Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation of Cutaneous Manifestations With Body Mass Index (BMI) in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Patients in a Tertiary Care Centre: An Observational Study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder affecting mostly reproductive age group women. It is characterized by clinical and biochemical evidence of anovulation, hyperandrogenism and a polycystic ovary in the ultrasound. The aim of the present study is to find out the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in PCOS and the correlation of their cutaneous manifestations with body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: A hospital-based observational, prospective study was conducted with 251 patients over a period of 18 months. Patients were divided into two groups based on their BMI values (more than 25 and less than 25) and screened for cutaneous manifestations. Correlation between the cutaneous manifestations and BMI was noted. Results: Maximum number of manifestations were seen in overweight patients (n=189). Hirsutism was the most common cutaneous manifestation followed by acne. But the only statistically significant association noted in the present study was between acne and BMI (p-value 0.009). Conclusion: PCOS is a common disorder seen in females of the reproductive age group. Though the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations was more commonly seen in overweight (BMI between 25 and 30) and obese women (BMI >30), they were also found in lean groups. Hence evaluation and counselling regarding lifestyle modification are important not only for obese but also in lean PCOS.
Academic Performance, Self Esteem and Happiness among Adolescents in Kerala

An average adolescent in Kerala is expected to concentrate on his/her academics and all other key aspects of healthy development like spiritual, psychological and social wellbeing are given scant attention. Middle class parents and teachers often disregard unacceptable behaviors of academically high performing children. Nevertheless as the young person completes education, the world demands competencies not taught in schools and when the critical time of acquisition of these core competencies are long past. In consequence young adults face serious interpersonal difficulties in both personal and professional life. The present study is an attempt to find out whether better academic performance contributes to happiness and increased self esteem among adolescents. A sample of 150 students (75 girls and 75 boys) between 13 to 18 years of age was selected for the study. Self Esteem Rating Scale (SERS), Depression – Happiness Scale (DHS) and recent annual report cards were used to collect quantitative data. The results indicate that there is no significant difference between academically high performing and low performing students in happiness or self esteem i.e. better academic performance does not ensure happiness or positive self esteem. There is positive correlation (r=0.54**) between self esteem and happiness. Happier children have better self esteem (t=5.27**) than depressed children. The results of this study reveal that happiness and self esteem are independent of academic performance and parents and educators must focus on holistic development not just on scoring well in exams.
Examination of property forecasting models - accuracy and its improvement through combination forecasting

This paper investigates property forecasting accuracy and its improvement. As it suggests, despite increased sophistication of property market modelling and forecasting, there still remains a degree of inaccuracy between model outputs and actual property market performance. Subsequently, the paper presents the principle of combination forecasting as a medium helping to achieve greater predictive accuracy. The research implements combination forecasting principle. It assesses whether combination forecasts from different forecasting techniques are better than single model outputs. It examines which of them - combination or single forecast - fits the UK property market better, and which of these options forecasts best.
Channel addition/removal response in cascades of strongly inverted erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

Signal power steady-state and transient fluctuations due to gain cross saturation in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA's) in multiwavelength optical networks caused by addition or removal of channels due to network reconfigurations or line failures must be minimized to avoid error bursts in the surviving channels. The effects of addition and/or dropping of wavelength channels in a multiwavelength network comprising six concatenated strongly inverted two-stage EDFA's have been analyzed by numerical simulation. A large-signal numerical model which incorporates time variation effects and the downstream and upstream propagation of signal, pump and amplified spontaneous emission has been used. Power excursions caused in an eight channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) network by the loss/addition of one, three, or six channels will be lower than 0.6 dB if the length average normalized population density of the metastable level does not drop below 0.76. No additional measures need to be taken to limit the power excursions of the surviving channels.
Determination of the association of some polymorphisms with metabolic syndrome in residents of the city of Nur-Sultan

Aim: Metabolic syndrome develops as a result of a combined effect of environmental factors and genetics. Therefore, this study is an attempt to detect polymorphisms that influence the development of metabolic syndrome among people of reproductive age in the case of Nur-Sultan. Material and methods: 128 polymorphisms were selected from those involved in metabolic disorders in other studied populations; further, their effect on developing metabolic syndrome in the focused group was studied. The study involved 717 respondents aged 18 to 49 with an average age of 40.2 years. Out of them, 243 participants were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome with IDF criteria. Results: Based on the study results, five polymorphisms that influence the development of metabolic syndrome were found: rs7903146, rs157582, rs 4506565, rs7578597, rs4072037. T allele in polymorphisms as rs 7903146 1.56 (СI 1.14-2.14; p=0.004), rs 157582 1.54 (СI 1.16-2.04; p=0.001), rs 4506565 1.5 (СI 1.1-2.03; p=0.007), rs 7578597 1.59 (СI 1.022.46; р=0.016) increases the risk of metabolic syndrome development approximately by 1.5 times according to the additive model, whereas C allele by polymorphism rs 4072037 does the risk of MS development by 1.99 (СI 1,1-3,6; р=0,016) times according to the recessive model. Conclusion: The identified five polymorphisms make it possible to assess the risks of MS and associated diseases.
Anxiety, Depression, and Stress in Relation to Academic Achievement among Higher Secondary School Students

