper is neither technology investigation nor user experience evaluation. Instead it is an open-end exploration which questions the role of olfactory interface in art museum context and provokes the insights about olfactory interaction design in Human-Computer Interaction. The artwork becomes the inspirational probe to explore the possibilities of olfactory interface with the users when designing for communication. The benefits and drawbacks of the chosen approach towards olfactory interaction design would be discussed. I would also address the lessons learned behind throughout the process.
Pre-Release Consumption of Methyl Eugenol Increases the Mating Competitiveness of Sterile Males of the Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, in Large Field Enclosures

Abstract The sterile insect technique may be implemented to control populations of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), when environmental concerns preclude widespread use of chemical attractants or toxicants. The goal of the present study was to evaluate whether the mating competitiveness of sterile B. dorsalis males could be increased via pre-release feeding on methyl eugenol. Males of the oriental fruit fly are strongly attracted to this plant-borne compound, which they ingest and use in the synthesis of the sex pheromone. Previous studies conducted in the laboratory and small field-cages have shown that males given methyl eugenol produce a more attractive pheromone for females and have a higher mating success rate than males denied methyl eugenol. Here, levels of egg sterility were compared following the release of wild-like flies and either methyl eugenol-fed (treated) or methyl eugenol-deprived (control) sterile males in large field enclosures at four over flooding ratios ranging from 5:1 to 60:1 (sterile: wild-like males). Treated sterile males were fed methyl eugenol for 1–4 h (depending on the over flooding ratio tested) 3 d prior to release. Eggs were dissected from introduced fruits (apples), incubated in the laboratory, and scored for hatch rate. The effect of methyl eugenol was most pronounced at lower over flooding ratios. At the 5:1 and 10:1 over flooding ratios, the level of egg sterility observed for treated, sterile males was significantly greater than that observed for control, sterile males. In addition, the incidence of egg sterility reported for treated sterile males at these lower over flooding ratios was similar to that noted for treated or control sterile males at the 30:1 or 60:1 over flooding ratios. This latter result, in particular, suggests that pre-release feeding on methyl eugenol allows for a reduction in the number of sterile flies that are produced and released, thus increasing the cost-effectiveness of the sterile insect technique.
Phoenix Rising: An Autoethnographic Account of a Gifted Black Male With Dyslexia

The purpose of this study was to describe my academic journey as a gifted Black male with dyslexia. The central research question was the following: What were some of the stories along my academic pathway that seem significant? The research design positioned me inside the culture in which I am the topic of examination. The research methodology used for my analysis was autoethnography, which allows personal experiences to be explored through the intersection between narrative inquiry and ethnography. The approach allowed me to fully articulate my lived experiences, which provided a deeper understanding on how the intersectionality of race, dyslexia, and giftedness influenced my identity formation. An analysis of my journey led to the finding that the intersection of identity categories must be attended to, in order to support the learning of students with “triple-identity. ” The article presents a theoretical model for exploring the intersectionality of those elements.
Catalogue of [Fe/H] determinations for FGK stars: 2001 edition

The catalogue presented here is a compilation of published atmospheric parameters ($T_\mathrm{eff}$, $\log g$, [Fe/H]) obtained from high resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations. This new edition has changed compared to the five previous versions. It is now restricted to intermediate and low mass stars (F, G and K stars). It contains 6354 determinations of ($T_\mathrm{eff}$, $\log g$, [Fe/H]) for 3356 stars, including 909 stars in 79 stellar systems. The literature is complete between January 1980 and December 2000 and includes 378 references. The catalogue is made up of two tables, one for field stars and one for stars in galactic associations, open and globular clusters and external galaxies. The catalogue is distributed through the CDS database. Access to the catalogue with cross-identification to other sets of data is also possible with VizieR (Ochsenbein et al. [CITE]).