Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Linear discriminant analysis versus adaboost for failure forecasting * Discriminante lineal versus adaboost para la predicción del fracaso empresarial

Since the sixties, many classification techniques both from statistics and other scientific disciplines have been used to predict corporate failure. Multivariate linear discriminant analysis, ho- wever, continues to be one of the main reference methods principally because it is easy to apply and interpret. AdaBoost is a machine learning technique which works by combining a large number of sim- ple classifiers to achieve a high level of accuracy in classification problems. Although the efficiency of this method has been proved in various application fields, it is unknown in the economic-business area. The aim of this study is to present AdaBoost as a classification technique which can be successfully used in failure forecasting. Correspondingly, it has been applied to a sample of 1.180 Spanish firms and has proved to be more accurate than discriminant analysis.
CARTRIDGE-BASED NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION TEST, AN IMPORTANT DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR TUBERCULOSIS BOTH PULMONARY AND EXTRA-PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Background and Aims: Tuberculosis (TB) is severe infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and imposes significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of active TB forms pulmonary and extrapulmonary is very important and the diagnostic methods such as culture test and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain displayed low diagnostic accuracy. Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) is widely used for the diagnosis of TB with good accuracy rate. Hence, the current study was commenced to assess the diagnostic usefulness of CBNAAT for the diagnosis of mycobacterium TB (MTB) and compared with ZN staining. Methods: This was a prospective study conducted on 250 sputum samples of pulmonary TB (new cases) and also patients who were receiving the treatment for TB. 5 mL of sputum sample including CSF, pericardial or ascitic fluid, pus, or lymph nodes aspirates were collected and subjected to ZN staining and CBNAAT. Results: Mean age observed was 48.12±8.76 years. 30 (12%) showed smear positive and 220 (88%) were smear negative for ZN staining. Further, samples have been subjected to CBNAAT showed 60 (24%) MTB positive, and 190 (74%) showed MTB negative. CBNAAT showed sensitivity and specificity of 91.5% and 89%. Out of 60 positives for MTB by CBNAAT, MTB has been identified in 28 patients. Conclusion: CBNAAT is a great tool in the early diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.
Relativistic electron precipitation by EMIC waves from self‐consistent global simulations

[1] We study the effect of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave scattering on radiation belt electrons during the large geomagnetic storm of 21 October 2001 with minimum Dst = −187 nT. We use our global physics-based model, which solves the kinetic equation for relativistic electrons and H+, O+, and He+ ions as a function of radial distance in the equatorial plane, magnetic local time, energy, and pitch angle. The model includes time-dependent convective transport and radial diffusion and all major loss processes and is coupled with a dynamic plasmasphere model. We calculate the excitation of EMIC waves self-consistently with the evolving plasma populations. Particle interactions with these waves are evaluated according to quasi-linear theory, using diffusion coefficients for a multicomponent plasma and including not only field-aligned but also oblique EMIC wave propagation. The pitch angle diffusion coefficients increase from 0° to ∼60° during specific storm conditions. Pitch angle scattering by EMIC waves causes significant loss of radiation belt electrons at E ≥ 1 MeV and precipitation into the atmosphere. However, the relativistic electron flux dropout during the main phase at large L ≥ 5 is due mostly to outward radial diffusion, driven by the flux decrease at geosynchronous orbit. We show first results from global simulations indicating significant relativistic electron precipitation within regions of enhanced EMIC instability, whose location varies with time but is predominantly in the afternoon-dusk sector. The precipitating electron fluxes are usually collocated with precipitating ion fluxes but occur at variable energy range and magnitude. The minimum resonant energy increases at low L and relativistic electrons at E ≤ 1 MeV do not precipitate at L < 3 during this storm.
Bilinear surface smoothing for spatial interpolation with optional incorporation of an explanatory variable. Part 2: Application to synthesized and rainfall data

ABSTRACT The non-parametric mathematical framework of bilinear surface smoothing (BSS) methodology provides flexible means for spatial (two dimensional) interpolation of variables. As presented in a companion paper, interpolation is accomplished by means of fitting consecutive bilinear surface into a regression model with known break points and adjustable smoothing terms defined by means of angles formed by those bilinear surface. Additionally, the second version of the methodology (BSSE) incorporates, in an objective manner, the influence of an explanatory variable available at a considerably denser dataset. In the present study, both versions are explored and illustrated using both synthesized and real world (hydrological) data, and practical aspects of their application are discussed. Also, comparison and validation against the results of commonly used spatial interpolation methods (inverse distance weighted, spline, ordinary kriging and ordinary cokriging) are performed in the context of the real world application. In every case, the method’s efficiency to perform interpolation between data points that are interrelated in a complicated manner was confirmed. Especially during the validation procedure presented in the real world case study, BSSE yielded very good results, outperforming those of the other interpolation methods. Given the simplicity of the approach, the proposed mathematical framework’s overall performance is quite satisfactory, indicating its applicability for diverse tasks of scientific and engineering hydrology and beyond. Editor Z. W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor A. Carsteanu
Case Series of Rare Fungal Keratitides: Experiences from a Quaternary Eye Hospital in Sydney, Australia

