Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk Factor Profiles of Adverse Neuromotor Outcome in Infants

Objective Assessment of risk predictors for adverse neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of age in term and near-term infants. Material & Methods This case-control study was a representative sample of infants from different health-care centers of north and east of Tehran. The association between risk factors and delayed motor development (developmental quotient below 70 indicating a significant delay) was analyzed using correlating risk factors; including the perinatal and neonatal data to the developmental status. The case group consisted of 143 infants whose DQ score was less than 70 and the control group consisted of 140 infants who had a DQ score of more than 70. Results Neonatal seizures, Apgar score less than 3 after 5 minutes of birth (OR = 2.87 [95% CI; 1.68, 4.92]), low birth weight (OR = 5.86 [95% CI; 3.07, 11.18]), preterm delivery (OR =6.17 [95% CI; 3.04, 12.52]), Premature rupture of membranes (PROM)>24 hours (OR = 6.18[95% CI; 2.07, 18.51]) and hyperbilirubinemia leading to phototherapy or exchange transfusion (OR =3.75 [95% CI; 2.12, 6.65]) were associated with an increased risk for neuromotor delay on developmental examination at 1 year. Conclusion This study identified distinct risk factors for an adverse outcome in infants. In this environment, perinatal risk predictors are most important.
Bouncing Back from Health Shocks: Locus of Control, Labor Supply, and Mortality

Policy-makers worldwide are embarking on school programmes aimed at boosting students’ resilience. One facet of resilience is a belief about cause and effect in life, locus of control. I test whether positive control beliefs work as a psychological buffer against health shocks in adulthood. To identify behavioural differences in labour supply, I focus on a selected group of full-time employed men of working age and similar health. Men with negative control beliefs, relative to men with positive beliefs, are 230-290% more likely to work part-time or drop out of the labour market after a health shock. In old age men with negative control beliefs are by a factor of 2.7 more likely to die after a health shock. The heterogeneous labour supply responses are also observed for other non-cognitive skills, but only for the ones which correlate with control beliefs. Interventions aimed at correcting inaccurate beliefs and negative perceptions may be a low-cost tool to moderate rising public expenditures on social protection and health care.
A review of gallium nitride LEDs for multi-gigabit-per-second visible light data communications

The field of visible light communications (VLC) has gained significant interest over the last decade, in both fibre and free-space embodiments. In fibre systems, the availability of low cost polymer optical fibre (POF) that is compatible with visible data communications has been a key enabler. In free-space applications, the availability of hundreds of THz of the unregulated spectrum makes VLC attractive for wireless communications. This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in VLC systems based on gallium nitride (GaN) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), covering aspects from sources to systems. The state-of-the-art technology enabling bandwidth of GaN LEDs in the range of >400 MHz is explored. Furthermore, advances in key technologies, including advanced modulation, equalisation, and multiplexing that have enabled free-space VLC data rates beyond 10 Gb s−1 are also outlined.
Biological Resistance and Application Properties of Particleboards Containing Nano-Zinc Oxide

Special particleboards (PBs) proposed for kitchens, bathrooms, hospitals, and some other specific products for interiors should have a sufficient resistance against bacteria, molds, and decaying fungi. This work deals about effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) added into melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) glue in the amounts of 0, 2, 6, 12, or 24% wt. on selected biological, moisture, and strength properties of laboratory-produced one-layer PBs. The nano-ZnO-treated PBs had a higher biological resistance: (1) against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus by up to ca. 70% and the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli by up to 50%, since their bacterial activities at using 1.0 McFarland bacterial inoculum decreased from 0.38–0.40 by up to 0.12–0.19 × 108 CFU/ml; (2) against the molds Penicillium brevicompactum and Aspergillus niger by up to ca. 50–63%, since their growth intensities (0–4) on the top surfaces of treated PBs decreased according to a modified EN 15457 from 2.33–2.67 by up to 1.17–1.0; (3) against the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana by up to 85.7%, since their weight losses reduced according to a modified ENV 12038 from 17.4% by up to 2.5%. The presence of nano-ZnO in PBs uninfluenced their swelling, water absorption, and bending strength; however, it decreased their internal bond strength by up to 38.8%.
A Scoring System for Prediction and Risk Stratification of CO2 Narcosis

