Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shifting public engagement: How media coverage of climate change conferences affects climate change audience segments

While it is often assumed that media attention for events, such as international climate change conferences, can influence public opinion, research studying changes in public opinion concerning climate change is scarce. Research on climate change audience segments and the theory of motivated reasoning suggest that media effects depend on the level of audience engagement with climate change. We analyze how exposure to media coverage of the COP21 affected public opinion in the Netherlands. Based on a two-wave online panel survey (N = 876), we identified five audience segments that varied in their degree of climate change beliefs, involvement, policy preferences, and behavioral intentions. Different media effects across segments were found indicating (dis)confirmation bias, specifically, for medium levels of positive and negative engagement. The findings indicate that important events may cause limited changes in public opinion and emphasize the importance of studying segment-specific and content-specific media effects.
Low Volatility Strategy in Global Equity Markets

Toru Yamada, CMA 1991 B.E. , Osaka University 1991 Financial Analyst, Investment Engineering Dept., Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. 1997 Financial Analyst, Financial Research Center, Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. 1999 Financial Analyst, Investment Technology Development Dept., Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd. 2003 Portfolio Manager, Quantitative Investment Dept. 2010 Senior Quantitative Analyst, Investment Research & Development Dept.
A Systematic Review on Asthma.

Asthma, a reversible and curable disease. Mostly the prevalence of asthma in the developing countries are very high.eventhough governments and NGO’s are spreading awareness among the people through stage shows and in canopy setups, still the awareness level is not up to the mark.this review article ,clearly defines about the asthma and its trigger factors ,types of asthma in a detailed manner. Diagnosis of asthma like physical examinations and lung function tests, route of administration plays a major role in asthma. The beneficial of inhalation is compared with the other routes. Treatment is widely distributed with some class of drug in asthma. Mainly β2 agonists and inhaled corticosteroids are important. Some people practicing herbal medications all these are indicated in detail. GINA guidelines suggested regarding the step up and step down medications to be followed in asthma. In addition to this so many drug makers enrolled their presence in the market but still some companies are playing vital role in this sectors and mentioned in this article also.
Coadministration of metformin or spironolactone enhances efficacy of rosiglitazone in management of PCOS

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of adding metformin or spironolactone to rosiglitazone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This is a prospective non-randomized study in a tertiary care with at in a tertiary care endocrine clinic. Women (n = 138) diagnosed with PCOS on the basis of Rotterdam criteria 2003 were categorized into three groups on the basis of drug intake as – rosiglitazone (R), rosiglitazone with spironolactone (R + S), and rosiglitazone with metformin (R + M). Clinical, biochemical, hormonal, and insulin sensitivity parameters were assessed at baseline and after six months of follow up. There was a significant improvement in number of menstrual cycles per year and Ferriman Gallwey (FG) score in all three groups after 6 months. Plasma insulin (0, 2 h), HOMA-IR and serum total testosterone levels decreased after six months in all the three groups. The inter group comparison showed higher efficacy of R + S in improving hyperandrogenism whereas R + M was most effective in decreasing body weight and plasma insulin levels compared to R and R + S (p<.05). Treatment of women with PCOS using rosiglitazone alone and in combination with spironolactone or metformin is safe and efficacious with limited adverse events however randomized trials with longer duration of follow up are warranted.
Identification of Hub Genes and Pathways in a Rat Model of Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Using Bioinformatics Analysis of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) Dataset and Integration of Gene Expression Profiles

Background This study aimed to identify hub genes and pathways in a rat model of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) using bioinformatics analysis of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray dataset and integration of gene expression profiles. Material/Methods GEO software and the GEO2R calculation method were used to analyze two mRNA profiles, including GSE 39548 and GSE 108195. The co-expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and searched in the DAVID and STRING databases for pathway and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Cytoscape was used to draw the PPI network. DEGs were also analyzed using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) algorithm. Cytoscape and cytoHubba were used to analyze the hub genes and visualize the molecular interaction networks. Rats (n=20) included the IRI model group (n=10) and a control group (n=10). Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure and compare the expression of the identified genes in rat renal tissue in the IRI model and the control group. Results Ten hub genes were identified, STAT3, CD44, ITGAM, CCL2, TIMP1, MYC, THBS1, IGF1, SOCS3, and CD14. Apart from IGF1, qRT-PCR showed that expression of these genes was significantly increased in renal tissue in the rat model of IRI. The HIF-1α signaling pathway was involved in IRI in the rat model, which was supported by MCODE analysis. Conclusions In a rat model of renal IRI, bioinformatics analysis of the GEO dataset and integration of gene expression profiles identified involvement of HIF-1α signaling and the STAT3 hub gene.
The Role of Brucella Infection Among Women with Spontaneous Abortion in an Endemic Region

