Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Gall Stone Diseases in Patients Presenting to General Practice Out Patient Department in a Tertiary Care Center in Nepal

Introduction Gallstone disease (GSD) is a major public health problem that is associated with a number of risk factors. This study aims to analyze the risk factors of GSD in patients visiting General Practice Outpatient Department of Tribhuvan Universtiy Teaching Hospital. Methods A case-control study of 174 participants comprising 85 cases with GSD and 89 controls without GSD, as confirmed by ultrasonography of abdomen was conducted as hospital based in outpatient department of General practice, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu from 1st February 2018 to 31st January, 2019. The participants were asked questions regarding putative risk factors for development of GSD and underwent physical and ultrasonographic examination. Risk factors included were age, sex, BMI, occupation, co-morbidities e.g. diabetes mellitus, hemolytic diseases, family history of GSD, smoking status, alcohol consumption, parity if applicable and dietary history. Data analysis was done by univariate method. Results The mean age of the case group was 47.82 years whereas mean age for the control was 46.51 years (p=0.355). 22% of cases were male and 78% were female where as in control group 29% were male (p=0.3030). Majority of the participants in both group were housewife by occupation and Hindu by religion. Mean BMI of the cases and control were 24.05 kg/m2 and 21.13kg/m2 respectively. BMI was found significant for the gall stone diseases ( p=<0.001). Similarly, Diabetes mellitus was found significant for GSD (p=0.001). 98% cases and 61% in control group were Non-vegetarians with significant p value of 0.021. Smoking (p=0.005), Nonvegetarian diet (p=0.021), family history of gall stone disease (p<0.001) and parity (p<0.001) were also found significant for the gall stone disease. Conclusion High BMI, non-vegetarian diet, family history of gall stone disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking and increased parity were associated with gall stone diseases.
The use of cytokines and modified cytokines as therapeutic agents : Present state and future perspectives

Cytokine-based research is revolutionizing the treatment of several diseases including cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases, obesity, haematological disorders and other diseases affecting the immune system. Many of the original cytokine treatments have given way to more refined approaches as the knowledge and discovery process concerning complex cytokine networks becomes further clarified. However, the classical problem with the clinical use ofcytokines is that the administration of these proteins must be by injection, either intravenously or subcutaneously. In addition, cytokines often have short plasma half-lives, due to rapid renal excretion and proteolytic degradation in plasma, whereas their activity on cells is usually most optimal after long exposure times. As a consequence, they have to be administered frequently, which makes them very expensive as a drug. Another problem is that the proteins have to be produced by recombinant techniques, and these recombinant proteins can be immunogenic when administered frequently. But most importantly, the clinical use of many cytokines is limited because of their pleiotropism. Because their receptors are expressed in a number of cells and tissues, systemic application of the cytokines can easily result in undesired effects. Despite several obstacles, numerous therapies with cytokines are continuously emerging. This demands to use better engineered cytokines in order to enhance their therapeutic effectiveness and decrease undesired effects. Chemical modifications with soluble polymers as well as carbohydrates have been used to improve the pharmacokinetics of various cytokines and to protect the cytokines from proteolytic degradation. A selective delivery of the cytokines to a specific organ or tissue is now also investigated. Chemical modifications of cytokines with specific carriers or receptor recognizing ligands could be a novel strategy to enhance the concentrations of the cytokines at the diseased target site, thus increase the potency of the cytokines, while reducing the concentration in the rest of the body thereby avoiding undesired effects. The current status of various cytokines and their modified forms as used nowadays in animal or patient studies to treat various diseases and the problems encountered with the therapeutic use of these proteins will be the subject of this review.
The Major Interannual Modes of Late-Summer Precipitation Over the Northern China Monsoon Region

