Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-sectional study of child malnutrition and associated risk factors among children aged under five in West Bengal, India

Using a cross-sectional study of 485 sample households in 2013, the present paper examines the prevalence and risk factors of child malnutrition among children under the age of five in West Bengal, India. As a part of this investigation, children’s underweight status, wasting, and stunting were examined in order to determine child nutritional status using the WHO growth standard. We performed bivariate analyses in order to elucidate differentials in nutritional indices and fitted multinomial logistic regression models to examine the net effect of different socio-economic factors on the likelihood of child malnutri-tion. Analysis results revealed stunting (51%) as the most common form of malnutrition among children aged under five, followed by underweight status (41%), and wasting (22%). Gender discrimination among children increases with age, whereby girls are more deprived (as measured by nutritional indic-es) compared to boys later in childhood relative to younger ages. Results from multinomial analyses re-veal age, religion, caste, and birth-order of the child as significant predictors of child’s nutritional status.
Occurrence and Control of Strawberry Powdery Mildew in Al-Shoubak/ Jordan

Powdery mildew of strawberry caused by the fungus Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae was found in AlShoubak area under glasshouse conditions. White superficial fungal growth was more abundant on the lower than the upper leaf surface and no cleistothecia were noticed on any plant parts. Top leaves were more susceptible than middle or bottom leaves. Strawberry cultivars Albion and Camarosa were artificially inoculated with the fungus under growth room conditions. Disease incidence and severity were 46.7% and 50.8% in cv. Albion and significantly different from that (1.6% and 5.2%, respectively) in cv. Camarosa. In vitro leaflet bioassays and a runner-tip plantlet experiment were done to assess the influence of some fungicides and resistance-inducing chemicals in controlling the disease. Canvil was significantly effective in controlling the disease while sulfur, Triadimefon, Mycozim and Punch were only effective at the high application rates. Both calcium chloride at 1 g/l and hydrogen peroxide at 10 mM were effective in controlling powdery mildew on strawberry.
The Use of Social Marketing and Modern Technology in the Approach to Internalized Problems

Miranda Novak1, Katarina Kavić2 1Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet, Odsjek za poremećaje u ponašanju, Zagreb, 2Centar za odgoj i obrazovanje Velika Gorica, Velika Gorica, Hrvatska 1Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Behavioural Disorders University Campus Borongaj, Zagreb, 2Centre for Upbringing and Education Velika Gorica, Velika Gorica, Croatia
A well-posed hysteresis model for flows in porous media and applications to fingering effects

We investigate flow problems in unsaturated porous media with hysteresis effects in the capillary pressure relation. The model expands the Richards equation, gravity is included and the space dimension is arbitrary. The hysteresis model has been suggested by experimentalists, static hysteresis is incorporated with a play-type model and additional dynamic effects are included. We propose a Galerkin scheme for these equations, show the convergence of the corresponding approximate solutions and the existence of weak solutions to the original problem. We include numerical results that show the effect of gravity driven fingering in porous media.
Deep structure of the Southern Apennines as imaged by active and passive seismic data along the CROP-04 (crustal) reflection seismic profile

We combine active and passive seismic data to reconstruct a coherent picture of the deep crust beneath the Southern Apennines orogen. The Southern Apennines collisional setting is characterized by deep structural complexities, which have been here investigated through different seismic data from both active and passive surveys. Several geological reconstructions have been carried out in the last two decades to interpret the detected substructures, but failed to provide a univocal interpretation of the Apennine roots. At present, strong disagreements exist among geologists about the tectonic style of the chain in that portion of the Italian peninsula. In this study, we ﬁrst combine ﬁve passive seismic datasets from the overall available literature and we then project them at relative depths on a co-located active seismic proﬁle (CROP-04). The general aim of the study is to shed light on the Southern Apennines structure at depths greater than 25 km, where, through the adopted approach, an approximate shape of the lower crust and upper mantle structure can be delineated. Our results indicate the following: (1) during the Adriatic slab retreat, the crust along the Tyrrhenian margin was only marginally thinned (Moho depth about 28–30 km), much less than along the Tyrrhenian coast of the Northern Apennines and Calabria (where Moho depth has been found at 20–25 km); (2) the subduction process has locally been stationary for a long time, leading to the complete eclogitization of the subducted crust and total regeneration of the Tyrrhenian Moho; (3) subduction fluids underwent a complete migration out of the mantle wedge, as testified by the high velocities found in the upper mantle below the Moho in the Tyrrhenian region (observed nowhere else in the Apennine subduction setting). Thematic collection: This article is part of the ‘Apennines and Tyrrhenian system’ collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection. org/cc/the-apennines-tyrrhenian-system
Seasonal dynamics and phytoplankton diversity in high mountain lakes (Jöri lakes, Swiss Alps)

