Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study of vitamin - D status in epileptic children in age group of 2-15 years

Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder of childhood frequently requiring prolonged use of anticonvulsants. This study was done to assess the levels of vitamin D epileptic children. We aimed to describe the prevalence of, and risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency among children with epilepsy. Methods: This prospective observational study included 86 children with age group of 2 to 15 years with epilepsy subjecting them for assessment of 25 OH vitamin D levels by CLEA method. Results: Of total of 86 patients, 65 children (75.5%) had vitamin D levels 30ng/ml (sufficiency). Males were more commonly deficient in vitamin D, and vitamin D levels were significantly low in indoor patients. The levels of vitamin D decreased as the duration of anticonvulsant usage increased. No significant co relation was found between monotherapy and polytherapy. Conclusions: We found vitamin D insufficiency to be highly prevalent among our unselected cohort of children with epilepsy. Potential risk factors for low vitamin D were examined, and indoor ambulation and duration of anticonvulsant intake were found to be significant. For children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy and enzyme-inducing AEDs are often cited as risk factors for poor bone health. This high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D suggests that, almost all children with epilepsy are at risk.
Sources of Immigrants’ Underachievement: Results from PISA—Copenhagen

Abstract This study examines potential sources of the immigrant‐native test score gap using data from the recently released PISA replicate study for Copenhagen (Denmark). It is shown that even in a school system that is successfully equalizing endowments of traditional resources across schools attended by native and immigrant students, differences in other school inputs remain. Especially, the culture of achievement appears less well developed at schools attended by immigrant students (even though general teacher support is at similar levels), and also the peer composition and the provision of specialized teachers is less favourable. These results point at several relevant policy recommandations.
Ecophysiological aspects of the interaction between Cameraria ohridella and Guignardia aesculi on Aesculus hippocastanum

Popular in the urban environment is the horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum which is suffering mainly due to the feeding of the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). The harmfulness of this pest is well recognized. Not much attention was put in discovering the interaction of this insect with the fungal pathogen Guignardia aesuli, the agent of leaf blotch. Host plant mediation in this particular insect-plant pathogen interaction is crucial for understanding the complexity of the horse chestnut’s current and future situation. Recognising the response of the host plant for separated and simultaneous colonisation by insect and fungus was the aim of this study. Leaf damage dynamics and phenolic compounds content (total soluble phenolic compounds – TPh, and condensed tannins – CT), and stem volume increment (SVI) of the horse chestnut saplings was considered and their relationship identified. The main hypothesis was that insect feeding and fungal infection when separated elicit a similar pattern in defence response of the host but this defence response is different when they both coexist on the same plant. Basing on crown projection area photographs sequence, foliage damage dynamics was assessed (Richard’s growth model) and protocol developed. Measurements of stem volume were performed sequentially to indicate potential growth response. Through this study, it was identified that the content of phenolic compounds in leaves was higher when both pests colonized saplings in comparison with those where saplings were infested by one biotic factor. It is also documented that foliage damage dynamics was higher when only the fungal pathogen attacked plants than when it was infected by both pests. A trade-off was identified between growth and secondary metabolism. Leaf damage affected stem volume increment only in the late summer, when a high level of defoliation was observed. Simultaneous infestation by fungal and insect agents made unfavourable conditions rather for the former. How this interaction affects the latter is not covered by our results and still remains undiscovered.
The Fate of Supermassive Black Holes and the Evolution of the MBH-σ Relation in Merging Galaxies: The Effect of Gaseous Dissipation

We analyze the effect of dissipation on the orbital evolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) using high-resolution self-consistent gasdynamical simulations of binary equal- and unequal-mass mergers of disk galaxies. The galaxy models are consistent with the ΛCDM paradigm of structure formation, and the simulations include the effects of radiative cooling and star formation. We find that equal-mass mergers always lead to the formation of a close SMBH pair at the center of the remnant, with separations limited solely by the adopted force resolution of ~100 pc. Instead, the final SMBH separation in unequal-mass mergers depends sensitively on how the central structure of the merging galaxies is modified by dissipation. In the absence of dissipation, the satellite galaxy can be entirely disrupted before the merger is completed, leaving its SMBH wandering at a distance too far from the center of the remnant for the formation of a close pair. In contrast, gas cooling facilitates the pairing process by increasing the resilience of the companion galaxy to tidal disruption. Moreover, we demonstrate that merging disk galaxies constructed to obey the MBH-σ relation move relative to it depending on whether they undergo a dissipational or collisionless merger, regardless of the mass ratio of the merging systems. Collisionless simulations reveal that remnants tend to move away from the mean relation, highlighting the role of gas-poor mergers as a possible source of scatter. In dissipational mergers, the interplay between strong gas inflows associated with the formation of massive nuclear disks and the consumption of gas by star formation provides the necessary fuel to the SMBHs and allows the merger remnants to satisfy the relation
Teaching Teams to be Teams: An Exercise Using the Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator and the Five-Factor Personality Traits —

