Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of charcoal production on deforestation in selected agrarian communities of Oyo State, Nigeria

Charcoal production is considered as one of the major drives for deforestation . Its production is beginning to have negative impact on the environment. This study examined the assessment of charcoal production on deforestation in selected agrarian communities of Oyo State. Simple random sampling procedure was used to select 160 respondents from a sample frame of 320 charcoal producers in Saki West and Ibarapa North Local Government Areas. Interview guide and Focus Group Discussions were used to obtain data on charcoal producers’ socio-economic characteristics and their perception of deforestation. Primary data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and Chi-square. Findings revealed that 57.5% of the respondents were male, 32.5% were within the age group of 40-49 years, while 45.0% and 42.5% had primary and secondary school education, respectively. Also, 32.5 % of the respondents had 16 - 20 years’ experience in charcoal production. The study revealed that Vitellaria paradoxa (68.8%, 85.0%) , Anogeissus leiocarpus (77.5%,66.3%) and Bridelia ferruginea (58.8%,65.0%) were the most preferred tree species used for charcoal production in Ibarapa North and Saki West Local Government Areas respectively. Majority (73.8%) perceived that charcoal production is a serious threat to the environment. Chi-square result showed significant ( p <0.05) associations between charcoal producers’ educational level (χ 2 = 11.938, df = 3) and perceived effect of charcoal production on deforestation. The study concluded that charcoal production is one of the major causes of deforestation in the study area. It is therefore recommended that organize afforestation and reforestation programmes should be encourage and enlightenment campaign on the threat on charcoal programme on the environment. Keywords: Charcoal production, Deforestation, Agrarian Communities, Perception
Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Treated with IV Beta‐Lactam/Beta‐Lactamase Inhibitor Combinations

Increased acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence has been reported in patients receiving piperacillin‐tazobactam (PTZ) therapy compared with other β‐lactams. The authors sought to determine if the addition of β‐lactamase inhibitors impacts AKI incidence by comparing patients treated with PTZ or ampicillin‐sulbactam (SAM).
Removable orthodontic appliances: frequency and cleaning agents used by students and recommended by dentists

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and hygiene habits of 13-19 years-old adolescent users of removable orthodontic appliances (ROA) and to determine hygiene methods for the appliances prescribed by dentists, in the city of Pelotas. Methods: The study had two stages. The first stage was a telephone interview with dentists. Dentists were interview by telephone calls in order to obtain information regarding the hygiene methods for cleaning acrylic appliances. Second stage was a cross-sectional study performed with schoolchildren. Children from public and private schools with secondary level were included in the sample. A questionnaire was applied to the students using any type of ROA. Questionnaires included demographic information and behavioral characteristics. Data collected were subjected to Chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of children using ROA was 5.4%. Students (89.7%) and dentists (47.2%) reported to prefer mechanical methods to clean their ROA. Cleaning with soup, hydrogen peroxide or effervescent tabs were less used. High frequency of use was associated with higher frequency of hygiene on the ROA. Conclusions: The prevalence of schoolchildren using removable appliances was low. The common cleaning method used by children and prescribed by dentists was mechanical. Hygiene frequency was significantly associated with the routine of use of the appliance and with the type of hygiene method.
Is homocysteine an independent predictor of hypertension? A case-control study in an elderly population

Patients with hypertension and elevated homocysteine levels have a higher prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than individuals without either hypertension or elevated homocysteine levels, but the independence of homocysteine as a predictor of hypertension and vice-versa is controversial. This study was to explore the independence of hypertension and homocysteine (HCY) associations using a case-control study design based on a hospital in China. A case-control study was performed using 230 randomly selected 65-yearold and older inpatients with hypertension (cases) and 230 age and sex matched non-hypertensive controls. All participants were assessed for fasting triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CR), uric acid (UA), C-reactive protein (CRP), fasting glucose (BS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and body mass index (BMI). Data analysis was performed using conditional logistic regression. Compared to patients with hypertension, HCY, TG, TC, HDL, LDL, BUN, UA, CRP, BS and BMI were worse than controls. In multivariate analysis HCY (OR=1.22, P<0.001), BUN (OR=1.25, P=0.03) and CRP (OR=1.25, P=0.02) were independent predictors of hypertension. Amongst all subjects (cases and controls), the presence of elevated homocysteine was independently associated with hypertension (OR=9.93, P<0.001), TG (OR=3.56, P<0.001), LDL (OR=1.64, P=0.01), CRP (OR=1.50, P<0.001), BS (OR=0.75, P=0.02) and BMI (OR=1.14, P=0.001). Elevated homocysteine and hypertension are each independent predictors of each other. Hypertension is also independently associated with BUN and CRP, while elevated homocysteine is independently associated with TG, TC, LDL, CRP, BS and BMI.
A Cascaded Deep Convolutional Network for Vehicle Logo Recognition From Frontal and Rear Images of Vehicles

