Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric Shocks in Contests: Theory and Experiment

Under optimal tournament design, we would expect agents to exert identical effort regardless of the shape of the contest function’s error component. We report data from laboratory experiments that provide a first test of this prediction. We find that efforts do not significantly differ when the shock distribution exhibits negative skewness versus a uniform distribution; however, subjects react substantially differently to random shock realizations under different treatments. Specifically, tournament winners demonstrate stronger reactions, economically and statistically, to negatively-skewed shocks than to uniform shocks. Meanwhile, tournament losers are less likely to be affected by negatively-skewed shocks. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for the influence of the shape of the shock distribution on a contest participant’s effort.
OPTH_A_334252 4347..4355

1Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 2Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 3Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt Introduction: Ophthalmologists are at a high risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection owing to their working environments and proximity to patients during examinations. Compliance with infection control measures in examination offices can lessen the risk of infection to this group. In Egypt, several deaths from COVID-19 have been reported among ophthalmologists; therefore, we studied the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in this group and assessed ophthalmologists’ commitments to recommended infection control measures. Aim: To evaluate the rate of COVID-19 infections among ophthalmologists, identify risk factors for infections, and evaluate ophthalmologists’ commitments to infection control measures in their medical facilities. Methods: An online questionnaire was designed and distributed to ophthalmologists in the Cairo Governorate from May 1, 2021 to mid-June 2021. Results: Out of 161 responders, the percentage of COVID-19 infections was 52.8% (85 responders). This was significantly higher among younger ophthalmologists (P-value = 0.019) and those with fewer years of experience (P-value = 0.010). Adopting full precautions while examining patients with or without respiratory illness were significantly associated with a lower infection rate (P-value = 0.019 and 0.046, respectively). A significantly higher infection rate was reported for ophthalmologists who examined known COVID-19 patients at outpatient clinics, even when taking precautions (P-value = 0.032). A lower rate of COVID19 infection was significantly associated with adopting full precautions while operating on suspected or nonsuspected COVID-19 patients (P-value = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Both young age and limited experience were significant infection risk factors in our study. The most important infection control measures that significantly decreased infection risks were adherence to full protective measures while working in outpatient clinics and operating rooms.
SF3B1 modulators affect key genes in metastasis and drug influx: a new approach to fight pancreatic cancer chemoresistance

Aim: Because mutations of splicing factor 3B subunit-1 (SF3B1) have been identified in 4% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, we investigated the activity of new potential inhibitors of SF3B1 in combination with gemcitabine, one of the standard drugs, in PDAC cell lines. Methods: One imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivative (IS1) and three indole derivatives (IS2, IS3 and IS4), selected by virtual screening from an in-house library, were evaluated by the sulforhodamine-B and wound healing assay for their cytotoxic and antimigratory activity in the PDAC cells SUIT-2, Hs766t and Panc05.04, the latter harbouring the SF3B1 mutations. The effects on the splicing pattern of proto-oncogene recepteur d’origine nantais (RON) and the gemcitabine transporter human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 (hENT1) were assessed by PCR, while the ability to reduce tumour volume was tested in spheroids of primary PDAC cells. Results: The potential SF3B1 modulators inhibited PDAC cell proliferation and prompted induction of cell death. All compounds showed an interesting anti-migratory ability, associated with splicing RON/ΔRON shift in SUIT-2 cells after 24 h exposure. Moreover, IS1 and IS4 potentiated the sensitivity to gemcitabine in both conventional 2D monolayer and 3D spheroid cultures, and these results might be explained by the statistically significant increase in hENT1 expression (P < 0.05 vs. untreated control cells), potentially reversing PDAC chemoresistance. Conclusion: These results support further studies on new SF3B1 inhibitors and the role of RON/hENT1 modulation to develop effective drug combinations against PDAC.
Hand Hygiene and Hospital-Acquired Infections During COVID-19 Increased Vigilance: One Hospital's Experience.

Background Hospital-acquired infections are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, costs and length of stay. Prior studies have linked increased hand hygiene compliance with reduced hospital-acquired infection rate. With the increased vigilance for personal and institutional hygiene practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, we hypothesized increased hand hygiene compliance and, as a result, decrease in hospital-acquired infections in our hospital. Methods Hand hygiene compliance data was provided by the hospital's Quality Department. We queried and empirically analyzed local hospital-acquired infection data obtained from our Quality Department and the National Healthcare Safety Network. We compared local hand hygiene compliance rates before and after the implementation of increased infection prevention and control measures in March 2020 and correlated various hospital-acquired infection rates with hand hygiene compliance. Results Our results showed a statistically significant and sustained increase in compliance with hand hygiene at our hospital after implementation of hospital-wide infection control measures. We demonstrated a downward trend in all hospital-acquired infections, which was not statistically significant. A strong statistically significant negative correlation was found between hand hygiene compliance and the rate of Clostridium difficile hospital-acquired infection. Conclusion Hand hygiene adherence has increased since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in our hospital, and a noticeable, although not statistically significant, downward trend in most of the analyzed hospital-acquired infections was identified. A significant limitation to our study was small sample size. Future studies are warranted to further analyze the impact of increased hygiene practice on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.
Presence of hemophagocytes in bonemarrow- A study in a tertiary care center inSouth India