This article reports results of a student-team intervention that used team members' personality assessments on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Five-Factor Model to enhance the team development process and engender an appreciation of the effect of different personalities on team functioning and performance. The majority of participants reported that knowledge of team members' personality types was helpful in understanding team member behavior and was used in managing team dynamics. Those teams that used extreme division of labor were more likely to respond that the personality-based intervention was not helpful in managing team dynamics.
Microbial diversity in leaves, trunk and rhizosphere of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.) associated with the coconut lethal yellowing phytoplasma in Grand-Lahou, Cte dIvoire

The diversity of culturable bacterial and fungal communities was assessed from leaves, trunk and rhizosphere of coconut palms infected and non-infected by the Cote d’Ivoire lethal yellowing (CILY) phytoplasma. Bacterial and fungal microbes were isolated from leaves, trunk and rhizosphere samples collected from two villages of Grand-Lahou, Braffedon and Yaokro, by using a high-throughput 'dilution-to-extinction' cultivation method coupled with PCR and sequencing with primers that amplified both the 16S ribosomal RNA and intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) genes. The relative abundance was higher for Bacillus and Candida in Braffedon, and Burkholderia and Neodeightonia in Yaokro. Commonly genera identified from rhizosphere included Bacillus, Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Cryptococcus, Penicillium, Purpureocillium and Trichoderma. The most abundant endophytes identified were Pantoea, Candida, Cryptococcus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Rhodotorula. Genera limited to symptomless palms included Arthrininum, Chaetomium, Phialemonium, Fusarium, Klebsiella and Candida. Results indicate that the CILY phytoplasma may be a factor determining the level of diversity of a microbial community in a given location. Our research provides the basis to investigate the possible effect of endophytic and rhizosphere microbes against the CILY phytoplasma to further effectively improve the management of CILY in Grand-Lahou. Key words: Cote d’Ivoire lethal yellowing phytoplasma, endophytes, biocontrol, coconut.
The HDUV Survey: A Revised Assessment of the Relationship between UV Slope and Dust Attenuation for High-redshift Galaxies

We use a newly assembled sample of 3545 star-forming galaxies with secure spectroscopic, grism, and photometric redshifts at z = 1.5–2.5 to constrain the relationship between UV slope (β) and dust attenuation (LIR/LUV ≡ IRX). Our sample significantly extends the range of LUV and β probed in previous UV-selected samples, including those as faint as M1600 = −17.4 ( ) and −2.6 ≲ β ≲ 0.0. IRX is measured using stacks of deep Herschel data, and the results are compared with predictions of the IRX−β relation for different assumptions of the stellar population model and obscuration curve. We find that z = 1.5–2.5 galaxies have an IRX−β relation that is consistent with the predictions for an SMC curve if we invoke subsolar-metallicity models currently favored for high-redshift galaxies, while the commonly assumed starburst curve overpredicts the IRX at a given β by a factor of ≳3. IRX is roughly constant with LUV for LUV ≳ 3 × 109 L⊙. Thus, the commonly observed trend of fainter galaxies having bluer β may simply reflect bluer intrinsic slopes for such galaxies, rather than lower obscurations. The IRX−β relation for young/low-mass galaxies at z ≳ 2 implies a dust curve that is steeper than the SMC. The lower attenuations and higher ionizing photon output for low-metallicity stellar populations point to Lyman continuum production efficiencies, ξion, that may be elevated by a factor of ≈2 relative to the canonical value for L* galaxies, aiding in their ability to keep the universe ionized at z ∼ 2.
Time-Varying Risk Premia and Profits from Portfolio Trading Strategies in the U.S. Stock Markets

This paper re-examines the profitability of two portfolio trading strategies that are currently the most controversial in financial research: the relative-strength strategy based on medium-term return continuation (3 to 12 months) and the contrarian strategy based on long-term return reversals (2 to 5 years). Using a sample of 1,500 stocks listed on the NYSE and AMEX from 1963 to 1989, the bootstrap test result shows that large parts of the profits to the relative-strength strategy can be explained by time-varying expected returns estimated from a bivariate GARCH model for the conditional CAPM. This result generally holds, even within subsamples classified by other measurees of risk such as firm sizes and market model betas, except for the medium- and large-size groups. However, profits to the contrarian strategy are shown to be the most difficult to reconcile with existing asset pricing models. The bootstrap distributions for the contrarian profits under any null models average significantly lower profits than the actual distributions at the 10% significance level. This indicates that the asset pricing models are incapable of explaining long-term mean reverting behavior of stock returns.
Primary Connections : reforming science teaching in Australian primary schools.