The present article reports on the management of six different and rare cases of fungal keratitides, two of which have never been documented in previous literature. This is a case series of six patients with rare fungal keratitides managed at a quaternary eye referral unit, Sydney Eye Hospital, Australia over a period of 7 months (May to December, 2022). The order of occurrence of fungi isolated was Scedosporium apiospermum, Lomenstospora prolificans, Cladosporium spp. , Paecilomyces, Syncephalastrum racemosum and Quambalaria spp. A combination of medical and surgical interventions was employed, including topical and systemic anti-fungal therapy, with one requiring therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty and another eventuating in evisceration. Two patients were successfully treated with corneal debridement and two others required pars plana vitrectomy with anterior chamber washout. It is important to remain vigilant with monitoring patient symptoms and correlating with clinical signs to guide antifungal therapy even in the context of confirmed culture and sensitivity results.
Safety and Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccine in Africa: Systematic Review

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic scared the whole world at the end of 2019, which is a communicable respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In South Africa and other African countries, the COVID-19 vaccines were subsequently approved for emergency use by the respective national regulatory authorities. There is a paucity of aggregated data that revealed the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa. Objective The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the literature on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine which was given in Africa. Methods A systematic search was conducted on Science Direct, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and direct Google searches. Only studies written in English and published articles from 2019 to October 30, 2022, which comprise nine randomized clinical trials (RCT), and four different studies including a single-arm implementation trials, prospective study, retrospective cohort study, and test-negative designs were included. Results A total of 13 studies were included which contain 810,466 participants from Africa. Of these, 62.18% of the participants were female. The efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine in Africa ranges from 41.7% to 100%. Moreover, vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 variants ranges from −5.7% to 100%. In general, systemic and local adverse events following vaccination in most trials were reported with a similar pattern between the placebo and vaccine groups. Out of the total reported adverse events, most of them were mild to moderate, whereas a few were serious. Conclusion Almost all current COVID‐19 vaccines appear to be safe for African study participants. Regarding efficacy, the protein subunit vaccine and mRNA vaccine exhibited high efficacy (100%) in this group of participants. However, Ad26. COV2.S and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 COVID-19 vaccines are not effective against the delta variant and B.1. 351 variant, respectively.
Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures from Adult Tauopathy Mice and Theragnostic Evaluation of Nanomaterial Phospho-TAU Antibody-Conjugates

Organotypic slice culture models surpass conventional in vitro methods in many aspects. They retain all tissue-resident cell types and tissue hierarchy. For studying multifactorial neurodegenerative diseases such as tauopathies, it is crucial to maintain cellular crosstalk in an accessible model system. Organotypic slice cultures from postnatal tissue are an established research tool, but adult tissue-originating systems are missing, yet necessary, as young tissue-originating systems cannot fully model adult or senescent brains. To establish an adult-originating slice culture system for tauopathy studies, we made hippocampal slice cultures from transgenic 5-month-old hTau.P301S mice. In addition to the comprehensive characterization, we set out to test a novel antibody for hyperphosphorylated TAU (pTAU, B6), with and without a nanomaterial conjugate. Adult hippocampal slices retained intact hippocampal layers, astrocytes, and functional microglia during culturing. The P301S-slice neurons expressed pTAU throughout the granular cell layer and secreted pTAU to the culture medium, whereas the wildtype slices did not. Additionally, cytotoxicity and inflammation-related determinants were increased in the P301S slices. Using fluorescence microscopy, we showed target engagement of the B6 antibody to pTAU-expressing neurons and a subtle but consistent decrease in intracellular pTAU with the B6 treatment. Collectively, this tauopathy slice culture model enables measuring the extracellular and intracellular effects of different mechanistic or therapeutic manipulations on TAU pathology in adult tissue without the hindrance of the blood–brain barrier.
Leucoderma in Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in the Amazon Biome

