Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Trends and Drivers of Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics in Drought-Prone Livelihood Zones of the Northwestern Escarpment of the Ethiopian Rift Valley

Abstract The current study looked at the patterns and causes of land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics from 1985 to 2019 in three drought-prone areas of the Ethiopian Rift Valley’s Northwestern Escarpment. Spatial data, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were used to study the trends and causes of LULC dynamics. For Landsat image processing, ERDAS Imagine 2015 was used, and for LULC change analysis, ArcGIS 10.8 was employed. From the result, fast LULC exchange occurred in all study LZs throughout the study years. Raya Valley LZ (RVLZ) is, however, more highly shifted than Allagie Ofla LZ (ALOFLZ) and Tsirare catchment LZ (TCLZ). From the total area, only 17.7, 28.3, and 23.2 percent of RVLZ, ALOFLZ, and TCLZ persisted over the study years, respectively. The LULC change in the studied LZs was driven by population pressure and recurrent droughts. The research area’s local ecosystem services have been disrupted by these changes, which have impacted the livelihood system of the local community. Consequently, the government should reform the appropriate land use policy, which benefits local farmers and their ecosystems. In addition, farm activities must be environmentally friendly to increase farmland productivity.
A ketogenic diet prevents methylglyoxal-evoked nociception by scavenging methylglyoxal.

ABSTRACT Methylglyoxal is a reactive dicarbonyl byproduct of glycolysis implicated in a growing number of neuropathic pain conditions, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and radiculopathy with lumbar disc herniation. Recent studies show success in preclinical models treating these disorders with an interventional ketogenic diet. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a ketogenic diet modifies pathological methylglyoxal signaling as a mechanism underlying neuropathy improvement. We found that mice injected with methylglyoxal displayed nociceptive behaviors, whereas mice pre-fed a ketogenic diet were resistant to mechanical allodynia elicited by methylglyoxal. In addition, levels of circulating methylglyoxal were reduced in ketogenic diet-fed mice and negatively correlated with levels of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate. Methylglyoxal is normally scavenged by the glyoxalase system, and ketogenic diet-fed mice displayed increased glyoxalase 1 activity compared to chow-fed control mice. Recent studies also suggest ketone bodies contribute to methylglyoxal detoxification, consistent with negative correlation between β-hydroxybutyrate and methylglyoxal. To assess whether ketone bodies modified methylglyoxal-evoked nociception via direct methylglyoxal detoxification, we coincubated either acetoacetate or β-hydroxybutyrate with methylglyoxal prior to injection. Mice receiving intraplantar methylglyoxal injection exhibit increased nociceptive behavior (lifting, licking, biting, scratching), which was significantly reduced by coincubation with either acetoacetate or β-hydroxybutyrate. Methylglyoxal increased phospho-ERK-positive cells in the spinal dorsal horn, and this evoked spinal activation was ameliorated by preincubation with acetoacetate or β-hydroxybutyrate. These results suggest that a ketogenic diet and ketone bodies ameliorate methylglyoxal-evoked nociception, partially through detoxification of methylglyoxal, and provide rationale for therapeutic intervention with a ketogenic diet in methylglyoxal-driven pathologies.
Biological Activities of Some Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Fumaria schleicheri Soy. Will.

Fumaria schleicheri Soy. Will. is a species belonging to the Papaveraceae family, being widespread in East-Central and Southern Europe. As with numerous other species of the genus, it is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of hepatobiliary and digestive disorders. The aim of the present study consisted of the evaluation of its alkaloid content and the assessment of its in vitro antioxidant, anti-cholinesterase and cytotoxic potential. Total alkaloid content in the composition of the species was quantified by a spectrophotometrical method and they were individually identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD. The antioxidant capacity was investigated by the DPPH and FRAP methods, while the anti-cholinesterase activity was assessed by an adapted Ellman’s method. The in vitro cytotoxic activity was evaluated on BJ human fibroblasts and DLD-1 human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. Results showed the presence of bicuculline, protopine, chelidonine, stylopine and sanguinarine, among which bicuculline, protopine, stylopine and sanguinarine were quantified, while the antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase assays showed valuable potentials. No cytotoxic effect was observed on BJ cell lines and selective cytotoxicity was expressed towards tumoral cells. In this context, F. schleicheri appears as an important medicinal species with significant potential of substitution with the officinal species.
Measurement of Vital Signs Respiratory Rate Based on Non Contact Techniques Using Thermal Camera & Web Camera with Facial Recognition

