Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis and body composition in cervical spinal cord injury: A pilot study

Introduction Body composition assessment in cervical spinal cord injury (c-SCI) individuals is important to monitor the fat free-mass (FFM) loss, due to immobilization, or gain, due to exercise practice. Single frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SF-BIA) is low in cost, simple and easy. Objectives The aims of this study are: to evaluate the concordance between the FFM values obtained using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and the three SF-BIA previous predictive equations; and to test the applicability of the bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA). Methods Twenty-three c-SCI males were divided into two groups: Physically active (PA; n = 13; at least 150 min/week) and non-active individuals (NPA) and were assessed by DXA and SF-BIA simultaneously. Results FFM values were similar between groups PA and NPA. Considering all participants, FFM values obtained by Kocina and Heyward (>11%) and Sun (<15.4%) predictive equations were different when compared to DXA (p < 0.01). However, Buchholz's et al. predictive equation showed FFM values similar to DXA, but presented poor concordance (<7%, p = 0.99; concordance coefficient = 0.85). BIVA showed consistency in ellipse distribution using FFM obtained using Buchholz et al. predictive equation. Conclusions The use of non-specific BIA equations can lead to misinterpretation in FFM values in male c-SCI individuals. Predictive equations for this group need to be developed.
Prediction of elastic displacement response spectra in Europe and the Middle East

Empirical equations are presented for the prediction of displacement response ordinates for damping ratios of 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30% of critical and for response periods up to 4s, using 532 accelerograms from the strong‐motion databank from Europe and the Middle East. The records were all re‐processed and only employed for regressions at periods within the usable range, defined as a fraction of the filter cut‐off and depending on the instrument type (digital or analogue), earthquake magnitude and site class. The equations can be applied to predict the geometric mean displacement and pseudo‐acceleration spectra for earthquakes with moment magnitudes (M) between 5 and 7.6, and for distances up to 100km. The equations also include style‐of‐faulting and site class as explanatory variables. The predictions obtained from these new equations suggest that earlier European equations for spectral displacements underestimate the ordinates at longer periods as a result of severe filtering and the use of the spectral ordinates at periods too close to the filter cut‐off. The results also confirm that the period defining the start of the constant displacement plateau in the Eurocode 8 (EC8) spectrum is excessively short at 2s. The results not only show that the scaling factor defined in EC8 for estimating the spectral ordinates at damping ratios different from 5% of critical are a good general approximation, but also that this scaling varies with magnitude and distance (reflecting the influence of duration) and also displays a mild dependence on response period. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The lived-through experience of the senior teacher: A closer look at a middle management and leadership position in Bahraini public schools

AbstractSenior teachers in Bahraini public schools are a part of the Kingdom’s national educational reform initiatives underway. The main role they play is that of leading and managing a group or cluster of teachers who teach the same subject matter at the same grade level. They are therefore more or less like “department heads”. With advances in education worldwide, the pressure on public schools in Bahrain to improve and raise their quality standards to the level of international best practices has increased. Accompanying this pressure are increased demands on school leaders in general and on senior teachers in particular. Many in leadership positions, however, tend to struggle in times of change dominated by educational reform. This phenomenological study examined how senior teachers see themselves as professional leaders and how they construct their identities in their schools, the educational spaces which constitute for them contexts of changes and flux. The results indicated a positive lived-through.
Inverse problems for the connection Laplacian

We reconstruct a Riemannian manifold and a Hermitian vector bundle with compatible connection from the hyperbolic Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with the wave equation of the connection Laplacian. The boundary data is local and the reconstruction is up to the natural gauge transformations of the problem. As a corollary we derive an elliptic analogue of the main result which solves a Calderon problem for connections on a cylinder.
Individual Tree and Stand Level Influences on the Growth, Vigor, and Decline of Red Oaks in the Ozarks

Repeated oak decline and mortality events have occurred in the Ozark region for decades and probably longer. We sampled an age sequence of 1,259 black and scarlet oaks (Quercus velutina Lam. and Quercus coccinea Muench.) to better describe the process of oak decline and mortality in the red oak group (subgenera Erythrobalanus). Trend in basal area increment (BAI) over the most recent 40 years was used to establish three vigor classes for trees with decreasing, stable, or increasing growth (Declining, Stable ,o r Healthy). We compared crown condition measures with absolute BAI and boundary line BAI, a measure of radial growth adjusted for tree size. A pulse of mortality was found to occur just subsequent to the most recent drought, although decline often started decades previously. Time series of individual tree BAI suggests that half of all oak decline events were incited by one or two drought-related step-changes in growth and variance. Predisposing factors to decline generally showed significant but weak relationships with crown conditions. Surviving oaks growing in high-mortality stands had poorer crown conditions and grew more slowly than trees in low-mortality stands. When recently dead trees were accounted for, the same high-mortality stands had significantly greater predecline basal area and stocking than low-mortality stands. Thus, a less competitive growth environment may afford some buffer to drought stress before oak decline but does not appear to help afflicted stands improve their growth and vigor. FOR . S CI. 54(1):8-20.
Muslim Consumers’ Attitudes toward the Advertisement of Non-certified Coffee Shops