The development of the phytoplankton in two years with very distinct weather situations was compared. In 1996, the ice on Jori Lake III melted in mid June, summer stratification persisted during two months, and ice began to build up again in mid October. In 1997, the ice melted only at the end of July, which strongly influenced the development of the phytoplankton. Stratification persisted during two months and the lake froze up towards the end of October. The average chlorophyll-a concentrations were lower in 1996 than in 1997, which reflects the rather high temperatures and stable weather conditions in 1997 after the late melting of the ice. These observations lead us to suggest that the duration of the ice-free season is less decisive for biomass production than the weather conditions during this period. However, the date and duration of melting of the lake ice strongly influence the development of algal species that are typically observed in early season.
Fish‐scale pit effects on erosion and water runoff dynamics when positioned on a soil slope in the Loess Plateau region, China

Soil moisture construction is a very important way to reduce soil erosion and maintain crop growth in arid and semiarid regions of China. A microcatchment technique for soil erosion prevention widely used on soil slopes on the Loess Plateau are fish‐scale pits (FSPs). This technique is combined with afforestation techniques to store runoff, interrupt the dynamics of soil erosion, and help mitigate frequent water deficiencies encountered by forest trees. This study investigated the effects of FSPs on soil erosion dynamics including rill formation and runoff. A three‐dimensional (3D) laser scanner was used to evaluate the erosion resistance of a 15° slope treated with FSPs arranged in a triangular pattern and the hydraulic characteristics of the flow on this slope during several intermittent simulated rainfall events. The following results were obtained. (a) The FSP‐treated slope displayed eight progressive stages of erosion: splash erosion, sheet erosion, scouring by water streams, formation of the scour pits, rill erosion, down‐slope erosion, up‐slope erosion, and collapse of the pit walls. (b) As the rainfall duration increased, the runoff velocities at various locations on the slope fluctuated, but generally, the runoff velocities were significantly higher in the down‐slope positions than for the midslope and upslope positions. When the cumulative rainfall duration reached approximately 58 min and the total rainfall reached approximately 88.5 mm, the ability of the FSPs to intercept and store runoff rapidly decreased. In the first two rainfall events, both the runoff reduction benefits (RRB) and sediment reduction benefits (SRB) were positive, but following the third rainfall event, the SRB and RRB of the FSPs were negative. The accuracy of erosion parameters extracted using the 3D laser equipment and the ArcGIS software in comparison with the measured rill erosion parameters all less than 10%. The relative error between the measured sediment and the calculated sediment is within 5.66–22.13%. (c) During the rainfall process, the flow on the upslope was constantly in the laminar regime, but after the FSPs were completely filled with water, the laminar flow on the downslope transitioned into a turbulent flow. (d) As the cumulative rainfall duration increased, the degree of topographic relief and the number of rills increased, as did the measurements of surface roughness and flow resistance. In conclusion, the microcatchment methods reduced the rill erodibility and enhanced the soil's resistance to concentrated flow erosion.
On Food Price Implications from Expanded Bioenergy Production

Bioenergy has been put forward as a solution to energy security and at the same time to climate change. It is, however, dependent on productive agricultural land, which is a limited resource. Introduction of bioenergy on a large scale will thus compete with food production and natural forests for productive land, a competition expected to affect food prices. In this thesis I focus on poverty nourishment issues related to changing food prices and on the mechanisms of land-use competition and how they affect food prices. In the first paper we use two established indicators for poverty and sensitivity to food-price changes, to capture peoples' vulnerability to rising food-prices, in four Sub-Sahara African countries/regions. In contrast to previous studies, we include all food products instead of just one or a few main staples. We found that the vast majority of people are net consumers of food and that the inclusion of more than main staples increases their net position as consumers and thus vulnerability to high food prices. In paper two and three a conceptual and transparent partial equilibrium model of global land-use competition is developed, analyzed and applied. The model is to a large degree analytically explored and price differentials between crops are derived. The model is subjected to a detailed characterization of its mechanisms and parameters in which parameters that are critical to results and conclusions from the model are detected and their impacts depicted. We conclude that the total amount of productive agricultural area is of crucial importance to the price impacts from large-scale introduction of bioenergy. Yields of bioenergy crops are also important since they determine the amount of land required to produce the bioenergy.
Patent Activity of Start-Ups and the Structuring of Venture Lending Contracts

