Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraining the polarization content of gravitational waves with astrometry

Gravitational waves perturb the paths of photons, impacting both the time-of-flight and the arrival direction of light from stars. Pulsar timing arrays can detect gravitational waves by measuring the variations in the time of flight of radio pulses, while astrometry missions such as Gaia can detect gravitational waves from the time-varying changes in the apparent position of a field of stars. Just as gravitational waves impart a characteristic correlation pattern in the arrival times of pulses from pulsars at different sky locations, the deflection of starlight is similarly correlated across the sky. Here we compute the astrometric correlation patterns for the full range of polarization states found in alternative theories of gravity, and decompose the sky-averaged correlation patterns into vector spherical harmonics. We find that the tensor and vector polarization states produce equal power in the electric- and magnetic-type vector spherical harmonics, while the scalar modes produce only electric-type correlations. Any difference in the measured electric and magnetic-type correlations would represent a clear violation of Einstein gravity. The angular correlations functions for the vector and scalar longitudinal modes show the same enhanced response at small angular separations that is familiar from pulsar timing.
Wavefront outer scale deduced from interferometric dispersed fringes

In addition to site characterization, measurements of critical atmospheric parameters are required to design and to optimize future adaptive optic systems and long-baseline interferometers. It is possible to estimate seeing conditions by processing data obtained with existing High Angular Resolution instruments. We report the results of joint observations with the GI2T interferometer and the GSM site-testing monitor performed over a period of several nights. We compared estimates of the wavefront outer scale done at various baselines as well as the seeing (Fried’s parameter). We processed interferometric data by calculating power spectra of dispersed fringe images. Deduced measurements of the optical path difference lead to the estimates of the outer scale. We found that the outer scale values obtained from the GI2T data are mostly in the 5−30 m range, in good agreement with GSM measurements.
The Asymmetric Impacts of Good and Bad News on Opinion Divergence : Evidence from Revisions to the S & P 500 Index

Motivated by the ambiguity theory of Epstein and Schneider (2003, 2008), we hypothesize that investors' beliefs on the prospects of firms converge upon the arrival of bad news, but do not converge or even further diverge on the arrival of good news. We expect firms with high divergence in opinions to experience lower stock returns around the announcements of bad news but not for good news. Using revisions to the S&P 500 index between 1962 and 2008 as information events, we find overwhelming support for the hypothesis. The results are robust to controlling for alternative hypotheses of price changes around revisions to the S&P 500 index, as well as common firm characteristics.
Evaluating the Implementation and Effectiveness of GIS-Based Application in Secondary School Geography Lessons

The purpose of the study was to investigate the barriers preventing the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in secondary school geography lessons and to determine its effectiveness on students’ success. A workshop focusing on ways to implement GIS-based application in the classroom for 14 teachers from nine high schools was conducted in 2006. The teachers were given GIS software, digital data for an application, and the necessary written documents describing the application. Due to various obstacles, only two teachers at two schools out of 14 implemented the application successfully. The study revealed that the use of GIS increased the students’ success on geography lessons by 38% at the first school and by 51% at the second one. The success rate of the students in this study substantiates the need for GIS to be better incorporated into the Geography curriculum in the secondary school level in developing countries.
HIV/AIDS Distigmatisation at Work Place: More Than Comprehensive Knowledge Required

According to the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) of Kenya, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) prevention starts and ends with behavior change and anything else comes in between. Importantly, “ although antiretroviral therapy (ART) was working, countries will not be able to treat their way out of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, as it is not sustainable in the long run ”. This highlights the critical role of healthy behavioral change, HIV status awareness, distigmatisation, stopping of new infection, inclusion of key populations, support groups and psychosocial support of people living with HIV (PLWH) in HIV/AIDS management and prevention strategies. Significantly, high levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge do not always translate to a positive behavior change. The purpose of this descriptive survey was to investigate the levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, awareness, perceptions and attitudes towards the virus and PLWH among members of staff a public university in Kenya. This was a descriptive survey in which all the members of staff (due to the small population of only 288) were targeted as participants, issued with self-administered questionnaire, structured according to the NACC guidelines for public sector. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with IBM SPSS version 22 software. Significantly, HIV/AIDS knowledge levels were adequately high as indicated by the 83% female and 69% male employees who strongly agreed that the risk of HIV infection can be reduced by having one uninfected partner. Similarly, 60% females, 58% males strongly disagreed that mosquitoes could transmit HIV, while 57% males, 63% females strongly disagreed that one could get HIV by sharing food with an infected person. However, despite the high HIV/AIDS knowledge, awareness levels, HIV- associated stigma (18% males & 10% females), ignorance of effectiveness of condom in prevention (10% females & 7% males) still persisted. Essentially, if these drawbacks are not decisively dealt with, they will reverse the gains so far achieved in the HIV/AIDS response. These findings are important in informing stakeholders, policy makers such as work place HIV/AIDS policy makers in formulation, implementation, designing healthy behavioral change, HIV status awareness, stopping of new infections, distigmatisation and preventive strategies in workplaces. This will have a direct impact on HIV/AIDS management, prevention and thus help in attainment of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3 on ensuring health for all, promoting well-being for all at all ages, 90-90-90 strategy and the Kenya’s vision 2030 of a HIV free country.
The American Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes Epidemic: Considerations for Targeted Diabetes Prevention Programs

