Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Qualitative exploration for the under-foot fall in utilization of health services at Primary Health Center of Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh

ABSTRACT Background: Despite efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and service delivery, significant disparities in healthcare utilization persist, leading to suboptimal health outcomes and hindering progress toward achieving universal health coverage. This research article aims to conduct a qualitative exploration of the under-foot fall in utilization of health services, shedding light on the barriers and challenges faced by individuals in accessing and utilizing health care to inform targeted interventions and improve health service utilization. Methods: This qualitative study employed free listing, pile sorting, and focus group discussions (FGDs) as data collection methods. Representatives from various stakeholders involved in the primary healthcare delivery system were selected based on their vocalness, knowledge, willingness to participate, and heterogeneity of responses. Subsequently, FGDs and key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted to further explore the identified barriers. The collected transcripts underwent manual thematic analysis using coding rules and theme generation procedures. Results: A total of 30 participants, including healthcare providers, community leaders, and individuals from the local community, took part in the qualitative exploration. The themes encompassed limited awareness and knowledge, geographical and infrastructural barriers, socioeconomic constraints, trust and perceptions of the healthcare system, and cultural and social factors. These findings provide valuable insights into the multifaceted barriers hindering healthcare utilization and can guide the development of targeted interventions and policies to improve healthcare access and delivery in the study area. Conclusion: The identified barriers, including limited awareness and knowledge, geographical and infrastructural challenges, socioeconomic constraints, trust and perceptions of the healthcare system, cultural and social factors, and gender disparities, are consistent with the existing literature.
Partly unequal receipt of healthcare in last month of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a retrospective cohort study of the Stockholm region

Context In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), equal care is important, given that the disease often has complex symptoms at the end of life. Objectives The aim was to study the possible associations between demographic and clinical factors, including age, sex, and frailty, with acute healthcare utilization in the last month of life, measured by emergency room (ER) visits, admissions to acute hospitals and, acute hospitals as place of death, among patients with ALS. A second aim was to study whether receipt of specialized palliative care (SPC) affects above-mentioned healthcare utilization. Methods Observational, retrospective study based on Region Stockholm’s administrative data warehouse (VAL) in Sweden. Data were retrieved for 2015–2021 and analyzed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. Results All deceased patients (n = 448) ≥18 years with ALS were included. The mean age was 70.5 years, 46% were women and 58% had risk of frailty according to Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS). Ninety-nine (22%) were nursing home residents and 49% received SPC. The receipt of SPC in patients with ALS was equal in relation to gender, socio-economic standing, frailty, and age <75 years. Patients ≥75 years, those with dementia and/or residing in nursing homes (NH) were less likely to receive SPC (P = 0.01, P = 0.03 and P = 0.002, respectively). Receipt of SPC reduced ER visits (29% vs. 48%, P < 0.001) and deaths at hospital (12% vs. 48%, P <0.001). Patients who were frail, had a higher risk of ER visits and were more likely to die at an acute hospital setting (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004). NH residents were less likely to have ER visits and to die in hospital (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005). Conclusions The results indicate partly unequal distribution of palliative care, however the actual, individual preferences cannot be deducted from registry studies. All patients with ALS should be offered SPC when needed. Key message This register study shows that receipt of SPC in patients with ALS is equal in relation to gender, socioeconomic standing, frailty, and age <75 years, while those ≥75 years, with dementia, or residing in NH were somewhat less likely to receive SPC. Receipt of SPC reduces ER visits and acute hospital admissions.
Directional-dependence in the mechanical characteristics of sand: a review

The majority of granular soil is anisotropic material and it exhibits stress–strain variations depending on principal stress directions. Such directions acting on granular deposits vary with in situ loading conditions. Many experimental, numerical and analytical studies on anisotropy effects, as represented by principal stress rotation, on sand behaviour have been reported in the literatures, however, no attempt has been made to present an overview of this issue. Therefore, this review presents a comprehensive overview of the effect of anisotropy on sand behaviour, including the fabric effect, different fixed direction of principal stress and continuous rotation of the principal stress effects on the stress–strain response of sand in addition to bearing capacity under an inclination bedding plane. This review indicates that sand strength is affected strongly by the direction of principal stress, and strength decreases as the inclination increases, reaching a minimum value in the range of α = 60–90°, although some studies report some increase in strength at α = 90°. Moreover, the rotation of principal stress results in progress deformation with most of it occurring during the first cycles. Consequently, it is highly recommended to take anisotropy into consideration for any proper design of geotechnical problems. Ignoring anisotropy may lead to failure due to the overestimation of strength.
Factors influencing career choice among undergraduate pharmacy students at a private university in Jordan