This paper empirically examines the effect of patents on capital costs in venture lending contracts. Based on a proprietary dataset entailing 119 venture lending contracts issued by a European venture lending fund between 2002 and 2009 in Europe, the United States, and Israel, we conduct the first quantitative empirical analysis on venture lending as an innovative form of financing for entrepreneurial firms. Our results show that the presence of at least one granted or pending patent negatively influences direct (credit spread) and indirect (warrant coverage) costs of venture lending contracts. Thus, the presence of patents conveys information and is a signal of quality to the payoff distribution of the venture loans. Furthermore, we show that the company development stage negatively influences the relation between patents and capital costs, i.e., in later stages, patents seem to represent a less relevant quality signal than in earlier stages.
Effects of Different Surface Treatments on the Bond Strength of CAD/CAM Resin Nano Ceramic or Ceromer to Resin Cement

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different surface treatments on the micro-tensile bond strength (MTBS) of two different indirect restoration materials ( resin nano ceramic CAD/CAM material [Lava Ultimate, 3M ESPE]; ceromer material [Estenia CB group 2 (acid etching [A]); group 3 (acid etching + universal adhesive [AA]); group 4 (sandblasting [S]); and group 5 (sandblasting + universal adhesive [SA]). The prepared specimens were cemented to composite parts (Filtek Z250 Universal Restorative, 3M ESPE ) of the same size using dual-cure adhesive resin cement (Panavia F2.0, Kuraray Medical). A total, 100 bar-shaped specimens (6×1×1 mm) were cut using a low-speed diamond saw ( n =10 in each group). The MTBS test was performed in all groups (Shimadzu AG-50 kNG, Kyoto, Japan, 1 mm/min) . Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s multiple comparison tests at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The MTBS values were significantly influenced by the type of restorative material and surface treatment (p<0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the materials and surface treatments procedures (p<0.05). For Lava Ultimate and Estenia C&B materials, the highest MTBS value was obtained in the SA surface treatment (p<0.05) and the lowest MTBS value was obtained in the control groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: The application of silane-containing universal adhesive material after sandblasting was the ideal surface treatment for both materials.
Research Issues Surrounding Holocaust Survivors: Adaptability and Aging

The thesis of this article is that, in spite of a large body of literature on the subject, a significant need exists for sociological research on the long-term consequences of the trauma experienced by survivors of Nazi concentration camps. Most of what is known about the adjustment of Holocaust survivors is based upon limited case histories of survivors who sought psychiatric aid, or requested assistance in qualifying for indemnification payments from the German government. The social and psychological dynamics of successful adjustment to life after the traumatic Holocaust experience by the majority of survivors has largely been ignored. Reasons for this oversight are discussed, and several areas of further research are suggested.
Subseasonal‐to‐Seasonal Predictability of the Southern Hemisphere Eddy‐Driven Jet During Austral Spring and Early Summer

Several recent studies have suggested that the stratosphere can be a source of subseasonal‐to‐seasonal predictability of Southern Hemisphere circulation during the austral spring and early summer seasons, through its influence on the zonal‐mean eddy‐driven jet. We exploit the large sample size afforded by the hindcasts from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Integrated Forecast System to address a number of unanswered questions. It is shown that the picture of coherent seasonal variability of the coupled stratosphere‐troposphere system apparent from the reanalysis record during the spring/early summer period is robust to sampling uncertainty and that there is evidence of nonlinearity in the case of the most extreme variations. The effect of El Niño–Southern Oscillation on the eddy‐driven jet during this time of year is found to occur via the stratosphere, with no evidence of a direct tropospheric pathway. A simple two‐state statistical model of the stratospheric vortex is introduced to estimate the subseasonal‐to‐seasonal predictability associated with shifts of the seasonal cycle in the Southern Hemisphere extratropical atmosphere. This simple model, along with a more general model, is subsequently used to interpret skill scores associated with hindcasts made using the full seasonal forecast system. Together, the results provide evidence of tropospheric predictability on subseasonal‐to‐seasonal timescales during this time of year from at least as early as 1 August and show no evidence of a “signal‐to‐noise paradox” between the hindcasts and the reanalysis.
Separate but Equal:The Black Racial Classification in the Canadian Blood System

In this thesis, I explore the African, Caribbean, and Black communities— as it pertains directly to the Black racial classification— and their place within the Canadian blood donation system. The aim is to explore the ways in which the legacy of risk, the Black racial classification, pathology, and associations with disease may be manifested in donation policies and procedures (current and retired). Precisely, my interest lies in the subtle and diffuse ways in which Negrophobia (and its variant racism) survive in blood donation in spite of putative efforts to neutralize it. I undertook this study with the aim to fill a noticeable gap in the literature, by providing knowledge on the ways in which racial stereotypes can be disseminated discursively through institutionalized health policies. As data sources, I used explicitly publicly accessible national (and international) document materials on blood donation. With a critical discourse analysis methodology, the evidence presented demonstrate that under the guise of valuefreedom, blood donation guidelines have the ability to reinforce dangerous assumptions providing a rationale for Negrophobic beliefs, behaviours and policies within the blood system. Studying blood donation in this manner offers evidence for the ways in which health institutions continue to treat Black populations based on racial stereotypes. This exceptional attention to the Black racial classification in blood donation provides important insights into the understanding of the lasting and plagued relationship that Black peoples have had with the scientific community, illustrating that institutionalized Negrophobia may remain imbedded despite decades of sociopolitical and medical progress.
Genetic basis of prostate cancer: Association studies