Childhood obesity is an identified risk factor for several long-term health issues such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death within the United States. The CDC has implemented an evidence-based program, The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), to prevent the development of T2DM among individuals with prediabetes. Prediabetes is defined as having elevated glucose levels glycated hemoglobin [A1C] levels between 5.7%-6.5%) that are not elevated enough to meet diabetes diagnosis criteria (A1C levels > 6.5%). The DPP is a lifestyle change program that has shown that the risk for developing T2DM can be reduced by 50% by increased physical activity and healthier eating practices. There has been a significant increase in T2DM within the pediatric population over past twenty years, which is greatly affected by obesity. Evidenced-based lifestyle interventions for children are important. Several programs are emerging that utilize the basis of the DPP lifestyle interventions that have been proven successful in adults in the youth population. Of these programs, Riley Children’s Health Get a Move On and Powerhouse , University of Nevada at Las Vegas adapted DPP program, and Yale University’s Bright Bodies Management Program have shown success in the youth population. The youth diabetes prevention program (YDPP) requires further exploration and identification of best practices to implement in school based and/or youth settings to combat the epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the youth population.
A photometrically and spectroscopically confirmed population of passive spiral galaxies

We have identified a population of passive spiral galaxies from photometry and integral field spectroscopy. We selected z < 0.035 spiral galaxies that have WISE colours consistent with little mid-infrared emission from warm dust. Matched aperture photometry of 51 spiral galaxies in ultraviolet, optical and mid-infrared show these galaxies have colours consistent with passive galaxies. Six galaxies form a spectroscopic pilot study and were observed using the Wide-Field Spectrograph to check for signs of nebular emission from star formation. We see no evidence of substantial nebular emission found in previous red spiral samples. These six galaxies possess absorption-line spectra with 4000 A breaks consistent with an average luminosity-weighted age of 2.3 Gyr. Our photometric and integral field spectroscopic observations confirm the existence of a population of local passive spiral galaxies, implying that transformation into early-type morphologies is not required for the quenching of star formation.
Control of Hyperlipidemia in Rats By Using Papaya and Stirred Yoghurt

Current research aims to study the effect of feeding on stirred yoghurt only, papaya only and stirred yoghurt supplemented with 20% papaya on hyperlipidemia male rats. The study was conducted on 36 male albino rats divided into two main groups, the first main group 6 rats were fed on basal diet only and contrived as control group, while the second main group 30 rats with induced hypercholesterolemia through nutrition on a diet high in cholesterol content1%, the second group were divided into five equal subgroups and fed for 2 months.one subgroup was left as a positive control group (Group 1),whereas group (2)was treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) orally, while groups(3,4,5) have been fed adding stirred yoghurt only , papaya only and stirred yoghurt supplemented with 20% papaya by rate (5m1/kg b.w) orally using a stomach tube daily for 8 weeks. The results revealed that all treated rat groups(experimental groups) showed a significant decrease in TC , TG , LDL-C ,VLDL-C homocysteine, TC / HDL-C and LDL-C / HDL-C than positive control group , while HDL-c was increased , in compared with the control (+ve) group. As a result, the best values of these variables appeared in stirred yoghurt supplemented with 20% papaya , atorvastatin and papaya only in compared with the other treated groups . The results revealed that liver enzymes (AST, ALT) showed significant decrease in all treated rat groups , All treated groups showed a significant increase in SOD, GSH and CAT and showed a significant decrease in MDA compared with the control (+ve) group. Histopathological examination of the rat's hearts confirmed this amelioration in rats group that consumed stirred yoghurt supplemented with 20% papaya .
Aging Impairs Endocytic Capacity Of Splenic Dendritic Cells From Dark Agouti Rats And Alters Their Response To TLR4 Stimulation