Background: CO2 narcosis, often induced by injudicious use of oxygen and opioids, may result in ICU admission, intubation and additional costs. The development is insidious. Currently, there is no method for early detection.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with hypercapnia admitted between June 2013 and June 2016 to a single hospital was performed. Presence of pre-defined CO2 narcosis was determined on chart review by agreement of two reviewers. Patients were divided into derivation and validation groups, and a scoring system for prediction of CO2 narcosis was developed and verified.Results: 607 patients with significant hypercapnia (PaCO2>50 mmHg) were identified, and 188 were determined to have CO2 narcosis. Initial serum bicarbonate, use of supplemental oxygen, use of opioids, and BMI were found to be independent predictors. A CO2 narcosis scoring system (0-7 points) was developed in the derivation group and then verified. The scoring system stratified patients into low risk (0-2 points, 0% likelihood), intermediate risk (3-4 points, 11-27% likelihood) and high risk (5-7 points, 52-100% likelihood). Patients with CO2 narcosis have a higher probability of ICU admission, intubation and prolonged hospital stay. Judicious use of oxygen and opioids, and early interventions based on this risk stratification scheme, might prevent this condition.Conclusion: This CO2 narcosis scoring system might be useful for prediction and risk stratification of CO2 narcosis.
Are the current methods of remediation to reduce nitrate contamination in groundwater in the developing world effective? A systematic review

Nitrate contamination of groundwater has become a growing problem, particularly in the developing world as a result of agricultural intensification and rapid urbanisation leading to leaching and run off. Large numbers of people depend on groundwater for drinking and ingestion of nitrate contaminated waters can lead to methaemoglobinemia and cancers. This review examines biological, chemical and physical methods currently employed to remove nitrate contamination from groundwater. Review of these methods is achieved by extensive literature searching and utilisation of inclusion criteria and quality assessments to obtain relevant results. The review found that all of the methods examined are effective. Effectiveness was measured against the WHO guideline of 50 mg/L nitrate concentration in groundwater. No one method was found to be more effective than any of the others. The operating parameters are variables that are known to affect the efficiency were also examined. It was found that these affect efficiency and also removal rate and the products formed. The review also discusses the biases associated with a systematic review, and the limitations involved.
Effects of Genistein on Altering Oxidative Stress in Rats with Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury

BacKground: Illness and death from liver disease throughout the world is caused long term alcohol consumption. There are still no therapeutic modalities to stop or reverse the pathogenesis and progression of alcoholic liver disease. Genistein, a soy isoflavone, might provide an alternative approach to prevent or treat this disease. Objective: To assess the effects of genistein on altering oxidative stress level in rats with alcohol-induced liver injury. Method: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three experimental groups of six rats per group. Control group was fed distilled water (8 mL/Kg BW/day), alcohol group was fed 50% alcohol (8 g/Kg BW/day) and genistein group was fed genistein (16 mg/Kg BW/day) dissolved in 50% alcohol (8 g/Kg BW/day). All groups were treated via a gavage tube twice a day for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, all rats were sacrificed. Serum liver enzymes including serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and serum alanine transaminase (ALT), hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), liver histopathology were measured. Results: Levels of hepatic MDA and serum AST in genistein group were significantly lower than in alcohol group (0.09±0.02 vs. 0.13±0.02 and 283.33±137.92 vs. 665.17±211.35, respectively; p<0.01). ALT level in serum was also significantly lower in genistein group than in alcohol group (32.43±12.90 vs. 120.30±75.30; p<0.05). Level of hepatic GSH was significantly increased in genistein group when compared with alcohol group (14.77±2.80 vs. 11.55±1.15; p<0.05). The liver histopathology in alcohol group presented mild steatosis, mild lobular inflammation and mild to moderate ballooning degeneration. On the other hand, genistein group revealed the improvement of liver histopathology when compared to alcohol group. Conclusion: The present study suggested that genistein could improve liver histopathology and liver enzymes by decreasing oxidative stress and increasing glutathione level in rats with alcohol-induced liver injury. In addition, these protective effects of genistein are possible to clinical application in patients with alcoholic liver disease.
Particle Approximations of the Score and Observed Information Matrix for Parameter Estimation in State–Space Models With Linear Computational Cost

Poyiadjis, Doucet, and Singh showed how particle methods can be used to estimate both the score and the observed information matrix for state–space models. These methods either suffer from a computational cost that is quadratic in the number of particles, or produce estimates whose variance increases quadratically with the amount of data. This article introduces an alternative approach for estimating these terms at a computational cost that is linear in the number of particles. The method is derived using a combination of kernel density estimation, to avoid the particle degeneracy that causes the quadratically increasing variance, and Rao–Blackwellization. Crucially, we show the method is robust to the choice of bandwidth within the kernel density estimation, as it has good asymptotic properties regardless of this choice. Our estimates of the score and observed information matrix can be used within both online and batch procedures for estimating parameters for state–space models. Empirical results show improved parameter estimates compared to existing methods at a significantly reduced computational cost. Supplementary materials including code are available.
The Degree of Using Social Media in the Educational Process from the Perspective of Teachers in Jordan