ABSTRACT Summer precipitation in the northern China monsoon region (NCMR; 35°–55°N, 108°–135°E) shows significant intraseasonal variability. The early-summer (June) and late-summer (July–August) precipitation patterns show clear differences in their formation mechanisms and the systems that affect them. We used empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to investigate the two leading modes of July–August precipitation over the NCMR and their associated atmospheric circulation anomalies using linear regression. The results show that the first (EOF1) and second (EOF2) modes correspond to a pan-NCMR precipitation variation pattern and a precipitation oscillation pattern between North China (NC) and Northeast China (NEC), respectively. These two modes account for 22.1% and 10.1% of the total variance, respectively. The associated principal components (PCs) both have significant interannual variability with a period of 2–4 years. In addition, PC1 has significant interdecadal variability with a period of 20–30 years. Further analysis suggests that EOF1 and EOF2 clearly have a different relationship with the summer monsoon circulation system. In the positive phase of PC1, the East Asian subtropical westerly jet stream (EAWJS) shows a northward trend with higher intensity than normal the blocking high at mid- to high latitudes is inactive; and the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) is located to the north of its normal position. The NCMR is controlled by stronger southerly winds, which cause the convergence of water vapour, favouring more precipitation in this region and vice versa. In the positive phase of PC2, the EAWJS swings to the south of Lake Baikal. Significant positive height anomalies exist from western NC to NEC. Significant negative height anomalies occur to the subtropical northwestern Pacific. This indicates that the cold vortex in Northeast China is inactive, the WPSH tends to be weaker and located to the south of its normal position, and NEC (NC) is dominated by anomalous northeasterly (southeasterly) winds. The convergence (divergence) of water vapour in NC (NEC) favours more (less) precipitation in NC (NEC) and vice versa. Therefore, EOF1 is related to the large-scale circulation anomalies over East Asia and the northwest Pacific in July and August, whereas EOF2 is more closely related to the anomalies in the regional circulation over the NCMR and the subtropical northwestern Pacific.
Negative linkage disequilibrium between amino acid changing variants reveals interference among deleterious mutations in the human genome

While there has been extensive work on patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) for neutral loci, the extent to which negative selection impacts LD is less clear. Forces like Hill-Robertson interference and negative epistasis are expected to lead to deleterious mutations being found on distinct haplotypes. However, the extent to which these forces depend on the selection and dominance coefficients of deleterious mutations and shape genome-wide patterns of LD in natural populations with complex demographic histories has not been tested. In this study, we first used forward-in-time simulations to generate predictions as to how selection impacts LD. Under models where deleterious mutations have additive effects on fitness, deleterious variants less than 10 kb apart tend to be carried on different haplotypes, generating an excess of negative LD relative to pairs of synonymous SNPs. In contrast, for recessive mutations, there is no consistent ordering of how selection coefficients affect r2 decay. We then examined empirical data of modern humans from the 1000 Genomes Project. LD between derived nonsynonymous SNPs is more negative compared to pairs of derived synonymous variants. This result holds when matching SNPs for frequency in the sample (allele count), physical distance, magnitude of background selection, and genetic distance between pairs of variants, suggesting that this result is not due to these potential confounding factors. Lastly, we introduce a new statistic HR(j) which allows us to detect interference using unphased genotypes. Application of this approach to high-coverage human genome sequences confirms our finding that deleterious alleles tend to be located on different haplotypes more often than are neutral alleles. Our findings suggest that either interference or negative epistasis plays a pervasive role in shaping patterns of LD between deleterious variants in the human genome, and consequently influencing genome-wide patterns of LD.
Physical education in contemporary Ireland: a case study of curriculum, continuity and change

This study was undertaken in part as a response to proposed changes in the curriculum and teaching of Physical Education in Irish post-primary schools. I have been involved in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) for almost thirty years, almost entirely in Ireland, and I have a strong commitment to the promotion of child-centred Physical Education which I believe may be threatened by the proposed changes. My concerns are evident within this study which focuses on three Physical Education teachers in contemporary Ireland over a period of approximately three years during which three Draft New Syllabuses for Physical Education were written by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. These teachers share concerns and values regarding the teaching of Physical Education which broadly concur with my espoused ideology. Each is aware of their preferred pedagogical practices and is articulate in their defence of them. Within this study, the professional practices of these teachers are examined in the context of societal changes and the proposed curriculum changes in Physical Education evidenced in the new syllabuses. Inspiration is drawn from Basil Bernstein's work which Sadovnik (1995, p. 7) claims 'promised to connect the societal, institutional, interactional and intrapsychic levels of sociological analysis'. This study accepts Bernstein's analysis which provides a systematic structural theory allowing micro and macro aspects of the education system to be inter-related.
How comets work: nucleus erosion versus dehydration