Examination of the respiratory rate is included in the calculation of vital sign parameters used by the medical team to determine whether a person's condition is good or not. Researchers want to develop a method of checking the respiratory rate that is easy to use by the general public and can display fast and precise results. During this pandemic, we are forced to reduce direct human-to-human contact with the aim of suppressing the exchange of viruses. From this condition, the researcher wants to develop a measuring instrument to measure the respiratory frequency with the non-contact method. This method is expected to reduce direct contact between humans and still get the results of the respiratory rate value which can be used as a parameter to determine a person's condition. To get the value of the respiratory rate, researchers have an idea by monitoring changes in temperature using a thermal camera. For the respiratory rate parameter, the researcher observed the nose area by detecting changes in expiratory and inspiration temperatures and then calculating the respiratory rate. To get these results, the researcher uses a method of detecting the face area or called face recognition and then detecting the ROI point in the area of interest in the nose area. In observing the respiratory rate, the temperature value during expiration is 31.05 °C while at the time of inspiration is 30.01 °C. This temperature difference will be carried out in the process of calculating the respiration rate value by the system made by the researcher. In the results of this study, it was found that the respiration rate module can be used as a reference with a normal use range of 60-120 cm with an error value of 1% if the distance is above 100 cm, then the results of this study are that this research can be implemented on a breathing frequency measuring instrument with a non-standard method. - contact
Positive Effects of a Lecithin-Based Delivery Form of Boswellia serrata Extract in Acute Diarrhea of Adult Subjects

Acute diarrhea is a frequent problem worldwide, mostly due to gastrointestinal infections or food poisoning. Boswellia serrata could be active in the treatment of acute diarrhea due to its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antimicrobial activity. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 49 adults with acute diarrhea were randomly allocated to receive 250 mg of a lecithin-based delivery form of Boswellia serrata (CASP) or placebo for 5 days. The time it took to become healthy with stoppage of diarrhea (primary end point) was significantly shorter in the intervention group (3.08 vs. 4.44 days: p-value < 0.0001). The probability of subjects treated with CASP to recover sooner was equal to 80.2%. A significantly lower number of stools was observed in the CASP group over time (β = −0.17, p-value < 0.0001). A significant difference was observed between the two groups for abdominal pain, nausea, and GAE (global assessment of efficacy). In conclusion, the lecithin-based delivery form of Boswellia serrata extract could be a useful addition to the treatment of acute diarrhea in adults. CASP is safe and reduces the time it takes to become healthy, the frequency of stools, the abdominal pain and nausea of subjects with acute diarrhea. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results.
Biogas production using poultry wastes, yam and plantain peels

Current global warming trends are primarily a result of the current energy reliance on fossil fuels and necessitate the provision of alternative sources of energy. Biofuels are one of the many alternatives to Hydrocarbon fuels. This research evaluates the potential of biogas production using poultry wastes, yam, and plantain peels in a ratio of 2:1:1. The organic waste materials were crushed using a sterile mortar and pestle. It was weighed and mixed with distilled water in a sterile bowl and loaded in a bioreactor for 45 days. The proximate analysis was carried out to determine the nutrient composition of the samples using standard procedures. Microbiological analysis was carried out using both general- purpose and differential media before and after loading the samples in the bioreactor. The pH and the temperature were monitored as well. A flame meter was used to compare the quality of the gas produced with that of cooking gas. The percentage moisture content obtained was 21.31, 28.71 and 23.17, % crude protein (6.17, 5.98 and 7.17), % ash content (7.9, 4.37, 12.13), % fat content (2.13, 1.14, 7.24), %crude fiber (19.94, 14.36, 36.89), % carbohydrate (42.53, 39.06 and 13.12) and the calories value of (213.09, 196.43 and 146.36) for plantain peels, yam peels and poultry waste respectively. Three fungal isolates and nine bacterial isolates were obtained. Produced biogas constituted of 310, 1352, and 2264 ppm of Liquified Petroleum Gas, Carbon (II) Oxide, and Smoke respectively. The biogas was observed to be highly flammable and burnt with a bluish flame.
Generation of polarized proton beams with gaseous targets from CO2-laser-driven collisionless shock acceleration

