Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Mondia Whitei ‘Mukombero’ on Sperm Parameters in Male Albino Rats

Infertility affects about 8 to 12% of the world’s population and, in about half of cases, men are either the single cause or contribute to the couple’s infertility. Many indigenous plants have been reported to be effective in male fertility regulation. Mondia whitei is a widely used medicinal plant across Africa for treatment of sexual dysfunction yet minimal empirical data exists to support its therapeutic value. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of Mondia whitei on sperm characteristics in male albino rats following oral administration. 36 albino male rats weighing between 200 mg - 400 mg were divided into 4 groups, each of nine rats. Group I comprised untreated controls while Groups II, III, and IV were treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight respectively using the aqueous extract of Mondia whitei via oral gavage. At the end of experiment, rats were humanely sacrificed using Carbon dioxide, the testes and epididymis, dissected for sperm collection. Sperm count, total motility, vitality and morphology were determined using a microscope and a neubaeurs chamber. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) -Version 20.0). Kruskal wallis test was employed in the analysis. P 0.05). Normal morphology percentage declined in different test groups as compared to the control groups. A statistically significant decline in normal morphology was observed within the groups with respect to time interval (p=0.027). Trend analysis indicated that within the groups, normal morphology decreased significantly with time (all p<0.05) while abnormal head morphology and tail increased with time p=0.05. This study concludes that Mondia whitei may alter male fertility by affecting sperm quality; it causes a decline in sperm count, morphology, motility and vitality. This shows that M. whitei might be cytotoxic and can result in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.
Mathematical Analysis of the Chaotic Behavior in Monetary Policy Games

This thesis discusses the concept of chaos in monetary policy games, which I believe to be novel. The mathematical framework developed in this thesis addresses two important problems in monetary theory, namely, the time-inconsistency and the complexity in designing, conducting and predicting the impacts of monetary policy on the economy. Considering a noncooperative non-zero-sum differential monetary policy game between the central bank and the public when the coefficients of the system depend on the state and control variables, it is shown that the co-state variables of both players are controllable in three solution concepts. The controllability of the co-state variables means that the monetary policy is time inconsistent even in the open loop Nash game, which is known as a time-consistent policy game in the literature. In other words, the results confirm that the structural time-inconsistency of monetary policy is almost always unavoidable. To better understand how monetary policy affects the economy, we need to know the response of the public expectations. This can be achieved if the monetary policy behaves in a systematic manner (Walsh, 2003). To this end, this thesis tests the chaotic dynamics of the trajectories of both players. The results reveal that chaotic dynamics is possible in monetary policy games, and it seems that the source of this complexity comes from the chaotic behavior in the public expectations. Chaotic behavior in the strategy of the public sector creates serious difficulties for the policymaker, who wishes to design a policy that controls the business cycles.
Counselling Older People

At over 600 pages and with more than 100 contributions, this Fourth Edition brings together the essentials of counselling and psychotherapy theory, research, skills and practice. Including new content on assessment, theory, applications and settings, and with new chapter overviews and summaries, this continues to be the most comprehensive and accessible guide to the field for trainees or experienced practitioners.
A Sociopsychological Study of Professional Competencies of a 21st Century EFL Teacher

: This article reports on a sociopsychological study designed to investigate the components of 21st century teachers’ professional competencies in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context in Iran. A total number of 30 members of the English language teaching (ELT) professional community including experienced university teacher educators, supervisors in the private sector, teacher trainers, and EFL teachers in the public and private sectors, participated in this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. For data analysis, qualitative content analysis was used. An independent coder who was an expert in this field was suggested to code one part of interview transcription randomly. An inter-coder agreement of 94.77% was gained. After analyzing the data, six main categories of professional competencies of a 21st century EFL teacher were identified: personality factors, interpersonal factors, professional factors, factors related to teaching materials, learner factors, and assessment factors. The findings contributed empirical evidence to an understanding of Iranian EFL teachers’ professional competen cies in their teaching profession in the 21st century that can be utilized as a framework for the improvement of teacher education policy and the design and implementation of teacher-training programs. This study provides a full and contextualized understanding of components of 21st century teachers’ professional competencies in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context in Iran. This study also provides a framework for assessing and evaluating EFL teachers’ competencies in their profession. It can be utilized as a framework for the improvement of teacher education policy and the design and implementation of teacher-training programs. It can also be used by teacher employment institutes such as English institutes, and education and training organization as a framework for employing the most competent EFL teachers. Thus, the of this study can guide Iranian ELT professionals to work towards setting standards in assessment field for Iranian EFL professional in 21st century. The findings may con tribute to the emerged as can in EFL teachers’ quality in context.
Non-photopic and photopic visual cycles differentially regulate immediate, early, and late phases of cone photoreceptor-mediated vision

