Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seroprevalence and Absence of Cytomegalovirus Infection Risk Factorsamong Pregnant Women in St. PaulÃ¢ÂÂs Hospital Millennium MedicalCollege

Background: The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the major causes of congenital infections. Maternal infection poses the risk of congenital CMV infection and occurs in 0.5%-22% of all life births. CMV is more widespread in developing countries and in communities with lower socioeconomic status. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of CMV infection and identify risk factors of CMV seropositivity. Method: Using cross sectional study design a total of 200 pregnant women were consecutively recruited from ANC attendees from June to July 2014. Blood samples were collected from all study participants and structured questionnaire was introduced to gather socio-demographic and risk factor related data. ELISA was used to detect anti-CMV IgG and IgM. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data, and regression was also applied to see the strength of association. Results: Out of 200 participants CMV-IgG and CMV-IgM were detected from 177 (88.5%), and 31 (15.5%) respectively. Women who were immune/positive only for IgG were 147 (73.5%). The second group was those who had primary infection {IgG (+) plus IgM (+)} and this consisted of 30 (15.0%) participants. Eleven percent of those participants had no anti-CMV infection. In the last category, one pregnant woman was identified as having a recent primary infection. There was no statistical significant factor detected between CMV positivity rate with any obstetrical, and socio-demographical characteristic (P-value<0.05). Conclusion: This study provides recent information regarding CMV seroprevalence. Despite the high rate of seropositivity, the importance of CMV testing during pregnancy should not be undermined. A comprehensive study with a long term follow-up examination of pregnant women and their offspring born to CMV IgM-positive mothers may be required for estimation of symptomatic congenital infection.
Local Embeddedness, Upgrading and Skill Development: Global Value Chains and Foreign Direct Investment in Lesotho's Apparel Industry

Many low-income countries (LICs) are integrated into apparel global value chains (GVCs) through foreign direct investment (FDI). This is also the case in Lesotho, which developed into the largest Sub-Sahara African (SSA) apparel exporter to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). More recently, a new apparel export market opportunity has emerged in Lesotho, that of the regional market of South Africa. The two export markets, the US and South Africa, are supplied by different types of FDI firms, affiliates of largely Taiwanese transnational producers and of South African manufacturers that are incorporated into distinct value chains. This paper assesses the implications for upgrading integration into these two value chains in Lesotho, the first value chain characterized by Taiwanese investment and feeding into the US market under AGOA and the second characterized by South African investment and feeding into the South African market. These value chains differ with regard to ownership patterns, end markets, export products, governance structures and firm set-up, investors’ motivations and perceptions on the main challenges. These different characteristics have crucial impacts on upgrading possibilities, including functional, process and ‘local’ upgrading. Thus, from the perspective of upgrading and sustainability, ownership patterns, local embeddedness and market diversification matter. The emergence of South Africa as an alternative end market and the different value chain dynamics operating in the South African retailer-governed value chain open up new opportunities away from those of the AGOA-/Taiwanese-dominated value chain.
The effect of the calculation method, plot size, and stand density on the accuracy of top height estimation in Norway spruce stands

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate top height (TH) estimates for Norway spruce stands calculated according to different computational methods, and to assess the effects of stand density and plot size on TH estimation accuracy. Field data were collected from twelve 1 ha research plots located in even-aged spruce stands. Conventional estimates were found to generally overstate TH. The accuracy of TH estimation was dependent on sample plot size. TH estimation error decreased rapidly with increasing sample plot area, but only up to a certain cut-off point. Errors in TH estimation were also related to local stand density, with low and very high density levels leading to decreased accuracy. The most reliable TH estimates were obtained using the U-estimator method, which is resistant to changes in sample plot size.
EVALUATION OF THE PARAMETERS AFFECTING THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF SOYBEAN OIL