Abstract The study was undertaken considering: i) that relative proportion of distinct subsets of splenic dendritic cells (DCs) is strain-specific and predictive for the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases; ii) age-related changes in endocytic, allostimulatory and polarizing capacity of splenic OX62+ DCs from Albino Oxford rats (relatively resistant to Th1/Th17-mediated diseases) and iii) strain specificities in age-related changes of mouse DCs. To ascertain whether there are strain specificities in age-related rat DC changes, we examined the influence of aging on OX62+ DCs from Dark Agouti (DA) rats prone to Th1/Th17-mediated autoimmune diseases. The study provided additional evidence that the predominance of CD4-cells within OX62+ DCs from young adult rats correlates with their susceptibility to Th1/Th17-mediated diseases. Consistently, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-matured DCs from 3-month-old (young) rats exhibited Th1 driving force when co-cultured with allogeneic CD4+ T cells. This most likely reflected enhanced TNF-α and iNOS expression. Comparing with young rats, OX62+ DCs from 26-month-old (aged) rats showed: i) diminished endocytic capacity; ii) impaired ability to mature in vitro upon LPS stimulation (as indicated by lower MHC II, CD86 and CD40 surface expression), which is consistent with the increase in their IL-10 production, and iii) diminished allostimulatory capacity and loss of Th1-driving capacity in the mixed lymphocyte reaction. The latter, probably, reflected greater IL-10 production by LPS-stimulated DC from aged rats, as well as lower CD40 density on their surface. Overall, our findings suggest that aging might affect DA rat capability to mount an efficient Th1 immune response, and consequently susceptibility to Th1/Th17-mediated pathology.
Predicting Taste and Odor Compounds in a Shallow Reservoir Using a Three–Dimensional Hydrodynamic Ecological Model

The objective of this study was to establish a technique to predict the occurrence of algal bloom and the algal-derived taste and odor compounds 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) and geosmin using a three-dimensional (3D) model that could reflect the complex physical properties of a shallow reservoir. Water quality, phytoplankton, and taste and odor compounds monitoring was conducted at the Jinyang Reservoir in 2016. In June, there was a potential for a high concentration of 2-MIB (maximum 80 ng/L) to occur owing to the appearance of Pseudanabaena sp. ; additionally, from July to August, there was potential for a high concentration of geosmin (maximum 108 ng/L) to occur, because of the presence of Anabaena sp. A 3D hydrodynamic model was coupled with an ecological model to predict cyanobacteria bloom and the presence of taste and odor compounds. Cyanobacteria producing either 2-MIB or geosmin were distinguished to enhance the accuracy of the modeled predictions. The results showed that the simulations of taste and odor compounds spatial distribution and occurrence time were realistic; however, the concentration of geosmin was overestimated when Microcystis sp. was blooming. The model can be used as a management tool to predict the occurrence of algal taste and odor compounds in reservoir systems and to inform decision-making processes concerning dam operation and water treatment.
Investigation of Psychiatric Symptoms in Nurses Working in a Hospital

Objective: This research was conducted to investigate the psychiatric symptoms and factors affecting nurses working in a hospital. Method: This study was carried out in Dr. Burhan Nalbantoglu General Hospital in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The study sample was composed of 360 nurses from different departments of the Hospital. Data were collected by using the Descriptive Data Form created by the researchers and the Symptom Check List (SCL- 90-R). Percentages, averages, Student-t test, one way ANOVA test, Pearson’s correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Results: According to the results of the Symptom Check List, scores were high for somatization in 67.5% of the nurses, for obsessive compulsive symptoms in 57.2%, for interpersonal sensitivity in 52.5%, for depression in 50.3%, for anxiety in 50%, for hostility in 53.3%, for phobic reaction in 45.3%, for paranoid ideation in 60%, for psychoticism in 47.2% and for general symptom level in 50.3% of the nurses. Socioeconomic status, work unit, number of patients cared for by nurses, working position, weekly working hours, number of shifts per month, physical environment, problems with patients, doctors and managers, and problems in the use of equipment were found to have effect on the levels of psychiatric symptoms among nurses. Conclusion: Nurses should be supported psychologically and attention should be given to protect the mental health of nurses. Improving psychological, physical and social conditions in the hospitals can be effective to decrease psychiatric symptoms among nurses.
Determination of bacterial load and antibiotic susceptibility testing of bacteria isolated from students’ toilets at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

The circulation of infectious diseases in the community settings in urban and rural areas remains to be a hectic problem. One of the sources of microbial diseases is toilets. This study aimed at isolating, identifying and establishing bacterial loads associated with public restrooms in students’ hostels at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania. Samples were collected from a total of thirty toilets (60 samples) in different surfaces; (i) surfaces associated with toilets (toilet seats and toilet bowls), (ii) surfaces routinely touched with hands (door handles in and out of the restrooms, faucet handles and toilet flush handles) and (iii) the restroom floors. Samples were inoculated in MacConkey and Blood agar and then incubated at 37 o C for 24 hours. All isolates were sub cultured and identified based on macro- and micro-morphology and Standard Biochemical Tests. The establishment of total bacteria load was done using Standard Plate Count Method. The sensitivity testing of the isolates were carried out using the Disk Diffusion Method on nutrient agar plate. The following bacteria genera and species were isolated from the students’ toilets; Staphylococcus aureus (25.0%), Escherichia coli (36.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.3%), Streptococcus pyogenes (6.7%) , Proteus mirabilis (6.7%) and Klebsiella pneumonia (11.6%). The results from total bacterial count indicated that the surfaces routinely touched with hands had highest bacteria load compared to restroom floor and toilet seats. However, the differences of means among the surfaces were not statistically significant (P= 0.6762). Sensitivity testing of the isolates against commonly used antibiotics in the study area showed that all bacterial isolates tested were resistant and intermediate resistant to at least one antibiotic. Keywords: Pathogenic bacteria, Students’ hostels, bacteria count, antibiotic susceptibility testing.
Utilization of Yoghurt and Sucralose to Produce Low-calorie Cakes