Vehicle logo recognition provides an important supplement to vehicle make and model analysis. Some of the existing vehicle logo recognition methods depend on the detection of license plates to roughly locate vehicle logo regions using prior knowledge. The vehicle logo recognition performance is greatly affected by the license plate detection techniques. This paper presents a cascaded deep convolutional network for directly recognizing vehicle logos without depending on the existence of license plates. This is a two-stage processing framework composed of a region proposal network and a convolutional capsule network. First, potential region proposals that might contain vehicle logos are generated by the region proposal network. Then, the convolutional capsule network classifies these region proposals into the background and different types of vehicle logos. We have evaluated the proposed framework on a large test set towards vehicle logo recognition. Quantitative evaluations show that a detection rate, a recognition rate, and an overall performance of 0.987, 0.994, and 0.981, respectively, are achieved. Comparative studies with the Faster R-CNN and other three existing methods also confirm that the proposed method performs effectively and robustly in recognizing vehicle logos of various conditions.
Compartmentalization studies of a deep-design batch Microbial Fuel Cell assembly

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology in bioelectricity production. Water systems may be utilized in producing electricity by bio-electrochemical catalytic activity of its inherent microbial culture while simultaneously treating wastewater. Current studies are focusing on design and material optimization for future up-scaling application. For large-scale application, optimization studies such as compartmentalization and stacking become important. In this study, a membrane-less microbial fuel cell is designed and optimized in terms of optimum electrode distances and optimum surface area ratios. It was found that the specific design yielded a maximum of 25.81 mV at the optimum distance wherein dissolved oxygen is sufficiently low enough in this level. Through the optimization of electrode distance was also found that the MFC designed is anode-limited with a 1:4 ratio of anode to cathode is required to produce its maximum power density output. Multiple electrodes study proves the MFC setup is stackable even without membrane separation. This paper reports the first known attempt to quantify an optimum surface area to volume ratio at 2.34 m2/m3.
A Multivariate View of Parallel Evolution

A growing number of empirical studies have quantified the degree to which evolution is geometrically parallel, by estimating and interpreting pairwise angles between evolutionary change vectors in multiple replicate lineages. Similar comparisons, of distance in trait space, are used to assess the degree of convergence. These approaches amount to element-by-element interpretation of distance matrices, and can fail to capture the true extent of multivariate parallelism when evolution involves multiple traits sampled across multiple lineages. We suggest an alternative set of approaches, co-opted from evolutionary quantitative genetics, involving eigen analysis and comparison of among-lineage covariance matrices. Such approaches not only allow the full extent of multivariate parallelism to be revealed and interpreted, but also allow for the definition of biologically tenable null hypotheses against which empirical patterns can be tested. Reanalysis of a dataset of multivariate evolution across a replicated lake/stream gradient in threespine stickleback reveals that most of the variation in the direction of evolutionary change can be captured in just a few dimensions, indicating a greater extent of parallelism than previously appreciated. We suggest that applying such multivariate approaches may often be necessary to fully understand the extent and form of parallel and convergent evolution.
Medical and psychosocial predictors of delay in seeking medical consultation for breast symptoms in low-income women

677 Background: Delay in seeking consultation for breast symptoms is associated with more advanced stage of breast cancer. Understanding demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors related to delay is important for reducing breast cancer morbidity and mortality, especially for populations at increased risk for delay such as African Americans, Hispanics and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, 77 women with breast symptoms attending an outpatient breast clinic in a county general hospital completed questionnaires measuring demographic, medical and psychosocial variables. Our outcome variable was delay in seeking medical consultation. Pearson correlation coefficients, one-way ANOVAs and Chi square and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Mean age was 46 years. Forty-three per cent were Hispanic, 33% African-American, 14% Caucasian and 10% Asian. Sixty-four per cent were unemployed. Thirty-nine per cent waited longer than three months after noticing their.
Drug recall management and channel coordination under stochastic product defect severity: a game-Theoretic analytical study