Background: Studies have explored potential reasons given by students in selection of the pharmacy profession as a career. These include the determination to help people, desire to be involved in the healthcare system and an interest in science subjects. There is a dearth of literature pertaining to the subject in Jordanian pharmacy students. Aim: The study explored students’ perceived reasons for selecting pharmacy as a career, factors affecting career preferences and the role of university in decision-making regarding career. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected undergraduate students studying the pharmacy degree programme at the Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan. The study used a specially designed and validated questionnaire that documented the reasons given by students for choosing pharmacy degree as a major, most preferred career option, and factors affecting students’ career preference. Data were analysed using SPSS. Results: A total of 250 students responded to the survey. The mean age of respondents was 21.96±5.38 years and 68.8% were females. Students mentioned family support (60%) and willingness to work in reputable profession (83.5%) as reasons to study pharmacy. Female students (30.8%) preferred to work in academia and hospital ( p =0.043) while male students preferred working as medical sales representative (16.7%) and in the pharmaceutical industry (14.1%). Almost 50% agreed that the university provided sufficient information and work experience that influenced their career selection. Conclusion: Several factors influenced students’ choice to study pharmacy and select a career. Students became more decisive about their career over the five-year curriculum. Students mentioned university education in defining their career selection. Gender was a determinant of students’ pharmacy career preferences.
The Microbial Contamination of Toothbrushes and Their Disinfection by Antimicrobial Solutions

Aims: To evaluate the bacterial survival rate on toothbrushes after brushing and the efficacy of their decontamination by immersing them in different antimicrobial solutions when toothbrushes were not in use. Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy dental students participated in this study, they were all supplied with a new toothbrush of the same brand and type together with identical tubes of fluoridated toothpastes and were asked to brush twice daily for a period of 4 weeks during which they were asked to follow their oral hygiene practices. The students were divided into 3 groups, the first group kept their toothbrushes in a ventilated area exposed to air after brushing; the second group kept their toothbrushes soaked in 1% Sodium hypochlorite solution (1 part bleach, 4 parts of distilled water); the third group immersed their toothbrushes in 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution. After one month the toothbrushes were collected, decapitated and examined in the laboratory by making bacteriological cultures to identify the aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms in each toothbrush, also the total live bacterial counts per toothbrush were obtained. Results: The toothbrushes that were not immersed in any antimicrobial solution were heavily contaminated and the immersing of toothbrushes in 0. 2 % chlorhexidine gluconate solution was a very effective method in reducing the mean number of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Conclusions: Toothbrushes can become contaminated after approximately 1 month of use, it is therefore recommended for individuals to use solutions like 0.2 % chlorhexidine gluconate which proved to be an effective antimicrobial agent to reduce toothbrush contamination.
Development and clinical validation of a microfluidic-based platform for CTC enrichment and downstream molecular analysis

Background Although many CTC isolation and detection methods can provide information on cancer cell counts, downstream gene and protein analysis remain incomplete. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a technology that can provide comprehensive information on both the number and profile of CTC. Methods In this study, we developed a novel microfluidics-based CTC separation and enrichment platform that provided detailed information about CTC. Results This platform exhibits exceptional functionality, achieving high rates of CTC recovery (87.1%) and purification (∼4 log depletion of WBCs), as well as accurate detection (95.10%), providing intact and viable CTCs for downstream analysis. This platform enables successful separation and enrichment of CTCs from a 4 mL whole-blood sample within 15 minutes. Additionally, CTC subtypes, selected protein expression levels on the CTC surface, and target mutations in selected genes can be directly analyzed for clinical utility using immunofluorescence and real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the detected PD-L1 expression in CTCs is consistent with immunohistochemical assay results. Conclusion The microfluidic-based CTC enrichment platform and downstream molecular analysis together provide a possible alternative to tissue biopsy for precision cancer management, especially for patients whose tissue biopsies are unavailable.
Differences Between Parametric and Non-Parametric Estimation of Welfare Measures: An Application to the Río Claro, Talca, Chile Diferencias entre Estimaciones Paramétricas y No-Paramétricas de Medidas de Bienestar: Una Aplicación al Caso del Río Claro, Talca, Chile

In this article is presented the application of a contingent valuation method in a developing country to compare parametric and non-parametric welfare estimates associated with the use of a water resource. The statistical comparison uses the confident intervals for the individual's welfare measures and verifies whether these intervals overlap each other. Unlike the non-parametric case where there exist standard procedures to create confident intervals, in the parametric case a simulation is needed. This simulation procedure takes advantages of the asymptotically normal distribution of the parameters of the model. The results suggest that there is not a significant difference between parametric and non-parametric welfare measures. This can be explained by the effort spent on the design of the survey, since it is well known that the distinction between parametric and non-parametric estimates is less important when the assumption about the distribution function of the willingness to pay is close to the true distribution.
Attenuation of strong ground motion in Canada from a random vibrations approach