Soybean is grown primarily for its protein content and secondarily for its oil; it is an excellent protein supplement for enriching cereal diet. The primary processing of soybean before oil extraction include cleaning, cracking, flaking and conditioning, these ruptures the oil cells, for efficient extraction. Most modern oil extraction industries use the solvent extraction process and the solvent commonly used is the food grade hexane. In this paper detail experiments were carried out on the various processing parameters affecting the solvent extraction of soybean oil. Among the process factors considered are: particle size, flakes thickness, temperature of extraction, extraction time, flakes and particle moisture content. The results showed that, at a particle size of 2mm, flakes thickness of 0.25mm, moisture content of 12-13%, temperature of 69 0 C and the extraction time between 3½ and 4 ½ hours, the oil yield was maximum.
PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF TINNITUS ON THE ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITH NORMAL HEARING ABILITIES IN IBADAN, OYO STATE NIGERIA

The study sampled 130 elderly listeners comprising 68 males and 72 females, aged between 65 and 74 years and resident in both urban and rural areas of Ibadan metropolis as the participants for the study under a descriptive research design of the ex post facto type. A standardized Tinnitus Research Questionnaire (TRQ) consisting of twenty items with a reliability coefficient of 0.90 was the instrument used for data collection to answer the three research questions and four hypotheses. The data collected based on the research questions were analysed with the use of mean and chi- square, while Pearson’s chi- squared test and Independent t- test were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was discovered that due to tinnitus, majority of the participants experienced concentration difficulty and despair. Majority of them also felt frustrated and manifested some kinds of abnormal behaviour due to tinnitus. However, there was no significant difference between psycho- social reactions of elderly listeners sampled in rural and urban areas. Based on these findings, it was recommended that elderly individuals should avoid exposure to noise, emotional stress, worry and unprescribed drugs; and should be encouraged to go for audiological tests at regular intervals. Keywords : Elderly listeners, hearing abilities, hearing loss, psychosocial reactions,tinnitus
On the skill of raw and post-processed ensemble seasonal meteorological forecasts in Denmark

Abstract. This study analyzes the quality of the raw and post-processed seasonal forecasts of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) System 4. The focus is given to Denmark, located in a region where seasonal forecasting is of special difficulty. The extent to which there are improvements after post-processing is investigated. We make use of two techniques, namely linear scaling or delta change (LS) and quantile mapping (QM), to daily bias correct seasonal ensemble predictions of hydrologically relevant variables such as precipitation, temperature and reference evapotranspiration (ET0). Qualities of importance in this study are the reduction of bias and the improvement in accuracy and sharpness over ensemble climatology. Statistical consistency and its improvement is also examined. Raw forecasts exhibit biases in the mean that have a spatiotemporal variability more pronounced for precipitation and temperature. This variability is more stable for ET0 with a consistent positive bias. Accuracy is higher than ensemble climatology for some months at the first month lead time only and, in general, ECMWF System 4 forecasts tend to be sharper. ET0 also exhibits an underdispersion issue, i.e., forecasts are narrower than their true uncertainty level. After correction, reductions in the mean are seen. This, however, is not enough to ensure an overall higher level of skill in terms of accuracy, although modest improvements are seen for temperature and ET0, mainly at the first month lead time. QM is better suited to improve statistical consistency of forecasts that exhibit dispersion issues, i.e., when forecasts are consistently overconfident. Furthermore, it also enhances the accuracy of the monthly number of dry days to a higher extent than LS. Caution is advised when applying a multiplicative factor to bias correct variables such as precipitation. It may overestimate the ability that LS has in improving sharpness when a positive bias in the mean exists.
ANALYSIS OF FUELWOOD UTILIZATION AMONG RURAL WOMEN IN AKWANGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Not much attention has been given to fuelwood consumption in the rural areas, even though the impact of deforestation is becoming a source of concern to farmers and environmentalists. This study examined the status of fuelwood consumption among rural women in Akwanga Local Area of Nasarawa State. A double stage random sampling techniques were employed in selecting 150 women for the study.Primary data were collected through administration of interview schedules. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise linear Regression model. Majority of the women were aware of existence of other sources of energy but preferred to continue using fuelwood. They had poor knowledge of environmental implications of fuel wood consumption. Income, educational status and household size were the significant factors determining the fuelwood consumption among the rural women.
Stimulatory effects of single low-level irradiations with X-rays on functions of murine peritoneal macrophages