We propose obtaining polarized proton beams based on CO2-laser-driven collisionless shock acceleration (CSA) of the pre-polarized HCl gas. By tailoring the density profile of the pre-polarized HCl gas, the intense CO2 laser pulse heats the plasma target and forms a strong shock that reflects the polarized protons to high energy. According to particle-in-cell simulations implemented with the spin dynamics, directional proton beams of several MeV were generated at a total beam polarization of over 80%. Simulations showed that proton spin precession occurred in the azimuthal magnetic fields generated by the Biermann effect and plasma currents. The latter was the main depolarization mechanism in the early stage of shock wave formation. For CSA at CO2 laser intensities around 1017–1018 W/cm2, the proton depolarization was insignificant and the beam polarization purity was preserved. As pre-polarized hydrogen targets were available at gaseous densities in-state-of-art facilities, CSA driven by relatively long wavelength lasers provided a feasible solution for obtaining ultra-fast polarized proton sources.
Identification of Potential Harmful Transformation Products of Selected Micropollutants in Outdoor and Indoor Swimming Pool Water

This paper presents the estimation of micropollutant decomposition effectiveness and the identification of transformation intermediates formed during selected processes used in the treatment of swimming pool water. Tests were carried out under both indoor and outdoor conditions to simulate the removal of contaminants in different types of pool water basins. Model swimming pool water spiked with caffeine, carbamazepine, bisphenol A and oxadiazon were subjected to chlorination, ozonation, UV radiation, and artificial and sun lightening, carried out as single or combined processes. It was noted that organic micropollutants decompose faster during exposure to natural sunlight than artificial lighting. Caffeine and carbamazepine belong to compounds that are resistant to single ozone or light decomposition. Bisphenol A was completely removed by the action of the chlorination agent NaOCl. The highest compound removal degrees were noted for the integrated action of natural sunlight, NaOCl and O3. This process allows also for the decomposition of all caffeine and oxadiazon decomposition by-products that potentially are toxic to swimming pool users.
iVAE-GAN: Identifiable VAE-GAN Models for Latent Representation Learning

Remarkable progress has been made within nonlinear Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and identifiable deep latent variable models. Formally, the latest nonlinear ICA theory enables us to recover the true latent variables up to a linear transformation by leveraging unsupervised deep learning. This is of significant importance for unsupervised learning in general as the true latent variables are of principal interest for meaningful representations. These theoretical results stand in stark contrast to the mostly heuristic approaches used for representation learning which do not provide analytical relations to the true latent variables. We extend the family of identifiable models by proposing an identifiable Variational Autoencoder (VAE) based GAN model we name iVAE-GAN. The latent space of most GANs, including VAE-GAN, is generally unrelated to the true latent variables. With iVAE-GAN we show the first principal approach to a theoretically meaningful latent space by means of adversarial training. We implement the novel iVAE-GAN architecture and show its identifiability, which is confirmed by experiments. The GAN objective is believed to be an important addition to identifiable models as it is one of the most powerful deep generative models. Furthermore, no requirements are imposed on the adversarial training leading to a very general model.
Bacterial Communities and Culturable Petroleum Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria in Marine Sediments in the Northeastern South China Sea