This study aimed at investigating the degree of using social media in the educational process by the teachers of the upper-primary stage in Jordan from teacher’s perspective. The survey method used in this study is the descriptive method. The data were collected using a questionnaire and was developed to achieve the objectives of the study. The population of the study includes 37703 teachers of the upper primary stage in governmental and private schools, supervised by the Ministry of Education in Jordan for the academic year (2016/2017). The study sample consisted of 2133 teachers (766 male teachers and 1367 female teachers) who were randomly selected according to the stratified random sampling. The first question was answered by calculating the mean and the standard deviations of the sample individual’s responses based on the items of the questionnaire related to the degree of using social media in the educational process in the upper primary stage in Jordan. In answering question one, the mean and the standard deviations of the responses of the sample individuals were calculated on the questionnaire based on the degree of using social media in the educational process in the upper primary stage in Jordan in general, and also for each dimension of the study questionnaire. Results of question one showed that the degree of using social media means by the teachers of upper primary stage in Jordan was low. In answering question two, the significant statistical differences (α = 0.05) based on the degree of using social media in the educational process by the teachers of the upper primary stage in Jordan due to their gender, school type, and academic qualification were examined through calculated means, standard deviations, the independent samples t-test, and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results of question two showed that there are statistically significant differences at α = 0.05 on the scores of the respondents in the study sample. This, however, can be seen in terms of the dimensions of the degree of using social media by teachers of upper primary stage in educational process in Jordan, for the whole tool, due to gender in favor of males. The differences were in the dimension of knowledge, skills, and value for males. In terms of the social dimension, the differences were in favor of females. There are no statistically significant differences at α = 0.05 on the degrees of the respondents to the study sample on the dimensions of the use of social media by teachers of upper primary stage in educational process in Jordan, and based on the degree of overall tool, according to school type variable (governmental, private). In the light of the study results, a number of recommendations were proposed, including enhancing the methods of the use of social media means in the educational process, and overcoming the obstacles that hinder the use of social media in the learning and teaching process.
Optical Cloak Design Exploiting Efficient Anisotropic Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis

─ We propose in this work a novel optimizationbased wideband invisibility cloaking approach at optical frequencies. We exploit the memory efficient anisotropic adjoint variable method (AVM) to significantly accelerate the sensitivity analysis with respect to the large number of parameters. Minimizing the cloaking objective function involves the gradients estimation with respect to a massive number of parameters at every iteration for time-intensive electromagnetic simulations. The AVM evaluates the required gradients over one thousand time faster than conventional methods. The significant reduction in the computational cost enables wideband optimization-based cloak design at optical region. Index Terms ─ Adjoint variable method, computationally intensive structures, gradient-based optimization, invisibility cloaks, massive parameters, sensitivity analysis acceleration.
Utilization of biogas as carbon dioxide provider for Spirulina platensis culture.

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of biogas utilization as CO 2 provider to S. platensis growth rate. Two scenarios of culture was conducted in this study i.e., Run 1 = culture was supplied using air continuously and Run 2 = culture was supplied intermittently using biogas and air. The results showed that growth rate of S. platensis in Run 1 and Run 2 was 0.21*10 -3 and 0.39*10 -3 /min, respectively. pH culture tend to decrease when supplied by biogas continuously. Kinetic model of S. platensis growth was modeled through modified Gompertz equation. The kinetic constants of Gompertz equation were obtained as follows: A (maximum value of OD680 reached), µ (maximum specific growth rate), λ (lag time) for Run 1 and Run 2 were 0.663; 0.459*10 -3 /min; 1454.9 min and 0.744; 0.588*10 -3 /min; 1024.5 min, respectively
PERSISTENCE IN CONVERGENCE

In this paper, we examine the convergence hypothesis using a long memory framework that allows for structural breaks and does not rely on a benchmark country. We find that even though the long memory framework of analysis is much richer than the simple I(1)/I(0) alternative, a simple absolute divergence and rapid convergence dichotomy produced by the latter is sufficient to capture the behavior of the gaps in per capita GDP levels and growth rates results respectively. This is in contrast to the findings of Dufrénot, Mignon, and Naccache [The Slow Convergence of Per Capita Income between the Developing Countries: Growth Resistance and Sometimes Growth Tragedy. Discussion paper, University of Nottingham (2009)], who found strong evidence of long memory for output gaps. The speed of convergence as captured by the estimated long memory parameter d, is explained by differences in physical and human capital as well as fiscal discipline characteristics of economic policies pursued by different countries.
Moral Competence, Personality, and Demographic Characteristics: A Comparative Study