ABSTRACT In Malaysia, the Halal logo and certification has a significant religious cue that might peripherally generate a favourable attitude towards advertisement among Muslims. Prior findings have stated that Islamic religious symbol influenced Muslim consumers’ favourable attitude towards the advertising. Advertisements that portray value positions consistent with the intended consumers are likely to be more influential than advertisements that portray inconsistent values. This study intends to examine the relationship of consumers’ attitude functions (utilitarian, value-expressive, ego-defensive, knowledge), attitude towards advertising and purchase intention toward non-certified coffee shops amongst Muslim Postgraduate students in Malaysia. This study applied the Functional Theory of Attitudes to support this framework. Data were collected through self-administered surveys and a total of 242 usable responses were accepted for the purpose of this study. The results of this study show that the value expressive and utilitarian propositions significantly influence consumers’ attitudes toward the advertisement of non-certified coffee shops, whereas attitude towards advertising has a significant impact on purchase intention. Keywords: Attitude functions; attitude towards advertising; purchase intention; consumer behaviour ABSTRAK Di Malaysia, logo Halal mempunyai petanda agama yang boleh melahirkan sikap suka terhadap iklan dalam kalangan orang Islam. Kajian terdahulu telah menemukan simbol keagamaan mempengaruhi sikap suka terhadap iklan. Nilai iklan yang selari dengan nilai diri seseorang akan mudah mempengaruhi sikapnya berbanding dengan nilai yang tidak selari dengan dirinya. Kajian ini ingin mengkaji hubungan di antara perletakan nilai pengguna (utilitarian, nilai ekspresif, ego-pertahanan, pengetahuan), sikap terhadap iklan dan keinginan membeli terhadap kedai kopi yang tidak disijilkan ke atas pelajar pascasiswazah yang beragama Islam di Malaysia. Kajian ini menggunakan "Teori Fungsional Sikap" (Functional Theory of Attitudes) untuk menyokong rangka kerja. Data dikumpul menerusi tinjauan kaji selidik dan 242 respon telah diterima untuk tujuan kajian ini. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa dua fungsi perletakan nilai: nilai ekspresif dan utilitarian berkadar langsung mempengaruhi sikap pengguna terhadap iklan kedai kopi yang tidak disijilkan. Manakala, sikap terhadap iklan mempunyai kesan penting terhadap keinginan membeli. Kata kunci: Perletakan nilai; sikap terhadap iklan; keinginan membeli; perlakuan pengguna
Application of Full Factorial Design in Optimization of Solvent-Free Microwave Extraction of Ginger Essential Oil

The solvent-free microwave extraction of essential oil from ginger was optimized using a 23 full factorial design in terms of oil yield to determine the optimum extraction conditions. Sixteen experiments were carried out with three varying parameters, extraction time, microwave power, and type of sample for two levels of each. A first order regression equation best fits the experimental data. The predicted values calculated by the regression model were in good agreement with the experimental values. The results showed that the extraction time is the most prominent factor followed by microwave power level and sample type for extraction process. An average of 0.25% of ginger oil can be extracted using current setup. The optimum conditions for the ginger oil extraction using SFME were the extraction time 30 minutes, microwave power level 640 watts, and sample type, crushed sample. Solvent-free microwave extraction proves a green and promising technique for essential oil extraction.
Remineralization Potential of Grape Seed Versus Amorphous Calciumphosphate-Nanoparticles on Sound and Caries Affected Dentin