Marine oil spill pollution was one of the factors affecting the marine ecology of the northeastern South China Sea (nSCS). The submarine oil produced after the oil spill had a long-term impact on the microbial community in the sediment. In this study, 16S rRNA genes high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR were used to study the composition and distribution of bacterial communities in deep-sea sediments; meanwhile, petroleum hydrocarbon degrading bacteria were isolated, of which activity were detected. Proteobacteria and Planctomycetota were the main bacterial phyla found in the samples studied in this study. 29 bacterial strains capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons were isolated from S02 and S39 sediment samples, belonging to genus Stenotrophomonas, Pseudidiomarina, Sulfitobacter, Pseudomonas, Halomonas and so on. Strains from Stenotrophomonas degraded petroleum hydrocarbons efficiently. This research provided new insights into distribution pattern of benthic microbial community in the nSCS, and validated the degradation potential of petroleum hydrocarbons by indigenous bacteria.
The Mediating Effect of Corporate Governance on the Relationship Between Accounting Information and Stock Market Return of Listed Entities in Ghana

The study examined the mediating effect of corporate governance on the relationship between accounting information and stock market returns of listed entities on the Ghana Stock Exchange. The population of the study was forty (40) listed entities from 2007-2019 with 520 firm-year observations. The study applied a panel regression model that takes unobserved individual heterogeneity and distributional heterogeneity into consideration. In addition, the study employed cross-section dependence test, Levin-Lin-Chu, ImPesaran, Pesaran, Kao, and Larsson cointegration test, fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), and dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS). The results of unit root test showed that all the variables are integrated at first difference. Moreover, the results of cointegration test revealed that accounting information variables were cointegrated in the long run. The result of FMOLS and DOLS further revealed that all the accounting information variables with the exception of OCFPS and NTA have a direct insignificant relationship with the stock market return. The study revealed that corporate governance which was proxied by board size also strengthens the relationship between TAT and stock market return and NTA and stock market return at 5% significant level under FMOLS and DOLS respectively. accounting accounting measures stock market return of an entity. The accounting information variables used in to predict the stock market return are dividend per share (DPS), earnings per share (EPS), return on equity (ROE), net book value per share (NBVPS), operating cash flow per share (OCFPS), total assets turnover (TAT), price earning ratio (PER), net tangible asset per share (NTA), and net profit margin (NPM). These accounting information variables were used to assess the stock market returns performance of listed entities. moderation test use of the F -statistics. The results for the F -statistics used to gauge models were fit for analysis. the study carried out diagnostic tests for each of the FMOLS and DOLS regression to test whether the econometric assumptions relating to the FMOLS and DOLS were met. The study constructed non-graphical tests for homoskedasticity, multicollinearity, normality, and autocorrelation. The of heteroskedasticity found in multiple cointegration multiple regression direct effect moderation effect and their form hypotheses tested easy interpretation
Higher Risk of Anxiety and Depression in Women with Adenomyosis as Compared with Those with Uterine Leiomyoma

The main symptoms of adenomyosis may adversely affect physical and mental health and quality of life (QOL). However, studies are few on this topic. This study evaluated the effect of adenomyosis on anxiety, depression, and QOL. Participants with adenomyosis (n = 90) or leiomyoma (n = 59) completed questionnaires, including the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Short Form (SF)-36. HADS anxiety and depression positive rates, physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary scores, and eight subscale scores of SF-36 were compared between the two groups. Among patients with adenomyosis, the incidence of anxiety symptoms was 28.9% (control group, 10.2%; OR = 3.589, 95% CI: 1.375–9.367), with 10% of patients showing moderate-to-severe symptoms. The incidence of depressive symptoms was 14.4% (control group, 3.4%; OR = 4.812, 95% CI: 1.044–22.168). The case group had significantly lower PCS and MCS scores than the control group. In patients with adenomyosis, being employed (OR = 6.393, 95% CI: 1.153–35.440) and perianal pain (OR = 25.419, 95% CI: 2.504–258.024) were risk factors for anxiety, and perianal pain (OR = 15.208, 95% CI: 3.050–75.836) was a risk factor for depression. Compared with leiomyoma, adenomyosis is associated with a higher risk of anxiety and depression, with a poorer QOL.
Examining the predictive role of spiritual health and resilience in mental distress of nurses in COVID-19 wards in Iran

