Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Depletion of dopamine in Parkinson's disease and relevant therapeutic options: A review of the literature

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor and cognition functions. The etiology of Parkinson's disease remains largely unknown, but genetic and environmental factors are believed to play a role. The neurotransmitter dopamine is implicated in regulating movement, motivation, memory, and other physiological processes. In individuals with Parkinson's disease, the loss of dopaminergic neurons leads to a reduction in dopamine levels, which causes motor impairment and may also contribute to the cognitive deficits observed in some patients. Therefore, it is important to understand the pathophysiology that leads to the loss of dopaminergic neurons, along with reliable biomarkers that may help distinguish PD from other conditions, monitor its progression, or indicate a positive response to a therapeutic intervention. Important advances in the treatment, etiology, and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease have been made in the past 50 years. Therefore, this review tries to explain the different possible mechanisms behind the depletion of dopamine in PD patients such as alpha-synuclein abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) toxicity, along with the current therapies we have and the ones that are in development. The clinical aspect of Parkinson's disease such as the manifestation of both motor and non-motor symptoms, and the differential diagnosis with similar neurodegenerative disease are also discussed.
Non-fluorinated durable water repellent and stain resistant coating

Fluorinated materials have been broadly used in the industry of water repellent and stain resistance. Because fluorinated materials have low surface tension, and the coatings could easily be manufactured as water-repellent and stain-resistant, fluorinated materials dominate the market for breathable waterproof textiles. However, these materials had substantial health hazards because of the toxicity of fluorinated materials. Moreover, many governments also regulate fluorinated materials for health reasons. As a result, non-fluorinated materials replacing fluorinated materials have become a trend in the industry. As a result, many companies are actively looking for solutions for non-fluorinated water-repellent and stain-resistant materials. This literature review will give a comprehensive understanding of water-repellent properties, materials surfaces, and stain-resistance properties, materials, and surfaces.Moreover, this review would also include reviews of natural water repellent and stain repellent. Furthermore, this review will also talk about the theories behind the materials. Additionally, the fabrication process limitation and future outlook will be discussed in this review.
Preliminary Effects of a Guided Self-Change Intervention on Perceived Risk and Self-Efficacy in University Students Engaging in Cannabis or Alcohol Misuse

Guided Self-Change (GSC) is a Motivational Interviewing (MI)-based early intervention program, infused with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for individuals with substance use problems. In this study, we implemented a 4-session GSC program with the innovative addition of mindfulness-based techniques at a minority-serving institution to reduce substance use and negative consequences among self-referred university students. We investigated processes that may be associated with behavior change, including perceived risk of use and self-efficacy ratings among university students who reported their primary substance of choice was cannabis (n = 18) or alcohol (n = 18). The sample of 36 participants (Mage = 24.4, SDage = 5, range 18–37) mostly identified as female (58.3%), then male (41.7%); 52.8% identified as Hispanic/Latine, 22.2% as Black or African American, and 19.5% as a sexual minority. Among cannabis primary using students, results indicated that the perceived risk of weekly cannabis use, confidence to change, and readiness to change showed statistically significant increases from pre- to post-assessment. Among alcohol primary using students, confidence to change and readiness to change showed statistically significant increases from pre- to post-assessments. All results yielded large effect sizes, which may be inflated due to the small sample size. Findings suggest that over the course of participation in a brief, 4-session targeted GSC program, there were significant increases in perceived risk and self-efficacy among minority university students who engage in primary cannabis or primary alcohol use.
The hyporheic zone as a refugium for benthic invertebrates in groundwater-dominated streams

