Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infection prevention and control in a treatment centre during a Lassa fever outbreak in southeastern Nigeria - January, 2018

Introduction: Lassa fever (LF) is a communicable viral haemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person spread occurs by inhalation or direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected patient. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is essential in healthcare facilities for the wellbeing and safety of patients, staff and visitors. Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki is the designated treatment center for LF in Ebonyi State. We assessed IPC practices in this facility during the 2018 outbreak of LF involving healthcare workers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 135 healthcare workers selected by systematic sampling. Information on their knowledge and practice of IPC was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. We classified knowledge into “good”, “fair” and “poor” based on the total correct response. Those that scored ≥75% of the maximum score were classified as good, 50-74% as fair and Results: The mean age of the respondents was 37.6 ± 7.6 years and 75 (55.6%) were females. Fifty-seven (42.5%), 29 (21.6%) and 13 (9.9%) respondents claimed always to have gloves, running water and hand washing soaps, respectively, in their units. The proportion of respondents with good knowledge of IPC measures was 71.8%, while 58.5% and 37.8% had good knowledge of LF epidemiology and LF clinical features, respectively. Being a core health worker (OR: 3.39 95%CI: 1.38-8.32) was significantly associated with good knowledge of LF epidemiology. Being male (OR: 1.55 95%CI: 0.72-3.34) and having spent >15years in the facility (OR: 1.16 95%CI: 0.39 - 3.44) were associated with good knowledge of IPC precautionary measures. However, these associations were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The majority of the staff had good knowledge of IPC. However, knowledge of LF epidemiology was greater among those whose roles were related to management of LF cases. We recommended more awareness on LF, IPC practices and improved supply of IPC commodities.
An Arabidopsis long noncoding RNA modulates the transcriptome through interactions with a network of splicing factors

Alternative splicing (AS) is a major source of transcriptome and proteome diversity in higher organisms. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as regulators of AS through a range of molecular mechanisms. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the AS regulators NSRa and b, which affect auxin-driven lateral root formation, can interact with the ALTERNATIVE SPLICING COMPETITOR (ASCO) lncRNA. Here, we analyzed the effect of the knockdown and overexpression of ASCO at genome-wide level and found a high number of deregulated and differentially spliced genes, related to flagellin responses and biotic stress. In agreement, roots from ASCO-knocked down plants are more sensitive to flagellin. Surprisingly, only a minor subset of genes overlapped with the AS defects of the nsra/b double mutant. Using biotin-labelled oligonucleotides for RNA-mediated ribonucleoprotein purification, we found that ASCO binds to the highly conserved core spliceosome component PRP8a. ASCO deregulation impairs the recognition of specific flagellin-related transcripts by PRP8a and SmD1b, another spliceosome component, suggesting that ASCO function regulates AS through the interaction with multiple splicing factors. Hence, lncRNAs may interact in a dynamic network with many splicing factors to modulate transcriptome reprogramming in eukaryotes.
The Role of the Family for Sexual Minority Latinx Individuals: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for Clinical Practice

Abstract Families of sexual minority individuals may serve a supportive role, however, they may also serve as another source of discrimination and rejection. Cultural beliefs may influence family members’ responses to sexual minorities. However, aspects of Latinx culture may be associated with family support of Latinx sexual minorities. We conducted a systematic review to examine the role that cultural values play in families’ response to Latinx sexual minority individuals. The following search terms were entered into the databases Web of Science, Psycinfo, and Pubmed: hispanic, latin*, lgb*, homosexual*, bisexual*, pansexual*, lesbian, gay, family, and community. Papers were excluded if they were not empirical, did not analyze Latinx data independent of other groups, did not have a sufficient sample size, or did not examine the role of the family. This resulted in 34 papers. Studies indicated that the family can serve a supportive role; however, Latinx values, such as familismo, were associated with a complex array of family responses to sexual minorities. Clinicians should consider the varied ways in which cultural factors may influence family responses to sexual minority individuals.
Natural Dyes from Mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum) as Sensitizers in Solar Cells

Photovoltaic energy presents environmental advantages; however, these advantages are limited by the cost of manufacturing solar cells and in many cases, scarce or dangerous materials are incorporated. Therefore, the use of natural dyes from mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum) as sensitizers in solar cells is proposed. The dyes were extracted by maceration in acidified methanol (HCl, citric acid and trifluoroacetic acid TFA) and were characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) and spectrometric methods (UV-Vis, IR and MS-MALDI). The construction and characterization of cells were in standard conditions. The study confirms that pigments in mortiño are flavonoids of the anthocyanidin group as: cyanidin-3-galactoside, and cyanidin-3-arabinoside. The efficiency of solar cells was between 0.18–0.26%; the extraction with TFA in methanol leads to the best performance. Although they have low power conversion efficiency, mortiño dyes could be an alternative to artificial sensitizers for solar cell technologies because they are harmless and abundant substances.
A Bayesian network approach to modelling land-use decisions under environmental policy incentives in the Brazilian Amazon