In this study we had replaced sucrose with sucralose in the manufacture of sponge cake and yoghurt cake. These cakes were chosen because their ingredients include little fat so they were of low calories. Such functional cakes were evaluated chemically, physically and sensorial. The results suggest that, sucrose substitution with sucralose in cakes increased the cake volume and softened the texture (as shown by lower values of hardness, chewiness and gumminess). Water activity of the yoghurt control cake prepared with 100% sucrose with a value of 0.91 was higher than the yogurt cake containing sucralose (p<0.05). The mean water activity of sponge cakes prepared with sucrose was significantly higher than the sponge cakes containing sucralose (p<0.05). The obtained low calorie yoghurt cake characterized with its low calorie and food energy (103.22 and 431.3 per100 g) than control yoghurt cake (268 and 1119 per 100 g). Also, low calorie sponge cake had low calorie and food energy (98.0 and 409.4 per100 g) compared to control sponge cake (276.9 and 1156.9, respectively). Sensory scores of studied cake samples indicated that, texture and flavor of all samples were not affected significantly in case of replacing sucrose with sucralose in yogurt or sponge cake. A significant difference in cells and crumb color was observed in all cake samples when compared with control cake samples.
The influence of sampling from different canopy positions on the evaluation of flower bud anomalies and dormancy in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)

Introduction. For some species such as P. armeniaca , overcoming dormancy may be problematic when cold requirements are not satisfied. Moreover, the different positions of flower buds on the tree canopy and on the apical and basal portions of twigs can influence their development. Sampling problems have not been extensively studied. Therefore, the effect of different sectors (west and east), of different heights (top and bottom) of the canopy and of twig portions (medium-apical and medium-basal) on the break of dormancy in the apricot tree was evaluated. Attention was also focused on floral anomalies in relation to the flower bud position on the twig, in order to identify the least variable portion of twigs and thus provide useful information for optimization of periodic bud sampling. Materials and methods. Two cultivars of P. armeniaca with different chilling requirements were chosen: `San Castrese' and `Orange Red'. The end of endo-dormancy was evaluated from December to blooming time by traditional biological approaches, such as increase in flower bud fresh weight and evolution of the bud phenological stage, before and after 7 d under forcing conditions. In addition, the percentage of floral anomalies was considered in relation to the flower bud position on the twig. Results and conclusion. The results showed that canopy and twig positions exerted different effects on the breaking of the flower bud endo-dormancy, and some practical applications can be drawn from them for the best sampling design inside the tree structure: the west orientation of the canopy and the medium-apical portion of the twig were the best positions to obtain an earlier active growth of buds, allowing the prediction of endo-dormancy breaking. The analysis of flower anomalies showed considerable differences depending on the position of the bud on the twig. High percentages of anomalous buds were observed in the medium-basal portion of the twig, which could distort the results on the evaluation of overcoming dormancy, due to a weaker growth trend of flower buds.
The Evolutionary Ecology of Metamorphosis

Almost all animal species undergo metamorphosis, even though empirical data show that this life-history strategy evolved only a few times. Why is metamorphosis so widespread, and why has it evolved? Here we study the evolution of metamorphosis by using a fully size-structured population model in conjunction with the adaptive-dynamics approach. We assume that individuals compete for two food sources; one of these, the primary food source, is available to individuals of all sizes. The secondary food source is available only to large individuals. Without metamorphosis, unresolvable tensions arise for species faced with the opportunity of specializing on such a secondary food source. We show that metamorphosis can evolve as a way to resolve these tensions, such that small individuals specialize on the primary food source while large individuals specialize on the secondary food source. We find, however, that metamorphosis evolves only when the supply rate of the secondary food source exceeds a high threshold. Individuals postpone metamorphosis when the ecological conditions under which metamorphosis originally evolved deteriorate but will often not abandon this life-history strategy, even if it causes population extinction through evolutionary trapping. In summary, our results show that metamorphosis is not easy to evolve but that, once evolved, it is hard to lose. These findings can explain the widespread occurrence of metamorphosis in the animal kingdom despite its few evolutionary origins.