Concerns about the status and quality of science teaching in Australian primary schools led the Australian Academy of Science to develop Primary Connections over 2004–8 with funding from DEST and the support of states and territories. Primary Connections is a teacher professional learning program supported with curriculum resources that aims to enhance learning outcomes in science and the literacies of science by supporting both inservice and preservice primary teachers to teach science effectively. Primary Connections is a systematic, widespread and innovative reform that complements programs within states and territories. The program is based on an innovative teaching and learning approach that links science with literacy, uses cooperative learning, embeds assessment with teaching and learning, and follows an inquiry process including student-planned investigations. Research has demonstrated that the program improves teachers’ confi dence, self-effi cacy and practice, students’ learning, and the status of science within schools. features
LARGE EDDY SIMULATION OF MULTIPLE JETS INTO A CROSS FLOW

Multiple square cross section jets into a cross flow at three different velocity ratios, namely 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5, have been computationally simulated, using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach. The finite volume method is applied in the computational methodologies, using an unsteady SIMPLE algorithm and employing a non-uniform staggered grid. All spatial and temporal terms in the Navier-Stokes equations have been discretized using the Power Law and Crank-Nicolson schemes, respectively. Mean velocity profiles at different X-locations are compared with the existing experimental and Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) computational results. Although the RANS computations require much fewer computational resources than the LES, the authors' results show reasonably good agreement with existing experimental results, rather than the computational ones. It is shown that, by increasing the velocity ratio, the jet penetration into the cross flow is increased, accompanied by a high mixing with the cross flow. In addition, the formation of counter rotating vortex pairs after the jet enters the cross flow is explained and its behavior in different YZ-planes is investigated.
Record of foraging of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in vertebrate carcasses

Knowing the importance of participation by insects at cadaverous decomposition processes, and the limited use of the family Formicidae in criminal investigations, this study aims to record the foraging activity of four genera of ants in carcasses of birds and mammals. Observations occurred accidentally in two locations in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In total, seven species of ants foraging in eight vertebrate carcasses were recorded. In addition, the study reported for the first time the presence of Wasmannia in carcasses in Brazil.
Movement pattern and habitat use of female grass snake (Natrix natrix) in a semi-urban environment

Rorelsemonster och habitatanvandning hos ormar ar ett omrade dar relativt lite forskning har gjorts trots tecken pa minskande populationer pa flera platser i varlden. Snoken (Natrix natrix) ar en vanligt forekommande orm i Sverige som tycks vara pa nedgang, troligen pa grund av en samre tillgang pa agglaggningsplatser. Vanliga agglaggningsplatser i Sverige utgors av godselstackar och komposter vilka ger den stabila temperatur som aggen behover. Dessa har dock blivit bade farre och mer svartillgangliga under det senaste arhundradet. Huvudsyftet med denna studie var att undersoka vilka agglaggningsplatser som anvands i ett omrade dar godselstackar saknas och hur anpassningsbara snokhonor ar till nya omraden. Detta gjordes genom att jamfora rorelsemonster och habitatanvandning mellan individer som kanner till omradet och individer som inte gor det. Tre snokhonor flyttades fran en population utanfor Uppsala till en population pa Djurgarden, Stockholm och sparades dagligen tillsammans med tre individer fran den lokala populationen under 25 dagar med hjalp av externa radiosandare. Studier pa snokens rorelsemonster och habitatanvandning har inte genomforts i Sverige pa 30 ar och mer kunskap behovs om arten for att battre kunna skydda den. Inga agg kunde lokaliseras men varmen fran ett pumphus kan tankas ge de nodvandiga forutsattningarna. De forflyttade snokhonorna fran Uppsala visade tecken pa att inte anpassa sig till den nya lokalen genom en hogre aktivitetsgrad samt ovilja att nyttja frammande habitattyper jamfort med de lokala individerna. Dessa resultat bor dock tolkas forsiktigt pa grund av det lilla antalet individer samt den begransade studieperioden. Varken ljus eller temperatur var bra forklaringsfaktorer for aktiviteten hos snokarna men indikationer pa att de ar mer aktiva inom ett temperaturspann mellan 20-25°C observerades. De framsta habitaten som anvandes av snokarna var vassbalten samt oklippta grasmarker som tack vare sin strukturella komplexitet skapar en blandning av solbelysta och skuggiga omraden dar snoken effektivt kan uppna en bra kroppstemperatur. For den framtida forvaltningen av arten kravs att mer information insamlas under en langre tid. Inventeringar och okad kunskap om agglaggningen behovs innan man kan borja gora upp planer pa om och hur snoken bor skyddas.
The response of parental time investments to the child’s abilities and health