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the remineralization potential of grape seed extract versus amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles on sound and caries affected dentin.Materials and methods: Grape seed extract powder (GSE) was added to Clearfil SE primer with a concentration of 0.5 wt% to obtain primer + GSE while nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) were incorporated into the Clearfil SE adhesive at mass fractions of 20% to obtain adhesive + NACP. Class V cavity preparation was prepared on the anterior teeth of fifteen white rabbits. Rabbits were divided into three main groups according to the type of material used Group A (primer + GSE) Group B (adhesive + NACP), Group C (sodium fluoride NAF as positive control). Each group was subdivided into two subgroups according to type of substrate in which right side was act as sound dentin while left side was act as artificial caries affected dentin. After 10 days the dentin was examined using EDX analysis to determine amount of calcium and phosphorus in each sample. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between mineral content of different materials compared with positive control group for both sound and caries affected dentin. Conclusion: - Grape seed extract and nano amorphous calcium phosphate
Influence of Co-morbidities During SARS-CoV-2 Infection in an Indian Population

Background Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic the interindividual variability in the course of the disease has been reported, indicating a wide range of factors influencing it. Factors which were the most often associated with increased COVID-19 severity include higher age, obesity and diabetes. The influence of cytokine storm is complex, reflecting the complexity of the immunological processes triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. A modern challenge such as a worldwide pandemic requires modern solutions, which in this case is harnessing the machine learning for the purpose of analysing the differences in the clinical properties of the populations affected by the disease, followed by grading its significance, consequently leading to creation of tool applicable for assessing the individual risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Biochemical and morphological parameters values of 5,000 patients (Curisin Healthcare (India) were gathered and used for calculation of eGFR, SII index and N/L ratio. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient formula was used for assessment of correlations between each of the features in the population and the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Feature importance was evaluated by fitting a Random Forest machine learning model to the data and examining their predictive value. Its accuracy was measured as the F1 Score. Results The parameters which showed the highest correlation coefficient were age, random serum glucose, serum urea, gender and serum cholesterol, whereas the highest inverse correlation coefficient was assessed for alanine transaminase, red blood cells count and serum creatinine. The accuracy of created model for differentiating positive from negative SARS-CoV-2 cases was 97%. Features of highest importance were age, alanine transaminase, random serum glucose and red blood cells count. Conclusion The current analysis indicates a number of parameters available for a routine screening in clinical setting. It also presents a tool created on the basis of these parameters, useful for assessing the individual risk of developing COVID-19 in patients. The limitation of the study is the demographic specificity of the studied population, which might restrict its general applicability.
Comparing Students' Scratch Skills with Their Computational Thinking Skills in Terms of Different Variables

This study aimed to compare 5th graders’ scores obtained from Scratch projects developed in the framework of Information Technologies and Software classes via Dr Scratch web tool with the scores obtained from Computational Thinking Levels Scale and to examine this comparison in terms of different variables. Correlational research model was utilized in the study that 31 students participated in. Students were taught basic programming by using Scratch during a 6-week period. At the end of training, students’ programming skills were measured via Dr. Scratch web tool. Computational thinking skills were measured using Computational Thinking Levels Scale which includes 5 factors: creativity, problem solving, algorithmic thinking, collaboration and critical thinking. Data were analyzed for internal reliability to calculate scale reliability. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.809. It was found that scores obtained by students by using any of the measurement tools did not differ according to gender or period of computer use, however, a high level significant relationship was observed between students’ programming skills with Scratch and their computational thinking skills.
TURBULENT CHARACTERISTICS OF SHALLOW FLOW OVER ROUGH SURFACE WITH REGULARLY ARRAYED SPHERES

Turbulent nature of near-bed flow field was investigated in an open channel over a rough-bed artificially arrayed with glass beads, where ratios of the glass diameter to flow depth are 0.3, 0.5 and 0.8. Detailed spatial measurements of streamwise and vertical velocity fluctuations were made using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in a vertical plane along the completely rough bed surface. Results indicated significant degrees of spatially regular variation in the time-averaged velocities, in which the upflow generated over upper region of roughness top is about 8% of the cross sectional average velocity, much stronger than the downflow. In addition, Reynolds shear stress and turbulent intensity showed minimum values at the ridge of roughness elements and maximum ones at the trough. These organized flow structure were suggested to be due to the vortex shedding brought about by the roughness elements. Keywords: turbulent characteristics, bed-flow, streamwise, velocity, roughness
Saving-Investment Relationship and Capital Mobility:Evidence from Chinese Provincial Data, 1980—2007

Panel data for individual Chinese provinces from 1980 to 2007 was used to estimate the saving-investment model used by Feldstein and Horioka (1980), shed light on changes to China's domestic capital mobility since the adoption of the Open Door Policy, and determine whether there has been any increase in mobility since 2000. High capital mobility was observed through the first half of the 1980s followed by low capital mobility during the 1990s. Capital mobility began to gradually increase again around 1996, reaching levels similar to those of other leading industrialized countries in the 2000s.
Problem definition as a stimulus to the creative process: analysis of a classroom exercise

