Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection of Health Care Workers for Screening for Latent Tuberculosis Infection

Introduction: The rate of latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs) in health care workers (HCWs) is higher than that in non-HCWs. We studied to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of LTBIs and the acceptance rate for treatment of LTBI among HCWs in South Korea, a country with an intermediate tuberculosis (TB) burden. Methodology: LTBI screening was conducted for HCWs at a tertiary and a secondary hospital from April 2017 to August 2017. This was a retrospective study included all HCWs who underwent LTBI examination. HCWs were classified by the degree of risk into four groups, based on two factors: possibility of exposure to TB, and impact on patients at the time of TB onset in the HCWs. The interferon-gamma release assay was used for the diagnosis of LTBI. Results: A total of 1326 HCWs were included; they comprised 801 HCWs from a tertiary hospital and 525 from a secondary hospital. A total of 235 (17.7%) HCWs were diagnosed with LTBIs. According to risk classification, there was no significant difference (P = 0.24). In multivariate analysis, age was the only independent risk factor (P < 0.001). The acceptance rate for LTBI treatment was 60.43%, and there were no associated factors in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: HCWs did not show any significant difference in the rate of LTBI by the degree of risk, and age was the independent risk factor. LTBI screening should be conducted for all HCWs regardless of risk classification.
Mechanochemical remediation of heavymetals contaminated soils : Modelling and experiments

The use of mechanochemistry for the remediation of heavy metals contaminated soils is investigated. Specifically, synthetic sandy soils contaminated by Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) are prepared. The degree of metal immobilization is evaluated after the soil is subjected to mechanical treatment by analyzing the leachable fraction of heavy metals obtained through the “synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP)”. For the case of soils contaminated by heavy metals concentration levels similar to field contaminated soils, their leachability is reduced to levels lower than the USEPA regulatory threshold for drinkable water. In addition impact velocity of milling media as well as impact energy and frequency are evaluated by means of a simulation model of the used milling apparatus. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Memory resources in hardware implementations of BLAKE and BLAKE2 hash algorithms

In contemporary computer systems security issues are very important for both safety and reliability reasons thus application of appropriate cryptographic methods is a necessity in system design and maintenance. This paper deals with one such method – BLAKE hash function – and investigates its implementation in hardware. The algorithm was a candidate proposed for the SHA-3 contest and, although it was not selected in the final round as the winner, it was very well received for its cryptographic strength and performance, being still used as a hash method of choice in contemporary IT systems. In this paper we discuss a specific modification in hardware realizations of the function which eliminates need for involved data paths distributing message bits among the round units by using auxiliary memory modules for repetitive storage of the message inside each round instance. The idea was implemented in realizations of both BLAKE and BLAKE2 versions of the algorithm in four different organizations: the standard iterative one and three high-speed loop-unrolled architectures with 2, 4 and 5 rounds instantiated in hardware. Together with standard (without RAM) implementations this produced a total of 16 test cases: after implementation in a popular Spartan-3 device from Xilinx their parameters allowed for exhaustive evaluation of the proposed modification. The results reveal that the modification outstandingly enhances size of all the tested architectures: on average, occupation of the FPGA array is reduced at least by half while the improvements in speed, although not so spectacular, are also visible. Additional analyses indicate that the method can also increase overall efficiency of routing, helps in implementation of the loop-unrolled architectures and strengthens optimizations introduced by the BLAKE2 version of the algorithm.
Studies of the Antibacterial , Phytochemical , Proximate and GC-Mass Spectrophotometric of Ocimum gratissimum Linn Methanol Leaf Extract

From decades, the effective treatment of diseases with folklore is basically with plants of medicinal values. Methanol leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum was analysed for phytochemical constituents, nutritive value and chemical composition for possible antibacterial activity in comparison commercial antibiotics. The study confirms the presence of valuable plant chemicals for antimicrobial potency. Quantitatively, methanol extract of the vegetal showed high concentrations of 741.5, 346.95 and 137.5 mg/100g in saponin, flavonoids and alkaloids respectively. Nutritionally, it contained high percentage of 55.76, 18.18, 11.53 and 8.70 in carbohydrate, protein, moisture and crude fibre respectively. Highest inhibition recorded with the methanol leaf extract was 31 mm against Corynebacterium accolens while least inhibition of 14 mm was recorded against Salmonella typhi. The GC-MS composition of the essential oil extract showed the presence of Benzeaceticacid,. alpha. -[(diphenylmethylene)] (24.52%). The essential oil most inhibited Gram positive bacteria with highest zone of 33.20 mm and least inhibition of 24.00 mm while highest inhibition on Gram negative bacteria was 31.18 mm and least inhibition of 23.01 mm.
Salivary and serum concentrations of selected pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in relation to oral lesions among children undergoing maintenance therapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer, accounting for about 23% of all cancers diagnosed in this age group. The last stage of radical treatment is remission maintenance, during which hospitalization is not necessary. The lesions occurring in the oral cavity caused by medications and chemotherapy may also be directly related to hematological and systemic disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the levels of selected pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in saliva and serum of both patients undergoing remission maintenance and those after the cessation of therapy who reported to the hematology clinic of the Pediatric University Hospital in Lublin. The results were later analyzed in relation to the frequency of oral lesions and subjective intensity of oral complaints. The study revealed significant differences in salivary and serum concentrations of TNF-α and IL-10 between test and control groups. Oral lesions were more frequent in patients receiving therapy compared to the control group. Subjective afflictions described by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) mean values were highest in the control group.
ITERATING MAHLO’S OPERATION