A number of epidemiological and experimental data indicate that exposures to low doses of low-LET ionising radiation may trigger the activity of natural anti-tumour immune mechanisms and inhibit tumour growth. In the present study, we assessed the cytotoxic activity and production of nitric oxide, superoxide anions, and tumour necrosis factor-α in peritoneal macrophages collected from BALB/c mice exposed to single whole-body irradiations with 0.1, 0.2, or 1.0 Gy X-rays. The results indicate that all the tested parameters were significantly up-regulated in macrophages obtained from mice exposed to 0.1 or 0.2 Gy X-rays but not in those collected from the sham-irradiated and 1.0 Gy-exposed animals.
Use of scented hair snares to detect ocelots

Abstract Biologists need a variety of tools to determine the population and genetic status of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), an elusive Neotropical cat that favors dense habitats. We developed and tested a technique that entices ocelots to rub on scented hair snares and uses DNA analysis of the hair to determine species, gender, and individual identity. Twenty-seven (84%) of 32 captive ocelots rubbed against the scented pads. In field tests at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in south Texas, we detected a minimum of 6 ocelots, including at least 3 of 4 radiocollared animals. Using a 6-locus microsatellite analysis, we made individual identification for 10 of 20 samples. Scented hair snares can provide useful information on the population and genetic status of ocelots and identification of key areas and connecting linkages. We suggest that surveys for ocelots deploy 1 station per 25–50 ha and check them every 1–2 weeks.
Hafif Düzeyde Zihinsel Öğrenme Güçlüğü Olan Bir Öğrencinin Okuma Ve Anlama Becerilerini Geliştirmeye Yönelik Nitel Bir Çalışma

Bu arastirma, hafif duzeyde zihinsel ogrenme guclugu olan, Afyonkarahisar Ili Merkez H.A. Y. Ilkogretim Okulu dorduncu sinif ogrencisi on bir yasindaki bir kiz ogrencinin okuma becerileriyle ilgili yetersizliklerinin tespiti ve giderilmesine yonelik olarak gerceklestirilmistir. Ogrencinin uygulama oncesi okuma beceri duzeyini belirlemek icin kisisel degerlendirme formlari ve Yanlis Analizi Envanteri kullanilmistir. Okuma ve okudugunu anlama duzeyini belirlemek icin ogrenciye uc alt sinif duzeyine ait okuma metinleri verilmistir. Bu on uygulama sonucunda ogrencinin Yanlis Analizi Envanterine gore okuma duzeyi bakimindan endise duzeyinde oldugu tespit edilmistir. Ogrencinin okuma becerisini gelistirmek amaciyla 2006–2007 ogretim yilinin bahar donemi boyunca cesitli calismalar gerceklestirilmistir. Bu calismalar sonucunda S.U. ’ nun okuma ve anlama duzeyi “Endise Duzeyinden” “Serbest Duzeye” yukselmis ve okuma alanindaki yetersizliklerinde iyilesmeler gorulmustur.
Isolation and characterization of sixty sequences of cot-1 DNA from the Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus

The Asiatic black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) is a class II protected species in China whose genome is not well characterized. All mammalian genomes have a high proportion of repetitive sequences; thus, studying the repetitive sequences of the Asiatic black bear can provide new insight into the organization of its genome. It is well known that cot-1 DNA is enriched for repetitive DNA elements with high and moderately high copy numbers within the genome. In this small-scale study, cot-1 DNA from U. thibetanus was first isolated and characterized using DNA reassociation kinetics, then a Southern blotting probe was used to indicate the presence of polymorphic repetitive DNA families in this species. Analysis of homologous sequences by online database searches revealed that the obtained fragments contained satellite sequences, mitochondrial DNA, retrotransposons, DNA transposons, and unclassified fragments whose deduced amino acid sequences has significant relationships to known proteins. The data produced by this study may lead to more research into repetitive DNAs. Key words : Asiatic black bear, cot-1 DNA, repetitive elements, southern blotting
QTLs controlling yield and stover quality traits in pearl millet