Abstract Theoretical relations are developed for the attenuation of horizontal peak ground acceleration (PGA) and velocity (PGV) in Canada, with emphasis on eastern Canada. The theoretical basis is a composite of several approaches. At intermediate epicentral distances, results from random vibration theory (Hanks and McGuire, 1981; Boore, 1983), which can be used to describe PGA and PGV in terms of shear radiation implied by Brune9s (1970) source model, are applied to Canadian earthquakes. Motions are extended into the near-source region using arguments concerning magnitude scaling (Joyner and Boore, 1981). At distances greater than two crustal thicknesses, ground motions are attributed largely to the Lg phase and are attenuated accordingly (Nuttli, 1982). The resulting attenuation relations for PGA and PGV in eastern Canada are in excellent agreement with strong motion data from moderate eastern Canadian and Central United States earthquakes. Compared to empirical attenuation relationships based on Modified Mercalli Intensity, the theoretical model predicts a stronger dependence of peak ground motions on magnitude. In other respects (amplitude levels and distance decay), empirical and theoretical predictions are similar. The model predicts that eastern events will have higher peak accelerations, but similar peak velocities, in comparison to their western counterparts of the same moment magnitude. This arises from the relative enrichment of eastern earthquakes in higher frequencies.
An Update of Kaempferol Protection against Brain Damage Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion and by 3-Nitropropionic Acid

Kaempferol, a flavonoid present in many food products, has chemical and cellular antioxidant properties that are beneficial for protection against the oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Kaempferol administration to model experimental animals can provide extensive protection against brain damage of the striatum and proximal cortical areas induced by transient brain cerebral ischemic stroke and by 3-nitropropionic acid. This article is an updated review of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of protection by kaempferol administration against brain damage induced by these insults, integrated with an overview of the contributions of the work performed in our laboratories during the past years. Kaempferol administration at doses that prevent neurological dysfunctions inhibit the critical molecular events that underlie the initial and delayed brain damage induced by ischemic stroke and by 3-nitropropionic acid. It is highlighted that the protection afforded by kaempferol against the initial mitochondrial dysfunction can largely account for its protection against the reported delayed spreading of brain damage, which can develop from many hours to several days. This allows us to conclude that kaempferol administration can be beneficial not only in preventive treatments, but also in post-insult therapeutic treatments.
Evaluation of a Unique Approach to High-Resolution Climate Modelling using the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) version 5.1

Abstract. We present multi-seasonal simulations representative of present-day and future thermodynamic environments using the global Model for Prediction Across Scales-Atmosphere (MPAS) version 5.1 with high resolution (15 km) throughout the Northern Hemisphere. We select ten simulation years with varying phases of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and integrate each for 14.5 months. We use analysed sea surface temperature (SST) patterns for present-day simulations. For the future climate simulations, we alter present-day SSTs by applying monthly-averaged temperature changes derived from a 20-member ensemble of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) general circulation models (GCMs) following the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 emissions scenario. Daily sea ice fields, obtained from the monthly-averaged CMIP5 ensemble mean sea ice, are used for present-day and future simulations. The present-day simulations provide a reasonable reproduction of large-scale atmospheric features in the Northern Hemisphere such as the wintertime midlatitude storm tracks, upper-tropospheric jets, and maritime sea-level pressure features as well as annual precipitation patterns across the tropics. The simulations also adequately represent tropical cyclone (TC) characteristics such as strength, spatial distribution, and seasonal cycles for most of Northern Hemispheric basins. These results demonstrate the applicability of these model simulations for future studies examining climate change effects on various Northern Hemispheric phenomena, and, more generally, the utility of MPAS for studying climate change at spatial scales generally unachievable in GCMs.
Evaluating the Internal Anatomy of Maxillary Premolars in an Adult Saudi Subpopulation Using 2 Classifications: A CBCT-Based Retrospective Study

Background Understanding the root canal morphology is important for successful endodontic treatment. This retrospective cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) study aimed to compare the adult maxillary premolars (MP), root, and canal morphology among a Saudi Arabian subpopulation based on Vertucci and Ahmed classifications. Material/Methods Scans of 1336 MP – 656 first premolars (MFP) and 680 second premolars (MSP) – were analyzed for the number of roots, morphology of the canals, and symmetry among them. The data were grouped based on the traditional preestablished Vertucci system and newer instantaneous code-based Ahmed classification. Comparative analysis was done using the chi-square test. Results Two roots were common in MFP with 84.4% of the population, followed by those with 1 root and those with 3 roots. In MSP, single roots were more common. The results were non-significant with P values of 0.859 and 0.471, respectively. Most of these MFP had Type IV Vertucci configuration/2TNB1P1 Ahmed et al code (TN-tooth number, B-buccal canal, P-palatal canal). In MSP, Type I Vertucci/1TN1 Ahmed et al code was most common. However, the results were not statistically significant for the PM with P values of 0.997 and 0.732, respectively. Sex-based difference among them for the roots and root canals was also non-significant. Symmetry among PM in opposite quadrants was 87.1% in MFP and 90% in MSP. Conclusions Two roots with Type IV (2TNB1P1) and 1 root with Type I (1TN1) were most common in MFP and MSP, respectively. Symmetry among opposing PM was high.
Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development