The principle of “collecting the universe” justifies axioms asserting the existence of large cardinals which can be “built up” by iterating Mahlo’s operation. In a previous paper “schemes” were used to define iterations of length up to κ. This paper gives a method for defining iterations of length up to κ. Assuming GCH this is an unsurpassable limit, and the question of what ranks are achievable is complicated. Results are given which suggest that weakly compact cardinals can be built up, and give an idea of their rank. It is also argued that the notion of “built up” cardinals suggests, along with other evidence, that all sets are constructible. AMS Subj. Classification: 03e30, 03e55
DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD ZEUS CRITICAL EXPERIMENT WITH MCNP TM *

The Zeus experiments have been designed to test the adequacy of U cross sections in the intermediate energy range. A detailed model of the third Zeus critical experiment for the MCNP Monte Carlo code is developed, and calculated results, based on cross sections derived from ENDF/B-V and ENDF/B-VI, are presented. A series of modeling simplifications then is described that transforms the detailed representation into a benchmark configuration, and the reactivity impact of each of those simplifications is assessed. Finally, the calculated results for this experiment are compared with those from its two predecessors.
Long-term Clinical Outcomes of Cervical Disc Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Study Design. Prospective, randomized, single-center, clinical trial. Objective. To prospectively examine the 7- and 10-year outcomes of cervical arthroplasty to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Summary of Background Data. Degeneration of the cervical discs causing radiculopathy is a frequent source of surgical intervention, commonly treated with ACDF. Positive clinical outcomes are associated with arthrodesis techniques, yet there remains a long-term concern for adjacent segment change. Cervical disc arthroplasty has been designed to mitigate some of the challenges associated with arthrodesis whereas providing for a similar positive neurological outcome. As data has been collected from numerous prospective US FDA IDE trials, longer term outcomes regarding adjacent segment change may be examined. Methods. As part of an FDA IDE trial, a single center collected prospective outcomes data on 47 patients randomized in a 1:1 ratio to ACDF or arthroplasty. Results. Success of both surgical interventions remained high at the 10-year interval. Both arthrodesis and arthroplasty demonstrated statistically significant improvements in neck disability index, visual analog scale neck and arm pain scores at all intervals including 7- and 10-year periods. Arthroplasty demonstrated an advantage in comparison to arthrodesis as measured by final 10-year NDI score (8 vs. 16, P = 0.0485). Patients requiring reoperation were higher in number in the arthrodesis cohort (32%) in comparison with arthroplasty (9%) (P = 0.055). Conclusion. At 7 and 10 years, cervical arthroplasty compares favorably with ACDF as defined by standard outcomes scores in a highly selected population with radiculopathy. Level of Evidence: 1
Transcriptomic analysis of different tissues in Korean arborvitae

Korean arborvitae (Thuja koraiensis) is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to Korea and the extreme Changbai Mountain of China threatened by habitat loss. Due to the limited genomic sources of Korean arborvitae, it is important to explore transcriptome to understand this economically important plant. We used RNA-seq technology to characterize the transcriptome of root, stem and leaf in Korean arborvitae, respectively. Based on the bioinformatics analysis of assembled transcriptome data, transcriptional pathways and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. There were 152.26 million reads generated, and 446,568 unigenes with a mean size of 423.51 nt obtained via de novo assembly. Of these, 204,091 unigenes (45.70%) were further annotated by comparison to public protein databases. A total of 63,495 unigenes (14.22%) were associated into 130 pathways by searching against the KEGG database. DEGs analysis identified 11,890, 5,900 and 10,136 DEGs from the comparison of root vs. stem, root vs. leaf and stem vs. leaf, respectively. Besides, photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction and metabolism and biosynthesis of sugar and amino acids were changed in different tissues. We obtained 446,568 unigenes in Korean arborvitae and 11,890, 5,900 and 10,136 DEGs from the comparison of root vs. stem, root vs. leaf and stem vs. leaf, respectively. These results will aid in understanding and carrying out future studies on the molecular basis of Korean arborvitae and contribute to future artificial production and applications.
Statistical Properties of Human Response Delay: Analysis of Virtual Stick Balancing Experiments