Stover of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. ] is a major source of dry-season maintenance rations for livestock in traditional smallholder crop-livestock production systems on the semi-arid margins of the Thar desert in South Asia and in the Sahelian region of West and Central Africa (Renard 1997). Crop residues, especially those produced in marginal environments, have poor nutritional value. Although nutritional supplements can enhance the feed quality of crop residues, they may not provide a long-term solution because of difficulties in adapting them to local conditions, limited availability, and expense. Genetic enhancement of crop-residue nutritional quality is an alternative approach that can naturally, cost-efficiently, and permanently improve productivity of these crop-livestock systems. Expression of stover quality traits in pearl millet is complex (Hash et al. 2003), and selection based on conventional breeding methods is potentially difficult considering that conventional wet-lab analysis of nutritional value is tedious and time-consuming. Identification of genomic regions associated with stover quality traits would permit application of marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) to improve the feed value of crop residues of elite hybrids and their parental lines. Preliminary assessment of genetic variability of stover quality traits and stover yield in pearl millet has demonstrated the presence of considerable variation for cell wall digestibility and stover yield (Blummel et al. 2003). The pearl millet mapping population based on the cross ICMB 841 × 863B used in this study is one of several developed for drought tolerance. It exhibits only limited variation for flowering time and plant height while varying substantially for many other plant traits and maintaining a reasonable degree of agronomic eliteness. Parents of this population exhibit inherent variation for many stover quality traits, so this population provides ample scope for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and markerassisted selection (MAS) (Hash et al. 2003). The present study had the following objectives: mapping QTLs for stover nutritional quality, assessing relationships amongstover yield components and quality traits, and selecting target QTLs for MABC. This is the first detailed report of QTLs mapped for pearl millet stover ruminant nutritional quality traits.
Impact of aerosol hygroscopic growth on retrieving aerosol extinction coefficient profiles from elastic-backscatter lidar signals

Abstract. Light detection and ranging (lidar) measurements have been widely used to profile the ambient aerosol extinction coefficient (σext). The particle extinction-to-backscatter ratio (lidar ratio, LR), which strongly depends on the aerosol dry particle number size distribution (PNSD) and aerosol hygroscopicity, is introduced to retrieve the σext profile from elastic-backscatter lidar signals. Conventionally, a constant column-integrated LR that is estimated from aerosol optical depth is used by the retrieving algorithms. In this paper, the influences of aerosol PNSD, aerosol hygroscopic growth and relative humidity (RH) profiles on the variation in LR are investigated based on the datasets from field measurements in the North China Plain (NCP). Results show that LR has an enhancement factor of 2.2 when RH reaches 92 %. Simulation results indicate that both the magnitude and vertical structures of the σext profiles by using the column-related LR method are significantly biased from the original σext profile. The relative bias, which is mainly influenced by RH and PNSD, can reach up to 40 % when RH at the top of the mixed layer is above 90 %. A new algorithm for retrieving σext profiles and a new scheme of LR enhancement factor by RH in the NCP are proposed in this study. The relative bias between the σext profile retrieved with this new algorithm and the ideal true value is reduced to below 13 %.
Royalty interest management strategy and cost of oil and gas production in the Nigerian Niger- Delta

This study examined royalty interest management strategy and cost of oil and gas production in the Nigerian Niger-Delta. The respondents were sixteen opinion leaders from two oil and gas bearing communities in Rivers State. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The spearman rank order correlation coefficient was used to test the hypotheses. Results indicated that there is a strong and significant relationship between royalty interest and oil and gas production; and there is a positive and significant relationship between resource control and Niger-Delta development. It was concluded that royalty interest is a source of revenue paid to a land owner by an oil and gas company for the drilling of oil and gas from his domain, which will make the land owner to freely allow the oil and gas company to continue the process of oil and gas production. It was recommended that revenue right of collecting royalty interest from the oil and gas companies should be accorded the Niger-Delta region so that oil and gas production will take place in the region without disruptions; the Niger-Delta should be accorded the right of resource control in order to enable them develop the region in every ramification.
The Effectiveness of Corruption Eradication: Integrated System Approach