Dealing with problem-solving has been a growing challenge in teaching engineering and over the career of these professionals. To increase the ability to understand a problem and consequently improve the quality of the solutions, an exercise was proposed to students of an MBA program, and they have experienced some challenges on interpreting briefing and procedures, to improve creativity and ability on solving problems. The implicit goal was to deal with the understanding of procedures to perform activities in a company and the exercise showed different ways of communicating a scenario and, consequently, different reactions depending upon the briefing. Preliminary results of the exercise indicated that the higher the degree of uncertainty on the problem definition or on an activity description, the more often association is attempted through individual repertoire, covering more varied options. In the case of a tight briefing, the creative effort appears to be overlapped by the execution of simple operations, resulting on a deviation from the required goal. Through a brief theoretical framework, this essay intends to validate these perceptions and increase the use of techniques that improve creative and problem-solving capacity in product design and development.
Potential of biogas production in an anaerobic digester solar assisted

This article discusses an installation of anaerobic biodigestion aided by a heating system using solar energy to maintain the temperature inside the digester above the ambient temperature and thus increase the production of methane which can be used as fuel. The facility is located in Mexico City. In experimental tests a temperature difference of 10.14 ° C between the temperature inside the digester and room temperature was obtained. These results imply a potential for improvement in the production of biogas and methane yield of 16.6%. This improvement was achieved due to the use of the solar collector. The implementation of this technology involves stop issuing 13983.15 kg (CO2) per year for a 150 l digester volume operation.
Low-Frequency Unsteadiness of Shock Wave/Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions

Shock wave/boundary layer interactions occur in a wide range of supersonic internal and external flows, and often these interactions are associated with turbulent boundary layer separation. The resulting separated flow is associated with large-scale, low-frequency unsteadiness whose cause has been the subject of much attention and debate. In particular, some researchers have concluded that the source of low-frequency motions is in the upstream boundary layer, whereas others have argued for a downstream instability as the driving mechanism. Owing to substantial recent activity, we are close to developing a comprehensive understanding, albeit only in simplified flow configurations. A plausible model is that the interaction responds as a dynamical system that is forced by external disturbances. The low-frequency dynamics seem to be adequately described by a recently proposed shear layer entrainment-recharge mechanism. Upstream boundary layer fluctuations seem to be an important source of disturbances, but the evidence suggests that their impact is reduced with increasing size of the separated flow.
Prevalence of clinical, immunological and irological failure among children on Haart at the university teaching hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

Background : There is increasing evidence that the current clinical and immunological monitoring tools are not sufficient to identify early enough patients who are failing on treatment. Development of resistance to the limited treatment options for children and premature switching are the dangers. The objective of this study was to review patient records to see how well WHO staging, CD4 profiles and viral load estimations relate in children on treatment at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). Methods : A retrospective chart review of all children aged between 0-19 years that started treatment between January 2004 and Dec 2010 was carried out at the UTH. Systematic sampling was done of every second child who received HAART for more than 24 weeks, with at least one viral load (VL) reading beyond 24 weeks of treatment. Six-monthly clinical (WHO staging) immunological (age- related CD4 count/%) and virological data were collected until last follow-up review or five years on treatment. The 2010 Zambian Pediatric Guidelines were used to gauge age-related clinical, immunological and virological failure (VL> 1,000). Results : A total of 517 patient records were reviewed (table 1). Mean age at ART initiation was 7 years ((SD 4.7yrs). Mean time after ART initiation when first viral load test was done was 2.7 years (SD 1.5yrs). Of all the viral loads done, 64% (328) had a routine indication for patients on treatment nearing the 3 year mark (mean 2.7 years). In 40% of children the first viral load test result was above 1,000 after 24 weeks or more of treatment. A total of 482 patients had WHO staging done at the time first VL test was done. Of the 359 patients (table 2) with a clinical stage I/II (not severely immunosuppressed), 41% were failing virologically. On the other hand, 63% of the patients with clinical stage III/IV had a VL below 1,000. Table 3 shows that there were 509 patients who had an immunological staging done at the time first VL was done. Of the 106 patients who were failing immunologically, 28% were virologically well suppressed. On the other hand of the 403 who were immunologically doing fine, 32% were failing virologically. Conclusions : Clinical staging and Immunological monitoring in children on ART does not accurately identify those that are failing. A push for routine, affordable virological testing is needed to identify treatment failures early to prevent development of ART resistance and to avoid premature switches to second line in those who are actually well suppressed.