Objective: Brucella infection in animals is associated with high incidence of abortion but in the human, there are controversies about the role of brucellosis in spontaneous abortion. Brucellosis is endemic in Iran. Since many causes of abortion are undiagnosed, this study has been designed for the evaluation of a possible association between the previous maternal brucella infection and spontaneous abortion. Materials and Methods: In this study 81 women with spontaneous abortion were considered as the case group and 105 women with normal pregnancy outcome as the control group. IgG and IgM antibody were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in both groups. IgG or IgM levels equal to or greater than ten were considered to be positive. Results: Both groups were matched on the basis of age, number of previous pregnancies and abortion, gestational age and consumption of unpasteurized cheese, 6.2% of the case group and 13.6% of the control group had positive IgG titer (IgG ≥10). In both groups IgM was negative (IgM <10). There was no significant relationship between the brucella antibody and spontaneous abortion. There was a significant relationship between raw milk consumption and spontaneous abortion (OR=6.31). Discussion: This study showed that the brucella seropositivity is no more common in women with spontaneous abortion than in normal pregnancy.
Vestibulo-ocular reflex characteristics during unidirectional translational whole-body vibration without head restriction

Abstract The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) plays a crucial role in ocular stability. However, VOR characteristics under realistic whole-body vibration conditions, particularly without head restriction, remain unclear. The aim of this study was to characterise the VOR over a wide range of whole-body vibration frequencies (0.7–10 Hz), such as occur when driving a car. Eye and head movements were measured in response to unidirectional translational whole-body vibration that resembled actual vehicle vibrations. The VOR was then modelled by regressing eye velocity data on multiple head movement components. Results showed that the VOR was explained by angular velocity, linear acceleration, and linear jerk components of the head movements. Because the VOR in response to head linear-jerk components disrupted ocular stability in the current experimental setup, our results suggest that degraded vision in whole-body vibratory environments might be partially attributable to jerky head movements. Practitioner summary: The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) during unidirectional translational whole-body vibration without head restriction was modelled using multiple head movement components, with the aim of characterising the VOR. Results showed that the VOR was explained by angular velocity, linear acceleration, and linear jerk components of head movements.
Multistable properties of human subthalamic nucleus neurons in Parkinson’s disease

Significance Behaviors are realized through concerted activity in neural circuits. This activity results from a combination of neural connectivity and the properties of the involved neurons. By studying the activity of neurons in the human subthalamic nucleus during surgery for Parkinson’s disease, we report that these neurons have multiple stable states, and that brief electrical stimuli can lead to transitions between states. We thus suggest that these neurons function as finite state machines. The different states could influence the function of key motor circuits of the basal ganglia, and thus knowledge of these states in disease or in response to treatment could help to define new treatment strategies for people with movement disorders. To understand the function and dysfunction of neural circuits, it is necessary to understand the properties of the neurons participating in the behavior, the connectivity between these neurons, and the neuromodulatory status of the circuits at the time they are producing the behavior. Such knowledge of human neural circuits is difficult, at best, to obtain. Here, we study firing properties of human subthalamic neurons, using microelectrode recordings and microstimulation during awake surgery for Parkinson’s disease. We demonstrate that low-amplitude, brief trains of microstimulation can lead to persistent changes in neuronal firing behavior including switching between firing rates, entering silent periods, or firing several bursts then entering a silent period. We suggest that these multistable states reflect properties of finite state machines and could have implications for the function of circuits involving the subthalamic nucleus. Furthermore, understanding these states could lead to therapeutic strategies aimed at regulating the transitions between states.
Association of Specialist Physician Payment Model With Visit Frequency, Quality, and Costs of Care for People With Chronic Disease

Key Points Question Is a specialist physician payment model associated with visit frequency, quality of care, and costs for people with chronic disease? Findings In this population-based cohort study that included a propensity-score matched cohort of 31 898 adults with diabetes or chronic kidney disease seen by 489 physicians, there was no statistical evidence of a difference in follow-up outpatient visit rates, quality, and costs between patients seeing salaried and fee-for-services physicians. The median association of physician clustering and the outcomes was greater than the association with the physician payment model. Meaning Specialist physician payment does not appear to be associated with variation in use of chronic disease care, quality, and costs; however, these findings suggest large variation in outcomes between physicians.
Affective factors explaining the association between depressive functioning and alcohol outcomes among college students