A principal ecological role proposed for the hyporheic zone is as a refugium that promotes benthic invertebrate survival during adverse conditions in the surface stream. Whilst a growing body of work has examined use of this hyporheic refugium during hydrological extremes (spates, streambed drying), little research has considered variation in refugium use over prolonged periods including contrasting conditions of surface flow. In this thesis, benthic invertebrate use of the hyporheic refugium is considered at monthly intervals over a five-month period of variable surface flow, at nine sites in two groundwater-dominated streams, the River Lathkill (Derbyshire) and the River Glen (Lincolnshire). Conditions identified as potential triggers of refugium use included a flow recession and a high-magnitude spate on the Lathkill, and small spates and a decline in flow preceding localised streambed drying on the Glen. During flow recession, reductions in submerged habitat availability and concurrent increases in benthic population densities were dependent on channel morphology. An unusual paired benthic-hyporheic sampling strategy allowed the type of refugium use (active migration, passive inhabitation) to be inferred from changes in hyporheic abundance and the hyporheic proportion of the total population. Using this approach, evidence of active migrations into the hyporheic zone use was restricted to two instances: firstly, Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda: Crustacea) migrated in response to habitat contraction and increased benthic population densities; secondly, migrations of Simuliidae (Diptera) were associated with low-magnitude spates. Refugium use was site-specific, with refugial potential being highest at sites with downwelling water and coarse sediments. A conceptual model describing this spatial variability in the refugial capacity of the hyporheic zone is developed for low flow conditions. In some cases, hyporheic refugium use was apparently prevented by disturbance-related factors (rapid onset, high magnitude) regardless of the refugial potential of the sediments. The extension of the hyporheic zone’s refugial role to include low flows highlights the need to explicitly protect the integrity of hydrologic exchange in river rehabilitation schemes. However, the limited capacity of the hyporheic refugium emphasizes the additional importance of maintaining habitat heterogeneity including multiple instream refugia.
Experimental deformation of polycrystalline H2O ice at high pressure and low temperature - Preliminary results. [implications for Ganymede and Callisto]

Interest in the mechanical properties of water ice under the conditions in which it exists in the outer solar system has motivated the development and use of a new high-pressure, low-temperature triaxial deformation apparatus. Constant displacement rate tests on 70 samples of pure polycrystalline water ice have been performed at temperatures 77≤T≤258 K, confining pressures 0.1≤P≤350 MPa, and strain rates 3.5×10−6≤ e˙≤3.5×10−4 s−1. In most cases, the ice polymorph tested was ice Ih. Both brittle and ductile behavior have been observed. Brittle behavior of ice, promoted by lower pressure, lower temperature, and higher strain rate, is analogous to that in rocks, with the important exception that brittle fracture strength becomes independent of confining pressure above 50 MPa pressure and the fracture angle is approximately 45° to the loading direction (i.e., the coefficient of internal friction is approximately zero). Ductile flow, the predominant behavior in our tests at T≥195 K, follows a law of form e˙ = Aσn exp (−H*/RT) (σ is stress; R is the gas constant; A, n, H* are material constants). Three sets of material constants are required to fit the data, with changes in sets (or mechanisms) occurring near 243 K and 195 K. The value of n remains near 4 throughout the measured ductile field, but H* drops from 91 to 61 to 31 kJ/mole as temperature decreases. The maximum brittle strength measured was 171 MPa; the maximum ductile strength measured was 91 MPa. At confining pressures near the phase transition pressure of ice Ih → ice II, the ductile strength is observed to drop dramatically. Some overlap with previous work occurs at higher temperatures and lower pressures. Agreement with present work is generally good, both quantitatively in the values of n and H*, and qualitatively in the mechanism of deformation. Although the ductile strengths measured here are somewhat higher than expected on the basis of extrapolations of previous work, the low value of H* at T<195 K indicates that the ice Ih layer on icy bodies in the solar system is much weaker than has generally been predicted.
Online Camera Orientation Calibration Aided by a High-Speed Ground-View Camera