Introduction and Aim:HaemophagocyticLymphohistiocytic Syndrome (HLH) is a fatal disease with characteristic proliferation of histiocytes in the organs including bone marrow, liver, spleen, kidney, csf, meninges, lymph nodes and subcutaneous tissue which phagocytes the blood cells. In all unexplained cases of cytopenias, organomegaly and pyrexia of unknown origin the HLH should be thought off. Though there are established criteria to diagnose, early diagnosis can reduce the mortality rate due to HLH. Documenting the haemophagocytes in the biopsy can sometimes be very helpful in arriving at the diagnosis. Materials and Methods:We identified patients who were diagnosed with or suspected to have HLH by bone marrow aspiration or biopsy admitted to Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital and Research Institution from January 2010 to June 2017.We retrospectively reviewed patients’ medical records that have haemophagocytes in bone marrow aspirations and collected complete clinical history and laboratory findings. Those history included fever, cytopenias, and organomegaly. Their triglyceride levels, ferritin, ESR or any other abnormal elevated lab values were also noted down. If they had any established diagnosis then that was also noted. Results:This is a descriptive study and the details of the data like clinical history, clinical features, laboratory investigations and abnormal values are represented using tabular column, Pie chart and bar diagrams. Conclusion:From pathological point of view, documenting each case presenting with Haemophagocytes and looking into the factors like age, significant laboratory values along with clinical features can be a valuable tool to come to a provisional diagnosis and might help the clinician to proceed with the treatment for alife-threatening disease without much delay.
Development and Validation of Graphic Novel as a Supplementary Learning Material in Chemical Bonding

One of the most challenging tasks in teaching high school students is using appropriate learning material suitable to their level of proficiency, learning styles, and interests. This study aimed to develop and validate a graphic novel that can be used as a supplementary learning material in chemical bonding. The research utilized a design and development research design for the graphic novel development. An expert validation checklist was used to evaluate the validity of the graphic novel in terms of chemistry content, language, aesthetics, and social content. It was found out that the developed graphic novel has an overall rating of excellent as validated by the experts which signifies that the developed graphic novel has a high level of validity. It conforms to the criteria of instructional material development. Thus it can be used in teaching chemical bonding for Grade 9 students.
ADAPTIVE CONTROLLERS FOR QUADROTORS CARRYING

With the advent of intelligent transport, quadrotors are becoming an attractive solution while lifting or dropping payloads during emergency evacuations, construction works, etc. During such operations, dynamic variations in (possibly unknown) payload cause considerable changes in the system dynamics. However, a systematic control solution to tackle such varying dynamical behaviour is still missing. In this work, two control solutions are proposed to solve two specific problems in aerial transportation of payload, as mentioned below. In the first work, we explore the tracking control problem for a six degrees-of-freedom quadrotor carrying different unknown payloads. Due to the state-dependent nature of the uncertainties caused by variation in the dynamics, the state-of-the-art adaptive control solutions would be ineffective against these uncertainties that can be completely unknown and possibly unbounded a priori. In addition, external disturbances such as wind while following a trajectory in all three positions and attitude angles. Hence, an adaptive control solution for quadrotors is proposed, which does not require any a priori knowledge of the parameters of quadrotor dynamics and external disturbances. The second work is focused on the interchanging dynamic behaviour of a quadrotor while loading and unloading different payloads during vertical operations. The control problem to maintain the desired altitude is formulated via a switched dynamical framework to capture the interchanging dynamics of the quadrotor during such vertical operations, and a robust adaptive control solution is proposed to tackle such dynamics when it is unknown. The stability of the closed-loop system employing both the proposed controllers are studied analytically via Lyapunov theory. Further, the effectiveness of the proposed solutions is verified by deploying the controller on a realistic simulator under various scenarios and by testing the performance by comparing them with state-of-the-art controllers.
Object of learning in the teaching of simple harmonic motion: a case study using active methodology (ISLE type)