Abstract Rates of co-occurring depression and alcohol use are higher among college students than in the general population. Further research is needed to illuminate how the mechanisms with which individuals process negative emotions may clarify the link between depressive symptoms and drinking. Objective: To assess how three potential mediators representing affective functioning (ie, need for affect, distress tolerance, emotion regulation) explain the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol use (ie, quantity and problems). Participants: The sample consisted of 227 college student heavy drinkers. Methods: Participants completed computerized self-report surveys in Fall 2016. Results: Path analyses revealed need for affect mediated the association between depressive symptoms and alcohol quantity, while emotion regulation mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of various affective functioning mechanisms to the depressive symptom-drinking link. Future research could target these mechanisms in college interventions for co-occurring mood symptoms and alcohol use.
Angular restriction fluorescence optical projection tomography to localize micrometastases in lymph nodes

Abstract. Lymph node biopsy is a primary means of staging breast cancer, yet standard pathological techniques are time-consuming and typically sample less than 1% of the total node volume. A low-cost fluorescence optical projection tomography (OPT) protocol is demonstrated for rapid imaging of whole lymph nodes in three dimensions. The relatively low scattering properties of lymph node tissue can be leveraged to significantly improve spatial resolution of lymph node OPT by employing angular restriction of photon detection. It is demonstrated through porcine lymph node metastases models that simple filtered-backprojection reconstruction is sufficient to detect and localize 200-μm-diameter metastases (the smallest clinically significant) in 1-cm-diameter lymph nodes.
The Reliable Measurement of Radial Pulse

Summary The use of the radial pulse as a diagnostic tool is an integral part of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patient evaluation. In spite of its long history of use, there is little systematic information available to support the many claims about the relationship between pulse qualities and physiological condition contained in the ancient Chinese texts and echoed in modern pulse terminology. This study reports the development of a reliable means of measuring and recording pulse characteristics. This was achieved by reporting on the physical sensations that are detected under the fingertips when the radial pulse is palpated, rather than attempting to translate these into the complex and typically ambiguously defined TCM pulse qualities. The study involved development of a standardised pulse taking procedure and development of concrete operational definitions for each of the characteristics of the pulse being measured. The inter-rater reliability of the pulse taking procedure and operational definitions was assessed by determining agreement levels between two independent pulse assessors for each characteristic. Inter-rater agreement averaged 80% between the two assessors in both the initial data collection (66 subjects) and in a replication collection (30 subjects) completed two months later. Demonstrating reliability of the procedure represents an essential first step for examining the validity of TCM pulse diagnosis assumptions.
The Influence of Psychological Factors on the Incidence and Severity of Sports-Related Concussions: A Systematic Review

Background: An athlete’s preexisting psychological factors may influence the incidence and/or severity of sports-related concussions (SRCs). Purpose: To determine if emotional states, personality traits, temperament, life stressors, and explanatory styles (optimism vs pessimism) influence the incidence and severity of SRCs in athletes. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: A systematic literature search of multiple major medical reference databases was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Studies were included that evaluated the effect of preexisting psychological factors on the incidence and severity of SRCs in male and female athletes participating in all sports. Results: The initial search identified 1195 articles. Ten studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in our analysis. Factors such as meanness, aggression, and psychoticism were associated with an increased incidence of SRCs. Baseline traits of irritability, sadness, nervousness, and depressive symptoms were associated with worse symptomatology after SRCs. In young athletes, preexisting psychiatric illnesses, family history of psychiatric illness, and significant life stressors were associated with an increased risk of developing postconcussion syndrome after SRCs. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrated a potential relationship between an athlete’s preexisting psychological factors and the incidence and severity of SRCs. These associations are not entirely clear owing to the heterogeneity across included studies and the low-to-moderate certainty of evidence. Future studies should attempt to evaluate men and women independently, use well-validated psychological questionnaires, and limit the usage of self-reported SRCs, when possible. Furthermore, the potential efficacy of baseline psychological factor and/or symptom reports on the prevention and management of SRCs should be explored.
EMLOYEES' CHARACTERISTICS AND JOB PERFORMANCE OF STAFF OF THE BAYELSA STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