ABSTRACT Deforestation driven by agricultural expansion is a major threat to the biodiversity of the Amazon Basin. Modelling how deforestation responds to environmental policy implementation has thus become a policy relevant scientific undertaking. However, empirical parameterization of land-use/cover change (LUCC) models is challenging due to the high complexity and uncertainty of land-use decisions. Bayesian Network (BN) modelling provides an effective framework to integrate various data sources including expert knowledge. In this study, we integrate remote sensing products with data from farm-household surveys and a decision game to model LUCC at the BR-163, in Brazil. Our ‘business as usual’ scenario indicates cumulative forest cover loss in the study region of 8,000 km2 between 2014 and 2030, whereas ‘intensified law-enforcement’ would reduce cumulative deforestation to 1,600 km2 over the same time interval. Our findings underline the importance of conservation law enforcement in modulating the impact of agricultural market incentives on land cover change.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CLINICAL - DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL PARAMETERS IN THE EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF BLIND PEOPLE WITH GLAUCOMA AND DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Blindness represents a terminal stage of many ophthalmological diseases, prevents proper orientation in space and synchronised functioning of the organism as a whole and normal performance of everyday functions, activities and professional duties, because of its crucial influence in socialization and quality of life, with glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy as the most common causes of eventual loss of vision.The study aimed to examine the significance of clinical-demographic and social parameters in the evaluation of quality of life of blind people with glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and to determine any differences in quality of life between these two conditions. The study enrolled 70 people with glaucoma and 70 with diabetic retinopathy, over the age of 18, in whom by way of ophthalmologic examination the diagnosis of blindness was established, in accordance with the MKB-classification and abiding by the examination protocol and using adequate equipment. The following clinicodemographic and social parameters were taken into account and analyzed: etiology, gender, age, place of living, occupational status, marital status, living conditions, Braille literacy, social life, comorbid conditions, mobility, selfcare ability, everyday activities, pain/inconvenience and anxiety/depression. The analysis of the clinical parameters of mobility, selfcare, everyday activities, pain/inconvenience, an-xiety/depression and comorbid states indicate a significant contribution to better quality of life for blind people with glaucoma compared to those with diabetic retinopathy. The examinees were of both genders, came from urban and rural areas, most of them were not Braille literate, were over 65 years of age, married, with a place to live, pensioners, and in relation to these parameters tehere were no significant differences in quality of life assessed in the study. Acta Medica Medianae 2016;55(4):37-45.
Apparatus for investigating the burning and dripping of vertically oriented polyurethane foams

The burning and dripping behaviour of polyurethane (PU) foam is crucial for upholstered furniture fires due to the melting and dripping behaviour of the foam that results in a pool fire under the furniture, which enhances the combustion. The sample feeding vertical cone is developed to investigate the two‐dimensional small‐scale burning and dripping behaviour of vertically oriented PU foams where a constant irradiance is maintained at the exposed surface by means of automatic sample compensation. Seven different PU foams were investigated and classified as conventional foam or char‐forming foam according to the observed surface phenomena during exposure to heat fluxes. The burning and dripping behaviour is found to depend on the foam density as well as the solid‐phase char formation by the presence of fire retardant additives. The total mass loss rate and the dripping rate increase with higher foam density and with the presence of char formation. In contrary, the vaporisation rate is favoured at lower foam density and with the absence of char formation. Flexible foams of low density without the ability to form char tend to achieve low dripping rate where majority of the mass loss is via vaporisation, contributing directly to the gas‐phase combustion.
Energy-Efficient Data-Aware SRAM Design Utilizing Column-Based Data Encoding