This paper analytically explores drug recall programmes in the pharmaceutical industry by considering the product defect severity as a source of uncertainty. Under the Stackelberg game model, a pharma-manufacturer outsources the drug recall management and pays collecting fees to a third party logistics provider (3PL) for collecting the defective medications. On the other side, the 3PL provides incentives to customers to facilitate product recall. In this research, we first analytically show the negative effect of lack of coordination between the pharma-manufacturer and 3PL. Then, a new coordination model, namely collecting fee agreement is proposed under which the pharma-manufacturer aims to motivate the 3PL to collect more defective medications. This research also analytically explores the effect of orchestrating the collecting fees and incentives under stochastic product defect severity. Finally, a Nash-bargaining game model is proposed to share the profits between the pharma-manufacturer and 3PL under the collecting fee agreement. Both analytical and numerical results reveal that the collecting fee agreement not only increases the collection rate of defective items and protects the patients from unsafe products, but also simultaneously improves the performances of whole pharmaceutical supply chain and its members while reducing the governmental penalties imposed on the pharma-manufacturer.
After the Post-9/11 GI Bill: A Profile of Military Service Members and Veterans Enrolled in Undergraduate and Graduate Education. Stats in Brief. NCES 2016-435.

Statistics in Brief publications present descriptive data in tabular formats to provide useful information to a broad audience, including members of the general public. They address simple and topical issues and questions. They do not investigate more complex hypotheses, account for inter-relationships among variables, or support causal inferences. We encourage readers who are interested in more complex questions and in-depth analysis to explore other NCES resources, including publications, online data tools, and publicand restricted-use datasets. See nces.ed.gov and references noted in the body of this document for more information. This Statistics in Brief was prepared for the National Center for Education Statistics under Contract No. EDED-IES-12-C-0095 with RTI International. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect on August 1, 2009 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2009), increasing the education benefits available to military service members who served after September 10, 2001.
Sero-Prevalence of Hepatitis ‘B’ Virus Infection: A Teaching Hospital Based Study

HBV infection is a global public health problem with more than 350 million persons estimated to be chronically infected with the virus and is the ninth major cause of mortality (Goldstein et al., 2005). HBV carriers‟ population estimated for 4 % and near about 36 million populations are HBV carriers in India . More than 70 % HBV infective patient accounted with cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis and hepatitis virus associated liver disease. In contrast to hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus may produce fulminant fatal acute hepatitis, called massive hepatic necrosis. Until routine screening of blood products for this virus was begun, hepatitis B was the most common cause of transfusionassociated hepatitis (Nguyen et al., 2009).
Elaborating reflective abstraction for instructional design in mathematics: Postulating a Second Type of Reflective Abstraction

ABSTRACT The goal of our research program is to explicate the learning of mathematical concepts in ways that are useful for instructional design and to develop design principles based on those explications. I review one type of concept and our elaboration of reflective abstraction, coordination of actions (COA) that accounts for its construction. I then postulate a second type of concept and a second type of reflective abstraction that accounts for its construction, the abstraction of commonality (AOC).
Effect of Hemodialysis on Spirometric Measurement in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can adversely affect the respiratory systems functions and dynamics via different mechanisms resulting of toxic metabolites. Patients with CKD require hemodialysis for survival and prior studies have been showed a controversial effects of hemodialysis on respiratory function Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the acute impact of hemodialysis on spirometric parameters in patients with CKD undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Methodology: One hundred patients (50% male, mean age 43.2 ± 15 years) with CKD who underwent regular hemodialysis at the hemodialysis center at Al-Sader Teaching Hospital between January and September 2015were enrolled in the study. Forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and the FEV1/FVC ratio (FEV1%) were performed for each patient who consented to participate in the study; before the hemodialysis session and within half hour after it. SPSS was used for the statistical analysis. Results: FEV1 and FVC were showed a statistically significant improvement in their values after hemodialysis(P<0.05) while FEV1% showed no significant changes and improvement after hemodialysis(P>0.05). FEV1 and FVC were showed a significant change and increment with increased of the frequency of hemodialysis sessions (P <0.05). Conclusion: There was a significant increase in spirometric parameters after hemodialysis for patients with CKD. Recommendations: A further studies with follow ups are required to confirm our findings and establish the chronic effect of hemodialysis on pulmonary function testAbbreviations: FEV1(Forced expiratory volume in the first second ),FVC( forced vital capacity),CKD(chronic kidney disease),Hb(hemoglobin),GFR(glomerular filtration rate).
The socio-demographic profile and coping mechanisms of inmates in Lanao del Sur province, Philippines