The study investigated the relationship between employee characteristics and job performance in Bayelsa State Ministry of Education. The characteristics under investigation were gender, age, educational level and experience. A descriptive design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 50 employees out of 221 members of staff representing 22.7% was randomly selected for the study. A 14 item questionnaire titled “Employee Characteristics and Job Performance (ECJP) was developed to collect data. The instrument was validated and a reliability coefficient of 0.79 was obtained using test-retest method. Four hypotheses were used to guide the study and the null hypotheses were tested using the Chi-square statistical tool. The results of the study revealed that there existed a relationship between all the characteristics examined and job performance. It was thus, concluded that the poor performance of the staff of Ministry of Education could be attributed to employee characteristics. This has ultimately and adversely affected the teaching and learning in the state schools. The study thus, recommended among other things the recruitment of qualified personnel, and treating each individual distinctly to ensure high performance for the educational development of the state.
Second-year dental students’ perceptions about a joint basic science curriculum

Background . Medical and dental students often participate in joint basic science curricula, such as the basic science curriculum at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Reports from the USA and Australia, however, show that it may be problematic because joint basic science curricula are mostly tailored around the needs of the medical students only, which may lead to prejudice and marginalisation of dental students. There are no local studies to inform decision-making in this regard. Objectives. To determine whether dental students perceived the joint basic science curriculum at the University of Pretoria to be relevant to their needs and if they felt marginalised. Methods. Reflective essays with regard to the 2011 and 2012 second-year dental students’ perceptions of the first 2 years of study in the joint curriculum were qualitatively analysed using a thematic approach. Frequency distributions of the identified themes were also calculated. Results. Despite positive comments, the dental students perceived that the joint basic science curriculum at the University of Pretoria may not be relevant to their needs and that they are being marginalised in the teaching and learning processes. Conclusion . The current study highlights the need for improvements in the manner in which joint basic science curricula are being administered in order to foster interprofessional collaboration. Alternatively, dental and medical students should be separated to ensure that the educational objectives of basic science curricula are being met for minority groups, such as dental students.
A Novel School-based Intermittent Delivery System of Iron Supplements for Highly Marginalized Tarahumara Indigenous Women of Reproductive Age of Northern Mexico

ABSTRACT To develop a novel delivery scheme to bridge the Mexican health system with highly isolated indigenous communities by involving naturally occurring social links: households and boarding schools. This was a school-based placebo-controlled trial with a follow-up period of 16 weeks. Children whose mothers fulfilled the inclusion criteria for anemia acted as iron supplement carriers between schools and homes. Adherence was measured based on teachers’ and mothers’ records. An effectiveness sub-analysis assessed changes in biochemical profiles according to random allocation to either supplementation or placebo groups. There was an overall high adherence in both groups. Analyses revealed that schooling years, literacy, and walking times played a role in high adherence. Logistic regression showed that women had higher adherence odds on the basis of household size, walking times, and previous inclusion in supplement distributions. Adherence significantly decreased the proportion of anemia by 48.2% in the intervention group. The difference at baseline and endpoint significantly reduced the number of iron-deficient anemic women by 67.7% in the supplementation group. This delivery method is a valid alternative to the conventional efforts used to reach Tarahumara indigenous communities, and could also have the potential to be piloted to tackle other health issues hindering these marginalized communities.
HYPERTENSION AND HERBAL PLANTS

High blood pressure, termed "hypertension ," is a condition that afflicts almost 1 billion people worldwide and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. More than 20% of Americans are hypertensive, and one - third of these Americans are not even aware they are hypertensive. Therefore, this dis ease is sometimes called the "silent killer. " This disease is usually asymptomatic until the damaging effects of hypertension (such as stroke, myocardial infarction, renal dysfunction, visual problems, etc.) are observed. Hypertension is a major risk facto r for coronary artery disease and "heart attacks," which may require coronary artery bypass surgery. This study describes the antihypertensive activities present in herbal plants. Herbal medicine has made many contributions to commercial drug preparations manufactured today herbal medicine has been losing ground to new synthetic medicines touted by scientists and physicians to be more effective and reliable.
Characterizing Background Noise in ICS Traffic Through a Set of Low Interaction Honeypots

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are nowadays interconnected with various networks and, ultimately, with the Internet. Due to this exposure, malicious actors are interested into compromising ICS - not only for advanced and targeted attacks, but also in the context of more frequent network scanning and mass exploiting of directly Internet-exposed devices. To understand the level of interest towards Internet-connected ICS, we deploy a scalable network of low-interaction ICS honeypots based on the popular conpot framework, integrated with an analysis pipeline, and we analyze the in-the-wild traffic directed through a set of ICS-specific protocols. We present the results of running our honeypots for several months, showing that, although most of the traffic is originated by known, legitimate network scanners, and follows patterns similar to those of well-known ICS network mapping scripts, we found several requests from unknown actors that do not follow this pattern and may hint at malicious traffic.