The eradication of corruption must be done comprehensively. Therefore, the conventional legal approach has been inadequate in dealing a systematic and widespread modus operandi of corruption and extraordinary crimes. This research uses normative-research method. This research was conducted in Makassar as the Capital of South Sulawesi Province and Mamuju City as the Capital of West Sulawesi. The results shows that corruption eradication as an integrated manner has not been effectively maximized, because it is not supported by sufficient human resources, qualified and moral. To create an integrated anti-corruption eradication effectiveness, it is suggested repressive and preventive actions be undertaken simultaneously and integrated, supported by sufficient human resources, qualified and morally supported by adequate means and costs as well anti-corruption communities. In addition, to eradicate corruption as the embodiment of immoral behavior, it is suggested that moral education and anti-corruption embed shameless cultural values to corrupt as national programs and national movements to create the same motivation, perception and spirit in eradicate corruption. Keywords: Corruption, Criminal Law, Integrated System
Biochemical composition of three Tunisian silverside (fish) populations caught in open sea, lagoon and island coasts

Fatty acid and amino acid profiles were determined in three silverside populations caught in Tunisian waters Atherina boyeri (open sea), Atherina lagunae (lagoon) and Atherina sp. (island coasts). Saturated fatty acids reached in total lipids 43.54%, 36.96% in marine and 33.64% in insular silverside and A. lagunae, in which eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and linoleic acid were the prominent fatty acids. The n-3/n-6 index showed a significant level indicating a tendency to accumulate n-3 fatty acids in A. boyeri and A. lagunae and n-6 fatty acids in Atherina sp. Total amino acid content ranged from 528 to 588 mg/g crude protein, in which, glutamic acid was the most abundant. Methionine had the lowest essential amino acid score in A. boyeri and Atherina sp. (0.73 and 0.71, respectively) while tryptophan had the lowest in A. lagunae (0.07).
EXPLORING IO'S ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION WITH APEX: FIRST MEASUREMENT OF 34SO2 AND TENTATIVE DETECTION OF KCl

The composition of Io's tenuous atmosphere is poorly constrained. Only the major species SO2 and a handful of minor species have been positively identified, but a variety of other molecular species should be present, based on thermochemical equilibrium models of volcanic gas chemistry and the composition of Io's environment. This paper focuses on the spectral search for expected yet undetected molecular species (KCl, SiO, S2O) and isotopes (34SO2). We analyze a disk-averaged spectrum of a potentially line-rich spectral window around 345 GHz, obtained in 2010 at the APEX 12 m antenna. Using different models assuming either extended atmospheric distributions or a purely volcanically sustained atmosphere, we tentatively measure the KCl relative abundance with respect to SO2 and derive a range of 4 × 10−4–8 × 10−3. We do not detect SiO or S2O and present new upper limits on their abundances. We also present the first measurement of the 34S/32S isotopic ratio in gas phase on Io, which appears to be twice as high as the Earth and interstellar medium reference values. Strong lines of SO2 and SO are also analyzed to check for longitudinal variations of column density and relative abundance. Our models show that, based on their predicted relative abundance with respect to SO2 in volcanic plumes, both the tentative KCl detection and SiO upper limit are compatible with a purely volcanic origin for these species.
Improved bi-accelerator derivative free with memory family for solving nonlinear equations

The object of the present paper is to accelerate the R-order con- vergence of with memory derivative free family given by Lot et al. (2014) without adding any new evaluations. To achieve this goal one more iterative parameter is introduced, which is calculated with the help of Newton's inter- polatory polynomial. It is shown that the R-order convergence of the proposed scheme is increased from 12 to 14 without any extra evaluation. Smooth as well as non-smooth examples are presented to conrm theoretical result and signicance of the new scheme.