Psychological disorders like anxiety, depression and stress significantl0y exacerbate the pressure on students to perform better. The factors collectively hamper their performance leading to low academic achievement. In Chhattisgarh state few studies have looked especially in the field of mental health and academic achievement of the students in last decades. This study aimed to fill that gap and find out the relationship among anxiety, stress, depression and academic achievements. For this purpose 120 (60 boys & 60 girls) students of 11th standard studying in government schools located in rural area of Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh state were taken randomly. The ADSS (anxiety, depression and stress scale) was used to measure the anxiety, depression and stress among students. To analysis data Correlational research design will be used. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed significant negative association between depression and, anxiety for criterion variable academic achievement. Furthermore, stress and academic achievement found to be significant positive association with each other. It is concluded that mental health condition of the students affect academic achievements.
Section model tests on human – structure lock-in

In June/July 2000, shortly after the opening of the London Millennium Bridge, experiments were undertaken on a full-scale section model built to represent a footbridge swaying under pedestrian action. The processes of human–structure interaction and the phenomenon of phase synchronisation were investigated. Various instabilities were observed using 3D motion capture equipment, and lateral forces were inferred from the dynamic response of the rig. Implications for footbridge design are discussed. Of particular concern is the possibility of vertical synchrony. In lieu of detailed experimental data, it is recommended that the existing footbridge stock be surveyed with respect to a dimensionless group, analogous to the Scruton number of wind engineering, for each mode (horizontal, vertical, torsional or general). A graph of an equivalent mass per unit area against frequency could be of use to designers in assessing new designs against the performance of existing structures.
Virtual Laboratory for Performing Tests on a Single-Phase Power Transformer

ABSTRACT This paper presents a virtual laboratory for testing a single-phase power transformer using MATLAB Simulink environment. The models presented herein replicate the actual tests like no-load test, short-circuit test, load test, and short heat run test successfully well within tolerable accuracy. The rating of the transformer is taken to be 2 kVA, 230/115 V, 50 Hz which is a typical rating for transformers usually employed for practical classes in the Electrical Machine Laboratory for undergraduate courses. This model is attractive to students and they are able to gain insights into operational aspects of a single-phase power transformer. This model, in whole or part, may also be used as final year projects of engineering undergraduate students.
Ethical Correlates of Environmental Consciousness among Members and Non-Members of Nature Club

The need and relevance of the concerns for nature and a pro-environmental attitude and behaviour is at its peak in the present world. It has been long recognized that ecological balance and safety of nature is central to human existence on earth. Despite this understanding, human activities are deteriorating the earth. If this situation is allowed to continue, the earth will soon turn out to be a useless and lifeless planet, along with marking the very end of human existence. One way to tackle this crisis is to reduce and prevent human actions that pose threats to nature and environment. A sustainable change in such actions is achieved effectively only by bringing about a change in ethics, values and attitudes of people. Ethics refers to a code of conduct. Values held by people contribute to their ethics. Since values are acquired, it can be instilled into people through different means; also implying that they are changeable. The concept of environmental consciousness refers to specific psychological factors related to individual’s propensity to engage in pro-environmental behaviors (Zelezny & Schultz, 2000:367). Environmental consciousness can also be addressed as the psychological dimension of pro-environmental behavior. Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the ‘ethical correlates of environmental consciousness among members and non-members of nature club’. Method: (a) Participants: The study was conducted on 54 high school students from various schools in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Participants included both members (n=21) and non-members (n=33) of any kind of nature club. (b) Materials: The Ethical Values Assessment (EVA- Jensen & Padilla, 2004) and New Ecological Paradigm Scale- Revised (NEP Revised-Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K., Mertig, A., &Jones, R. E., 2000). EVA measures 3 categories of ethics, namely: Ethics of Autonomy, Ethics of Community and Ethics of Divinity. NEP scale assesses ecological worldview along 5 dimensions, namely: Reality of Limits to Growth, Ant anthropocentricism, Fragility of Nature’s Balance, Rejection of Exemptionalism and the Possibility of Eco-crisis. (c) Analysis: Analysis was done using ‘t- test’ and ‘correlation’. (d) Results: There is significant difference between members and non-members of nature club in the dimensions Ethics of community, Overall ethics, Overall ecological worldview and Awareness of the possibility of eco-crisis. Students with membership in nature clubs have higher Ethics of community, Overall ethics, Overall ecological worldview (significance at 5% level) and Awareness of the possibility of eco-crisis (significance at 1% level). Also, Overall ethics has a significant positive correlation with Overall ecological worldview. Conclusion: Membership in nature club is found to enhance better environmental consciousness and ethics. The study implies that making students part of nature clubs facilitate pro-environmental behavior and better ethics.
Spectrum and Prevalence of Thyroid Diseases at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia: A Retrospective Study of 976 Cases