Cone photoreceptors in the retina enable vision over a wide range of light intensities. However, the processes enabling cone vision in bright light (i.e. photopic vision) are not adequately understood. Chromophore regeneration of cone photopigments may require the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and/or retinal Müller glia. In the RPE, isomerization of all-trans-retinyl esters to 11-cis-retinol is mediated by the retinoid isomerohydrolase Rpe65. A putative alternative retinoid isomerase, dihydroceramide desaturase-1 (DES1), is expressed in RPE and Müller cells. The retinol-isomerase activities of Rpe65 and Des1 are inhibited by emixustat and fenretinide, respectively. Here, we tested the effects of these visual cycle inhibitors on immediate, early, and late phases of cone photopic vision. In zebrafish larvae raised under cyclic light conditions, fenretinide impaired late cone photopic vision, while the emixustat-treated zebrafish unexpectedly had normal vision. In contrast, emixustat-treated larvae raised under extensive dark-adaptation displayed significantly attenuated immediate photopic vision concomitant with significantly reduced 11-cis-retinaldehyde (11cRAL). Following 30 min of light, early photopic vision was recovered, despite 11cRAL levels remaining significantly reduced. Defects in immediate cone photopic vision were rescued in emixustat- or fenretinide-treated larvae following exogenous 9-cis-retinaldehyde supplementation. Genetic knockout of Des1 (degs1) or retinaldehyde-binding protein 1b (rlbp1b) did not eliminate photopic vision in zebrafish. Our findings define molecular and temporal requirements of the nonphotopic or photopic visual cycles for mediating vision in bright light.
ADULT ONSET HENOCH: SCHONLEIN PURPURA â€“ AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION

Â Â Henochâ€“Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a common leukocytoclastic vasculitis seen in children. However, it is uncommon in adults. HSP is characterized by the classic tetrad of non-thrombocytopenic palpable purpura, arthritis or arthralgias, gastrointestinal, and renal involvement. We report a rare case of adult onset HSP with multi-organ involvement. Early recognition of multi-organ involvement is very important, especially in adults.
Model of Polish Market of Passenger Air Services in the Conditions of EU Standards

Purpose: The aim of the conducted research was to systematize the interdependencies existing on the market of air services and to identify the stimulators concerning models of sustainable development on this basis. Design/Methodology/Approach: Research on the determinants governing the choice of the air travel segment is based on available literature, analysis and statistical documentation of the air transport market for the years 2003-2017. The following hypothesis was adopted: possibility of survival and development of passenger air transport companies on the market, in the conditions of globalization, is attributed only to those entities that are able to construct an effective strategy of competing and improving economic efficiency. Findings: The search for effective solutions to this problem on the passenger air transport markets required active participation in complex structures of mutual connections as a result of dynamic variability of relations between its participants. Practical Implications: The anticipated effect of this process will be creation of a new transport segment, in which the most effective and the most attractive elements of consumer service, which was defined as the central segment, will be developed. Increasing intensity of market competition leads to the intensification of the process of mutual adaptation of innovations and the best solutions existing on the market by some entities, as a result of which the differences in consumer service and changes in the structure of the sector are evened out. Originality/Value: This work includes the analysis of the process of creating and strengthening the market advantage in conditions of changes in the structure and functioning of the European air transport market after enlargement of the European Union. The model of the dependence of demand preferences on the price and comfort of services as well as evolution of airline operation models, was presented.
Accuracy and acceptability of non-contact infrared compared to axillary and tympanic thermometers in children under 6 attending primary care: a method comparison study and nested qualitative evaluation

Background: Guidelines recommend the measurement of temperature in children presenting with fever symptoms using electronic axillary, or tympanic thermometers. Non-contact thermometry offers advantages yet have not been tested against the recommended methods in primary care. Aim: To compare two different non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) to axillary and tympanic thermometers in children aged 5 or under attending their GP with an acute illness. Design and setting: Prospective design in primary care. Method: Methods comparison study with nested qualitative component. Results: 401 children were recruited (median age 1.6 years, 50.62% boys). The mean difference between the Thermofocus NCIT and axillary thermometer was -0.14°C (95% CI -0.21 to -0.06); the lower limit of agreement was -1.57°C (95% CI -1.69 to -1.44) and the upper limit 1.29°C (95% CI 1.16 to 1.42). A second NCIT (Firhealth) had similar levels of agreement. However, the limits of agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers were also wide. Parents expressed a preference for the practicality and comfort afforded by NCITs, and were predominantly negative about their child’s experience of axillary thermometers. However, there was a willingness to adopt whichever device was medically recommended. Conclusions In a primary care paediatric population, temperature measurements with NCITs varied by over a degree Celsius compared to axillary and tympanic approaches. However, there was also poor agreement between tympanic and axillary thermometers. Since clinical guidelines often rely on specific fever thresholds, clinicians should interpret peripheral thermometer readings with caution, and in the context of an holistic assessment of the child.
Nonlinear Damping of ITCZ Migrations Due to Ekman Ocean Energy Transport