We develop an activity model based on ice sublimation and gas diffusion inside cm-sized pebbles making-up a cometary nucleus. Our model explains cometary activity assuming no free parameters and fixing the nucleus surface temperature Ts, its gradient below the nucleus surface at thermal equilibrium, the pressure inside the porous pebbles, and the gas flux from them. We find that (i) the nucleus erosion rate and water vapour flux are independent of the nucleus refractory-to-ice ratio, which affects the dehydration rate only; (ii) water-driven dust ejection occurs in thermal quasi-equilibrium at Ts > 205 K; (iii) the smallest and largest ejected dust sizes depend on the nucleus surface temperature and its gradient at depths of few cm; and (iv) the water-driven nucleus erosion rate is independent of the water vapour flux. Regarding comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, we find that (i) during the northern and southern polar summers, the nucleus active areas are ≈5 km2; (ii) >95 per cent of the southern pristine nucleus has a refractory-to-water-ice mass ratio >5; and (iii) the different temperature dependences of the dehydration and erosion rates explain the seasonal cycle: at perihelion, dm-sized chunks ejected by the sublimation of CO2 ices are rapidly enveloped by an insulating crust, preserving most water ice up to their fallout on the northern dust deposits; the inbound water-driven activity at low temperatures triggers a complete erosion of the fallout if its water-ice mass fraction is >0.1 per cent.
Valorization of byproducts from tropical fruits: Extraction methodologies, applications, environmental, and economic assessment: A review (Part 1: General overview of the byproducts, traditional biorefinery practices, and possible applications).

Tropical fruits represent one of the most important crops in the world. The continuously growing global market for the main tropical fruits is currently estimated at 84 million tons, of which approximately half is lost or wasted throughout the whole processing chain. Developing novel processes for the conversion of these byproducts into value-added products could provide a viable way to manage this waste problem, aiming at the same time to create a sustainable economic growth within a bio-economy perspective. Given the ever-increasing concern about sustainability, complete valorization through a bio-refinery approach, that is, zero waste concept, as well as the use of green techniques is therefore of utmost importance. This paper aims to report the status on the valorization of tropical fruit byproducts within a bio-refinery frame, via the application of traditional methodologies, and with specific attention to the extraction of phenolics and carotenoids as bioactive compounds. The different types of byproducts, and their content of bioactives is reviewed, with a special emphasis on the lesser-known tropical fruits. Moreover, the bioactivity of the different types of extracts and their possible application as a resource for different sectors (food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sciences) is discussed. Consequently, this review presents the concepts of tropical fruit biorefineries, and the potential applications of the isolated fractions.
The student perceptions, concern and knowledge with regard to climate changes in Croatia

The aim of the paper is to discover the student perceptions of climate changes, so the sample including the Croatian students of economics has been used. The paper contains the evaluation of the importance given to climate changes in relation to other humankind problems, research on the perceptions of the main causes, serious character of the phenomenon, concerns, perceived knowledge, evaluation of sources from which their knowledge has been acquired during education, as well as their openness to new information. When related to the population of students and the complete population, the main findings do not significantly deviate from those in the recent studies of the same kind. However, compared to the earlier research on the complete population sample, this study indicates that some advancement in understanding climate changes can be noticed. The theoretical part surveys the given issue, from viewing climate changes as the world problem to presenting the trendy perceptions of the complete population; it also comprises the perceptions that are based on some studies including the complete population and the population of students in particular. The practical implication would be that, starting from their awareness of how serious climate changes are and willingness to learn more about climate changes, students should be provided with more comprehensive education to become, as future academic citizens, able to make relevant decisions on the environmental issues. The limitation of the paper refers to the small sample including the students of economics, and the original quality of the study lies in the uniquely determined issues resulting from a combination with a number of previous studies, also contributing to the research into student perceptions of climate changes. Based on the included items, further research into their relationships is recommended.
Complex mosaic of sexual dichromatism and monochromatism in Pacific robins results from both gains and losses of elaborate coloration

Pacific robins exhibit one of the most complex range‐wide mosaics of sexual dichromatism and monochromatism. The evolutionary origins of this geographic mosaic remain poorly understood despite long‐standing interest from ornithologists, and its influential role in the development of Ernst Mayr's theories on speciation and the 'Biological Species Concept'. One factor limiting our understanding of the evolution of sexual plumage variation in Pacific robins is a lack of well‐resolved taxon boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in the group. Here, we use primarily historical museum specimens to obtain dense sampling of mtDNA, nuclear DNA, plumage color and morphometrics from all named taxa in the radiation in order to infer taxon boundaries and relationships. We use these data to test hypotheses about colonization history, plumage evolution and reduced island dichromatism. Our data show that the Pacific robin radiation comprises four distinct lineages, which warrant recognition as separate species – the previously recognized Norfolk robin P. multicolor and red‐capped robin P. goodenovii, and two new species we propose to name: ‘Solomon robin’ P. polymorpha Mayr, 1934 for the populations on Solomon and Bougainville Islands, and ‘Mayr's robin’ P. pusilla Peale, 1848 (in honor of Ernst Mayr's detailed work on the southwest Pacific robins) for the populations on Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa. Our data suggest that the common ancestor of the entire Pacific robin radiation was most likely sexually dichromatic and that the radiation‐wide mosaic of sexual plumage color arose via repeated losses of elaborate plumage in males and gains of elaborate plumage in females on separate islands.
The neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonatal intensive care unit survivors attending the neonatal follow up clinic at a central academic hospital in Gauteng

page 1 Acknowledgements page 3 Declaration page 4 List of abbreviations page 5 Presentations page 6 Chapter 1: Introduction page 8 Chapter 2: Literature review page 11 Chapter 3: Methodology page 25 Chapter 4: Results page 29 Chapter 5: Discussion page 44 Chapter 6: Conclusion page 59
Precipitation Efficiency and its Role in Cloud-Radiative Feedbacks to Climate Variability