In classroom, the Simple Harmonic Movement (SHM) is a content generally seen only in the form of expository classes and, for this reason, considered difficult to understand. In order to solve this problem, the following research question was asked: does the Learning Object (LO) contribute to the understanding of SHM, based on the ISLE Methodology approach? For that, simulations of SMH graphics were created with the aid of digital tools. This research was carried out at IFCE Campus Fortaleza and its main objective was to analyze the use of a LO in the discipline of Physics, aiming to assist the student in the simulation of graphs of the Simple Harmonic Movement (SHM), supported by the Active Methodology of the ISLE type, which proposes a Science Investigative Learning Environment. The students performed a pre-test in which they were to analyze and interpret the data of an SHM from its graph. Then, using the LO, the students explored the variables present in a periodic movement, being able to interact with it and visualizing the changes in the movement and in the graphs related to it. Finally, the students performed a post-test that consisted of, again, interpreting an SHM phenomenon based on its graph and producing new graphs representing other of its variables. The results point to an improvement in the understanding of the learners regarding the studied subject, indicating that the use of digital tools and active methodologies can contribute to a meaningful learning of Physics concepts, more specifically, of the SHM.
EFFECT OF LUPINE POWDER ON RHEOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF YOGHURT

The effect of different concentrations (2, 4, 6 and 8%) of lupine powder on sensory, rheological, chemical and microbiological properties of yoghurt samples were investigated during refrigerated storage at 4°C for 15 days. The results indicated that the overall pH of lupine yoghurt lowered with increasing of % lupine powder as well as acidity increased gradually by adding lupine powder. The development of acidity in yoghurt (control) or which supplemented with lupine was increased gradually during storage with increase the lupine powder in yoghurt. The synersis of fresh lupine yoghurt was the lowest value compared with the results after 7and 15 days. The texture properties of lupine powder yogurt during storage were noted that control increased in firmness and gumminess, while cohesiveness, chewiness, springiness and resilience were decreased. On the other hand all concentrations recorded high values in firmness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, springiness and resilience during cold storage. There are significant (P ≤0.05) differences in the overall acceptability between control and those prepared by adding 2 & 4 %. Panel test showed that fresh yoghurt lupine prepared from control, 2 & 4% are more acceptable compared to that of 6 & 8%. Also the results revealed that the concentrate 8% of lupine powder represented the optimum concentration in decreasing total bacterial count and Staphylococcus aureus counts from 9×105 and 9×103 to 9×102 and 5×10 cfu/g respectively and increasing Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus from 10×104 and 8×104 to 8×106 and 5×106 cfu/g respectively. While the total coliform and faecial coliform bacteria were completely disappeared as well as yeast & Moulds were eliminated after 15 days during storage time at 4°C.
Current state and forecast of sulfur dioxide and dust emissions at thermal power plants of Ukraine

Purpose. Analysing the current state of sulfur dioxide and dust emissions from coal combustion at thermal power plants of Ukraine, predicting them with regard to changes which have occurred in the Ukrainian power industry over the last years, and estimating these emissions to compare with the limit gross emission values of pollutants according to the National Emissions Reduction Plan. Methodology. The method for calculating the pollutant emissions is elaborated, based on using the quantity of produced or supplied electricity for each year of TPP operation. Findings. It has been established that the gross emissions of SO2 at Ukrainian TPPs over the last years have amounted to about 620 thousand tons, and those of dust have made 140 thousand tons. In 2019, the average emission factors for all types of coal were 1180 g/GJ (for sulfur dioxide) and 288 g/GJ (for dust). The average values of specific emissions of SO2 and dust were 14.4 and 3.4g/kWh of supplied electricity, respectively, as compared with 1.2 and 0.2 g/kWh, which are characteristic of the current level at coal TPPs of the EU countries. Originality. Analytic dependency has been established between SO2 emission factors in flue gas at coal TPPs and low heat value and sulfur and ash content for Ukrainian energy coal. Practical value. The developed method allows one to perform calculations of maximum permissible and predicted gross emissions of SO2 and dust at TPPs of Ukraine.
Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Leverage, and Proﬁtability on Corporate Value (Empirical Study of Food and Beverage Sub-Sector Companies Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2012-2017)

Thisstudyaimstoanalyzetheinﬂuenceofcorporatesocialresponsibility,leverageand proﬁtability. Thisresearchisaquantitativeresearchusingsecondarydataobtainedfrom the food and beverage sub-sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the 2012-2017 period. Inthisstudythesamplingprocessusesprobabilitysamplingusingcriteriathatproduce 36 samples. The method of research analysis used is multiple linear regression. Basedontheresultsofthisstudyindicatethat:(1)corporate social responsibility(CSR) hasnoeffectandisnotsigniﬁcantonCorporateValue,(2)Leveragehasasigniﬁcantly negative effect on Corporate Value, (3) Proﬁtability has a signiﬁcantly positive effect on Corporate Value, and (4) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Leverage and Proﬁtability simultaneously have a signiﬁcant positive effect on Corporate Value.
GENOTYPIC DETECTION OF SOME PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA VIRULENCE GENES AMONG DIFFERENT CLINICAL ISOLATES