Recent empirical research in family economics has shown the importance of parental investments on human capital development during childhood, but it is still not clear what drives parental investments and, in particular, how they respond to changes in the child’s abilities and health. Using the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children we study the behavioural response of parents’ time investments to changes in their child’s cognitive, socio-emotional abilities and health across time. We find that mothers tend to compensate for differences in non-cognitive abilities and especially so if they have a low education or if they are not working. On the contrary, mothers with a university degree compensate mainly for differences in cognitive abilities. While mothers invest equally in daughters and sons, fathers seem to have a stronger compensating behaviour for sons than for daughters.
The impact of victim advocacy on the prosecution of domestic violence offences: Lessons from a Realistic Evaluation

This article explores the impact of a court-based advocacy service on the prosecution of domestic violence offences. The research, conducted as part of a PhD thesis, evaluated a team of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) based within a Specialist Domestic Violence Court (SDVC). The author adopted the methodology of Realistic Evaluation in order to understand first, any impact of the court-based IDVA service on court outcomes, second, how any such outcomes were achieved and, finally, in what contexts they occurred. As this article explores, effective victim advocacy has the potential to impact positively on the prosecution of domestic violence offences.
The Conglomerate Discount: A New Explanation Based on Credit Risk

We present a simple new explanation for the diversification discount in the valuation of firms. We demonstrate that, ceteris paribus, limited liability of equity holders is sufficient to explain a diversification discount. To derive this result, we use a credit risk model based on the value of the firm's assets. We show that a conglomerate can be regarded as an option on a portfolio of assets. By splitting up the conglomerate, the investor receives a portfolio of options on assets. The conglomerate discount arises because the value of a portfolio of options is always equal to or higher than the value of an option on a portfolio. The magnitude of the conglomerate discount depends on the number of business units and their correlation, as well as their volatility, among other factors.
Treatment of Viral Hepatitis C by the Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir With or Without Ribavirin Combination in Cameroon : Efficiency , Tolerance and Significant Predictors of SVR 12

Background: There has been a revolution in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection since the introduction of new direct-acting antivirals agents (DAAs) in 2014. About 95% of the patients have a sustained virological response (SVR) after 12 weeks with DAAs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the SVR after 12 weeks of treatment with the combination of sofosbuvir (SOF)/ledipasvir (LDV) +/ribavirin (RBV) among a cohort of Cameroonian HCV carriers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in HCV treatment centers in Cameroon health facilities in Yaounde and Douala. It focused on patients with chronic HCV of genotypes 1 and 4 treated with the SOF/ LDV +/RBV combination for 12 weeks. The virological response after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment was determined. SVR indicating recovery was determined 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). Results: A total of 111 patients with chronic HCV were included. There was female predominance with a proportion of 58.6%. The average age of the patients was 58.8 ± 8.2 years. Genotype 1 was the most frequent with 68.5% of the cases. The SVR was 93.7% (95% CI (87.4% 97.4%)) regardless of protocol and genotype. HCV infection without cirrhosis was associated with good SVR (aOR = 0.1, 95 CI (0.1 0.9), P = 0.02). The most common clinical adverse reaction was asthenia with 12.5% (n = 10). Conclusions: The SVR12 in Cameroonian patient infected with HCV genotypes 1 and 4 treated with the combination SOF/LDV +/RBV was 93.7%. Cirrhosis is a factor of poor response.
HIV-Infected Men with an Elevated Level of Serum Cystatin C have a High Likelihood of Developing Cancers

Background: HIV-infected individuals are at high risk for morbidity and mortality regardless of good infection control with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The residual inflammation after apparent good infection control with HAART may be responsible for an increased risk of mortality including cancers. Serum cystatin C is not only a sensitive marker for renal dysfunction but also a potential marker for inflammation, which may suggest that this marker is something more than a measure of renal function. Materials and methods: A total of 520 HIV-infected men under good infection control with HAART were enrolled in a 3-year prospective cohort study. The incidence of cancers was investigated with special reference to serum cystatin C level. Cumulative incidence of cancers over time was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier methods. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the Hazard Ratio (HR) of developing cancers, adjusted for age, smoking habit, CD4 cell count, serum albumin, estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 mL/min/1.73m2, C-reactive protein, and presence of comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hepatic viral infection. Results: During the follow-up, cancers developed in 14 (2.7%) subjects. Death occurred in 4 from cancers. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for cancer incidence significantly increased in patients with serum cystatin C elevation (≥ 1.0 mg/L). The HR (95% confidence interval) of cancer incidence was 3.56 (1.08-11.2) for elevation of serum cystatin C, although other markers of inflammation were not significant. Conclusion: The examination of serum cystatin C may enable earlier recognition of cancers among HIV infected individuals.