The role of tropical wind‐driven ocean circulation in setting the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is studied using an atmospheric model coupled to a slab ocean with parameterized Ekman energy transport. Unlike previous studies, the parameterized cross‐equatorial ocean energy transport, which is critical for the coupled response, is explicitly represented as the curl of the wind stress at the equator. A nonlinear sensitivity of the ITCZ position to hemispherically asymmetric heating and ocean stratification is seen, which is primarily linked to the partitioning of cross‐equatorial energy transport between (i) the atmosphere and ocean and (ii) atmospheric mean and transient eddy components. Due to the nonmonotonic response of transient eddies to the asymmetric heating, amplified or damped response is possible. The common assumption of a linear relation between the ITCZ position and hemispherically asymmetric heating is therefore found to be inadequate when large climatic variations are considered.
Microtubule Nucleation by Single Human γTuRC in a Partly Open Asymmetric Conformation

The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is the major microtubule nucleator in cells. However, the mechanism of its regulation is not understood. Here, we purified human γTuRC and quantitatively characterized its nucleation properties in a TIRF microscopy-based real-time nucleation assay. We find that microtubule nucleation by γTuRC is kinetically inhibited compared to microtubule elongation. Determining the cryo-EM structure of γTuRC at 4 Å resolution reveals an asymmetric conformation with only part of the complex in a ‘closed’ conformation matching the microtubule geometry. Several factors stabilise the closed conformation. One is actin in the core of the complex and others, likely MZT1 or MZT2, line the outer perimeter of the closed part of γTuRC. The opposed side of γTuRC is in an ‘open’, nucleation-incompetent conformation, leading to a structural asymmetry, explaining the kinetic inhibition of nucleation by human γTuRC. Our data suggest possible regulatory mechanisms for microtubule nucleation by γTuRC closure.
Partograph versus no partograph: effect on labour progress and delivery outcome: a comparative study

The consequence of mismanaged labour can manifest in the form of postpartum haemorrhage, infection, obstetric fistula, fetal distress, fetal injury or death. In total, obstructed labour and puerperal sepsis contribute up to 25% of maternal deaths in India which is directly related to poor attention given to monitoring of the progress of labour and improper management of prolonged labour. The major reason for neonatal mortality, birth asphyxia and subsequent morbidity is essentially the repercussion which occurs when a complicated labour is not intervened at the right time. A Partograph is a pre-printed single page form on which labour observations are recorded. It provides a graphic overview of the progress ABSTRACT
A Three Years Review of Accidental Poisoning in Children at Fatema Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital, Baghdad.

INTRODUCTION: Accidental poisoning is most common in the 1 -5 yr old age group an incidence that reveals the young child inquisitiveness and the adult carelessness in leaving drugs and household chemicals within reach . 90%of toxic exposure in children occur in the home and most involve only a single substance . Ingestion is the most common route of poisoning (1, 2, and 3). About 60% of cases involve nondrug products, most commonly hydrocarbons, personal care products, household chemicals, and plants (1) . PATINTS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients admitted to the p.m.d. in Fatema AL-Zahra teaching hospital because of accidental poisoning during a 3 yr period (1 st of January 2004 to 31 st of December 2006) were reviewed . Data were gathered concerning patient age, and sex, form of accidental poisoning, extent of symptoms, length of time between poisoning and medical attention, and length of hospital stay. The term poisoning in this study refers to all exposures to potentially toxic products whether or not the exposure resulted in symptoms.
The Determinants behind the Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles: A Systematic Review

Excessive dependence on autonomous vehicles (AVs) may exacerbate traffic congestion and increase exhaust emissions in the future. The diffusion of AVs may be significantly affected by the public’s acceptance. A few factors that may affect people’s acceptance of AVs have been researched in the existing studies, one-third of which cited behavioral theories, while the rest did not. A total of seven factors with behavior theories are screened out that significantly affect the acceptance intention, including perceived ease of use, attitude, social norm, trust, perceived usefulness, perceived risk, and compatibility. Six factors without behavior theories are summed up that affect AV acceptance, namely safety, performance-to-price value, mobility, value of travel time, symbolic value, and environmentally friendly. We found that people in Europe and Asia have substantial differences in attitudes toward AVs and that safety is one of the most concerned factors of AVs by scholars and respondents. Public acceptance of the different types of AVs and consumers’ dynamic preferences for AVs are highlighted in the review too. The quality of literature is systematically assessed based on previously established instruments and tailored for the current review. The results of the assessment show potential opportunities for future research, such as the citation of behavior theories and access to longitudinal data. Additionally, the experimental methods and the utilization of mathematical and theoretical methods could be optimized.
Exploring primary teacher education students’ self-perception of readiness to teach primary mathematics