This brief presents an ultra-low power SRAM utilizing a column-based data encoding scheme for power reduction. The proposed scheme is particularly beneficial in applications like bio-signal and image processing where neighboring data have similar values. The proposed technique generates write data through bit-wise comparison, which leads to a larger number of “0s”. To utilize this, a data-aware bitline pre-charge scheme is proposed to minimize the write power for “0”. In addition, a PVT-tracking bias generator compensates for the read bitline leakage to improve the sensing margin. A 32Kb SRAM in 65nm CMOS technology shows successful operation down to 0.36 V with the power of 0.37 $\mu \text{W}$ and the maximum frequency of 0.25 MHz. The minimum energy is 0.3 pJ/access at 0.5 V.
Evaluation of lung function tests in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Background: Pulmonary manifestation is one of the most common extra-articular features in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) leading to significant morbidity. Lung function testing helps in identifying the type of respiratory defect. Early detection helps in effective management of the lung involvement in RA. Aims and Objectives: In this study, we compared the lung function of RA patient with the normal controls. Materials and Methods: Spirometry was performed in 100 participants (50 RA patients and 50 normal controls). Lung parameters such as forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced expiratory flow in 25-75%, and peak expiratory flow rate were measured. Statistical analysis was performed, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: In this study, restrictive ventilatory defect was seen in 64% of patients, and obstructive ventilatory defect was seen in 10% of patients. Pulmonary function abnormalities are common in asymptomatic rheumatoid patients which were found to be restrictive defect. Conclusion: Restrictive ventilatory defect may be due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis characterized by high levels of rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody and deposits of immunoglobulin A, and complement on the alveolar wall. Screening of RA patients with spirometer helps in early detection of pulmonary involvement.
Utilities of traditional and novel biomarkers in the management of acute kidney injury

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI), characterized by an abrupt decrease of renal function, is associated with multiple etiologies and pathological mechanisms. Clinically, AKI has traditionally been defined and stratified by rising serum creatinine and a decrease in urine output. However, neither criterion is sensitive enough for early detection of AKI, nor can they provide useful etiological information for making appropriate therapeutic decisions. Therefore, numerous AKI biomarkers have been discovered, investigated and tested in large cohort studies in the hope of improving diagnosis and clinical management of AKI. In this review, we describe in detail recent developments on three novel AKI markers: neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, liver-type fatty acid-binding protein, and the composite score of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 ([TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7]). We also examine several emerging AKI markers, including proenkephalin A 119-159, fibroblast growth factor 23, calprotectin, and endocan that are in the pipeline for market approval. To date, the translation of new AKI biomarkers into clinical use has been limited. We discuss existing barriers and ongoing efforts to overcome the hurdles. Lastly, we propose several practical approaches, such as incorporating emerging markers into bundled care for AKI and conducting clinical validation studies in specific subpopulation (e.g. pediatric patients after cardiac surgery, adult major trauma patients) to avoid the confounding effects of other complications, as a focus for future research in marker-guided AKI patient management.
Nanostructured IrOx Coatings for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reactions in PV-EC Setup

Abstract New heteroleptic iridium compounds exhibiting high volatility and defined thermal decomposition behavior were developed and tested in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The iridium precursor [(COD)Ir(TFB-TFEA)] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; TFB-TFEA = N-(4,4,4-Trifluorobut-1-en-3-on)-6,6,6-trifluoroethylamin) unifies both reactivity and sufficient stability through its heteroleptic constitution to offer a step-by-step elimination of ligands to provide high compositional purity in CVD deposits. The substitution of neutral COD ligands against CO groups further increased the volatility of the precursor. PECVD experiments with unambiguously characterized Ir compounds (single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis) demonstrated their suitability for an atom-efficient (high molecule-to-precursor yield) gas phase deposition of amorphous iridium oxide (IrOx) phases. Thin films of IrOx were well suited as electrocatalyst in oxygen evolution reaction so that an efficient coupled system in combination with solar cells is viable to perform water-splitting reaction without external bias.
Anterior Junction Syndrome Caused by Neuromyelitis Optica

The anterior junction syndrome is a specific manifestation caused by optic nerve involvement at the junction with the optic chiasm and the contralateral inferonasal nerve fibers (Wilbrand’s Knee). Lesions at this point show a specific pattern of visual impairment which is characterized by an advanced monocular visual field loss, together with circumscribed visual field defects, respecting the vertical midline in the other eye (junctional scotoma). Although pituitary adenomas are the most frequent cause, demyelinating lesions may also be responsible. We report a 65-year-old woman with painless loss of vision in the right eye who one month later developed temporal visual hemifield defect in the left eye. Different diagnoses were considered, however, the positivity for anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies was the decisive factor in the final diagnosis. The patient received intravenous methylprednisolone and plasma exchange and after several days she recovered the vision in the left eye but not in the right eye. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a relapsing demyelinating disorder, with a different etiology from multiple sclerosis (MS) and with a higher morbidity and mortality. Early detection of AQP4 antibodies and institution of appropriate immunotherapy can be the key to a better prognosis.
Modification of the random differential transformation method and its applications to compartmental models