The present work reports the results of our experiments aimed at estimating the distribution of the response delay time in human intermittent control over unstable mechanical systems. A novel experimental paradigm: balancing an overdamped inverted pendulum was used; the overdamping eliminates the eﬀects of inertia and, therefore, reduces the dimensionality of the system. The created simulator of balancing a virtual pendulum by a human operator via computer mouse movement makes the pendulum (stick) invisible when the angle between it and the upward position is less than 5 o . It enabled us to measure directly the delay time as the time lag between the moment when the pendulum becomes visible and the moment when a subject starts to move the mouse. Eight persons (male students) were involved in the experiments. The collected experimental data are presented in the form of the delay time histograms. For the analyzed system it is demonstrated, in particular, that ( i ) the response delay time may be treated as a random variable distributed within a wide interval. Its lower boundary is estimated as less than 50 ms, which corresponds to the limit delay time determined by human physiology. The upper boundary is estimated as 500–600 ms, which is about typical values of the response delay time when a controlled system exhibits complex dynamics. Besides, the obtained results enable us to hypothesize that the response delay in human intermittent control may be determined by cumulative actions of two distinct mechanisms, automatic and international, endowing it with complex nonlinear properties.
J6.3 GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY PROFILES BASED ON INTERSATELLITE CALIBRATED HIRS MEASUREMENT

The High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar orbiting satellite series has been making routine measurement of the atmosphere for more than thirty years. The HIRS has twenty spectral channels, twelve of which are longwave channels. Among the longwave channels, channels 1-7 are located in the carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption band for measuring temperatures from near surface to stratosphere. Channel 8 is a window channel for surface temperature observation. Channel 9 is in the ozone band. Channel 10 is in the water vapor continuum band. Channels 11 and 12 are designed for measuring water vapor in the midand upper troposphere, respectively. There have been more than a dozen satellites carrying the HIRS instruments in the NOAA polar orbiting satellite series. Due to the independence in the calibration based on individual HIRS instrument’s channel spectral response function along with other factors, biases exist from satellite to satellite. To generate a climate data record, it is important that the intersatellite biases are corrected. To minimize the intersatellite biases, the current study performs an intersatellite calibration based on simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) observations. HIRS measurements from the NOAA series of polar orbiting satellites are calibrated to a baseline satellite to form a homogeneous database for deriving atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles.
The Operational and Financial Hedging Strategies of U.S. High Technology Firms

This paper examines the operational hedging strategies of U.S. high technology firms and how this hedging is related to financial hedging. We use a sample of 216 firm observations, which consist of 108 operationally-hedged high technology firms and a size and industry matched sample of 108 non-operationally-hedged firms. We find that derivatives users are larger and are more R&D intensive than non-derivative users. Our regression analysis results show that operational hedging and financial hedging are complementary. Firms that are geographically diversified have more foreign exchange exposure. However, firms that use financial hedging are able to significantly lower their exchange rate exposure. Finally, our results show that financial hedging adds value for our sample of high technology firms, while operational hedging does not. JEL classification: F23, F21, F31, G32.
A Virtual Supermarket to Assess Cognitive Planning

Patients with diffuse or focal cerebral lesions encounter cognitive planning alteration that interferes with social and professional activities. Standard cognitive tests of detection have some difficulties in predicting what occurs in patients’ everyday life and seem inadequate in terms of sensitivity or specificity. Virtual reality offers the capacity to assess patients in situations close to their daily activities, thanks to the safe and controlled progress of the patients in a virtual environment (VE). Moreover, the introduction of gaming factors may improve the motivation of patients. We present our approach in cognitive planning assessment for patients with Parkinson's disease. We designed a fully textured virtual supermarket (VS) in which the patient can freely move behind a cart and execute precise tasks. During a session, we record all the efficient and inefficient actions of the patient, her/his errors, and her/his regular positions in the VS. We also developed an analysis procedure of all the recorded data. The performances collected among six patients were compared to those of five healthy volunteers in order to validate this approach and to evaluate its sensitivity. Executive function disorders are difficult to categorize. Many studies emphasize the requirement accurate cognitive assessment and rehabilitation cognitive methods relevant to the patient’s real world. We expect that virtual reality techniques should allow significant progress in the prediction of action planning in everyday life. The ecological characteristics of our environment allow further use for be-
atural membranes of Hevea brasiliensis latex as delivery system for asearia sylvestris leaf components lávio