Precipitation efficiency (PE) is a useful concept for estimating precipitation under a given environmental condition. PE is used in various situations in meteorology such as to evaluate severe precipitation associated with a single storm event, as a parameter of cumulus convective parameterization, and to separate clouds and precipitation in climate projection studies. PE has been defined in several ways. In this review, we first introduce definitions of PE from microscopic and macroscopic perspectives, and provide estimates of PE based on observational and modeling approaches. Then, we review PE in shallow and organized deep convective systems that provide either a conceptual framework or physical constraints on representations of convection in models. Specifically, we focus on the roles of PE in cloud-radiative feedbacks to climate variability. Finally, we argue the usefulness of PE for investigating cloud and precipitation changes in climate projection studies.
Community Pharmacy Practice In Saudi Arabia: An Overview

A survey of community pharmacists in Riyadh was conducted to determine the competence of community pharmacists in monitoring drug-drug interactions, the degree of adherence to pharmacy regulations and the extent to which community pharmacists engage in patients counseling. A random sample of 100 pharmacies was selected and a questionnaire was designed and distributed to each pharmacy to obtain information to meet the study objectives. A pharmacist, who assumed a patient role, then visited each pharmacy to further examine objectively the pharmacist’s response to the questionnaire. Only five of the total sample notified the possible drug interaction, even though most of the practitioners stated that their education prepared them to monitor drug-drug interaction and they feel confident in this role. Furthermore, 95% of pharmacists did not adhere to the profession legislation Act regarding antibiotic dispensing. A substantial percentage of practitioners had not involved in any continuing education course during the previous 24 months. Although a significant proportion of pharmacists reported actual performance of such services and is willing to do so, the involvement of community pharmacists in providing patient counseling is minimal. The report concludes with a strategy necessary for expanding and improving the quality of pharmaceutical services in community practice.
Perceptions of Schooling and Career Aspirations of Palestinian High School Students Attending the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) High School in Beirut, Lebanon: Ambivalence and the Reproduction of Palestinian Disadvantage

This dataset relates to the following thesis: "Perceptions of Schooling and Career Aspirations of Palestinian High School Students Attending the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) High School in Beirut, Lebanon: Ambivalence and the Reproduction of Palestinian Disadvantage", https://hdl.handle. net/1959.11/27911
From Exclusion to Restoration: Implementation Successes and Barriers

Exclusionary suspensions have been used extensively to handle student discipline and promote a perception of a safer environment in schools. However, an increasing number of school administrators have begun seeking alternative methods, such as restorative practices, in an effort to change the approach towards handling misbehaviors, conflict, and damaged relationships. This study occurred in a Grade 9 campus in northern Texas. The goal of the researcher was to better understand the challenges and successes of implementing restorative practices at the school during the 2018–2019 school year from multiple perspectives. Utilizing the principles of a program evaluation approach—deliberatively democratic evaluation—the researcher sought feedback from all power levels—parents, faculty members, and students. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was utilized whereby quantitative data was collected first using expost facto analysis and faculty survey results. Next, the researcher used qualitative measures— parent surveys, open-ended faculty survey questions, and student focus groups—to ascertain perceptions related to implementing restorative practices during the school year. During the implementation year, there was a significant decline in referrals, exclusionary suspensions, and recidivism rates. In addition, the researcher received many positive responses from stakeholders related to a growing culture of trust, empathy, and forgiveness. Finally, results from this study suggest administrators would be prudent to communicate reasons for the shift to restorative practices, provide professional development for teachers, engage all stakeholders, celebrate early successes, and explore methods to build sustainability and an environment where faculty work with students rather than administering discipline to students.
Human urban mobility, personal or global?

ABSTRACT Unlike the past studies targeting overall mobility patterns, we examined a wide range of probability density functions among which Weibull found to better explain the human mobility rather than the widely tested power-law distribution. We further examined a variety of factors affecting human mobility such as people’s trip attributes and socio-demographics traits. Moreover, the models show that social media active people travel mainly short distances; while people traveling to and from areas with higher economic and social advantages are more likely to explore a wider area within a city.