The development of moral competence is affected by both internal and external factors and has been researched by many scientists. The present study investigated a) whether the five factors of personality, gender and geographical area would affect ones’ moral competence, b) whether the personality factors Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness would be correlated positively with moral competence in everyday life, whereas Extraversion and Neuroticism would be correlated negatively with morality, c) if there will be differences in students’ moral competence exhibited in everyday life and that expressed in PE/sports framework and d) whether type of school, factors of personality, as well as moral competence exhibited in sports-framework would all be significant factors for the interpretation of a student’s moral competence. The sample consisted of 331 junior high students (7th and 8th graders) (M age = 12.47, SD = 0.740), who were given the Moral Competence Test Greek Version (Mouratidou et al . 2003), the Moral Judgment Test in Physical Education(Mouratidou et al. 2008), and the Inventory of Child Individual Differences (Besevegkis & Pavlopoulos 1998). The results indicated that of the five-factor personality model only Conscientiousness can affect moral reasoning ability in everyday life and that the type of school can account for less than 5% of variance when predicting moral competence in high school students.
In vitro Screening of Salt Tolerent Genotypes in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Soil salinity is one of the most important abiotic stress that limit crop production. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is moderately tolerant to salinity and is typically cultivated in regions that are exposed to soil salinization. The aim of the study was to characterize phenotype response to salt stress under in vitro conditions of fourteen tomato genotypes. The shortest root length was observed entries BD-7260 at 250 mM. Longer roots (11.6 cm) were developed by the plants from the solutions containing 50 mM NaCl in entries BD-7302. NaCl concentration in the medium significantly affected the root length and plant weight of tomato. Genotypic distribution of weight LS means revealed that genotypes BARI-2 and the Line BD-7292 is the highest performed and the Line BD-7762 is the lowest performed. These findings indicated some salt tolerant tomato genotypes which will be promising for future hybridization program. Analysis of novel genes as well as some previously identified genes such as PIPs, LTPs, AGPs, PRPs, GRPs etc. which showed protective roles in different abiotic stresses to other crops is quiet necessary and the presence and expression pattern of those genes in these screened genotypes of tomato will provide powerful information for over-expression of those genes in transgenic plants those will confer salt tolerances to the cultivated tomato varieties.
Aerodynamic Investigation of Upstream Misalignment over the Nozzle Guide Vane in a Transonic Cascade

The possibility of misalignments at interfaces would be increased due to individual parts' assembly and external factors during its operation. In actual engine representative conditions, the upstream misalignments have effects on turbine’s performance through the nozzle guide vane passages. The current experimental aerodynamic investigation over the nozzle guide vane passage was concentrated on the backward-facing step of upstream misalignments. The tests were performed using two types of vane endwall platforms in a 2D linear cascade: flat endwall and axisymmetric converging endwall. The test conditions were a Mach number of 0.85, Re 1.5 10 based on exit condition and axial chord, and a high freestream turbulence intensity (16%), at the Virginia tech transonic cascade wind tunnel. The experimental results from the surface flow visualization and the five-hole probe measurements at the vane-passage exit were compared with the two cases with and without the backward-facing step for both types of endwall platforms. As a main source of secondary flow, a horseshoe vortex at stagnation region of the leading edge of the vane directly influences other secondary flows. The intensity of the vortex is associated with boundary layer thickness of inlet flow. In this regard, the upstream backward-facing step as a misalignment induces the separation and attachment of the inlet flow sequentially, and these cause the boundary layer of the inlet flow to reform and become thinner locally. The upstream-step positively affects loss reduction in aerodynamics due to the thinner inlet boundary layer, which attenuates a horseshoe vortex ahead of the vane cascade despite the development of the additional vortices. And converging endwall results in an increase of the effect of the upstream misalignment in aerodynamics, since the inlet boundary layer becomes thinner near the vane's leading edge due to local flow acceleration caused by steep contraction of the converging endwall. These results show good correlation with many previous studies presented herein. Aerodynamic Investigation of Upstream Misalignment over the Nozzle Guide Vane in a Transonic Cascade
Linking culture and water technology in Zimbabwe: Reflections on Ndau experiences and implications for climate change

Renaissance studies continue to grow in post-colonial Africa. This study explores the Ndau culture in a bid to assess its vitality and relevance to contemporary society’s water technology in Zimbabwe. The thesis of the study posits that the Ndau people have indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) that can be tapped in the implementation of water resource management. Some Ndau beliefs and practices on water resources can be used as environmental management tools in order to do justice to climate change. These, if blended with western technologies, can be effective intervention strategies to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change. The study adopted a qualitative research design in a case study approach. Purposive sampling was used to select community elders and traditional practitioners who are associated with the in-depth knowledge on traditional beliefs and practices. The data collection techniques included interviews, participant observations and documentary analysis. The study observed that the particular Ndau cultural beliefs and practices that are not only relevant but consistent with water technological changes and these must be strengthened as part of a people’s heritage. Key words: Climate change, climate justice, culture, indigenous knowledge systems, Ndau people, renaissance studies, water technology.