ABSTRACT COVID-19 pandemic has triggered serious psychological problems mainly in the front-line healthcare staff. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of spiritual health and resilience in mental distress of nurses in COVID-19 wards in Iran. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 91 nurses working in COVID-19 wards in 2020. The results showed that 23.1% of nurses had mental distress. In addition, the correlation coefficient showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between spiritual health (r = −.22, p < .01) and resilience (r = −.34, p < .01) with mental distress. The regression results indicated that spiritual health and resilience predicted 16% of the variation in mental distress (p < .05). Spiritual health and resilience are important constructs of mental distress in nurses and significantly predict and elaborate parts of changes in mental distress. Thus, mental health in nurses can be improved by improving the spiritual aspect and resilience in nurses.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus as an Effect Modifier of the Association of Gestational Weight Gain with Perinatal Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study in China

The association of gestational weight gain (GWG) with perinatal outcomes seems to differ between women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Whether GDM is an effect-modifier of the association has not been verified. This study aimed to assess the modifying effect of GDM on the association of GWG with perinatal outcomes. Data on 12,128 pregnant women (3013 with GDM and 9115 without GDM) were extracted from a prospective, multicenter, cohort study in China. The associations of total and trimester-specific GWG rates (GWGR) with perinatal outcomes, including small size for gestational age, large size for gestational age (LGA), preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and gestational hypertension disorders, were assessed. The modifying effect of GDM on the association was assessed on both multiplicative and additive scales, as estimated by mixed-effects logistic regression. As a result, total GWGR was associated with all of the perinatal outcomes. GDM modified the association of total GWGR with LGA and cesarean delivery on both scales (all p < 0.05) but did not modify the association with other outcomes. The modifying effect was observed in the third trimester but not in the first or the second trimester. Therefore, maternal GWG is associated with perinatal outcomes, and GDM modifies the association with LGA and cesarean delivery in the third trimester.
Cytological Study of Salivary Gland Lesions in Accordance with the Milan System of Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology

Aim: Fine needle aspiration cytology is an essential diagnostic tool for preoperative diagnosis of salivary gland lesions. Due to overlapping cytological features and heterogenecity of the lesions, a universal classification system was proposed, known as the “Milan System of Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC). This system helps clinicians to plan further diagnosis and management according to the risk of malignancy (ROM) in different categories. Therefore, the aim was to stratify the lesions according to the system and calculate the risk of malignancy. Study Design: Retrospective and prospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pathology, Dr.D. Y.Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, between August 2016 and July 2021. Methodology: A five year study was conducted on 100 cases. FNAC was performed and correlation to histopathological aspects of resected and/or biopsied lesions were carried out in which tissue specimens were available. The cytological diagnosis was re-evaluated as follows: Category 1: Non‑diagnostic (ND), Category 2: Non‑neoplastic (NN), Category 3: Atypia of undetermined significance (AUS), Category 4a: Neoplasm: Benign (NB),Category 4b: Neoplasm: Salivary gland neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential (SUMP),Category 5: Suspicious of malignancy (SM) and Category 6: Malignant (M). Results: Total 100 cases were studied. Histopathology reassessment was available in 38 cases. Case distribution in various categories were ND (0%), NN(36%), AUS(3%), NB(54%), SUMP(1%), SM(3%) and M(3%). Overall ROM reported were 0%, 11.11%, 100%, 0%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively for each category. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the study was 94.74%, 75%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively. Conclusion: The Milan system is an universal 6-tier reporting system of lesions of salivary gland that helps with risk assessment and guides the clinicians for appropriate treatment.