Background : Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen capable of infecting virtually all tissuesvia myriad of virulence factors and possess diversity of antibiotic resistance mechanisms. This aim of this study was molecular identification of genus and species level of P. aeruginosa by detection of oprI, oprL genes respectively by PCR. Determination of antibiotic resistance profile among isolates, as well as, detection of virulence genes toxA, plcH, plcN and LasB by PCR. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of fifty P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from various clinical specimens were performed on VITEK-2 Compact system. PCR was used for the molecular confirmation of genus and species level of P. aeruginosa by detection of oprI, oprL genes, as well as, the molecular detection of virulence genes toxA, plcH, plcN and LasB. The highest prevalence of resistance was detected against 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins (80%). Resistance to other β-lactam antibiotics including piperacillin-tazobactam, monobactams, imipenem meropenem
Authors’ response on manuscript “Decadal oxygen change in the eastern tropical North Atlantic”

Repeat shipboard and multi-year moored observations obtained in the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) 5 of the eastern tropical North Atlantic (ETNA) were used to study the decadal change in oxygen for the period 2006-2015. Along 23°W between 6°N and 14°N, oxygen decreased with a rate of -5.9 ± 3.5 μmol kg decade within the depth covering the deep oxycline (200-400 m), while below the OMZ core (400-1,000 m) oxygen increased by 4.0 ± 1.6 μmol kg decade on average. The inclusion of these decadal oxygen trends in the recently estimated oxygen budget for the ETNA OMZ suggests a weakened ventilation of the upper 400 m, 10 whereas the ventilation strengthened homogeneously below 400 m. The changed ventilation resulted in a shoaling of the ETNA OMZ of -0.03 ± 0.02 kg m decade in density space, which was only partly compensated by a deepening of isopycnal surfaces, thus pointing to a shoaling of the OMZ in depth space as well (-22 ± 17 m decade). Based on the improved oxygen budget, possible causes for the changed ventilation are analyzed and discussed. Largely ruling out other ventilation processes, the zonal advective oxygen supply 15 stands out as the most probable budget term responsible for the decadal oxygen changes.
The Antibacterial and Antioxidant Effects of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citriodora) Essential Oils

Background: The Study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antimicrobial effects, and antioxidant properties of clove and lemon verbena essential oils (EOs). Methods: The chemical composition of the EOs was identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In addition, the antibacterial effects of EOs against seven important foodborne bacteria were assessed using the disk-diffusion, agar well-diffusion, and broth microdilution assays. Evaluation of the antioxidant properties of the EOs was carried out using DPPH, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching, and reducing power assay. Results: All the tested bacteria demonstrated susceptibility to EOs, with the highest susceptibility observed in Bacillus cereus to the clove EO in the agar disk-diffusion test. Moreover, Shigella dysenteriae was identified as the most sensitive bacterium to the lemon verbena EO. Salmonella typhimurium was the most resistant bacterium to both EOs. In the agar well-diffusion test, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. typhimurium had the lowest sensitivity to the clove and lemon verbena EOs, respectively. Although both EOs exhibited significant antioxidant capacity, the lemon verbena EO showed higher antioxidant activity in all the tests, with the exception of β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching test. Conclusion: Clove and lemon verbena EOs could be regarded as potential sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in food processing.
Effect of the Addition of Different Sodium Alginates on Viscoelastic, Structural Features and Hydrolysis Kinetics of Corn Starch Gels

Corn starch gels (1:4 w:w) were made with the addition (up to 2% w/w starch basis) of sodium alginates of different average molecular sizes and nature. Rheology of the starchy gels were characterized to evaluate their viscoelasticity. Gels were subjected to in vitro digestion to estimate the effect of alginates addition on glycemic response. Tested alginates significantly decreased the value of the elastic modulus of gels. The coordination number obtained from complex modulus indicated that in general, less compact structures were obtained in the presence of alginates. These results were confirmed by scanning electron micrographs, where significant differences in the structure of alginate-corn starch gels were observed, but molecular size of alginates was not critical. Hydrolysis rate decreased with the presence of alginates in corn starch gels by interactions of alginates with leached amylose. At high alginate content, slower hydrolysis rates were determined when the most hy-groscopic alginates were added.