This letter proposes an online method for calibrating the orientation of cameras mounted on vehicles. To calibrate the orientation of the target camera relative to the vehicle, we propose using a high-speed vision sensor, focused on the ground, in conjunction with the target camera. First, the high-speed camera's planar motion parallel to ground plane and target camera's motion are estimated by a semi-dense approach and visual odometry method, respectively. Then, the motions are used to calibrate the target camera's orientation through nonlinear optimization based on the invariance constraint of the extrinsic parameters and the nonholonomic constraint of the vehicle. Unlike traditional methods, this approach does not depend on artificial features such as lane markings and utilizes ground information more efficiently, making it applicable in broader scenarios. Simulation and field tests have demonstrated that the target camera orientation calibration errors are approximately 1°, even on a bumpy road, affirming the accuracy and robustness of the proposed method.
Incremental Predictive Validity of the Dualistic Model of Passion for Cannabis Use Among College Undergraduate Students With and Without a Cannabis Use Disorder

Introduction: We examined whether the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP; i.e., obsessive passion [OP] and harmonious passion [HP]) for cannabis use was prospectively associated with cannabis use and use-related outcomes, and with academic performance, relationship attachment style, and social connectedness among college students. We also explored whether the DMP was associated with outcomes when included in a model using established constructs (e.g., coping motives, refusal self-efficacy, cannabis use disorder [CUD] symptoms) as predictors of cannabis use and outcomes. Methods: Using a longitudinal cohort design (baseline, 5-month, 10-month [timepoints chosen to better correspond to 9-month academic year]), 513 undergraduate students from two universities who reported using cannabis at least four times in the past month completed a baseline survey (308 meeting criteria for CUD). We used Generalized Estimating Equations to assess longitudinal associations between OP/HP and cannabis use and academic/social outcomes at 5-month and 10-month. Results: At baseline, participants were young adults (Mean age = 20.57, SD = 2.51), 78.8% non-Hispanic, 83.8% White, 55.0% female, and 72.3% heterosexual. Greater HP was not associated with greater past month cannabis use or cannabis-related problems. Greater OP was associated with greater past month cannabis use and more cannabis-related problems. There were no significant passion by time interactions. Greater HP was associated with more anxious attachment. OP was associated with less social connection. Conclusion: This research suggests that the DMP provides novel information about factors associated with cannabis use and use-related consequences, which can aid in our understanding of cannabis use, misuse, and CUD among college students.
Quality of Care for Prostate Cancer in Kashmir, India: A Real-World Study

Purpose Despite the importance of quality care for patients with prostate cancer, significant gaps exist in healthcare delivery, including diagnosis and treatment. Our objective was to assess the quality of care (QoC) using retrospective data from prostate care patients in our center. Methods We performed a retrospective study of prostate cancer patients registered at a dedicated cancer care center in the Kashmir region from 2012 to 2020. A set of 15 quality indicators representing crucial facets of diagnosis, pathology, and treatment was identified from a comprehensive list developed and validated by other researchers. Results The final analysis of all indicators was conducted on 46 patients with a median age of 70 years (52-92 years). In the majority of patients, the diagnosis (89.1%) was made through a prostatic biopsy, while only five patients were diagnosed solely based on the prostate-specific antigen. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) or transurethral resection (TURP)-guided biopsy was documented in 84.8% of patients, with Gleason grading documented in 87.5% of patients. However, the number of positive cores was mentioned for only 25.7% of patients. Radical prostatectomy was the primary treatment for most patients with localized prostate cancer (58.3%). The majority of patients with metastatic prostate cancer were treated with orchidectomy (55%), owing to easy access and the lower cost of surgical castration. Conclusion The study demonstrated a lack of compliance with many QoC indicators at the diagnostic and therapeutic levels. However, large-scale, population-based studies are needed to establish the compliance of prostate cancer QoC in Kashmir. The quality indicator assessment can guide the necessary actions required to improve QoC for prostate cancer patients.
Comparison of Naive Bayes and PSO-Based Naive Bayes Algorithms for Prediction of Covid-19 Patient Recovery Data in Indonesia