The purpose of this study is to examine how the inmates adapt/adjust to jail environments in the prison, in terms of their physical, physiological, social and psychological well-being. The study is beneficial to the inmates, jail managers, political leaders, fellow researches and nurses. This descriptive-correlational study includes ninety-six (96) inmates who were selected using systematic random sampling. This study was conducted within the boundaries of the two jails (Provincial Jail and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) in Lanao del Sur Province, 9700, Philippines. The study utilized a researcher-made checklist questionnaire. A pilot study, content validation, and test of the reliability of the survey tool were conducted. Using IBM Software Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 5.0, the following statistical formulas were utilized: frequency percentage distribution, weighted mean (x ̅ ), standard deviation (SD), and Cramer’s V(φc) correlation. Most of the inmates incarcerated in Lanao del Sur Province were young adults, single, male, Muslims, high school graduates, and were imprisoned for five to ten years. Inmates sometimes used psychological, physical-physiological, and social activities as their coping mechanism while inside the jail system. Majority of the inmates never experienced problems pertaining to health and economic concerns but sometimes experienced problems concerning psychosocial matters. Cramer’s V(φc) revealed a strong correlation between the socio-demographic profiles and coping mechanisms of the inmates. Therefore, nurses assigned in the jail facility face must promote the safety, welfare, and well-being of inmates despite the overcrowding situation in the Philippine jail
A new forest vegetation type in Sri Lanka: Dry Canal-associated Evergreen Forest

During the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa (11-14th Century AD), irrigation infrastructure and agricultural development in Sri Lanka were at their zenith. Irrigation system also consisted of canals conveying water from the Mahaweli River to distant farmlands. One such irrigation canal, presently within the Somawathiya National Park (SNP), supplied water from the river to a cascade of small tanks and farmlands as far as Kalu Ganga that divides Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee Districts on the Mahaweli Left Bank. The perennial presence of water during use, and subsequent disuse of the canal for centuries, since the fall of the Kingdom, evidently has caused edaphic, hydrological, microclimatic, biological and ecological changes that seem to have transformed vegetation existed during pre-Polonnaruwa and Polonnaruwa Periods in this part of the dry zone. Along the present day ruins of this ancient irrigation canal exists a unique zone of forest vegetation which has not been hitherto identified or recorded. This special forest formation which is anthropogenic in origin is here described as a new forest vegetation type in Sri Lanka and named Dry Canal-associated Evergreen Forest (DCEF) which closely resembles a river forest (Dry Riverine Evergreen Forest (DREF)), which in contrast is a natural vegetation formation.
The Relationship between Tax-Related Administrative Barriers and SMEs Characteristics: Evidence from Slovenia

Purpose: Legislation and tax authority conduct upon play a very important role in determining overall business environment by defining the rules under which the enterprises have to operate. Nonetheless, the complexity of legislation creates also unnecessary administrative burdens and consequently hinders entrepreneurial activity. Accordingly, the main aim of this paper is to establish whether there is a link between the perception of administrative barriers in the field of tax compliance and financial reporting and different characteristics of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/Methodology/Approach: Conducting a field survey and applying a parametric statistical technique on a sample of 293 Slovenian SMEs. Findings: The empirical results show that there are statistically significant differences in characteristics between those SMEs that perceive administrative barriers above average and those that perceive administrative below average in the field of tax compliance and financial reporting. Practical Implications: The overall findings suggest that regulatory authorities bear in mind that complexity of tax-related administrative barriers have a price resulting in deterioration of the business environment for SMEs and their performance. Originality/value: Utilising a comprehensive dataset covering Slovenian SMEs made by merging multiple data sources, namely field survey, balance-sheet and income-statement data, representing the main originality and value of the paper.
Convection in the Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere System: A Multimission Survey of Its Response to IMF By Reversals

Past studies have demonstrated that the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By component introduces asymmetries in the magnetosphere‐ionosphere (M‐I) system, though the exact timings involved are still unclear with two distinct mechanisms proposed. In this study, we statistically analyze convective flows from three regions of the M‐I system: the magnetospheric lobes, the plasma sheet, and the ionosphere. We perform superposed epoch analyses on the convective flows in response to reversals in the IMF By orientation, to determine the flow response timescales of these regions. We find that the lobes respond quickly and reconfigure to the new IMF By state within 30–40 min. The plasma sheet flows, however, do not show a clear response to the IMF By reversal, at least within 4 hr postreversal. The ionospheric data, measured by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN), match their counterpart magnetospheric flows, with clear and prompt responses at ≥75° magnetic latitude (MLAT) but a less pronounced response at 60–70 MLAT. We discuss the potential implication of these results on the mechanisms for introducing the IMF By component into the M‐I system.