Simple Summary Bubalinoculture is a growing industry worldwide, and the commercialization of buffalo leather is rapidly expanding due to its thickness, weight, and flexibility compared to bovine leather. However, dermatological diseases in buffalo, such as leucoderma, are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Amazon biome, resulting in significant economic losses due to the inability to utilize the leather. This study is the first to investigate and describe the epidemiological and clinicopathological aspects of leucoderma in buffalo in the Amazon biome, as well as to propose solutions to this problem in the region. The samples showed that there is no predisposition by breed, sex, or age for the occurrence of leucoderma. Regression of the clinical signs of acromotrichia and skin depigmentation occurred after a correct mineral supplementation of the animals, which is crucial for animal production systems. Mineral deficiency, particularly copper, is a significant predisposing factor for the occurrence of leucoderma in buffaloes in the Amazon biome. Therefore, the mineralization of buffalo herds is a continuous prophylactic practice that should be adopted by farmers afflicted with this problem. Abstract Leucoderma is a condition that affects the skin and hair of animals, causing depigmentation and acromotrichia. In buffaloes, this condition results in significant economic losses for the production chain due to its impact on the leather trade. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinicopathological aspects of leucoderma in buffaloes in the Amazon biome and describe the prophylactic treatment to control the disease. The study included 40 buffaloes, 16 males and 24 females, aged between 1 and 10 years, and were of the Murrah, Jafarabadi, Mediterranean, and Murrah × Mediterranean crossbreed breeds. The animals were raised without mineral supplementation. The clinical signs observed in the animals included acromotrichia and depigmentation, with varying degrees and distribution of skin lesions. Histological examination of the epidermis showed interrupted melanin production, mild dermal fibrosis, mild perivascular mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, and pigmentary incontinence. None of the animals had the genotype for albinism. After 120 days of mineral supplementation based on the use of copper sulfate, the clinical signs of leucoderma regressed. There was no predisposition by breed, sex, or age for the occurrence of the disease. The regression of skin lesions after proper mineral supplementation suggests that copper deficiency may be considered an important factor for the occurrence of leucoderma in buffaloes in the Amazon biome.
Paleopathological Changes in Animal Bones from Croatian Archaeological Sites from Prehistory to New Modern Period

Simple Summary With the goal of contributing to the correct diagnosis of pathological changes found in archaeozoological material, we give a detailed description of those changes. All the changes were photographed and radiographed. In total, 50 animal remains with altered macrostructure were identified in archaeozoological material excavated from 2010 to 2022 at eight archaeological sites in Croatia. Abstract A special part of archaeology, so-called archaeozoopathology or veterinary paleopathology is dedicated to studies of paleopathological changes in animal remains and contributes to the knowledge of ancient veterinary medicine and the history of diseases. In our study, we analyze paleopathological changes determined by gross observation and diagnostic imaging in the animal material originating from eight archaeological sites in Croatia. A standard archaeozoological analysis was carried out and specimens with visually detected macrostructural changes were radiographed. In total, 50 animal remains with altered macrostructure were identified in the archaeozoological material excavated from 2010 to 2022 at eight archaeological sites in Croatia. According to the taxonomic analysis, most of the bones with macrostructural changes originated from cattle (N = 27, 54% of the total number of bones with macrostructural changes), followed by the bones of small ruminants (N = 12, 24%) and pigs (N = 8, 16%). The horse, carnivore and chicken were represented with one bone each (2%). Radiological examination showed that three samples (6%) had a regular bone macrostructure, i.e., no pathological changes were visible upon radiological examination. The majority (64%) of pathologically altered bones are a consequence of keeping/working, followed by traumatic causes (20%). Changes in the oral cavity were found in 10% of specimens. Our study showed that gross examination will continue to be the primary method for the identification of pathologically altered remains in archaeozoological material. However, diagnostic imaging techniques such as radiography should be implemented to confirm or exclude suspected alterations and to help the classification of the specimen by etiology.
Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev systems and related Liouville theorems

We prove some Liouville theorems for systems of integral equations and inequalities related to weighted Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev inequality type on $R^N$ . Some semilinear singular or degenerate higher order elliptic inequalities associated to polyharmonic operators are considered. Special cases include the Henon-Lane-Emden system.
Identification and Profiling of a Novel Bombyx mori latent virus Variant Acutely Infecting Helicoverpa armigera and Trichoplusia ni