A brand-new illness known as COVID 19 was identified in 2019 but has yet to infect humans (World Health Organization, 2019). This group of viruses can infect mammals including humans as well as birds and cause sickness. People commonly contract coronaviruses from the flu and other minor respiratory ailments, but they can also spread serious diseases like SARS, MERS, and the deadly COVID-19. So that there are no more casualties, this number must be decreased. It is crucial to understand the variables that can truly reduce the danger of death and gauge the propensity for recovery in Covid-19 patients. Several techniques in data mining can be used to forecast patient recovery rates depending on various characteristics. This study's criteria included gender, age, province, and status. The Naive Bayes (NB) and Pso-based Naive Bayes algorithms are compared in this study using patient datasets to determine whether strategy is more accurate. The findings of this study reveal that using the NB method has a 94.07% accuracy rate, a precision value of 14%, a recall value of 1%, and an AUC value of 0.613, according to the study's data. The accuracy rate of PSO-based Naive Bayes is 95.56%, the precision is 25%, the recall is 1%, and the AUC is 0.540.
Trinidad carnival: A quest for national identity

The history of the Trinidad carnival in the 19th-century the development of the Jamet carnival into a national festival the social and political significance of the Creole middle class and its increasing intervention in the "black bacchanal" contemporary Trinidad, stage of the greatest show on Earth reputation versus respectability the dynamic interplay of conflicting orientations - between Miami and Africa the spirit of Canboulay - the socio-cultural autonomy of carnival carnival as a vehicle in the quest for national identity.
The Affect of Realistic Geologic Heterogeneity on Local and Regional P/S Amplitude Ratios Based on Numerical Simulations

Regional seismic discriminants based on high-frequency P/S ratios reliably distinguish between earthquakes and explosions. However, P/S discriminants in the 0.5 to 3 Hz band (where SNR can be highest) rarely perform well, with similar ratios for earthquake and explosion populations. Variability in discriminant performance has spawned numerous investigations into the generation of S-waves from explosions. Several viable mechanisms for the generation of S-waves from explosions have been forwarded, but most of these mechanisms do not explain observations of frequency-dependant S-wave generation. Recent studies have focused on the affect of near-source scattering to explain the frequency-dependence of both S-wave generation and P/S discriminant performance. In this study we investigate near-source scatter through numerical simulation with a realistic geological model We have constructed a realistic, 3-dimensional earth model of the southern Basin and Range. This regional model includes detailed constraints at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) based on extensive geologic and geophysical studies. Gross structure of the crust and upper mantle is taken from regional surface-wave studies. Variations in crustal thickness are based on receiver function analysis and a compilation of reflection/refraction studies. Upper-crustal constraints are derived from geologic maps and detailed studies of sedimentary basin geometry throughout the study area. Themore » free surface is based on a 10-meter digital elevation model (DEM) at NTS, and a 60-meter DEM elsewhere. The model extends to a depth of 150km, making it suitable for simulations at local and regional distances. Our simulation source is based on the 1993 Non-Proliferation Experiment explosion at the NTS. This shot was well recorded, offering ample validation data. Our validation tests include measures of long-period waveform fit and relative amplitude measurements for P and S phases. Our primary conclusion is that near-source topography and geologic complexity in the upper crust strongly contributed to the generation of S-waves from the NPE shot. When either geologic heterogeneity or topography is removed from the model, simulated amplitudes of regional S-waves are diminished. We also find that deeper sources scatter less energy off of topography and upper-crustal structures, resulting in diminished S-wave amplitudes with increasing source depth. « less
Technical and economic analysis of a pump as a turbine for rural electrification