Background Thyroid disorder is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide and neglected public health issues in Somalia. The aim of the study thus was to investigate the thyroid disorders in patients attending to the largest tertiary referral hospital in Somalia. Methods This retrospective study was conducted on patients admitted to the internal department of Somalia Mogadishu-Turkey Education and Research Hospital, Somali, between January 2017 and December 2019. Patients who were tested for thyroid function tests and had complete data were included. Patients with incomplete data and currently treated for any thyroid disorder were excluded from the study. Abstracted data including patients' sociodemographic characteristics, thyroid function tests, and histopathological findings were retrieved from the hospital database system. Results A total of 976 patients with thyroid disorders were enrolled, of whom 66.6% (n = 650) were female and 33.4% (n = 326) were male. The mean age of the patients was 47 ± 18.5 years. The majority of the patients were reported in the 31–50 (35.9%) age range. The most reported thyroid function disorders were 58.8% euthyroid sick syndrome followed by 15.4% hypothyroidism, 12.5% subclinical hypothyroidism, 7.6% hyperthyroidism, and 5.7% subclinical hyperthyroidism. The distribution of comorbidity indicated that 13.4% had diabetes mellitus, 10.4% had HIV, 4.9% had malaria, and 4.5% had HIV and malaria coinfection. Thyroid malignancies were detached in 22 (2.2%) patients including eleven papillary thyroid cancer, nine patients had follicular thyroid cancer, and two patients had differentiated thyroid cancer. Conclusions Euthyroid sick syndrome was the most common type of thyroid disease in our setup. Hypothyroidism is the second most common, followed by subclinical hypothyroidism. Papillary thyroid cancer was the predominant histology among thyroid malignancies, followed by follicular thyroid cancer. This study revealed that thyroid diseases emerge as an important endocrine disorder encountered in Somali, necessitating a major public health response.
Constellation design for next-generation hierarchically-modulated PON systems

In this paper, we study the performance of star quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals with various constellations for hierarchically-modulated PON systems that overlay an over 20-Gbps PSK signal on a 10-Gbps on-off keying (OOK) signal; previous work examined only the performance of an 8-star QAM signal. A star QAM signal consists of a PSK signal with lower amplitude (inner-PSK signal) and a PSK signal with higher amplitude (outer-PSK signal). We propose to decrease the modulation level of the inner-PSK signal and increase that of the outer-PSK signal with the goal of improving the bit error rate performance in some conditions. Simulations indicate the minimum required received power for the various constellations examined: it is shown that effective design depends on the extinction ratio. For example, 10-star QAM improves the minimum required received power by 3 dB compared to 8-star QAM when the extinction ratio is 12 dB.
A new approach to averaged modeling of PWM converters with current-mode control

A new approach to averaged modeling of PWM DC/DC converters with current-mode control is presented in this paper. The method is based on closed-form ripple functions obtained by applying the KBM (Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolsky) algorithm. It overcomes the limitations of conventional methods based on geometrical calculations of the inductor current waveform. Application of the method is demonstrated by using a boost converter, and the derived model is compared with conventional ones and validated by detailed switching model simulation. The KBM algorithm has been implemented in a public-domain symbolic analysis program package so that the application of the new method can be fully automated.
Optimization of the driving circuit for material processing with a pulsed-glow discharge

The effect of including an inductance in the circuit of a glow-discharge-pulsed electron gun for materials processing is analyzed. Due to the particular nonlinear behavior of the current vs. voltage in these guns, and the strong nonlinear self-focusing of the beam, the adequate shaping of the temporal profile of the discharge becomes relevant to the efficiency of the system. A critical damping value for the inductance is obtained and within the range of practical interest, analytical expressions are derived for the required inductance, capacitance and source voltage for a given peak power, pulse duration, gas pressure, and pulse shape. The efficiency increase with the improved design is also discussed.
Intrasession and Intersession Reliability of Isometric Squat, Midthigh Pull, and Squat Jump in Resistance-Trained Individuals