In all primary initial teacher education programs, there is an underlying assumption that teacher education students (TES) who successfully complete all the requisite coursework and practicums should be ready to teach all subject areas in the primary school curriculum, including mathematics. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that performance or course achievement during the teacher education program is not directly correlated with classroom readiness. Therefore, it is important to determine TES’ self-perceptions of readiness to teach primary school mathematics, which is currently lacking in the research literature. A summary of current research literature in primary mathematics education is provided in this article, together with an argument for further research on TES’ self-perceptions of readiness. Such literature is presented through the lens of and intersection between content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and overall knowledge and readiness to teach.
The role of the cerebellum in the pathophysiology of dystonia

Research over the last decade has refined our understanding of the neuroanatomical substrates of dystonia. In addition to basal ganglia dysfunction a much wider sensorimotor network has been implicated and within this network the cerebellum is heralded as a core node. Much of the literature linking the cerebellum to dystonia consists of cases in which lesions of the cerebellum are linked to abnormal posture or indirect experimental associations (reviewed in chapter 1). Better defining the functional role of the cerebellum in the pathophysiology of dystonia could provide a scientific rational for future therapeutic advances, adding further weight to an early neurosurgical literature which advocates targeting the cerebellum and its outflow tracts. Within this thesis I applied experimental techniques from which direct inferences about cerebellar function could be made, trying to better define how the cerebellum is functionally involved in the pathogenesis of isolated dystonia. Methodology can be divided into major themes (i) two studies exploring cerebellar modulation of dystonic neurophysiological hallmarks; impaired motor surround inhibition (chapter 2) and excessive plasticity (chapter 3) (ii) evaluation of eye-blink conditioning a form of cerebellar associative learning (chapter 4, chapter 8) (iii) exploring whether millisecond timing, a cerebellar encoded process, is at the root of abnormal temporal discrimination thresholds (chapter 5) and finally (iv) testing adaptation a kinematic cerebellar paradigm in cervical dystonia (chapter 6) and DYT1 dystonia (chapter 7). Overall, my application of the ‘purest’ cerebellar paradigms did not provide a robust functional correlate to implicate specific cerebellar functions as a driver of dystonic pathophysiology. I present good evidence that fundamental computations such as adaptation and associative learning are intact in various groups of isolated dystonia. Thus isolated dystonia does not seem to selectively impair cerebellar functions (as currently defined). It is only with future research that we will be able to determine whether dystonia corrupts function(s) inherent to the dystonic network which includes the cerebellum or whether the cerebellar abnormalities observed experimentally are compensatory in nature.
Who (still) cares? Patterns of informal caregiving to adult dependents in South Korea, 2006–2012

ABSTRACT Provision of informal care is declining in South Korea. Informal caregiving is examined in South Korea using longitudinal data. The results are that women with a dependent disengage more from caregiving than men; caregivers are young rather than old, and more frequently live in rural areas. They receive more financial transfers from non-cohabiting relatives and have fewer children than non-caregivers with a dependent adult. Both caregivers and non-caregivers are less likely than those without a dependent adult to give money to non-cohabiting relatives. Educational level does not influence the probability of having a dependent relative or, among people with a dependent, of being a caregiver. Among people with a dependent adult, wage earners are more likely to provide care than the unemployed. The time spent in caregiving depends more on the dependent’s demand than on the caregiver’s capacity to provide support.
Do the clothes make the thylacocephalan? A detailed study of Concavicarididae and Protozoeidae (?Crustacea, Thylacocephala) carapace micro-ornamentation

Thylacocephalans are an enigmatic group of marine arthropods allied with crustaceans. Their fossil record consists predominantly of isolated carapaces which contain relatively few systematically useful characteristics besides the hard-to-quantify outline. The micro-ornamentation patterns contribute a new suite of systematically useful characters that seem to be invariant within species and easily segregated into one of three types – linear, polygonal or scale-like – using scanning electron microscope analysis. The patterns for 13 species of thylacocephalans are documented and analysed. One new genus (Paraconcavicaris gen. nov.) and three new species (Concavicaris martinae sp. nov., C. woodruffensis sp. nov. and C. pikae sp. nov.) are erected. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:96BCA076-4AFF-4CE4-84EE-79FECFA3CF0D