Natural latex from Hevea brasiliensis (Wild. ex A.Juss) Müll. Arg. , Euphorbiaceae, showed angiogenic action and Casearia sylvestris Sw. , Salicaceae, leaf derivatives presented anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities. Therefore, an association of these effects was interesting for wound healing applications. The aims of this study were the development of membranes of natural latex incorporated with C. sylvestris leaf derivatives (ethanolic extract, diterpene concentrated fraction and casearin J), their chemical and physical characterization, and the evaluation of in vitro skin permeation and retention of C. sylvestris bioactive secondary metabolites (diterpenes and phenolic compounds). The membranes were developed mixing hydroethanolic solutions of C. sylvestris derivatives with latex and drying them in a desiccator. They were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, water vapor permeability n vitro retention atural latex membrane and mechanical resistance assays, demonstrating that all membranes were permeable, resistant and homogeneous in surfaces. The permeation and retention assays demonstrated dermal penetration of phenolic compounds for ethanolic extract membrane and of casearin-like clerodane diterpenes for all membranes, indicating that these membranes have great potential for therapeutical application as a topical system for C. sylvestris components releasing. © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open he CC access article under t
Experimental study of Australian sugarcane bagasse pulp permeability

In this experimental study the permeability of Australian bagasse chemical pulps obtained from different bagasse fractions were measured in a simple permeability cell and the results compared to one another as well as to eucalypt, Argentinean bagasse and pine pulps. The pulps were characterised in terms of the permeability parameters, the specific surface area, Sv, and the swelling factor, α. It was found that the bagasse fraction used affects these parameters. Fractionation of whole bagasse prior to pulping produced pulps that have permeability properties that compare favourably with eucalypt pulp. The values of Sv and α for bagasse pulp also depend on whether a constant or a variable Kozeny factor is used.
Effect of Different Date of Sowing and Nitrogen Level on Production of Direct Seeded Rice

A field experiment to evaluate the growth, yield and yield attributing components of direct seeded rice was conducted under different date of sowing and nitrogen level at Dang, Nepal during rainy season from June to September, 2017. The experiment was laid out in to Randomized Complete Block Design with three replication consisting three date of sowing (5 th June, 20 th June and 5 th July) and four level Nitrogen (0 kg N ha -1 , 80 kg N ha -1 , 100 kg N ha -1 and 120 kg N ha -1 ). The results revealed that the 20 th June sowing date recorded the highest plant height (112.2 cm) at the time of harvesting, effective tiller m -2 (225.0), longest panicle length (27.4 cm), grain yield (3.3 t ha -1 ) and straw yield (5.0 t ha -1 ). The sowing date 5 th June recorded the highest sterile grain panicle -1 . Whereas filled grain panicle -1 , thousand grain weight were non-significant with different date of sowing. Regarding the nitrogen level, 120 kg N ha -1 recorded the highest plant height (112.4 cm) at the time of harvesting, effective tillers m -2 (254.9), filled grain panicle -1 (121.5), grain yield (3.2 t ha -1 ) and straw yield (5.3 t ha -1 ). Whereas the thousand grain weight and harvest index were not affected by the different level of Nitrogen. The interaction between the sowing date and nitrogen level showed the significant effect on grain yield and harvest index whereas other parameters showed non-significant relation. The 20 th June with 120 kg N ha -1 recorded the highest grain yield (4.5 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (41.5%).
Reflected self in others: Narcissism as motivation for moral conduct

Past research has found that narcissists strategically show off their superiority by attempting to beat others in performance settings. However, an entirely different way in which narcissists’ can achieve their goal of being superior—of carrying out a desirable behavior that few others perform—is to act morally in a public setting. This social aspect of narcissism would have the outward appearance of being other-oriented but actually stems from a self-centered desire. This study assessed the relationship between narcissism and morality by having participants complete the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and respond to moral scenarios that varied in the opportunity for admiration from others. The results revealed that female narcissists were more eager to conduct moral behavior than male narcissists, although the manipulation of the opportunity for public admiration affected men’s interest in moral conduct more than women’s. This suggests that narcissists’ motivation for moral conduct may depend on gender, perhaps because of different gender norms for prosocial behavior.