O que e a Declaracao de Lyon sobre Acesso a Informacao e Desenvolvimento? A Declaracao de Lyon e um documento em defesa do acesso a informacao e desenvolvimento que sera usada para influenciar a agenda pos-2015 das Nacoes Unidas. Foi elaborado pela IFLA entre janeiro e maio de 2014, em conjunto com uma serie de parceiros estrategicos, as bibliotecas e as comunidades de desenvolvimento. Estao disponiveis versoes em PDF: English | francais | Deutsch | Espanol | Русский | 中文 | العربية | Српски .
Classification of Aerosol over Central Europe by Cluster Analysis of Aerosol Columnar Optical Properties and Backward Trajectory Statistics

A cluster analysis is applied to the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data obtained at Belsk, Poland, as well as three nearby Central European stations (Leipzig, Minsk and Moldova) for estimation of atmospheric aerosol types. Absorption Ångstrom exponent (AAE), aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and extinction Ångstrom exponent (EAE) parameters are used. Clustering in both 2D (AOT, EAE) and 3D (AOT, EAE, AAE) is investigated. A method of air mass backward trajectory analysis is then proposed, with the receptor site at Belsk, to determine possible source regions for each cluster. Four dominant aerosol source regions are identified. The biomass burning aerosol source is localized in the vicinity of Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Slovakia and northern Hungary are found to be the source of urban/industrial pollutants. Western Poland and eastern Germany are the main sources of polluted continental aerosols. The most differentiated source region of Scandinavia, Baltic Sea and Northern Atlantic, associated with lowest values of AOT, corresponds to clean continental and possibly maritime type aerosols.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTITUDES TOWARDS VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM MARGINAL URBAN AREAS OF METROPOLITAN LIMA, 2019

Objective: To identify factors associated with attitudes towards violence (ATV) in schoolchildren from public educational institutions (EI) located in marginal urban areas of Metropolitan Lima in 2019. Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive and transversal study. The sample was made up of adolescents from 10 mixed-gender EIs enrolled between the sixth grade of primary school and the third year of secondary school. The questionnaire of attitudes towards violence (CAHV-25) was used. During the bivariate analysis, the Spearman Correlation Coefficient, the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test with Dunn’s post-hoc adjusted by Bonferroni were used. To determine the associated factors, multivariate analysis was performed using negative binomial regression model. Results: 45.1% of the schoolchildren were female and 87.3% received information on school bullying. In the bivariate analysis, statistically significant differences were found between the ATV scores and age (p = 0.003), sex (p < 0.001), having a social network account (p = 0.009) and year of study (p < 0.001); however, in the multivariate model, the factors associated with the total ATV scores were age (p = 0.012) and sex (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The factors associated with ATV in schoolchildren from public EIs were age and sex, these findings would indicate the need to consider the gender perspective in the analysis of school violence and differentiate interventions according to age.
Validating the Blockchain Benchmarking Framework Through Controlled Deployments of XRPL and Ethereum

In the evolving domain of blockchain, a critical challenge lies in the performance analysis of blockchains under controlled test conditions. This paper focuses on validating the Blockchain Benchmarking Framework (BBF), developed for the evaluation of blockchain protocols in a controlled environment. The BBF’s robustness and versatility are demonstrated through its application to the official Docker clients of Ripple’s XRP Ledger (XRPL) and Ethereum, deployed in private, local and controlled environments. These deployments are utilized to simulate network dynamics, transaction throughput, and resilience in a variety of scenarios. Our methodology encompasses tests ranging from standard operational conditions to adverse scenarios, including node failures and simulated double-spend attacks. These controlled environments are essential for evaluating the BBF’s efficacy in stress testing blockchain protocols and assessing their stability and robustness. The BBF’s ability to accurately capture and analyze performance characteristics is highlighted, providing insights into the operational mechanics, scalability, and resilience of these blockchain clients. The findings emphasize the BBF’s adaptability and effectiveness in managing different blockchain protocols, reaffirming its potential for broader application in pre-launch testing and analysis of blockchain performance. This study contributes to the understanding of how blockchain clients can be preliminarily assessed before mainnet deployment as well as to validate all the design decisions made by the protocol under different settings and synthetic scenarios.