Summary. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy in men. This paper reviews the results of previous work of the study group PROSTATSERBIA. In the candidate gene association study at the beginning of our research, we tested the association between several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NOS3 gene and PCa risk and/or progression. In a population-based case-control study, we explored the possible association between PCa risk and seven SNPs identified by genome-wide association analyses (GWASs) in two chromosomal regions (8q24 and 17q12). For the first time in a European population, microRNA genetic variants and genetic variants in RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) genes have been analyzed for their potential association with PCa.
Factors Influencing Tuberculosis Medication Adherence in a Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria

Background: Adherence to tuberculosis medication has been shown to be a major determinant of tuberculosis treatment outcomes. Objectives: This study was done to determine the extent of association between the level of adherence and factors influencing TB medication adherence; and the impact of a cognitive intervention. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a three-sectioned questionnaire was used to determine and evaluate the effect of the factors on TB medication adherence in 272 patients between July 2010 and June 2012. Data analysis was done with the aid of SPSS software version 16, Chicago, Illinois. Results: The adherence level of the respondents was 70.3% from patient records. The factors significantly associated with TB medication adherence were: patient, social and health service factors (p<0.05). Knowledge level was a predictor of tuberculosis medication adherence (7 times). A cognitive intervention was done, resulting in a positive impact, where patient's average TB knowledge score was 1.81 ± 0.18 and 3.86 ± 0.08 out of 4, pre- and post-intervention respectively. Statistical analysis also showed a significant difference between preand post-cognitive intervention: P < 0.001. Conclusion: Patients with a high knowledge level of TB are more likely to adhere to taking their medications. Therefore, further cognitive interventions can be made to improve adherence and other treatment outcomes.
Hydrographic and biological controls in two subarctic fjords: an environmental case study of how climate change could impact phytoplankton communities

Over the past 50 yr, Alaska has warmed at more than twice the rate of the rest of the United States so that climate change impacts are much more pronounced in this region. Simpson and Sheep Bays are pristine fjords in Prince William Sound which differ significantly in terms of size and bathymetry, watershed topography and presence of alpine glaciers. During summers in 2006 to 2008, we investigated the relationship between hydrography and phytoplankton ecology. We found phytoplankton standing stocks and productivity were higher in Simpson relative to Sheep Bay. Phytoplankton physiology (measured with a fluorescence induction and relaxation system) was not significantly different (p > 0.05) in the 2 fjords: FV/FM = 0.32 to 0.67, σPSII = 141 to 391 Å2 quanta−1, τQa = 125 to 1020 μs, and p = 0.06 to 0.39. Resource (also known as nutrient) limitation assays revealed a gradient of nutrient co-limitation (NSi to NP, respectively) from the delta to the mouth in Simpson Bay. Phytoplankton dynamics were found to be driven by wind mixing and nutrient upwelling which fueled productivity in the upper water column. A comparison of temperature/salinity profiles measured in the present study with those in 1996/1997 revealed a decadal change in hydrography. Both fjords exhibited deep vertical gradients indicative of moderate vertical mixing in 1996/1997, while those measured in 2007/2008 were shallow, with significant stratification. These changes in hydrography, associated with climate change at these high latitudes, will likely lower phytoplankton productivity due to decreased reintroduction of nutrients to surface waters. Consequences to higher trophic levels of reduced food supply require further investigation, including food web and modeling studies.
Irrigation pools as macroinvertebrate habitat in a semi-arid agricultural landscape ( SE Spain )

The intensification of agriculture has resulted in the loss of many aquatic ecosystems in southern Europe. Despite this, the construction of irrigation pools and reservoirs to retain the water necessary for intensive cultivation may also provide new habitats for macroinvertebrates. The biotic and abiotic attributes of 40 such reservoirs in south-eastern Spain were studied to determine the presence of macroinvertebrates, and to discover if there is such a thing as an optimal design of an artificial pond for maximizing macroinvertebrate richness. A total of 72 macroinvertebrate taxa belonging to 38 families were recorded from the pools examined. Pools constructed with low-density polyethylene covered with sand and stones contained a significantly greater species richness, abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates than those constructed with high-density plastic materials. The treatment with algicide, and the presence of emergent and submerged vegetation, accounted for most of the deviance when modelling species richness by means of logistic regression. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.