Abstract Ishida, A, Suarez, DG, Travis, SK, Slaton, JA, White, JB, Bazyler, CD, and Stone, MH. Intrasession and intersession reliability of isometric squat, midthigh pull, and squat jump in resistance-trained individuals. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 18–26, 2023—The purposes of this study were to investigate intrasession and intersession reliability of variables obtained from squat jump (SJ), shortened isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), and isometric squat (ISQ) protocols and to evaluate relationships between isometric and dynamic performance and 1 repetition maximum (1RM) back squat (BSQ). Eleven moderately resistance-trained men participated (27.8 ± 3.9 years; 175.0 ± 7.2 cm; 87.2 ± 11.4 kg). Subjects completed familiarization in the IMTP and ISQ, followed by 1RM BSQ at least 48 hours before the first performance test. Two performance tests occurred at 7-day intervals including SJ, IMTP, and ISQ. SJ variables included jump height (SJH), body mass (BM), peak force (PF), and peak power (PP). Isometric midthigh pull and ISQ variables included isometric peak force (IPF); relative IPF; rate of force development at 90, 200, and 250 milliseconds; and impulse at 90, 200, and 250 milliseconds. SJ, IMTP, and ISQ kinetic variables were considered reliable if intraclass correlations (ICCs) and coefficients of variations (CVs) were >0.80 and <10%. Intrasession and intersession reliability criteria were met for SJH, BM, PF, and PP (ICC = 0.91–1.00, CV = 0.5–9.1%). Isometric peak force and impulse at 200 and 250 milliseconds met intrasession and intersession reliability criteria for IMTP and ISQ (ICC = 0.90–0.99, CV = 2.1–8.1%). Significant large correlation was observed between 1RM BSQ and ISQ peak force (p = 0.038, r = 0.63), but not between 1RM BSQ and shortened IMTP peak force (p = 0.11, r = 0.50). Shortened IMTP and ISQ peak force and impulse are reliable kinetic variables, and ISQ peak force is indicative of 1RM BSQ in moderately resistance-trained men.
Exploring the Sri Lankan Student Perceptions Pertaining To School Counseling Services in Their Schools

This study explores the Sri Lankan students’ perceptions of their school counselors and counseling services available to them. It comprises of two phases involving data collected through in-depth interviews (n = 10) and semi-structured interviews using a survey questionnaire (n = 126). The data were collected during two measurement points.Findings convey that the students did not provide positive evaluations of school counseling services during both phases, depicting the reluctance to access it due to several key factors. They are: social stigma associated with accessing counseling services, location of the counseling room, misperceptions pertaining to its aims and objectives, ignorance, and lack of time. The study provides suggestions and recommendations for policy makers, teacher educators and school counselors with the broad aim of improving the quality of the school counseling services in Sri Lanka.
Personal factors of biological aging in working and non-working respondents in late maturity period

The aim was to study the influence of personal factors on the index of individual biological aging in men and women of mature age who continue to work and those who no longer work. The participants were 347 people, including 212 women aged 56-65 years and 111 men aged 61-69 years. Measurement of biological age, relative biological aging index, assessment of subjective psychological age, expected retirement age, life path questionnaire. Biological age was estimated using a formula that included indicators of metabolism, the work of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and balance organ systems; a psychological health questionnaire was also used. The lowest index of relative biological aging was found in people who continued to work part-time. There is a relationship between the index of relative biological aging and one's characteristics. For men, the index was lowered by the following factors: changing the place of residence, continuing to work after retirement, a high indicator of the expected retirement age, and increased by living in a large city. For women, the index was lowered by the following factors: changing the place of residence, continuing to work after retirement, a high indicator of the expected retirement age, higher education, creative hobbies, studying after retirement.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Among Female Adolescents With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrine disease in adolescent females that is usually diagnosed based on clinical and hormonal abnormalities. Female adolescents with poorly controlled congenital adrenal hyperplasia are at increased risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome and assess its relationship with hormonal control among adolescents with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 40 pubertal female adolescents aged between 12 and 20 years with at least two years after menarche diagnosed with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia since birth who were screened routinely for polycystic ovary syndrome via pelvic ultrasonography between 2012 and 2020 at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, 17-hydroxy -progesterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were measured. Results: Polycystic ovary syndrome was detected via routine pelvic ultrasonography in 12/40 (30%) females. The median age of the affected females was 16.6 years, with the youngest female aged 12.5 years. The bone age of the patients had advanced ≤3 years. Further, serum adrenocorticotropic hormone was determined to be an independent factor affecting polycystic ovary syndrome development, indicating poor hormonal control (P = 0.005). Conclusion: Polycystic ovary disease is likely a complication of poorly controlled congenital adrenal hyperplasia disease. Therefore, increasing the awareness of polycystic ovary disease among congenital adrenal hyperplasia females via routine ultrasonography screening is advisable to facilitate the early diagnosis and improve disease management.