Insect cell expression systems are increasingly being used in the medical industry to develop vaccines against diseases such as COVID-19. However, viral infections are common in these systems, making it necessary to thoroughly characterize the viruses present. One such virus is Bombyx mori latent virus (BmLV), which is known to be specific to Bombyx mori and to have low pathogenicity. However, there has been little research on the tropism and virulence of BmLV. In this study, we examined the genomic diversity of BmLV and identified a variant that persistently infects Trichoplusia ni-derived High Five cells. We also assessed the pathogenicity of this variant and its effects on host responses using both in vivo and in vitro systems. Our results showed that this BmLV variant causes acute infections with strong cytopathic effects in both systems. Furthermore, we characterized the RNAi-based immune response in the T. ni cell line and in Helicoverpa armigera animals by assessing the regulation of RNAi-related genes and profiling the generated viral small RNAs. Overall, our findings shed light on the prevalence and infectious properties of BmLV. We also discuss the potential impact of virus genomic diversity on experimental outcomes, which can help interpret past and future research results.
Be going to and will: a monosemous account

This paper provides an account of be going to and will within the framework of Relevance Theory (Sperber & Wilson, 1986, 1995). Because of the range of interpretations derived from the use of these expressions in different contexts, many previous accounts have characterized them as polysemous. This polysemy has been attributed to semantic retention, whereby both old (lexical) and new (grammaticalized) meanings are recovered in certain contexts. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate: (i) that although be going to does exhibit semantic retention, in a relevance-theoretic framework this does not entail polysemy, and (ii) that interpretations of will previously attributed to semantic retention are, in fact, pragmatically derived, and hence will is also monosemous.
Aqueous Extract of Clitoria ternateaAttenuates the Growth of Streptococcus mutans

In the human oral cavity, Streptococcus mutans is often observed and is a major contributor to tooth decay. Increased S. mutans levels may be linked to progressively more severe forms of periodontal disease because root exposure in people with periodontitis increases caries rates. Hence, a new potential antibacterial compound needs to be searched to combat this pathogenic bacterium. The butterfly pea, or Clitoria ternatea is an ornamental plant that has been reported to exhibit antibacterial properties against several bacteria. Thus, the goal of this investigation was to determine how well C. ternatea aqueous (CTA) extract inhibited S. mutans. The disk diffusion assay was performed to access the antibacterial properties of the CTA extract. The efficiency of the extract against the test bacterium was then determined through MIC/MBC determinations and a time-kill study. Meanwhile, the toxicity of the extract was tested using a brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA). The CTA extract demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity against the test bacterium at a concentration of 200 mg/ml, with a diameter of the inhibition zone of 13.4±0.4 mm, according to the disc diffusion assay. The aqueous extract’s MIC and MBC values were found to be 100 and 400 g/mL, respectively. Time-kill analysis revealed the CTA extract exerted a strong bactericidal effect on S. mutans and this activity was dose-dependent. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) exhibited the bacterial cells experienced severe damage after being exposed to CTA extract including formation cavities, irregular shape, and crumpled cells. Thus, the present study suggested the potential of CTA extract as an antibacterial agent against oral cavity bacteria and can be used in the formulation of natural mouthwash due to no toxicity effect.
Delay-dependent H ∞ Control for Systems with Two Additive Time-vary Delays

This paper is concerned with the delay-dependent H ∞ control problem for systems with two additive time-varying delays. We construct a new Lyapunov functional and give a tighter upper bound for the derivative of the Lyapunov functional, then employ a new method, the polyhedron method, to test the negative definiteness of the upper bound. New delay- dependent stability criteria are thus derived, which are less conservative than some existing ones. Based on the stability criteria a state feedback controller is constructed to guarantee that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable with a prescribed H ∞ disturbance attenuation level. Finally examples are given to show the advantages of the stability criteria and the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
Clinical, microbiological, immunological and hormonal profiles of patients with granulomatous mastitis

Various studies on the etiology and other aspects of granulomatous mastitis (GM) have been performed; however, a lot of controversies have arisen. The present study aimed to present the clinicopathological findings and identify the sensitivity and resistance of isolated bacteria in patients with GM. In this cross-sectional study 63 female patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of GM were included. A core needle biopsy was conducted for the patients to obtain a sample for histopathological examination and bacterial culture. In total, 46 types of antibiotics were used to determine the sensitivity and resistance of each isolated bacterial species. All the medical and clinical records of the patients were acquired through the completion of a questionnaire form in person or, if necessary, through the evaluation of their medical records in the database of the relevant center. The majority of the patients were in the premenopausal or perimenopausal period. GM was unilateral in 58.7% of the patients. The most common symptom was pain, followed by fever and chills. The mean ranges of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-17, C5a, white blood count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and prolactin tests were significantly elevated in comparison to the normal ranges. In total, nine different bacterial species were isolated from the bacterial culture of the core biopsy samples, and 50% of the isolated bacterial species were sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Since there is no consensus on the etiology of GM, any additional studies related to this aspect expand the current understanding of this puzzling condition.