ABSTRACT Electricity is one of the essential requirements for the economic development of a country. In Ethiopia, more than half of the total population does not have access to electric power. Micro-hydropower (MHP) is one of the most feasible renewable energy options for providing reliable electricity to rural areas. However, in low-income countries such as Ethiopia, the high price of a purpose-made turbine to generate electricity from MHP resources is difficult. This paper presents the feasibility study of a pump as a turbine (PAT) for MHP applications with and without impeller blade modification. The analysis was conducted in terms of initial investment cost, the net present value, payback periods, and the cost of energy. Decreasing blade thickness, blade tip rounding, adjusting blade inlet angle, and blade grooving, then comparing the result with PAT without modification and cross-flow turbine are the modification techniques considered in this research. Based on the projected system lifetime, the equivalent cost of power for the PAT and cross-flow turbines are 0.065 and 0.100 $/kWh respectively. The cross-flow turbine's payback period is 6.04 years, which is significantly longer than the PATs payback period of 3.42 years. From the entire study, it can be concluded that the MHP coupled with PAT provides a lower payback period and cheaper power production. Whereas, impeller blade modification has no significant advantage from the economic point of view. Generally, the impeller modification cost needs to be less than or equal to 25% of the initial cost of the PAT to use the less cost advantage of the PAT.
Correlation of Human Capital and Employees Satisfaction of Hotel Employees'

The purpose of this quantitative research was to determine the correlation of human capital in relation to employees’ satisfaction, a survey questionnaire was administered to different hotels in Davao Region with 400 hotel employees, results show that human capital shows a significant relationship with employees’ satisfaction, variable on human capital have a direct significant effect on employees’ satisfaction.
Oral Health Status and Salivary Parameters in Stroke Patients at a Tertiary Hospital

Introduction: Dental caries and impaired salivary function are very common but undertreated. The aim of this study was to investigate the oral health status and salivary parameters of stroke patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 54 stroke and 54 non-stroke patients attending rehabilitation treatment at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Decay, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and plaque scores were used to evaluate patients’ oral health. Salivary parameters such as salivary cortisol, salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity were measured. Salivary cortisol was analysed using Cobas E6000 automated immunoassay. Results: Among the 54 stroke patients, the majority were Malays 72.2% and 63.0% were male, with a mean age of 48.1 (14) years. There was a significant difference of dental caries between stroke patients, at 17.6 (4.26), compared to 15.7 (5.38) for non-stroke patients (p=0.042). Only 53.7% of stroke patients had good oral hygiene, compared to, 85.2% among non-stroke patients’ (p-value= 0.001). Salivary parameters showed no significant differences (p>0.05). However salivary cortisol levels were higher in stroke patients 5.2(5.1) nmol/L) than in non-stroke patients 4.0 (3.6) nmol/L). There was no significant correlation between salivary parameters and DMFT index (P>0.05). Conclusion: Stroke patients had more dental caries and poor oral hygiene compared to non-stroke patients. Salivary parameters showed no significant difference between stroke and non-stroke patients.
Study on the effect of different environmental factors on the aging gradient of asphalt binder based on field aging test

ABSTRACT Aging of asphalt binder is a complex natural phenomenon with significant differences under the effect of different environmental factors. The accelerated aging method commonly used in the laboratory is difficult to reproduce the field aging of asphalt binder. The purpose of this study is to reveal the effect of environmental factors on the aging gradient of asphalt binder. For this reason, a layered dissolution-peeling method was developed to recycle asphalt binder films. The gradient behaviour of field-aged asphalt binder was analysed based on rheological parameters and chemical functional groups. The results showed that the layered dissolution-peeling method achieved separation of asphalt binder at 0.1 mm level. Ultraviolet light severely contributed to the distinct aging gradient of field-aged asphalt binder. The carbonyl index of field-aged asphalt binder at 0–0.32 mm was approximately 1.73 times higher than that at 0.32–0.64 mm, 1.90 times higher than that at 0.64–0.96 mm and 2.24 times higher than that at 0.96–1.28 mm. To significantly characterise the aging behaviour of asphalt binder, the film thickness in the accelerated aging simulation test should not be more than 1 mm. The findings of the study serve as a valuable reference for accurate prediction and targeted prevention for asphalt pavements.