Abstract In this study, a modification of the random differential transformation method is given by using Laplace-Padé method. The modification, which has previously been introduced for the deterministic differential transformation method (DTM), is used to obtain improved approximate expected values, variances, and confidence intervals for systems of random differential equations. Comparison of approximate results obtained from the random differential transformation method and the modified method are given to underline the improvement of the approximations. Epidemiological compartmental models of type SIR and SIIR are used to implement the modified method and demonstrate its advantages. Simulations and deterministic counterparts of the models are also investigated to confirm the suitability of the results of the approximations.
SMS for sexual health: A comparison of service types and recommendations for sexual health text message service providers

Objectives: Text message–based interventions may provide sexual health information to young people through a number of service types, from sending information on a regularly scheduled timeline, to providing an automated menu, to allowing young people to connect directly with health educators. While such service types exist, it is not clear which features young adults feel are most effective at allowing them to engage with sexual health information. Design: This study used a mixed-methods design (survey and focus groups) to assess perceptions of three types of sexual health text message services with young adults, a population particularly at risk of negative sexual health outcomes. Setting: College students from the US Pacific Northwest participated in the project. Method: Participants heard about three sexual health text message services, completed questionnaires and discussed each type. Focus groups were gender-separated. Results: Participants reported that services that allowed them to connect with a health educator would be highly useful, but automated services would be beneficial in bringing new topics to their attention. Participants perceived the purpose of the service types as different and felt each could be a useful resource, depending on the situation. Regardless of service type, participants wanted to personalise their experience. Participants wanted messages tailored to them and options to interact with the systems, from influencing topic selection to message timing. Conclusion: Each of the service types can be useful for young adults. Young adults perceive services that provide the opportunity to tailor information and interact with the system as beneficial.
Influence of Education and Socioeconomic Status on Immunisation Status of Children in Rural Areas of Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka.

Objectives: 1) To assess the immunisation status of children aged 6 to 48 months residing in Bantwal Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka 2) To assess the educational and socioeconomic status of the parents of the study population and to determine its effect on the immunisation status of the children Materials and Methods: Four-hundred and sixty children aged 6 month to 48 months who attended health camps held in 7 villages of Bantwal Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district were included in the study. The data regarding age, sex, religion, immunisation status, optional vaccination, socioeconomic status, mothers and fathers education was collected from parents using a semi-structured questionnaire using interview method and from the immunisation cards. A child who had missed any of the vaccinations according to the National Immunisation Program was classified as partially immunised while those who had not received any vaccination or those who had received only BCG and Pulse Polio vaccines were classified as non- immunised. Results: Of the 460 children, 95.7% were fully immunised according to the national immunisation schedule, while the rest were partially immunised. But only 2.6 % of the children had taken any optional vaccines. Majority of the population (78.5%) belonged to lower middle socioeconomic class (Kuppuswamy Class 3). Immunisation status was not significantly related to socioeconomic status as the percentage of children who were fully immunised were equally high in both upper and lower socioeconomic class (p=0.315). Educational status of the father and the mother were significantly related to immunisation status (p
Extractive activity of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Acai palm tree) in the Araguari River Valley, Eastern Amazon

The acai palm tree is a species of multiple use and of great importance for the Amazonian economy and riverside families. The high appreciation of the acai berry in the national and international markets contributes to the search for new producing areas and the reduction of repressed demand. This research aimed to identify the knowledge of the riverside families about the acai berry extraction activity in the Araguari river valley. The study was between the municipalities of Ferreira Gomes and Cutias, in an extension of 80 kilometers. The properties were sampled according to the following criteria- i) presence of natural acai massifs; ii) acceptance of the research by the interviewee and iii) permission to implement sample plots. Data were obtained through a form and interviews with structured questions. Non-probabilistic sampling (n = 13) was used to select local extractivists who hold acai areas. The field research with extractivists allowed us to infer that the period of high fruit production extends from March to June. The use of byproducts of the acai is little expressive. Although livestock is the most expressive activity in the region, others stand out- fishing, agriculture and extractivism. The commercial production of acai fruit is destined to the municipality of Cutias and most native acai owners have significant interest in the management of this species.
New record of the non-indigenous crab Percnongibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) from Palagruža archipelago (Adriatic Sea)

Several individuals of non-indigenous grapsid crab Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) have been observed and photographed in the area of Palagruža archipelago (Adriatic Sea, Croatia). This is additional confirmed record of this species in the Adriatic Sea. It suggests subsequent range expansion of this species and provides further evidence of its establishment in Adriatic waters.